Jiraiya, realizing he couldn't infiltrate Tetsuishi Town for intel, decided to capture one of the patrol captains and interrogate him back at the base.
The captains of these patrol units were all elite Chunin, with no Jonin leading the teams. This demonstrated the caution of Amegakure's forces. Their decision to keep Jonin within the town was likely to prevent a decapitation strike by the Fire Country's shinobi. After all, Amegakure's elite couldn't compare to those from the Fire Country. Any Jonin who left the town would be vulnerable to being swiftly eliminated.
Jiraiya understood that even these elite Chunin captains wouldn't possess significant intelligence about the structure in question. However, they would likely know the layout of Tetsuishi Town's defenses, information crucial to launching an effective assault on the town.
Jiraiya instructed the toad to quietly approach the patrol group furthest from the town. The Amegakure patrol teams consisted of an elite Chunin leading four Chunin. To Jiraiya, they posed no threat—he could eliminate them with a single ninjutsu.
When the toad brought Jiraiya near the patrol:
"Let me out," Jiraiya said softly.
The toad's stomach tightened, and Jiraiya felt his body lighten as he exited the toad's belly.
"Lightning Flame Blade!"
Jiraiya immediately drew his Lightning Flame Blade, unleashing a fierce bolt of lightning that surged towards the patrol. Caught completely off guard, the patrol had no time to react. The lightning bisected everyone but the captain in an instant, leaving no time for screams.
"Eight Trigrams Seal!"
Before the captain could respond, Jiraiya closed the distance and placed his palm on the man's abdomen. His chakra surged into the captain's body, forming sealing runes that locked away his chakra.
The captain's face went pale, but he managed to cry out, "Everyone, be on alert! Enemy attack—"
Jiraiya struck him on the neck with a swift chop, knocking him unconscious. Then he slung the captain over his shoulder and headed back to the base.
"Quick, inform Harano-sama! A Jonin has attacked!"
The remaining patrol members didn't pursue Jiraiya. Instead, one group immediately headed back to Tetsuishi Town. Their orders were clear—under no circumstances were they to leave the town. Securing Tetsuishi Town was their top priority.
Chasing Jiraiya would have been pointless. His Jonin-level strength was undeniable, and they would only throw away their lives in a futile effort. Even if their Jonin were informed, they would not leave the town to pursue him. The town's safety came above all else.
"Cautious as ever," Jiraiya muttered under his breath, noting the lack of pursuers. Taking the town would be even harder than expected.
With the unconscious Chunin over his shoulder, Jiraiya made it back to the base without issue.
...
"Jiraiya-sama!"
The Konoha shinobi guarding the base greeted him with respect.
"Jiraiya-sama is incredible! Capturing an Amegakure ninja so effortlessly!" one shinobi remarked in admiration.
Previous attempts by other Jonin to capture Amegakure patrols had all failed. The area around Tetsuishi Town was too open, making stealth nearly impossible. With traps everywhere, patrols usually detected their approach before they even got close.
Jiraiya nodded slightly and walked inside.
"I'll leave the interrogation to you," he said to Yuhi Mitsune, dropping the captured ninja at her feet.
As an Anbu team captain and genjutsu expert, Yuhi Mitsune was more than qualified to extract information.
"Don't worry, Captain. I'll make sure he spills everything," Mitsune said confidently. She motioned for two subordinates to drag the ninja into a nearby wooden hut, then followed them inside.
It wasn't long before the sounds of the Amegakure ninja's agonized screams echoed from the hut—evidence that Mitsune had begun her work.
"Jiraiya-sama, I'm skilled at interrogations too. Would you like me to assist her?"
One of the Jonin stationed at the base, eager to prove himself, approached Jiraiya after hearing the commotion.
"Go ahead," Jiraiya agreed.
"Jiraiya-sama, before you arrived, we tried to capture Amegakure ninjas multiple times. Every attempt failed, and we even lost several comrades. But you captured one so quickly—it's truly impressive," said another Jonin at the base.
"I'm just good at a certain concealment jutsu," Jiraiya replied humbly. "Everyone has their own strengths."
Feigning ignorance, Jiraiya asked, "Why isn't Elder Danzo here with his Root ninjas? Where did they go?"
"Jiraiya-sama, Danzo-sama led his team out shortly after you left, but he didn't tell us where they were headed," he answered.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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