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Chapter 266: She's Coming Back
Chapter 266: She's Coming Back
"Her?"
Yuyi Xuan Yue followed Gamabunta's gaze and looked up at the sky.
Through the glare of the sun, his Rinnegan faintly sensed a massive shadow hanging high above.
"Moon... Kaguya Otsutsuki?" Yuyi Xuan Yue mused, turning back to Gamabunta with a curious expression. "You dreamed of her from so long ago?"
Gamabunta was equally surprised.
"You know of her?" he asked.
It was one thing for Yuyi Xuan Yue to know about Hagoromo Otsutsuki, as the Sage of the Six Paths had left traces of his existence in the ninja world that could be discovered with diligent searching. But Kaguya Otsutsuki, the progenitor of chakra, was different.
With the Otsutsuki siblings intentionally concealing the truth about their mother's battle, the ninja world should have been ignorant of her existence.
"I know more than you think," Yuyi Xuan Yue replied nonchalantly.
Gamabunta, perplexed, asked, "If you're aware of who she is, her ambitions, and her identity, then you should abandon your own ambitions. Once she appears, the ninja world, and even you, will cease to exist."
In his dreams, Gamabunta had foreseen Kaguya Otsutsuki's return. Though he didn't know the specifics of her reappearance, he had seen Yuyi Xuan Yue, the disruptor of the ninja world, resurrect the Ten-Tails, which had once belonged to Kaguya Otsutsuki.
Unless something unexpected happened, Kaguya Otsutsuki's return was undoubtedly connected to Yuyi Xuan Yue.
This was the very reason Gamabunta was desperately trying to stop him.
"You don't need to concern yourself with the future," Yuyi Xuan Yue said, choosing not to answer Gamabunta's question.
He steered the conversation back to his previous inquiry. "Why are you so afraid of Kaguya Otsutsuki's emergence?"
Seeing that Yuyi Xuan Yue's resolve remained unshaken, Gamabunta sighed softly. "She already knows the truth about how I secretly aided the Otsutsuki siblings in that ancient war."
At this revelation, a smirk tugged at Yuyi Xuan Yue's lips. "I see."
He finally understood. Gamabunta was worried that Kaguya Otsutsuki, upon her return, would seek retribution against him and Mount Myoboku for their involvement in the ancient conflict.
From Kaguya Otsutsuki's perspective, Gamabunta's intentions would appear dubious. He had intentionally sought out Hagoromo Otsutsuki, demonstrated his abilities, taught him Sage Techniques, and even gifted him the Sage's Talisman—a talisman capable of resurrecting the dead—enabling Hagoromo to fight a second battle.
In the fateful mother-and-child clash that altered the destiny of the ninja world, Gamabunta had played a significant role.
Now that Kaguya Otsutsuki knew of his existence, given her temperament, she would undoubtedly seek vengeance on Mount Myoboku if her return was successful.
At that point, the continued existence of the entire species of toads in the ninja world would be called into question.
No wonder Gamabunta had gone to such lengths, even resorting to desperate measures, to stop him. His true purpose was to prevent Kaguya Otsutsuki's return.
In a sense, he was trying to save the ninja world, even if his motives were not entirely pure.
"The cause of yesterday leads to the result of today," Yuyi Xuan Yue said. "And that cause was also foretold in your dream, wasn't it, Great Sage Gamabunta?"
Gamabunta remained silent, his silence speaking volumes.
Yuyi Xuan Yue chuckled and remarked, "Those who believe they understand fate will ultimately be played by it."
He had no further questions.
"It's time to send you on your way," Yuyi Xuan Yue said. As he spoke, a Way-Seeking Jade flew towards Gamabunta.
"Beware of Kaguya Otsutsuki," Gamabunta said. These were his final words before departing from the world.
Yuyi Xuan Yue casually nodded and hooked his finger. The Path Seeking Jade moved forward.
In that moment of collision, Gamabunta ceased to exist.
One of the Three Great Dojos, Mount Myoboku, was henceforth removed from existence.
At that very instant, far away, a thousand miles distant, in the Dragon's Lair...
A white snake sage, adorned with a cowry shell on her forehead, a green cat's-eye stone on her chest, and a red night pearl embedded in her crown, sat comfortably on her throne, puffing on a smoking pipe.
After a few breaths, the White Snake Sage, with its exceptional hearing, displayed an expression of sheer joy as it laughed raucously, "Gamabunta is dead! That old thing is finally dead! Hahahaha!"
A snake devouring a toad.
Long ago, the Dragon's Lair and Mount Myoboku had been at odds, and the conflict between the White Snake Sage and the Great Toad Sage had been fraught with tension.
If it weren't for Gamabunta's strength, which matched her own, the White Snake Sage would have swallowed him and his descendants whole long ago.
Who would have thought?!
Gamabunta had died today! Even though she hadn't killed him herself, the White Snake Sage was still delighted.
As for the idea that the three great hermitages would suffer together and fall together, there was none of that!
"Good that he's dead! Good that he's dead!"
From that day forward, for a long time, the snakes and their offspring in the Dragon's Lair could hear their ancestor, the White Snake Sage, laughing boisterously.
Shikkotsu Forest.
The Slug Sage, renowned alongside the Great Toad Sage and the White Snake Sage, was amusing himself by creating thousands of clones, enjoying his own company.
Almost in unison with the White Snake Sage.
In that moment, all the split bodies of the Slug Sage playing in the Shikkotsu Forest lifted their heads in unison, their gazes fixed in the direction of Mount Myoboku.
They sensed it—a massive life force had been completely snuffed out.
"Gamabunta," the Slug Sage whispered softly, his voice tinged with sadness.
Unlike the White Snake Sage, the Slug Sage had known Gamabunta for many years, and their friendship was quite strong.
"Gamabunta, I wonder if you predicted this day," the Slug Sage sighed.
At that moment, the Slug Sage recalled how a youthful Gamabunta had once spoken to him with such determination, declaring that the future was within his grasp.
He had advised Gamabunta against putting too much faith in prophecies and warned him against involving himself in the affairs of humans.
But Gamabunta had ignored his advice, delving deeper and deeper into the affairs of humans, which ultimately led to his demise.
Although the Slug Sage had a contractual relationship with Konoha and Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage, his actions were driven solely by the fulfillment of the contract, devoid of any personal emotions.
Otherwise, during the Fourth Shinobi World War, he could have left the Shikkotsu Forest and fought alongside the Shinobi Alliance instead of being summoned by Tsunade and Sakura to assist in a diminished state, only a tenth of his true size.
To be frank, the Shikkotsu Forest and the Dragon's Lair, two of the three great hermitages, maintained a neutral stance. Aside from instructing fortunate humans who stumbled upon them in Senjutsu and forming contracts, they never involved themselves in the affairs of humans.
Except for Mount Myoboku.
And because of this, Mount Myoboku no longer existed.
The Slug Sage shook his head in dismay.
Over the centuries, he had witnessed the birth, aging, sickness, and death of countless contractors, including Senju Hashirama, whose prowess even caused him to turn his head.
The death of his old friend left him feeling melancholy, but it wouldn't change his ways.
In the end, all he could do was remain in the Shikkotsu Forest, quietly observing the shifting tides of the ninja world, just as he had done for a millennium.
Yuiyi Xuan Yue was unaware that in the instant of the Great Toad Sage's death, his namesakes, the White Snake Sage and the Slug Sage, had sensed it.
Even if he had known, it wouldn't have mattered.
First of all, the likelihood of these two seeking revenge for the Great Toad Sage was extremely low.
And even if they did come, it would simply be another battle.
However, after destroying Mount Myoboku and battling the Great Toad Sage and Naruto, Yuiyi Xuan Yue finally felt a long-forgotten sense of fatigue.
But he had no time to rest. At that moment, he approached Naruto's body and slowly crouched down beside it.
(End of Chapter)
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