"!!!"
Hearing this intel, everyone's faces lit up with hope.
Naruto had been found—there was still a chance.
Ōnoki immediately made a decision. "Time is of the essence, and there's no room for error. The enemy may also be searching for them. I will go personally to meet Jiraiya and bring them back."
A interjected, "I'll go with you!"
Rasa added, "Count me in. If we encounter the enemy, all the better. I must settle the score from our last encounter."
Mei Terumī said firmly, "Although I'm pregnant, this concerns the safety of the entire world. I don't want to stay behind. My long-range techniques will be invaluable for supporting you."
Tsunade glanced at her own abdomen and said gravely, "And I'll come as well. While I can't fight directly, with my medical ninjutsu, you can fight without holding back."
Ōnoki chuckled. "Interesting. Living to this age has its perks—I never thought I'd see the Five Kage standing side by side like this."
Rasa nodded. "Let's hope we encounter the Akatsuki. No matter how strong they are, against the combined forces of the Five Nations, they'll stand no chance."
Ōnoki declared, "Everyone, prepare to depart! Move out!"
The Ruins of the Land of Whirlpools
In front of a small grass hut, Konoha's Yamanaka Haiichi, Aburame Shibi, and Inuzuka Tsume, along with Kumogakure's Tsuchidai and Iwagakure's Monya, stood at the gate.
Soon, Jiraiya stepped out of the hut, placing a finger to his lips to gesture for silence.
"Naruto's exhausted and has fallen asleep. Let's talk outside."
Jiraiya led the group to the courtyard. After listening to Haiichi's detailed explanation, Jiraiya began to piece together the current situation.
"Hmm… Haiichi, what you've told me aligns almost perfectly with what my information network has reported."
Haiichi was stunned. "So you already knew Akatsuki was after Naruto?"
Jiraiya crossed his arms and nodded. "I knew. I also knew that Akatsuki is only one step away from collecting all the Tailed Beasts. The Five Kage's decision after their summit was no surprise to me either."
Inuzuka Tsume couldn't hold back her frustration. "Jiraiya-sama! You're being too reckless. If you knew all this, why didn't you return to the village? Do you know how worried Tsunade-sama has been about you and Naruto?"
Monya, visibly agitated, chimed in, "Exactly! Do you have any idea how much the Five Nations have sacrificed over these past few days trying to find you? And here you are, hiding out with the Nine-Tails, going on a sightseeing trip!"
Faced with the accusations from the other nations' shinobi, Jiraiya remained calm.
After all, the Five Nations had now united, achieving the mutual understanding among people that Jiraiya had always dreamed of. Seeing this gave him a sense of fulfillment—it was the world he'd always hoped for.
But Monya's last remark struck a chord deep within Jiraiya.
"Kid, what did you just say to me?" Jiraiya turned to Monya, his eyes flashing with anger.
Sensing the shift in Jiraiya's demeanor, Tsuchidai quickly tried to mediate. "Jiraiya, don't be upset. Please forgive Monya for his disrespect. He's just anxious and didn't mean any harm."
Tsuchidai, being of similar age and status to Jiraiya, had met him before. The two had always treated each other with mutual respect.
"You misunderstand, Tsuchidai. I'm not angry about his disrespect in the slightest."
Pointing to the hut, Jiraiya said sharply to Monya,
"Remember this—Naruto is not the Nine-Tails. He has a name! I hope you never refer to him as the Nine-Tails again."