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Following the Third Hokage's orders, ninja throughout all of Konoha began to mobilize, conducting a thorough inspection of the Hidden Leaf's defensive barrier.
Among them, the Barrier Team shouldered the heaviest burden.
This was the second time in three years that a mysterious ninja had silently bypassed the barrier and infiltrated the village. Seeing the Barrier Team acting like a mere decoration made Lord Third extremely furious.
Regarding the Nine-Tails' Rebellion three years ago, ordinary villagers and ninja believed it was simply the Nine-Tails going berserk.
However, only the Konoha high-ranking officials knew it was a carefully orchestrated attack.
It had resulted in the deaths of the Fourth Hokage couple, the Third Hokage's wife, Biwako, and a female medical ninja responsible for the delivery.
And now, another mysterious ninja had infiltrated, killed the Cloud Envoy, and attempted to incite war between the two nations.
To stop the intruder, the two brothers leading the Hyūga Clan—one of Konoha's top elite families—had suffered heavy and light injuries respectively. Even if the Cloud Village had its doubts, the attitude of the Konoha leadership remained incredibly firm.
They insisted that a mysterious ninja had killed the Cloud Envoy.
This resolute stance ultimately caused the Cloud's conspiracy to fall through.
On the other side.
Within the dim Root base, Danzo gave a cold snort as he listened to his subordinate, Aburame Ryōma, report on the situation.
"It seems quite lively outside, doesn't it, Lord Danzo?" Orochimaru pushed open the door to Danzo's office.
On his way from his secret laboratory to the Root base, he had seen many Konoha ninja mobilized, including Anbu. Such a large-scale operation made even this science maniac, who usually stayed cooped up in his lab, a bit curious.
Sitting in his chair, Danzo did not answer Orochimaru directly but gestured for Aburame Ryōma to explain.
Understanding the cue, Ryōma said to Orochimaru: "Last night, a mysterious ninja infiltrated the village, killed the Cloud Envoy, and dumped the body at the Hyūga compound..."
A mysterious ninja who could injure the two Hyūga leaders and retreat unscathed under the pursuit of numerous Hyūga Jonin and Root ninja—only to double back again?
A flash of interest crossed Orochimaru's golden pupils, and his long tongue licked his lips.
*It seems the world outside is still full of excitement.* Orochimaru had once fought alongside the Hyūga brothers and knew their combat prowess well. Even if their opponent were a Kage of a village, they should have been able to retreat comfortably.
"Fine, let's not talk about that. I came here today hoping Lord Danzo would provide a few more experimental subjects." Orochimaru held out his right hand, directly demanding research funding and materials from Danzo.
Hearing this, Danzo's single eye narrowed into a frown.
"The subjects I gave you last time are already gone?" Danzo was somewhat dissatisfied with the speed at which Orochimaru consumed "experimental equipment."
"Progress is being made, after all. Ordinary subjects no longer satisfy my needs." Orochimaru brushed back a lock of long hair, feeling increasingly confident in his research direction.
Although Danzo had managed to claim the accidental Wood Style subject, his existence proved that Orochimaru's research path was viable.
Thus, Orochimaru was no longer satisfied with using ordinary people; he continuously demanded more ninja from Danzo as test subjects.
"I will have people send them to you, but do not go too far," Danzo warned gloomily.
The prisoners in Konoha's jail were no longer enough to sustain the demand, and Danzo had captured many civilian ninja over the years as well.
In Danzo's eyes, to make Konoha great again, any sacrifice was worth it!
As long as the one being sacrificed wasn't himself.
"Heh heh, then I shall look forward to the good news."
Orochimaru let out a meaningful, light chuckle and vanished into the shadows.
---
**Capital of the Land of Hot Water.**
This city, built upon hot springs, had always been a famous tourist destination in the shinobi world. Located in the northeast of the continent, it bordered the Land of Lightning, the Land of the Moon, the Land of Sound, the Land of Fire, the Land of Water, and the Land of Waves, leading to immense economic prosperity.
Inside a brothel, Jiraiya was surrounded by geishas on both sides, chatting about various anecdotes of the shinobi world. He was submerged in a sea of rouge and powder, indulging in the "gentle lands."
*Poof—*
Suddenly, a cloud of smoke dissipated, and a small red toad with a pair of goggles around its neck appeared in the room.
"Jiraiya!" the little toad shouted, but the laughter and music in the room were so loud that it failed to attract any attention.
Frustrated, the little toad jumped onto Jiraiya's face.
Jiraiya, who was mid-drink, was startled.
Once he realized it was a toad from Mount Myōboku, Jiraiya sobered up a bit and quickly ushered the oiran and geishas out of the room.
The geishas, who had been affectionate with Jiraiya just moments ago, left the room with faces full of resentment.
"Kosuke! What are you doing here?" Jiraiya pulled Toad Kosuke off his face and began drinking directly from a teapot to clear his head.
"Lord Fukasaku told me to find you," Kosuke urged.
After drinking a whole pot of tea, Jiraiya performed the Reverse Summoning Jutsu.
Together with Kosuke, he arrived at one of the Three Great Sage Regions: Mount Myōboku.
Within this land of water, stone toad statues stood everywhere. At the end of a lake, a wooden palace structure stood tall on the heights.
"Sage Fukasaku, did you call for me?" When Jiraiya arrived, the two toads, Fukasaku and Shima, had already been waiting at the palace entrance for a while.
Compared to Jiraiya, who reeked of alcohol and looked somewhat disheveled, Fukasaku wore a heavy expression. "The Great Toad Sage says he dreamed of something terrible."
"Huh? Something terrible?" Jiraiya's drunkenness vanished instantly.
He hadn't heard a prophecy from the Great Toad Sage in a long time. To think it would be bad news this time?
Jiraiya quickly followed Fukasaku and Shima into the depths of the palace.
Deep inside, a massive orange toad with a graduation-cap-like object on its head sat soaking in a large bowl. A string of beads hung around its neck, with one bead bearing the kanji for "Oil" being the most prominent.
"Great Toad Sage!" Jiraiya knelt on one knee and looked up.
"Ah, it's little Jiraiya," the Great Toad Sage said, slowly opening one eye slit. "Why have you come?"
Hearing the question, Jiraiya nearly stumbled onto the floor.
Fukasaku and Shima hopped to either side of the Great Toad Sage, and Shima snapped at him: "You're the one who told little Jiraiya to come! Are you getting senile, you old geezer?"
"Oh, oh." The Great Toad Sage reminisced for a moment and spoke slowly: "I remember now. I had a dream."
"In the dream, the entire shinobi world was gradually shrouded in darkness. Every nation and hidden village, including the Five Great Nations, was swallowed by the dark."
!!!
Jiraiya was horrified. The previous prophecy regarding the Child of Prophecy bringing revolution to the world had not been this detailed or bleak.
"In the darkness, I saw a back—a figure one must not look directly upon—that completely destroyed the entire world!" the Great Toad Sage continued.
"Do you have any more detailed characteristics?" Jiraiya's brow furrowed, though he didn't hold much hope.
"The abyss..." the Great Toad Sage said slowly. "When he turned around, I saw only an endless abyss. Even I felt a heart-stopping dread from that abyss..."
"An abyss?" Jiraiya mused.
"The one who destroys the world... the Child of Darkness?!"
(End of Chapter)