Gamamaru: Could a Person from the Heavens Have Descended? Makoto: Yo, You're Still Alive?

On Mount Myōboku.

Jiraiya followed Sage Fukasaku and Sage Shima toward the Great Toad Hall with a dejected look on his face.

"What's wrong, Little Jiraiya? You finally came back after so long, and this is the state you're in?"

Seeing him like this, Sage Shima asked curiously, while Sage Fukasaku nodded as well.

"Could it be that you've run into some trouble that's difficult to resolve?"

"There is trouble, but it's not difficult to resolve."

Jiraiya rubbed his brow. He still looked rather dispirited.

"It's just too much of a headache. There's nothing I can do about it..."

Jiraiya truly had a headache. After all these days, he was even starting to feel mentally exhausted.

The Fourth Raikage's issue had annoyed him to no end, and Hiruzen Sarutobi wouldn't let him off the hook either.

Something about him not going to burn incense—

He had taken Kakashi and Hyuga Makoto, two walking disasters, on a mission and still managed to complete it safely and return alive. That was already unbelievable, wasn't it?!

How had it somehow become his fault?

"Two sages—"

Jiraiya sighed painfully and could not help asking.

"If some people are just too unlucky, would burning incense and praying for good fortune before a mission actually help?"

""

The two sages were somewhat dumbfounded by Jiraiya's question.

When had they ever encountered something like that?

"Little Jiraiya, you didn't come here just to figure that out, did you?"

Sage Fukasaku asked doubtfully, while Sage Shima shook her head.

"If that's the case, you should go back. Even the Great Sage can't solve something like that."

"I was just asking—"

Jiraiya curled his lip and spoke gloomily.

"This time, I got some information from Orochimaru. I wanted to ask the Great Sage to verify it."

"That's good, then.