Sombre News

Synopsis
The five members of the Akatsuki finish sealing the Six-Tails inside the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, killing its jinchūriki host, Utakata. Tobi tells Konan that he has tasked Taka, Sasuke's team, with the retrieval of the Eight-Tails, vouching for Sasuke's credibility and success.

At home, Naruto remembers his last encounter with Itachi, where Itachi had placed him under a genjutsu where they could talk in peace. Itachi had asked Naruto what he would do if Sasuke were to attack Konoha, since Naruto views Sasuke as his brother, and asks if Naruto would kill him. Naruto replied that he would save the village without murdering Sasuke in the process. Itachi calls him a childish fool, claiming that shinobi must make hard decisions, prompting Naruto to remember when Jiraiya had told him to give up on Sasuke since shinobi must make such decisions. Naruto promptly told Itachi that he would not give up on Sasuke as it was part of his ninja way; Itachi proceeded to smile and stored his crow inside Naruto, telling the former that he was sharing some of his power with him in the event Sasuke did decide to attack the village. Naruto mulls over Itachi's words and wonders how Sasuke is doing at the moment.

Clutching his eyes in pain, Sasuke and Jūgo, the latter carrying the unconscious Karin and Suigetsu, make their way back to the Akatsuki hideout, where Sasuke hands Killer B's body over to Madara. As Sasuke begins to leave, Madara asks him where he is going; Sasuke replies that first, he would tend to his wounds, and then proceed to destroy Konohagakure. Madara smiles as he recalls a conversation with Sasuke, in which he had asked Sasuke if his goal to destroy Konoha would be halted by Itachi's goal of saving it. Sasuke had responded that he held the two members of the Konoha Council and Danzō Shimura responsible and thus would kill them, as those three were the ones who ordered Itachi to murder his own clan, including his mother and father. Sasuke told Madara that Itachi was unable to kill him that night because Itachi viewed Sasuke's life as more precious than the village's; similarly, Sasuke finds that Itachi's life is more precious than the village's, and wishes to slaughter everyone who lives in Konoha, stating that they are all equally as guilty for living in the safe and peaceful environment that Itachi had sacrificed everything for. Having noticed Madara's unresponsive manner, Sasuke reminded the Uchiha that while the former may write him off as an emotional brat, he does not care for anyone who thinks of him in a different manner and that his love for Itachi and the subsequent inconsolable grief that came after his death would cause him to assassinate anybody who stood in his way. Meanwhile in Kumogakure, J tells the Raikage that his brother Killer B has been abducted by an Akatsuki member who is an Uchiha from Konoha.

Back in the village, Naruto is awoken by Kakashi, who tells him that Tsunade has summoned him. On the way to the Hokage's office, Naruto spots Gamabunta and Gamakichi, wondering why the two toads are there and why Kakashi is being silent. Inside Tsunade's office, Naruto is greeted by Fukasaku, one of the Two Great Sage Toads and Jiraiya's very own master. Naruto is insulted when Fukasaku refers to Jiraiya as a "boy" while the toad is amused that Naruto refers to Jiraiya as a pervy sage. Fukasaku, however, reveals to Naruto that Jiraiya has died during his battle with Pain. Naruto is heartbroken and unable to form a response as Kakashi wonders how Jiraiya had died. Fukasaku reveals to them that Jiraiya had found out that Pain, the leader of the Akatsuki, was operating out Amegakure and had decided to infiltrate the village to confront him. Upon meeting Pain, Jiraiya found out that Pain was actually his former student Nagato. Kakashi and Shizune are shocked when Fugasaku adds that Pain, along with five others, possess the Rinnegan. Kakashi is unable to believe that there are six Rinnegan wielders in the world while Shizune reveals that it was thought to be a mythical dojutsu once wielded by the Sage of Six Paths. Removing his robe, Fukasaku shows them the code Jiraiya had engraved onto his back.

Naruto decides to blame Tsunade for Jiraiya's death, telling her that she shouldn't have sent him on such a dangerous mission. As he leaves, he tells Tsunade that had Jiraiya been the Fifth Hokage, he would never have sent her on the same mission. Kakashi attempts to apologise to Fukasaku for Naruto's behaviour, but the sage toad tells Kakashi that he can see that Naruto cared for and loved Jiraiya, and that he believes, more than anything after seeing how much Jirayia meant to him, that Naruto is the Child of the Prophecy. As he walks home, Naruto recalls certain memories involving Jiraiya — when he first summoned Gamabunta, when Jiraiya had asked him to accompany him on his search for Tsunade, and how Jiraiya had told him that Naruto reminded him of the Fourth Hokage. As he remembers Jiraiya giving him a popsicle stick, Naruto notices the leaves in the air and stares up at the sky, saddened.

Trivia

 * Tsunade muses how Jiraiya's encounter with the Ame Orphans occurred during the Third Shinobi World War, when in actuality it was the Second Shinobi World War. The same error was made in Tales of a Gutsy Ninja ~Jiraiya Ninja Scroll~ Part 1 and Part 2.