Though the Tailed Beasts hated being sealed inside jinchūriki, compared to being made into a weapon…
They clearly despised the latter far more.
Pure Land
[Hashirama: "Damn it! I distributed the Tailed Beasts among the villages to balance power and prevent war!"]
[Hashirama: "Never thought Akatsuki would gather them all to forge a weapon. I absolutely won't forgive them!"]
[Madara: "Hashirama, you're too naive. War can never be eliminated."]
Though Madara said that—
In truth, he sneered inwardly.
Uzumaki Nagato… You really think that once you gather all the Tailed Beasts, you'll get to build that weapon?
How naive. You deserve to be used.
Image Continues
[Jiraiya: "How could something like that end war? It'll only make conflict worse!"]
[Animal Path Pain: "All nations are fighting. How do we end these battles quickly, Jiraiya-sensei?"]
[Jiraiya: "That's exactly what I'm asking YOU! Answer me!"]
[Animal Path Pain: "Just give the warring nations a forbidden weapon. A nation that possesses such power will use it."]
[Jiraiya: "What…?"]
[Animal Path Pain: "Millions will die in an instant. Then fear will spread. People and nations will understand pain. Fear will suppress war. Conflict will fade."]
["This world will move toward stability. Pain will force the world to grow—just like I once did."]
["To make the world grow, think, and advance… a god's guidance is necessary. Because the world is still just a child."]
Ninja World Reactions
"He's insane! Confirmed—Nagato is completely insane!"
"He actually believes that will bring peace!? What a joke!"
"Jiraiya was right—Nagato's plan only ignites greater wars!"
"We must stop Nagato and Akatsuki from collecting the Tailed Beasts—no matter what!"
Amegakure — Akatsuki Base
Nagato fell deep into thought.
After seeing the future where he destroys Konoha…
He was forced to question whether his current reasoning was correct—or twisted beyond saving.
Image Continues
[Jiraiya: "To make the world grow… you teach it pain? That's your mission?"]
[Animal Path Pain: "Correct! Because I am the god who pursues peace!"]
[Jiraiya: "You've gotten good at telling jokes, Nagato."]
[Pain: "Jokes? I'm not joking. My ideal—"]
[Before he could finish, he broke free and summoned new creatures.]
[Pain: "Jiraiya-sensei, you are a puny being who will never grow."]
[Jiraiya laughed disdainfully and summoned a giant toad—Gamaken.]
["Ken, I need your help. I must enter Sage Mode."]
[Gamaken: "Understood, Jiraiya. I'll hold him off!"]
The battle intensified.
Outside Konoha
Jiraiya was visibly shaken.
Having seen the image of Nagato destroying the village…
He could not initially understand why his disciple would do something so monstrous.
But after hearing Nagato's warped philosophy—
He finally understood.
But understanding did not mean forgiveness.
His student would destroy Konoha.
Then he—Jiraiya—would personally end it.
If Nagato could not be redeemed…
He would kill him.
Last time, he lost because he knew nothing about Pain's abilities.
But now—
He knew every one.
And after receiving the Time-Screaming Chicken reward…
Next time he faced Nagato—
The outcome would be far from certain.
Image Continues
[Jiraiya entered Sage Mode. His eyes transformed, and two toad sages—Fukasaku and Shima—appeared on his shoulders.]
[Shima: "Little Jiraiya, I just finished cooking for your father, you know!"]
[Fukasaku: "Shima! Jiraiya must need us for something serious."]
[Jiraiya quickly explained, then charged at Pain.]
[After intense combat, Pain summoned the Human Path and Preta Path.]
[Jiraiya: "Guess it's time to get serious!"]
[With the two toad sages, he unleashed a combined Sage Technique—Fire Style: Five Right Guards!]
[But Preta Path absorbed it instantly.]
["Super Big Ball Rasengan!"]
[Preta Path absorbed that too.]
[Jiraiya then noticed—]
["These three… always avoid the blind spots of my attacks. Their vision… is connected."]
Ninja World Reactions
"Jiraiya's so slow! Of course the Paths share vision—they're all corpses Nagato controls!"
"Still… we can't blame him. He doesn't know that yet."
"And honestly… we didn't know either until the last scene showed it!"
"I used to think Jiraiya must've been weak since he died to Pain… but now? He's insanely strong!"
"If I faced three Paths, I'd die instantly—even knowing their abilities!"
"The Three Sannin aren't legends for nothing."
"Such a shame… if Jiraiya had escaped with the intel, Konoha wouldn't have been destroyed."
Image Continues
[Despite analyzing their abilities, Jiraiya was still forced on the defensive.]
[To escape, the two sage toads used a powerful toad genjutsu.]
[Jiraiya soon identified the abilities of all three Paths.]
[Then—with the sage toads—he trapped all three in a toad illusion.]
Ninja World
"We really misjudged Jiraiya! He's not weak—he's terrifyingly strong!"
"I couldn't beat even one Pain. He took down three!"
"The Sannin truly live up to their name!"
"If only he had survived… Konoha might never have been destroyed."
Pure Land
[Hashirama: "Madara! What do you think of Jiraiya's strength?"]
◇ BONUS & SUPPORT ◇
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 10 reviews — drop a comment!
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 70 chapters ahead on P@treon → patreon.com/Sagamaster789
