The title 'Legendary Sannin' was given to Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru by the legendary Shinobi, Hanzo the Salamander when they faced him.
Each of the three was known for their unique strengths.
Tsunade, the princess of the Senju Clan, possessed monstrous strength capable of shattering the earth, recovery powers rivaling the sacred beast of the Shikkotsu Forest, and a terrifyingly vast Chakra reserve.
With her support, supplying an entire Shinobi Army was easily manageable.
Orochimaru, a peerless genius who rose to become one of the Sannin from a mere mortal body. He was a war orphan, without a family name, let alone the teachings of a powerful, prestigious clan.
Yet, relying solely on his own talent, Orochimaru forged a path of breathtaking brilliance. His unique snake techniques were not only incredibly bizarre but also possessed potential in evasion and speed beyond the imagination of ordinary Shinobi.
As for Jiraiya, although he started his training the latest, he was universally acknowledged as possessing the strongest pure combat power among the Sannin. Unlike Tsunade's innate genius or Orochimaru's all-around proficiency, Jiraiya knew from a very young age that his natural talent and comprehension were lacking. Therefore, after gaining the recognition of the toads of Mount Myoboku and obtaining their teachings, Jiraiya devoted all his energy to training.
Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, Genjutsu... anything that could enhance his combat ability, he practiced relentlessly. To this day, his strength had grown to a fearsome level. In terms of pure fighting prowess, even the aged Sandaime Hokage might not be Jiraiya's match.
"Sensei, I'm counting on you."
Jiraiya, now fully in combat mode, glanced at the toad on his shoulder and spoke in a low voice.
"Sage Mode, Activate!"
On the other side, Orochimaru also allowed a trace of seriousness to show on his face.
Since this was an old friend he hadn't seen in many years, it was only fitting to show him something new.
For example, one of the fruits of his research over the years… the Cursed Seal.
Just as the battle between Jiraiya and Orochimaru was reaching its peak, Naruto's consciousness quietly slipped into the group chat.
[Dark Group Owner: @The Dead-Last Jinchuriki @Second Pillar Thinks He Can Do It, It won't be long now. How are things progressing on your ends?]
[The Dead-Last Jinchuriki: Group Owner Mister, everything is going smoothly, developing just as I anticipated. I suspect it won't be long before I can see my parents' former selves with my own eyes.]
At this thought, Naruto clenched his fists in excitement.
Ever since meeting the Group Owner Mister and seeing those memory fragments, his unwavering goal had been to resurrect his parents.
Now, finally seeing a glimmer of hope, how could he not be thrilled?
[Second Pillar Thinks He Can Do It: My side is almost ready too. The Akatsuki's leader, Nagato's strategic mind is mediocre… he was outmaneuvered by Orochimaru and is now gathering his people, preparing to head to the Land of Rice Fields to confront Konoha directly.]
Sasuke, hiding in the shadows and watching the Akatsuki's members assemble in Amegakure, typed into the void.
For him, this was also a perfect opportunity.
If Nagato were to fall in this coming battle, and he seized the chance...
The legendary pinnacle of Dojutsu could be reborn in his own eyes.
Using the power of the Rinnegan to inversely stimulate the power of his Sharingan, achieving the Uchiha Clan's truly ultimate Pupil Power.
When that time came...
'Itachi, Danzo, the village... everyone who wronged the Uchiha Clan, I will... let none of them escape.'
Sasuke looked at his reflection in the water, his expression icy.
[Dark Group Owner: Hmm, your current states are good. But if you want to reap greater rewards from this war, this level of resolve is still slightly insufficient.]
Hattori looked at the messages from the two and typed his response into the void.
'Insufficient?'
Both Naruto and Sasuke showed puzzled expressions.
'To gain power, we had both completely abandoned their previous flawed and mistaken ideologies, transforming into perfect, cold, and formidable figures...'
'Yet in the Dark Group Owner's eyes, we were still lacking?'
[Second Pillar Thinks He Can Do It / The Dead-Last Jinchuriki: Group Owner Mister/Group Owner, what are we lacking?]
[Dark Group Owner: Methods.]
Hattori stared at the group chat interface, stating simply.
[Dark Group Owner: Although all your current actions are aimed at maximizing profit, your methods consist almost entirely of using others to do your dirty work, passive maneuvers that leverage existing circumstances.]
[Dark Group Owner: Operating this way, once discovered, you could be plunged into irrecoverable ruin.]
[Dark Group Owner: Therefore, the change you must make now is to find a way to break free from passive behavior, establish a plausible identity, and actively insert yourselves into this war.]
'Is that so...'
Hearing the Group Owner's words, Naruto and Sasuke unconsciously nodded silently, falling into deep thought.
It was true.
During the initial setup phase, they could leverage situations, use disguises, and passively follow the lead of major players.
But now, as the setup neared its end and the time to harvest the fruits arrived, if the two of them still maintained their previous identities, how could they possibly claim a share of the spoils in this grand game?
Using their Root identities?
That old fox Danzo would be the first to object.
Therefore, whether it was Naruto seeking his parents' remains or Sasuke coveting the Rinnegan, the most critical task for both of them right now was to legitimize their presence and plunge into the war to seize their portion of the gains.
[True Love Is Agumon: I understand this! It means revealing the identity you've hidden behind the scenes, descending upon this world with the true bearing of a mighty ruler.]
[True Love Is Agumon: But pulling that off requires a significant foundation of strength. You two, are you prepared?]
'Are you prepared...'
Looking at the message in the group chat, identical, confident smiles curled on both Sasuke's and Naruto's lips.
They had been prepared from the very start.