Chapter 113: I've Arranged a Predetermined Death for Everyone
Jiraiya knew the enemy was formidable and Kakashi's fate uncertain—there was no time to waste, so he went all out immediately.
"Bunta, help me buy some time."
"I understand. Go ahead and prepare!"
Bunta agreed, brandishing the short blade in his hand, engaging the crimson Susanoo in combat.
Meanwhile, Jiraiya took advantage of this gap to summon the two toad sages and began refining Sage chakra.
Watching Jiraiya's performance, Yasushi wasn't worried in the slightest. He simply clapped his hands together and laughed aloud.
"Haha... Jiraiya, I've arranged a predetermined death for everyone. It's not your turn yet!"
"People must be killed one by one—no one can escape!"
"Wood Release: Advent of a World of Trees!"
Following Yasushi's laughter, the ground cracked and split open everywhere. Countless thick roots burst from the earth like giant pythons, shattering rock layers. The air blast sent debris flying high into the sky.
Trees grew wildly at a speed visible to the naked eye, their trunks twisting and coiling. In the blink of an eye, they transformed into a death forest that blocked out the sun.
"Don't think you can get past me!"
Bunta roared, swinging his short blade like chopping vegetables, reducing the approaching branches to powder.
With his massive size, the slightest movement could sever dozens of huge trees. For a time, Wood Release couldn't defeat him.
But Yasushi's main target wasn't Jiraiya, protected by the great toad Bunta at all. It was those ordinary Konoha shinobi behind him, locked in stalemate combat with the Impure World bodies.
Under the coordinated teamwork of many Konoha shinobi, three ordinary Uchiha jonin weren't their match.
Uchiha Yashiro and the others were completely relying on their immortal bodies to entangle with the enemies. Breaking through the blockade was just a matter of time.
And at this critical moment, the overwhelming Wood Release attack arrived.
If it were Jiraiya, he could probably rely on his own powerful strength to endure for a while. Escaping might not even be impossible.
But These ordinary shinobi—though there were elite jonin-level among them—facing Wood Release attacks of this caliber, everything was futile.
Amid screams of agony, these dozen-plus shinobi were soon completely wiped out.
By the time facial markings appeared on Jiraiya's face and he entered Sage Mode, these shinobi had already been bound like dumplings by Wood Release, hung up—dozens of "human cocoons" swaying gently among the tree canopy.
"Hehe..." Yasushi laughed strangely, using the same trick again to put Jiraiya in a difficult position.
"Jiraiya, now it's your turn for multiple choice!"
"Will you save Kakashi, or will you save these companions?"
"Hmph!" Jiraiya completely ignored Yasushi's provocation. He wasn't going to choose either option.
The things Itachi had experienced before—Jiraiya knew them well in his heart.
These past days, Itachi's reputation in the village had become completely notorious. If not everyone calling for his head, it wasn't far off.
The Hokage was wise and mighty—he could never be wrong.
Shinobi from other clans also expressed their grief and donated heavily to the victims' families. They too were victims.
So the question arose: if they were all blameless, who was at fault?
The primary culprit was naturally the heinously evil Uchiha Yasushi. The second person who should bear responsibility—undoubtedly—was Uchiha Itachi.
Both belonging to the Uchiha clan, shifting Yasushi's guilt onto Itachi's head—what was wrong with that?
Already reclusive, Itachi now rarely appeared except on the battlefield. You almost never saw his shadow.
This state made Jiraiya especially worried, afraid that one day Itachi would be unable to bear it and go mad or commit suicide.
With such a precedent, how could he possibly fall for Uchiha Yasushi's trick again? Immediately, Jiraiya's brow lifted, killing intent surging in his heart.
"Two sages, time is urgent. Kakashi's side probably doesn't have much time. Let's use that!"
"That?" Shima-sama was still somewhat reluctant, but under Fukasaku-sama's persuasion, she finally agreed.
The two toads' cheeks expanded. They opened their mouths, and suddenly high-pitched toad croaking resounded throughout this heaven and earth.
"Sage Art: Demonic Illusion: Toad Confrontation Singing!"
"Ah, the so-called strongest genjutsu?"
Yasushi showed no panic. He immediately smiled and extended his hand, thrusting his fingers into his ear canals. When he pulled them out again, two lines of blood flowed from his ears.
He'd pierced his own eardrums.
"What?" Fukasaku-sama and Shima-sama were immediately shocked. "How does he know this technique's secret?"
"Toad Confrontation Singing" had the two toad sages emit high-intensity sound waves over a large area. The sound would disrupt the opponent's nerves. Once they heard the melody, they'd be trapped in a genjutsu barrier unable to move. Then using Mt. Myoboku's unique stone sword to pierce the opponent's body—by the time they returned to reality, they'd already be dead.
This was genjutsu, but also Sage jutsu. Its power could even overcome Pain's Six Paths with the Rinnegan. Dealing with Uchiha Yasushi would naturally be no problem.
But the issue was, this genjutsu had a weakness. It was a sound-based genjutsu—it had to work through hearing to affect enemies.
And the first moment Uchiha Yasushi heard the toad croaking, he pierced his eardrums. Unable to hear anything, he naturally wouldn't be affected by the genjutsu.
"Right, Itachi once said Yasushi's right eye technique is 'Prophecy'—it can see much future intelligence." Jiraiya said thoughtfully.
"But after that battle, the revived Itachi said Yasushi's eye technique was likely a deception, and had once used that eye technique to ambush him."
"Yasushi's intelligence should come from another source."
"But looking now, the 'Prophecy' eye technique is probably real. Otherwise it's hard to explain how he knows Mt. Myoboku's secret Sage jutsu."
"Prophecy? Isn't that the same ability as the Great Elder?" Shima-sama was immediately shocked, still somewhat disbelieving. She pondered hesitantly, "Could it be intelligence leaked by that stinking snake from Ryuchi Cave?"
"I always feel 'prophecy' as an ability is too illusory. Even with the Great Elder going on mysteriously all day, he's never spoken such specific intelligence."
"Even now, little Jiraiya still doesn't know who the so-called 'Child of Prophecy' is. He can only run around the shinobi world everywhere."
"Who knows? Now isn't the time to worry about this!" Fukasaku-sama called out, interrupting his wife's nagging rambling. "Little Jiraiya, what do we do now?"
"It's fine. My target wasn't just Uchiha Yasushi anyway. If I could control him and eliminate him, that would naturally be better. Though I've failed now, I haven't completely failed."
"Hm?" Fukasaku-sama's gaze focused, looking behind Yasushi. Sure enough, Hiruko, who'd been dragging Kakashi into his body, now stood frozen in place.
Even the three Uchiha Impure World bodies were frozen in place, all controlled by the "Toad Confrontation Singing" Sage technique.
"Now's the time!"
"Bunta, you hold back Uchiha Yasushi! I'll go rescue them!"
"Right!" Bunta called out loudly, stomping the ground heavily with his webbed feet and shooting toward Uchiha Yasushi like a cannonball.
Meanwhile, Jiraiya ran swiftly, forming hand seals.
"Sage Art: Goemon!"
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