Naruto: Set a goal, conquer the universe.

Page 55

These are currently the only two Jinchuriki known in the ninja world who can perfectly pair with Tailed Beasts.

"Then they must be really strong, right?!" Naruto rubbed his fist, making a crisp cracking sound; he was getting a little itchy to fight.

"Whether they're strong or not, I don't know, since I've never fought them myself," Jiraiya said, shaking his head.

"However, he should be stronger than an average Jinchuriki. I heard that Minato and Killer Bee fought against the Fourth Raikage, but both of them escaped unscathed."

"Dad is really strong! Did he take on Killer Bee and the Fourth Raikage all by himself? Did he win?" Naruto's eyes shone with pride for his father.

“That’s right. Minato went to rescue the ninjas of Konoha and fought against A and Killer Bee, who hadn’t become the Fourth Raikage yet. But it was to cover their retreat, so they didn’t really fight.” Jiraiya said with a hint of pride.

These trivial matters, which involve no real fighting, will not be recorded in history books.

So he didn't know much about his father, but the more he heard about his father's deeds, the more he felt how powerful his father was.

No wonder he's his father, the Fourth Hokage.

"Saga, I'll finish what Dad didn't do!" Naruto said, patting his chest. The Fourth Raikage and the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki—he'd have to have a good fight with them sometime.

This is something he definitely has to do, since what he needs to accomplish will absolutely require him to fight those two.

"You mentioned the perfect Jinchuriki, I see. Do you also want to become the perfect Jinchuriki?" Jiraiya suddenly understood and realized what Naruto was doing.

"Well, Grandpa Fukasaku couldn't help me complete the second stage of Sage Mode, right? That Kurama guy is too arrogant and doesn't want Grandpa Fukasaku to stay with him."

"Well, that guy only wants to team up with me one-on-one," Naruto said with a smile.

“I see.” Jiraiya nodded. “But is Kurama willing to cooperate? After all, you were invaded by its chakra last time.”

"It will, because Kurama needs someone to keep it company too." Naruto touched his stomach through his clothes, a gentle smile on his face.

As Jiraiya looked at Naruto's smile, he vaguely saw Minato's figure.

"This child is just like you, Minato!"

"Hahaha, I was thinking of teaching you how to master the Nine-Tails' power on this journey, but I didn't expect you to already be planning to become a perfect Jinchūriki with it. This saves me a lot of trouble." Jiraiya laughed heartily.

"In that case, there's something I can give you in advance, which I believe you'll find useful later," Jiraiya said in a deep voice, stopping in his tracks.

"What?" Naruto looked at him.

"The key to unlocking the seal! Summoning jutsu!" Jiraiya bit his finger and summoned a toad carrying a scroll.

"This is the key that Minato left behind to break the seal. I didn't understand why he would leave this key before." Jiraiya said, looking at Naruto.

"But now I think I can understand Minato's thoughts."

"He probably thought that in the future you would reconcile with the Nine-Tails, control its power, and become the perfect Jinchūriki!"

"Dad had this backup plan." Naruto was amazed that his father could think so far ahead in the face of such a life-or-death crisis.

"Haha, he's always so thoughtful, while your mother is the complete opposite, so easygoing. Well, maybe it's because their personalities complement each other, that they naturally became husband and wife." Jiraiya's eyes were slightly vacant as he drifted into memories, and a smile involuntarily crept onto his face.

"Hey, Jiraiya-sensei, can you tell me about my parents' past?" Naruto asked excitedly.

He's very interested in his parents' love story; maybe he can even find some inspiration in it.

"Of course you can! The journey is long, let me tell you slowly. Now, swallow the key!" Jiraiya suddenly grinned and pointed at the long toad scroll.

Naruto froze: "Swallow...swallow into where?"

"Of course, I'll swallow it into your stomach!" Jiraiya grinned mischievously.

"Well, use your chakra to break the seal first." Jiraiya had the sealing toad open the scroll, revealing a square frame.

"Just gather your chakra into your finger and press it down," Jiraiya instructed Naruto.

"I... I don't think it's necessary to swallow this scroll. I can unravel it myself." Naruto swallowed hard, glanced at the scroll, and couldn't help but take a step back.

"That will take so much time. Come on, hurry up." Jiraiya grabbed Naruto's hand and pressed it onto the scroll.

With Naruto's chakra infused into it, the toad on the scroll nodded, indicating that it was ready.

"Open your mouth!"

"I do not want!"

"Come on, open your mouth, it might taste good."

"Ugh, it's...it's up to my throat!"

"Sweetie, just open your mouth a little wider!"

The toad was already inside Naruto's mouth; it was just one step away from being eaten.

Jiraiya gave a strong push and stuffed the entire toad into Naruto's mouth.

"Ugh!!!" Naruto gagged. The feeling of having such a long scroll and a toad stuffed into his mouth was not pleasant.

"How are you feeling?" Jiraiya asked Naruto expectantly.

Naruto took a few breaths, wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth, and checked his body.

“Yes, it is indeed the key to unlocking the seal. If I want, I can unlock the seal within my body right now,” Naruto nodded and said.

"So you want to try it now?" Jiraiya asked, looking at Naruto.

"No, I tried it once before, but luckily Sasuke and Hinata were there, otherwise I might not have been able to get rid of the interference of negative emotions. I'll try again when I'm more confident." Naruto shook his head and said, choosing to release the seal only when he was more certain.

Jiraiya looked at Naruto with relief. The boy hadn't been blinded by power, which put him at ease.

Chapter 86 Itachi Returns to Konoha

"Alright, I've given you the key. Now it's up to you whether you can master the Nine-Tails' power! Let's continue on our way!" Jiraiya said loudly.

"Hey, by the way, tell me about my parents, Jiraiya-sensei."

"Okay, okay, I know!"

The two figures, one big and one small, gradually disappeared into the distance.

A few days after Naruto and Jiraiya left.

Two figures dressed in robes printed with red clouds and wearing straw hats appeared outside Konoha Village.

[Konoha Village has changed quite a bit.] Itachi stood at a corner of the Konoha wall, gazing at the entire village. (Broken guitar music should play here: Wandering.)

"Does Mr. Itachi miss his former hometown?" Kisame asked, baring his sharp teeth.

Itachi did not answer, still gazing at the present-day Konoha Village, both he and the village had changed a lot.

This is still his hometown.

But there was no time for him to wallow in sentimentality, and he knew perfectly well what he was doing.

After all, he had Kisame by his side.

His purpose must not be known to others.

"Let's go!" Itachi simply uttered one sentence.

He was a former captain of the ANBU, familiar with how to enter and exit Konoha's barrier, and could silently enter Konoha with Kisame.

"What should we do now, Itachi-san?" Kisame asked Itachi.

"In short, let's gather some information first and find out where the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is!" Itachi replied expressionlessly.

He could also check if Sasuke was safe and how much his strength had improved.

"I'll do as Itachi says." Kisame grinned.

Konoha Snack Street.

Kakashi leaned leisurely against the door of a dango shop, looking at the "Make-Out Paradise" in his hand.

At this moment, Asuma and Kurenai came side by side, chatting and laughing.

"Hey, you two, you seem to get along well. Are you on a date?" Kakashi teased, putting away his "Icha Icha Paradise" app.

"Idiot, I was just buying dumplings for Hongdou." Hong said, her cheeks slightly flushed as she turned her head.

"How come you're so relaxed?" Asuma asked Kakashi with a nonchalant air.

"Well, I don't have much to do as the team leader. Almost everyone in the team is no longer in Konoha, so I invited Sasuke to have dinner with me and also to buy offerings." As he said this, Kakashi glanced slightly at the dumpling shop.

When Itachi, who was eating dumplings in the shop, heard Sasuke's name, his grip on his teacup tightened slightly.

Asuma and Kurenai instantly understood Kakashi's look. If they were going to buy offerings, why didn't they go inside instead of waiting at the entrance?

They were also looking into the dumpling shop, where there were two men dressed in strange clothes who didn't look like they were from Konoha.

"I see!" Asuma said with a double meaning, "You bought the offerings to lay the foundation for Obito and Rin, didn't you?"

“That’s right,” Kakashi nodded and said.

"Kakashi, you're not late?" Sasuke, who had just finished training, came over with Karin and was surprised to see that Kakashi had arrived early.

With Naruto and Hinata absent, Sasuke was in charge of training and supervising Karin.

Xiangling's training enthusiasm has exceeded that of the past.

"Haha, I'm not late sometimes!" Kakashi scratched his head and chuckled.

"Have you ordered yet?" Sasuke looked into the restaurant, but Itachi and Kisame had already disappeared.

Kakashi's eyes narrowed as he looked at Asuma and Kurenai.

The two nodded slightly, and their figures vanished instantly.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes: "What happened?"

"Well, maybe some opportunists have infiltrated Konoha. After all, Konoha was just attacked, so it's normal for some to be restless," Kakashi said.

"Do you need me to take action?" Sasuke asked in a cold voice, his brows slightly furrowed.

Since Naruto and Hinata are not here, then he will be in charge of protecting the village.

“Asuma and Kurenai are quite strong; leaving them to handle this is more than enough,” Kakashi said casually.

Sasuke looked at the food on the table: some sweets and three-colored dumplings.

It felt strangely familiar to him; who liked to eat these foods?

Suddenly, Sasuke's body jolted. This sense of familiarity... could it be that he's back?

Sasuke's eyes flashed with intense killing intent as he looked at Kakashi: "Let's chase after them. If it's him, Asuma and Kurenai are no match for them!"

Kakashi's eyes narrowed.

Meanwhile, Asuma and Kurenai had already stopped Itachi and Kisame by the river.

"You two shouldn't be from Konoha, right? What brings you to Konoha at this time?" Asuma, having already put on his Flying Swallow, looked at the two strangely dressed people and said in a deep voice.

"Mr. Asuma, Ms. Kurenai, it's been a long time." Itachi's deep voice came from under his straw hat.

"Oh? You actually know us. It seems you used to be a member of the village. Who exactly are you?" Asma's eyes darkened further.

Those who can recognize them but cannot openly appear in Konoha are nothing more than Konoha's rogue ninja.

Not long ago, Orochimaru, a rogue ninja from Konoha, came here and even launched an invasion of Konoha. Now another rogue ninja from Konoha has arrived!

He gripped the swallow tightly.

Itachi slowly raised his hand and took off the straw hat he was wearing.

Asuma's red pupils suddenly contracted.

Seeing Itachi's three-tomoe Sharingan, Asuma felt sweat beading on his forehead.

"So it was you, Uchiha Itachi!" Asuma said slowly, raising his Flying Swallow sword in preparation for battle.

"Oh, you're Itachi's friends. Let me introduce myself!" Kisame took off his hat and looked at Asuma and Kurenai.

"Kisame Hoshigaki, please take care of me from now on!" Kisame said with a grin.

It's clear he's sincere and kind-hearted; he'd be a first-rate friend.

But Asma refused to be his friend.

“There’s no future. Since you’re all rogue ninjas anyway, I might as well finish you off here.” Asuma’s eyes sharpened.

"Mr. Itachi, it seems the villagers really dislike you." Kisame said to Itachi with a relaxed expression, unconcerned about Asuma's attitude.

“I know you.” Kurenai looked at Kisame Hoshigaki and said with a serious expression, “An S-rank rogue ninja from Kirigakure.”

"Itachi, you're also an S-rank rogue ninja from Konoha. After doing something like that, you still dared to enter Konoha Village! You've got guts," Asuma said, looking at Itachi.