https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-254-Because-You-Didn-t-Show-Up-Naruto/12553598/
Chapter 253: The Great Toad Sage; Descendant of the Feathered Robe
Chapter 253: The Great Toad Sage; Descendant of the Feathered Robe
At the heart of Mount Myoboku, the sacred sanctuary revered by all toads, now lay in ruins, flattened to the ground.
Amidst the surviving toads' fearful, resentful, and vengeful gazes, Yuiyi Xuan Yue strode forward at a steady pace, unhurriedly arriving at the site of devastation. He stood quietly, awaiting what would come next.
He didn't have to wait long.
The ground before him shook violently, followed by a loud roar. A toad, larger than Gamabunta, burst out of the ruins, leaping up from underground.
Boom!
The earth trembled once more as the dust settled, and the newcomer stood firmly on the ground.
"The Great Toad Sage," Yuiyi Xuan Yue murmured, recognizing the ancient being before him. The toad's head bore no doctoral hat, but a string of Buddhist beads hung around its neck. Its appearance was far more aged than that of the other toads.
Yuiyi's gaze then swept across, noticing Naruto, Jiraiya, and Tsunade cradled in the Great Toad Sage's palm.
"I finally caught up," Yuiyi said, a slight smile playing on his lips as he looked at Naruto.
Naruto climbed to his feet, shaking his head to clear the dizziness. He looked up, only to realize that he was standing in an immense, bottomless pit due to the towering height of the Great Toad Sage.
Naruto rubbed his eyes, unsure if he was seeing things. He scratched his head, puzzled.
"Huh? Where has Great Toad Grandpa brought us? Weren't we at Mount Myoboku just now?" Naruto asked, still clueless about what had transpired.
In the blink of an eye, he had been flung through the air, held in the Great Toad Sage's grasp, endured a moment of darkness, and now found himself in a strange place.
Unlike the slow-witted Naruto, Jiraiya and Tsunade had already realized the gravity of the situation. They stared around, their mouths agape, muttering in disbelief, "Impossible..." "How could this be possible..." "How did it come to this?"
"What's impossible?" Naruto asked, his curiosity piqued.
Jiraiya took a deep breath and replied in a somber tone, "This... is Mount Myoboku."
"What?!?!" Naruto exclaimed, stunned by the revelation.
Naruto's eyes widened as he processed the information. He quickly glanced back at the boundless pit, comparing it to his memories of the lush landscape—the lakes, waterfalls, and vibrant flora that once adorned the mountain.
This place bore no resemblance to Mount Myoboku!
Naruto was about to ask Jiraiya if he was mistaken when Tsunade spoke up, her voice filled with sorrow. She even pointed to a fragment of a wall amidst the distant ruins, what remained of her beloved kitchen.
Naruto followed her gaze and recognized the remnants of Tsunade's kitchen, which had left a deep impression on him.
He also spotted a toad nearby, its body riddled with wounds.
What had happened here?
Naruto's heart sank as he sensed that something was amiss. His face grew solemn, a seriousness unlike any he had shown before.
Just then, the Great Toad Sage's deep voice resonated:
"Yuiyi Xuan Yue, you should not have come here."
'Yuiyi Xuan Yue?' Naruto wondered. 'Why did Great Toad Grandpa mention this name all of a sudden?'
Wait a moment!
So, Yuiyi Xuan Yue was here?!
Naruto craned his neck, looking down below.
The next second, his eyes widened in shock.
Indeed, Yuiyi Xuan Yue stood below!
Had he been the one responsible for the state of Mount Myoboku?
Appearance-wise, the Great Toad Sage, known as Gamamaru, exuded only a sense of waning vitality despite his massive size.
But!
From this thousand-year-old frail body, Yuyi sensed an even more vast amount of senjutsu chakra than the Rock Lodging Great Toad.
If unleashed, it would undoubtedly shake the heavens and the earth.
Yuyi even suspected that with the Great Toad Sage's thousand years of cultivation, he could maintain his consciousness even under the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
Therefore, facing the one who had a close relationship with his ancestor, the Sage of the Six Paths, and who had even saved Hagoromo Otsutsuki's life with the Sage's hex symbol, Yuyi Xuan Yue did not dare to be careless.
Having heard the Great Toad Sage's words, Yuyi looked up and calmly replied:
"But here I am."
"I've heard that the Great Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku is skilled in prophecies. I wonder if you have foreseen this day?"
The Great Toad Sage remained silent for a moment before speaking, "Compared to Mount Myoboku, the safety of the shinobi world is of utmost importance. For the sake of the shinobi world, Yuyi Xuan Yue, you must halt your plans and ambitions."
Yuyi's gaze shifted towards the Great Toad Sage.
From his tone, it seemed that he had foreseen something.
It appeared that if he were to continue with his plans and fulfill his ambitions, the future of the shinobi world would likely take a turn for the worse.
So, what should he do? Stop? Ha!
Yuyi's expression remained unchanged as he said, "It seems you've already anticipated today's events. I'm curious, is it worth sacrificing all of Mount Myoboku for the sake of Uzumaki Naruto, the Child of Prophecy?"
What happens between humans out there has nothing to do with toads.
As one of the Three Great Dojutsu, Mount Myoboku has always adhered to the principle of non-interference.
Even if a group of toads had helped Jiraiya, the Fourth Hokage of Konoha, it was only because of their contractual relationship, not because of any allegiance to Konoha.
While Naruto is also a contractor, the fact that they have kept him at Mount Myoboku all this time and are now even willing to sacrifice the entire mountain to protect him goes far beyond the scope of their contractual obligations. The principle of non-interference that Mount Myoboku has upheld no longer seems to exist.
Could it be because Naruto is the Child of Prophecy?
Did the Great Toad Sage see in a new prophecy that Naruto would defeat him? Preposterous!
A slight smirk played on Yuyi's lips.
He was neither Jiraiya nor the Great Toad Sage.
Prophecies, in his eyes, were merely one of the countless possible futures, and he could change them at will if he so desired.
Power was the true guarantee to achieving everything!
At this moment, sensing Yuyi's demeanor, the Great Toad Sage sighed deeply and gave a succinct response:
"A tree without bark cannot survive."
He knew that words alone would not deter this ambitious young descendant of the Hagoromo Clan.
"This is the only way."
The Great Toad Sage's cloudy eyes suddenly sharpened.
Yuyi narrowed his eyes, about to respond, when a yellow figure descended from the sky.
Naruto had jumped down.
Having overheard the entire conversation between Yuyi and the Great Toad Sage, Naruto now stood with clenched fists, his eyes fixed intently on Yuyi as he asked, "Yuyi Xuan Yue, did you come to Mount Myoboku because of me?"
(End of Chapter)
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