It turned out that at the critical moment when he was covered by Demon Lantern, Jiraiya used his stealth Ninjutsu, Summoning: Hiding in a Toad Technique.
Jiraiya summoned a Stealth Toad from Mount Myōboku, hid inside its belly, and then the Stealth Toad submerged into Magatsu Lake.
He did this to evade the attack of the Demon Lantern Technique.
Although he avoided Ryou's large-scale Fire Release attack, Jiraiya had no sense of relief. Under Sage Mode's perception, Ryou's Chakra was still as immense as a Tailed Beast's.5
His Sage Mode was forcibly dispelled, and he couldn't even straighten his waist, constantly panting.
Jiraiya was exhausted!
Jiraiya was already low on stamina after being hit by Ryou's Harem Jutsu, and he became listless after being hit by Ryou's Paradise of Bliss.
Now, after performing a series of Sage Arts, Jiraiya was a true tough guy to still be standing.
Looking at the beast opposite, his face wasn't red, and he wasn't panting. No wonder his genjutsu was so diverse? He was incredibly tough!
"Wood Release: Wood Golem Technique!"
Ryou's voice echoed in Jiraiya's ears. At this moment, he struggled to look up, falling into complete despair.
A giant Wood Golem, larger than a Tailed Beast, emerged from the ground. Its face was square, its brow bones prominent, and a Wood Dragon coiled around its arm.
Its entire body was covered in dense, dark green, almost black wood grain. Its torso was robust and sturdy, and its overall lines were filled with a primitive, heavy feel.
It was like a Wood Golem!
Such a Ninjutsu, no, this had already gone beyond the scope of Ninjutsu.
Even Jiraiya's Sage Arts couldn't create such a spectacle.
This was the ultimate Ninjutsu of the First Hokage, used to pacify the Warring States Period.
Just the Wood Dragon on the Wood Golem could easily subdue a Tailed Beast, let alone the Wood Golem Adamantine, which resembled an Arhat deity?
Jiraiya gave up all resistance: "Sage Fukasaku, Shima, you two go back!"
"No—"
"Little Jiraiya, if we die, we die together!"
"That's right, Little Jiraiya, the dead guy and I have lived for eight hundred years, that's enough. Isn't it just death? Little Ryou, come on!"
"Dying under the First Hokage's Jutsu won't disgrace us."
What kind of person has what kind of Summoned Beast?
Humans and Summoned Beasts achieve greatness together.
Their relationship wasn't that of a master and servant, but of family, partners who could absolutely trust each other.
"What, what did you say? Can you speak louder?"
Ryou strained his ears on top of the Wood Golem because he couldn't hear anything.
Never mind, just kill them all!
The Wood Golem raised its fist, like a god raising his arm of destruction, like the invisible hand of a free economy.
Jiraiya formed hand seals, and Fukasaku and Shima were immediately reverse-summoned back to Mount Myōboku.
"Little Jiraiya—"
Precisely because they were like family, Jiraiya would not implicate anyone.
This mission was Jiraiya's personal endeavor, and he didn't want anyone to die because of him.
Minato wanted to use Flying Thunder God Technique to save Jiraiya, but he suddenly noticed Madara's gaze fixed on him.
Damn it! I've been discovered!
"Limbo: Border Jail!"
An invisible shadow struck Minato, grabbing his arm instantly.
"Minato, I've got you!"
In a flash, Minato made an incredibly astonishing move. He quickly reacted to Madara's control with his powerful reflexes.
He drew a Kunai, cut off his own arm, and then used Flying Thunder God Technique to escape.
Madara's face was somewhat grim: "Good kid, so decisive!"
Jiraiya looked back at Tsunade's location, smiling wistfully: "It's good. At least I saw Tsunade in a wedding dress, even if it wasn't for me."
"Now I can have a good dream!"
The Wood Golem clenched its fist, and the wooden fist, capable of splitting mountains and overturning seas, smashed downwards.
Could Jiraiya withstand this punch, a punch that could shatter mountains and cleave oceans?
Jiraiya slowly closed his eyes.
Looking back at my life, it's been nothing but failures.
I couldn't comfort Tsunade when her brother Nawaki died, I couldn't bring Ryou back when he defected, I couldn't save Orochimaru when he died... And now, when Tsunade needs me most, I can't even take her away.
Just as Ryou controlled the Wood Golem to strike, Candy appeared on his shoulder: "Ryou, look at Tsunade!"
"What, what did you say?"
Candy was speechless, pointing in Tsunade's direction.
Ryou looked in Tsunade's direction, his pupils suddenly contracting. Tsunade, at some point, had a Kunai in her hand.
She held the Kunai to her neck, making it clear that if Ryou dared to kill Jiraiya, Tsunade would commit suicide.
Tsunade shouted: "Ryou, let Jiraiya go, or I'll kill myself!"
"What? What did you say? Can you speak louder?"
"I said, if you dare to kill Jiraiya, I will die right in front of you!"
"What?! Can you come closer and say it?"
Ryou couldn't hear, he ignored all this nonsense, raised his fist, and prepared to smash Jiraiya to death.
But Tsunade's Kunai also drew a slight mark, and blood seeped from her neck.
Ryou reluctantly controlled the Wood Golem to retract its fist, then used Creation Rebirth to heal the cochlea in his inner ear.
He was no longer quiet now, but he still didn't agree to Tsunade's request.
"Tsunade, you won't control me. If you die, I'll turn you into a human puppet, and then I can do whatever I want with you."
∑(ΦдΦlll.
Hearing this, Tsunade's grip on the Kunai loosened a bit; she really didn't want to die.
Jiraiya also shivered in disgust: "Ryou, you bastard, why are you so perverted?"
Ryou looked at Madara: "Ancestor, what should we do now? Should we still kill Jiraiya?"
Madara snorted, arms crossed: "Kill him. What's the point of keeping him? A waste of space!"
All those who disagree with the Eye of the Moon Plan should just die, die, die!
Ryou controlled the Wood Golem to raise its hand again.
Tsunade shouted: "You wouldn't dare!"
The next second, a puff of smoke erupted where Jiraiya was. When the smoke cleared, Jiraiya's figure was no longer there.
It turned out that after Fukasaku and Shima were reverse-summoned back to Mount Myōboku, they immediately performed a reverse summoning.
They had saved Jiraiya.
Ryou spread his hands: "Ancestor, today is my big day, it's not suitable to see blood!"
"Hmph! How boring!"
Madara snorted, then flew back to Hidden Rain Village alone.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Ryou dispelled the Wood Golem and jumped down, holding Candy.
There was a scroll where Jiraiya had left. Ryou picked it up and saw it was Orochimaru's Soft Modification Technique.
There was also a small note.
"Ryou, you won. Take good care of Tsunade from now on. If you ever do anything to wrong Tsunade, I'll fight you to the death."
"This is Orochimaru's Soft Modification Technique. In the past, you were so envious of Orochimaru's long tongue that your eyes turned red."
"Originally, after this Ninja World War, I was going to team up with Orochimaru and Tsunade to recommend you for Jonin. This Ninjutsu was also a Jonin gift I got from Orochimaru for you."
"Who knew... sigh... never mind."
"Live well... with Tsunade!"
The weather in the Land of Rain changed in an instant, from clear to cloudy.
Fine rain threads, like shredded silver lines, drifted down lightly, without a torrential force, accompanied only by a cool breeze.
"Jiraiya..."
Ryou couldn't tell if it was tears or rain on his face?
He couldn't go back! Never again!
He gained power, but also lost his best companion!
Candy took out a tissue and wiped the raindrops from Ryou's face.
"Let's go. Actually, you never intended to kill Jiraiya."
"Tsunade is controlled by your spore, she has no ability to commit suicide. All you wanted was an excuse that Madara would believe."