The entrance of the Hidden Rain Village.
Jiraiya's tall figure shaded a spot at the Village entrance, where a Ninja cat lay sprawled on a table, fast asleep.
Beneath it was a logbook for people entering and leaving the Village; it seemed to be a Ninja cat guarding the gate of Amegakure.
Jiraiya spotted a nameplate on the Ninja cat with the word "Jonin" written on it.
Jiraiya was speechless. Even a Ninja cat had become a Jonin?
With thousands of cats in Amegakure, wouldn't that mean there were thousands of Jonin?
Jiraiya looked at an iconic fan symbol at the Village entrance, the crest of the Uchiha Clan.
Placing the Uchiha Clan's fan crest in such a prominent position indicated that Amegakure had already become Uchigakure, and the military base of the Land of Rain had become Ryou's territory.
Jiraiya stepped past the Ninja cat at the entrance, but suddenly, a yellow blur appeared beside him.
Without looking back, Jiraiya said, "Minato, go back! No matter what, I must venture into the Hidden Rain Village!"
Minato didn't try to dissuade him: "Sensei, I know I can't stop you, but how can I, as your disciple, watch my teacher walk into danger?"
Minato patted Jiraiya's shoulder, carving the unique Flying Thunder God Mark onto it.
"Sensei, this is my Flying Thunder God Mark. If your life is in danger, I will immediately take you away from the Hidden Rain Village."
With that, Minato vanished before Jiraiya could even respond.
The Flying Thunder God Mark is extremely difficult to remove, as it falls under the category of Sealing Jutsu; in the original work, Obito was never able to remove Minato's Flying Thunder God Mark.
It was also through the Flying Thunder God Mark on Obito's body that Minato realized the culprit who killed him and his wife and released the Nine-Tails was his own student.
Once marked by the Flying Thunder God, one is essentially dead.
In the original work, if Minato hadn't died alongside Kushina and was still alive, he could have easily killed Obito as long as the latter was within the sensory range of the Flying Thunder God.
Only after becoming the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki and activating Six Paths Mode did Obito use Yin-Yang Release to erase Minato's Flying Thunder God Mark.
After Minato left, Jiraiya remained silent for a while, not knowing what to say.
Jiraiya came to Amegakure with the resolve to die; too many people wanted him dead, and too many didn't.
In the end, he had still dragged his disciple into this.
But fighting to the death knowing one is outmatched is a stupidity called "hot-bloodedness," and Jiraiya was exactly that kind of foolish person.
For his Ninja Way was this: the value of a Ninja's life is not determined by how they live, but by what they achieve before they die.
Life is meant to be burned, and death is what validates life.
Jiraiya stepped forward, entering the Hidden Rain Village with unwavering determination.
Unexpectedly, the Ninja cat guarding the entrance suddenly woke up and called out to Jiraiya.
"Stop! If you want to enter the Village, you must register first!"
Jiraiya stopped, and without trying to outwit the kitty, he simply registered his name as it was.
"Konoha, Jiraiya!"
The Ninja cat looked at it and nodded. It had only recently learned to refine Chakra to gain intelligence, and its mind wasn't sharp enough to realize that Konoha was currently Amegakure's arch-enemy.
Though not very bright, it had learned what it needed to.
The Ninja cat rubbed its paws together, giving Jiraiya a "you know the drill" look.
Jiraiya was speechless; it wanted a bribe.
Jiraiya pulled out a stack of silver and slammed it onto the table, leaving the Ninja cat dazed on the spot.
It immediately adopted a fawning expression: "This way, sir. Please, after you."
"No, let me personally lead you to the shrine for the General's wedding!"
(´･_･`).
Speechless, Jiraiya followed.
This time, Jiraiya did not choose to infiltrate the Hidden Rain Village stealthily.
Because he and Minato's team had been discovered as soon as they entered the Land of Rain, proving that his movements were always being monitored by Madara.
In that case, what was the point of hiding?
I, Jiraiya the Gallant, have arrived! Madara, if you want this life, come and take it!
That said, Jiraiya wasn't about to charge in like a fool just to throw his life away.
At some point, the two Great Toad Sages of Mount Myōboku appeared on Jiraiya's shoulders.
Shima grumbled, "That old man guessed it all. Little Jiraiya, you really did come to barge into the Hidden Rain Village. Now I'll have to make him a delicious bug feast."
Jiraiya felt a bit embarrassed: "Sorry, Sages, but I have a reason I must come."
Fukasaku comforted him: "Little Jiraiya, I know you. You're the type who will charge ahead even if you know it's a dead end."
"In that case, Mother and I will accompany you on this venture!"
Jiraiya felt some guilt; although Fukasaku and Shima were protected by the Summoning Jutsu and would reverse-summon if they took too much damage...
...the summoning formula wouldn't work against overly powerful attacks, such as those from the Six Paths techniques.
Furthermore, the enemy was Madara with the Rinnegan—a terrifying foe for whom the Third Hokage was already preparing to assemble the Shinobi Allied Forces.
Jiraiya felt guilty that his selfishness was putting the two Sages at risk.
But Minato suddenly appeared, placing his hands on the backs of Fukasaku and Shima, giving each of them a Flying Thunder God Mark.
"Sensei, go ahead without worry. I will protect you all."
"Minato, thank you!"
"No need. This is what a disciple should do."
After Minato vanished, Jiraiya became increasingly calm, and the Sage markings on his face gradually simplified.
Fukasaku was surprised: "Little Jiraiya, I didn't expect such a dangerous situation would actually allow you to refine your Sage Mode!"
The leading Ninja cat looked back, wondering why Jiraiya had painted face paint on his face and had two toads on his shoulders.
"I see! You're a street performer the General invited to perform. We can't delay then."
"Sir, this way please. The shrine is just ahead; the General and Lady Tsunade are getting married inside."
As Jiraiya passed a corner, he suddenly spotted a red-haired figure and came to a sharp halt.
Because... that was the child of prophecy he once held high hopes for, his disciple—Nagato.
Nagato was tied to a wooden cross, looking incredibly cowering.
Two Ninja Cats were guarding Nagato, shocking him with electricity from time to time.
"Nagato, you've got some nerve, daring to oppose Boss Fish Ball?"
Nagato was somewhat speechless: "Just how long are you going to keep shocking me?"
The Ninja cat replied, "This is Boss Fish Ball's punishment for you. You won't be let down until the banquet tonight."
Jiraiya walked over and stared blankly at Nagato: "Nagato..."
Nagato's eyes widened: "Jiraiya-sensei!!"
Their eyes met, as if countless words were flowing between them.
Truly, what a pair of ill-fated master and disciple!