Suddenly, Jiraiya, who had seemed completely lifeless, developed faint rings of mercury-like light across his body.
Then, Jiraiya gasped sharply, as if a suffocating man had finally found air, and collapsed to his knees, drenched in sweat.
"Did I succeed?"
Even he wasn't entirely sure, staring around in confusion. "Orochimaru, does this count as success?"
Watching Jiraiya, Orochimaru asked, "You should be Sequence 9 now. What is your Sequence name?"
"I…"
Jiraiya seemed dazed, his mind immersed in some unusual state. Then he spoke, "Monster. I am now Sequence 9: Monster."
"Interesting. You call yourself 'Monster'?"
Orochimaru's expression held amusement as he turned to Kabuto. "It seems your guess was correct. This pathway is fascinating—it really values 'luck'."
"I didn't expect to actually get it right."
Kabuto said regretfully, "In that case, mass production is impossible. Even if we increase the number of test subjects, the probability won't rise. What a shame."
"What… are you talking about?"
Jiraiya looked completely confused, scratching his head. "This doesn't seem dangerous at all. Are you just trying to scare me?"
"Heh, idiot."
Orochimaru glanced at him, then spoke to Kabuto, "Kabuto, accompany them to Konoha. Follow the instructions I gave earlier."
"Wait, weren't you supposed to help me?" Jiraiya called out as Orochimaru was about to leave.
"I will have Kabuto assist you."
Orochimaru left a single sentence behind and then exited the room.
"Jiraiya-sama, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kabuto Yakushi."
Kabuto pushed up his glasses and smiled. "I usually accompany Orochimaru-sama and assist with some experiments. Since this is at Orochimaru-sama's request, I will be the one helping Konoha this time."
"You?"
Jiraiya looked at him in surprise, a hint of doubt in his eyes.
"Please, do not doubt me, Jiraiya-sama."
Kabuto smiled faintly. "Though I am not skilled in direct combat, I can provide Konoha and the Shinobi Allied Forces with an added edge for victory."
Seeing this, Jiraiya didn't press further and nodded in agreement.
"Do you remember what happened?"
This was, so far, the only successful and valuable "experimental subject," and Kabuto naturally would not miss such crucial information.
"I think I saw something, but… I can't remember clearly."
Jiraiya's memory was hazy. He shook his head. "It's like I was drunk, dazed and confused. When I woke up, things didn't make sense, and my mind suddenly held… something new."
"Hm, although it may not be useful for reference, thank you for your cooperation."
Kabuto paused for half a second, then recorded the details carefully.
"By the way, was he lying to me?" Jiraiya touched his face, puzzled. "It doesn't feel that dangerous."
Hearing this, Kabuto smiled, looking at Jiraiya's confused expression. "You should consider yourself lucky. Among the 220 subjects trying this pathway, you are the only successful case. Without exception, all others became uncontrollable results."
"Two hundred and twenty."
Jiraiya's eyes widened as a chill ran down his spine.
"Do not be anxious, Jiraiya-sama."
Kabuto's smile was calm, reassuring. "At the very least, it proves your luck is quite exceptional, does it not?"
Jiraiya wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and silently thought how fortunate it was that Tsunade hadn't said anything before he left. Otherwise, this time he might never have returned.
Damn Orochimaru. He could even use his former comrades as experimental subjects. Truly heartless.
After a brief two-day rest in the Otogakure village, Jiraiya decided to lead the team back to Konoha.
Though Sasuke had been awakened from her coma, she seemed to have experienced a terrifying nightmare. She became unusually quiet and reserved, showing a spark in her eyes only when she occasionally saw Naruto. At all other times, no matter who approached her, she seemed like an emotionless puppet.
Regarding this, Sakura and Jiraiya had no choice but to temporarily suppress their concerns and deal with it once they returned to Konoha.
"Cough, cough… Naruto, do you… recognize me?"
Jiraiya coughed twice and stepped closer to Naruto, asking somewhat awkwardly.
Naruto glanced at him and said flatly, "Jiraiya. One of the Three Legendary Sannin. My father, Minato Namikaze's teacher."
"Cough, cough… yes, that's right."
Jiraiya looked at the boy before him and suddenly felt a twinge of guilt. All these years, he had failed to care for him, and he hadn't fulfilled the task Minato had entrusted to him.
"So… what have you been learning from Orochimaru?"
"What exactly do you want?"
Naruto frowned, uncomfortable with Jiraiya's forced closeness, instinctively keeping his distance.
"Nothing… really, nothing."
Jiraiya awkwardly stepped back, scratching his head, feeling troubled.
This was bad. Naruto didn't trust him at all. How could he possibly entrust Minato's legacy to him?
"Let's get going. If we hurry, we should be back in three days."
Jiraiya pushed the thought aside for now and said to the others.
"No need."
Naruto finished speaking and raised his hand, pinching his fingers together.
Right in front of them, a pale blue portal opened.
"Go through here, and it will take you straight to Konoha."
"???"
Jiraiya and Sakura's eyes widened. A… teleportation portal?
"Hehe, Lord Jiraiya, there's no need to be surprised."
On the side, Kabuto Yakushi stepped forward to explain, "Once you reach Lord Naruto's level, you'll understand. The 'Pathway of the Gods' surpasses the chakra system by far."
With that, he followed Naruto's steps into the glowing portal.
Next came Sasuke and Jiraiya, and finally Sakura. Once everyone had stepped through, the light portal vanished.
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office in Konoha.
Tsunade had just returned from the Five Kage Summit and, after handling a mountain of accumulated paperwork, was exhausted, slumped over her desk.
Suddenly, a pale blue portal opened right inside the office!
"Who's there?!"
Startled, Tsunade sprang up from her seat, immediately taking a combat stance. "Anbu!"
In an instant, the Anbu guards who had been stationed around the office surged in, their eyes fixed warily on the portal.
Then, under the tense gazes of everyone present, a blond-haired boy in a white kimono slowly stepped out.
Behind him was a young man wearing glasses and the headband of the Hidden Sound Village.
Finally, Jiraiya, Sakura, and Sasuke emerged from the portal.
They all fell silent, facing the office packed with Anbu, the heavy, alert atmosphere, and Tsunade, who was completely dumbfounded.
Wasn't this entrance a bit too flashy?!
They had expected the portal to appear somewhere in Konoha, not directly inside the Hokage's office!
Jiraiya scratched his head awkwardly. "Hey, Tsunade, we're back."
Who even does that? Opening a portal directly in the Hokage's office!
*******
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