As Natsuki roared, a large amount of emerald green light overflowed from him, pouring into the seabed.
Gradually.
Jiraiya’s cold body began to warm up.
Blood flowed.
His heart, which had stopped beating, stirred.
His eyes opened, and he struggled to prop himself up, slowly sitting upright.
Jiraiya looked around, somewhat bewildered, his head feeling heavy from Chakra exhaustion.
Moments later, Jiraiya regained consciousness.
It was pitch black all around.
But he could feel an extremely terrifying water pressure.
He was at the bottom of the sea.
Jiraiya saw the emerald green light enveloping his body.
This emerald green light seemed to be resisting the terrifying water pressure of the seabed for him, protecting his body.
Jiraiya finally understood his current situation.
He clearly remembered that he had already died.
His soul had drifted into another world.
In that world, dense fog permeated, and in the fog, he saw Sakumo Hatake and Asuma, who were also in soul form.
He saw Uzumaki Kushina, and a young girl named Rin Nohara.
He had also seen the souls of Akatsuki Organization members.
Memories of that world were gradually blurring.
Moments later, Jiraiya understood.
He was no longer drifting in that world as a soul!
He had been resurrected!
His current physical condition, Chakra reserves, and stamina were all more than sufficient.
He was in his peak form!
Someone must have used a jutsu to call him back from another world, allowing him to be reborn!
Jiraiya was overjoyed.
“Hahaha, it seems This Great One’s tale of a gallant Ninja isn’t over yet!”
Jiraiya choked on some water and quickly swam towards the surface.
Someone must have used the Outer Path — Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique to resurrect him.
Who could it be?
Most likely Sasuke.
In that case, that stoic kid must have grown enough to successfully awaken the Rinnegan, right?
Although he didn’t like Sasuke’s way of doing things, Jiraiya was still genuinely pleased with Sasuke’s growth.
He also wondered how much Naruto had grown by now.
Could he create any new tricks with his Rasengan?
And also.
Had Tsunade, Kakashi, and the others successfully deciphered the intel he had Fukasaku bring back before he died?
He couldn’t speak at the time, and the coded numbers he left corresponded to the true identities of the Six Paths of Pain, and this code needed to be deciphered from his book, “make-out paradise.”
With Shikamaru, that clever guy, they should be able to crack it.
Jiraiya could already see the faint sunlight from the surface.
Many thoughts were running through his mind.
He could clearly remember that the moment his soul was called back from that world and returned to his body, he seemed to have a very, very long dream.
The memories of the dream were already a bit blurry.
But they felt exceptionally real!
“So it was…
just a dream…”
In the dream, his disciple Nagato led the Akatsuki Organization back to Konoha, Minato Namikaze didn’t die, and Naruto successfully became Hokage…
Oh, right!
In the dream, he had an old friend whose memory, even now, felt incredibly vivid!
In his dream, he had lived a glorious and successful life.
The memories of the dream were gradually fading.
Jiraiya stopped thinking too much; he was very worried about the current situation in Konoha.
Presumably, because the jutsu had stopped, the green light enveloping his body disappeared.
It doesn’t matter.
This amount of water pressure couldn’t harm him now.
Sasuke saved his life, he owed Sasuke a great debt of gratitude!
Wait…
he remembered that the Rinne Rebirth jutsu required a price to be paid.
What was the price again?
Jiraiya’s heart suddenly sank.
The price was the life of the caster!
Sasuke, that foolish kid!
The seawater that had been pushed out fell as rain.
Jiraiya’s figure landed steadily on the surface of the sea.
There was a slender figure standing on the distant shore.
Vast amounts of Chakra were dissipating around the figure.
Jiraiya immediately understood that this person was the caster who had used the Six Paths — Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique to resurrect him.
But.
“It’s not Sasuke!”
Jiraiya recognized at a glance that the person who had resurrected him was not Sasuke.
However.
The figure of this person gave him a familiar feeling.
Jiraiya, wearing his wooden clogs, sped towards the shore.
Who was it?
Anyone who could use the Six Paths — Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique must possess the Uchiha Clan’s bloodline limit and have awakened the Rinnegan.
His soul had once seen Nagato’s soul in another world.
This meant Nagato was dead.
Currently, the only person who could activate this jutsu should be Sasuke.
Natsuki watched Jiraiya, who was rapidly approaching, his heart filled with mixed emotions, and he murmured, “Jiraiya, we meet again.”
Natsuki understood in his heart that, for him, he had known Jiraiya for many years, many lifetimes.
But for Jiraiya, it was the first time he had seen him.
Natsuki had already thought about how to introduce himself to Jiraiya.
And also to introduce the current situation of Konoha, the Akatsuki Organization, and the Shinobi Allied Forces of the Five Great Nations.
“Old friend!
It’s actually you!
You resurrected me with the Rinne Rebirth jutsu!” On the surface of the sea, Jiraiya’s boisterous voice suddenly drew near, his tone full of surprise.
Natsuki’s expression instantly froze.
Jiraiya actually knew him?
The term “old friend” was how he and Jiraiya referred to each other in one of his past lives.
Only he should remember this memory.
Why.
Now.
Would Jiraiya remember him?
Natsuki’s mind couldn’t process it.
What was going on!
It really helps the fic grow!