blenderwars Chapter 243 Planting the Seeds of Protection
Chapter 243 Planting the Seeds of Protection
Hello.
Mitokado Yan calmly nodded to the two children.
There were no superfluous expressions, and his voice, like the rocks of this place, was steady and firm.
But those two simple words seemed to possess a peculiar power, instantly dispelling the tension that Yahiko and Konan felt in front of such an important figure.
Seeing this, Jiraiya smugly ruffled Yahiko's orange hair and grinned:
"How about that? I didn't lie to you, did I?"
"The seniors in Konoha are actually very kind and approachable!"
He turned to look at Mitokado Homura, then instantly switched back to his usual playful, grinning demeanor.
"Elder Yan, what do you think of my two disciples? They are exceptionally talented!"
"Especially Konan, her origami talent is absolutely amazing! She'll definitely develop some earth-shattering ninjutsu in the future!"
"Yahiko is the same; he has an incredible ability to connect with people. He can befriend any homeless child he meets along the way in less than half a day. He's a natural leader!"
Mitokado Homura listened quietly to Jiraiya's almost boastful boasting, but his gaze never left the two children.
He saw in the depths of the two children's pupils a hatred and numbness unlike anything commonly found in this ninja world.
It was a vibrant life force that was revitalized from the ruins of despair by the spring of hope.
"Those guys from Iwagakure are like rocks in a latrine, both smelly and stubborn."
Mitokado Homura suddenly spoke, interrupting Jiraiya's incessant chatter.
"No one can predict when or from which corner they will emerge and bite you hard."
"I understand."
Jiraiya instantly dropped all his nonchalant attitude and sat up straight.
Beneath his seemingly unreliable exterior lies a powerful heart forged in the blood and fire of the Second Shinobi World War.
He had the most direct and profound understanding of the cruelty of war.
"That's what the teacher said too."
He said that the northwest defense line is Konoha's shield and must be as solid as a rock.
"And you, Elder Yan, are the strongest...core of this shield."
This flattery was delivered with just the right amount of force, yet it carried a genuine sincerity.
Mitokado Yan's hand, holding the teacup, paused for a moment in mid-air.
He remembered the heavy pat Hiruzen Sarutobi on his shoulder before the expedition, and that one word.
--"OK."
That was the ultimate trust, transcending any words.
Mitokado Homura placed a white stone back into the go board, tacitly approving Jiraiya's almost shameless act of taking back a move.
"The battlefield is no place for amusement, Jiraiya."
"The wind here is colder and more biting than the rain in the Land of Rain."
His words were as steady as ever, carrying the rigor of a politician and the hidden sharpness of a warrior.
Jiraiya immediately sensed the doubt in his words and quickly explained:
"Elder Yan, please don't misunderstand. I didn't bring them here to fight."
"I just wanted them to get a feel for the atmosphere beforehand, to see what the real ninja world is really like."
He crouched down and gently rubbed Yahiko's head.
"These children, born in a meat grinder like the Land of Rain, have witnessed the ugliest side of war from a young age."
"The seeds of longing for peace have long been planted in their hearts."
"What I need to do is guide this seed and give it the power to blossom and bear fruit."
"Instead of protecting them in a greenhouse, let them see firsthand the immense efforts we, their predecessors, have made to safeguard that peace!"
Listening to their teacher's bold words, Yahiko and Minami unconsciously clenched their little fists.
"..."
Jiraiya's words surprised Mitokado Homura.
He re-examined the white-haired youth before him.
In his memory, Jiraiya was always a junior who never grew up and needed Hiruzen to worry about.
But now it seems...
After becoming a teacher, this seemingly unreliable guy surprisingly developed such clear and profound insights.
Hiruzen's decision to send him to the Land of Rain might be the real reason behind it.
"Peace……"
Mitomon Yan withdrew his gaze and returned it to the chessboard.
"...is an incredibly heavy word."
He pointed to the area on the chessboard that was surrounded and blocked by white pieces, and was now in a dead end.
"If you want to protect the peace you speak of, you must be prepared to fight your way out when surrounded."
"Even more importantly..."
Mitokado's tone suddenly turned cold.
"An iron fist that nipps all potential threats in the bud."
His voice was soft, yet it carried a weight as heavy as a mountain, making the air seem even heavier.
Jiraiya's expression turned completely serious.
"Elder Yan, what about the village..."
Jiraiya finally voiced his deepest concern.
"Is it really... alright for the teacher to personally lead the main fleet on this expedition?"
He had an almost blind worship and trust in his teacher, but this time the enemy was the combined fleet of the two great ninja villages, Kumogakure and Kirigakure.
They are the elite forces of two behemoths!
No matter how strong Konoha is, the pressure it faces when confronted with the combined full force of two great nations is unimaginable.
"There's no need to worry about the Hokage."
Mitomon Homura placed his last piece, completely annihilating Jiraiya's large, struggling dragon that was charging around in its death throes.
"What you need to do now is to focus your attention on what's in front of you."
He raised his head, his cloudy eyes piercing through the wind and sand, gazing at the endless, jagged rocky mountain range to the northwest, resembling the spine of a giant beast.
"The Third Tsuchikage of Iwagakure, Onoki, is a venomous snake lurking in the shadows. He is currently holding back, waiting."
"The battle situation in the waters off the Land of Whirlpools is becoming clear."
"Once Konoha's main fleet shows signs of fatigue, or even defeat..."
"Onoki's army will attack our defensive line immediately."
Mitokado's words made Jiraiya's heart sink.
He certainly understands this principle.
This northwestern defense line is both a sword hanging over Iwagakure's head and a strong shield protecting Konoha's homeland.
They must stay here, like nails, firmly anchoring down all of Iwagakure's movements!
"I see."
Jiraiya took a deep breath, completely erasing his nonchalant expression, which was replaced by an absolute determination as a Konoha ninja.
"Don't worry, Elder Yan."
"With Jiraiya here, not a single pebble from Iwagakure will be able to roll past!"
Mitokado Yan nodded and said nothing more.
He slowly rose, walked to the edge of the cliff, and let the fierce wind blow his robes.
On the distant horizon, a red sun struggles to tear through the clouds, turning the gray sky into a magnificent orange-red.
Even the chilling wind seemed to carry a faint hint of warmth.
do not know……
Does the sunrise over the waters of the Land of Whirlpools look just like this?
Hiruzen...
Is everything going well on your end?
Just then, Konan, who had been quietly staying by Jiraiya's side, suddenly tugged at his sleeve.
The girl opened her small hand, and in her palm lay a tiny butterfly folded from light blue paper.
The butterfly was exquisitely crafted and lifelike, as if it might take flight at any moment.
"teacher……"
Xiao Nan tilted her head back and asked in a clear, slightly timid voice:
"Is Konoha... really as good as you say?"
"Without war, everyone would have enough to eat, and children...would they all be able to go to school?"
A glimmer of light flickered in her eyes, a mixture of unease, anxiety, and, more than anything, longing for the future.
Jiraiya was taken aback upon hearing this.
He looked at the light in Konan's eyes, then at Yahiko beside him who was also full of anticipation, and suddenly grinned, revealing a smile a hundred times brighter than the rising sun behind him.
"certainly!"
The young man answered decisively.
Then, he stretched out his hand and pointed firmly to the east, towards the direction of home.