White Zetsu!
The soldiers created by the Rabbit Hour Goddess Kaguya!
These incredible beings seemed like tireless fighting machines, capable of sustaining life through photosynthesis or even absorbing the aura of the land itself—allowing them to fight nonstop.
They had no emotions, felt no fear, and carried out their missions with absolute fearlessness. Sure, they weren't the brightest, but calling them absolutely loyal warriors wasn't a stretch at all.
No amount of hyperbole would be excessive when describing these White Zetsu, which were supposed to have gone extinct long ago.
After all, in ancient times, they were humanoid weapons personally crafted by the goddess imprisoned on the Moon!
Even more shocking was that White Snake Sage confirmed—the White Zetsu she had faced and killed was freshly made, less than five years old!
The fact that new models were being produced meant someone could continuously create White Zetsu.
It also meant that someone already had knowledge about the remains of the God Tree and how to use them.
Moreover, this mysterious figure hiding in the shadows of the ninja world had access to high-quality corpses needed to produce White Zetsu.
Of all these issues, perhaps the least important was the source of those bodies. Since the outbreak of the Great Ninja War, there had been no shortage of top-grade ninja corpses—though tracing such matters would be practically impossible.
After a long pause, Senior Toad Sage slowly settled back into his high seat, gripping the armrests tightly.
Yet his expression looked dazed, like he hadn't fully shaken off a dizzy spell.
Likewise, Elder Fukasaku and Elder Shima from Mount Myoboku also appeared stunned, muttering incoherently.
Only Jiraiya continued glancing around restlessly, clearly anxious yet at a loss for words.
"When exactly did this happen?"
Finally, Senior Toad Sage asked slowly.
"Before last month," White Snake Sage replied, pointing her serpent tail at the White Zetsu corpse on the ground. "And no one knew how long these things had been lurking here in Mount Myoboku—it was this old woman who discovered them personally."
"This…"
Elder Fukasaku and Elder Shima immediately inhaled sharply.
Besides White Snake Sage, Ryuchi Cave was also home to Sanjinki, the Three Goddesses, whose status rivaled that of the elder couple from Mount Myoboku. And yet, from White Snake Sage's tone, it implied that even these high-level deities had failed to detect these legendary humanoid weapons!
Even more importantly—what exactly had these White Zetsu been doing sneaking into the Holy Land?
Spying for intelligence?
Scouting weaknesses?
Or simply monitoring prior to launching an attack?
Surely they didn't sneak in just because they got lost following some ancient map, did they?
All things considered, the appearance of White Zetsu definitely wasn't good news!
And even worse—Ryuchi Cave's location might have been compromised!
After all, if the exact position of Ryuchi Cave had been discovered, then sooner or later, the hidden Mount Myoboku beyond the Savage Lands would also be found—it was only a matter of time.
And time—time itself—was the real enemy.
"Froggy, what do you think we should do now?"
White Snake Sage transformed a large pipe, placed it in his mouth, and began puffing out clouds of smoke. With a fierce tone, he said, "It was you who played the biggest role in sealing Kaguya away back then!"
"But now, these things have come straight for me!"
"What do you think should be done?!"
"Speak up! What about your gift of speech?!"
"Don't pretend to be deaf and dumb!"
"This is just the truth!"
With that final sentence, he pointed his snake tail at the White Zetsu Remains on the ground and roared.
This showed how furious and terrified he truly was—especially terrified, an emotion even Jiraiya could easily detect.
Yet, the unskilled Jiraiya still didn't understand exactly what was so terrifying about this white creature, which made him unable to grasp the White Snake Sage's fear.
"If Kaguya returns…"
The White Snake Sage sneered again. "Not only will the Holy Place be gone, but everything will revert to an untamed primal age!"
"White Zetsu…"
Gamamaru muttered absently under his breath.
"Have you lost your mind, Gamamaru?"
Still smirking, the White Snake Sage said, "Don't forget! Aside from Hagoromo, Kaguya hates you most."
"No! Maybe she hates *you* the most!"
"After all, you were the one who drove a wedge between her and her son!"
Though the White Snake Sage's verbal attacks never ceased, Gamamaru still gave no response.
No reply came—not a single word of protest or explanation. He simply stared blankly at the White Zetsu Remains lying on the ground.
"We must do something," the White Snake Sage softened his tone slightly. "But you've seen it too."
His snake tail once again pointed toward the remains as he continued smoking and said, "Gamamaru, esteemed elder, what do you believe should take priority now?"
"Should we keep playing childish dominance games with those insects whose lifespans don't exceed a hundred years, or fully commit ourselves to uncovering the hidden force lurking in the darkness?"
"If you really can't make up your mind, why not go searching again for that dead man's soul?"
"Oh right, with your remaining lifespan, you probably wouldn't have enough strength left to search for Hagoromo's soul again. How unfortunate!"
After the White Snake Sage finished mocking him with sharp, sarcastic words, Gamamaru's eyes gradually regained a slight spark of vitality.
"Huh?"
At this moment, the White Snake Sage finally noticed something unusual about his old rival: "You had the strength to glimpse into the future?!"
"It was merely a coincidental opportunity to catch a glimpse, but I cannot say for sure what will happen."
Gamamaru sighed deeply before slowly closing his eyes.
In an instant, years of weariness lined his ancient face, making him look suddenly much older.
"That stubborn old coot pushed himself again!"
The White Snake Sage figured it out at last.
This was clearly the aftereffect of Gamamaru peeking into the future by sacrificing his own lifespan—a forbidden technique known as prophecy.
And this was the first time since losing his prophetic powers that the Senior Toad Sage had dared to dust off his old trick again.
However, compared to that, the White Snake Sage's ability to see the past had not been restored, which frustrated it immensely!
"I saw him."
The Great Toad Sage said slowly.
"Him?"
The White Snake Sage reacted sharply.
What the Great Toad Sage referred to wasn't "her" or "it," but specifically a male—he!
Therefore, its meaning became quite clear—at the very least, this "he" must refer to a human within the Ninja World!
"Blue-white eyes gleaming with unearthly vitality, commanding the Ten-Tails Statue with effortless ease, while a black, mud-like creature lurks from behind, ready to strike from the shadows."
The Great Toad Sage recited in an almost poetic tone, describing everything it had seen through prophecy. "Underground flames are drawn forth, black fiery water poured into machines, thick smoke blanketing vast skies, from land to sea, all groaning helplessly beneath the shadow of steel."
"What nonsense are you spouting now!"
The White Snake Sage was confused.
The blue-white eyes were somewhat understandable—it likely referred to the Byakugan, possibly indicating that this bloodline limit originating from Hamura Otsutsuki might have undergone further ascension or ancestral awakening.
As for the demon statue, it likely referred to the remains of the Ten-Tails—used to create White Zetsu.
But as for what the underground flames, the black fiery water, and the steel conquering lands and seas signified, the White Snake Sage could make no sense of it at all.
Jiraiya and Elder Fukasaku and Shima also felt equally perplexed.
Frankly speaking, this didn't sound like a prophecy—it sounded more like the wild imaginings of a dream-addled mind.
Yet they did not doubt it either, because the Great Toad Sage's current state of utter exhaustion was genuine—no deception possible.
This extreme fatigue came directly from draining his life force—an experience entirely unlike his usual state, where dreams and prophecies often blurred together.
"Huff..."
After a long silence, the Great Toad Sage exhaled deeply before regaining consciousness.
When it slowly opened its eyes once again, everyone—including the White Snake Sage—felt their hearts leap into their throats.
"The one controlling the Ten-Tails Statue isn't Hyuga Soushu."
The Great Toad Sage finally spoke.
"Then does that mean someone else is eyeing Ryuchi Cave?"
The White Snake Sage's snake-like face displayed a frowning expression vividly.
"It should be so. Also, I saw that the user's Rinnegan was taken away."
The Great Toad Sage dropped another bombshell.
Upon hearing this, the White Snake Sage could no longer remain seated calmly.
"The Rinnegan!"
Senior Fukasaku and Elder Shima gasped in shock as well.
Though Jiraiya didn't know much about the Rinnegan's true power, he recognized it as the legendary Sage's Eye, thus feeling astonished too: "Could there really be a direct descendant of the Sage of Six Paths in this world?"
"The descendants of the Sage of Six Paths are the Senju and Uchiha clans—two of the most powerful ninja lineages in history."
Elder Fukasaku explained briefly. "While the Hyuga and Kaguya bloodlines trace back to the Sage's younger brother."
"This!"
Jiraiya was even more shocked now.
So the centuries-long storms and endless carnage of the Ninja World's Warring States era were actually nothing more than bloody clan feuds within the household of the Sage of Six Paths!
And yet, isn't it the Hyuga Clan and Uchiha Clan who are at the helm of the Seii Taishogun's Shogunate — now dominating the Ninja World with unmatched power — and even the Ninja Clan Capital Corporation?
What exactly does this signify?
Is such a tale of court intrigue unfolding in reality?
Most importantly, the Sage of Six Paths actually had a younger brother?
Jiraiya felt as if his entire worldview was unraveling before him!
If that is indeed the case, then what meaning did his efforts — and those of the Holy Place — hold all these years?
Does a sage's lineage, passed down through a thousand years, necessarily remain superior and unshakable?
Jiraiya felt as though he might collapse from shock at any moment.
"Tch!"
Noticing Jiraiya's state faltering, Senior Fukasaku swiftly let out a low shout, using chakra waves to awaken the nearly mentally collapsing Jiraiya back to consciousness.
"I..."
Startled by the shout, Jiraiya finally came to his senses.
"I'm fine now. Thank you, Elder Sage, for your assistance."
However, this minor incident barely registered with the two Great Sages. Particularly the White Snake Sage, who looked increasingly restless.
"The age of machines is coming."
Senior Toad Sage murmured solemnly, "Ninjas wielding massive machinery will conquer land, sea, and even the vast skies."
"Machines?!"
The White Snake Sage became even more perplexed.
In his mind, mechanical devices in the Ninja World were nothing more than crude black contraptions easily destroyed by ninjutsu or small ninja beasts; their battlefield effectiveness was practically negligible.
Can such things truly conquer the Ninja World?
And judging from the implication, did these so-called machines already belong to the Seii Taishogun's Shogunate?
Though the White Snake Sage had his doubts, he remained silent, waiting for Senior Toad Sage to continue.
"Hyuga Soushu can resurrect without any side effects after a full moon cycle! And he has already died once during battle against the Rinnegan's master!"
Senior Toad Sage continued, "He is Hyuga Soushu."
"The Rinnegan's master!"
The White Snake Sage clenched his pipe so hard it creaked, "So it was him controlling the demon statues? Also, the current demon statues haven't fallen into Soushu Hyuga's hands, right?"
"The demon statues have been moved by monsters."
Senior Toad Sage explained briefly, then helplessly added, "That's all that my vision could reveal."
"Are you certain it was the Rinnegan?"
Still not satisfied, the White Snake Sage pressed on.
"It may be an incomplete Rinnegan, but at the very least, it is a fully matured Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan."
Senior Toad Sage elaborated.
"Eternal Mangekyo... You mean—"
Realizing a possibility, the White Snake Sage asked, "His rebirth?"
"Possibly."
Senior Toad Sage sighed heavily once again, clearly filled with sorrow.
As for Jiraiya, the cryptic conversation between the two Great Sages left him completely baffled.
He barely understood anything they had said, but judging by their expressions, Jiraiya still couldn't shake off a vague sense of awe.
But how to respond — that was now a huge problem.
After all, the Seii Taishogun's Shogunate was sharpening its blades at the western borderlands of the Land of Wind. Now another great upheaval had occurred that shocked all the Sages. Jiraiya truly didn't know how to respond.
"Jiraiya..."
Senior Toad Sage suddenly spoke.
"At your service, Great Sage!"
Jiraiya immediately bowed respectfully.
"The ninja frogs of Mount Myoboku are under your command. You must intercept the Hyuga clan's operatives in the Savage Lands!"
After issuing this order, Senior Toad Sage turned his gaze toward White Snake Sage.
"Ryuchi Cave will mobilize fifty thousand ninja snakes, placing them under the command of Lady Shichima for defending the Savage Lands!"
White Snake Sage remained silent for a moment before setting his conditions. "However, old one—"
"Let's go find Katsuyu together!"
Senior Toad Sage directly interrupted. "Without Katsuyu's involvement, it'll be difficult for us to uncover the hidden hand manipulating those demon statues from the darkness!"
"Katsuyu..."
White Snake Sage pondered briefly before slowly nodding. Yet he added one more point. "What if it still refuses?"
"Just take the White Zetsu remains with you."
Senior Toad Sage pointed at the White Zetsu remains lying on the ground, his tone turning grim. "If Kaguya returns, not even Shikkotsu Forest will remain untouched!"
"Then let us waste no more time!"
White Snake Sage quickly made his decision.
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