Wandering Dragon Returns to the Sea, The Sea Does Not Welcome Me, Jiraiya

With a bang, Orochimaru exploded into smoke, and even the Summoning Scroll he had swallowed vanished along with it.

Ryobu grimaced. "Damn it, a Shadow Clone? When did he—?"

He thought back carefully. He must have been distracted while signing the Summoning Contract with Ryūchi Cave, and Orochimaru had taken the chance to cast a Shadow Clone.

His Main Body had probably escaped using Earth Escape.

Ryobu glanced at the forest beyond the bridge. Not far past it, they'd cross the Land of Grass.

Once inside the Land of Fire, it would be the Leaf's Home Ground.

Orochimaru still had plenty of Good Stuff—the Eight Branches Technique, Living Corpse Reincarnation, Impure World Reincarnation... any one of those was a Forbidden Technique.

Especially Impure World Reincarnation. That was the ultimate bug-level Forbidden Technique in the Ninja World.

Ryobu wanted Orochimaru to drop more Gold Coins and was about to chase him when a White Zetsu Clone suddenly emerged from the dirt.

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

Ryobu snorted. "Leaf Army?! You're telling me to Avoid His Edge?"

He was a little Annoyed. Every time he tried to go far, a White Zetsu showed up. Madara Old Demon was basically reminding him that he was being Monitored and couldn't pull any tricks.

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

Ryobu sighed. "Fine, fine. I'm going back!"

He slung the Flame Uchiha Gunbai and Moon Ring Sickle over his back and headed toward Madara.

He had already signed the Summoning Contract with Ryūchi Cave. This trip's goal was Fulfilled, so there was no need to act on his own.

Besides, with the Leaf Army watching the Land of Grass, only Madara's side was truly safe.

But the more Ryobu thought about it, the angrier he got.

He grabbed the White Zetsu Clone that had just delivered the message and refined it on the spot.

Before its consciousness faded, the White Zetsu Clone was speechless. You'd kill your own Teammate too?!

After absorbing one White Zetsu, Ryobu generated another Life Spore. He split off a clone formed from the Life Spore and sent it tunneling toward the Land of Grass border via Earth Escape.

After all the grievances he'd suffered in the Leaf, now that his luck had turned, he naturally wanted to show off.

This Is what they meant by "wealth without returning home is like wearing fine clothes in the dark."

He had to make everyone in the Leaf know that Uchiha Ryobu was no longer the same man. From now on, the tables had turned.

The three-year term was up. Time to welcome the Dragon King's return!

The Leaf Jonin had already devolved into a chaotic uproar.

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

Senju Tamajun clutched his head, eyes full of disbelief. "Impossible. Absolutely impossible. How could an Uchiha person have the First Lord's Kekkei Genkai?"

Wood Style was a legend even among the Senju Clan. Scouring the records, only the Senju Clan's Founder, Asura, and Hashirama Senju had ever awakened it.

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

Jiraiya coughed twice, and before he could speak, Minato said it for him.

"The Teacher is telling the truth. When I went there, I saw a Wood Golem Arhat as tall as the Hokage Rock. That Wood Golem punched Senior Orochimaru to death with one blow."

"..."

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

But this was beyond ninjutsu!

The Sharingan and Wood Style were opposites. Now that Madara Uchiha had both the Sharingan and Wood Style, who in the Whole Ninja World could be his Opponent?

The Third Hokage racked his brain. No one! Not a single one!

Even if the First Lord came back to life...

It was over. This time, it was truly over.

Jiraiya's face was pale. "Teacher, me, Tsunade, Orochimaru—we were completely helpless against Madara Uchiha."

"And I could sense that Madara Uchiha wasn't using his full strength. He was toying with us."

"Madara Uchiha is definitely not something the Leaf can handle alone. We have to unite the Other Ninja Villages and form a Ninja Alliance to fight him!"

As soon as he said this, the air in the small forest seemed to freeze.

Because this was clearly impossible. The Third Shinobi War had dragged on for so long that everyone was locked in chaos.

Each side had the blood of the other's Seventh Uncle and Eighth Uncle on their hands. How could they possibly unite under such blood feuds?

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

"Only if the Whole Ninja World unites can we save the Ninja World."

"Cough, cough..."

Jiraiya spat out a mouthful of blood, and Minato quickly stepped forward to support him.

The Third Hokage approached, his face filled with concern: "Jiraiya!"

Jiraiya gripped the Third Hokage's hand: "Teacher, I don't have much time left. Before I die, please promise me—you must save Tsunade."

"I will. I definitely will."

Jiraiya's mind slowly drifted, his gaze fixed on the days at the Ninja Academy.

Tsunade, Orochimaru, Liao Wu, Hiruko...

He wished they could have stayed children forever, never growing up, so there wouldn't be these partings of life and death.

Everyone, take care!

Liao Wu, you bastard, you have to protect Tsunade well.

You're not completely lost yet—find a way to escape from Madara Uchiha's grasp!

And Tsunade, goodbye!

Orochimaru, I'm coming to find you!

"Hahaha..."

Jiraiya closed his eyes with a laugh.

The wandering dragon returns to the sea, but the sea does not welcome me—Jiraiya!

"Jiraiya—"

The Third Hokage's eyes brimmed with tears as he tightly gripped Jiraiya's hand.

If only Tsunade were here now. She was a Medical Saint; she'd surely have a way to treat Jiraiya's injuries. But unfortunately, Tsunade had been captured alive by Madara Uchiha.

Tsunade captured, Orochimaru and Jiraiya killed.

The Third Hokage aged a dozen years in an instant.

Everything had been heading in the right direction. The Third Shinobi War had only the Mist Village left, and he could peacefully hand over the Leaf Village's Hokage position to the Fourth Generation.

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

But how did the winds suddenly shift, dark clouds pressing down on the city?

The Third Hokage felt this was heaven's punishment upon him.

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

Sage Fukasaku materialized on Jiraiya's shoulder.

"Sage Fukasaku..."

Minato looked as if he'd seen a savior, rushing forward urgently, hoping the sage could save his teacher.

The Third Hokage grew excited.

The sages of Mount Myōboku were even more mysterious and powerful than the First Hokage. If they intervened, they could surely bring Jiraiya back.

Sage Fukasaku's body was wrapped in bandages, but he was still full of vigor. He walked up to Jiraiya, reached out, and channeled his Sage Chakra into him.

Sage Chakra could enhance a person's physique by dozens of times.

With the boost of Sage Chakra, Jiraiya's pale complexion visibly regained some color.

Everyone present was overjoyed.

Jiraiya's consciousness stirred slightly; he was being revived.

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

Sage Fukasaku patted Jiraiya's shoulder: "Little Jiraiya, don't talk. Your body is still in danger. Come back with me to Mount Myōboku; the Great Lord has a way to save you."

"Th... thank you..."

No one wants to die, and with Tsunade trapped in the Demon's Den, Jiraiya couldn't afford to either.

The Third Hokage said gratefully: "Thank you, Sage Fukasaku. On behalf of the Leaf Village's Hokage, I thank Mount Myōboku for its goodwill. From now on, Mount Myōboku and the Leaf Village will share glory and ruin alike."

Sage Fukasaku nodded, then prepared to activate the Reverse Summoning Technique. Before teleporting, he warned the Third Hokage.

"Third Generation, Madara Uchiha must never be faced head-on. You must unite the Other Ninja Villages to strike against him together."