While Tsunade and Jiraiya were desperately pushing the burden of power over Konoha onto each other, the two advisers, relying on the protection of loyal ninjas, had long since left the village at the first sign of trouble.
"Jiraiya-sama, Tsunade-sama, trouble! Something terrible has happened!" Anbu burst into the tent, his voice cracking with excitement and haste.
"Why such a panic? What else happened?" replied Jiraiya gloomily. "Did someone dare to challenge Uchiha Yue again?"
Having lost his "manhood", Jiraiya lost not only a part of himself, but also his former complacency. His temper was getting heavier and his gaze was getting darker. Anbu involuntarily shuddered when he met his eyes.
"Yes, Jiraiya-sama! Shinobi blurted out haltingly, but with enthusiasm. — An incredible master is fighting Uchiha Yue! I've never seen anyone more powerful in my life! Perhaps... perhaps he will defeat Yue, and we can return home!"
Jiraiya and Tsunade exchanged glances. Hope flashed in their eyes. Uchiha Yue's name became a curse for them, a topic that they both studiously avoided, having no idea how to approach this problem.
At first, Tsunade was determined. She believed that her words would awaken the Will of Fire in Yue's heart, make him realize what he had done and the damage he had inflicted on the village. And then, like White Fang in the past, he will accept his fate.
But after the first attempt, which almost cost her her life, there was no trace of her former confidence. What the hell is verbal jutsu if your opponent doesn't even see or hear you? How do you reach someone who exists in another dimension of power?
Jiraiya didn't have any ideas, either. He had an almost superstitious horror of Uchiha Yue. The last meeting turned out to be a disaster for him: not only did he not see the enemy, but he also became a cripple. It's one thing to lose a leg that doesn't happen to anyone. But he lost what made him a man, in fact, turning into Tsunade's "sister". Such an injury did not go away without a trace.
They tacitly agreed that they would deal with Yue's problem after deciding who would become Hokage. But now... there was an invincible warrior fighting him right now.
If this master really kills Uchiha Yue, they won't have to worry about the choice anymore. You can push the post to anyone. Tsunade will return to the gambling tables and sake. And Jiraiya... having become a "sister", he didn't even know what he was going to do now. He'll probably keep looking for the Child from the prophecy.
"Tell me more,— Tsunade said. "What kind of master is this?" Is he really that powerful? So that it doesn't turn out like last time, it's an empty hope."
Anbu hurriedly recounted everything he had seen. From his confused story, they realized that this "master" was monstrously huge, shaking mountains and splitting the earth with one movement. It became clear that Yue was not being fought by a human, but by a summoned beast.
But are there such powerful summoning creatures in the Shinobi world? And why has nothing been known about them until now?
By "empty hope," Tsunade was referring to recent events. As soon as she recovered, she found out that something was happening in the Area of Dead Silence - as if some force had challenged Uchiha Yue. According to the reports, he was in a losing position all the time. The weakened Tsunade became so agitated by this news that she lost consciousness again.
When she woke up, the battle was already over. The result? The region of Deathly Silence still hung silently in its place, and the unknown strongman, on whom everyone had pinned such hopes, never appeared to the world. Everything was so hazy and unreal that many attributed it to a collective hallucination.
"Wise man! Jiraiya exclaimed excitedly, slapping his knee. — This must be one of the great Sages! A snake?.. Is this the Great Snake Sage from the Ryuchi Cave?"
Tsunade nodded. Having signed a contract with the Shikkotsu Forest, she, of course, knew about the existence of the Ryuchi Cave.
"So that's how strong they are..." muttered Jiraiya. —If there is such power hidden in the Ryuchi Cave, then... and on Mount Myoboku...?"
He remembered the Great Sage Toad. Who would have thought that such crushing power was hidden behind his senility? The sages are truly incredible!
"It seems that Uchiha Yue has become such a serious threat that even they decided to intervene," Tsunade said thoughtfully. She studied the history of the holy lands: in the annals, there were only mentions of those who had entered into a contract with them, but not a single record of the personal intervention of the Sages. The fact that Yue had forced one of them to act spoke volumes.
"Since the Sage from the Ryuchi Cave has joined the action, there is no doubt that Uchiha Yue is doomed."
"To think that it took the intervention of a legendary Sage to defeat this monster. But it's even better this way. Let this farce finally end."
They breathed out a sigh of relief at the same time. The taut string of tension in their souls finally loosened. Since the invincible Sage has joined the battle, what chance does Uchiha Yue have to survive?
After all, this is a Wise Man. And Uchiha Yue? Yes, they recognized his incredible, absurd power. He didn't even need to kill them. But... how long has it been since he gained this power? Twenty days? Not even a month. Even if he were a god, how could he stand up to a creature that had lived for thousands of years?
Relaxed smiles appeared on their faces for the first time in a long time. But at the same moment…
"Trouble!.."