Chapter 306 – A Shattered Image
The scene before him had completely overturned Jiraiya's worldview.
The Great Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku — the being he once revered as ancient, wise, and untouchable — had revealed himself to be nothing more than a coward who bullied the weak, feared the strong, and kneeled when pressed.
The image was too different, too jarring.
Even now, Jiraiya's heart ached for Fukasaku and Shima. The two sages had worked tirelessly, devoting themselves to their master, only for the Great Toad Sage to abandon them without hesitation. To think such loyal beings had served a master who bent and broke at the first sign of true pressure… It made their fates all the more tragic.
Jiraiya's lips twisted bitterly.
"They were too unlucky… serving a boss like that."
He exhaled heavily, then forced a grin.
"Well then… let's just watch the show!"
Tsunade gave him a sharp look, her brow furrowed, but said nothing as he continued.
"The Fifth Hokage — Uchiha Yuta — has already crushed the Great Toad Sage. Next, he'll deal with the Allied Shinobi Forces."
Tsunade folded her arms, her golden eyes narrowing.
"Uchiha Madara is not to be underestimated. He wields the Rinnegan now — his power has surpassed imagination."
Jiraiya shrugged.
"Maybe so. But I believe in the Fifth Hokage. Hashirama, Tobirama, Minato — even they would believe the same."
He paused, his expression darkening.
"Sarutobi-sensei, though… he may be disappointed yet again."
Tsunade's gaze softened with thought.
"Hiruzen spent his whole life scheming, even beyond death. But when the Fifth Hokage revealed his ten sins before the world, everything he had built collapsed in an instant. Perhaps… this is karma."
Her tone grew heavier.
"I only hope, when the time comes, he can awaken to the truth — even if it means dying at peace."
Jiraiya fell silent, his heart conflicted. He had always admired his teacher, Sarutobi Hiruzen. But now, seeing him dragged through the mud, his sins exposed, his legacy shattered — he couldn't help but feel helpless sorrow.
In the end, what did all of Hiruzen's lifetime of plans amount to?
Nothing.
The Fifth Hokage had unraveled them all in a matter of moments.
Jiraiya forced a bitter smile.
"Well then… let's keep watching."
Tsunade shook her head. She could sense his pain, but she did not console him. Instead, she looked toward the horizon.
"When Konoha unifies the entire shinobi world, Uchiha Yuta's power will reach heights unseen in history. Perhaps then… even Sarutobi-sensei can rest."
"I hope so," Jiraiya muttered, saying no more.
Because deep down, he knew — the tide of the world was no longer in anyone's hands. It had already shifted to Uchiha Yuta.
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Far away, in a hidden dimension, two figures watched the events unfold across the great projection of the shinobi world.
Ōtsutsuki Hamura and Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo.
Their expressions darkened as they saw the Great Toad Sage kneeling before Uchiha Yuta, his massive body bent low, his forehead pressed to the ground, groveling like a beaten dog.
The air around them trembled with fury.
"Unbelievable!" Hamura's voice shook with rage. "That wretched toad represents us — our face, our legacy! And yet he kneels? He dares to submit so shamelessly to Uchiha Yuta?!"
The staff of six paths materialized in his hand, black and terrible, his killing intent spilling into the void.
"He spits on us with every bow of his head!"
Hagoromo clenched his jaw. His face was grim, though his tone was steady.
"Enough. Don't lose control."
Hamura glared at him. "And you're not furious?! He was supposed to stand with us — to oppose Uchiha Yuta! Yet at the first setback, he throws away his dignity like rotten scraps!"
Hagoromo closed his eyes, forcing himself to breathe deeply.
"Do you think I am not enraged? But the Great Toad Sage is cunning. He has lived for millennia, longer than either of us walked the earth. For him, kneeling and bowing is nothing more than another strategy — another way to survive."
Hamura's grip tightened around his staff, sparks of power lashing the air. "Strategy? This is disgrace! He is supposed to be the lord of Mount Myōboku, one of the three great holy places, yet he crawls like a slave!"
"And yet… he endures."
Hagoromo's voice was cold, resigned.
"Perhaps that is his strength. He throws away everything — even his pride — to cling to survival."
Hamura's fury boiled hotter.
"I cannot respect that. A sage? No. He is nothing but filth."
Hagoromo's gaze lingered on the image of the toad, still kneeling, still silent. For all his anger, a flicker of reluctant admiration crossed his heart.
"Even I could not do what he has done — kneeling so cleanly, so decisively, abandoning all dignity to preserve his life."
A long silence followed.
Hamura's staff trembled with the urge to strike, but Hagoromo raised a hand.
"Not yet. The time is not ripe. Endure a little longer."
His eyes hardened.
"For when the moment comes, the Great Toad Sage will not escape our judgment."
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