Regarding this teacher...
Their feelings towards him were indeed too complex.
As for gratitude,
Of course there was, and... it was definitely a great kindness.
After all, if it hadn't been for Jiraiya back then, they wouldn't have survived,
Similarly, they wouldn't have been able to learn so much Ninjutsu, grow up, and gain the ability to protect themselves.
However,
Not long after they grew up,
This benefactor, who had taken in the three of them, suddenly... left them.
Coupled with the tragic incident of Yahiko's death,
They almost no longer wanted to acknowledge this teacher...
After all,
What kind of teacher would be so indifferent to the life and death of his disciples?
If back then, he hadn't abandoned the three of them, perhaps Yahiko wouldn't have died because of it...
Perhaps none of these tragic events would have occurred...
Therefore,
In their hearts,
The only thing they couldn't forgive was Jiraiya's departure.
Just as the two were lost in complex thoughts,
Inside the private room,
After a long silence, Jiraiya suddenly slowly picked up the wine flask and cup on the table and poured himself a drink.
Then, he silently downed it in one gulp.
"Sigh..."
A faint sigh escaped his throat, whether because the sake was strong or because his thoughts were too sorrowful.
A moment later,
He put down his cup,
Looked at Kyo ahead, and said with a complicated expression:
"Can you let me meet them, Kyo-san?"
"Since you know so much about them... you probably also know that I was once... their teacher, right?"
Jiraiya said softly. As his words fell,
Kyo across from him merely raised an eyebrow and said calmly:
"I've heard about it."
"However,"
"In their eyes, you don't seem to be a very good teacher."
"In that chaotic world, you saved them, yet abandoned them and left them behind, going away alone."
At these words,
Jiraiya was momentarily stunned, then a bitter smile immediately appeared on his face.
After slowly shaking his head, he suddenly let out a long sigh, his gaze distant, looking into the distance, as if murmuring in a dream, and said softly:
"Sigh... it's shameful to say."
"Back then, how could I not have wanted to take them back to Konoha and nurture them carefully..."
"But,"
"After training them for a few years, I discovered..."
"That deep in their hearts, they still couldn't let go of their national and familial hatred towards Konoha..."
"This point doomed them... they could never integrate into Konoha."
"However,"
"I am a Shinobi of Konoha."
"If this continued, between us master and disciples... perhaps, there would eventually be a falling out... or even become enemies."
"..."
"All I could do was teach them how to survive in this chaotic world."
"I might have been their most relied-upon teacher, but it was also impossible for me to accompany them forever..."
"Because…"
"I am still Jiraiya of [Konoha]."
"Leaving them was the last thing I could do for them... as their teacher."
Jiraiya's gaze was complex, his voice hoarse and low as he slowly spoke.
And at this moment,
Having heard this speech from afar, Nagato and Konan were completely stunned.
Their breathing stopped.
Silence prevailed.
Kyo listened,
Then suddenly raised an eyebrow, a faint smile flickering in his eyes.
Then,
He abruptly stood up from the cushion.
Seeing this,
Jiraiya across from him was momentarily stunned.
Huh?
What's going on?
However,
Before he could think or ask about the situation, he saw Kyo across from him smile and say:
"Your answer exceeded my expectations."
"I can go and call them over for you."
"As for the questions about Akatsuki, please ask them directly."
"Please wait a moment."
As the words fell,
Jiraiya's eyelids twitched, and his heart paused.
He certainly hadn't expected that he would meet the leader of Akatsuki so soon... and that it would be his former disciple...
However,
Before he could react,
Kyo before him suddenly turned into an afterimage and vanished before his eyes!!
"!?"
This incredible speed was impossible to react to!
Even,
His Chakra Signature... could no longer be sensed at all!!
"..."
"This... this is his... true strength...?!"
Jiraiya's pupils contracted slightly, greatly shocked.
Although before coming,
He had already heard Kakashi and Naruto mention the strength of this golden-eyed Amegakure Shinobi...
But,
When this astonishing speed appeared before him, it still shocked him greatly.
There was no hand seal or fluctuation of Chakra...
This showed it was not a Body Flicker Technique or Space-Time Ninjutsu, but pure ultra-high-speed movement...
Just from this point alone,
Jiraiya had never seen anyone so fast...
Based on this alone,
It was enough to prove his high level of strength.
Jiraiya's expression hardened, then he picked up the wine flask on the table and slowly exhaled, trying to calm himself down.
After all,
He still had a mission this time.
No matter how much shock and confusion he had in his heart, he ultimately had to find a way to clarify the truth of "Akatsuki and the Jinchuriki capture"...
If he could also find out the identity of the so-called "traitor" and Gaara's location, that would be even better...
While Jiraiya was waiting over there,
On this side,
Kyo, who had left using Shunpo, quickly arrived atop an iron building, beside Nagato and Konan.
The moment he appeared,
Nagato and Konan both felt a stir in their hearts, their gazes flickering slightly.
But this time,
Unlike usual, they did not speak.
Instead, they remained silent.
Clearly,
It was Jiraiya's just-spoken words that had touched their emotions.
To the point where their long-held views had begun to waver slightly.
Of course,
This was naturally within Kyo's expectations.
After all,
It was he who had deliberately guided Jiraiya into saying those words just now.
Otherwise,
He wouldn't have intentionally brought up Jiraiya's departure back then.
You know,
The reason Nagato and Konan couldn't forgive Jiraiya was largely due to his departure.
To be honest,
Having been in the Akatsuki for so many years,
To Kyo, Konan and Nagato felt somewhat like "friends".
So, although he didn't like the existence of "bonds", occasionally helping out friends wasn't a bad thing.
Moreover, resolving this emotional knot between master and disciples was also more beneficial for the subsequent development of the plan.
After all,
In Kyo's plan,
Jiraiya was also considered a relatively important chess piece.
Seeing the two silent,
After a moment, Kyo took the initiative to break the silence.
"Just as you both heard..."
"The next plan will require you two to appear in person."
Kyo said with a smile.
In fact,
Just before he started his conversation with Jiraiya, he had already informed Nagato and Konan of his plan through Spiritual Pressure telepathy.
So now, he didn't explain anything and got straight to the point.
Sure enough, as soon as the words were spoken.
A look of understanding instantly appeared in the eyes of Konan and Nagato.
After a moment,
Nagato raised his eyes to look at Kyo, his gaze becoming especially firm, and he said firmly:
"Leave it to us... Kyo-san."
As the words fell,
He said no more and walked forward.
Konan, after giving Kyo a deep look, also followed Nagato.
Undoubtedly,
The two of them were now going to talk to Jiraiya.
Watching them leave,
A leisurely smile appeared on Kyo's face.
This way,
If nothing unexpected...
Jiraiya would surely believe the words of his two disciples and learn the true mastermind behind the Jinchuriki capture, "Uchiha Obito"...
Thus, he would begin to guide the target of the entire Shinobi World.
And the plan to 'Clear Akatsuki's Name' should probably... be initially achieved.
From now on,
Akatsuki would slowly return to being the organization that originally aimed to "bring the light of dawn to the Shinobi World with peace".
Thinking of this, Kyo couldn't help but feel emotional, his gaze reflective.
Thinking back to the beginning,
When Yahiko and the others first established Akatsuki, they hoped to carry through Jiraiya's ideals of peace, wanting to build a peaceful world of mutual understanding through "person-to-person exchange".
Unexpectedly, due to Obito Uchiha's Eye of the Moon Plan and the schemes of conspirators like Hanzo and Danzo, Akatsuki was nearly wiped out.
Thus, the new Akatsuki dedicated to terrorism came into being...
And now,
Under Kyo's continuous efforts,
Obito, the mastermind controlling everything, was kicked out, and Nagato, focused on nuclear deterrence, finally began to realize the complexity of peace...
The Akatsuki,
Had finally returned to its original, pure state.
"Phew..."
After exhaling lightly,
A gratified smile appeared on Kyo's face.