After finding a random spot, Rinjin spent a simple and uneventful night.
The next morning, as the sun rose, he called for Rii.
"Rii, gather Mameko and the others. Today, I want you all to clean up the house and move in."
Yawning sleepily, Rii nodded obediently.
"Oh, and don't forget to buy some gifts. Tomorrow, we'll pay our respects to Mito Uzumaki-sama."
With that, Rinjin clapped his hands together.
In the next instant, over a dozen shadow clones appeared. Turning to them, Rinjin commanded:
"Alright, everyone, help Rii clean up the house today."
"Got it..." came the half-hearted replies in unison.
Satisfied, Rinjin wasted no time and left the house briskly.
For now, it was best to meet Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru to avoid any awkwardness or confusion when they set out on their mission together.
As he strolled through the streets, Rinjin casually stopped by a mask shop and purchased a dog-faced mask, which he promptly put on.
Their mission's destination was the Land of Whirlpools, specifically Uzu no Kuni's Uzushio Village.
Rinjin, harboring his own hidden agenda, didn't want the Uzumaki Clan to see his face.
With the mask securely in place, Rinjin began tracking Tsunade using the Flying Thunder God Technique's markings.
Years ago, while undercover in Amegakure, Rinjin had participated in an operation to kidnap Tsunade. During that mission, he had unintentionally left a Flying Thunder God mark on her.
Closing his eyes slightly, Rinjin activated his finely honed sensory network.
The marks in the Hokage's office, at his home, and on the bustling streets were all within his perception range.
Soon, he detected one of his marks outside the village, near a training ground.
That should be Tsunade.
Following the signal, Rinjin quickly made his way to the training ground on the outskirts of the village.
From a distance, he stopped and swiftly formed hand seals.
"Ox-Ram-Snake. Secret Technique: Slippery Phantom Technique!"
In an instant, a gray mist enveloped Rinjin, shrouding him in concealment as he moved quietly through the forest, drawing closer to the marked location.
Pushing aside a bush, he found himself at the edge of a clearing.
Before him, on a wide open field, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade were locked in a heated sparring match.
The three were engaged in a chaotic free-for-all, each treating the others as opponents.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru focused most of their attention on each other, trading blows and launching ninjutsu back and forth.
Tsunade, on the other hand, acted as the self-appointed mediator, throwing punches and kicks at both of them indiscriminately.
It was as if she were saying, If you don't include me, I'll flatten you both! She was every bit the untamed tomboy.
Orochimaru and Jiraiya, while trying to outmaneuver each other, had to remain vigilant against Tsunade's monstrous strength.
Rinjin couldn't help but be impressed. Even at this stage, Jiraiya's skills were nothing to scoff at.
He was proficient in a variety of elemental ninjutsu and particularly adept at summoning techniques.
With a casual summoning, Jiraiya brought forth a Toad with Iron Arms, which crossed its massive forearms to block one of Tsunade's whip-like leg strikes. Without missing a beat, Jiraiya formed hand seals and unleashed a torrent of flames at Orochimaru.
Standing on the sidelines, Rinjin clicked his tongue in admiration.
Summoning Jutsu, huh? Pretty impressive!
Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru had each made contracts with the three great Summoning Lands: Shikkotsu Forest, Mount Myōboku, and Ryūchi Cave, respectively.
These places were known to hold the secrets of Sage Mode.
As this thought crossed his mind, Rinjin's gaze instinctively fixed on Jiraiya's hands.
With a low command to himself, he activated his technique.
"Lightning Release Chakra Mode, activate!"
In an instant, his pupils sparked with electricity, and his dynamic vision sharpened dramatically.
Ah, so the hand seals for Summoning Jutsu are Boar-Dog-Bird-Monkey-Ram!
At that moment, Rinjin felt a reckless urge bubbling up within him.
What if I tried forming the seals for Summoning Jutsu? Would I end up reverse-summoned to some bizarre place?
Interesting...
Just as he was about to find a secluded spot to experiment, a fleshy pink tongue shot out from the clearing, wrapping tightly around him in an instant.
Before he could react, the tongue retracted, dragging him into the open.
It was none other than a younger version of Gamabunta, summoned by Jiraiya.
At the same time, the sparring trio stopped their fight in unison, their gazes sharp and wary as they surrounded Rinjin.
Seeing this, Rinjin immediately shouted, "Wait! Don't attack—I'm one of you!"
He tilted his head to reveal the gleaming new forehead protector tied around his neck.
Despite this, the trio didn't lower their guard.
Having a Konoha forehead protector wasn't exactly rare. In fact, any infiltrating ninja worth their salt would have stolen one as a basic precaution.
"Who are you? And why were you spying on us?" Tsunade demanded, her fists clenched as she glared at Rinjin.
In response, Rinjin frantically pried himself free from the tongue and struggled to retrieve a mission scroll from his ninja pouch. Tossing it onto the ground, he said:
"I'm a ninja sent by the Hokage to join you on your mission to Uzushio Village."
The trio exchanged skeptical glances.
Jiraiya stepped forward cautiously, picked up the scroll, and opened it. His eyes scanned the contents quickly before he nodded to the others.
Only then did Tsunade and Orochimaru relax slightly.
"Gamabunta, let him go," Jiraiya instructed.
At his command, Gamabunta retracted his tongue.
Finally free, Rinjin rubbed his shoulders and extended a hand toward Jiraiya.
"Alright, kid, you've confirmed my identity. If you're still not convinced, we can go to the Hokage to double-check.
Oh, and give me back the scroll."
Hearing himself called "kid," Jiraiya twitched but couldn't find a retort.
After all, the man before him stood tall at over six feet, looking every bit like an adult.
What Jiraiya didn't know was that Rinjin was actually around the same age as him. Years of training in the Lightning Release Chakra Mode had simply sped up Rinjin's physical development.
"Here," Jiraiya said, tossing the scroll back to him.
Catching it, Rinjin deftly tucked it back into his pouch and introduced himself.
"My name is... Dala Bumba. I'll be your mission partner from now on. I'm a Jōnin with a slight inclination toward taijutsu.
As for hobbies... uh, nothing in particular. No strong dislikes either."
With that, he gestured for them to introduce themselves.
Jiraiya rolled his eyes discreetly.
Dala Bumba? What kind of ridiculous name is that?
Suppressing his inner complaint, he introduced himself first.
"I'm Jiraiya, a Chūnin. I specialize in ninjutsu and summoning techniques," he said, patting Gamabunta's belly for emphasis.
Next, Orochimaru spoke in his usual calm tone. "Orochimaru."
Finally, Tsunade gave her name as well.
After the brief introductions, Rinjin's goal was achieved.
They agreed on the time to depart for the mission, and Rinjin left without any unnecessary delays.
As Rinjin's figure disappeared into the distance, Jiraiya returned to his usual boisterous self.
"Gamabunta, you're amazing! You caught a Jōnin just like that!"
Gamabunta shot Jiraiya a deadpan look before opening his mouth to reveal his tongue.
The fleshy surface was covered in countless tiny wounds, not life-threatening but certainly unsettling to look at.
Seeing this, Jiraiya frowned and rolled up his sleeves, ready to chase after Rinjin for payback. However, Gamabunta stopped him with a firm grip.
"Idiot Jiraiya, that guy wasn't hostile."
Jiraiya tilted his head, confused.
At that moment, Orochimaru spoke up calmly.
"He's right. There was no hostility, but I sensed something terrifying about him—as if his body was filled with destructive lightning."
Gamabunta nodded in agreement, retracting his tongue.
"Exactly. When my tongue touched him, there was a sharp, stinging pain. It felt like my tongue might get severed. And he didn't even resist!"
Hearing this, Jiraiya scratched his head sheepishly.
"Alright, fine. Jiraiya-sama will let him off this time!"
Meanwhile, Orochimaru stared in the direction Rinjin had gone, silently marveling.
"It seems Lord Hiruzen has assigned a truly formidable individual to accompany us on this mission."
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