Chapter 52 : No.4 On The List?

Hokage World

Even in the depths of the Pure Land, Uchiha Madara felt a shiver in his heart at this moment.

The obsidian tomb exuded an eerie silence, and with a single glance, it seemed like his very soul was on the verge of dissipating!

In the world of Fate, Seimei's hair stood on end as he sensed the ominous presence, nearly prompting him to utter words.

"In this abyss... an unfathomable death!"

"I fear that anything entering this darkness will be instantly consumed!"

For some observers, the world appeared enveloped in darkness, as if a voice whispered, "Perish, embrace the darkness, and find eternal peace within this tomb!"

Shinigami World

Tousen Kaname's forehead beaded with cold sweat. As a blind man, he could sense it deep within.

This wasn't just darkness; it was an abyss!

Eternal, akin to death!

[The inky torrent engulfs Yhwach, leaving only his eyes exposed!]

["Halt now... and succumb to despair!"]

[Ichibei Hyosube exuded such confidence that not even Yamamoto Shigekuni could fend off this abyssal hue, for it defied materiality altogether!]

[At that moment, it seemed as though he foresaw his adversary's fate—their soul turning to darkness as their flesh dissolved entirely!]

[But in the next moment...]

[BOOM!]

[The blue Reiatsu erupted, and Yhwach stepped out of the dark torrent, unharmed. He wore a faint, mocking smile:]

["I told you, I've seen it all!"]

["There are no 'understandings' or 'countermeasures' that can interfere with my power!"]

["Everything I know about is powerless before me!"]

[And you... still believe I'm anonymous!"]

[Amidst a thunderous roar, Yhwach's eyes sported four pupils.]

[He gazed at Ichibei with three pairs of crimson pupils, devoid of any emotion.]

["My friend, Habach, will take everything from you!"]

[With that, an incomprehensible force materialized, causing Ichibei Hyosube's body to disintegrate without warning!]

The Royal Palace fell into silence once more.

Yhwach didn't glance back at the perplexed leaders; he steadily made his way toward the palace housing the Soul King.

At this point, the screen darkened again.

Then, two comments appeared.

...

He is the guardian of the Shinigami World, reducing all to ashes!

He is the protector of the Soul Society for millennia, unchallenged by any!

Even in death, he remains a hero, unyielding!

He is the mightiest Shinigami, the unrivaled master of the sword!

He is... Yamamoto Genryusai!

...

He is the master of darkness, the embodiment of all within the Soul Society. Darkness will not fade; souls will not perish. His name is Ichibei Hyosube!

...

With the conclusion of the last comment, the screen faded entirely.

"Whoo~"

As the scene returned to reality, Gojo Satoru let out a long sigh.

Though the final moments were beyond even his six eyes to comprehend, he admitted the preceding battle had been exhilarating.

Especially the abilities—the first could be deemed invincible ferocity!

And the second, as bewildering as the conceptual laws.

Compared to those, his Limitless ability was barely worth considering.

As for the enigmatic figure named Yhwach, Gojo Satoru no longer dwelled on it. He wasn't sure whether this monster had ultimately triumphed or succumbed.

"I was too overconfident... but all those videos and the emanating presence proved quite helpful!"

Saying this, Gojo Satoru lightly pinched two fingers, generating a spark that appeared and vanished. Yet this wasn't a power of this world.

In the world of the Hokage, Orochimaru contemplated.

Shinigami... a power rooted entirely in the soul?

Regrettably, there were no copies to analyze.

But it was another avenue of thought, after all, this world too had its own souls.

With that in mind, Orochimaru turned to Obito, his resolve firm.

"Obito, you mentioned earlier that you possess Uchiha Madara's body, correct?"

"Perhaps we can begin the process of resurrecting him... not with the full powered Impure World Reincarnation form, of course."

Obito's expressionless visage replied, "Consider the risks; we have no room for error. A mistake would undoubtedly spell disaster."

"Hehe... It's easier to nerf than to buff... Watch me."

Shinigami World

In reality, Urahara Kisuke escorted Kurosaki Ichigo and a somber Kurosaki Isshin to the Soul Society.

Originally, he had planned to leave, but Kurosaki Ichigo insisted on sharing that Yhwach was uncannily similar to Zangetsu!

This was a significant lead; there had to be a connection between them.

Meanwhile, in "Hueco Mundo," Kyoraku Shunsui arrived.

Aizen merely gazed down from above, his expression devoid of panic, replaced by a sardonic smile.

"I decline."

As for the Invisible Empire,Wandenreich, they continued their operations as usual. Delaying matters favored their interests.

The Sternritter, members of the Star Cross Knights, also breathed sighs of relief. If Yhwach invoked the Holy Selection to reclaim his power, they would all meet their demise.

Thus, the future of the Shinigami world remained uncertain. A three-way melee loomed on the horizon.

...

Hokage World

To quell public outrage, Sarutobi Hiruzen resigned from his position as Hokage on the same day.

However, because Orochimaru hadn't assassinated the Third Hokage as he had in the original story, more information regarding the events of the Nine Tails attack leaked out inexplicably the next day.

For instance, that fateful night, under Danzo's leadership, the Root organization didn't engage the enemy or aid civilians; instead, they hid behind the populace.

They didn't get their just desserts but certainly stirred up trouble.

With such a blunder, Danzo's prospects of becoming Hokage in the near future were dashed, if not revoked entirely.

Thus, Konoha was temporarily overseen by Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu. They also dispatched individuals to locate Tsunade and Jiraiya.

Worth mentioning was that both the Cloud Shinobi Village and the Hidden Stone Village extended their condolences to Naruto on the third day.

However, their condolences were insincere, and their dislike for Konoha's leaders was genuine. This only fueled the villagers' disdain for their village's administration.

At night, Jiraiya returned.

Rather than visiting the Third Hokage, he ignored Mitokado Homura's summons and went straight to Uzumaki Naruto.

Initially, the village had offered Naruto a new home, but he had declined.

In a room barely twenty square meters in size, Naruto regarded the uncle he had never met with curiosity.

Jiraiya dispensed with formalities; he wasn't one for that.

"Kid, do you know who this uncle is?"

Naruto instinctively retreated. The man before him exuded an oily aura, and his expression was decidedly creepy.

And... his eyes were somewhat unnerving too.

Was it just him?

Naruto reflexively protected his rear end.

Jiraiya, at a loss for words, marveled at how worldly children had become, possessing knowledge of such things.

"Never mind... Summoning Jutsu!"

[BANG!]

The white smoke cleared, revealing Naruto in shock.

"What's with this giant frog? Who are you?"

Jiraiya smiled nonchalantly, shaking his hair, and waiting for the inevitable reaction.

Dang, dang, dang... Jiraiya leaped around comically, finally landing on the toad, posing for an extended period before flashing a charismatic smile!

"Great question!"

"I am the Sage of Mount Myoboku, the Toad Sage!"

"Commonly known as Jiraiya!"

"Ta-da!"

[YAH...]

10...9...3...2...1...

The next moment, the screen brightened.

A white-haired man with a scroll on his back struck a pose while standing atop a toad adorned with red and black patterns.

Naruto gawked at the screen, then at the man, then back at the screen.

He waved his hands frantically, exclaiming,

"Uncle, I don't want any part of this..."

Jiraiya scratched his head, a constipated expression crossing his face as he muttered,

"If I had known, I wouldn't have done it..."

But in the next moment, Jiraiya rubbed his chin, admiring,

"Tsk, tsk, not bad... This uncle looks quite handsome, haha!"

[Death scene, No.4!]

[The World of Hokage: Jiraiya's Heroic Tale, Does the Frog at the Bottom of the Well Vanish into the Sea?]

Also, including Jiraiya's death here may elicit criticism, but I believe it's one of the most emotional parts of the entire Hokage story, and it's incredibly popular. I couldn't omit it.

Especially when Jiraiya pursues Sasuke and suddenly slaps Naruto with his soul arm. Naruto hesitates for a moment, and it seems like Jiraiya's final farewell!

And this concludes Hokage—the final installment.

*****

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