novel-bin Chapter 122 The Arrival of Victory, Time to Reap the Rewards
Chapter 122 The Arrival of Victory, Time to Reap the Rewards
Chapter 122 The Arrival of Victory, Time to Reap the Rewards
Jiraiya watched the massive figure of the Eight-Tails fleeing into the distance, his eyes burning with resentment!
What enormous price did Konoha pay to achieve this victory? They couldn't let the Fourth Raikage, who was on the verge of severing the backbone of Kumogakure, escape so easily!
He wanted to pursue! He still had some Sage Chakra left; perhaps he could still—
Seemingly sensing Jiraiya's killing intent and determination, the eight-tailed beast, which was charging wildly, suddenly turned its body!
The hideous maw opened, and a vast amount of chakra, enough to make everyone on the battlefield tremble and breathe, frantically gathered and compressed!
A high-density black energy sphere rapidly formed in its mouth, emitting destructive gravitational waves that distorted even light!
Tailed Beast Ball!
The pitch-black, abyss-like sphere of destructive light was not pointing at Jiraiya himself, but rather at the direction where Konoha's main force was fiercely fighting against the remnants of Kumogakure!
A silent warning clashed violently between their minds!
Pursuit? The price would be the lives of hundreds, even thousands, of our own ninja soldiers, enduring a close-range bombardment of a Tailed Beast Ball! This would not be victory, but mutual destruction!
Jiraiya's pupils suddenly contracted, and his hands clenched so tightly they cracked.
Anger burned fiercely in his chest, but was ultimately suppressed by reason.
He saw the mad, all-or-nothing glint in Killer Bee's eyes—the gleam of a cornered beast, driven to the brink of despair, willing to do anything to protect what it cherishes.
He had the opportunity to detonate the Tailed Beast Ball before it hit the battlefield, but doing so would be extremely risky and would prevent him from continuing the pursuit, making it a losing proposition.
"Damn it—" A low curse escaped Jiraiya's throat, filled with resentment and anger.
He could sense the other party's resolute departure, the jet-black Tailed Beast Ball locking onto every heartbeat of the battlefield behind them.
Suppressing the urge to pursue, he retreated sharply, remaining on guard, but eventually slowly dissipated the remaining immortal power gathered in his palm.
The eight-tailed beast in the distance let out a heavy sigh, as if confirming that the threat had been eliminated, and the terrifying chakra fluctuations from its mouth slowly dissipated.
It did not look back; its massive body stumbled slightly, yet disappeared into the distant dust with even greater speed.
Big brother—you must hold on!
"It's over, little Jiraiya." Fukasaku slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, his weathered frog eyes gazing at the lingering smoke and dissipating tailed beast aura in the distance, his tone filled with an indescribable sigh, "Although it's a pity—it's the best choice at the moment."
Although Shima was still resentful about letting the enemy escape, seeing Jiraiya's dejected profile, he softened his tone: "Exactly! That barbarian Raikage was almost beaten to a pulp, and the Eight-Tails is now a bald-tailed octopus, half-dead! This battle, Kumogakure definitely can't continue, we won!"
Jiraiya's tense body slowly relaxed, and Fukasaku and Shima were right.
He closed his eyes, his mind replaying the image of the Fourth Raikage with his arms twisted, his armor shattered, and his life hanging by a thread;
The image of the Eight-Tails' back, torn to pieces and mangled with blood by the collector's ninjutsu, and its almost severed tentacles, came to mind.
Considering the weakened strength of Yugito the Two-Tails—the three top combatants of Kumogakure have all been severely injured, and after this battle, the core power of Kumogakure has been completely disrupted!
The objective of this battle—to force the Hidden Cloud Village to cease its invasion of Konoha—has been achieved!
A heavy sense of exhaustion, mixed with immense relief, washed over Jiraiya like a tidal wave.
The Sage Mode chakra that had been supporting him and pressuring his nerves finally receded like a tide.
The massive draining of natural energy brought a slight dizziness and a profound sense of powerlessness.
The wonderful aftertaste of the insight and explosive power brought by the magic had disappeared, the transcendence during the battle had faded, and the senses had returned to the mundane. The pungent smell of blood, the scorched earth, and the cries of the wounded on the battlefield suddenly became incredibly clear and heavy.
But seeing the unbelievable ecstasy gradually appearing on the faces of the Konoha ninjas on the battlefield, and witnessing the disarray of the remaining Cloud Village troops fleeing in panic, an indescribable sense of heavy satisfaction overwhelmed his physical exhaustion.
It's over—finally—it's over!
In this fierce and protracted battle, marked by blood-soaked land, Konoha—held on!
"Wow, brilliant, truly brilliant." A sigh of praise, devoid of much emotion, suddenly rang out from the side.
The gray-robed figure appeared silently like a ghost; it was the collector who had put away the "Peacock Wonderful Technique: Dragon God" and arrived here at some unknown time.
His gaze, hidden beneath his mask, swept over the scorched earth, which had been churned up like a crater by the Sage Art: Super Rasengan, then fell upon the mess and deep ravines left by the battle between the Fourth Raikage and Jiraiya, finally settling on Jiraiya's weary yet still upright figure.
The true power of one of the "Legendary Sannin of Konoha"—truly lives up to its name. In mere breaths, he could subdue a person at their peak...
Known for its "strongest attack and defense," Ai was forced into a deadly situation.
The collector's tone carried a hint of inquiry and assessment, "If it weren't for Killer Bee's interference—the ninja world would probably be missing a Kage today."
He paused, then added, as if stating an objective fact: "Of course, the Eight-Tails' ferocity also exceeded expectations."
To save its brother, it even endured my ninjutsu, which meant that sending him here to provide support was also my mistake.
Jiraiya slowly turned around and stared at the mysterious collaborator before him.
The other person's gray robe fluttered in the wind, and their eyes, hidden behind a hood and mask, were like a bottomless, icy pool.
Although the cooperation achieved its goal, having witnessed the terrifying way the other party controlled that purple-gold dragon—
Jiraiya's deep-seated fear quietly grew amidst the joy of victory.
"Likewise." Jiraiya's voice was low and hoarse, tinged with the strain of battle. "Your 'Golden Dragon' technique played a crucial role in restraining the Eight-Tails. Without you sharing the burden, facing the fully-formed Eight-Tails, my Sage Mode might not have been able to activate and lock onto the Raikage so smoothly."
"As for the final turn of events," Jiraiya continued, his tone regaining the candor of an employer, "there's no need to explain. The power and will that the Eight-Tails unleashed at that moment were beyond reason. Its ability to break through with the Raikage isn't entirely your fault."
He paused, then solemnly promised, "The agreement remains unchanged. Your assistance has been highly effective, and Konoha acknowledges this contribution. The remaining parts of the transaction will be delivered as agreed."
The collector seemed quite pleased with Jiraiya's straightforwardness.
Without any hesitation, he casually tossed out a small sealing scroll.
"Very good. The specific delivery location information is inside. Pleasant transaction, Mr. Jiraiya." His words remained concise and cold.
As soon as he finished speaking, the gray-robed figure transformed into a wisp of white smoke, disappearing like a ghost into the smoke and dust that filled the battlefield.
Jiraiya was also a little surprised by this scene. They didn't come in their true form?
Are you worried that I'll use Sage Mode to deal with him?
Jiraiya gave a wry smile. How could a dignified toad sage like him do something like this, crossing the river and burning the bridge? It was truly infuriating.
He had originally wanted to ask the other party about the Uzumaki clan, but it seems he won't have the chance.
"Shadow clones—from beginning to end, they never even revealed their true forms?" Fukasaku gazed at the spot where the white smoke dissipated, a hint of amazement flashing in his wise frog eyes. "This caution and strength—unfathomable."
"Hmph, what a pretentious charlatan!" Shima the Sage clicked his tongue, his words barely concealing his dissatisfaction with the mysterious figure's behavior. "I have a feeling that you, Jiraiya, got a bad deal by making a deal with him—"
Jiraiya gripped the scroll, still warm from the other's chakra, his gaze fixed intently on the fleeing Cloud Village forces in the distance, listening to the ever-growing waves of Konoha cheers converging from all sides of the battlefield.
"No." Jiraiya finally broke into a genuine, relieved smile. His voice wasn't loud, but it was full of strength.
"He might not be a likable guy. But at least—this time—he's on our side. It's because of this crucial trump card" that we were able to end this damn war so quickly!
He looked at the Konoha ninjas in the distance, wounded yet still standing tall, and at the young figures searching for the wounded in the ruins, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
"It's over—" Jiraiya repeated softly, as if trying to etch those two words into his heart.
He looked at the two immortals and thanked them wearily but sincerely: "Master Fukasaku, Granny Shima, you have really worked hard this time. Without your help, today's battle would have been unimaginable."
"Alright, kid, why are you being so polite with us!" Shima-sensei waved his hand.
"Haha, seeing that you're alright and Konoha won, we're relieved." Fukasaku smiled kindly, stroking his beard.
He then became serious and said, "There must be a lot to deal with after the war. You should go and take care of it. We two old folks will head back first."
Two plumes of white smoke rose, accompanied by a soft "poof" sound, and the two sages of Mount Myōboku disappeared onto Jiraiya's shoulder.
The last bit of resistance from the Hidden Cloud Village on the battlefield also disappeared.
Cheers resounded through the sky! The Konoha flag fluttered in the wind on the war-torn land.
Jiraiya stood at the edge of the giant crater that symbolized the core of the battle, surveying the land where ruins, corpses, and the living coexisted.
The afterglow of the setting sun painted a tragic yet magnificent crimson hue over the devastation.
Victory—ultimately, is built upon countless lives.
He took a deep breath of the air, thick with the smell of gunpowder and blood, and his gaze became firm and heavy.
"Finally—it's over!"
The smell of gunpowder and blood gradually faded in the wind, no longer the scorching scent of the battlefield's center, but the somber embers of the battle's end.
Far from that land boiling with victory and defeat, the collector's figure solidifies deep in a secluded, dense forest.
He stood in the shade of an ancient, gnarled tree, surrounded only by the mournful murmur of the forest, completely shutting out the clamor of war.
At this moment, the mask that concealed his identity was removed by its owner, revealing the true face of Yuan Tuoye beneath. His expression carried a hint of weariness after the great battle, yet he could not hide the sharp scrutiny and contemplation deep in his eyes.
At that moment, he was watching Killer Bee, the Eight-Tails, flee with the critically injured Fourth Raikage, A.
After hesitating for a moment, Yuan Tuoye still did not choose to stop the other party at this time.
Although he also hoped to obtain the training method for Lightning Release Chakra Mode from the other party, this was not a good time—
.
Because, although Killer Bee appears to be seriously injured, he is like a trapped beast. If someone blocks his way again at this moment, there is a very high probability that he will fight to the death regardless of everything.
Moreover, asking for the training method of Lightning Release Chakra Mode at this time would be tantamount to exposing the fact that he had lied before.
His own light eventually detached from Killer Bee and landed in his palm, where a small sealing scroll lay quietly.
It was cool to the touch, but contained a terrifying power within, the remains of numerous severed limbs and fragments left behind by the colossal eight-tailed beast.
As he ran his fingertips along the patterns on the scroll, Gen Takuno could clearly sense the raging chakra sealed within, its quantity far exceeding his expectations.
"It wasn't a complete waste of effort." He raised the corners of his lips slightly, revealing a cold smile.
Originally, he just wanted to cool down the battlefield between Konoha and Kumogakure so that he wouldn't be so busy.
As a result, the Eight-Tails' desperate and frenzied counterattack, coupled with Jiraiya's astonishing Sage Mode pressure, turned into a fatal blow to the top-tier fighting force of Kumogakure, ultimately leading to a complete ending far beyond his expectations. Kumogakure's backbone was indeed broken.
The dark clouds of war that have hung over the ninja world are finally about to dissipate.
The Hidden Cloud Village lost its Raikage's spear (the Fourth Raikage A was dying), its strongest pillar of Jinchuriki (the Eight-Tails Killer Bee was seriously injured), and one of its core threats (the Two-Tails Yugito was injured and unable to exert its full strength in the short term).
The vacuum of high-end combat power means that the balance of the war has completely shifted in Konoha's favor.
With no other option but to retreat and seek peace, Kumogakure's victory was now a foregone conclusion.
Yuan Tuoye closed his eyes slightly and rubbed his temples wearily.
The power Jiraiya displayed in Sage Mode is still vivid in our minds.
That power, surpassing that of ordinary Kage-level beings, was enough to drag the Raikage, who was known for possessing the "strongest spear and shield," into the abyss of death in an instant.
If it weren't for Killer Bee's unexpected burst of willpower and willingness to sacrifice, forcibly intervening—the fall of a Kage might have been imminent.
This power was both expected and particularly awe-inspiring due to its decisive role in the battle.
As my thoughts wandered, a sense of deviation from the original work quietly emerged.
He clearly remembered that in that long-forgotten timeline, the shadow of this conflict ultimately transformed into the tragedy of Hyuga Hizashi sacrificing himself for his brother, becoming a footnote to Konoha's humiliating peace negotiations.
Wasn't the root of that compromise precisely the disadvantage on the battlefield? The current situation is completely different.
As the victors, and with the decisive Minato Namikaze as their leader instead of the lethargic Third Hokage, will history repeat itself when the Hidden Cloud Village tries to kidnap Hinata Hyuga?
If the Hidden Cloud Village dares to play with fire again, it will likely face an even stronger iron fist from the Leaf Village.
Times have changed, and the gears of fate are bound to turn in different directions.
A slight, dull pain lingered in his shoulder from the whirlwind of the Eight-Tailed Fist. Gen Takuno stretched his muscles, realizing that this small price was insignificant compared to the rich rewards he had achieved.
He took a deep breath of the cool forest air, and his mind gradually calmed down.
The biggest obstacle at hand, the endless conflict in the ninja world, has been temporarily crushed.
This means that a rare and valuable buffer period is about to begin.
He will no longer be overly constrained by Konoha's requests for help or potential crises, and can devote his precious energy to the areas he truly desires to explore.
For him now, time is a more precious resource than gold and silver.
My gaze was cast into the distance, seemingly piercing through layers of trees, looking toward the location of Konoha.
In the coming years, barring any external forces stirring up massive waves, the ninja world should enter a relatively stable period of rest and recuperation.
The more significant events that followed —
It's roughly about the Uchiha coup and the massacre of their clan, but the plot has been completely altered. Will this event unfold as it did in the original story? It seems unlikely.
While genocide may be impossible, the possibility of a coup is by no means zero!