Land of Rain.
Akatsuki Organization's base.
After Konan returned to the base, the first thing she did was to meet Pain and inform him about accepting a mission commission, which turned out to be a trap set by Jiraiya.
"Jiraiya is still investigating Akatsuki Organization."
Konan recalled the scene of meeting Jiraiya and frowned: "This time, he set a trap to lure us in. Although I escaped, he has already discovered my identity, and he might soon find out about the Land of Rain…"
"Jiraiya-sensei…"
There was a hint of nostalgia in Pain's voice, although he also felt some regret over this teacher's persistence, believing that this teacher could never be one of their kind: "If Jiraiya-sensei truly finds out about our whereabouts, and finds this base, then just kill him."
At the moment…
Actually, Pain wanted to kill Jiraiya, but it wasn't easy.
Pain's strength was formidable enough, but killing a ninja and defeating a ninja are two different things, just like he could defeat Orochimaru but might not be able to kill him.
Unless he gathers the Six Paths Puppet and uses the unique abilities of Six Paths to encircle and kill Jiraiya, then it would be relatively convenient.
"Understood."
Konan nodded, following Pain's order, but she raised another question: "Then with our recent commissions, if we encounter more traps set by Jiraiya…"
"It's alright to accept commissions."
Pain glanced at Konan and instructed softly: "Just arrange for others to go, Konan. Don't risk it anymore; let's continue to recruit and accumulate strength."
On the other side.
Jiraiya took Akihara Kagura into the Land of Rain.
Akihara Kagura felt the unique weather changes of the Ninja World's geography, here it almost rained all year round, causing the rivers of the Land of Rain to flood constantly.
Due to the increasingly intense civil war, wherever one went, they could always see floating corpses in the river, making Akihara Kagura lose interest in fishing.
"War is always so cruel."
Jiraiya looked at those floating corpses, taking the opportunity to educate his disciple: "Behind these corpses, there are unknown numbers of families left helpless…"
"So…"
Akihara Kagura nodded approvingly of his teacher's view and presented his own understanding: "We must kill all those who could potentially cause wars in the future."
"..."
Jiraiya felt a bit of a headache.
Because this disciple's view always seems reasonable yet somehow troubling, making it hard to refute but equally tough to agree.
Jiraiya gradually realized that this disciple's starting point was actually correct, but truly implementing it seemed too extreme.
"We must not let fear stifle life."
Jiraiya could only teach Akihara Kagura in hopes that the disciple would develop a sense of compassion: "Perhaps those who initiate wars are also forced to do so for survival…"
"Jiraiya-sensei, your inclination…"
Akihara Kagura immediately caught onto his teacher's slip in his words.
"..."
Jiraiya instantly realized that what he said might not be quite right, as if he was making excuses for those initiating wars!
Like the Hidden Sand Village…
After all, each time a Ninja World war broke out, the ninjas from the Hidden Sand Village couldn't hold out any longer, the first thing they did was attack Konoha to invade the Land of Fire and seize its fertile lands.
Everyone in the Ninja World knew the Hidden Sand Village was terribly impoverished, continually reducing the number of ninjas to sustain itself, but Konoha Ninja couldn't sacrifice the interests of the Land of Fire and their own ninjas just to pity the Hidden Sand Village's poverty.
"So let's do it as I suggested!"
Akihara Kagura sighed, no longer pursuing his teacher's error, and continued: "If anyone wants to survive by starting a war against Konoha, then just kill them all; this way, it's a win-win…"
"How does… that count?"
Jiraiya looked somewhat confused at Akihara Kagura.
Akihara Kagura looked at Jiraiya and seriously explained: "We kill those people, thus resolving the crisis of war outbreak while also solving their survival problem!"
"..."
Jiraiya felt somewhat familiar.
This logic does make sense, but still feels slightly off, doesn't it? If they're dead, surely there won't be any survival issues…
"We're going to The Hidden Rain Village."
Jiraiya gave up further discussion with his disciple on the topic of war.
After all, Jiraiya had no method to solve the constant outbreak of wars in the Ninja World. He only placed his hopes in the Great Toad Sage's prophecy, given in dream, of the child that could change the destiny of the Ninja World.
The Hidden Rain Village.
A village made of reinforced concrete.
Because the village is always soaked by rain, to prevent wooden houses from rotting, the village must be built with reinforced concrete.
Moreover, to conveniently drain water during the rainy season, The Hidden Rain Village has constructed numerous extensive sewage systems, abundant with drainage pipes.
These drainage pipes are quite wide, allowing free passage, but due to their sheer number, without a familiar Hidden Rain Ninja leading the way, anyone might lose their way inside, and could encounter patrolling Hidden Rain Ninja anytime, risking obliteration.
The entire Hidden Rain Village is heavily guarded.
Tall water pipes are filled with stationed ninjas.
Jiraiya looked up at the heavily fortified Hidden Rain Village and began testing his disciple: "Now if we want to infiltrate, do you have any ideas?"