Jiraiya's expression shifted dramatically.
Though Gamatora hadn't specified who killed Naruto, Jiraiya and everyone else in the room had instinctively assumed it was Gensou.
But after reading the scroll—
He realized it was the Great Toad Sage who had killed Naruto!
Jiraiya was shocked, unable to comprehend the revelation.
As he continued reading the scroll, his emotions surged through a whirlwind of disbelief, anger, and despair.
The scroll outlined an apocalyptic vision: Gensou's plan to collect the nine Tailed Beasts and recreate the legendary Ten-Tails. A catastrophe that would engulf the ninja world. Worse still, the progenitor of chakra, the ancestor who once sought to enslave humanity entirely, would return as a result.
The Great Toad Sage had foreseen all this and had acted decisively to prevent it.
Jiraiya fell silent, overwhelmed by the gravity of the situation.
The Ten-Tails.
The sheer weight of the name pressed down on Jiraiya's mind.
The Great Toad Sage's visions had always been vague, cryptic even, but this… this was precise and horrifying in its clarity.
It explained everything: why the Great Toad Sage had killed Naruto, why it had sacrificed itself, and why it had left such a grim warning behind.
The Ten-Tails.
Forcing himself to suppress his grief over Naruto and the fallen toads, Jiraiya handed the scroll to Tsunade.
Tsunade hesitated, her sour mood making her reluctant to read it. But Jiraiya's unwavering gaze left her no choice.
She snatched the scroll and unrolled it.
Moments later, her expression twisted with fury.
"That damned Great Toad Sage! That damned Gensou!"
Unlike Jiraiya, Tsunade, already aware of the simultaneous capture of the One-Tails, Two-Tails, and Eight-Tails jinchūrikis, found the contents of the scroll entirely credible.
Of course, she couldn't forgive the Great Toad Sage for killing Naruto.
"Tsunade, you're the Fifth Hokage now. Fulfill your responsibility," Jiraiya said, his voice firm despite the grief threatening to consume him.
A calamity that could engulf the entire ninja world was on the horizon.
Now was not the time to grieve—it was the time to act.
'Naruto…'
Jiraiya buried his sorrow deep within himself, his face settling into the resolute determination of the Legendary Sannin. He stared at Tsunade, awaiting her decision.
"I understand!"
Tsunade clenched her fists, gritting her teeth.
Naruto was only the beginning. If Gensou's plans weren't stopped, more tragedies would follow.
Turning to Yamato and Guy, she issued a command:
"Take your teams back and rest. Your mission is canceled. Prepare yourselves; a major battle is coming."
"Yes, ma'am!"
Yamato and Guy, though visibly shaken, saluted and led their teams out.
Tsunade then turned back to Jiraiya and Shikaku, her expression grim.
"I'm convening another Five Kage Summit. This time, the daimyō of the Five Nations will also participate. We don't have time to gather in person, so it will be held via video conference."
She handed the intelligence report from Kumogakure to Jiraiya and continued,
"The jinchūrikis of the One-Tails, Two-Tails, and Eight-Tails were all captured on the same day. Adding that to the Seven-Tails we know was previously taken, and the likely captures of the Four-Tails, Five-Tails, and Six-Tails, Gensou almost certainly has eight Tailed Beasts already."
Jiraiya's expression darkened further as he read the report.
"That leaves only Naruto's Nine-Tails…"
He sighed deeply, recalling the Great Toad Sage's actions.
Tsunade continued, "The Nine-Tails will take years to revive after its death. But with Gensou's strength and cunning, we can't rule out the possibility that he has a way to bypass that."
"We can't take that risk. We can't afford to be complacent."
"According to the Great Toad Sage's prophecy, the Ten-Tails' power is unimaginable. We must convene the Five Kage Summit immediately, unify the entire ninja world, and defeat Gensou before he completes the Ten-Tails!"
Without waiting for a response, Tsunade ordered Shikaku to notify the daimyō and the other Great Nations to initiate the video conference.
Then, with a pointed look at Jiraiya, she added:
"There's another issue. You and I both know that Naruto only had half of the Nine-Tails' chakra. The other half… is with the Fourth Hokage."
When Minato sealed the Nine-Tails, he split its chakra into Yin and Yang halves. The Yang half resided in Naruto, while the Yin half was sealed alongside Minato in the belly of the Reaper.
Only a handful of people, including Hiruzen Sarutobi and Jiraiya, were privy to this secret.
"You're saying…" Jiraiya hesitated.
Tsunade's tone was cold and matter-of-fact.
"If the Great Toad Sage foresaw Gensou completing the Ten-Tails, then the Fourth's half of the Nine-Tails' chakra must also fall into his hands eventually."
"But Minato used the Reaper Death Seal," Jiraiya argued. "Even Edo Tensei can't bring him back. How could Gensou retrieve it?"
"I don't know," Tsunade admitted. "But I do know someone who might have a solution."
She locked eyes with Jiraiya.
"Orochimaru."
Jiraiya's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Tsunade, are you saying…"
"Yes," Tsunade interrupted firmly. "We need Orochimaru's expertise. If anyone can counter whatever method Gensou plans to use, it's him."
She gazed out the window, her voice heavy.
"Against someone like Gensou, even uniting the Five Nations might not be enough. His power dwarfs even that of the Great Toad Sage. His forces include the Akatsuki, the Uchiha clan, the remnants of the Hagoromo lineage, and possibly all eight captured Tailed Beasts."
"In terms of sheer strength, we are woefully outmatched."
"So, as much as it pains me, we have no choice but to rely on the power of the past. We need Edo Tensei to summon the strongest shinobi of previous generations."
Tsunade's words were resolute.
Jiraiya hesitated. The thought of using Edo Tensei, a technique infamous for disturbing the dead, deeply troubled him.
But as he opened his mouth to object, the image of Mount Myōboku's destruction flashed through his mind.
He closed his mouth, his objection dying on his lips.
Tsunade was right.
If they couldn't muster enough strength in the present, they would have to summon it from the past.
"Looks like I'll be having a word with Orochimaru," Jiraiya muttered with a sigh.
Tsunade, already heading out, replied,
"He's in Konoha. He's been here since you went to investigate Amegakure."
She paused, her voice softening.
"Though… he's not quite the same."
(End of Chapter)
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In the Land of Fire, within the secret underground base beneath Jomae Village, Hagoromo Gensou arrived carrying Naruto's lifeless body. From the entrance, Sasori, in Hiruko's guise, stepped out to greet him.
"Any unexpected events?" Gensou casually asked while walking deeper into the base.
"Nothing unusual here," Sasori replied flatly, glancing at the lifeless Naruto on Gensou's shoulder. "Looks like something went wrong on your end."
Gensou gave a brief acknowledgment. "Just a minor inconvenience; it won't disrupt the larger plan."
As they spoke, the two passed through numerous sealing formations, finally reaching the deepest part of the underground base. The hollowed-out mountain cavern housed the massive Gedo Statue, chains coiling around its enormous frame. Five of its eyes were already open.
Before either of them could act, a sound echoed through the cavern.
Step. Step. Step.
The mechanical rhythm of footsteps reverberated through the silence, catching Sasori's attention.
"Hm?" Sasori muttered, surprised there was someone else present. He glanced at Gensou, but seeing no hint of surprise on the latter's face, he refrained from commenting further.
At that moment, Gensou borrowed a storage scroll from Sasori and sealed Naruto's body within it. During his battle with the Great Toad Sage earlier, his original scroll had been shattered when the sage struck him mid-sealing. As a result, he had been forced to carry Naruto's body all the way back by hand.
Why was he taking the effort to seal Naruto now? Gensou turned his gaze toward the approaching figure.
Though his reputation was already tarnished in the shinobi world, there were some unnecessary actions even he preferred to avoid—such as allowing a father and son to meet under such circumstances.
Step.
The footsteps stopped, and the figure emerged from the shadows.
Golden-blonde hair, striking blue eyes, and a far more refined appearance than Naruto's. He was clad in the unmistakable Hokage ceremonial robe.
It was none other than the Fourth Hokage, Minato.
Sasori's initial reaction was one of astonishment. However, noticing the familiar cracks on Minato's face, understanding dawned in his eyes.
"Edo Tensei," he murmured.
Sasori, who had once been disgusted by Orochimaru's use of the technique, wasn't unfamiliar with its workings. What surprised him was that Gensou, his new leader, had mastered this forbidden jutsu.
Gensou approached Minato. He had sealed Naruto's body not only out of respect but also to prevent Minato's strong emotions from potentially disrupting the Edo Tensei. His mastery of the technique was still inferior to Orochimaru's. Even the latter had experienced cases where souls with strong wills broke free of the jutsu's control and returned to the afterlife.
To avoid any unexpected complications at such a critical time, Gensou had taken every precaution.
After inspecting Minato to ensure he remained unconscious, Gensou felt reassured. What he didn't know was that Tsunade and Jiraiya were already preparing countermeasures for Minato's reanimation, while Orochimaru seemed to have run into some troubles of his own.
Before setting out, Gensou had reanimated Minato and stationed him near the Gedo Statue. This served two purposes: extracting the Yin half of the Nine-Tails sealed within Minato after capturing the tailed beasts, and ensuring an extra layer of security for the statue. In the event of an emergency, Minato could use the Flying Thunder God Technique to bring Gensou back.
For Gensou, the Gedo Statue was non-negotiable—its safety was paramount.
As for acquiring Minato's DNA for the Edo Tensei, Gensou owed thanks to Orochimaru. Among the various DNA samples left behind in Orochimaru's lab, there had been one for Minato. During the Chūnin Exams, the other coffin marked "Four" that Orochimaru had attempted to summon was indeed meant for Minato.
Orochimaru's failure to summon Minato back then stemmed not from Hiruzen Sarutobi's efforts but from the nature of the Reaper Death Seal, which prevented reanimation of its victims.
Recalling this, Gensou pressed his palm against Minato's abdomen, confirming that the Yin half of the Nine-Tails was still present, bound to Minato's soul even after liberation from the Reaper's grasp. Satisfied, he withdrew his hand and turned to Sasori.
"Begin the extraction."
With that, Gensou disappeared, reappearing atop the Gedo Statue's right thumb.
"Not waiting for the others?" Sasori asked, moving to his usual spot.
"They can join in later," Gensou replied. Not wanting to waste time, he initiated the extraction of the Yin Nine-Tails chakra from Minato.
With Gensou and Sasori forming seals, the Gedo Statue opened its mouth wide. Minato's body floated upward, his lack of resistance allowing the extraction process to proceed smoothly.
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office in Konoha, Tsunade led a puzzled Jiraiya into a heavily guarded room. Unlike the rest of the office, the room's décor was surprisingly extravagant, clashing with the building's utilitarian style.
Inside was a single occupant—a young man clad in fine garments. As Jiraiya observed him, the young man turned, his refined demeanor exuding an air of importance.
"Who is this?" Jiraiya asked, struck by a sense of familiarity.
Tsunade clarified, "The daimyo's son. He is also the future daimyo."
Understanding dawned on Jiraiya. "No wonder he looks familiar!"
Over the years, Jiraiya had attended various celebrations in the Land of Fire as a representative of Konoha, occasionally crossing paths with the daimyo's family. However, it had been a long time since he'd seen the daimyo's son, who had clearly grown up since then.
The young man greeted them with impeccable courtesy, and Jiraiya responded in kind. However, confusion lingered as he quietly asked Tsunade, "Why bring me here? Weren't we going to deal with Orochimaru?"
Tsunade gestured toward the young man's neck. "Look closely."
Jiraiya followed her instruction, and his eyes widened upon spotting three black tomoe intertwined in a sinister pattern on the young man's neck.
His expression darkened. "That's... Orochimaru's cursed seal!"
(End of Chapter)
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