The shinobi world had been nothing more than a giant chessboard for over a thousand years.
From the very beginning, Gamamaru had never trusted the horned aliens. The title of "Sacred Land" had clouded his judgment for far too long, making him believe that he had the right to control human affairs—to shape the shinobi world according to his will.
But really, what could you expect from a toad? Even if he had observed human society for a thousand years and learned how people think, at the end of the day, a toad was still a toad.
What he failed to understand was that once human society reached a certain point, its rate of advancement would explode beyond control.
"If a contestant in the Shinobi World Tournament is taken out… we make Danzo take the fall, and Uchiha Madara gets disqualified from the competition."
"It's a perfect loop. No one will ever believe a naturally evil Uchiha, and if we leak his past schemes, public opinion will turn against him instantly."
"If we eliminate every competitor who could threaten Asura and Indra, then they will be the strongest by default. The Sun God Seal will be within our grasp! Once we unlock the power of the Sun God Seal and make it our own, the shinobi world and even Sun God Kingdom itself will continue to follow the script we've written."
"All we need… is just a little bit of intelligence and planning."
The plan was solid. If Sun God Kingdom failed to take them seriously, and if they weren't prepared, then Gamamaru and Rikudou Sennin might actually manage to create some chaos.
But at the end of the day, they had underestimated Sun God Kingdom. They had underestimated the strength of the Divine Guard.
Most importantly, they didn't realize that Edo Tensei was nothing more than a discarded, inferior jutsu from Orochimaru. Sun God Kingdom had been developing countermeasures against it ever since Danzo's chaos in Konohagakure.
Of course.
The strength of a plan depends on human nature. And it was human nature that would lead to Gamamaru's downfall.
Inside a small, dimly lit room, a man with white hair—one who no longer called himself a Sage of Mount Myoboku—sat in silence.
Jiraiya stared blankly at the communication toad before him.
He had just listened to everything—Gamamaru and Rikudou Sennin's conversation, their entire plan.
His brain suddenly felt like it had stopped working.
This.
He was sure he hadn't misheard it—that voice definitely belonged to the Toad Sage. But unlike his usual half-dead tone, this time, his voice was strong and full of energy.
Jiraiya was certain that this communication frog was the backup he had left in Mount Myoboku.
Come to think of it, this was something he had set up after gaining insights from Sun God's technology upgrades. He had modified the communication frog so that it wouldn't normally transmit private matters from Mount Myoboku. Instead, its smart voice system would only alert him when it overheard anything related to Konohagakure or the safety of the ninja world.
And now—
Jiraiya's expression grew complicated as he replayed the conversation between the two people. Then, after comparing it with the reports from tonight's Sun God evening news, he was able to confirm who was speaking with the Toad Sage.
Indra. Asura.
Those were the two individuals he had personally recommended to participate in the Great Ninja Competition!
But their goal wasn't to stand out in the competition, impress Hyuga Hitoshi, and become recognized as outstanding ninjas. Instead, they wanted to overthrow the rule of the Sun God Kingdom and drag the hard-earned peace of this world back into chaos!
Why?
Why was the Toad Sage involved in this?
Jiraiya's face twisted in frustration as he pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a deep drag. Deep down, he had a feeling that this guess of his had already become reality.
Yeah.
Why had he left this backup plan in the first place?
Back then, he had just been taught a painful lesson by his former student, Konan. He had realized that the so-called "mutual understanding" was nothing more than an illusion. After that, he never brought it up again. After all, trying to help someone "understand" their enemy—wasn't that just a form of mental coercion?
Jiraiya had come to his senses.
But at that time, the Toad Sage still believed that the existence of the Sun God Kingdom was dangerous and would bring disaster to the ninja world.
That was when Jiraiya's ideals began to clash with Mount Myoboku's. He simply couldn't understand why the Toad Sage thought that way. That was also when he and Orochimaru worked together to modify the communication frog—turning it into a half-mechanical spy that he left behind in Mount Myoboku.
Fortunately, as the Sun God Kingdom grew stronger and peace settled over the ninja world, the Toad Sage finally seemed to come around. There were no more voices in Mount Myoboku opposing the Sun God Kingdom. Jiraiya had even thought that the matter was over.
But now—
Jiraiya let out a bitter chuckle.
What was this supposed to mean?
In the end, the ones threatening the safety of the ninja world and disrupting the order of the Great Ninja Competition were none other than the very same Mount Myoboku that had taught him Sage Jutsu?
On one side was the place that had trained him. On the other was the peace of the ninja world.
Jiraiya knew which one he had to choose—he was firmly on the side of peace.
But in the stories of heroes, those who betrayed their place of origin and acted as informants never met a good end. And now, he was about to become one of those informants.
"So, is this the final chapter of the Tale of the Gallant Jiraiya?"
A sudden determination flashed in Jiraiya's eyes.
Maybe there was still a way to resolve this without having to pick just one side. But at the end of the day, he, the so-called "heir of Mount Myoboku" and the one tasked with finding the "Child of Prophecy," wasn't entirely innocent either.
After all, during the conversation, both the Toad Maru and the other person had mentioned one thing—
The reincarnations of Indra and Asura!
So, had he really found the Child of Prophecy?
Or had his entire life just been another script written and directed by the Toad Sage—no, by the Toad Maru?
"So many questions… I hope you'll give me some answers."
Jiraiya slowly stood up, took a deep breath, and pressed his chakra-infused fingers against the communication frog, setting up a timed transmission. The message would be sent to Orochimaru soon, and with his intelligence, understanding this information wouldn't be difficult.
As for himself—
"This should do it. The final chapter of the Tale of the Gallant Jiraiya… should I call it 'Sacrificing for Justice'? No, no… someone like me probably isn't worthy of justice anymore. Maybe dying before my old comrades is just my way of running away from a situation I can't handle."
On one side was Mount Myoboku, his place of training.
On the other side was the safety of the ninja world.
Jiraiya, caught in the middle, had only one choice. He planned to do what his original self had done—go gather information first. If necessary, he would return everything he had learned to Mount Myoboku and face death with a clear conscience.
For a hero's journey, there was no ending more fitting than this.
Reverse Summoning activated successfully.
In the next moment, he appeared in a place all too familiar.
This was once his place of training. With the power of Sage Mode, he left a significant mark on the shinobi world.
The legendary Jiraiya, one of the Three Sannin of Konohagakure.
The Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku, author of *Icha Icha Paradise*.
What a life he had.
"You shouldn't be here, little Jiraiya."
A familiar voice came from behind. Turning around, Jiraiya met eyes with Fukasaku, and the air grew silent.
From Fukasaku's tone, it was clear that Mount Myoboku was no longer a welcoming place for him.
But knowing his old teacher well, Jiraiya could also hear the warning and concern in his voice.
He wasn't supposed to be here. Fukasaku must know something!
"You—"
Jiraiya spoke softly, trying to probe for answers.
"Some things are better left unsaid. Just know this, little Jiraiya—you need to leave."
Fukasaku's voice remained calm.
After all, not all the toads believed the shinobi world had fallen into ruin. Not all of them saw the existence of the Sun God Kingdom as unnatural. Not all of them rejected its rule or the peace it had brought.
"I belong to Mount Myoboku. I have no other choice. But you… you do."
This was Fukasaku's final response—a clear message that sometimes, one's position in the world was decided from birth.
Compared to the toads of Mount Myoboku, Jiraiya was still an outsider. He still had a choice.
"Can you at least tell me why? What about the Great Toad Sage—?"
Jiraiya was unwilling to give up so easily. He had come to Mount Myoboku with firm resolve, never expecting Fukasaku to be waiting for him with such words.
"There's no need for so many 'whys.' The reason will come to light eventually. Just go, little Jiraiya. This isn't something you can handle. And there are things I simply can't say. The ones who decide the fate of the shinobi world… that's not you."
Fukasaku had made his meaning clear. He was practically telling Jiraiya to go back and gather reinforcements.
But…
This was Mount Myoboku.
One of the Three Great Sage Lands. Even though modern communication technology had yet to be discovered by the toads, the disruption in the barrier caused by Jiraiya's sudden appearance was impossible to miss—just like how Nagato's *Rain Tiger at Will* technique had given him total awareness over Amegakure after eliminating Hanzo.
Just as Fukasaku was about to use the summoning technique to send Jiraiya away, he realized something—
The natural energy in the area had been completely drained.
The entire space was sealed by some unknown method.
"Looks like even Mount Myoboku, after thousands of years, still has traitors among its ranks."
The next moment, the Sage of Six Paths appeared, blocking Jiraiya's path—his two sons standing at his side.
His gaze, laced with mockery, turned toward another direction.
Then, massive shadows descended from the sky, surrounding Jiraiya and Fukasaku in an instant.
An aged toad, Gamamaru, slowly emerged from the side.
Jiraiya's sharp eyes quickly identified the giant toads encircling them—Gamabunta, Gamaken, and Gamahiro.
But something was wrong.
Their eyes bore the patterns of the Rinnegan.
They had been completely taken over.
Meanwhile, the Great Toad Sage remained unchanged, his piercing gaze locked onto Fukasaku.
Jiraiya had to admit—when it came to caution, the Sage of Six Paths was a step ahead. His insistence on keeping Mount Myoboku's security airtight had paid off.
It was still early in the plan, yet they had already made an unexpected discovery.
Luckily, they arrived in time.
If Jiraiya had escaped, the consequences would have been unthinkable.
"Great Toad Sage, little Jiraiya knows nothing—I swear!"
Fukasaku, fully aware of the weight of the situation, immediately pleaded on Jiraiya's behalf.
"Only the dead know nothing."
The response came in an undeniable tone.
Under the heavy atmosphere, Jiraiya finally saw the true nature of the so-called "Sage" he had once revered.
Of course.
The only way to keep a secret was to silence those who knew it.
Especially now, with the ruler of the Pure Land present in Mount Myoboku, they could ensure Jiraiya was erased completely—body, soul, and all, leaving no chance for revival, not even through Edo Tensei.
"Also…"
The aged Gamamaru tilted his head slightly, giving a meaningful glance toward Fukasaku.
Behind him, a figure had silently drawn close—Shima, her pupils now bearing the Rinnegan's pattern.
"To make sure the truth of this matter is buried forever… and to ensure Mount Myoboku will never be targeted by the Sun God Kingdom in the future…"
"You know what must be done, don't you?"
Realization dawned.
What realization?
Fukasaku was confused by the sudden words, but when a sharp pain struck from behind, he turned around in disbelief. At that moment, he finally understood what Gamamaru meant.
Still, the only thing that gave him some comfort was that the one who attacked him was his own partner.
"You bastard!"
At the same time, Jiraiya was completely enraged.
Everything happened too fast. By the time he wanted to say something, Shima had already taken down Fukasaku. He had never expected that coming to Mount Myoboku, ready to sacrifice himself, would end up dragging innocent people into this.
But what hit him the hardest was watching his own teacher die right in front of him.
Yet, the furious Jiraiya had no chance to rush forward. Ashura and Indra had already surrounded him from both sides.
"Don't worry, Jiraiya."
Gamamaru remained calm, even speaking to Jiraiya with a reassuring tone.
"When someone is being controlled, they lose all their memories. Everything Shima did under control will be erased. She won't even know she killed her own partner. Once this is over, I'll make sure Fukasaku has a grand funeral."
In the end, toads and humans were still worlds apart.
Some beasts could be tamed, but some toads would always just be toads.
Jiraiya glanced at Shima, whose eyes were filled with tears after killing her own partner. Even under control, she was suffering. Seeing this, Jiraiya could no longer hold back his rage and charged straight at Ashura and Indra.
As one of the legendary Sannin, a ninja renowned throughout the world, Jiraiya was powerful even without Sage Mode. He could fight on par with Kage-level opponents, and no one doubted his strength.
But even a Kage, or someone beyond that, was nothing in front of Indra and Ashura working together.
Sure, Uchiha Madara could slam Indra into the ground with one hand like it was nothing and make it seem like he could kill him anytime.
But that was Uchiha Madara— the vessel of Otsutsuki Ryushiki, a genius alien warrior.
If the opponent was Jiraiya instead?
It would be a complete one-sided beatdown, making Jiraiya feel nothing but despair and helplessness.
Power beyond Kage level, the level of the Sage of Six Paths— that was something Jiraiya could never reach in his lifetime.
"So in the end… nothing changed after all."
Pinned to the ground and beaten without mercy, Jiraiya reflected on his life.
He failed to bring Orochimaru back.
He never got to see Minato one last time.
He wasted half his life chasing the wrong path, searching for a so-called "Child of Prophecy" that might not even exist.
And then… there was Tsunade.
But maybe, in some ways, he was lucky.
He had witnessed an era of true peace, a world even his dreams couldn't have imagined.
The only ones he felt sorry for were Fukasaku and Shima.
If he had never come, they wouldn't have suffered this pointless tragedy.
At least… at least he had sent a timed message to Orochimaru before things ended.
It wasn't all for nothing.
This entire conspiracy— it might just be unraveled after all.
But the next second, his relief turned into sheer despair.
And worse, he regretted setting up that timed message.
Why?
"Check his brain. This guy seems to have some connection to the Sun God Kingdom. We might be able to get useful information from him."
The ninja world had existed for a thousand years, and interrogation techniques had evolved into actual Ninjutsu.
Even if high-level ninjas placed seals on their own brains to protect their memories, Jiraiya had no confidence in resisting the Rinnegan's power.
And for a true master of interrogation, it didn't matter if the target was alive or dead— information could always be extracted from the brain.
So should he just destroy his own brain along with his body?
"Don't waste your effort. Struggling is pointless."
"Even if your body and brain die, your soul remains. And I can extract all the information I need from it."
Normally, the Sage of Six Paths wouldn't waste his soul energy like this.
It's over.
If they found out about the timed message he left behind…
The Great Konoha Tournament.
The final chapter of his story— was it really going to end with him as a criminal?
Jiraiya struggled weakly, but he could only watch as the eerie-looking old man reached toward his brain.
That hand got closer and closer.
Jiraiya shut his eyes in despair.
Was this… the end?
His body, his soul— carrying all his sins— was about to die, wasn't it?
But…
When he opened his eyes again after giving up the struggle, he saw that the strange old man's wrist had been grabbed by another hand, rendering him unable to move.
Jiraiya's gaze gradually moved upward, and a flash of realization and shock crossed his eyes.
It was a familiar person—someone he once considered his greatest achievement on the battlefield of the Land of Rain. But at the same time, it was also the disciple he felt most guilty toward.
He felt ashamed of what Konan had said back then. After all, the parents of his once-proud disciple had been killed by ninjas from Konohagakure. That was a responsibility he could never escape.
"Although the timing of the capture didn't go as planned, the outcome remains unchanged."
The long, blood-red hair looked like flames, burning away the sins of Mount Myoboku in the name of justice.
"But, Jiraiya-sensei."
The boy from the past had grown tall again after recovering from his leg injury. He looked down, just as Jiraiya once looked down at him.
"Having the resolve to sacrifice everything is admirable, and going in alone is courageous. But before taking action, a competent ninja must make a basic judgment—whether they have the strength to complete the mission."
The scene repeated itself, but this time, it was the disciple, Nagato, teaching his master a lesson. And considering the situation, all Jiraiya could feel was overwhelming shame.
"But this also tells me that you had nothing to do with this. Your actions have cleared you of suspicion. I'm relieved to know that my teacher wasn't involved in a plan to threaten the ninja world, the Sun God Kingdom, or the rule of His Radiance, the Sun God."
So, you actually suspected me?
Jiraiya's expression was bitter. He never imagined that after all these years of separation, the first thing he would discuss with his disciple would be this. But since Nagato was here, it could only mean one thing—
Did the Sun God Kingdom have its eyes on Mount Myoboku all along?
"Now, it's your turn."
The mark on his forehead emitted a warm glow as Nagato turned around, looking at the tense toads and the true mastermind behind the ninja world's turmoil—Rikudou Sennin.
His deep voice echoed, carrying an overwhelming pressure that spread in all directions. In that moment, his very presence demonstrated why those who bore the Sun God Seal had to be classified separately in the ninja world tournament.
He declared:
"By decree of His Radiance, the Sun God—you are guilty!"