Mount Myoboku.
Faced with Fukasaku and Shima, Jiraiya found himself at a loss for words.
"Little Jiraiya, how did the battle go?" Shima asked.
Jiraiya's face was heavy with guilt, and for a long moment, he couldn't bring himself to speak.
Instead, Fukasaku let out a sigh. "You lost, didn't you?"
Jiraiya nodded, his voice strained as he finally spoke. "Not only did I lose, but..."
The rest of the words caught in his throat. This wasn't just an unavoidable defeat—it was a battle he had actively chosen to abandon. But if that was the case, then what did the Great Toad Sage's sacrifice even mean?
"Come with me, little Jiraiya. The Great Toad Sage is waiting for you," Fukasaku said, turning and beckoning Jiraiya to follow.
Jiraiya hesitated. "But… the Great Toad Sage… isn't he…?"
Fukasaku nodded. "Yes, he has indeed passed. But before he died, he left behind a fragment of his spirit. He said that if you were too ashamed to speak after your failure, I should bring you to see him."
Jiraiya was momentarily stunned. But then, considering the Great Toad Sage's prophetic abilities, he quickly understood. Perhaps the old sage had foreseen the possibility of today's outcome long ago.
Steeling himself, Jiraiya followed Fukasaku back into the grand hall.
The Great Toad Sage was still there, submerged in his giant water basin. But with Jiraiya's current strength, he could clearly sense that what stood before him wasn't a physical body, but a projection of pure spiritual energy.
"Great Toad Sage!" Jiraiya bowed respectfully.
"Little Jiraiya… if you've come to see me, it means that things are once again spiraling in an unforeseen direction," the Great Toad Sage murmured as he slowly opened his eyes. Despite the worsening situation, he no longer carried the same urgency as before.
"Yes," Jiraiya admitted, nodding. "I failed you, Great Toad Sage… But the First Hokage, he—"
He hesitated, then carefully recounted the events that had transpired. The more he spoke, the heavier the guilt in his heart became. Yet, rather than scolding or condemning him, the Great Toad Sage simply let out a sigh and offered words of comfort.
"That is the way of Ashura, the one who represents love," the sage mused. "His choice may not align with my plan… but it is not beyond my expectations."
"Jiraiya, do not let guilt weigh you down. Do not lose yourself in despair.
"From this point on, you must continue forward with courage. Cooperate with the anomaly of fate, and strive to carve out a new miracle of destiny."
"But… what exactly is going on?" Jiraiya asked in confusion. He had spent his life as a follower of fate, but today, he felt an overwhelming desire to understand the truth.
The Great Toad Sage did not evade the question. "The reason I waited here for your return was to tell you everything."
"Everything?"
"Yes… Now, where should I begin?" The Great Toad Sage's gaze grew distant, lost in memory.
"First, let's talk about the world we stand upon. Jiraiya, you must understand—this land we call the ninja world is actually a planet."
"A… planet?" Jiraiya frowned at the unfamiliar term.
"In the vast cosmos, there exist countless such planets. The sun, the moon, and the stars you see in the night sky—they are all celestial bodies like our own. What makes our world unique is that it gave birth to life."
As he spoke, the Great Toad Sage conjured an image of a planet in midair, offering a rough demonstration.
Once Jiraiya grasped the concept, the sage continued.
"Roughly a thousand years ago, this planet was visited by a being from beyond the stars. She was the progenitor of chakra, known as the Rabbit Goddess—Otsutsuki Kaguya."
Jiraiya was stunned. "Wasn't the Sage of Six Paths the origin of chakra?"
The Great Toad Sage shook his head. "No. The true origin of chakra was the Rabbit Goddess herself—she was the mother of the Sage of Six Paths."
"His… mother?" Jiraiya was once again taken aback, but this time, he refrained from interrupting and waited for the sage to continue.
"Kaguya possessed unparalleled power, and she swiftly took control of this world. But for reasons unknown, she eventually sought to eradicate all life, transforming people into a source of energy for her own purposes."
"Her two sons opposed her will. Together, the Sage of Six Paths and his brother fought against their mother and sealed her away. The moon you see in the sky was created as part of that seal."
Jiraiya's mind reeled. The legend of the moon being created by the Sage of Six Paths had been passed down for generations, but most considered it a mere myth. After all, even among gods, such a feat seemed inconceivable.
"Of course, that is only the simplified version of events," the Great Toad Sage continued. "In truth, that battle was not fought by the Six Paths brothers alone. The sages of the Three Great Summoning Lands also took part in sealing Kaguya away."
"The five of us combined our strength to barely succeed in subduing her. But we all paid a heavy price."
"The Six Paths brothers suffered the worst injuries. To maintain the seal, they had to sacrifice part of their own power. Eventually, their wounds became fatal, and they perished not long after."
"I see," Fukasaku murmured. He had always wondered why someone as powerful as the Sage of Six Paths had seemingly perished so easily. After all, the three great sages had all lived for over a thousand years with relative ease.
The Great Toad Sage's voice softened. "As for myself, I too suffered severe injuries. My mind often drifted into confusion, and though I have endured for millennia, my lifespan is nearly at its end."
"Even if I did not pass my power on to you, I wouldn't have lived much longer."
"What about the other two sages?"
"The White Snake Sage is cunning—she suffered the least damage. As for the Slug Sage, her power lies in restoration and survival, so her injuries barely affected her."
Jiraiya absorbed the flood of information in silence. But after a moment, he realized something.
So far, the revelations had been astonishing… but they hadn't revealed any imminent threats. Was Kaguya about to break free from her seal?
The Great Toad Sage shook his head. "She is but one of the dangers facing the ninja world."
"There is another threat—one that is far more urgent."
"Little Jiraiya, before we continue, let me ask you a question: Do you know where I come from? Why I possess such great power?"
Jiraiya was taken aback. It was true—Senjutsu relied on natural energy, a power distinct from chakra. If chakra originated from Kaguya, then where did natural energy come from?
The Great Toad Sage did not keep him in suspense.
"Before Kaguya arrived, this planet already had its own gods."
"These ancient deities each wielded their own unique powers, and they were unimaginably strong."
"Take the Three Great Sages, for example. Or the demon Moryo of the Land of Demons. The Shinigami summoned by the Reaper Death Seal. The dark god worshiped by the followers of Jashin.
"We were the original rulers of this world."
"When Kaguya arrived, she sealed us away, exiling us to the other side of the planet. That is why you humans have never realized that this world is, in fact, a planet."
"You mean… the seal is breaking?" Jiraiya asked, his voice tense. If all these ancient gods were freed, wouldn't that spell disaster?
The Great Toad Sage chuckled. "The seal has already weakened significantly. Otherwise, how do you think the Three Great Summoning Lands have remained connected to the outside world?"
"And now, with our power waning… the other gods are no longer afraid of us.
"They are coming back."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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