He could swear that Ronglin had definitely heard his conversation with White Fang.
As for why he was feigning ignorance, it was clear he was angry, angry that Jiraiya had just run off without a word.
In fact, it was fine for Jiraiya to have his own ideas, and many people could execute such a mission. Alright, you say it was dangerous, but Ronglin Uchiha was also a Kage-level expert, so why couldn't he go?
You can't directly command others, but you can discuss it, right?
They were all fighting for the village, would Ronglin Uchiha refuse?
But you just ran off, leaving Ronglin Uchiha to suffer in the position of overall commander. It would be strange if he had a good temper about it.
If Ronglin could have roared like White Fang, Jiraiya would have felt relieved. But what he feared most was Ronglin's seemingly calm reaction; this kind of silent protest was the most uncomfortable and unsettling.
"Ahem, I know it was very wrong of me to just run off, but it was an emergency. I don't think you'd mind, Ronglin, would you?"
In his embarrassment, Jiraiya dropped the "kid" moniker and used Ronglin's name. But to his dismay, Ronglin wasn't buying it.
"I understand, so I won't blame you."
Ronglin nodded, his expression unchanged.
White Fang sat by, watching the guilty Jiraiya, and couldn't help but laugh inwardly. You have your day too! Looks like I need to learn from this; this move against Jiraiya should be very effective.
Indeed, this move was quite effective against Jiraiya. If you made a big fuss, he wouldn't care much, but such silent protest made Jiraiya feel very guilty and awkward.
The same method wouldn't work on everyone. If used on Orochimaru and Tsunade, the effects would be different. Orochimaru would merely scoff, and if you dared to use this on Tsunade, you'd better be ready for her to punch your nose in.
"Haha, that's great..."
Jiraiya chuckled awkwardly, but Ronglin's next words stunned him.
"So I'm not angry. Although I was directly put on the spot by you, those days were truly torturous. I couldn't even eat, let alone sleep soundly. All sorts of tasks needed to be learned little by little, and I was so busy I lost track of day and night."
"Hehe, hehe~~~"
Ronglin spoke slowly, causing a blush to appear on Jiraiya's face, making him feel extremely embarrassed.
"So, I just wrote a report to Lord Hokage, stating that you ran off recklessly, disregarding everything, and I also explained the situation. If you had unavoidable difficulties, you can explain them to Lord Hokage. I believe our wise and mighty Lord Hokage will forgive you, after all, you are his disciple, the renowned Toad Sage, Lord Jiraiya, the hero of the village."
"Similarly, he always..."
"Stop, no more!!! I confess!!!"
Every word from Ronglin was like a heavy hammer, relentlessly pounding on Jiraiya's heart, nearly giving him a heart attack.
He could already imagine what he would face upon returning to the village. The reproach from the various clans, he could brush off. His Hokage sensei's reprimand, he could still be thick-skinned about. But what about Tsunade and Orochimaru?
And his somewhat disobedient disciple, Minato, as well as the many villagers of Konoha. Just thinking about these people made cold sweat trickle down Jiraiya's forehead. To make matters worse, Ronglin had reported everything, submitting a memorial...
Jiraiya felt an impulse to jump up and strangle him to death.
Tsunade and Orochimaru were out of the question; they would definitely mock him. Minato, though he wouldn't say anything, at most he would sigh helplessly and add a line or two about an unreliable teacher. But such a reaction was what made Jiraiya feel the most miserable.
Not to mention the villagers. If this matter were to be publicized, Jiraiya would once again become famous, but not as a hero. Instead, he'd be treated like rotten eggs, stinking to high heaven.
The villagers wouldn't care if he had difficulties or unavoidable choices. They would only know that Jiraiya, as the overall commander of the front line, ran off during the outbreak of war, dumping everything on others and leaving.
This was unforgivable. What if the enemy attacked the Land of Fire during that time?
All sorts of torturous thoughts made Jiraiya reek of disgrace.
"You brat, you're ruthless!!!"
Jiraiya glared at Ronglin, then clutched his head and wailed.
Ronglin's lips curved slightly, and he stayed silent, arms crossed.
White Fang chuckled, shaking his head: "Alright, no one will publicize this, and no one knows what you did. You were just carrying out a secret mission, so you only need to make up for your mistakes. Everything from now on is up to you."
Don't fear god-tier opponents, only pig-headed teammates. Ronglin could truly understand the meaning of that saying!
White Fang's words made him want to cover his face and weep.
Can't you talk normally? Didn't you see this lecher wailing with his head in his hands, just waiting for you to say that!
"····Hahaha, you scared Lord Jiraiya. I knew it, I knew it~~~"
As expected, Jiraiya's expression changed the moment he heard it. Where was the slightest trace of remorse or self-blame?
"Now I'm relieved. But White Fang, you've been handling everything these past few days, and it's not appropriate for me to explain everything..."
Just as Ronglin had imagined, Jiraiya would definitely use the excuse of being unfamiliar with the tasks to shut White Fang up upon his return.
He had been away for quite some time, and many arrangements had been made on the front lines during that period. If Jiraiya were to take over directly, he would be completely lost.
"So I'll just be like Ronglin Uchiha. Don't be polite, tell me what you need me to do, and I guarantee I'll complete it a hundred percent!!"
Under White Fang's stunned gaze, Jiraiya waved his hand and slipped away, leaving behind a bewildered and speechless White Fang and a resigned Ronglin.
Watching Jiraiya disappear, Ronglin sighed: "Uncle White Fang, it's not that I'm not helping you, you saw the truth."
With that, Ronglin left with a look of regret. He had seen people dig pits to bury others, but this was the first time he'd seen someone dig a pit and bury themselves so thoroughly they couldn't even breathe, almost turning into a zombie. This time, White Fang had really dug himself into a hole. Jiraiya, with critical health, had countered and turned defeat into victory.
"You brat!!! You've really messed me up!!!"
As soon as he left the Headquarters, Ronglin was caught by Jiraiya.
"I haven't even accused you of abusing your authority for personal gain yet. Do you need me to write another report?"
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