Chapter 429: Each One More Astonishing Than the Last
Watching everyone argue over her, Elder Chiyo herself was completely dumbfounded.
Uchiha Madara showed up, she could understand that.
But what was going on with all these others appearing one after another?
Elder Chiyo had no idea how to handle this anymore. She gave up trying to intervene and decided to just let things play out.
She'd wait and see what these people intended to do.
Uchiha Madara was also stunned.
What was the meaning of all these people suddenly showing up?
Ōnoki was one thing, but where did this Second Mizukage in front of him come from?
Madara didn't care much about the others, but the reanimated Hōzuki Gengetsu made him wary.
What if that man had the same goal as him, eyeing Chiyo's "One's Own Life Reincarnation"?
But soon, Madara dismissed the idea.
His own desire to return to life had specific reasons. Before, only the living could become the Ten-Tails' jinchūriki and activate the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
Now, he needed to revive in order to escape this weak body specially modified by Senju Tobirama, and reclaim the Rinnegan from Nagato, or possibly Sasuke's Rinnegan.
As for the others, there didn't seem to be any real need for them to come back to life.
Even things like physical sensations had already been solved through developed techniques.
Compared to the living, the only real drawback of the reanimated was their inability to reproduce.
Looking at it this way, things were still safe… for now.
That's what Madara told himself, it was more self-comfort than anything else.
If he had even a fraction of his former strength, like the extremely weakened reanimated Senju Hashirama during the Chūnin Exams, he'd dare to challenge these people head-on.
The problem was, he was far too weak right now. Completely powerless.
All he could do was watch.
It wasn't that he didn't want to act, it was that acting would be meaningless and only result in humiliation.
Better to maintain a cold, aloof demeanor and preserve his original personality. With the name Uchiha Madara alone, others might still feel a trace of his former might and show him some respect.
What Madara didn't realize was that it was precisely that lingering reputation that had drawn all these people here.
If these people could overcome the instinctive fear buried deep inside them, they wouldn't need to compete for Elder Chiyo at all, they could've just ganged up on Uchiha Madara directly, and no one would've been able to stop them.
The group continued arguing, and with Jiraiya, naturally a "master author" of certain adult literature, among them, the conversation was becoming increasingly strange.
"My name, Jiraiya, resounds throughout the ninja world! Everyone knows me! From the content of my novels alone, you can see I possess boundless knowledge. Only by being with me can Chiyo truly be happy!"
"Bullshit! You already exposed yourself, you came here just to gather material for your novels. You don't genuinely like Chiyo at all. And besides, I, Rōshi of Lava Release, am the truly renowned, mighty man of the ninja world! What's the point of knowing a bunch of tricks? Your stamina is probably pathetically short. Only I, Rōshi, am synonymous with endurance. Everyone knows it!"
"So now you admit that was you?"
Ōnoki interjected quietly.
Rōshi, who had been arguing with Jiraiya, froze for a moment. Gritting his teeth, he snapped back, "Of course that wasn't me, but the descriptions in there are absolutely accurate!"
"What's the use of lasting long? Living longer doesn't mean living better. Look at this kid Ōnoki, he's lived far longer than any of us, and now he's so old and frail he can't even get a word in. All he can do is watch helplessly as the one he loves is taken away. If you ask me, Chiyo would only be truly happy with me."
"The Hōzuki clan has the Hydrification Technique, it can give the human body sensations never experienced before. And I alone possess the Steaming Danger Tyranny. Water vapor can explode repeatedly and infinitely reset, creating an endless cycle of heat and cold!"
"Tch, well I've got Lava Release, and Tailed Beast Transformation!"
"I—I—"
Jiraiya was still stung by Rōshi hitting a sore spot, but seeing Hōzuki Gengetsu and Rōshi start arguing again, he immediately wanted to jump back in.
At this point, Elder Chiyo no longer mattered. Male pride had completely taken over.
But for a moment, Jiraiya couldn't think of his own advantage.
What did he have?
Sage Mode?
That wouldn't work, Sage Mode enhanced perception, and its power boost couldn't compare to Rōshi's Tailed Beast Transformation.
Toad oil?
What use was that?
Wait…
Jiraiya suddenly thought of Sarutobi Hiruzen, who was still hiding in the shadows.
"I've got it! Sarutobi-sensei's Enma can transform into the Adamantine Staff, the shape-shifting Ruyi weapon! You guys don't have anything like that, do you?"
Jiraiya said smugly.
"What does your sensei have to do with you?"
Rōshi paused, then shot Jiraiya a disdainful look.
"My sensei's already dead, so his belongings naturally pass on to me. What's wrong with me borrowing Enma?"
Jiraiya retorted, completely shameless yet confident.
"…"
Hōzuki Gengetsu immediately understood. No wonder Jiraiya had earlier taken out that book titled "Ultimate X Sensei's Wife Biwako"—so that was the reason.
Listening to Jiraiya's nonsense dragging him into it, Sarutobi Hiruzen finally couldn't sit still any longer.
If this continued, once Jiraiya ran out of arguments, he'd definitely start using Hiruzen's "cards" next.
Since he was currently disguised as Shimura Danzō, he might as well take direct action.
"I'll be taking Chiyo for myself. You all can keep arguing!"
A dark figure suddenly leapt down from a nearby rooftop, scooped up Elder Chiyo, and fled into the distance.
Those who were arguing, and those watching the spectacle, were all stunned.
While the snipe and clam fight, the fisherman profits?
Who was this expert now?
Even Elder Chiyo herself didn't react in time.
She had just been reflecting.
Every single person here had determination and patience that could astonish the world. Their "secret weapons" were even more… unexpectedly surprising.
As for embarrassment?
What was there to be embarrassed about?
At her age, what hadn't she seen? She wasn't some young girl.
Besides, girls nowadays might not even know less than she did.
With people like Jiraiya and Hatake Kakashi spreading explicit material throughout the ninja world, it was truly troublesome.
"Damn! It's Danzō! Why is he here? Could someone else have also mastered the Reanimation Technique?"
Jiraiya's shout snapped everyone back to reality.
Following his line of thought, everyone simultaneously turned to look at Uchiha Madara.
"?"
Madara showed a puzzled expression.
He was taking the blame now?
If it were really his doing, how could he not know about it?
But thinking carefully, who else in the ninja world could use the Reanimation Technique now?
Eliminate all the wrong answers, and what remained… really did point to his own faction.
Could it be that Black Zetsu and White Zetsu had come to help him?
Madara fell into deep thought.
If that were the case, why hadn't they made any contact with him?
It couldn't be about avoiding exposure.
Because look—without any contact, everyone still suspected him anyway.
So…
Madara's eyes suddenly widened as he realized another possibility.
Danzō had simply been reanimated normally, but since he knew the hand seals for the Reanimation Technique, he had released the contract and gained freedom of movement.
Now, Danzō's goal was the same as his—To find Elder Chiyo and revive himself!
(End of this chapter)