Konoha Prison.
Danzo sat deep in thought, holding yesterday's newspaper. The headline read:
"Lightning Thief Invades Konoha! Has the Storm Returned to the Shinobi World?"
The tides of war were clearly rising. Chaos lood on the horizon. Danzo believed that the Third Hokage would soon have no choice but to reinstate the Foundation.
Sooner or later, Hiruzen would co begging him to return to power. Danzo was certain of it.
Just then, a rhythmic knock echoed on the iron door. A freshly delivered newspaper slid through the gap.
This ti, the headline shouted:
"Kakashi's Campaign Against the Raikage: Ten Days of Battle, Victorious Return Imminent!"
Just a temporary win, Danzo sneered to himself. Greater storms lie ahead.
They'll still have to co crawling back to .
Elsewhere, Hiruzen Sarutobi had no ti to spare for Danzo's fantasies. He was currently busy doom-scrolling through a shinobi forum.
[Post]
"Sarutobi Summoned Enma to Help Orochimaru Escape! Backstabbed the Third! Mobile ga devs added an easter egg: Enma can never crit."
No wonder Enma never landed a critical hit! The devs must be anti-Sarutobi…
[Reply]
"That sword-wielding monkey is clearly just Jiraiya in disguise. The hair's a dead giveaway."
[Reply]
"I'm in tears. Jiraiya clearly ambushed the Third. The man literally laid his hands on Orochimaru's shoulders as he died, entrusting him with the Will of Fire… and people still bla him for killing his sensei?"
These people are insane!
Unable to resist, the Third Hokage replied:
"You all slander , fine. But why drag the monkey into it? Isn't Jiraiya supposed to be wildly popular?"
Soone replied instantly:
"You must be a Kumo fanboy. Everyone knows Jiraiya defected to Agakure and died falling off a toad."
Just as Hiruzen was about to launch into a long-winded rebuttal, a knock ca from the Hokage's office door.
The man who stepped in was none other than the supposedly-toad-fallen Jiraiya himself.
"You called for , old man?"
Hiruzen snapped back to reality, his expression turning complicated.
"Jiraiya, I've summoned you as our last line of insurance."
"What's with the dramatic look? What's going on?"
Lighting his pipe, Hiruzen waved it off.
"Asuma is leading a team to the Hidden Sand to retrieve Gaara, their Jinchuriki."
Jiraiya nodded. He was listening.
"The Akatsuki will likely strike when the One-Tails is in transit. You'll be there to provide backup. If the opportunity arises, eliminate them. Also..."
Hiruzen's voice dropped.
"Have you decided what to do about Nagato?"
As Jiraiya's forr student, Nagato now the leader of the Akatsuki was no longer a mystery to either of them. During their last serious conversation, Jiraiya had confessed he already knew the truth.
But knowing was one thing. Doing sothing about it was another.
He couldn't win a fight. And he couldn't talk him down.
Even the pervy sage looked visibly distressed.
"Once I've helped Asuma's team, I plan to head to the Hidden Rain myself."
What? Still going after that wayward disciple?
Hiruzen was montarily speechless.
Sensing the hesitation, Jiraiya continued.
"I won't give up on them. Don't worry. I've got the intel. I won't get myself killed."
Fair enough. He's one of the Sannin, after all.
After a mont of reflection, Hiruzen shared his final piece of intel: Uchiha Obito's movents. Up to now, he had deliberately avoided ntioning anything involving Obito or Madara, afraid of provoking Kuro Zetsu into hiding again.
But now the office was sealed with barriers, and Jiraiya was soone he could trust.
Hearing this, Jiraiya's expression turned firm.
"All the more reason I have to go."
Several days later, Kakashi returned to the village with his forces.
Hiruzen warmly welcod the victors and imdiately bestowed them honors.
He officially appointed the five top jonin of Konoha as the "Five Generals."
The roster: Jiraiya, Tsunade, Orochimaru, Kakashi, and Might Guy.
So questioned it.
"Isn't Orochimaru a rogue ninja? Why does he deserve this title? Shouldn't Yamato be promoted instead?"
Hiruzen answered without hesitation.
"Orochimaru infiltrated the Akatsuki for years, working undercover. His service has been invaluable. Now that he has returned to Konoha, he deserves this recognition."
The room fell silent. No one raised another objection.
anwhile, Uchiha Itachi was still out at sea, living the life of a mber of the Whitebeard Pirates.
Drinking, feasting, brawling, and bragging despite knowing they were marching toward a battle with a terrifyingly high mortality rate.
It all felt so ridiculous. And yet, within that chaotic atmosphere, the darkness that once weighed heavy on his heart had started to lift.
At the sa ti, he had co to understand how this world really worked.
This world... was even darker than the Shinobi one.
Its resources were far richer, yet the fighting was even more brutal worse than the Warring States era.
Celestial Dragons...
Itachi downed his wine, his eyes narrowing.
Those creatures were truly the pinnacle of depravity.
The sea breeze was calm tonight. The moon cast silver light across the deck of the Moby Dick, flagship of the Whitebeard Pirates.
Itachi leaned on the railing.
Marco was perched on a barrel nearby, swinging a fresh bottle of rum in his hand.
They had grown close during their ti together. Itachi had always been easy to get along with when on the sa side. Even Kisa, originally assigned to spy on him, had eventually ended up happily tag-teaming with him in combat.
Marco lazily waved the bottle.
"Oi, Itachi, you're overthinking things again, aren't you?"
Before Itachi could reply, he added,
"Still kinda hard to believe you're a reinforcent from another world. No clue how Ace pulled that off."
Then again, nothing seed too outrageous here not in a world where Devil Fruits could manipulate ti.
"So, the Navy has already mustered all their top brass and elite forces?"
Marco nodded and popped the rum open.
"That's what Red-Haired Shanks told us."
Just recently, one of the sea's other emperors had co to warn them in person. Their clash of Conqueror's Haki had literally split the sky.
"A battle with a 90 percent fatality rate..." Itachi muttered.
Marco bit into the bottle's neck and grinned.
"Oi, don't say stuff like that. Pops intends to bring everyone back alive."
"Unlikely. Every one of the Navy's three admirals can go toe-to-toe with Whitebeard."
Marco didn't argue.
"Haha, you trying to talk out of it again? I already told you. We pirates aren't like shinobi. Besides, we're not charging to our deaths. We're going to save family."
He stood and stretched, gazing into the distance.
"Pops once said 'The scariest thing on these seas isn't death. It's losing family.'"
"So no matter what you say, you won't convince us."
Family...
After a brief pause, Itachi spoke.
"I'm not trying to talk you out of it anymore. I'm trying to understand... the nature of this war."
"Executing a Logia-type pirate achieves nothing. They usually just lock them up for life."
"But Ace is different. He carries the blood of the Pirate King."
Marco's smile faded a little.
"Yeah. If it were who got caught, they probably wouldn't sentence to death."
"Then why give us ti? Why stage a public execution?"
"The Navy doesn't care about Ace's life. What they want is the total annihilation of the Whitebeard Pirates."
That was Itachi's conclusion.
Marco stayed silent for a mont. He was about to respond with, "Even if it's a trap, we'll still go," when
Itachi interrupted him.
"If it's a trap, why not offer sothing valuable in exchange for Ace?"
"For instance, a Celestial Dragon. In your world, aren't they even more precious than the Pirate King's bloodline?"
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