Scared to tears—
Just how massive is this Chakra? It's endless, like a lush, verdant forest.
Just like the boundless Chakra of a Tailed Beast.
And that abundant dōjutsu power in his head; the cold Yin Nature Chakra is like a passage to the abyss, releasing all the evil in this world.
Yet the Chakra within his body provides warmth like sunlight.
This feeling, it's just like... just like Madara!
Jiraiya's eyes widened in horror, and he halted his advance.
Meanwhile, Ryou passed him without saying a word.
Jiraiya looked at Ryou's back; back when they were doing drills, Ryou was always lagging at the very back like he was physically drained, but now he had surpassed him by a long shot.
When did it all start? Ryou became faster and faster, surpassing even them, his classmates of the Sannin.
Jiraiya remembered; it was the day he defected from Konoha, when he stopped believing in the Will of Fire and had eyes only for Ninjutsu and power.
By defecting from Konoha, he lost his clan, his family, and his comrades, but the gates of power opened for him.
This world is just that fair.
Fukasaku said solemnly, "The feeling Little Ryou gives off now is the same as the one Uchiha Madara gave us, the ultimate dōjutsu power and ultimate Chakra."
"His eyes aren't just activating the Sharingan; the Sharingan is his default state now. With such massive dōjutsu power, his eyes can no longer even be deactivated."
"Little Ryou has likely integrated Uchiha Madara's cells, gaining the power of the Sharingan and Wood Release."
"Little Jiraiya, you're in danger."
Hearing this, Jiraiya had a bad premonition; he might, perhaps, probably not even make it past Ryou.
But there was no choice; Jiraiya had already prepared for the worst before coming. The worst outcome would be dying at the hands of Madara and dragging the Two Great Sages and Minato down with him.
Then again, no matter how strong Ryou was, without the Rinnegan, he ultimately couldn't compare to Madara.
Facing Ryou was still better than overestimating himself to challenge Madara.
About ten miles outside Amegakure, Ryou chose a spot near Magatsu Lake.
He shed his hakama and changed into a suit of Heavy Ninja Armor.
The hundred-plus pounds of Ninja armor were nothing to the current Ryou, who possessed the Asura Sage Body; he even found it a bit too light.
After donning the Ninja armor, Ryou felt his blood begin to boil.
Because the previous wedding ceremony was far too tedious and boring.
A person like him just wanted to live the simple and crude life of a mountain bandit.
If there's treasure, call the brothers to go grab some.
If there are women, kidnap them back to the mountain to be the chieftain's wife.
If there are government soldiers, the brothers hold them off while the boss retreats first.
Working hard to become stronger was so he could use his brain less and do things more simply and crudely.
Once he was strong enough to not need a brain, he could do whatever he pleased.
Ryou waited patiently for Jiraiya, even finding the leisure to admire the scenery of Magatsu Lake.
There wasn't actually much scenery at Magatsu Lake; it had just been filled by the Land of Rain's groundwater a few days ago, so there was nothing but water.
Jiraiya caught up and leaped into Magatsu Lake, hovering above the water's surface.
Ryou felt a bit poetic and recited, "Magatsu Lake, Lake of Calamity, there's a toad in Magatsu Lake, one poke and it hops away."
"..."
Jiraiya was, after all, a future best-selling adult novelist and a man of culture; he didn't know how to comment on Ryou's nonsensical doggerel.
He simply ignored it and looked back at the vast Magatsu Lake, saying in shock, "Is this the giant lake created after the Divine Punishment?"
"Does a God really exist in the Ninja World?"
Seeing this sight, Jiraiya's long-held worldview suffered a massive blow.
He hadn't seen the scene of the Golden Wheel Rebirth Explosion attacking Madara, but just from this giant lake, he knew how large the attack range had been.
Only a God's divine power could produce such an attack.
Fukasaku and the Shima were also extremely shocked as they looked at the massive lake.
If they hadn't learned about the Divine Punishment, they really wouldn't have believed that Magatsu Lake was man-made.
Only a God has this kind of power.
Speaking of Gods?!
It was true that Fukasaku and Shima were eight-hundred-year-old Sages, but certain secrets of the Gods were only known to the Great Toad Sage.
For instance, the Rabbit Goddess from a thousand years ago, Ōtsutsuki Kaguya; Fukasaku and Shima had only heard rumors.
They didn't know that Ōtsutsuki Kaguya was the Ten-Tails itself.
Shima asked Fukasaku, "Old man, Jiraiya is asking you a question. Does the Ninja World have a God?"
Fukasaku said, "Well, the Shinigami and the Jashin do exist, but they are all special types of entities and don't possess this kind of world-destroying power."
"If anyone truly possessed this level of power, it could only be the Sage of Six Paths."
Jiraiya scratched his head, somewhat puzzled. "Are you saying this Magatsu Lake was created by the Sage of Six Paths launching a Divine Technique from Takamagahara?"
Fukasaku spread his hands. "I don't know. I'm just saying the Sage of Six Paths has that power, but I don't think he's the one who did it."
"This kind of indiscriminate attack covered some towns in the Land of Rain. If it really was a God, it would be an evil or malevolent one."
"Maybe Indra did it."
The stories of Asura and Indra have become legends; through the recitations of generations of Ninjas, they have gradually been deified by the world.
Asura is a benevolent god, while Indra is a malevolent one, because like Madara, Indra never did anything good.
The very first conflict in the Ninja World was started by Indra, with the aim of destroying Ninshu and negating everything the Sage of Six Paths had built.
Shima complained, "Uchiha Madara is a descendant of Indra. Why would he mess with his own offspring for no reason?"
Fukasaku explained, "He's a malevolent god! If he weren't evil, could he still be called one?"
"ヽ(#`Д´)ﾉ."
Ryou was a bit angry and shouted at Jiraiya, "Jiraiya, Fukasaku, Shima, what are you doing?"
"We're in the middle of a battle! Is this the time to be looking at the scenery?"
Jiraiya turned back and scratched his head apologetically. "Sorry, sorry. I often collect intelligence while traveling the Ninja World, so naturally, I had to ask around upon seeing such a spectacle."
Ryou nodded. "Alright, Jiraiya. Enough talk, let's begin!"
"Speaking of which, we haven't fought since our days at the Ninja Academy."
"Now, I'm going to test how much you've improved over all these years."
Jiraiya was speechless. "You're talking as if you were on equal footing with me at the Ninja Academy. Back then, you were the dead last in combat."
"You couldn't even beat the Inuzuka clan's dogs."
Ryou explained, "I wasn't in top form back then. But today, I have completely surpassed the Sannin."
Ryou erupted with Chakra like a Tailed Beast; the Chakra instantly materialized, releasing a powerful pressure.
Even in Sage Mode, Jiraiya began to break out in a cold sweat.
He felt as if he were facing the Madara of old, the one without eyes.