Leaf Village.
After confirming the news of the Great Toad Sage's death, Sage Fukasaku and Sage Shima sank into profound grief.
The Great Toad Sage was a founding patriarch to Mount Myōboku. He had existed since Kaguya's era and had guided the Sage of Six Paths and Hamura in freeing the Ninja World from her rule.
And now, such a great sage had passed away.
It was undoubtedly a deeply sorrowful loss.
More importantly, the toads of Mount Myōboku still did not know how the Great Toad Sage had died.
According to Gama Ryu, a strange thunderclap had erupted in the skies above Mount Myōboku. Afterward, Toad Jade had discovered that the Great Toad Sage's name had vanished from Mount Myōboku's roster.
"Gama Ryu, give us more details!"
Holding back his grief, Gama Ryu said, "Dad said it was a lightning cat. A cat made of lightning sneaked into Mount Myōboku."
"Then the Great Lord passed away!"
"A strange lightning cat?!"
Sage Fukasaku and Sage Shima were baffled.
The most famous cat in the Ninja World was Two-Tails Matatabi, a feline tailed beast.
But Matatabi had already been captured by the Akatsuki.
Jiraiya thought for a moment, then offered his interpretation. "Sages, have you both forgotten?"
"Inside the barrier at Rōran, Uchiha Ryobu took the form of a black-and-white cat that resembled a tailed beast."
Sage Fukasaku looked at Jiraiya. "Jiraiya, you suspect that ancient Uchiha sneaked into Mount Myōboku and killed the Great Lord?"
Jiraiya nodded. "The Great Toad Sage saw him travel from the past into the present in a dream."
"Someone like him must know about Mount Myōboku and the Great Toad Sage. He must also know that the Great Toad Sage's prophetic dreams would put him at a disadvantage!"
"So..."
Jiraiya did not finish his thought.