Chapter 43: Konoha's Hegemony Crumbles, Kumogakure Rises to the Occasion!

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High Academy Publishing House

Samui, wearing Gojo Kaigetsu's favorite gold-rimmed glasses, began her usual work.

However, she failed to notice the white-haired ninja appearing at the end of the street-

"It's me, Jiraiya-sama!"

Jiraiya blew his nose and subconsciously glanced towards the High Academy Publishing House.

"Am I just being paranoid? Why did I just sense a chakra fluctuation coming from the publishing house?"

As the saying goes, one feels apprehensive returning to their hometown. Jiraiya, who had been away from Konoha for a long time, was finally back on the land where he was born and raised.

Well, not as one of the Legendary Sannin, but as the renowned author, Jiraiya-sama.

The system log entry, [Jiraiya Departs], wasn't for nothing.

At this stage, Jiraiya had grown weary of the endless fighting that came with being a ninja.

Unless Konoha faced a life-or-death crisis, he likely wouldn't return to the village as one of the Sannin.

This time, he was back for learning and exchange.

Along the way, Jiraiya marveled at how much the village had changed during his absence, especially the bustling new commercial district.

He hadn't been paying attention to ninja affairs, but after his departure, Konoha had gained a brilliant literary genius.

In particular, his favorite book, "The Tale of the Hidden Kunoichi," had even stirred the blood of Jiraiya, a seasoned author.

It was as if he had rediscovered the passion of his youth, renewing his understanding of the ninja way he pursued.

"I wonder what kind of person this talented writer is!"

Jiraiya arrived at the entrance of the High Academy Publishing House, where a receptionist was waiting.

Seeing the white-haired Jiraiya, they stepped forward knowingly. "You must be Jiraiya-sama."

"President Gojo has instructed us to await your arrival. Please follow me."

"Gojo? That's an uncommon surname."

Jiraiya followed, repeating the somewhat familiar name.

"I seem to recall the old man mentioning that the Fourth Hokage's current advisor also has the surname Gojo."

"It can't be such a coincidence, can it?"

Jiraiya's expression was a mixture of surprise and amusement. While it was normal for ninjas to have side hustles, a village advisor moonlighting as a writer of prohibited erotic literature was a bit… out there.

Knock knock

"Come in!"

A cold, feminine voice came from within, making Jiraiya's eyes light up.

It definitely wasn't Gojo Kaigetsu, and judging by the voice, it belonged to a beautiful woman.

Jiraiya eagerly pushed the door open, his gaze momentarily fixated on Samui.

For a fleeting moment, he thought he saw a familiar face.

However, compared to that acquaintance, President Gojo was taller and possessed a colder demeanor.

"Ahahaha, I never imagined that the president of High Academy Publishing House would be such a beautiful lady."

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Jiraiya-sama, or you can simply call me Jiraiya." Jiraiya, eager to flaunt his charm, spoke eloquently.

"Hello, Jiraiya."

"I've invited you here to discuss book publishing and a small personal request."

"Oh? Tell me about your personal request first."

"Well… it's about Tsunade-sama."

"It's like this… and that…"

…

…

"The author of 'The Tale of the Hidden Kunoichi' asked me to give you this pouch. Please open it after you leave."

In the president's office, Samui pushed her gold-rimmed glasses up her nose.

She handed over the pouch entrusted to her by Gojo Kaigetsu.

Despite her curiosity about its contents, Samui understood the principle of "don't ask what you shouldn't ask, don't look at what you shouldn't see" and naturally accepted the task.

Jiraiya took the pouch, weighing it in his hand. Judging by the weight, it likely contained a piece of paper.

Paper?!

Jiraiya's eyes lit up. Perhaps it was the author's way of sharing their writing experience with him.

Seeing the aloof female president's strictly professional attitude, Jiraiya didn't press further. He stood up to take his leave, eager to see what the pouch contained.

"… I got the intel!"

After sending off the bewildered Jiraiya, Samui couldn't help but pump her fist in celebration.

She was, after all, a professionally trained spy, and her mastery of the art of conversation was impeccable.

First, she hinted at her connection with Gojo Kaigetsu, demonstrating her political innocence.

Then, she subtly mentioned "a woman's personal matters" stemming from her physique, leading Jiraiya to divulge information about Tsunade without a second thought.

With meticulous planning and a plausible excuse, coupled with her chakra manipulation, Samui had secured a victory in this intelligence gathering operation.

Of course, it was also possible that Jiraiya believed no one could pose a threat to Tsunade within the Land of Fire.

"Short Street in the Land of Fire, unsure which tavern or gambling den."

"Her hobby is… gambling?"

"Hmph."

A genuine smile finally graced Samui's usually cold and refined features.

See, the Konoha ninjas had fallen to such a state.

Of the famed Legendary Sannin, Orochimaru's whereabouts were unknown, Jiraiya dabbled in pornography, Tsunade was a gambling addict, and the Hokage advisor was a lecherous, greedy fool.

It was… truly unbearable to witness.

Admittedly, Konoha had been strong in the past, but the current Konoha… was all surface glitter, rotten to the core, its position as the dominant force in the shinobi world teetering on the brink of collapse.

The environment shaped the ninja it nurtured. In Samui's view, Konoha's decline was only a matter of time.

And Kumogakure, a developing village, would seize the opportunity to rise!

"It's a pity."

Samui placed her hand over her heart.

Out of fear of the Sannin's reputation, she had utilized her Concealment Jutsu to its fullest during their meeting.

Having given prior notice, she couldn't use the Heart-to-Heart Communication Jutsu for the next half month.

Otherwise, she would have relayed everything she had seen and heard tonight.

She would have told the ninjas and the Raikage's advisors that Konoha's moon wasn't so bright, its air wasn't so sweet, and its ninjas weren't as strong as they were a few years ago!

"Calm down, Samui!"

"Your next task is to find a plausible excuse to deceive that foolish and lecherous Gojo Kaigetsu."

"Find Tsunade, lose to her initially to fuel her gambling addiction, then make her lose everything in one go."

"Use that as leverage to force her to vouch for Gojo Kaigetsu among Konoha's higher-ups, preventing him from being dismissed from his advisor position."

"Once everything settles down, use the Heart-to-Heart Communication Jutsu to transmit the accumulated information from the past half month."

Samui reviewed her current plan, a sense of tranquility washing over her.

After days of anxiety, it seemed she could finally get a good night's sleep.

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