Chapter 53. Quality Product in Bulk Orders
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"Is that so?"
Hearing Obito's words, Jiraiya suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of closeness.
Ah, love…
But…
No!
Jiraiya sighed wistfully, tilting his head back at a forty-five-degree angle to gaze at the sky. Adopting the tone of someone who's been through it all, he smirked faintly and said, "Heartbreak isn't scary! As long as she's happy, that's all that matters. When we get back to the village, this Sage will take you out to have some fun. Just keep the person you care about in your heart, and when you're feeling down, go out and relax!"
"..."
Is this something a human should say?
Obito stared at Jiraiya, the Toad Sage, in disbelief, his Sharingan flickering with a red light. Expressionless, he declared, "Women will only slow down my ninjutsu!"
"To be honest, your ninjutsu is almost the same whether you use hand seals or not, even that… forbidden lightning technique." Jiraiya felt a stomachache just mentioning it. "Not bad! You're very talented! But forbidden techniques… still can't be used often!"
It was a forbidden technique, after all. At first, Jiraiya had found it amusing. But after seeing the aftermath—rows of trembling enemies, butts in the air with twisted expressions of horror…
It was terrifying.
No wonder Obito got dumped. If he used that in front of a girl, who'd dare to like him?
At least Jiraiya himself was still the dream of countless women. If Obito kept using that technique, he'd become the nightmare of countless girls instead!
Frowning, Jiraiya rubbed his chin, seemingly talking to himself. "Finishing barbecue and then moving on to ramen—do young people these days have such huge appetites? Maybe the girl was just full and didn't feel like eating anymore."
Hearing this, Obito froze, his eyes flickering faintly with a glimmer of light.
However, Jiraiya didn't seem to notice. During wartime, he was quite busy, after all. As a self-proclaimed love expert, he figured this consultation was good enough for now. The rest could wait until they got back to the village.
It's nothing serious; just a bit of fun, and he'll be fine!
Patting Obito on the shoulder, Jiraiya stood up with a mischievous smile, winking as he said, "I get it, kid. Heh heh. Once we're back, I'll teach you how to loosen up. Oh, and by the way…" He paused for a moment. "That forbidden technique of yours… it's not bad!"
With that, he stretched lazily and walked off into the distance.
Meanwhile, Obito seemed oblivious to Jiraiya's parting words. He stood there in a daze, mumbling to himself, "Did I… misunderstand again?"
In that moment, a faint trace of light returned to his eyes.
It was the glimmer of hope—a flicker of faith in love!
…
At the same time.
After days of failing to break through, the Kumogakure forces found themselves growing increasingly irritable.
At the moment, the Kumo Ninjas were gloomily staring at their companions, who were sticking their butts out in front of them.
The spring rain fell gently over the land, blending with the somber atmosphere.
The sight filled every Kumo Ninja's heart with sorrow. Tears mixed with the rain as they clenched their fists in anger.
Humiliation!
This humiliation!
After years of battles, when had Kumogakure ever endured such disgrace?
The scabby bloodstains and the shameful, angry eyes made many Kumo Ninjas furious!
Anger that cannot be described in words!
Among the injured who had survived, one man knelt in the rain, his head pressed against his left arm while his right hand balled into a fist, pounding repeatedly against the rain-soaked ground. Muddy water splattered with each strike.
It was...
A shame that words could not describe.
A humiliation that defied expression.
This unbearable disgrace hung heavy over the battlefield.
Konoha!
Unforgivable!
The rain continued to fall, but its intensity gradually lessened.
A medical ninja in a white robe hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath and stepped forward. He approached the shirtless, dark-skinned man standing at the front and lowered his voice.
"Lord Ay! The injured... their wounds are exposed. With the rain and mud, if we don't treat them quickly..." He paused, stealing a glance at the reddened areas worsened by the rainwater. Gritting his teeth, he continued, "They could face secondary injuries, infection, or worse."
"Understood." Ay remained expressionless, but the tension in his clenched fists betrayed his inner fury. He nodded solemnly. "Heal them. These injuries... were sustained for the sake of Kumogakure."
"Yes!" The medical ninja quickly obeyed, mobilizing others to carry the injured away.
"Slow down! Slow down! Careful! Don't let them lie flat—keep them on their stomachs!"
"Be gentle! You're making them bleed again—be gentle!"
"Protect our heroes from any further harm!"
"This area… it's already necrotic. Should we... amputate it?"
The entire Kumo Ninja camp became a flurry of activity.
This was war.
Injury and death were inevitable.
Every ninja knew this from the moment they donned their headband.
But this...
This humiliation was worse than death.
"Lord Ay!" One injured ninja, supporting himself on his arms and keeping his butt raised, called out. When Ay crouched beside him, the man grasped his hand tightly, tears streaming down his face. With a mix of sorrow and rage, he pleaded, "They... they've all died! Please, avenge us!"
"I will!" Ay said firmly, gripping the man's hand in return. "Take good care of your injuries!"
"Lord Ay, he needs immediate treatment!" a medical ninja interjected urgently, his voice serious. "His wounds... they're bleeding again!"
"No matter. Take him!"
Ay stood, his expression calm, but his fists remained tightly clenched. He watched the wounded being carried away, their blood staining the ground. His eyes gleamed with determination.
"Namikaze Minato's disciple... Uchiha Obito!"
At that moment, thunder rumbled in the distance, as if nature itself was responding to Ay's resolve.
Standing nearby, a man with dark skin, sunglasses, and seven swords on his back hesitated for a moment, then started to speak. "Brother, maybe I should—"
Suddenly—
"Lord Ay! Lord Bee!" A young Kumo Ninja burst into the camp, his face alight with excitement. "We've found a solution! With this, with this, we won't have to fear that kid's lightning sneak attacks anymore!"
Ay and Bee froze, then quickly turned around. The young ninja was holding something in his hands, running toward them eagerly.
It looked small but oddly familiar.
"What is that...?" Ay asked.
The young ninja beamed as he unfolded the item, revealing what appeared to be a mesh-like undergarment. "With this, we can protect ourselves from that Uchiha kid's abilities! His techniques won't pose a threat anymore!"
"Mesh... underpants?" Ay took the item, holding it up with both hands. It was a mesh armor, shaped like boxer briefs. He stared at it in disbelief, his sharp eyes glowing with newfound resolve. "I see. Like the mesh undershirts we wear. What an ingenious idea! Where did you get this?"
"From the Land of Rain!" the young ninja replied enthusiastically. "A merchant from there provided it. They said they have plenty in stock—great quality and affordable, with discounts for bulk orders!"