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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