In an instant, Jiraiya successfully withdrew from the battlefield. He arrived in a world filled with the scent of flowers, the singing of birds, and vibrant life. It felt like a primeval forest; every plant was impossibly tall, and the variety of colorful leaves was dazzling to the eye. Sensing the dense natural energy of the area, Jiraiya finally let out a long sigh of relief.
"Little Jiraiya, to be in such a sorry state, what on earth happened?"
A slightly raspy voice drifted over. The speaker was a small green toad, about forty centimeters tall. His hair and eyebrows were already white, suggesting a significant age. Jiraiya looked at the toad and sat cross-legged directly on the ground.
"Ah, Big Brother Fukasaku. I just ran into a truly formidable enemy over there."
When mentioning the enemy, Jiraiya subconsciously narrowed his eyes. Clearly, the opponent from moments ago had left a deep impression on him. Hearing this, Fukasaku's brow furrowed.
"An enemy that even you, Little Jiraiya—having mastered Sage Mode—cannot handle?"
He and Jiraiya had been old friends for decades. From the time Jiraiya first accidentally stumbled into Mount Myoboku until now, their relationship had remained excellent. Consequently, he had a very comprehensive understanding of Jiraiya's strength. Although the man was poor at Genjutsu and only mediocre at Sage Jutsu, he was indeed the strongest contractor Mount Myoboku had seen in recent decades. Furthermore, as one of the Legendary Sannin, his strength should be among the top tier of the Shinobi World when using Sage Mode.
Seeing the doubt on Fukasaku's face, Jiraiya took the initiative to explain: "I didn't use Sage Mode."
"Hmm?"
Fukasaku looked even more confused. Faced with such a powerful enemy, why wouldn't he use Sage Mode? Unless... It seemed to have realized something.
Jiraiya nodded: "Even if I had used Sage Mode, I likely wouldn't have been able to defeat that guy. It would have just exposed my trump cards for nothing."
He pulled out a scroll and said, "I have recorded the characteristics of his abilities, but I still feel like that guy has many more cards he hasn't played."
"A truly troublesome enemy..." Fukasaku knit his white brows, deep in thought.
Jiraiya stood up and brushed the dirt off his clothes. "Big Brother Fukasaku, is the person I had Gamahi bring back still here?"
"I've placed him in the guest room. Do you want to see him now?" Fukasaku asked.
Jiraiya shook his head. "No need. First, take me to the Great Lord. I have very important matters to report to him."
Fukasaku hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded. "The Great Lord has been sleeping lately. I'm not sure if he has woken up."
Jiraiya was full of confidence regarding this. "Don't worry. I believe the Great Lord will sense my arrival."
Soon, Fukasaku led Jiraiya to the main hall where the Great Lord resided. A giant toad at least tens of meters high was resting on an equally massive seat. Its skin was red, but unlike the bright red of the younger toads, the color on the elder's body carried a hint of grey, looking like paint that had gradually faded over years of weathering.
The elder wore a large hat on his head and a necklace around his neck. The crystal in the center bore the character for "Oil," and behind him were countless giant scrolls as tall as toads. Facing this Toad Sage who was rumored to have lived for over a thousand years and existed during the era of the Sage of Six Paths, Jiraiya showed great respect, bowing formally.
Shima, who was attending to the Great Lord, spoke up: "Great Lord, Little Jiraiya is here."
"Hmm?"
The massive, ancient toad slowly opened its eyes and spoke in an extremely raspy, weak voice. "So, Jiraiya has come."
He woke from the chaos of destiny and turned his gaze toward Jiraiya. Knowing that the Great Lord's waking time was limited, Jiraiya spoke bluntly: "Great Lord, I have come this time for..."
Before he could finish, the Toad Sage interrupted him.
"Say no more. I have already glimpsed the evil brewing in the Shinobi World. A sea of blood will surface from the abyss, and the haze of war will once again shroud the entire world..."
"It is a disaster..."
The Toad Sage's words immediately made Jiraiya, Fukasaku, and Shima tense up. They all understood the Toad Sage's power—the terrifying talent to foresee the future. Since the Great Lord had put it that way, did it mean the Shinobi World was destined to fall into a catastrophe?
Thinking of this, Jiraiya grew anxious. "Great Lord, is there any way to break this catastrophe? Do you know who the mastermind is?"
After he asked, the Toad Sage seemed to fall back into a slumber. His will traversed the river of time, attempting to spy a glimmer of hope. Finally, a familiar mass of black mist appeared before his eyes.
"Jashin... is the source of all evil."
After a long while, the Toad Sage's ancient and distant voice slowly echoed. Once he finished this sentence, Jiraiya could clearly feel the Toad Sage's aura weaken significantly. He wanted to ask more, but the Toad Sage suddenly opened his eyes again and raised a massive hand toward Jiraiya.
In the next second, a powerful surge of natural energy washed over him. Under the flushing of this energy, black insects hidden in Jiraiya's hair and body were rapidly forced out. They spread their wings, attempting to fly away at top speed. However, Fukasaku quickly flicked out his tongue, rolling all the fleeing insects into his belly.
Only then did Jiraiya realize he had been tricked.
"Impossible. I checked my body carefully before coming here. There couldn't have been such things..."
"These insects are ordinary biological organisms. There is no chakra within them. It is normal that you didn't discover them."
The Toad Sage had no intention of pursuing the matter, merely stating calmly: "I am a bit tired. You may go."
Jiraiya nodded with a look of disappointment. "I understand."
Most reconnaissance techniques in the Shinobi World are based on the chakra system. Therefore, he had subconsciously ignored biological lifeforms that naturally belonged to the environment. It was a massive oversight! Although the Great Lord didn't blame him, Jiraiya still felt quite guilty. He clenched his fists, recalling the Great Lord's words.
"Jashin, the Jashin Religion, Tobi..."
His gaze gradually became determined. "Just you wait. One day, I will drag you all out into the light!"
Back in the Hidden Steam Village, Simu had just finished sealing his Apostle of Fear back into Mori Shiraishi's body when he received news that the insects he left behind had been killed. Nevertheless, the message that needed to be sent back had already been delivered.
"The Toad... Sage, is it?"