Welcome Back, Lord Tobirama

After a long silence, Jiraiya spoke up...

"Regardless of whether you are Nagato or Yahiko,"

"At a time like this, the Shinobi World does not need us to waste our strength on internal strife."

This single sentence caused the atmosphere to soften slightly.

Jiraiya looked toward Nagato, then turned to Danzo.

"And you, Danzo."

His tone turned abruptly cold...

"If you do not wish to die here, take your Root ninja and withdraw immediately."

Danzo frowned, a flicker of displeasure and vigilance flashing in his eyes.

He asked in a deep voice, "Jiraiya, are you ordering me?"

"It is not an order; it is a piece of advice."

Jiraiya responded coldly, his tone resolute and firm.

To support Jiraiya...

Kakashi's Sharingan and the blade in his hand began to aim toward Danzo.

Seeing Kakashi's small movements...

Danzo's mouth twitched, and he cursed the brat for being slippery in his heart.

But more than that...

Danzo was extremely dissatisfied with Jiraiya's hardline attitude.

His gaze swept over everyone present, his eyes flickering with hesitation and unwillingness.

He was clearly the root of Konoha, the man who held power in the shadows, yet now he was being forced to leave by this group of people?

This was an insult!

Yet, no matter how much dissatisfaction he felt, he had to admit that in the current situation, he could not afford to act recklessly.

After all, he had not yet fully mastered the power within himself to deal with so many people, and besides, this was Danzo's own trump card.

"Kakashi."

Jiraiya turned his head, his tone returning to a calm state...

"Please escort Lord Danzo away from the scene."

"Understood."

Kakashi stepped forward, his gaze unyielding. He stood before Danzo and raised his hand in a guiding gesture.

"Lord Danzo, please."

The two locked eyes briefly.

Kakashi's expression was as calm as water.

Though Danzo was unwilling, he ultimately said nothing more.

He let out a cold snort, flicked his sleeve, and left, with several Root ninja following in silence.

As their figures gradually disappeared at the end of the corridor, Jiraiya turned back around to face Pain and Konan once more.

"Very well, now only one Konoha ninja remains."

His tone softened, as if he were shedding pressure, or perhaps bracing himself for a heavy responsibility once again.

"Can we have a proper talk now?"

Jiraiya looked at Nagato; his tone was not heavy, yet it carried an undeniable firmness.

Nagato did not respond, merely gazing at him in silence.

Konan stood by Nagato's side: "What do you wish to discuss?"

"Working together to stop an apocalyptic disaster. We... do not have much time left."

Jiraiya thought carefully before speaking: "According to what I know, the impact of that planet may... only be the beginning of the disaster."

As his words landed, Black Zetsu froze...

"What did you say?"

Jiraiya glanced at him lightly, his expression as calm as ever: "According to the prophecy of Mount Myoboku, the Sharingan has already triggered a curse."

"The planet was merely the start..."

"The source of everything is the curse of Uchiha Yuan."

"The Shinobi World no longer has the luxury of being divided. Nagato, Konan... I hope you can lead the Akatsuki and join the effort to stop this world-ending catastrophe."

The look he gave Nagato was not one of begging, but of a request for equal cooperation.

"As for the matter of Danzo..."

Jiraiya paused, choosing not to continue.

That deliberate silence in his tone was more thought-provoking than any threat.

Nagato and Konan exchanged a glance, both seeing a flicker of understanding in the other's eyes.

Jiraiya had no intention of shielding Danzo.

Or rather, if the situation demanded it, Konoha could simply play dumb.

In the face of the end of the world, some people were no longer that important.

"I don't want to talk about this, but... if you intend to act, Konoha will not stop you."

Jiraiya's tone was calm, devoid of any discernible emotion, yet he had clearly laid out his stance.

This was Jiraiya's attitude at this moment.

Between the elders of Konoha and a confrontation with his former students, he had already made his choice.

"You have changed, Teacher."

Konan spoke suddenly, her voice carrying a subtle nuance.

"Hm?" Jiraiya turned his head to look at her.

"Didn't you just say that you are a shinobi of Konoha?"

Konan smiled faintly, her eyes holding a hint of teasing.

Jiraiya was taken aback by the question, but a second later, he coughed and assumed his usual devil-may-care demeanor.

"Ahem... well, sometimes, I am also a great sage."

He tilted his head back, speaking nonsense with a straight face, attempting to dissolve the heavy atmosphere with a joke.

Konan smiled softly, choosing not to expose him.

But Nagato did not smile; he continued to watch him, his gaze gradually softening.

"You are right."

Nagato finally spoke, his voice no longer cold, but filled with a sense of contemplation and resolve.

"The Shinobi World... has no time left for internal strife."

"So, I will trouble Teacher Jiraiya to persuade the Five Great Shinobi Villages."

Nagato was referring to having the Akatsuki take control of the Five Great Shinobi Villages.

Jiraiya, however, interpreted it as something else entirely...

However, just as Jiraiya was preparing to leave, Black Zetsu spoke up.

"Mr. Jiraiya, it would be best not to return to the village with Danzo and his men, but to go back separately."

Jiraiya was stunned: "Are you afraid Danzo might try something against me?"

As a thousand-year-old schemer, Zetsu gave Jiraiya a deep look before revealing Danzo's potential move.

"Kill you, then pin it on the Akatsuki... that is a tactic Danzo is very likely to employ."

This...

While Danzo, Jiraiya, Kakashi, and the others were still over in Amegakure.

In Konoha, deep within the Root base, there was a deathly silence.

Within those soundless shadows, a slender figure quietly emerged.

It was Orochimaru.

He wore a cloak, his expression calm, his footsteps elegant and silent, as if he had long since merged with the darkness.

He walked slowly into the deepest ritual chamber, a windowless space enclosed on all sides, where only a few dim oil lamps flickered with weak light.

At this very moment, Danzo was not at the base.

And Orochimaru was acting precisely during this gap.

He took out a sealing scroll, slowly spread it on the ground, and traced his fingertips over the carved runes.

He whispered under his breath, his hand seals moving with lightning speed as chakra was quietly released from his body, resonating with the technique on the scroll.

"Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu."

The low-pitched incantation seemed to trigger a resonance within the space, causing the ground to tremble faintly.

The next second, the runes on the floor lit up, and a wooden coffin slowly rose from the earth...

Accompanied by a dull thud as it hit the ground, the temperature in the room seemed to plummet, and even the air grew stagnant.

The lid of the coffin cracked open with a click.

Because he had used a White Zetsu as a sacrifice this time, he had to admit, the quality of the result was perhaps a bit too good...

Gray-white mist spilled from the gap, then a hand rested on the edge of the coffin, and a figure slowly stepped out.

Short silver hair, a cold and sharp gaze, and an aura filled with immense pressure...

It was indeed Senju Tobirama, the Second Hokage.

He remained silent...

He quickly sensed his surroundings, conducting an assessment...

Orochimaru stood where he was, the corner of his mouth curling into an inscrutable smile.

"Welcome back, Lord Senju Tobirama."

His voice was low and his tone respectful, yet it could not mask the profound ambition hidden deep within his eyes.