"The 'Seii Taishogun's Shogunate'..."
While poring over the intelligence scrolls delivered by spy frogs in Mount Myoboku, Jiraiya felt a deep sense of loss and unease.
The ninja world these days had become completely incomprehensible to him.
It wasn't just those ninja clans secretly forming alliances—it was even Hidden Leaf Village, led by his own mentor Hiruzen Sarutobi, quietly slipping into the shogunate's ranks. Although officially it was only under the name of the Konoha Ninja Clan, even someone with the slightest bit of common sense could see that unless the Konoha F4 had agreed, none of the Ruling Four Ninja Clans or the Ino–Shika–Cho triad would have joined the Seii Taishogun's Shogunate led by Hyuga Soushu.
As for Rain Ninja Village and New Mist, who also followed suit, their relatively weak power made them less noticeable.
The only slight comfort to Jiraiya was that three great hidden villages—namely Iwagakure, Kumo, and Sunagakure—at least for now, hadn't yet shown any intention of joining this cross-sovereign military organization known as the shogunate. That, at least, was some small fortune amidst misfortune.
Otherwise, if both holy places—Mount Myoboku and Ryuchi Cave—had to stand alone against all the ninja forces across the Ninja World, Jiraiya wouldn't feel particularly confident about their odds.
"Little Jiraiya!"
Just as Jiraiya was obsessively reviewing the intelligence report until his eyes were practically scorched from reading it so intensely, Senior Fukasaku rushed over anxiously, shouting loudly, "The Great Sage has summoned you! Hurry, come with me to the palace of the Great Sage!"
"Got it!"
Jiraiya immediately tossed the scroll aside and hurried along with Senior Fukasaku toward the palace of the Great Toad Sage.
Unusually, the grand central gate of the Sage's private chambers stood wide open. Even more strikingly, Tamayu, an old acquaintance from Ryuchi Cave, stood quietly waiting at the entrance!
"This..."
Seeing this, Jiraiya's heart immediately skipped a beat.
"You'd better not say anything reckless," came a venomous chakra-transmitted whisper in his ear just then.
Jiraiya instantly understood.
Yet outwardly, he gave no obvious response. Maintaining his usual composure, he simply gave Tamayu a brief salute before following Senior Fukasaku straight into the royal chambers.
True to expectation!
As soon as Jiraiya entered the royal chambers with Senior Fukasaku, he immediately spotted the Great Toad Sage seated high above, and coiled atop the high platform on the left—a massive white serpent! The White Snake Sage himself!
"Hiss!"
Despite already suspecting what he might see, Jiraiya still instinctively sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth.
Judging from the chakra waves emanating from this enormous white snake, it clearly wasn't merely a partial manifestation—it was the true body of the White Snake Sage himself!
For such a revered master of a sacred land to personally appear, entering even the once deeply hostile territory of Mount Myoboku—an act that carried profound meaning!
No further words needed—the very courage and determination required to overcome such deep-rooted hostilities and cast aside past grudges proved that the rare and precious trust between the two sides had now solidified like unshakable stone!
Still reeling from shock, Jiraiya suddenly found his confidence surging again.
If both holy lands were willing to fight wholeheartedly—no matter the cost—perhaps even a house-divided shogunate wouldn't be too difficult to oppose after all!
"Sssk!"
Jiraiya hadn't even had time to bow when the White Snake Sage, coiled on the left, suddenly opened its enormous mouth and released a deafening, soundless shriek that made his head spin.
Although no audible noise was heard, the shockwaves vibrated through the air itself, forming dense ripples in all directions.
[Cough!]
Unable to withstand such an impact, Jiraiya spat out a mouthful of blood and staggered backward, nearly collapsing onto the ground.
"Jiraiya!"
Senior Fukasaku exclaimed in horror.
He never imagined the White Snake Sage would dare strike the Holy Place's summoned master—right here on Mount Myoboku itself!
And not only that—he had injured him!
"Calm yourself."
The Senior Toad Sage spoke in an unusually deep and heavy voice.
Senior Fukasaku immediately felt as if icy water had been poured over his head, instantly extinguishing his rising anger.
Shortly afterward, a dazed Jiraiya began speaking on his own, recounting in detail the entire sequence of events leading up to and during the battle at the Snake Lair in the Ninja World.
"I see..."
Senior Fukasaku finally understood part of what had happened.
It seemed the White Snake Sage had been gathering information about the Snake Lair battle from different sources.
Combined with Tamayu unexpectedly initiating [Chakra-based sound transmission] directly to Jiraiya upon entering the Royal Chambers, although Senior Fukasaku hadn't known the content of that communication, it now became apparent—most likely, the White Snake Sage didn't fully trust the official report of the Snake Lair battle, thus taking drastic action by attacking and using secret jutsu to hypnotize and interrogate him.
However, while this overly blunt and direct method was indeed effective, it was undeniably unpleasant.
But what could he do?
Since the Senior Toad Sage had already taken a stance of tacit approval, and given their inferior strength, Senior Fukasaku would just have to swallow his displeasure, no matter how much it bothered him.
"Hehehe..."
After listening to Jiraiya's dazed recounting, the White Snake Sage let out a crow-like cry, sharp and chilling enough to send shivers down one's spine.
Senior Fukasaku felt his toad skin crawling again.
Then, within this terrifying tone, Jiraiya suddenly trembled all over—and abruptly came to his senses!
At the same time, the White Snake Sage ceased its vocalization.
"Hmph..."
Only then did Senior Fukasaku let out a sigh of relief.
It turned out this was simply a special method to awaken someone.
"I…"
Jiraiya blinked, feeling as though he had just woken from a dream.
"There's no need to say more."
Senior Fukasaku quickly warned him.
"Eh... Right."
Jiraiya nodded, taking a deep breath to steady himself.
However, the moment he inhaled deeply, he once again felt dizzy—the air carried a peculiar sweet and coppery scent.
"Don't breathe too heavily!"
Not caring that two Great Sages were present, Senior Fukasaku hurriedly reminded him, "Or you might get poisoned!"
"Poison?"
Upon hearing this, Jiraiya snapped wide awake.
That unusual sweet-coppery aroma in the air had been the toxin naturally emitted by the White Snake Sage itself!
"What is Mount Myoboku's plan?" the White Snake Sage finally spoke.
"We have no choice—we must go all out!"
The Senior Toad Sage's stance was unwavering.
Before Jiraiya's arrival, the White Snake Sage had already secretly met with the Senior Toad Sage on Mount Myoboku.
Yet both sides still hesitated over how much force to commit into the Ninja World.
After all, although the Snake Lair battle ended in a bitter victory, the Ryuchi Cave faction had painstakingly gathered their ninja snakes covertly within the Ninja World. Tragically, Lady Tamayu recklessly consumed them all in that bloody conflict—acting without any tactical sense whatsoever, seeking only momentary gains. Meanwhile, the Dawn Organization established by Jiraiya had also been crushed beforehand by the Ninja Force assembled by the Ninja Clan Capital Corporation, before they even began the siege on the Snake Lair. All of Jiraiya's previous preparations had thus gone down the drain.
So, still seething, Jiraiya immediately leaned in closely to hear exactly what the Senior Toad Sage had to say.
After all, going to war against the Ninja Clan Capital Corporation and the newly established so-called Seii Taishogun's Shogunate would surely become an extended, blood-soaked conflict with little room for maneuvering.
Without being ready to make heavy sacrifices, there would be no hope of success.
Moreover, according to Jiraiya's judgment, if they could not swiftly crush the newly formed Seii Taishogun's Shogunate, then as time passed, Hyuga Soushu might gradually consolidate all surrounding forces under his command, potentially absorbing every faction outside the three great Hidden Villages!
At that point, the cost paid by the two Holy Places would inevitably become far greater!
After all, the tide of the times surges powerfully forward; once it forms a massive current, it becomes something no mere mortal can resist!
"Peace, for now."
As the Senior Toad Sage spoke, he seemed somewhat out of breath, as though his life were nearing its end.
"Don't croak on me now, you old windbag!"
The White Snake Sage never had anything pleasant to say from the start: "If you die right before my eyes, then your Mount Myoboku will become nothing more than food in my stomach!"
These words instantly enraged Senior Fukasaku.
However, considering the realistic disparity in strength, he merely expressed anger without further action.
Slowly raising his right hand, the Senior Toad Sage gathered Sage Chakra at the tip of his finger.
Jiraiya immediately held his breath.
The chakra concentrated at the tip of the Senior Toad Sage's finger was condensed beyond anything Jiraiya had ever witnessed—an actual physical manifestation of Sage Chakra.
Meanwhile, the flames atop the chandelier in the Royal Chambers suddenly flared up with a loud *boom*!
As if the Sage Chakra filling the air were the purest incendiary essence in existence.
"This…"
Jiraiya looked toward Senior Fukasaku, completely puzzled.
Senior Fukasaku shook his head, indicating he also didn't understand what the Great Sage was doing.
Right at that moment, the Senior Toad Sage slowly raised his right arm and pointed directly at the blazing chandelier.
*Boom!*
With an even more violent explosion of flame, all the candles on the chandelier burned out simultaneously!
Yet surprisingly, the flames continued burning brightly even after separating from the candles, growing stronger and fiercer instead!
Simultaneously, the originally scattered and flying embers gradually gathered inward, coalescing into the distinct image of an elder standing vividly in front of them!
Jiraiya felt as though his heart was about to leap out of his throat!
He wasn't entirely unfamiliar with this elder's appearance!
Or rather, no ninja in the Ninja World would find it completely unfamiliar.
Because this figure showed up everywhere—from major temples to every basic ninja textbook!
"The Sage of Six Paths."
Jiraiya muttered like someone sleepwalking.
"It's been a long time."
Senior Toad Sage bowed respectfully first. "Hope you've been well."
"Sage of Six Paths!"
White Snake Sage's voice confirmed Jiraiya's realization.
Yet unlike Senior Toad Sage, White Snake Sage clearly displayed extreme wariness toward this sudden fiery elder.
"Two Sages. It has indeed been a while."
The flame-wreathed elder spoke slowly.
Yet his voice sounded incredibly strange to Jiraiya's ears.
Deep within, Jiraiya felt absolute certainty—the words spoken by this fire-like elder honored as the 'Sage of Six Paths' seemed at first to transcend language itself, entering a realm beyond anything he had ever known. Yet strangely, they felt directly imprinted into his soul; without needing verbal translation, his mind and consciousness could clearly grasp every profound meaning within them.
Such a scene was truly extraordinary—breathtaking even.
Although Jiraiya modestly considered himself not particularly skilled in sensing abilities, at this moment he distinctly sensed that this being called the 'Sage of Six Paths,' even if not physically present, still possessed power and cultivation far beyond the ordinary.
Even the faintest shifts in his consciousness effortlessly broke through all barriers, profoundly and directly conveying every detail he wished to express—revealing an indescribable, transcendent might.
"The future has completely diverged from our prediction."
Senior Toad Sage said slowly. "Moreover, Asura and Indra have only just reincarnated; it's unclear when they'll come into their full power."
"Hmm?"
White Snake Sage obviously showed confusion, raising its huge serpentine body high—as if somewhat resistant.
"Their growth is destined to bring about even more change."
The Sage of Six Paths sighed. "And actually, it was my own carelessness too."
"You'll need considerable spiritual energy to govern the Pure Land and suppress Yomi."
Senior Toad Sage seemingly spoke casually.
"Pure Land! Yomi!"
Jiraiya felt a tightening inside.
According to Ninja World mythology, both the Pure Land and Yomi coexisted. To most people, they were one and the same—the afterlife for departed souls, differing only in name or regional dialect.
But based on what the Senior Toad Sage just said, they clearly weren't one and the same!
Moreover, it was the Pure Land suppressing Yomi!
Realization struck Jiraiya with endless imagination.
Moreover, Konoha's sealing techniques record a secret jutsu known as the Triple Rashomon, which can summon three massive gates leading directly into Yomi. There is also another infamous technique called Impure World Reincarnation, capable of summoning the deceased from Pure Land itself to fight.
Suddenly, Jiraiya was hit by a blinding headache, as if his brain were trying to burst out of his skull!
"Indra and Asura were both good children, but their developmental paths have gone completely out of control. Therefore, more deviations are bound to occur."
The Sage of Six Paths spoke again.
The Senior Toad Sage and White Snake Sage exchanged glances but said nothing.
"The Ninja World needs holy forces to restore order from chaos, while holy places also rely on ninjas for support."
The Sage of Six Paths continued, "Saving the Ninja World means saving the Holy Lands — their fates are intertwined, two sides of the same destiny!"
The Senior Toad Sage and White Snake Sage remained silent once more.
What he said sounded noble enough, but at what price?
"As compensation, Pure Land will erase your ties to life and death forever,"
The Sage of Six Paths immediately offered bait.
"The Mount Myoboku lineage will spare no effort in this endeavor."
Senior Toad Sage expressed support promptly.
Although severing these life-and-death connections wouldn't technically grant true immortality, even though Yomi was suppressed by Pure Land, it would still attract dying individuals into the dead world. Theoretically, maintaining sufficient power could allow someone to remain within the living world of the Ninja World in a state between life and death.
This was genuinely significant news for Senior Toad Sage, whose lifespan had nearly been exhausted.
"What about you? What is Ryuchi Cave's decision?"
The Sage of Six Paths turned his gaze toward White Snake Sage.
"Ryuchi Cave will throw its full strength into this!"
White Snake Sage revealed his fangs after brief hesitation and said, "But once we succeed, ninja snakes must be granted rightful territory and subordinate lands under the light of day!"
"I have no objection."
The Sage of Six Paths nodded slowly, then the flames forming his body gradually faded until his image vanished completely.
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