"Croak!~"
In the Ninja World, the moment Naruto-kun returned, he heard a croaking sound. The nearby building suddenly transformed into a huge toad that pounced on him, knocking him to the ground, then shouted excitedly and aggrievedly, "Naruto-kun, you're finally back, croak!~"
"It's Gamabunta!"
Naruto-kun pushed away the large toad pressing on him and asked, "Have you been waiting for me here all this time?"
Gamabunta was a toad residing in Mount Myōboku, skilled in transformation. It could use chakra to transform into buildings imagined by its contractors as a form of disguise. This ability was usually used for intelligence gathering, while its combat style involved luring enemies into its disguised building—which was actually Gamabunta's stomach.
Gamabunta's stomach was extremely sturdy; once inside, most ninja could not escape.
However, when Naruto-kun and Jiraiya traveled and had no money for inns, they often used Gamabunta's stomach as a tent. This happened quite a few times, so Naruto-kun was very familiar with him.
Naruto-kun had stayed in the Pirate World for over two months this time, and the time here was synchronized. It was obvious that during his disappearance, Jiraiya had not stayed behind to wait for him personally, but instead left Gamabunta here.
"Mhm, mhm!~"
Gamabunta nodded aggrievedly and said, "That day, Naruto-kun, you suddenly disappeared. Jiraiya-sama stayed here waiting for you for a week, but you still didn't return. Then he received a message from Konoha Village and had to go back, so he left Gamabunta here and departed."
Gamabunta had waited here alone for nearly two months. During that time, it had remained transformed into a building, without moving an inch.
Two whole months!
Naruto-kun, do you know how Gamabunta spent these two months?
"Sorry. I'll buy you fried dragonflies later."
Naruto-kun looked at the aggrieved Gamabunta and spoke with some embarrassment.
Fried dragonflies were Gamabunta's favorite food.
"Really?"
Gamabunta's horizontal pupils immediately lit up, and it exclaimed in surprise, "I want a hundred skewers—no, a thousand skewers, croak!~"
At the mention of food, all of Gamabunta's grievances instantly disappeared.
"No problem!"
Naruto-kun nodded, then asked, "You said Jiraiya-sama left after receiving a message from Konoha Village. Did something happen in the Village?"
Naruto-kun had traveled with Jiraiya for some time and had come to understand his character. He knew that Jiraiya valued the Village deeply, but for some reason was very reluctant to return. Generally, unless something major happened, Jiraiya would definitely not go back. The fact that he had returned now meant something significant must have occurred.
"Gamabunta doesn't know, croak!~"
Gamabunta shook its head, then said, "But when Jiraiya-sama left, Gamabunta heard him mention Orochimaru, so his return might be related to Orochimaru, croak!~"
"Orochimaru? Is that the ninja who, along with Jiraiya-sama, is known as one of the 'Three Sannin'?" Naruto-kun asked curiously. He thought for a moment and continued, "I remember he was a rogue ninja from the Village. Did he return and do something bad, so Jiraiya-sama went back to catch him?"
"Gamabunta doesn't know, croak!"
Gamabunta shook its head again.
"Alright."
Naruto-kun nodded, not particularly interested in Orochimaru's affairs, then asked, "Did Jiraiya-sama say when he would be back?"
Jiraiya-sama had left a week after Naruto-kun went to the Pirate World. Nearly two months had passed, and he still hadn't returned, meaning he must be dealing with something important. If there was no clear return time, Naruto-kun didn't want to wait here foolishly.
"No, croak!~"
Gamabunta continued shaking its head. "But Gamabunta can return to Mount Myōboku and have a messenger toad inform Jiraiya-sama that Naruto-kun has returned. Jiraiya-sama arranged it this way from the start, croak!~"
"Okay, then I'll trouble you."
Naruto-kun nodded and said, "When you come back again, I'll buy you fried dragonflies."
"Okay, croak!~"
Gamabunta nodded cheerfully, formed a hand seal with its webbed feet, and vanished in a puff of white smoke.
After Gamabunta left, Naruto-kun began checking the system's messages. "System, when can I return to Yamato's world next?"
[The host needs to obtain 'Real Life' mode experience qualification to experience it again.]
As expected.
Naruto-kun had already guessed this result and knew how to obtain that "qualification," so he continued, "Then when can I start the virtual experience?"
[For the host's physical and mental safety, please wait seven natural days before starting a new life experience.]
Thankfully, it was still seven days.
Naruto-kun breathed a sigh of relief. The cooldown period for physical and mental safety had been seven days the first time and one month the second time. He had been worried it would continue to increase.
He now seemed to understand the rules of this "physical and mental safety cooldown period." After each 'Real Life' mode experience, a seven-day cooldown was required, and after each 'Virtual Experience' mode, a one-month cooldown was required.
However, whether the cooldown period for 'Virtual Experience' mode was always one month would need confirmation after another experience.
If it remained consistent, then he would only need to wait one month and seven days, undergo another virtual experience in between, and obtain the 'Real Life' mode qualification again—just over a month, which wasn't long.
Thinking this, Naruto-kun felt relaxed and began checking his rewards.
There were three rewards this time. Aside from 'Conqueror's Haki,' the other two were permissions for 'Virtual Experience' mode, which didn't seem to directly improve his strength.
"Conqueror's Haki, huh?"
Naruto-kun was quite curious about this power—not because it was an ability only one in a million could awaken, nor because of the so-called 'King's Disposition,' but because Yamato had awakened it.
"Hehe, now I have it too!"
Naruto-kun chuckled softly and chose to claim the rewards.
"Huh?"
After claiming them, he didn't notice any changes at all.
Last time, after receiving Observation Haki, he immediately felt different and naturally learned how to use it. But this time, after receiving Conqueror's Haki, he felt nothing?
"How strange."
He carefully sensed himself for a long time, but found no difference and no trace of Conqueror's Haki. In the end, he simply cast the matter aside.
Konoha Village, Hokage Office.
"Hokage-sama."
Uchiha Itachi looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi with a pleading expression and said firmly, "Please, you must grant my request. I beg you."
"Itachi—"
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at him with complicated eyes, sighed softly, and said, "It's not that I won't agree to your request, but letting you pursue Orochimaru alone…"
He shook his head and earnestly advised, "Itachi, you know the situation of the Uchiha Clan. If even you leave at this time, you can imagine what they might do. Leave Orochimaru to Jiraiya.
Both the Village and the Uchiha Clan need you right now. I hope you can prioritize the greater good."
Over a month ago, Orochimaru had suddenly appeared in Konoha for unknown reasons and abducted Uchiha Itachi's younger brother, Sasuke.
At that time, the Uchiha Clan was already plotting a coup, and Hiruzen Sarutobi was overwhelmed dealing with it. Orochimaru's sudden involvement further complicated the situation.
Hiruzen Sarutobi suspected that Orochimaru had learned of the Uchiha Clan's intentions and wanted to scheme using this opportunity—or was already involved. To prepare for the worst, he recalled Jiraiya.
It was common knowledge that only a Sannin could deal with another Sannin.
After recalling Jiraiya, Hiruzen Sarutobi entrusted him fully with Orochimaru's matter and turned his attention back to the Uchiha Clan.
As for Uchiha Sasuke, who was taken by Orochimaru… who was that? Did the Village even have such a person?
What Hiruzen Sarutobi hadn't expected was that Uchiha Itachi—his most important piece against the Uchiha Clan—would request to leave the Village to pursue Orochimaru.
That was absolutely unacceptable.
Uchiha Itachi was his trump card. If Itachi left, Hiruzen Sarutobi would be forced into a passive position in his struggle with the Uchiha Clan.
"I apologize, Hokage-sama!"
Uchiha Itachi listened to the persuasion but remained unmoved. "I still insist on my decision. Please, you must agree."
Itachi valued the Village, but it depended on what it was compared to.
Between the Village and the clan, he chose the Village.
Between the Village and his brother, he would choose his brother—without hesitation.
If Jiraiya hadn't been recalled immediately after Sasuke's abduction, Itachi would have gone himself long ago.
But after waiting over a month with no results from Jiraiya, his patience had reached its limit.
If Hiruzen Sarutobi refused again, Itachi had already decided to leave on his own—even if it meant becoming a rogue ninja.
"I'm sorry, Itachi, but I still cannot agree."
Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head. "Even setting aside the Village and the clan, letting you pursue Orochimaru alone would be sending you to your death."
He didn't know that Itachi had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan. In his eyes, Itachi was still only a thirteen-year-old genius.
"Itachi, your talent surpasses your clan's limitations. I have always believed you are the only one who can resolve the rift between the Village and the Uchiha Clan. Please don't disappoint me."
"I understand."
After a moment of silence, Itachi lowered his head, then looked up apologetically. "I apologize for troubling you, Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen Sarutobi finally smiled in relief. "I knew you would understand. Leave Orochimaru to Jiraiya."
He continued seriously, "Right now, resolving the conflict between the Village and the Uchiha Clan is the most important matter. Otherwise, it could lead to unimaginable consequences—even war."
"You've seen the cruelty of war, Itachi. I believe you wouldn't want to see the Village, or even the entire Ninja World, fall into war again because of the Uchiha Clan's ambitions."
"I understand, Hokage-sama."
Itachi lowered his head. "I will first help the Village resolve the Uchiha Clan's problems, and then consider searching for Sasuke."
"No, you misunderstand."
Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head. "The Uchiha Clan is part of the Village. I have never considered them a problem. Their ideas have simply become extreme.
Correcting those ideas is my responsibility as Hokage. Do you understand?"
Although he remained wary of the Uchiha Clan, Hiruzen Sarutobi had never intended to destroy them.
Itachi's gaze flickered briefly, then steadied.
"Yes, Hokage-sama. I know what to do."
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