Wandering Dragon Returns to the Sea, the Sea Won't Welcome Me, Jiraiya

With a bang, Orochimaru burst into smoke, and even the Summoning Scroll he had swallowed vanished with him.

Liao Wu's expression darkened. "Damn it, a Shadow Clone! When did he make it?"

Liao Wu thought carefully. He figured it must have been when he was signing the Summoning Contract with Ryūchi Cave. Orochimaru had taken advantage of his distraction to cast a Shadow Clone.

His real body had probably escaped underground.

Liao Wu looked back at the forest across the bridge. It wasn't much farther until he'd crossed the Land of Grass.

Once they reached the Land of Fire, they'd be on Leaf Village's home turf.

Orochimaru had plenty of other good stuff: the Eight Branches Technique, Living Corpse Reincarnation, Impure World Reincarnation... Any one of them would be a Forbidden Technique.

The Impure World Reincarnation in particular was practically the number-one broken Forbidden Technique in the Naruto world.

Liao Wu wanted to make Orochimaru drop a few more coins, and was about to pursue him when a White Zetsu Clone suddenly emerged from the earth.

"Lord Liao Wu, the Leaf Army is gathering just outside the Land of Grass. Don't pursue him."

Liao Wu snorted. "The Leaf Army?! Are you saying I should avoid their edge?"

Liao Wu was somewhat annoyed. Whenever he tried to go farther afield, a White Zetsu showed up. Madara Old Demon was reminding him that he was being watched, and that he shouldn't even think of pulling any tricks.

The White Zetsu Clone stepped aside. "If Lord Liao Wu insists on confronting the Leaf Army head-on, I won't stop you. But Lord Tsunade..."

Liao Wu was speechless. "All right, all right. I'm going back!"

With the Flame Uchiha Gunbai and Moon Ring Sickle on his back, Liao Wu headed toward Madara.

He had now signed a Summoning Contract with Ryūchi Cave, so his goal for this trip had been achieved. There was no need to act on his own initiative.

Besides, with the Leaf Army keeping an eye on the Land of Grass, the safest place was by Madara's side.

But the more Liao Wu thought about it, the angrier he got.

He grabbed the White Zetsu Clone who had just delivered the message and refined him in an instant.

The White Zetsu Clone was speechless in his final moments. You're killing your own teammate, too?!

After absorbing a White Zetsu, Liao Wu produced another Life Spore. He sent a clone formed from the Life Spore underground toward the border of the Land of Grass.

Liao Wu had suffered so many grievances in the Leaf Village. Now that his luck had turned, of course he had to go show off.

As the saying went, returning home in glory was like wearing fine clothes at night if nobody saw you.

Everyone in the Leaf Village had to know that Uchiha Ryobu was no longer the man he'd been. From now on, the tables had turned.

The three-year term was up. Welcome back, Dragon King!

The Leaf Jonin were already arguing like a boiling pot.

The Third Hokage was so shocked he'd stopped smoking. "Wood Style? How could Madara Uchiha possibly use Wood Style?"

Senju Tamajun clutched his head, his eyes full of disbelief. "Impossible. Absolutely impossible. How could a member of the Uchiha people possess Lord Hashirama's Kekkei Genkai?"

Wood Style was little more than a legend even among the Senju Clan. Their records named only the Founder of the Senju Clan, Asura, and Hashirama Senju as having awakened it.

How could an Uchiha shinobi use Wood Style? And Madara Uchiha, of all people!

Jiraiya coughed twice. He was about to speak when Minato spoke for him.

"What my teacher said is true. When I arrived, I saw a Wood Golem Arhat as tall as Kage Rock. That was the one that punched Senior Orochimaru to death."

"..."

The Third Hokage now fully believed that Madara Uchiha possessed Wood Style.

But that didn't make any sense!

The Sharingan and Wood Style were opposites. Now that Madara Uchiha possessed both the Sharingan and Wood Style, who in the entire Ninja World could stand against him?

The Third Hokage thought as hard as he could. No one! Not a single person!

Even if the First Lord were resurrected...

It was over. This time, it really was over!

Jiraiya said with a pale face, "Teacher, Tsunade, Orochimaru, and I were completely helpless against Madara Uchiha."

"Moreover, I could tell that Madara Uchiha hadn't even shown his true strength. He was toying with us."

"Madara Uchiha is beyond anything our Leaf Village can handle. We have to join forces with the other shinobi villages and form a Ninja Alliance to fight him!"

At those words, the air in the small forest seemed to freeze.

Because it was obviously impossible. The Third Shinobi War had dragged on for a long time, and everyone was caught up in the fighting.

They all had the blood of one another's relatives on their hands. With such deep blood feuds, how could they possibly join forces?

Jiraiya looked at everyone and said, "I know this will be difficult, but it's the only way for now. Madara Uchiha's goal is to destroy the Five Great Shinobi Nations."

"Only by uniting the entire Ninja World can we save the Ninja World."

"Cough, cough..."

Jiraiya spat out a mouthful of blood, and Minato hurried over to support him.

The Third Hokage stepped forward, his expression worried. "Jiraiya!"

Jiraiya held the Third Hokage's hand. "Teacher, I don't have much time left. Before I die, please promise me you'll bring Tsunade back."

"I will. I promise."

Jiraiya slowly drifted into unconsciousness, his gaze fixed on the days at the Ninja Academy.

Tsunade, Orochimaru, Liao Wu, Hiruko...

I wish we'd never grown up. Then we wouldn't have to suffer these partings.

Everyone, take care!

Liao Wu, you bastard, make sure you protect Tsunade.

You're not beyond redemption yet. You have to find a way to escape Madara Uchiha!

And Tsunade, goodbye!

Orochimaru, I'm coming to find you!

"Ha ha ha..."

Jiraiya closed his eyes, laughing.

Wandering Dragon Returns to the Sea, the Sea Won't Welcome Me, Jiraiya!

"Jiraiya—"

The Third Hokage's eyes filled with tears as he tightly held Jiraiya's hand.

If only Tsunade were here. Tsunade was a Medical Saint; she would surely have been able to do something for Jiraiya's injuries. Unfortunately, Madara Uchiha had captured her alive.

Tsunade had been captured, and Orochimaru and Jiraiya had been killed.

The Third Hokage seemed to age ten years in an instant.

Everything had clearly been moving in a good direction. Only the Mist Village remained in the Third Shinobi War, and he could have peacefully handed the Hokage position over to the Fourth Generation.

Whether Minato or Tsunade became the Fourth Hokage, the Third Hokage would have been at ease.

So how had everything suddenly changed overnight, with storm clouds gathering over the city?

The Third Hokage felt that this was Heaven's punishment for him.

Suddenly, with a bang, a cloud of white smoke appeared.

Sage Fukasaku appeared on Jiraiya's shoulder.

"Sage Fukasaku..."

Minato seemed to have seen his savior. He hurried forward, hoping Sage Fukasaku would save his teacher.

The Third Hokage grew excited.

The Sages of Mount Myōboku were even more mysterious than the First Hokage. If they intervened, they would surely be able to save Jiraiya.

Sage Fukasaku was wrapped in bandages, too, but still looked full of energy. He walked up to Jiraiya and placed a hand on him, passing his Senjutsu to him.

Senjutsu could increase a person's physical strength dozens of times over.

With Senjutsu Chakra bolstering him, Jiraiya's pale complexion gradually regained some color.

Everyone was overjoyed at the sight.

Jiraiya's consciousness began to return. They'd brought him back from the brink.

"...Sage... Fukasaku..."

Sage Fukasaku patted Jiraiya on the shoulder. "Little Jiraiya, don't talk. Your body is still in danger. Come back to Mount Myōboku with me. The Great Lord can save you."

"Th... thank you..."

No one wanted to die, and with Tsunade trapped in the demon's lair, Jiraiya especially couldn't afford to die.

The Third Hokage said gratefully, "Thank you, Sage Fukasaku. On behalf of the Hokage of the Leaf Village, I thank Mount Myōboku for its goodwill. From now on, Mount Myōboku and the Leaf Village will share both prosperity and hardship."

Sage Fukasaku nodded, then prepared to perform the Reverse Summoning Technique. Before he transported them, he reminded the Third Hokage, "Third Hokage, Madara Uchiha cannot be defeated by force. You must join the other shinobi villages and fight him together."