Jiraiya's Escape

Just as expected. Even Lord Jiraiya had no way to deal with this monster.

"Lord Jiraiya, let's go back. The Third Generation has just died, and Konoha is in a precarious state. It needs a powerful leader like you."

A Konoha ninja shook his head as he spoke to Jiraiya.

"No, perhaps there's another way. Didn't you just say that maybe this domain isn't expanding, but Uchiha Yue is moving? Then let's circle this domain and search for Uchiha Yue's location."

Jiraiya straightened up, his face full of unwillingness. He did not want to rush over here, only to flee back in panic like some weakling.

Who was he, Jiraiya?!

Soon, the group began sprinting around the domain.

Not long afterward, Jiraiya's expression had completely darkened at the spot where they had started.

This thing was not moving. This domain was expanding!

"Uchiha Yue, can you hear my voice? I am..."

Jiraiya's voice soon rang out. Unwilling to rashly set foot in the Dead Silence Domain, he hoped to use another method to awaken Uchiha Yue's conscience, make him realize his mistakes, and stir the Will of Fire hidden deep within his heart.

However, the moment his voice entered the Dead Silence Domain, it rapidly vanished.

The active energy produced by the sound waves was directly absorbed. Deep within the domain, Uchiha Yue lay quietly within Susanoo, completely unaware of—or perhaps simply unconcerned with—the situation outside. By the time he woke up, this world might already have been destroyed.

Outside the domain, Jiraiya stopped and began thinking about how he could enter it. He could use the power of Talk no Jutsu to awaken Uchiha Yue's conscience and make him retract this divine ability—or he could get close to Uchiha Yue and kill him.

"Perhaps this will work."

After pondering for a moment, Jiraiya nodded and summoned Fukasaku and Shiken. He explained his plan to the two Toad Sages.

"Is this the disaster from the old man's prophecy? Little Jiraiya, the old man told you never to go near it. Forget it. Leave this place and wait until we find the Child of Destiny before talking about anything else."

Fukasaku stood on Jiraiya's shoulder and tried to persuade him.

"No. We've already come this far, so how can we not give it a try? Besides, this domain only absorbs Chakra. There are no other dangers. As long as I'm fast enough, I can still make it back once I can no longer hold out."

Jiraiya shook his head and stared resolutely at the domain. Today, he would make that Uchiha brat understand his mistakes and realize the errors in his heart, ribbit!!!

"Ribbit! Run for your lives, ribbit!!!"

Jiraiya's voice echoed through the Dead Silence Domain before rapidly disappearing. Covered in dim golden light, Jiraiya ran frantically through the domain with a terrified expression, crazily squeezing out and extracting the Chakra within his body. The two Toad Sages on his shoulders were desperately draining their own potential to maintain Jiraiya's Sage Mode.

"Ribbit, Little Jiraiya, I told you to listen to the old man, but you refused! Now we're finished!!!"

"Ribbit, hold on, hold on, Little Jiraiya! If we give everything we have, we'll definitely..."

"Ribbit, I have to survive, ribbit!!!"

The two Toad Sages on Jiraiya's shoulders shouted and roared, and Jiraiya roared as well, running madly onward.

However, in the next instant, the golden light around him went out with a swish like a light bulb. The Chakra in his body, along with his other energy, was nearly exhausted at that moment.

Bang!

Jiraiya crashed straight onto the ground. His entire body felt weak and limp. He was about to run out of strength, ribbit!

"No, survive! I have to survive! I still haven't... I still haven't... Strength, come out, ribbit!!! Ribbit!!!"

Jiraiya slowly and wearily raised a hand, using every bit of his strength to crawl forward as quickly as a snail.

"Lord Jiraiya, we're here to save you! Don't die!!!"

Outside the domain, the Konoha ninjas saw Jiraiya's miserable state and immediately cried out, charging in like madmen. The instant they entered, the Chakra in their bodies began rapidly draining away, and their faces turned pale at a visible rate.

Fortunately, Jiraiya had already used all his strength to escape to the edge. They easily reached his side, hurriedly grabbed his hands, and began leading him away.

"No, we have no strength left, Lord Jiraiya! I'm sorry, we can't save you! No!!!"

Not long afterward, the Chakra in the two ninjas' bodies was completely drained. Even their physical strength vanished with it. They collapsed helplessly onto the ground, wriggling like earthworms.

"No!!!"

Seeing this, Jiraiya cried out in grief. But he had no strength left. There was nothing he could do.

At that moment, another two ninjas rushed in. Like a relay, they lifted Jiraiya and carried him away. Yet after traveling some distance, they too collapsed helplessly.

By then, Jiraiya's consciousness had already begun to blur.

"Ribbit, I was wrong. I shouldn't have disobeyed the Great Toad Sage... Don't come save me. Don't come any closer. You can't save me, ribbit. You..."

Jiraiya struggled to barely raise his head, muttering as though he wanted to say something. But he no longer even had the strength to speak.

"Lord Jiraiya, don't worry. We'll definitely get you back! Please don't test Uchiha Yue again, ribbit. That isn't a person—it's a monster, a monster that human strength cannot resist! Please return and lead Konoha to greatness once more!"

The final two ninjas roared as they dragged Jiraiya and ran wildly. In the end, as they neared the edge of the Dead Silence Domain, they collapsed.

The Chakra in their bodies had run dry, and their energy was nearly exhausted as well. Their lives were nearing their end. They were starving to death.

"Just a little farther, Lord Jiraiya! You must survive, ribbit! This is our last strength! Live!!! For Konoha!!! Long live!!!"

The two ninjas raised their heads, their faces incomparably twisted, and placed their hands on Jiraiya's body. Incredibly slowly, they pushed him toward the outside.

"No! No!!! Don't, ribbit!!! I was wrong, I was wrong!!! Ribbit!!!"

Jiraiya roared helplessly in his heart, tears flowing from the corners of his eyes. If he had not stubbornly insisted on this, if he had not overestimated himself, then everyone would not have... would not have... No!!!!