"Jiraiya is someone chosen by Mount Myoboku. There is no need to worry. He will naturally be sent back in the future.", Arisu spoke to the Monkey King.
The Monkey King immediately relaxed and quickly cupped his hands in salute. "Sorry for disturbing you, Great Immortal. Since that's the case, I'll take my leave."
"Safe travels.", Arisu nodded with a warm smile.
As soon as the Monkey King left, a White Zetsu hurried over to report, "Great Immortal, Uchiha Madara is trying to summon the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path."
Arisu's expression did not change. He nodded slightly, "Interesting. Madara not only awakened the Rinnegan, he also learned how to summon the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path."
Arisu thought for a moment, 'The real Demonic Statue absolutely cannot fall into his hands. I'll just make a fake one.'
Before he even finished speaking, Arisu vanished in an instant.
In the blink of an eye, he arrived at the place where Mount Myoboku's dragon vein and the Demonic Statue were stored.
Arisu immediately activated the Rinnegan, drew out the dragon vein's power, and personally created a fake Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.
After that, he quickly deployed a group of White Zetsu to closely monitor the movements of Uchiha Madara and his group.
Once everything was arranged, Arisu quietly waited to see what kind of trouble they would stir up, waiting for the winds to rise.
———
[Graveyard Of Mountains]
[Inside A Deep Cave]
Uchiha Madara had his eyes shut, his palm pressed against the ground.
"Strange... I clearly followed the method written on the tablet..."
Uchiha Madara frowned slightly and muttered softly.
Tobirama and Izuna beside him both looked confused.
"Madara, are you sure your interpretation of the tablet was correct?"
Senju Tobirama's gaze swept toward the mysterious stone tablet behind them.
"I'm certain. Tobirama, you don't understand the power of these Rinnegan eyes.", Uchiha Madara spoke with certainty.
Hearing that, Senju Tobirama fell into thought, his eyes fixed firmly on the tablet.
Madara had discovered this tablet during the First Great Ninja War.
At the time, Uchiha Madara secretly brought the tablet back to Konoha, then tried using the Mangekyo Sharingan to decipher it.
"Big brother, try again.", Izuna said.
"Mm."
Uchiha Madara nodded, formed hand seals again, then suddenly slammed both hands onto the ground.
In an instant, his Rinnegan lit up sharply.
Rumble!!!
The earth shook violently as dust shot into the sky.
The fake Demonic Statue of the Outer Path personally created by Arisu appeared right in front of the three of them.
Senju Tobirama looked up at the Demonic Statue in amazement.
"So it was real..."
Uchiha Izuna also looked shocked.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Madara curled his lips upward. "Heh, how could the tablet left behind by the Sage of Six Paths be wrong?"
At this moment, the White Zetsu waiting inside the Demonic Statue slowly opened his eyes.
Their mission was to stay hidden beside Uchiha Madara's group and act according to the Great Immortal's orders.
———
[Meanwhile, In Konoha]
The Monkey King returned and told Hiruzen Sarutobi about Jiraiya being chosen.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was delighted.
He did not know the exact origins of the Three Great Sage Lands, but he clearly knew what was written in Konoha's records.
The earth-shaking sage arts of Senju Hashirama had come from those three mysterious places.
"That brat Jiraiya actually has this kind of fortune? Hahaha..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi laughed heartily with his pipe in his mouth.
"Who would've thought."
"I never expected that little pervert chasing girls around all day would actually catch the attention of a sage land."
The Monkey King sat across from him, scratching his head with his furry claw.
Before their laughter faded, an Anbu hurried inside.
The Anbu knelt on one knee. Even through the mask, his voice carried undisguised heaviness, "Lord Hokage, Lord Kirisu Sarutobi... has passed away."
"What?!"
The pipe hit the Hokage's desk with a clatter.
The smile on Hiruzen Sarutobi's face instantly froze. Then he grabbed the Hokage hat from the corner and rushed out like the wind.
———
Solemn funeral music echoed over Konoha.
"Our beloved Lord Kirisu Sarutobi passed away peacefully yesterday at 2:55 in the afternoon at the Sarutobi clan grounds..."
This old legend had walked out from the mountains of corpses and seas of blood during the Warring States era, witnessing Konoha's founding from nothing.
He once struck Iwagakure during the First Great Ninja War and commanded the battlefield with confidence.
He also supported Hiruzen Sarutobi's rise to power. But in the end, this legendary old man had finally completed his magnificent life.
Considering Kirisu Sarutobi's lifetime of achievements, considering he was Konoha's last living fossil, and even more because he was his own father, Hiruzen Sarutobi held a funeral for him at an extremely high level.
Although it did not reach the level of a Hokage funeral, he could still be considered the highest-ranking person below the Hokage.
All of Konoha sank into grief as they bid farewell to the old man.
———
As the sun set, before Kirisu Sarutobi's grave, Hiruzen Sarutobi stood there alone. His usually straight back now bent slightly.
Hiruzen touched the gravestone.
"Sigh..."
A long sigh scattered into the wind.
"Father, rest well on your journey.", Hiruzen Sarutobi muttered.
Then he raised a hand and wiped the moisture from the corner of his eyes. Behind him came familiar heavy footsteps.
Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned slightly but did not turn around. "Danzo, I said not to disturb me. Let me stay with him alone for a while."
Shimura Danzo had his hands behind his back as he slowly walked to Hiruzen's side. His shadow stretched long beneath the sunset.
"I have information that must be told to you right now.", Shimura Danzo said slowly.
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep breath, suppressing the emotions surging inside him. His voice was hoarse, "Speak."
"Right now, it's not only a new grave in front of you. In the distant Iwagakure, a lonely grave was also just added."
Danzo looked toward the direction of Iwagakure in the distance, a smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly turned around, shock flashing through his eyes. "Who died?"
Danzo withdrew his gaze and looked him in the eye, his expression suddenly becoming extremely serious.
"The Second Tsuchikage, Mu."
The moment he heard that person had died, Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes widened sharply.
"First, I came to grieve with you, Hiruzen. Second, I came to congratulate you!", Shimura Danzo smiled slightly and casually raised a hand.
"Good! Hahaha, Danzo, that's some congratulations! Even if my father died again, I'd still be willing!", Hiruzen Sarutobi could no longer suppress the joy on his face. He stepped forward and tightly grabbed Danzo's hand.
"Come on, let's go drink!", Hiruzen Sarutobi said happily.
Danzo was stunned. Hiruzen Sarutobi's emotions changed way too quickly.
"Alright!"
The two happily went back hand in hand to drink together.
"Hahahaha! Good!"
"With the Second Tsuchikage dead, it's hugely beneficial for Konoha!"
Inside the room, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzo clinked cups while laughing.
Danzo's eyes also shone brightly. "This way, we can reclaim everything that belongs to Konoha."
Hiruzen Sarutobi paused slightly, then smiled faintly.
At this moment, Danzo suddenly spoke, "Hiruzen, there are some things you can't do as Hokage, but I, Danzo, can... how about..."
Then Danzo revealed the Root plan.
After hearing it, Hiruzen Sarutobi thought it sounded good and immediately agreed.
"Fine. But Danzo, remember, don't go too far."
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