Uchiha's personal opinion

"It was said by a trembling old master."

"Neutral status requires the recognition of the five great nations and the five great ninja villages. Otherwise, if a country is not strong enough, it will only be easy prey for others to slaughter!"

"When Hanzo the Salamander launched his expansionist conquests, the Five Great Nations still had the power to sanction him. But now? Konoha is all-powerful and no one can stop him!"

"My lords, times have changed!"

"I said in a heavy tone," Li Jiao said.

Upon hearing this, all the high-ranking warriors fell silent.

Mifune was also very satisfied with the performance of his mouth double.

"Then so be it..."

Mifune sighed and broke the silence: "Rikado, could you please go to Konoha and discuss this with General Tokumitsu... see if there's any way to salvage the situation?"

Li Jiao remained silent and bowed to acknowledge the order.

But the high-ranking samurai all knew perfectly well what the outcome of their mission to Konoha would be.

The so-called struggle was merely a fig leaf for the Land of Iron to choose to side with Konoha.

After all, the samurai were all of noble birth, and they still had to adhere to some sense of propriety and morality. Even if they chose to take sides, they would try to conceal it by feigning reluctance.

"...A time of great strife!"

An elderly warrior sighed and then shook his head.

The warriors' spirits plummeted once again.

In such a vast ninja world, is there really no room for a pure land controlled by samurai?

Is the chaotic Warring States period of a thousand years ago about to reappear in the world as two opposing camps?

Chapter 293 Engaging with the World and Retreating from the World

"ah!"

Inside the palace on Mount Myōboku, the Great Toad Sage, who had been sleeping and sensing the future, suddenly awoke with a start and let out a rapid cry of alarm.

"Great Immortal!"

The two immortals, Fukasaku and Shima, immediately dropped what they were doing and instantly arrived at the palace gate to wait.

"...Come in."

After a while, the weary voice of the Toad Immortal came from inside the palace.

Fukasaku and Shima exchanged a glance, then stepped inside with a hint of worry.

This is the second time that the Toad Immortal has been startled awake from his sleep.

After the first awakening, the ancient era of the birth of the Divine Tree and the arrival of Kaguya...

After entering the palace, the Toad Immortal had returned to his usual dazed state, as if the exclamation just now was merely an illusion created by the two immortals.

"..."

After bowing, Fukasaku and Shima stood with their hands at their sides, awaiting instructions.

Although Fukasaku doesn't usually address the founder of Mount Myōboku with politeness, often calling him "a senile old fool who's always sleeping soundly," everyone on Mount Myōboku knows very well that this old fellow, who spends all his time holed up in the palace and sleeping soundly, is the pillar of Mount Myōboku.

"...I can no longer see the future."

After a long while, the Toad Immortal finally spoke.

"what!"

Fukasaku and Shima were greatly shocked.

"...I only saw a sea of ​​blood, and I could no longer see any vision of the future."

"The Great Toad Immortal spoke again."

As he spoke, his breathing grew heavier and heavier, as if he were about to breathe his last.

Fukasaku and Shima didn't care about the toad sage's behavior at this moment; they were just pondering the meaning behind what he had just said.

Despite his current aged appearance, the Toad Master possesses an incredibly vigorous life force, suggesting that he may have more years left to live than his two juniors, Fukasaku and Shima.

"Great Sage, is this time the decision to close Mount Myōboku to seclusion or...?"

At Fukasaku's prompting, Shima stepped forward and asked.

"...No, we should still engage with the world!"

The Great Toad Immortal slowly shook his head, his voice as deep as rolling thunder.

Both the immortals, Fukasaku and Shima, were taken aback, and then a look of fear appeared on their faces.

The three places of inheritance are revered as sacred sites for two reasons: first, because of their long-standing heritage, and second, because they have the ability and means to evade major changes in the world.

However, during Kaguya's time, Mount Myōboku, under the leadership of the toad sage, abandoned the traditional way of avoiding the world and chose to enter the world to support Hagoromo Otsutsuki. Although they eventually managed to seal Kaguya on the moon, the Mount Myōboku lineage suffered heavy casualties as a result.

Although they have gained a lot of benefits from their active engagement in the world, it takes time to convert those benefits into solid strength, especially for the Toad lineage of Mount Myōboku, which needs time to mature and return to its former glory.

Before Fukasaku and Shima, there were many other hermits on Mount Myōboku, but they were all lost in that devastating battle.

"Great Immortal, please reconsider..."

Fukasaku couldn't sit still any longer and quickly stepped forward to persuade him.

It and Shima are only about 800 years old, and compared to the three goddesses of Ryuchi Cave, they are even considered juniors. Although the Great Toad Sage was able to use a lot of resources to cultivate juniors after sealing Kaguya, the price of participating in the Ninja World War was something that these "parties involved" were unwilling to pay.

A major upheaval in the world is equivalent to undergoing a tribulation, which is completely different from accepting a summoning to participate in battle. Once caught up in it, even the high-ranking members of Mount Myōboku who have mastered sage techniques are highly likely to end up being shattered to pieces.

After all, even a toad doesn't want to die.

"...My mind is made up, there is no need for discussion."

The toad sage's thunderous voice rang out again, "Moreover, this time the stinky snake of Ryuchi Cave will probably change its stance..."

"The White Snake Ancestor..."

Fukasaku and Shima looked at each other in bewilderment.

Mount Myoboku and Ryuchi Cave have always been mortal enemies, so why does it sound like they've joined forces this time?

"Whether or not we cooperate with Ryuchi Cave depends on the relationship between the ground travelers of both sides. We only need to exert influence on this, but not interfere directly..."

The Great Toad Sage continued, "By the way, have Jiraiya come back more often when you have time... His Sage Mode skills are really too poor, you should also tutor him more..."

After saying that, the Toad Immortal fell into a state of apparent sleep.

After standing respectfully for a while, the two immortals, Fukasaku and Shima, made sure that the great immortal had no further instructions before they respectfully retreated and left the palace.

"Entering the world..."

Fukasaku sighed deeply, "I wonder how many children will die this time..."

"...Fine, let's get Jiraiya back here as soon as possible!"

Shima rushed home in a flurry. "The food is still cooking. Use the frog call to summon Jiraiya. When he arrives, we can have a meal together!"

"Ugh……"

Fukasaku continued to sigh.

……

Since the Battle of Settsu, Tsunade, who had been living a secluded life in the Senju clan's territory in Konoha, also sensed a reverse summoning jutsu coming from Shikkotsu Forest.

This was also the first time the Slug Sage had actively summoned him.

After quickly giving some instructions, Tsunade used a reverse summoning technique to transform into a cloud of smoke and head towards Shikkotsu Forest.

"Lady Tsunade..."

A soft, sweet voice sounded from behind her.

"Slug...you were looking for me?"

Having just arrived at Shikkotsu Forest, Tsunade held her breath, shielding herself from the corrosive high concentration of acidic fumes, and turned around to ask a large slug, as tall as an adult, behind her.

"Yes... Lady Tsunade, please allow me to take you to see the real body."

The slug obediently lowered its soft body, gesturing for Tsunade to sit on it.

Tsunade stepped forward without caring at all.

Unlike the thriving populations of Ryuchi Cave and Mt. Myoboku, Shikkotsu Forest is home to a large number of slugs that are actually avatars of the ancestral slug sage. Each slug that receives spiritual communication is an extension of the collective consciousness, except that its original form possesses relatively more knowledge or mysteries.

Moreover, what does it mean that Shikkotsu Forest, which has always been peaceful and uncontested, would suddenly do something like this?

Slugs move incredibly fast in acidic solutions. While Tsunade was still lost in thought, the slug clone had already carried her to the main body of the Slug Ancestor.

"Lady Tsunade, it's been a long time..."

Although the Slug Sage's voice resounded throughout the heavens and earth, he maintained the use of honorifics, just like his clone, the Slug.

"Great Immortal..."

Tsunade climbed off the back of the slug clone and greeted the Slug Sage.

"The ninja world may be about to undergo a major change..."

"That's what the Slug Immortal said."

"A major change?!"

Tsunade's expression changed immediately.

"The toad from Mount Myōboku said..."

The Slug Sage said again, "It is said that this time, Gamamaru will no longer be able to see the future."

Tsunade was still in shock, stunned by one bombshell after another.

"Moreover, Ryuchi Cave may even change its original intention and choose to join forces with Mount Myoboku to deal with the great changes in the world in the future..."

"Great Immortal, what is this great change in heaven and earth?"

Tsunade asked, her delicate brows furrowed.

"...I don't know. I was sleeping when the world changed drastically last time, and there were no contracted ground walkers at the time."