As the dust settled, the participating ninja forces raised their voices in unison, cheering proudly for their remarkably courageous lord.
It was second nature for a ninja to respect strength. After all, their survival depended entirely on personal skill. As for bloodline and status, those were merely extra embellishments added after one had already established dominance through power.
Although Hyuga Soushu wasn't completely satisfied with having only half of Senior Fukasaku remaining, he couldn't exactly get angry at himself. So he simply raised a hand in acknowledgment and accepted their cheers calmly.
Meanwhile, the Uzumaki ninjas, who had been itching to act, shot into motion the moment Hyuga Soushu gave the go-ahead, swiftly sealing away what remained of Senior Fukasaku.
For the Uzumaki Clan—renowned for their mastery of sealing techniques and possessing immense chakra reserves—natural energy wasn't exactly a mystery. Although the current population and overall strength of the Uzumaki Clan were at their historical lowest, there were still several sealing experts capable of sensing natural energy.
However, being able to sense natural energy and actually absorbing or applying it were two completely different things, separated by a long journey. It also required numerous elite clan members risking their lives repeatedly through trial and error. Even at their peak, the Uzumakis didn't have the guts or the means to dig deeper into natural energy research.
Now, though, with the legendary remains of a Mount Myōboku sage available, experiments based on frog anatomy might significantly advance the study of natural energy application; thus naturally prompting the Uzumaki Clan to take this matter extremely seriously.
Right now, however, Mount Myōboku had already fallen into an atmosphere of gloom and despair.
As one of only three sages residing on Mount Myōboku, Senior Fukasaku's strength was unquestionably second only to that of the Senior Toad Sage. In fact, the Senior Toad Sage had planned, upon his own eventual passing, for Senior Fukasaku to succeed him as the next Great Sage—assuming, of course, that Senior Fukasaku could outlive an aged yet still astonishingly long-lived Senior Toad Sage.
Fukasaku's current condition had, however, completely shattered this carefully laid-out succession plan.
For any living being, even if survival was possible after losing half of one's body, there would undeniably be significant effects on both lifespan and power level. Naturally, no replacement body could ever compare to one's original flesh when it came to durability and adaptability in combat.
Furthermore, Mount Myōboku was pretty much an open secret—aside from the Sage's private chambers, that is. Thus, the other ninja frogs quickly became aware of Senior Fukasaku's dire state. After persistent questioning from the gathered ninja frogs, Elder Shima had no choice but to reveal the grim reality that the entire ninja force dispatched to the Ninja World Mainland had suffered total annihilation.
Not even the Senior Toad Sage could have predicted the interference would turn out this bad—and happen this fast!
Initially, his plan had been to interfere in the Ninja World using a strategy similar to leveraging minimal effort to produce maximum impact. While dispatching ninja frogs directly would inevitably result in casualties, nobody expected such a complete and utter devastation—an outcome where even Dan, considered the heir apparent, ended up sacrificing half his body!
"This..."
So when Elder Fukasaku was carried into the Royal Chambers barely alive, Senior Toad Sage could hardly believe his eyes.
It was just too devastating!
"Great Sage, please save him!"
Elder Shima implored, tears pouring down her face as she bowed low to the ground.
Jiraiya also knelt beside her, bowing in apology to Senior Toad Sage.
[Fukasaku and you both share my bloodline. I would never let either of you die.]
Senior Toad Sage sighed deeply, leaning on his arms as he stood upright from his throne—a rare sight indeed.
Elder Shima's heart finally settled.
At the very least, Elder Fukasaku wouldn't die.
Even if he couldn't fully restore his former strength, surviving itself was already a blessing amidst misfortune.
Senior Toad Sage raised one of his odd feet and tapped his chest, making a vomiting motion before spitting out a glowing cursed seal. Then he guided the seemingly insignificant mark to hover above Elder Fukasaku's head.
[The Sage's Talisman!]
Seeing this, Elder Shima couldn't help but gasp in shock.
This was Mount Myoboku's most sacred treasure, possessing the extraordinary ability to bring the dead back to life—it was one of the Senior Toad Sage's most valuable last resorts.
Although the Senior Toad Sage's generosity was unexpected, it further proved how severe Elder Fukasaku's injuries truly were; otherwise, he wouldn't have used such a powerful artifact capable of resurrection.
As the cursed seal's glow gently spread downward, Elder Fukasaku's breathing gradually steadied, his pained expression turning peaceful as he began softly snoring.
The lower half of his body, previously lost, started sprouting fresh flesh, slowly regenerating.
However, the Senior Toad Sage appeared increasingly fatigued, even slightly unsteady on his feet.
This caused Elder Shima's anxiety to spike once more after a brief moment of relief.
If anything happened to the Senior Toad Sage, the entire Mount Myoboku lineage would be in serious trouble!
At that point, not only would they be unable to continue to engage in Ninja World or pursue revenge, but they might even struggle to withstand an attack from their deadly rival, the Ryuchi Clan!
"Haaah…"
About ten minutes later, the Senior Toad Sage finally withdrew the talisman, slowly lowering himself back onto his throne with the support of his two odd legs.
The amount of Sage Chakra and life force consumed by using the Sage's Talisman was unimaginable. Restoring him wouldn't have been this easy if not for two things: the apparently frail Senior Toad Sage actually possessed unfathomable power, and Elder Fukasaku hadn't completely died.
"Great Sage…"
Only now did Jiraiya raise his head again, his expression filled with deep grief.
"My boy, this is not your fault," the Senior Toad Sage interrupted Jiraiya's self-reproach, taking full responsibility upon himself. "It was entirely my own stubborn decision to send the ninja frogs into the Ninja World and allow you to directly interfere in these worldly matters. This is in no way your fault."
"Great Sage…"
Jiraiya felt even more guilt-ridden than before.
He had originally set out with great ambition—to correct the chaos in the Ninja World—but harsh reality had struck him head-on, nearly shattering all his ideals and aspirations. Such a blow was incredibly heavy to bear.
Especially when thinking about those Ninja Frogs who had been brutally slaughtered beneath the blade of that monstrous Ninja Clan Capital Corporation, Jiraiya felt as if his heart were being sliced with a knife, almost fainting in unbearable grief.
The Senior Toad Sage's display of tolerance and understanding only intensified his sense of guilt even more.
"Saving the Ninja World has never been an easy task,"
The Senior Toad Sage spoke slowly: "Jiraiya, back then when I and Hagoromo, also known as the Sage of Six Paths, sealed away the goddess destined to destroy the world, we faced unimaginable difficulties and countless setbacks."
"Ahh!"
Jiraiya gasped in shock.
This was the first time the Senior Toad Sage had ever mentioned these legendary events in front of him.
Especially references to the Sage of Six Paths and the supposed apocalypse goddess who had been sealed away, these revelations left him utterly bewildered.
"Don't lose heart, little Jiraiya."
The Senior Toad Sage comforted again: "It's not your fault. It's just that I underestimated the power of this variable within the Ninja World."
"Great Sage, I..."
Jiraiya really didn't know what else he could possibly say.
In an instant, tears welled up in his eyes.
"The Ninja World cannot be allowed to sink endlessly into decay—it was something both myself and the Sage of Six Paths refused to accept."
The Senior Toad Sage sighed, then continued: "Even though no one remembers what happened back then, some things must never be forgotten—especially when they decide the fate of the entire Ninja World."
Then, the Senior Toad Sage began recounting everything from ancient times, revealing all the secrets of that distant era.
In ancient times, Natural Energy was the source of power for all living beings. While Mount Myoboku's lineage was indeed strong, it was merely one faction among many competing powers.
Everything changed with the arrival of the apocalyptic goddess, Kaguya.
This seemingly innocent visitor from beyond the stars may have been inexperienced in combat and unfamiliar with strategy. Yet none of that stopped her from sweeping away countless enemy strongholds with overwhelming force, annihilating gods and demons alike. She was revered as a goddess by Zu Tianzi—the divine ruler of that era—and the bodies and energies of these eradicated creatures were used as fertilizer to nourish the growth of the God Tree.
With the rise of the God Tree, natural energy became increasingly scarce. Those clans fortunate enough to escape all faced imminent racial decline or extinction. Only the Three Holy Places managed to survive by effectively preventing energy loss—thanks to their relatively abundant reserves of Natural Energy and exquisite Secret Jutsu techniques. Beneath this apparent peace lay an inescapable deadlock. Concerned by this predicament, both the Senior Toad Sage and White Snake Sage Master from Ryuchi Cave sought paths toward transformation.
The Senior Toad Sage set his hopes upon Hagoromo, a descendant of Kaguya possessing great compassion, urging him to join forces with his brother Hamura to seal their mother Kaguya on the moon while dividing the God Tree's power into nine Tailed Beasts, hoping to bring peace to the chaotic age. However, everyone understood that sealing was never a permanent solution. Eventually, unpredictable variables would weaken the seal, allowing Kaguya to return to this world.
To address this crisis, the Sage of Six Paths established the Ninja Sect, sharing Chakra with humanity and thus ushering in the era of the ninja, hoping future generations would produce heroes capable of changing the tragic fate destined to unfold.
Throughout this long historical tide, humans who obtained chakra gradually broke free from the shackles of ignorance, acquiring strength capable of rivaling ghosts and deities. The Sage of Six Paths and the Three Holy Sites silently absorbed humanity's wisdom behind the scenes, subtly guiding the direction of the Ninja World.
However, after the Sage of Six Paths passed away, continuous conflicts between Indra's and Asura's factions directly caused the Ninja Sect's split, triggering frequent wars. Yet these endless battles also accelerated the prosperity of ninjutsu and humanity's awakening.
Under war's devastation and Mount Myoboku's secret guidance, legends about the **Child of the Prophecy** and **Savior** spread across the Ninja World. Though often dismissed as nonsense, these very words contained the willpower to reshape the future.
The scars left by chaos, combined with inspiration from the "Savior" prophecy, made peace a shared aspiration throughout the Ninja World. After the Ninja Sect's division, until Hashirama Senju ended the warring states era and established the "one village, one nation" new era, the Ninja World finally entered a relatively stable period.
Up until the eve of the Second Great Ninja War, the Ninja World's development path had always followed the profound plan set by the Sage of Six Paths and Senior Toad Sage. Even when deviations occasionally occurred, Mount Myoboku would timely intervene in subtle ways, ensuring history's vessel remained on its designated course.
But now, everything has changed.
After tracing the root of these changes, Senior Toad Sage surprisingly discovered that a minor member of the Hyuga Branch House had unintentionally grown into someone capable of rewriting the Ninja World's destiny.
This was something Senior Toad Sage had never anticipated.
"The Sage of Six Paths' arrangement..."
Jiraiya stared wide-eyed, whispering in stunned disbelief.
He could never have imagined that the Ninja World still held such a forgotten piece of history!
Although Senior Toad Sage's tone remained calm and composed, nearly indifferent, describing that epic feat of sealing the goddess of world destruction as lightly as drifting clouds, just a faint stroke within the long scroll of time. Yet through that calm alone, each word crashed over Jiraiya like tidal waves of ancient history, heavy and unrelenting.
It wasn't just telling stories of the past — it was making him feel that same extraordinary courage and wisdom resonate inside him, making Jiraiya feel not only reverence but even deeper admiration toward history itself.
[Great Sage]...
Jiraiya bowed deeply once more.
This time, his heart had already become completely tranquil, his former sense of guilt transforming into an even stronger determination to walk the right path.
"Some things must always be done by someone; and whenever actions are taken, sacrifices or failures inevitably occur. This is unavoidable."
Senior Toad Sage sighed, "But what's most unforgivable is allowing momentary failure to negate everything, or else all sacrifices would become meaningless!"
"You agree, don't you, Fukasaku?"
"Eh!"
Elder Shima and Jiraiya were both surprised and delighted at once.
At this moment, Senior Fukasaku, who had been unconscious, slowly awoke. His missing lower half had fully healed, though his flesh still appeared pale and delicate—he was no longer a broken man.
"The future of the Ninja World must be saved."
Senior Fukasaku bowed low. "Forgive my audacity, Great Sage," he said, "but Mount Myoboku's strength alone won't be enough to turn things around."
In this sudden Encirclement War, the ninja demonstrated exceptional tactical coordination, completely shattering Mount Myoboku's complacency.
The truth proved that, when faced with an organized Ninja Force, undisciplined Ninja Frogs could barely resist.
"I understand."
Senior Toad Sage gave a grave nod before continuing, "I will personally visit Shikkotsu Forest and Ryuchi Cave, hoping both Great Sages will agree to join forces!"
"Now, Jiraiya."
"Here!"
Jiraiya immediately straightened up, listening attentively to the sage's instructions.
"The Ninja World needs you."
Senior Toad Sage said slowly.
Jiraiya kowtowed again.
"Therefore, don't hesitate. Return to the Ninja World and carry on with your duty—whether it's uniting factions against the Hyuga or confronting the Root organization, it is your destiny to do so."
The meaning behind Senior Toad Sage's words was perfectly clear.
In short, Jiraiya couldn't simply stay on Mount Myoboku, nor would Mount Myoboku's support be unlimited!
"Understood!"
Jiraiya kowtowed once more.
As for his last lingering worry, it too vanished entirely beneath his encouragement!
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