Chapter 282

"Fukasaku-sama."

After bringing Jiraiya to the home of the two sages, Fukasaku and Shima, Minato quickly explained, "Jiraiya-sensei suddenly collapsed. Before passing out, he told me to come to Mount Myōboku."

"What happened to Jiraiya? And… Minato? How are you alive?"

Fukasaku-sama was shocked as he looked at Minato. Jiraiya's condition was surprising, but Minato's appearance was even more unexpected.

He remembered that Minato had already died, so how was he here now, carrying Jiraiya to him?

Minato shook his head. "It's complicated, Fukasaku-sama. Please help Jiraiya-sensei first. I'll explain everything later."

"I don't know what's wrong with Jiraiya. What happened?"

"We were training with my son when he suddenly clutched his chest and collapsed. I was going to take him to a medical ninja, but he insisted on coming to Mount Myōboku instead, so here we are."

After hearing Minato's explanation, Fukasaku-sama understood the situation.

Still unsure of Jiraiya's condition, Fukasaku-sama turned to Minato and said, "Minato, bring Jiraiya and follow me to see the Great Toad Sage. He should know what's going on… as long as he's not asleep."

"Understood, Fukasaku-sama."

Minato carried Jiraiya as he followed Fukasaku-sama to the Great Toad Sage's chambers. Upon entering, Fukasaku leapt forward and called out loudly.

"Great Sage!"

"Great Sage, wake up!"

After several calls with no response, Fukasaku-sama was about to suggest that Minato take Jiraiya to the hospital when the Great Toad Sage finally woke up.

"Hmm, Fukasaku… what's the matter?"

Fukasaku-sama quickly replied, "Great Sage, you're finally awake. Please take a look at Jiraiya's condition."

"Jiraiya…? Who is that?"

"He's Mount Myōboku's summoner, the one lying there. Please, take a look at him first, Great Sage."

"Oh, right… Jiraiya. I remember now."

The Great Toad Sage's tone grew more serious as he recalled Jiraiya, and he told Fukasaku, "You both can leave for now. I will handle Jiraiya's situation."

"Great Sage, is there something wrong with Jiraiya?"

"It should be a minor issue. Minato, Fukasaku, please wait outside."

"Understood, Great Sage."

Unable to learn more, Fukasaku-sama and Minato left the room.

As they walked out, Minato quietly asked, "Fukasaku-sama, the Great Sage actually recognized me this time."

"Sometimes the Great Sage isn't as confused as he seems…"

Once they left, the Great Toad Sage opened his mouth and extended a long, steel-like tongue. The tongue touched Jiraiya's body, and a vast amount of senjutsu chakra surged from the Great Toad Sage into Jiraiya.

After a while, Jiraiya slowly stood up. But when he looked up, he was no longer Jiraiya—he had transformed into Hagoromo.

"Thankfully, you were here, Gamamaru. Without your help, it would've been difficult to manifest in this body."

Hagoromo spoke as a Truth-Seeking Ball staff appeared in his right hand, and a sage's cloak adorned his body. However, there were no other Truth-Seeking Balls present.

"This is a bit forced," Gamamaru commented. "Jiraiya hasn't fully mastered Sage Mode. Your power won't even be half of what it should be."

"Not even one-tenth. Still, my time in the Pure Land wasn't wasted, thanks to your guidance."

Hagoromo shook his head. The body's strength mattered when descending into the mortal realm.

This body was too weak. Even with Gamamaru's elixir modifications, he couldn't fully exert his strength.

"Perhaps after some time training at the Toad Oil Pool, you'll accumulate enough senjutsu chakra for one or two fights."

Hagoromo nodded and said, "I'll leave it to you to explain things to the people outside. Once I'm done training, I'll return this body to 'him.'"

"That soon?"

Gamamaru was taken aback. He had only suggested training to build strength, but Hagoromo seemed eager to act immediately. Jiraiya's body hadn't even finished being modified by the elixir, yet Hagoromo had already descended.

"Did something happen, Hagoromo?"

"My mother has broken free from her seal."

Hagoromo sighed and explained, "I felt my mother's will awaken earlier today. The seal on the moon has been broken, and she is regaining her strength."

"And the previous reincarnation of Indra is gathering the Tailed Beasts. Once he succeeds, my mother will revive and cast Infinite Tsukuyomi."

Gamamaru was deeply shocked. Despite his centuries of wisdom, hearing that Kaguya had broken free of her seal made his heart skip a beat.

"What's going on? I thought Kaguya's will could only awaken if someone cast Infinite Tsukuyomi?" Gamamaru asked.

"I don't know either, but my senses never fail me. If it weren't my mother's will awakening, I wouldn't be in such a hurry… Moreover, Indra and Asura's chakras have disappeared. I must do my best to stop both my mother and another enemy."

"Then go ahead. Even if you use up the power of the Toad Oil Pool, it's worth it. I'll speak to Fukasaku."

Understanding the gravity of the situation, Gamamaru didn't hesitate to send Hagoromo to the Toad Oil Pool for training. The pool was the most concentrated source of natural energy in Mount Myōboku and the origin of all the toad oil in the outside world. If Hagoromo trained there, the flow of toad oil would stop, but that was a minor concern compared to Kaguya's revival.

After Hagoromo left, Gamamaru called for Fukasaku and Minato to come back in.

"Jiraiya's fine now, but he'll be staying in Mount Myōboku for a while. Once his condition is fully resolved, he'll return to the village. Minato, I'll leave it to you to inform the village about Jiraiya."

Minato, still worried, asked, "Is Jiraiya-sensei's condition serious?"

"Don't worry, Minato. He'll return soon."

Hearing this, Minato managed to suppress his worry and agreed to pass the message on to the village.

As they left the Great Toad Sage's chambers, Fukasaku reassured Minato, "Don't worry, Minato. I'll keep an eye on Jiraiya."

"Thank you, Fukasaku-sama. I'll head back to the village now. It's been long enough."

...

"Rumi, what are you planning to do today?"

Kurenai asked suspiciously when she saw Rumi handing all the village duties to her. She wondered if Rumi was planning to go meet with Yoichi-sensei.

"I need to take care of some Hyūga clan business. Would you like to come along, Kurenai?"

"No way. If I leave, there'll be no one to handle these tasks."

Kurenai shook her head quickly. She wasn't foolish enough to get involved in Hyūga clan matters, especially after hearing about the recent tensions between Rumi and the Hyūga elders. Getting involved would only bring trouble.

Still, Kurenai couldn't help but ask, "Should we let Yoichi-sensei know?"

Recently, Yoichi had abandoned his Hokage duties to focus on other matters outside the village. However, as his students and assistants, they could still contact him.

"No need. I can handle those old geezers by myself!"

Rumi clenched her fist in determination. Ever since she awakened her Tenseigan, her chakra had seemed to break through its limits, growing stronger by the day.

In just one week, Rumi felt that her chakra reserves had doubled or tripled compared to before her Tenseigan awakening.

Even without relying on the chakra Yoichi-sensei left her, Rumi was confident she could easily teach the Hyūga elders a lesson.

Not to mention, the Tenseigan Energy Tower had been successfully constructed. Rumi could now resonate with the massive Tenseigan above the Hokage Rock at any time. With just a thought, she could unleash a devastating blow on the Hyūga clan's main house.

But there was no need for that. If she struggled to deal with the Hyūga elders, she wouldn't be worthy of being Yoichi's student.

Rumi knew what Yoichi wanted. This time, she was returning to liberate the branch family's power and make the Hyūga clan a more effective force for the village.

"I'm off, Kurenai. Wait for my good news!"

As Rumi left, Kurenai muttered to herself, "I don't think that'll be good news."

She had noticed Rumi becoming more carefree lately. Although Rumi used to maintain the decorum of a noble clan, her behavior had recently become more like Kurenai's own.

...

Meanwhile, Yoichi was at home.

He had suddenly become interested in training the next generation, including his children and disciples.

When Karin heard about this, she immediately raised her hand and asked if Naruto could join them. Yoichi had no objections and let her invite him over.

As a result, both Kushina and Minato came along.

"Sorry, Fifth Hokage, but Kushina and I were very curious and wanted to come see what's going on. We won't try to learn any of your secret techniques," Minato apologized sheepishly, while Kushina raised her head proudly, blowing air out of her nose in Yoichi's direction when no one was looking.

"It's fine. I may need Kushina's help later. I'm not teaching secret techniques this time."

Yoichi shook his head internally, thinking he would find an opportunity later to make a "Kushina-flavored" smothie. 

Once everyone had gathered, Yoichi looked at the small group. The eldest, Itachi, was ten years old, followed by Kimimaro and Haku, who were eight, Karin was six, and Sasuke and Naruto were five.

As for Yoko, she wasn't even one year old yet, so she was excluded.

"I called you all here today because I had an idea. You're all capable of using chakra, and your physical conditions are excellent, so I want to ask—who among you is willing to become a jinchūriki?"

Jinchūriki?

Yoichi's question first shocked the nearby women: Mikoto, Mina, Kushina, and Minato.

Especially Kushina, who was the jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails. She understood the burden of being a jinchūriki all too well.

Even the youngest ones, Karin, Sasuke, and Naruto, knew what it meant to be a jinchūriki, as Yugito, the jinchūriki of the Two-Tails, had been living in Yoichi's home for five years.

"Wait, do you mean sealing a Tailed Beast inside Naruto and Sasuke? Isn't that pushing it a bit too far?" Kushina couldn't help but ask. Having spent her life as a jinchūriki, she knew how torturous it could be to have a monster sealed inside oneself.

"Kushina."

Minato gently tried to calm her down. He didn't believe Yoichi would harm his own children or disciples, so she might be misunderstanding.

"Don't worry," Yoichi reassured Kushina. "The method I use is completely different from Konoha's crude techniques. If you're willing, I can even remove the Nine-Tails' consciousness from inside you, leaving only its pure chakra."

Yoichi continued, "Being a jinchūriki isn't something just anyone can do. I'm a jinchūriki myself, and Mina was the one who helped seal my Tailed Beast. Only if there's a suitable and powerful beast would I allow you to become a jinchūriki."

As he spoke, Yoichi let a Godzilla-like tail briefly appear from his back before retracting it. He had completely mastered Godzilla's abilities, and all potential risks had been eliminated.

Yin-Yang Release could wipe out the consciousness of a beast, and a Six Paths-level sealing technique could ensure that the beast had no chance of resisting. As long as the beast's power didn't surpass his own, there would be no rebellion.

Even if the summoned beast had no abilities, its immense life force could still serve as nourishment for Yomi's Gates.

It was a win-win situation, saving Yoichi the trouble of hunting down powerful beasts in the deep sea.

Moreover, there were plenty of trades on the space-time exchange that required life energy. Some deals needed more than just one source.

"I want to be a jinchūriki, Father!" Karin was the first to raise her hand. She believed Yoichi, who adored her, wouldn't harm her. This was surely a good thing.

After Karin, both Sasuke and Naruto eagerly chimed in. Kushina, seeing that Naruto had already spoken up, raised her hand to stop him but ultimately said nothing.

As for Haku, Kimimaro, and Itachi, while they weren't as excited as Karin and Sasuke, they didn't back down either.

With everyone agreeing, Yoichi decided to take them somewhere isolated—the Land of Whirlpools.

The desolate island nation was the perfect place to summon a powerful beast, and if things got out of hand, Yoichi's clones could whisk the others away while he dealt with the situation.

Using the Flying Thunder God Technique, Yoichi transported everyone there. Kushina and Mina felt a surge of emotions when they realized they were back in the Land of Whirlpools. Memories flooded their minds, but the island was now nothing but ruins.

"Alright, let's do it here. Everyone, move back. I'll have my clone protect you. Sasuke will go first, as this beast is the most suitable for him."

Yoichi's words left Karin and Naruto pouting. One was Sasuke's rival, and the other often bullied Sasuke. If Sasuke grew stronger first, they'd be at a disadvantage.

Karin made up her mind to beg her father to let her be the second to receive a beast when they returned.

Yoichi's clone set up a barrier to protect everyone while his main body moved to an open area.

He had accumulated twelve spins on the power wheel, which could be exchanged for six months of random summons. This ability was perfect for enhancing his children's strength. Even if the summoned beasts weren't suitable, they could serve as sustenance for Yoichi.

The first beast he summoned would be an old acquaintance—Ghidorah, who had once helped him "escape."

"Summon from another world, come forth."

A massive, glowing purple magic circle appeared on the ground.

Boom!

With a deafening crash, a colossal beast that blotted out the sky appeared before everyone.

Those inside the barrier, including Mina, Kushina, and the others, felt the sky darken as the enormous creature cast its shadow over them.

"ROAR!!"

The three dragon heads snaked through the clouds, and its massive wings seemed to cover the entire sky. Its roar caused fierce winds to howl, uprooting the ground several meters deep.

Mina couldn't help but say, "So, it's this creature. Back then, Lord Yoichi and I were nearly killed by it…"

No sooner had Mina finished speaking than they saw three versions of Yoichi appear near Ghidorah's three heads, each delivering a mountain-shattering punch to the dragon's skulls.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Three thunderous impacts echoed, and Ghidorah's massive body collapsed to the ground.

Then, Yoichi transformed three Truth-Seeking Balls into spears and hurled them down, piercing Ghidorah's three heads and pinning the beast to the earth.

"Inorganic Reincarnation!"

Yoichi raised his hand, and the ground beneath Ghidorah softened like a swamp. Chains of earth shot up, binding the enormous creature tightly.

Back when Yoichi faced such beasts, he had no choice but to flee. Now, he could subdue Ghidorah in less than a minute.

Ghidorah contained an immense amount of energy, but it couldn't fully utilize it. To someone like Yoichi, who had comparable power, Ghidorah was just a massive punching bag.

What's more, Yoichi's strength now far exceeded Ghidorah's. His own Godzilla-like power had evolved to the fourth stage long ago.

Even though Yoichi had bound Ghidorah with two layers of restraints, the dragon was still struggling. However, with the Truth-Seeking Spear impaling its brain, it couldn't regenerate or shift its consciousness. Its efforts were in vain.

Only after Yoichi used Yin-Yang Release to nearly obliterate Ghidorah's consciousness and spirit did the dragon stop struggling.

Once everything was settled, Yoichi called Sasuke and the others over.

"Father, is this beast going to be Sasuke's Tailed Beast?" Karin asked, her eyes glued to Ghidorah. Although the creature hadn't lasted long against Yoichi, its overwhelming presence had left a deep impression on her.

Unlike most little girls, Karin admired powerful things!

Yoichi could tell what his daughter was thinking by the look in her eyes. He patted her head and said, "Karin, there will be even stronger beasts in the future. If not, I'll train you to be as strong as I am."

"Sigh~" Karin pouted as she ran off to cling to Mina, trying her best not to look at Ghidorah.

Naruto was equally fascinated, but since it had already been decided that Sasuke would go first, he could only stand to the side, swallowing his envy.

"Sasuke, come here."

"Yes, Father!"

Sasuke stood before Yoichi, who warned him, "Although Ghidorah is now mindless and won't resist, the sealing process will still be painful. Bear with it."

"I understand!"

Once Sasuke had agreed, Yoichi asked Mina to begin the sealing process.

"Adamantine Sealing Chains!"

Eight golden chakra chains extended from Mina's back, binding Ghidorah's massive body. However, Ghidorah was so large that Mina's chains alone weren't enough.

"I'll help too," Kushina offered, using her own Adamantine Sealing Chains. Together, they quickly sealed Ghidorah inside Sasuke.

Yoichi then placed a Six Paths Seal on Sasuke, using Yin-Yang Release to control Ghidorah's body, ensuring absolute security.

After everything was done, Yoichi infused Sasuke with a bit of life energy to help him recover quickly.

As soon as Sasuke stood up, Mikoto rushed to his side. "Sasuke, how do you feel?"

"I feel…"

Sasuke looked at his hands, then raised one toward a distant clearing.

Zap!

Dozens of golden bolts of lightning shot from Sasuke's palm, crackling like serpents in the void. The lightning struck the ground, creating several charred craters, each five or six meters deep.

Minato and the others watched in shock, their eyes widening in disbelief. "That… that kind of power… Many jōnin couldn't manage that, and this is just a Lightning Release technique."

Lightning Release jutsu was typically used to paralyze enemies rather than for destruction. Wind and Fire Release were generally more destructive. Yet Sasuke had casually achieved what most jōnin couldn't.

The power was on par with a forbidden jutsu, but Yoichi showed no concern, as if there were no drawbacks to using such power.

"Sasuke, it seems you'll need to work on controlling that power when we get back."

Although Yoichi was satisfied with the result, Sasuke's current state was dangerous. A single misstep could kill a chūnin.

"I'll add another layer of sealing. Once you've mastered this power, I'll remove it."

(End of Chapter)

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