Shimizu moved at top speed, having already pinpointed the location of the small wooden house where the Hero Water was kept.
Time was running out—every second mattered.
If he delayed because of this and aroused Jiraiya's suspicion…
No. That couldn't happen.
He had to be as fast as possible.
By the time Shimizu reached the quaint little hut, several more explosions rang out in the distance. It seemed the two sides had fully engaged in battle.
It didn't take long for him to find it.
The Hero Water.
His heartbeat quickened uncontrollably.
It sat inside a gourd-shaped glass container, filled with a clear liquid that looked no different from ordinary water.
This… is what Orochimaru is so eager to obtain?
It looked completely unremarkable.
And yet, Takigakure's defenses were astonishingly lax. There were no guards, no barriers—nothing protecting it.
If anyone discovered its location, they could simply walk in and take it.
Still, Shimizu didn't take all of it. Instead, he poured roughly half into a container he had brought, then sealed it into his scroll.
Come to think of it, this particular sealing scroll—with three available slots—was something he had kept from a previous battle. Konoha had never asked for it back, so he had simply treated it as his own.
Once everything was done, he didn't linger for even a second.
Time to go.
"Who's there?!"
In an instant, Shimizu's hand flew to the hilt of his sword as his eyes swept the surroundings.
Inside the room—empty.
Outside—also empty.
And yet… there was no mistake.
That fleeting trace of chakra.
Someone was definitely lurking nearby.
But his sensory perception returned nothing.
Earth Release?
A shinobi from Iwagakure?
It seemed the opponent lacked the confidence to launch a successful sneak attack. For a brief moment, the two sides remained locked in a silent standoff.
From afar, the continuous rumble of explosions echoed, fraying Shimizu's nerves.
Jiraiya wouldn't wait forever.
He had to leave—now.
Gritting his teeth, Shimizu formed hand seals.
Multi Shadow Clone Technique!
Even if it meant consuming more chakra, he had to get out of here immediately.
Four identical "Shimizus" appeared at once, each sprinting off in a different direction.
With real shadow clones, it was nearly impossible to distinguish the original from the copies based on appearance alone. If the opponent truly intended to remain hidden, they wouldn't risk attacking without absolute certainty.
As expected…
The enemy made no move until Shimizu had completely left the area.
...
"Shimizu, what took you so long?"
Jiraiya was already there. Judging by his tone, he had been waiting for a while.
"I was being watched on the way here…"
"By who?"
"I don't know. Their concealment was extremely good—I only sensed them for a brief moment. After that, I couldn't pinpoint their location at all."
This was the explanation Shimizu had prepared in advance.
"Hmm…" Jiraiya fell into thought. "Kumogakure and Iwagakure are already fighting over there, and now a mysterious shinobi shows up here… Could it be that another faction has entered Takigakure?"
"Could it be someone from Takigakure itself?" Shimizu suggested.
"Perhaps…" Jiraiya's tone grew slightly heavier before he asked, "Did you find anything?"
Shimizu shook his head helplessly.
"Same here," Jiraiya said. "From what I've gathered, there haven't been any suspicious outsiders entering Takigakure over the past year, and nothing unusual has happened in the Land of Waterfalls either…"
"In that case, we proceed with the mission assigned by Konoha's higher-ups."
"The Seven-Tails has already been subdued—we need to move quickly."
"So fast?!" Shimizu's eyes widened in surprise.
It had barely been any time at all—and the Seven-Tails was already taken down?
"This time, both Kumogakure and Iwagakure have sent extremely powerful forces…" Jiraiya said in a low voice. "Stay sharp—we've got work to do."
"Yes!"
When Shimizu and Jiraiya arrived at the battlefield, the scene before them was nothing short of chaotic.
Blazing heat, scalding steam, molten lava, crackling lightning, and raging flames filled the air. What had once been a vast stretch of forest had been utterly devastated.
The three sides were clearly divided.
Iwagakure had seven shinobi.
Kumogakure had five.
Takigakure's forces—around a dozen—remained on the outskirts, but every one of them was injured, some severely so.
"Ahahaha! Looks like everyone's having quite the lively fight!"
…Wait, what?!
Wasn't the plan an ambush?
In Shimizu's mind, they were supposed to strike the stronger side from the shadows, balance the power between Kumogakure and Iwagakure, and then try to force a retreat.
But this idiot Jiraiya…
He had just walked straight into the center of the battlefield?!
Wasn't this basically asking to become everyone's target?!
Shimizu felt a headache coming on.
"Konoha shinobi?!"
"You are—"
"One of the Sannin… Jiraiya!"
"The Wild Oni Jiraiya!"
For a moment, all eyes—from Kumogakure, Iwagakure, and even the distant Takigakure—locked onto the white-haired man who had suddenly appeared in the middle of the battlefield.
"Ta-da!"
Jiraiya actually struck a dramatic pose as if making a grand stage entrance. Spreading his fingers and pointing forward, he declared loudly, "That's right! I am the one known across all lands, unmatched in every direction—the great Toad Sage, one of the legendary Sannin, Jiraiya-sama!"
Silence fell over the battlefield.
And in that silence, Shimizu suddenly understood.
This approach… actually forced the enemy to hesitate.
Instead of skulking in the shadows and risking exposure, Jiraiya had brought everything into the open, creating uncertainty.
After all, the enemy had no idea how many Konoha shinobi were present.
And more importantly—
This was confidence. Absolute confidence in his own strength.
As expected of the bold and fearless Jiraiya.
"Hmph. So it's you, Jiraiya."
The speaker was a short Iwagakure shinobi dressed in purple, wearing a chest armor vest, his hair tied back in a short ponytail, with a thick beard.
"Well, well… isn't that Rōshi, the Four-Tails' jinchūriki?" Jiraiya laughed heartily. "It's been a while since the Land of Grass."
"So Konoha wants a share as well?" Rōshi asked coldly.
"Of course not. If we really had designs on this, would Konoha only send the two of us?"
You idiot!!
Shimizu was internally fuming.
Who just casually reveals their own numbers like that?!
"Heh… one of the Sannin, Jiraiya. I admire your courage, but it seems you don't quite understand the meaning of death."
This time, the speaker was a tall Iwagakure shinobi, wearing a yellow-brown armor and a tea-colored mask over his mouth, with a peculiar umbrella-like object strapped to his back.
"My name is Han. Perhaps you haven't heard of me… but I'm sure you know my other title—'Steam Ninja.'"
Han.
Even Shimizu had heard that name.
The Five-Tails' jinchūriki.
Jiraiya merely smiled, his confidence unwavering. "Not bad, not bad. Both of Iwagakure's jinchūriki are here… looks like I'll be adding another defeated opponent to my list."
"Rōshi, you lost to him?" Han questioned, his tone sharp. "That's not what you said before."
"He's strong… stronger than you think. Don't underestimate him," Rōshi replied, his voice turning colder.
At that moment, a figure slowly rose from the center of Iwagakure's formation.
He wore a red sash and a split green vest that fluttered as he hovered in midair. His most striking feature was his large nose, and his small frame contrasted sharply with the authority he exuded.
Floating there, he spoke calmly:
"Jiraiya of Konoha… what is your purpose here?"
"…The Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki of the Two Scales," Jiraiya muttered, his tone growing serious.
He then glanced toward Kumogakure's side.
Their formation was led by the Third Raikage, with the elite jōnin Dodai at his side, accompanied by two unfamiliar young men…
And a little girl?
That sharp, oppressive aura…
Another jinchūriki, perhaps?
At a glance, Kumogakure's side seemed slightly weaker.
And given that Konoha had a ceasefire agreement with them…
"Simple," Jiraiya said, raising his voice. "We're here to help Kumogakure drive out you stubborn old fossils."
Kumogakure didn't seem surprised by his declaration, but Iwagakure responded with cold snorts.
"Just you?" one of the Iwagakure shinobi scoffed. "I admit the Sannin are strong, but… it seems you don't quite understand the situation."
Even with Jiraiya's presence, Iwagakure still held the upper hand.
After all, if not for the Third Raikage turning the tide earlier, Kumogakure might have already collapsed.
"Hey, hey, are you all just ignoring the one standing next to me?" Jiraiya said, scratching his head as if slightly troubled.
Then, with a casual wave of his hand, he added, almost reluctantly:
"Alright, let me introduce him."
"Konoha jōnin… Shunshin Shimizu."