Come back home

Under his mask, Kazuya felt a twinge of helplessness. 

Jiraiya always managed to find a way to lighten the mood, regardless of the situation. His carefree spirit seemed eternal. Kazuya couldn't help but admire him. Eventually, Hayate couldn't stand it any longer and ran over to pull Jiraiya out of the swamp.

At this moment, the ninjas in Orochimaru's camp fell silent. They were stunned. This was one of the legendary Sannin, a man as famous as Orochimaru himself? It was off the charts. Even Orochimaru's face was lined with irritation. He had used Water Style ninjutsu to disperse any Flying Thunder God Kunai that Kazuya might have left behind, only for Jiraiya to fall into the swamp.

"Jiraiya..." Orochimaru said with a hint of sarcasm. "You haven't changed a bit in ten years."

Jiraiya, just pulled from the muck, looked slightly embarrassed. He had planned a grand entrance but ended up spoiling his dignity. 

"Ahem..." Jiraiya coughed, trying to shift the focus. "Orochimaru, it's not too late. Come back to the village with me. Things haven't gone beyond repair yet."

Orochimaru's response was cold. "Jiraiya, you're still so naive. The world you see is too small. All tangible things are destined for destruction. Only the intangible endures."

Suppressing his anger, Jiraiya replied, "Orochimaru, you've gone astray. This time, even if I have to break your legs, I will bring you back to the village."

Boom! Powerful chakra erupted as both men prepared to battle. 

"Lion's Mane Technique!" 

"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"

In an instant, Jiraiya's white hair clashed with Orochimaru's snakes, creating a piercing noise. 

The legendary Sannin were finally facing off.

"Move!" Kazuya ordered the Anbu. "Stay away from Jiraiya's battlefield. If anyone rebels, kill them on the spot!"

"Yes, Captain!" the Anbu responded in unison.

Whoosh! Whoosh! The Anbu ninjas surged forward, engaging Orochimaru's followers with precision and determination. 

Ninjas are smart; if they encounter a superior opponent, they retreat to fight another day. In this battle, both sides were risking their lives, each move aimed to kill.

Kazuya stopped Kurenai, patting her shoulder and marking her with the Flying Thunder God technique. 

"Captain?" she asked.

"Be careful and protect yourself."

"Thanks, you too!" Kurenai took a deep breath, readied her kunai, and rushed towards a Chūnin. 

Kazuya nodded in satisfaction. She was proving her worth. 

Boom! Boom! Boom! The sounds of clashes filled the air as Konoha's Anbu and Orochimaru's followers collided. Ninjutsu explosions echoed endlessly, filling the battlefield with flames and steam. 

Kazuya stood apart from the main battle, observing Jiraiya and Orochimaru's duel. Despite the chaos around him, no one dared approach him. He had matched Orochimaru blow for blow, a clear signal to others that he was not to be trifled with.

**[You picked up 100 Chakra points]** 

**[You picked up 100 Chakra points]** 

**[You picked up 30 Wind Style talent points]** 

**[You picked up 50 Fire Style talent points]** 

**[You picked up 20 Lightning Style talent points]** 

**[You picked up 100 points of Water Style: Water Barrier skill experience]** 

**[You picked up 100 points of Wind Style: Wind Cut Technique skill experience]** 

**[You picked up 200 points of non-technique skill experience]** 

**[You picked up 100 points of illusion talent]** 

**[You picked up 100 points of illusion talent]** 

**[You picked up the illusion: Three Unique Sakura]** 

**[You picked up 1000 points of Illusion: Three Unique Sakura skill experience]** 

**[Your Illusion: Three Unique Sakura skill level increased, current level: lv2 (0/1000)]**

Golden light cascaded down like a gentle rain. It was a beautiful sight, almost mesmerizing. Kazuya sighed contentedly. This was the joy of winning without lifting a finger.

In just a few minutes, Kazuya had gathered 4000 Chakra points. This was as much as he could accumulate in two days in the village. 

It was thrilling. 

"Illusion talent?" he mused, his eyes drifting to Kurenai. The golden light was emanating from her. At that moment, she used her illusion technique to take down a Chūnin, killing him instantly with a decisive blow.

"Good," Kazuya nodded. "Illusion really is a convenient ability." 

In the original story, Itachi was a master of illusions, capable of trapping even Orochimaru in an instant. And then there was Uchiha Shisui, with his terrifying Kotoamatsukami.

The Uchiha clan was indeed troublesome.

But Kazuya remained calm. He was close to mastering these top-level illusion abilities himself. Very close indeed.