(The protagonist deliberately exposed his identity as part of a larger plan to fake a redemption arc—this will be explained in this chapter.)
It looked like Jiraiya and Orochimaru were ready for an all-out battle, but in truth, both were already plotting their escape.
In their current situation, killing Hyuga Gakuya was impossible. But if they could pass on what they'd learned, maybe—just maybe—someone could stop him down the line.
Jiraiya certainly wasn't going to go all-in like he had in the original timeline. Gakuya wasn't his student, and he had no obligation to sacrifice himself for Konoha's sake.
Gakuya narrowed his eyes and sneered coldly."Hmph... Do you really think you're on the side of justice?"
"The Konoha shinobi, Jiraiya, illegally infiltrated a Federation research facility, murdered Federation personnel, and stole classified data. Isn't that enough of a crime?"
"Jiraiya-senpai, you'd better make the most of your final moments. After you're dead, I'll return your body to Konoha. With charges like that, even the village won't be able to say a word."
With a wave of his hand, the surrounding Federation shinobi surged forward like a tidal wave.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru exchanged a glance—no words were needed between longtime comrades. With a single look, they understood each other completely.
"Fire Style: Flame Bullet!"
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
A searing blaze met a roaring gust of wind, the two combining into a scorching inferno that swept toward the oncoming shinobi. Unable to withstand the force, the attackers had no choice but to retreat.
Gakuya gave a cold snort and raised a hand, repelling the firestorm with raw force.
"If that's all you've got, then this is where your story ends," he mocked.
Seizing the brief opening, Jiraiya and Orochimaru gave each other one more look and vanished in a blur of movement, sprinting toward the elevator at top speed.
"Trying to run? Not so easy!" Gakuya saw through their intent and immediately led his men in pursuit.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru fled through the corridors, hurling jutsu behind them to slow their pursuers.
But Gakuya wasn't in a rush. He tailed them calmly. After all, his goal wasn't to kill them—at least, not yet.
They reached the elevator and rushed to open it—just as the doors slid open to reveal a squad of Federation shinobi waiting inside.
Their hearts sank, but their reactions were instantaneous.
"Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall!" Jiraiya slammed a hand to the floor, raising a thick earthen wall to buy time.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru unleashed a torrent of snakes from his mouth, sending them slithering forward to attack the men in the elevator.
The snakes engulfed the shinobi in an instant. Jiraiya and Orochimaru slipped into the elevator—but no matter what they did, it wouldn't start.
Behind them, Gakuya's mocking voice rang out.
"Struggling is pointless. You need clearance to activate the elevator."
With a casual swing of his fist, he shattered the earth wall from a distance.
Orochimaru didn't respond. A massive white serpent burst from his mouth, and he transformed into a serpent himself. The larger snake devoured Jiraiya in one gulp and smashed through the elevator ceiling, crawling straight upward.
Gakuya stepped into the elevator and looked up at the two fleeing figures, but made no move to stop them.
Otogakure was his after all—he couldn't risk damaging it in a full-on chase.
"You don't need to follow them," he said. "Leave the rest to me."
"Yes, sir!" the shinobi responded in unison.
Gakuya disappeared in a flicker, heading after the fleeing duo.
Orochimaru and Jiraiya scrambled upward, but it didn't take long before they sensed a powerful chakra quickly closing in.
"Damn it! He's already on us!" Jiraiya shouted from inside the serpent's belly.
Orochimaru's heart sank, but he pressed on. Just as the first rays of light peeked through above—
Gakuya caught up.
He raised a hand and unleashed a wave of repelling force, smashing the white serpent through the roof of the research facility and sending it crashing into the street outside.
The impact was too much—Orochimaru could no longer maintain the form, and Jiraiya was expelled from the serpent's body.
Gakuya emerged slowly, floating into the air above them, looking down like a god surveying mortals.
Jiraiya pressed a hand to the ground, and in a puff of smoke, massive clouds billowed outward, blocking everyone's vision.
From within the haze, a colossal toad leapt high into the air, racing out of Otogakure with Orochimaru and Jiraiya atop its back.
Gakuya didn't give chase immediately. Instead, he followed at a leisurely pace, like a predator toying with his prey.
He didn't want to kill them. He needed them to escape.
Only by letting them go could his information be leaked.
This was all part of the plan—to soften the public perception of him before launching an attack on Konoha. If even Nagato, the mastermind behind Pain's assault, could be redeemed by Naruto's talk-no-jutsu, why couldn't he?
A redeemable villain needed to be revived, to suffer, to be misunderstood—and most importantly, to have a noble cause.
He wanted Jiraiya to return to Konoha and spread his story. That was how his legend would take root, how he would become a man worthy of being "talked down."
Gakuya followed at a steady pace until Gamabunta bounded out of Otogakure and into the forest beyond. Only then did he pick up speed slightly.
Watching Gakuya gaining on them, Orochimaru muttered, "This isn't going to work."
"You've got the best chance of surviving this," Jiraiya said through gritted teeth. "You're in an Edo Tensei body. You have to break out and get the intel to Konoha."
...
It was the only way. If they both tried to run, neither would make it. One of them had to hold Gakuya off.
Orochimaru hesitated, then gave a slow nod. "I'll do it."
It was the only viable choice. And besides, Orochimaru had no intention of playing the hero. He wasn't going to stick around and die.
Gakuya casually threw a punch from a distance. It landed cleanly on Gamabunta, who groaned under the pressure and vanished in a puff of smoke—sent back to Mount Myōboku.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru plummeted to the ground but landed smoothly.
"Give me an explosive tag," Orochimaru said, holding out a hand.
Jiraiya, not sure what he was planning, still handed over several tags from his pouch.
Tiny snakes slithered out of Orochimaru's sleeves and wrapped around the tags. He formed a series of hand seals, then flung the snakes into the air toward Gakuya.
Gakuya instantly recognized the technique—Second Hokage Tobirama's forbidden jutsu: Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags.
So Orochimaru knew that too? Not a surprise.
He quickly summoned several Truth-Seeking Orbs, forming a protective shield just as the tags struck.
A chain of violent explosions followed, the blast echoing across the forest. The explosion sustained itself for nearly a full minute before the smoke began to clear.
When it did, Gakuya hovered in the air, completely unharmed.
His gaze turned icy.
On the ground, all that remained of Orochimaru was a pile of ash.
What Gakuya hadn't expected... was that Orochimaru had actually succeeded in breaking the Edo Tensei contract.
He wouldn't throw away his chance to escape Gakuya's control. Returning to the Pure Land meant being at Gakuya's mercy again—and next time, Jiraiya wouldn't be there to help.
So what now?
Was he revived again? Whose body was he using?
Gakuya narrowed his eyes and activated the Tenseigan, scanning the area to uncover exactly what had just happened.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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