Reborn in Konoha; I Think I’m Cultivating Immortality

Chapter 49: The Show Begins

“Where is it, where on earth is that red heart-shaped stone?” Jiraiya muttered to himself as he searched the shores of Mokusei Lake.

“Damn it, I can’t find it anywhere. Maybe it fell on the main road?”

After searching for about ten minutes, Jiraiya plopped down on the grass, thinking that perhaps he had been looking in the wrong place.

He didn’t notice a shadow swiftly passing behind him.

“Jiraiya, did you find the mission item yet?”

A few minutes later, a voice called out from a distance. Jiraiya looked up and saw Mochizuki Hui walking towards him.

Seeing Hui, Jiraiya assumed that Sarutobi-sensei had sent him to “protect” him.

Seriously? Hui isn’t that much stronger than me! Why does Sarutobi-sensei keep saying how great he is? Jiraiya fumed internally but merely rolled his eyes outwardly.

Hui quickly approached Jiraiya, ready to put his plan into action.

“Nope, nothing. It’s probably over where Sarutobi-sensei and the others are searching,” Jiraiya said with a shrug, getting up and preparing to head toward the main road.

“Is that so? But the item is far more likely to be around here. That’s odd.” Hui raised an eyebrow, then shot Jiraiya a skeptical look.

“You weren’t slacking off, were you? I saw you sitting around from a distance.”

Jiraiya’s heart skipped a beat, but he quickly shot back, “Of course not! I’ve already searched everywhere! That stone definitely isn’t here!”

He spoke with confidence, a smug look on his face.

Hui, however, rolled his eyes. “Yeah, right. I don’t believe you for a second. Whatever, I’ll search myself.”

With that, Hui began to search in earnest.

“Damn it! I told you, I was serious about looking!” Jiraiya shouted, but internally he was panicking. What if Hui actually finds the stone?

After all... I didn’t really search that thoroughly, Jiraiya thought, feeling even more anxious. He quickly started searching again. If the stone was really here, he needed to find it first, then drop it on the main road later, pretending it had been there all along.

As Hui pretended to search for the stone, he caught a glimpse of Jiraiya out of the corner of his eye and smirked internally. The fish took the bait.

Jiraiya, now genuinely searching, eventually wandered into the forest near the lake. Suddenly, something red caught his eye under a tree.

His eyes lit up, and he hurried over to it.

From afar, Hui noticed Jiraiya’s reaction and called out, “Jiraiya, did you find the mission item?”

He started walking in Jiraiya’s direction.

Seeing Hui approaching, Jiraiya panicked and quickly turned to him. “No, no! There’s nothing here!”

Hui’s face showed obvious disbelief as he quickened his pace towards Jiraiya.

Panicking even more, Jiraiya quickly thought of an idea. He took a few casual steps, then suddenly exclaimed, “Oh! I think it’s here!”

He sprinted toward the red object.

Hui’s expression changed, and he sped up, shouting, “Watch out! Don’t get near that stone!”

Jiraiya froze for a moment, and then he heard the unmistakable sound of shuriken whizzing through the air.

Shhhhick! Shhhhick! Shhhhick!

Jiraiya’s face turned pale as he saw several shuriken flying toward him. Instinctively, he bolted from the forest.

Behind him, a masked man holding a kunai emerged, chasing after him.

“Die, brat!”

A low growl came from behind, making Jiraiya’s heart pound wildly as adrenaline surged through his veins.

“Shunshin no Jutsu!”

Hui’s voice echoed from behind Jiraiya, and suddenly, Hui appeared between Jiraiya and the masked attacker.

However, because of the brief stiffening effect of using Shunshin, Hui couldn’t dodge or block the kunai aimed at Jiraiya.

Thwack!

The sound of a blade piercing flesh echoed.

Jiraiya turned around just in time to see Hui standing with his arms spread out, shielding him. The masked ninja’s kunai had stabbed deep into Hui’s back!

Before Jiraiya could even process what had just happened, Hui, despite his injury, grabbed Jiraiya and pulled him forward, dragging him away from danger.

Once they had gained some distance, Hui shoved Jiraiya behind him, kunai in hand, glaring coldly at the masked ninja.

“It’s an Anbu from another village! How dare you attack Konoha ninjas? What, are you trying to start a war?”

Hui’s voice was icy, and blood continued to seep from his back.

With his other hand, hidden from view, Hui discreetly signaled Jiraiya to run.

But Jiraiya stood there frozen, staring at the blood pouring from Hui’s back in horror.

“Start a war with Konoha? Hahaha! If I kill the two of you and leave no witnesses, who’s going to know it was me?”

The masked Anbu sneered, his tone filled with mockery.

“To fall for such a simple trap, you two must be fresh academy graduates.

“Still, you’re quite sharp, kid. Using the Shunshin no Jutsu—Konoha’s young genius, huh? Killing you will surely make your village grieve and rage, hahaha!”

Hearing this, Jiraiya’s heart tightened.

Hui, however, calmly asked, “I’m curious. How did you know our mission objective? How did you know we were searching for a red stone?”

The masked ninja burst into laughter, looking smugly at Jiraiya. “Thanks to a certain foolish brat who practically handed me that information on a silver platter.”

Jiraiya’s face flushed crimson with embarrassment.

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