The mountain-like Thousand-Armed Kannon, its mere size was enough to drain anyone's will to fight; this was no longer Ninjutsu, but a divine power.
It's a Senjutsu!
Jiraiya then said, "This is no place to talk. Let's leave first and speak once we reach a safe location."
The Fourth Raikage nodded.
Then Minato performed the Flying Thunder God Technique, taking the Fourth Raikage and the others away.
After they left, Black and White Zetsu emerged from the ground in the form of a pitcher plant.
White Zetsu said, "Black Zetsu, Lord Ryou was right. With so many experts, no matter how strong Lord Ryou is, he would eventually be worn down by them."
Black Zetsu was prepared to go before Madara to tattle on Ryou.
But on second thought, it wasn't necessary.
Currently, Black Zetsu was the person who most hoped Ryou and Madara wouldn't clash. He wished for them to harmoniously execute the Eye of the Moon Plan so his mother could be revived.
Moreover, Ryou was right to flee beforehand with the Seven-Tails.
Although the Thousand-Armed Kannon was powerful, its agility was low. For speed-type users like Minato and the Fourth Raikage, it was nothing more than a sitting duck.
The Eight-Tails Jinchuriki Killer Bee and the Two-Tails Jinchuriki were not simple either; both could undergo Tailed Beast Transformation. If they fired Tailed Beast Balls from a distance, the Thousand-Armed Kannon could only tank them head-on.
"White Zetsu, don't tell Madara about the Two-Tails and Eight-Tails when we get back, to prevent the grandfather and grandson from arguing!"
White Zetsu was a bit surprised. "Black Zetsu, you're actually quite humane!"
"Hmph!"
Black Zetsu snorted.
...
On the road from the Land of Waterfalls to the Land of Rain.
Ryou looked at the Icha Icha Paradise Jiraiya had given him earlier. Ryou hadn't expected Jiraiya to enter the dark world so soon.
In the original work, the first Icha Icha Paradise Jiraiya published was during Kakashi's adulthood.
Which is four years later.
What drove Jiraiya's transformation from a traditional novelist to an adult novelist was his despair over the Shinobi World.
Minato, the child of prophecy whom Jiraiya had high hopes for, died during the Nine-Tails' attack on the Village. For a time, Jiraiya felt lost regarding the future of the Shinobi World.
His works also shifted from positive energy to erotic energy, and from then on, he never looked back on the path of erotica.
Ryou was returning to Amegakure. Tsunade was waiting for him in the Village. Although he hadn't been away from home for long this time...
But Ryou's longing for Tsunade was already overflowing. Upon his return, he had to give her plenty of "attention."
Before that, Ryou didn't mind appreciating Jiraiya's masterpiece.
But after reading a chapter or two, Ryou was absolutely livid.
"What the hell? What kind of dog crap is this writing!"
In a fit of rage, Ryou tore Jiraiya's Icha Icha Paradise into shreds.
Because what Jiraiya wrote wasn't standard erotica at all, but NTR stories.
This kind of stimulation was still too ahead of its time for Ryou.
He simply couldn't immerse himself in it.
Candy was controlling the Wood Dragon to fly toward Amegakure. Seeing Ryou so angry, she asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"
Ryou took a deep breath and adjusted his mindset. "It's Jiraiya's book. That pervy sage actually wrote such NTR stories."
"Candy, find someone to take care of Jiraiya for me!"
Ignoring Ryou's words, Candy said, "It's probably because you snatched Tsunade away. In his despair, Jiraiya became like this."
Ryou shook his head and stopped worrying about Jiraiya's business.
Candy suddenly said, "Ryou, it's Konan and the others, down below!"
"Oh—"
Konan, Nagato, and the people from Kusagakure and Amegakure looked up at the majestic and ancient giant Wood Dragon in the sky.
The massive body of the dragon coiled and meandered, giving off a very heavy sense of pressure.
Strangely, this Wood Dragon wasn't that majestic; it looked as if it had eaten too much, with a very bloated middle section.
It was a Fat Dragon!
Then, the Wood Dragon lowered its head, as if it had spotted Konan and the others, and descended toward them.
Among the crowd, the Takigakure traitor Suien was extremely afraid that the giant dragon would harm people, and he couldn't help but turn to run.
Wuwei grabbed his hand. "Don't be afraid, it's Lord Ryou's Wood Dragon!"
Suien calmed down, awkwardly smiling through his cold sweat. "So it's Lord Ryou's Wood Release. Lord Ryou is truly remarkable!"
In the past, Suien thought that as long as he obtained the Hero Water, he could conquer the entire world.
But now he realized his world was too small, and Takigakure was too small as well.
The world outside was vast, and the sights he saw far exceeded that of the Village hidden behind the waterfall.
Ryou controlled the Wood Dragon to stop in front of Konan, Nagato, and the others.
Konan and Nagato watched with concern because Ryou had previously told them about Shisui's Kotoamatsukami genjutsu.
They were both worried that Ryou might have been controlled by Shisui's Kotoamatsukami.
Ryou stepped out of the Wood Dragon's mouth, arms crossed, his thin lips pressed tight without a hint of a smile.
His gaze fell straight ahead, as if staring at a target, or as if confronting the entire world.
Oh no!
As soon as Konan and Nagato saw this expression on Ryou's face, they felt something was wrong. This was definitely not an expression that a scoundrel like Ryou would make.
The man's aura exuded a near-obsessive determination and forbearance, and his entire being radiated a "do not approach" pressure.
Konan and Nagato suspected that Ryou's will had already been rewritten by Kotoamatsukami.
Konan and Nagato felt something was off, and those who had spent time with Ryou felt it too; every one of them was as if facing a great enemy.
Ryou noticed the unfamiliar Suien who had appeared among the Kusagakure group. "Who are you?"
Shirakawa introduced him to Ryou, "Lord Ryou, this person was once a Shinobi of Takigakure, but he has now defected to us."
"It was thanks to him leading the way that we were able to successfully enter Takigakure hidden behind the waterfall!"
"Oh~"
Ryou looked at Suien, somewhat surprised. "Quite a contribution! What reward do you want?"
Suien said excitedly, "Lord Ryou, I... I... I want to obtain power as great as yours."
"Hey, I told you to speak and you actually said it?!"
Ryou was surprised. In the next moment, the Wood Dragon's massive mouth behind him shot out several wooden spikes. With a series of whooshes, they pierced through the air, turning Suien into a pincushion.
Suien collapsed to the ground, his breath gradually fading. His eyes were wide open, staring at Ryou with venomous resentment and unwillingness.
"...Why... Why?!"
Ryou smiled somewhat pervertedly, "In this life, I hate traitors the most!"
Suien let out his final curse, "...You're a rogue Shinobi, you're also a traitor—"
Then Suien died. The Wood Dragon extended vines to touch his body, absorbing Suien's chakra as a form of waste recycling.
Ryou rubbed his head. "That makes sense! I'm a rogue Shinobi, so I'm also a traitor."
"Are there any Medical Shinobi? Quick, save him!"
"..."
No one responded.