Within the basket, a surprising revelation awaited – no fish, but rather, a collection of unmistakably flat stones. Tatsuma's expression betrayed a flicker of embarrassment, his confidence in the prowess of his Genjutsu Release shattered.
Unbeknownst to him, he had succumbed to a cunning Genjutsu, perceiving a stack of stones as succulent fish. Had it not been for Jiraiya's timely reminder, he might have unwittingly immersed himself further into the illusory depths.
"Let's go buy some fish together," Jiraiya suggested.
Suddenly, he rubbed his stomach and projected his voice louder than usual.
The trio leisurely made their way toward Shigeru. Upon reaching his stall, Jiraiya squatted down, closely inspecting the stones. Every now and then, he feigned a struggle as if trying to catch a slippery fish.
Jiraiya's theatrical skills were undeniable. Despite being mere stones, in his hands, they transformed into lively, jumping fish. The decision to disclose the truth lingered, but Jiraiya's performance made it a captivating spectacle.
Shigeru maintained a warm smile as he passionately detailed the various fish types and their prices to Jiraiya, while Tatsuma and Minato observed him closely.
Tatsuma reached a conclusion: Shigeru appeared genuinely unaware that he was selling stones. His sincere and proud smile clearly reflected his belief in the quality of his "fish."
"We're just one adult and two kids. These fish should be enough for us. Could you let us know the total cost?" Jiraiya selected a few larger stones, placed them on the scale, and Shigeru checked the weight before saying, "A total of five and a half kilos, let's round it down to five kilos. Sixty-two ryo should be fine."
"So cheap?" Even Jiraiya found himself a bit perplexed by the price. After all, sea fish in Konoha typically fetched at least twenty ryo per kilo.
Shigeru, wielding a curved-blade fish knife, smiled and explained, "We're by the sea here, and everyone can go out for fishing. I'm just here to look out for the neighborhood. If I sell too high, it wouldn't be fair. Would you like me to clean and prepare the fish for you?"
Jiraiya pulled out his wallet, nodded, and replied, "Please go ahead and clean them for us."
Afterwards, the three of them watched Shigeo scratching the stone with a dull knife, then packed the stone in a bag, took the money handed over by Jiraiya, and said, "Guest, if you think it tastes good, Next time you come to buy something, I'll make it cheaper for you."
"Alright, it's a deal." Jiraiya's smile remained radiant. As he was about to stand up, he casually inquired, "Boss, how many people do you have helping you with fishing? Looks like you must sell quite a bit in a day."
Shigeru offered a shy smile and replied, "I only have one assistant. He's truly skilled at fishing, and we end up with more catch than we can sell every day."
Intrigued, Jiraiya asked, "That skilled, huh? I'd love to meet him if I get the chance."
Pleased with Jiraiya's compliment, Shigeru smiled proudly and said, "Unfortunately, you've come at an inconvenient time. If things slow down here later, he'll swing by to deliver the fish."
Jiraiya had already risen to his full height, his face carrying an air of regret. "That's a shame. I'm uncertain how long I'll be staying in the village, and I need to take my two students for some training. I won't disrupt your business, boss, or inconvenience the others here to buy fish. I'll take my leave."
As Jiraiya turned away, he glanced at the people standing in line behind him and noticed an absence of dissatisfaction on their faces for making them wait. In fact, some appeared rather indifferent. It seemed their sole purpose was to purchase fish, and if that proved impossible, they would wait patiently without any signs of frustration.
Frowning, Jiraiya looked at Tatsuma and the others, signaling for them to follow him. The three swiftly navigated through the crowd and reached the outskirts of the gathering area. Jiraiya tossed the stones in his hand onto the ground and said, "You've probably noticed the situation. Staying inside Awa won't provide any new information. All the fishermen are under control. Even if we talk to them, we won't get any clues. Their perceptions have been altered."
Jiraiya spoke with a solemn expression on his face, encountering such a peculiar Genjutsu for the first time. The intensity of this Genjutsu surpassed his expectations. While controlling thousands of ordinary civilians was already impressive, Even Tatsuma and Minato with Chunin strength had unknowingly fallen into its grip as well.
Despite the youthfulness of these two, Jiraiya recognized that, among Chunin, neither displayed any apparent weaknesses. He finally comprehended why the Konoha ninjas who had investigated the Awa situation before left somewhat puzzled, leaving only scant notes without substantial content.
"Next, I will try to make contact with the ninja beast first. Don't get too close. Try to lurk next to that Shigeru. If necessary, we will use him to restrain the ninja beast."
After a brief contemplation, Jiraiya issued the instructions. Upon hearing these orders, Tatsuma and Minato both tightened their lips. As ninjas, resorting to using civilians as leverage to coerce the mission target felt unpalatable.
Jiraiya sensed the hesitation in the two and reassured, "I know what you're thinking. Ninjas indeed shouldn't harm civilians without reason, but this situation is different. That ninja beast was unsealed by Shigeru. Just restricting his freedom doesn't violate the ninja code of conduct."
However, just as the two were contemplating whether there might be a better alternative to Jiraiya's instructions, cries of agony suddenly echoed through Awa.
"Let's go check it out."
As Jiraiya spoke, he led the way towards Awa, with Tatsuma and Minato closely following.
"Chisato! Chisato! Please, I beg you, save my son!"
Upon entering Awa, they encountered a woman holding a four or five-year-old child, desperately seeking help from the people around her.
However, the faces of those nearby remained indifferent. Some carried bags, heading home, while others walked toward Shigeru's fish stall, completely ignoring the distressed woman.
Jiraiya employed Body Flicker to appear in front of the woman, took the child into his arms, and asked, "What happened?"
"Eat fish! Eat fish! It's stuck, it's stuck."
Although the woman displayed nervousness and sadness, a hint of confusion flickered in her eyes when she mentioned eating fish.
Disregarding her momentarily, Jiraiya checked the child's condition. At this moment, the child was enduring continuous convulsions, saliva flowing from the corners of his mouth, and irregular movements in his chest and abdomen.
"He's choking."
Assessing the situation, Tatsuma swiftly opened the boy's hands, which were clawing at his own neck, turned him over, and then performed the Heimlich maneuver by hugging him from behind.
"Uh~ uh~ ah~ pfft~ cough~"
In just a few seconds, the boy suddenly spat out a stone about the size of two thumbs, and he began to breathe rapidly. Tatsuma quickly released him, taking a breath himself. However, before he could say anything to Jiraiya and Minato, the boy, who had just recovered his breath, suddenly lunged towards the stone on the ground.
Simultaneously, his hands reached for the stone, and his mouth opened as if he were a person who hadn't eaten for days and had finally found food.
Jiraiya swiftly kicked the stone into the air, and the three exchanged glances. In a resolute voice, Jiraiya stated, "There's no time to wait any longer. We must stop this before it causes more serious harm."
At that moment, Minato pointed to a distant street where a young boy, carrying a fish basket and wearing a straw hat, was heading their way. He exclaimed, "Over there!"
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