Deep within Mount Myōboku's temple, Jiraiya watched the Great Toad Sage, whose wounds had just been bandaged, with worry and guilt, then reported what he knew.
"They took the great tree from the Land of Takigakure."
At the mention of Kumogakure's great tree, the Great Toad Sage understood what had happened.
He knew of that Sacred Tree and had even gone to see it himself. But after confirming that the power of the God Tree within it had fallen completely dormant, he had paid it little mind. Who would have thought Kumogakure would use the First Hokage's chakra to awaken it?
He also knew the true nature of the First Hokage's Wood Release. It wasn't simply a Kekkei Genkai; it contained the power of the God Tree.
Using the First Hokage's chakra could indeed awaken, to some extent, the power originating from the God Tree's remains within the Sacred Tree. Now that Kumogakure had such a tree, attacking them would be difficult.
"Great Sage, Big Sis and the others are in danger. We should go rescue them immediately. I can ask Tsunade and the others for help."
Jiraiya asked anxiously, a bad feeling rising in his heart.
Sure enough, the next moment, his bad feeling was confirmed.
"Fukasaku and Shima have been killed."
The Great Toad Sage was saddened. They had been his companions for so long, after all.
Hearing that the two sages had been killed, Jiraiya dropped to his knees, his face as pale as paper and his lips trembling. He was consumed by regret and guilt.
"It's all my fault. This is all because of me..."
If he hadn't stopped those Cloud shinobi back then, the Third Raikage, who was already furious, wouldn't have targeted him. Gamabunta and the others wouldn't have died, and Big Sis and