"What exactly is your purpose in searching for the Sage of Six Paths' shrine?" Jiraiya asked Yagoromo.
The two of them were still on Mount Myōboku, though they were no longer beside the Great Toad Sage.
After speaking such a long stretch in one breath, the Great Toad Sage had once again fallen asleep. However, perhaps because it had talked too much this time, it seemed to have completely kicked the bucket for a moment, frightening both Jiraiya and Fukasaku half to death.
Fortunately, the Great Toad Sage had merely fallen asleep as usual, not entered an "eternal sleep." Otherwise, Yagoromo would have had to compensate Mount Myōboku for a thousand-year-old toad spirit.
"Simply put, I just want to go take a look, then see whether there's anything useful there. After all, considering the enemies we may face in the future, no amount of strengthening myself would be excessive," Yagoromo replied.
His words were fairly reasonable. Besides, from what the Great Toad Sage had just said, Jiraiya had gained an even deeper sense of urgency. The current shinobi world was peaceful on the surface, but it gave off the feeling of the calm before the storm, especially now that he had already obtained information about the Rinnegan.
The appearance of the Eyes of the Sage of Six Paths itself meant the arrival of tremendous change. This was something Jiraiya had known for more than ten years. But the problem now was that the change that had appeared did not seem to be the kind he had guided and hoped for back then. Because of this, there was even a suffocating feeling pressing in on him.
As for Yagoromo's vague explanation, Jiraiya chose to believe it.
Considering the possibility that the Rinnegan belonged to an enemy, they naturally had to make sufficient preparations. And in the shrine left behind by the Sage of Six Paths, there might perhaps be information about the Rinnegan, or even a method to counter those eyes.
And given Yagoromo's pursuit of high-level ninjutsu when he was young, it seemed perfectly reasonable for him to go dig through the Sage of Six Paths'…
No, to go rob the Sage of Six Paths' old home.
But was that really the case?
Would Yagoromo truly behave so properly and by the book?
That possibility basically did not exist.
Sometimes, the things Yagoromo said sounded true but were actually false. Sometimes, what he said was false but sounded true…
Yes, those two sentences meant the same thing. Yagoromo was accustomed to using lies to mislead others.
Moreover… if he did not stir up some huge news or court death in a spectacular way every once in a while, then he would not be Yagoromo.
And with Yagoromo's current strength, dealing with tailed beasts could only be considered ordinary courting death. If he wanted to court death on a grand scale, it was actually not a simple matter.
So his earlier explanation of his purpose could not be trusted.
"The world is vast, and the world is also small. But what ought to be seen must be seen in the end…" At the end, Yagoromo added another vague, disconnected sigh to his own words.
"The matter here is over. Shall we return to Konoha?" he asked Jiraiya.
Before coming, he had not expected the Great Toad Sage to be so easy to talk to. After arriving at Mount Myōboku, his goal had actually been achieved just like that. So, unexpectedly, they could return directly to Konoha.
Originally, Yagoromo had thought this would take at least some effort. This was also why he preferred dealing with existences like the White Snake Sage, who carried the flavor of a dark force. After all, in that sort of situation, he could use threats of violence without any psychological pressure.
As for the Great Toad Sage's side, that strategy was impossible.
First, Jiraiya was with him. He had grown up calling the Great Toad Sage "Grandpa Toad."
Second, threats depended on the target. Given the Great Toad Sage's personality, and the fact that it was not some combat faction to begin with—at most, it counted as a theoretical faction—the situation would be similar to a shinobi attacking an ordinary civilian. Yagoromo was not so unreasonable that he would attack just because he felt like it.
Lastly, in the Great Toad Sage's current state, it looked as if it could keel over at any time even if left alone. What were you supposed to threaten it with? A circle? What if it suddenly died on the spot?
In short, it was all thanks to the Sage having received a prophecy about him beforehand and having adopted a very cooperative attitude.
"Before coming here, I set up a summoning toad in Konoha. Next, we can return directly through reverse summoning," Jiraiya nodded and said.
This was the advantage of Mount Myōboku. They had plenty of toads and could stuff them anywhere…
In fact, there was currently a toad named Gerotora stuffed inside Jiraiya's body, and it had been stuffed there for more than ten years.
Theoretically, Jiraiya was also a man who could use space-time ninjutsu similar to the Flying Thunder God Technique in battle. However, what he scattered was not kunai marked with formulas, but toads from Mount Myōboku…
Scattering tadpoles would probably work too.
This time, Jiraiya had specifically accompanied Yagoromo to Mount Myōboku. Since the goal had already been achieved, they could now return to Konoha.
Yagoromo placed one hand on Jiraiya's shoulder. Jiraiya then formed hand seals with both hands, and in the next instant, the two disappeared from Mount Myōboku and appeared on the outskirts of Konoha.
After returning to Konoha, with all the information now in hand, Yagoromo did not set off immediately. On the contrary, he made quite a few preparations. With this delay, another month basically passed.
And perhaps because he was truly considering Yagoromo's suggestion, or perhaps because of the Hokage's order, Jiraiya really did not leave Konoha again during this period.
...
"Hehe! It's cold and slippery…"
Mirai, whose right shoulder was half exposed, giggled because her skin had come into contact with something.
"All right, it's done," Yagoromo replied, then let Mirai straighten out her own clothes.
This was the third seal he had branded onto the little girl, and it should also be the final layer. With this sort of multilayered protective mechanism, he could basically ensure that no further problems would arise with her safety.
As for Naruto, Yagoromo had also made corresponding arrangements on him. It was just that the other party did not know it.
"Yagoromo, are you really going?" Mirai suddenly asked.
As she said this, her fingers kept rubbing the hairpin that was always pinned to her lapel. This was an unconscious gesture she made whenever she felt uneasy or nervous.
Regarding Yagoromo's next move, she had also sensed something. Mirai did not know exactly what Yagoromo was going to do, but this time, he truly was going to leave for a while.
Not a short while, either.
"Yes. There's something I have to do," Yagoromo said while helping Mirai tidy her hair.
"Can't you take me with you?"
"No. Because there may be fighting," Yagoromo refused very directly.
What was called a "fight"?
At the very least, both sides had to be evenly matched before it could truly be called a fight. During the process, the defeat or even death of either side should be balanced. Otherwise, when the strength and chances of victory between the two sides were extremely unequal, that was not a fight. It was merely one side bullying the other.
From this point of view, Yagoromo had only experienced one real fight so far.
That was when he faced Pain.
And now, he was about to undertake his second battle.
"Then about how long will it take before you can come back?"
"About one or two months."
There was uncertainty in his tone.
But even if it was only one or two months, it would still be the longest separation between the two of them since Mirai had gained her memories. It was something she had never experienced before.
However, Mirai did not say anything more because of this. Girls matured mentally earlier than boys, and now she could already vaguely understand certain things.
Yagoromo had once told her, "In the end, people have to protect themselves."
She now understood the meaning of those words a little.
"If there's anything you can't resolve, go find that uncle. Understand?" Yagoromo instructed.
"I know. Uncle Jiraiya," Mirai said.
After meeting him several times, she was now familiar with Jiraiya. And with her sharp sensory ability, she could also tell that the man truly cared about her and Naruto.
Furthermore, Yagoromo had explained Jiraiya's identity to her. Mirai was also perfectly clear about the connections involved.
As for Jiraiya, there was no doubt that he valued Minato's orphan greatly. It was just that because of Yagoromo's existence, he temporarily did not need to intervene too much.
"But…"
Yagoromo had just been about to remind the girl to be careful of that perverted old man. But after thinking about it, he realized it was still a little too early for that. Besides, Jiraiya was not a lolicon. So, with the words already at his lips, he changed them.
"Tell Haku to be a little careful of Uncle Jiraiya."
Even if Jiraiya was not a lolicon, one still could not randomly assign attributes to people, right? Was he supposed to be gay now?
In short, these words left Mirai somewhat baffled.
And if Jiraiya knew that someone had saddled him with that sort of impression, he would probably cry himself unconscious in the bathroom. Slandering someone behind their back like this showed no respect for one's elders at all.
...
On the morning of the day after this conversation, Yagoromo left Konoha alone and set off toward his destination.
The wind blew rain into flowers. Time could not catch the white horse. Clouds churned and became summer. Sweat was evaporated by the years. The wind blew bright snowflakes and turned his hair white…
Summer passed, autumn went, and winter arrived. On a windless day of light snow mixed with fine rain, the white-haired young man arrived in an unknown land.
Yagoromo acted only for himself. He had not come here, as he had claimed, to find some method to increase his strength. That was nothing more than a hypocritical lie, one that could only deceive people other than himself.
As for the true purpose of this journey, it could not have been simpler. It could be summarized in just a few words.
He had come here to do only one thing:
Yagoromo had come…
to kill Yagoromo.
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