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Chapter 259 - Chapter 260 Kaguya: I've Been Waiting for You

Land of the Wind.

A small izakaya.

Jiraiya sat with flushed cheeks between two charming older women.

There were even a couple of hickeys on his neck.

"Hehe, let's keep drinking," he said with a grin, eyeing their graceful figures.

After leaving Konoha Village, he had been tracking Kakuzu.

Originally planning to find the Mysterious Organization through him.

But to his surprise, Kakuzu was far too experienced.

His pursuit was quickly discovered.

The two fought, but it ended in a draw.

Neither could finish off the other in a short time.

Kakuzu simply broke free and escaped.

Because of that, Jiraiya lost his trail.

Luckily, Kakuzu seemed to really like taking missions from the black market.

That gave Jiraiya another chance to continue his chase.

With the previous experience in mind, he didn't dare get too close this time, to avoid being noticed.

At that moment, an orange frog suddenly jumped in from outside.

"Ah!"

Two young women screamed in shock.

They'd never seen such a huge frog before.

And it was also quite ugly.

Jiraiya stared at the orange frog, dazed, his vision slightly blurred from alcohol.

He blinked, starting to sober up.

"Why don't you two step outside for a moment?"

Jiraiya knew a frog wouldn't seek him out like this without good reason.

Something must have happened.

After they left, Jiraiya spoke up. "What's your name? I don't think I've seen you before."

"Lord Jiraiya."

The orange frog answered. "I'm Gamabe, the reserve messenger frog between Konoha and Mount Myoboku."

"Reserve?"

Somewhat surprised, Jiraiya asked, "Where's Gamakou?"

"They're all dead… everyone…"

Gamabe suddenly broke down, tears streaming down his face.

"What do you mean?!"

Jiraiya blurted out in shock, his face twisted in disbelief.

"Mount Myoboku has been destroyed."

Gamabe sobbed as he continued. "All the frogs are dead. I'm the only one left."

"That's impossible!"

Jiraiya shouted instinctively.

He shakily raised his right hand and slammed it onto the ground.

[Summoning Jutsu!]

A cloud of smoke appeared—but not the frog he wanted.

He tried again and again, but nothing happened.

Sage Fukasaku, Lady Shima, Gamabunta, and others.

Not one of the familiar frogs appeared.

This left no doubt about what Gamabe had said.

Jiraiya fell back onto the sofa, his face went blank.

After a long silence, he buried his face in his hands and wept. "It's my fault… I doomed Mount Myoboku."

Long ago, the Great Toad Sage foretold this prophecy.

But he had never found the one destined to destroy Mount Myoboku.

And now it's come true.

"Who?"

Jiraiya lifted his head and asked, "Who did this?"

"Natsume."

Gamabe sobbed.

"What?"

Jiraiya froze, trying to confirm. "Did you say who?"

"Natsume, the Sixth Hokage of Konoha."

Gamabe took a shaky breath and continued.

"That can't be right!"

Jiraiya couldn't wrap his head around it.

Mount Myoboku is allied with Konoha Village.

Why would Natsume commit such a massacre?

How could someone have such terrifying power?

Jiraiya closed his eyes, uncertain of what to do next.

Could he really bring himself to kill Natsume?

After all, he *was* the Hokage.

But the destruction of Mount Myoboku couldn't go unanswered.

To Jiraiya, the Great Toad Sage held equal stature to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Teacher!"

Jiraiya opened his eyes and said, "Gamabe, you're coming back to Konoha with me."

With Mount Myōboku destroyed, he could no longer use the Reverse Summoning Jutsu.

His only option was to flee back with Gamabe.

Along the way, he learned the complete story of Mount Myōboku's downfall.

He now understood how Gamabe had survived.

At the same time, he was almost certain that Natsume was truly the legitimate Sixth Hokage.

After all, neither his Wood Release nor Sage Mode could be faked.

Even more shocking to Jiraiya was that Natsume possessed a Mangekyo Sharingan.

This led him to some troubling conclusions.

If not for the difference in their ages, Jiraiya would've sworn that Natsume was the one who had taken Shisui Uchiha back then.

Even if that wasn't the case, there must still be a connection between them.

Death Forest lay ahead.

Jiraiya stopped in his tracks.

"Gamabe," he said, "you go find somewhere to hide for now. I'll summon you when I need you."

Since Natsume had killed every last frog at Mount Myōboku, bringing Gamabe into Konoha would be dangerous.

Gamabe hopped off.

Jiraiya leapt forward, bypassing the main entrance as he dashed over rooftops at incredible speed toward the Sarutobi clan's residence.

At this moment, he placed his trust solely in Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Everyone else—including Tsunade—was too risky to approach.

They might just leak information to Natsume.

"Who's there?"

Hiruzen's cloudy eyes narrowed slightly as he looked toward the rooftop.

"It's me."

Jiraiya flipped down and said.

"Why didn't you come through the front gate?"

Hiruzen immediately smiled and asked, "That doesn't seem like your style at all."

In front of his teacher, Jiraiya usually maintained a sense of decorum.

Sneaking in secretly like this was truly a first.

Besides, this was Konoha—not some enemy ninja village.

"There's something important I need to talk to you about," Jiraiya said as he sat down across from him.

Hiruzen hesitated before speaking.

Jiraiya, usually so energetic, now seemed eerily lifeless—

It reminded him of Kakashi Hatake during those dark days.

"You're clearly not yourself today," Hiruzen said, his smile fading. "What exactly has happened?"

"Mount Myōboku has been destroyed," Jiraiya replied gravely. "The Great Toad Sage and all the other frogs were killed."

"What? How is that possible?"

Hiruzen was more shocked than sorrowful at first.

After all, he hadn't shared a deep emotional bond with the toads at Mount Myōboku, so their deaths didn't saddled him personally.

However, he well understood their strength.

Alone among them, the Great Toad Sage had lived over a thousand years, wielding unfathomable power.

Even the prophecy had made him think such a fate was unlikely.

Or perhaps, if it happened at all, it would be decades away.

"Who did this?"

"Hm? Who is it?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked with curiosity.

"Natsume," Jiraiya replied, his voice heavy with mixed emotions.

"...?"

Hiruzen's expression went blank for a moment.

He stayed stunned for a long moment before finally regaining his composure.

"You're certain it was Natsume?"

He still couldn't bring himself to believe it.

Jiraiya quickly performed hand seals rapidly and used the Summoning Jutsu.

Gamabe poofed into existence.

After hearing what had occurred at Mount Myoboku, Hiruzen fell into silence.

He knew Jiraiya well—his student wouldn't joke about something involving Mount Myoboku.

In other words, it must be true.

The killer really was Natsume.

"What do you plan to do?" Hiruzen looked at Jiraiya's face and involuntarily sighed.

Honestly speaking, if he were still Hokage, he might have welcomed the destruction of Mount Myoboku.

After all, those frogs had long influenced Konoha's leadership—including Jiraiya himself, one of the Sannin.

On the other hand, they weren't entirely useless.

Sage Mode and the summoned beasts did elevate Jiraiya's strength considerably.

At times, they played a crucial role.

Still, they hadn't contributed all that much in the end.

But Natsume was different.

He was the Hokage, mastered both Sage Mode and Wood Release, and possessed formidable power.

He had become Konoha's current unshakable pillar.

Because of him, the village had risen rapidly to become the strongest ninja village in the ninja world.

Even Sunagakure submitted to Konoha.

Gaara, the One-Tailed Jinchuriki, now worked for Konoha.

What an extraordinary rise!

"I don't know," Jiraiya shook his head, his eyes clouded with confusion.

"Lord Jiraiya!" Gamabe urged anxiously beside them. "Mount Myoboku has shown you great kindness; this revenge must be taken!"

Hiruzen frowned slightly but held his tongue.

Gamabe's reaction was understandable, after all.

"I understand," Jiraiya took a deep breath and said. "But even if we seek revenge, it can't be done right now."

Gamabe immediately grew silent.

Given the power Natsume had displayed at Mount Myoboku, even ten copies of me wouldn't stand a chance.

How could they take revenge then?

"Jiraiya," Hiruzen paused slightly and warned, "don't do anything reckless."

"Teacher," Jiraiya clenched his teeth and asked, "is there any way to remove Natsume from his position as Hokage?"

He was unwilling—and dared not—to raise his hand against the Hokage.

Because in the eyes of other ninja villages, Mount Myoboku wasn't that important.

It was just a distant legend.

But Natsume was their real leader.

Once they acted, everyone would side against them.

Even if Jiraiya publicly exposed that Natsume destroyed Mount Myoboku, no one would blame the Hokage.

They might even praise him.

After all, he'd eliminated one of the famous Three Great Holy Places.

"Unless he resigns on his own, there's absolutely no way to remove him."

Hiruzen spoke somewhat wordlessly. "Don't you know how high his standing is now?"

Within Konoha Village, Natsume had already become the second deity of the ninja world.

From top to bottom, everyone followed him without question.

Those who opposed him ended up either dead or gone.

Like Danzo Shimura.

"..."

Jiraiya already knew all of this.

But what was unexpected was that even Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, could do nothing about him.

Would all those frogs of Mount Myoboku die in vain?

"Jiraiya, I understand your feelings."

Sarutobi Hiruzen reached out and patted his shoulder. "But you are also a ninja from Konoha Village."

"Natsume is Natsume, and Konoha Village is Konoha Village."

Gamabe interjected once more.

"As long as it doesn't involve Konoha Village, the teacher supports you."

Sarutobi Hiruzen suppressed his urge to kill the frog on the spot and replied.

However, he knew it was impossible.

Natsume was already deeply entangled with Konoha Village.

"I see."

Jiraiya nodded, exhaled, and said, "Gamabe, we must plan carefully."

Land of Snow.

Outside, snow blanketed the landscape, while inside the room, a spring-like warmth lingered.

"Are you going back today?"

Kaguya Otsutsuki opened her eyes, breathed out a fragrant warmth, and asked.

"Mm."

Natsume gave a faint smile, let out a sigh. "If I don't go back soon, I'll end up getting killed by you."

In these past few days, he had pushed himself to the limit without any sleep.

Even his [Immortal Arts] body felt sore.

After Kaguya got what she wanted, she grew cold and indifferent.

She would only let him go if she happened to feel generous.

"I won't."

Kaguya replied seriously. "Even if you died, I'd bring you back to life."

This chapter isn't over yet!

Obviously, she didn't understand the true meaning behind his words.

But this innocent misunderstanding was part of her charm.

Natsume smiled.

He thought of something, shifted his body closer, reached out, and gently caressed Kaguya's smooth abdomen.

"Can you get pregnant?"

"Yes."

Kaguya nodded. "But you can't."

"Huh?"

Natsume looked at her, puzzled.

"Your level of existence isn't high enough."

Kaguya noticed his expression and slightly curled the corner of her lips.

"Oh."

Natsume immediately understood the reason.

Two simple words: race.

Kaguya wasn't human—how could she conceive with a human?

It would only be possible once Natsume became one of the Otsutsuki.

Unless, like Hagoromo Otsutsuki and Hamura Otsutsuki, one used chakra to form new life.

But there was no need for that.

"I'll wait for you."

Kaguya tightened her embrace around Natsume and said.

At this moment, she no longer seemed like the divine Goddess of the Moon.

She was simply a woman deeply in love with her husband.

Even if pregnancy and childbirth weakened her strength, she longed for a child born of their bond.

Natsume was deeply moved.

Just as he lifted his head, Kaguya sensed something.

She licked the corner of her lips and said, "Come back tomorrow."

Outside, the wind and snow intensified further.

A new day began.

Natsume fled as if for his life.

Back at the Hokage's office, he threw himself onto the sofa and closed his eyes.

The reason he avoided Tsunade was because he feared his current state would draw suspicion.

Not long after, he felt a pair of gentle hands slowly massaging his forehead.

It's Kurenai Yuhi.

Natsume had already recognized her familiar scent.

Rather than greet her, though, he kept feigning sleep.

After a long while, he sensed a warm, soft touch.

He opened his eyes and met Kurenai's crimson stare.

Seconds later, her face flushed crimson.

Instinctively, she tried to pull away.

But Natsume reached up and gently held her head in place.

Kurenai's body softened.

Her response was clumsy.

When she could no longer catch her breath, Kurenai finally straightened herself up.

Her eyes were dazed as she gasped for breath.

She looked like a ripe, blushing apple,

glistening with moisture, her chest rising and falling.

At the sight, Natsume let out a thoughtful sigh and said, "Kurenai-nee,* you're really beautiful."

[*Note: "Nee" is an affectionate Japanese term meaning "older sister."]

At his words, Kurenai quickly turned her gaze away, unable to meet his directly.

The only thing keeping her from bolting was Natsume's head still resting on her thighs.

"Thank you."

Natsume sat up and said, "Kurenai-nee, your massage technique has improved again."

"N-No… it's nothing."

Kurenai hesitated for a moment, murmured under her breath, "It's just what a secretary should do."

"Then was that also something a secretary should do?"

Natsume traced his lips with his tongue, catching a lingering hint of her lipstick.

"..."

Kurenai immediately stood up in a flustered rush and quickly said, "Natsume, I have things to do. I need to go first!"

The sharp clack of high heels echoed through the room.

She left in a hurry.

Natsume stretched lazily, savoring the charming view of her retreating figure before turning his attention back.

He returned to the Hokage's chair, casually picking up the documents on the desk.

Thanks to Mount Myoboku and Kaguya Otsutsuki, he'd been delayed for nearly four days, so there were quite a lot of files waiting for him.

He quickly skimmed through them all, then began selecting ninja to send for the contract with Ryuchi Cave.

Natsume's criteria were simple.

As long as they were well-known ninja—those who could offer him some destiny value.

Ryuchi Cave had plenty of snakes anyway.

Those with less power could simply be matched with an average snake.

For those with talent and influence, however, special arrangements would be made.

Names like Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto Uzumaki, Hinata Hyuga, and others.

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