NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 69: Chapter 69
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Under the thunderous roar of waves, Tetsuya Fujiwara and Mikoto Uchiha clasped hands and leaped into the sea below, just like a pair of star-crossed lovers making a final stand together. In mere moments, they were swallowed by the relentless, icy depths.
"Damn it, we were too late!" one of the Mist Village Jonin muttered, glowering down at the fog-laden abyss. The chance to capture two powerful Konoha shinobi was slipping away, and with it, their shortcut to recognition.
---
On the western side of Mist Island, Muto Aburame had managed to slip away with the unconscious Yuhi Shin before the Mist Jonin closed in. And elsewhere, Jiraiya's confrontation had reached a dire conclusion.
Fending off attacks from Kamikawa Kaguya and a squad of Mist ninja, Jiraiya's toad, Gama, suffered critical injuries and was forced to retreat to Mount Myoboku. Jiraiya himself, battered and bleeding, barely managed to escape by performing a reverse summoning. The entire reconnaissance mission on Mist Island? A crushing defeat.
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Back at Mount Myoboku
The moment Jiraiya returned, the elder toads, Fukasaku and Shima, appeared by his side, alarmed at the severity of his wounds.
"Jiraiya! Just what sort of enemies did you run into to end up like this?" Fukasaku exclaimed, helping stabilize him as Shima set to healing his injuries.
Jiraiya took a shaky breath, his face regaining some color as the healing took effect. "Fukasaku-sama, Shima-sama… it's a long story, and I'll explain everything in detail later. Right now, I need to know if we can track down Kenta and his team."
The Mist Village's stronghold on Mist Island was far more formidable than Jiraiya had anticipated. No one in the Uzumaki Clan could have suspected such a brazen incursion right on their doorstep. However, Jiraiya knew these were thoughts for another time. His priority now was ensuring the safety of Squad Thirteen—whether they had managed to escape Mist Village's clutches.
Fukasaku nodded. "I understand. I'll start tracking Kenta's group immediately. But for now, Jiraiya, you need to rest and avoid using chakra."
With Fukasaku gone, Shima stayed close, determined to keep Jiraiya from doing anything rash. Each time he tried to get up, she would force-feed him bowls of strange, wriggling insects—"medicine" that tasted awful but had him feeling better after each bowl.
A full day later, Fukasaku finally returned, and Jiraiya sprang to his feet the moment he saw the grim look on the elder toad's face.
"Fukasaku-sama! Tell me… did they make it out safely?"
"Kenta and his team are back safely. I imagine you want to know about those four young shinobi from the Leaf, yes?"
The high-ranking toads of Mount Myoboku, wise beyond most mortals, rarely needed an explanation to understand such things. By now, Fukasaku had learned everything from the messenger toads, relayed without error.
Jiraiya swallowed. "Yes, that's right. What's their status?"
After enduring Shima's insect medicine, Jiraiya felt nearly recovered, though he could feel his heart race as he awaited the elder toad's response.
"Shin Yuhi and Muto Aburame managed to make it back to the Land of Whirlpools safely. Shin is still unconscious, but his life isn't in any danger. As for the other two…" Fukasaku hesitated, his eyes shadowed. "After jumping off the cliff, they were swept away by powerful currents. Inumaru expanded to shield them, but the waves drained all his chakra. An hour ago, he returned here alone."
Jiraiya's heart sank. "So… you can't confirm whether Mikoto Uchiha and Fujiwara Tetsuya are alive or…"
Fukasaku met Jiraiya's stricken gaze with sympathy. "I'm afraid not. They were last seen in the storming sea."
Jiraiya staggered, the weight of his guilt nearly buckling his knees. If only he hadn't insisted Squad Thirteen join this mission. If he hadn't been so certain of his own plan…
It's my fault… I doomed those two.
"Jiraiya, get ahold of yourself," Fukasaku urged, his voice low and reassuring. "This isn't like you. You're Mount Myoboku's disciple. Don't forget your purpose."
Jiraiya clenched his fists. "I understand, Fukasaku-sama. I won't let this keep me down. Please… can you bring Inumaru here? I know it's a long shot, but I need to see the place where he last saw them."
"Very well," Fukasaku agreed, signaling to Shima. He knew Jiraiya's resolve was something only he could see through, and he respected it. If closure was what Jiraiya sought, he would do his best to help.
---
At Uzushio Village
After Muto Aburame returned with Yuhi Shin and news of Mist Village's covert forces on Mist Island, the entire village—and the entire Land of Whirlpools—entered a heightened state of alert.
The Uzumaki Clan Chief himself, Uzumaki Ashina, stepped forward, mobilizing the clan's strongest forces in preparation for what could only be an inevitable showdown with Mist Village's operatives entrenched on Mist Island. Ashina's grim expression as he organized defenses sent a powerful message: the Uzumaki Clan would not back down.
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