At Mount Myoboku’s temple, Jiraiya sat cross-legged beside Senju Tsunade. He was very worried and asked with an anxious look, “It has already been a day. She has started breathing again but why isn’t she waking up?”
“Don’t worry Jiraiya, the sage talisman is the Toad Kingdom’s treasure handed down from ancient times. As long as the body is not badly damaged, anyone can be resurrected,” Sage Shima consoled Jiraiya from one side.
Hearing this, Jiraiya touched his chin and pondered for a bit, “Since ancient times… did it lose effect…” Jiraiya’s mind was still in doubt when he noticed Tsunade’s eyelashes move and he exclaimed with great joy, “She woke up!”
“Where am I…” Tsunade sat up blankly and rubbed her head. At this time, Jiraiya hugged her tightly and said, “Great! Tsunade, you are alive.”
Duang… Fukasaku and Shima saw a figure flying past them. Bang… Jiraiya smashed into the wall and was deeply embedded in the cliff, unable to get out. His nose was bleeding and his face began to swell up as well. Fukasaku and Shima rushed over and pulled him out of the cliff with difficulty.
Jiraiya, who had successfully escaped from his predicament, covered his red and swollen face and took a deep breath, “It hurts, it hurts, it hurts…”
“You dared to take advantage of me!” At this moment, Tsunade had already stood up. She looked around with her hands on her hips and asked with confusion, “However… where are we? What about Shizune?”
When Jiraiya heard Tsunade mention Shizune, the joy he felt due to her resurrection disappeared in an instant. He walked over and said in low voice, “Shizune is dead. She died because of a special restriction cursed seal. She must have been controlled by genjutsu to kill you. And after she killed you, her brain was destroyed by a cursed seal. I have buried her here in Mount Myoboku.”
Tsunade was stunned by this information overload and the memory of when Shizune had killed her appeared in her mind. Her hands dropped weakly and she lowered her head. After a long silence, she said in a low voice, “The cursed seal to destroy the brain, it sounds like the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal…”
Jiraiya also sighed heavily and nodded, “It’s thanks to the Great Toad Sage who gave me a sage talisman that I was able to save you. The sage talisman is the most valuable treasure of the Toad Kingdom, which can revive dying people. This thing is too precious and rare. Only that one was left.”
Tsunade nodded silently and after a long time, she said in a low voice, “I want to return to Konoha.”
Jiraiya responded instantly, “Don’t be impulsive. The two of us are already Leaf rogue-nin. We will only be besieged if we return now.”
“What!” Tsunade raised her head abruptly and looked straight into Jiraiya’s eyes, her face filled with disbelief. She was Konoha’s sannin, the dignified princess of the Senju clan but she was classified as a rogue-nin due to this. Jiraiya knew that Tsunade wouldn’t be able to accept this truth for a while.
He carefully explained, “After you fainted that day, the entire village wanted your life. The old man had no way to protect you. I could only take you away from Konoha to make plans. We should take our time in getting our revenge. That Uchiha kid is no weaker than you and me. Besides, you still fear blood, which severely limits your strength. Let’s ask Great Toad Sage. The sage is an omniscient being and can perhaps give us some hints.”
Tsunade nodded and pointed at the distant behemoth sitting on the chair. “Are you talking about that big snoring toad?”
Hearing her question, Jiraiya was stunned. He scratched his head and said, “Great Toad Sage is very old after all, and he is a little sleepy. Moreover, it took a bit too long for you to wake up…”
At this moment, both Fukasaku and Shima had already jumped onto the armrests of Great Toad Sage’s chair. The two shouted a few times, waking up the Great Toad Sage from his sleep.
The Sage’s trembling stopped and it suddenly opened its turbid eyes, and said with vicissitudes of life, “Alas… thank you, I was having a nightmare just now. Thank you all for waking me up.”
Jiraiya asked with a confused look, “Nightmare? Great Toad Sage, aren’t your dreams prophecies?”
Fukasaku solemnly asked, “Could it be that something will happen in the future? And what will happen is a very bad thing?”
The Great Toad Sage seemed like he would die in the next moment. He weakly said, “I… in my dream… this world had become a devil’s playground.”
Jiraiya frowned and asked, “Who is the devil? Is he the enemy that the son of prophecy would defeat?”
“Son of prophecy… son… of… prophecy… son… of… devil…” Great Toad Sage muttered and then closed his eyes and fell asleep again. Jiraiya was unable to handle this and shouted, “Great Toad Sage, Great Toad Sage!”
Great Toad Sage slowly opened its eyes again and leisurely said, “Oh, sorry, I fell asleep again. Jiraiya child, when did you come… I saw you in my dream, and your partner. I saw you two returning to Konoha. After returning to Konoha… After returning… you died…”
After these words, the Great Toad Sage’s snoring sounds filled the temple again. Jiraiya and Tsunade were stunned to hear the last sentence. Fukasaku and Shima shouted again and again but it was to no avail this time so they could only look at Jiraiya, “It seems we can’t wake him up.”
Tsunade clenched her fists tightly and took a deep breath, solemnly saying, “It’s alright. Don’t wake Great Toad Sage again. The bottom line is we are not strong enough. As long as we are strong enough, we can return to Konoha and eradicate the scums.”
“What are you planning to do?” Jiraiya frowned and asked. Tsunade pondered for a while and with her eyes filled with fighting spirit, she sternly replied, “I’m going to Shikkotsu Forest to practice Slug Sage Techniques and when the time is right, I’ll return to Konoha to take revenge.”
Jiraiya nodded, “Alright, let me know when you decide to go to Konoha. I’ll go together with you.” Jiraiya and Tsunade looked at each other and nodded in agreement.
Shima thought for a while and said to Jiraiya, “Since you two have made this decision, Jiraiya, you should stay in Mount Myoboku to train.” Jiraiya hesitated for a bit, “But what about the son of prophecy?”
Shima explained, “Some things are predestined. Perhaps, you’ve already found the Son of Prophecy and completed your mission. Or perhaps, you’ll meet him after your training is over.”
Hearing this, a red and a yellow figure flashed in his mind. He nodded and said, “I understand.”
At this time, Tsunade had already turned around and walked out of the temple. “I’ll go to visit Shizune first.”
