"Oh, he's done for, huh? What a miserable way to go, tsk tsk tsk..."
After Kazahana Dotō's death—so final that there wasn't even a chance of survival—Jiraiya, who had been sent flying by his own punch, strolled back over as if nothing had happened.
Looking down at the broken, tattered corpse at the bottom of the pit, Jiraiya patted Takeshi on the shoulder, not showing a single sign of injury himself.
"You, huh... as expected, not a scratch on you."
Takeshi, who had long since anticipated this, pushed Jiraiya's hand away in disdain.
"Hahaha, don't be so cold. I only did that because I knew you could handle him. Besides, I wasn't completely slacking off—I was watching your blind spot for you."
Jiraiya grinned as he boasted about his "contribution."
Takeshi caught the hidden meaning in his words—"blind spot." Jiraiya was worried that the archer-type artificial human from before might launch a sneak attack again.
Though Jiraiya often acted careless and lighthearted, when things got serious, he was one of the most reliable comrades one could have.
"Since Kazahana Dotō is dead, I'll order the search for the Akatsuki Organization immediately."
When Takeshi didn't respond, Jiraiya turned to begin issuing the next set of orders.
"Remember to bring Kazahana Koyuki here. She's the future daimyō of the Land of Snow, after all. Let her see her uncle's corpse with her own eyes—so she won't think we tampered with anything."
Takeshi called out before Jiraiya had gone far.
"By the way, I'm leaving the Land of Snow matters to you. I want to take this chance to visit Mount Myōboku—to meet those toads who taught you Senjutsu."
The first part was easy—letting the queen see her uncle's body was no problem.
But the second part...
"Mount Myōboku? Only those with fate can..." Jiraiya turned around, puzzled as to why Takeshi wanted to go there.
"Spare me that destiny nonsense. Just tell me—can I go or not?" Takeshi had no interest in fate. He only knew that as long as he was determined, he could go anywhere.
Jiraiya couldn't help but chuckle at his shamelessness, though his tone held some helplessness.
"That's not something I can decide. After all, you already carry the techniques of Shikkotsu Forest. The Three Great Sacred Grounds aren't places that ordinary shinobi can access. I've never heard of anyone visiting two in a row..."
"Not two," Takeshi interrupted. "Three. I'll be going to Ryūchi Cave too. It's just that since you're here today, I wanted to inform you first—and ask you to help with an introduction. If you don't want to, I'll find another way to get in."
Seeing that Takeshi's expression was completely serious, Jiraiya finally dropped his playful tone.
"What exactly are you trying to do, Takeshi?"
He began addressing him directly by name.
"For the sake of the shinobi world, I need to uncover the secret behind natural energy."
Takeshi's answer was something Danzo himself might've said.
"Give me three days," Jiraiya finally said, understanding Takeshi's determination.
"I'll be waiting," Takeshi replied, smiling brightly.
...
No one knew how Jiraiya reported to the toads of Mount Myōboku, but by the third day, he brought back a satisfactory answer.
The Great Toad Sage had agreed to let Takeshi visit the Sacred Ground. As for whether he would be allowed to train there, Jiraiya didn't give a definite answer—he said they'd decide after meeting the Great Toad Sage in person.
To prevent any possible conflict between Takeshi and Mount Myōboku, Jiraiya entrusted the troops to his deputy, Hyūga Hizashi, and personally accompanied Takeshi to the mountain.
As the Reverse Summoning Technique ended, Takeshi finally got his first glimpse of Mount Myōboku.
Compared to the damp darkness of Shikkotsu Forest, Mount Myōboku was vibrant with the breath of mountains and forests—waterfalls, greenery, and countless giant toads everywhere...
"Haha, welcome to Mount Myōboku, little Takeshi."
Greeting him was none other than Fukasaku.
"This here is Boss Fukasaku—no, I mean, Sage Fukasaku. And that one is Sage Shima."
Jiraiya introduced the two sages in a low voice.
"Hahaha, titles don't matter much—they're just words." Fukasaku chuckled, patting his belly before nimbly hopping onto Jiraiya's shoulder.
"Come to think of it, Jiraiya-boy, it's been quite a while since you last visited. Were you off doing that so-called 'research' again?"
"Hmph, and still not settling down to start a family," Sage Shima grumbled as she led the way ahead.
Since the two sages didn't seem interested in speaking with him, Takeshi was more than happy to walk quietly behind them, occasionally glancing around to observe his surroundings.
At the same time, he began to sense the natural energy flowing through Mount Myōboku.
It truly lived up to its title as a Sacred Ground—the natural energy here was terrifyingly dense. Anyone without prior training might be torn apart by such overwhelming force.
Compared to Shikkotsu Forest's method—where one entered inside the Slug Sage's body to directly experience the energy—Mount Myōboku's way, which required one to sense and absorb it manually, was no less dangerous.
The difference was simply this: in one place, you risked being digested; in the other, you risked turning into a frog statue for display.
He couldn't help but wonder what kind of training Ryūchi Cave used.
As Takeshi absorbed the natural energy of Mount Myōboku, Fukasaku, who had been chatting with Jiraiya, suddenly turned his head sharply toward him. The sage's wide frog eyes narrowed slightly as he studied Takeshi, then turned away as if nothing had happened, continuing his conversation.
Such sharp instincts.
Takeshi knew that the sage had already noticed what he was doing, yet chose not to stop him. Naturally, Takeshi, who never knew when to quit, continued fusing the natural energy within himself.
"Jiraiya-boy, your Sage Mode—it's still the same as before, hmm?" Fukasaku asked suddenly.
"Hahaha, can't be helped. My talent's limited. I can't enter Sage Mode without borrowing your and Shima-sama's power, unlike Minato."
Jiraiya admitted openly.
"Well, geniuses are rare..." Fukasaku muttered, then glanced toward Shima.
Leading the way ahead, Shima nodded subtly, understanding the meaning behind Fukasaku's look.
Yes, geniuses were rare—but there just might be one walking right behind them.
Though Takeshi had received the inheritance from Shikkotsu Forest, his ease in absorbing Mount Myōboku's natural energy was remarkable. For a first-timer, being able to fuse and control it so smoothly already spoke volumes about his talent.
The last person this gifted was Namikaze Minato.
However, though Minato's Sage Mode surpassed his teacher Jiraiya's in form, it lacked endurance.
But this kid behind them...