Jiraiya hadn't slept so soundly in a long time.
If it weren't for two guys beside him giggling weirdly and making all sorts of noises, he could probably have slept even longer.
Without even opening his eyes, Jiraiya instantly identified the noise-makers.
"I'm talking to you two! If you want to read, can't you go outside? I haven't slept in days!"
But facing Jiraiya's roar, Naruto and Konohamaru, who were flipping through little books, works of literature, were completely oblivious.
"Truly art..."
"Yeah, yeah..."
As the final chapter of the [Icha-Icha Trilogy], Icha-Icha Tactics not only broke new ground in plot innovation but also added 'illustrations' to many famous scenes!
Anyone who reads novels regularly knows what kind of progress this represents.
Take Konohamaru now: even though his literary level wasn't enough to grasp the indescribable feeling between the lines of Icha-Icha Tactics, he could understand those illustrations.
This provided much inspiration for Konohamaru's innovation of the [Harem Technique].
"So it's not about wearing less clothes to be more sexy..."
A kid so young could actually grasp such a principle, astonishing Jiraiya, who had initially been somewhat grumpy about being woken up.
'Truly the old man's grandson... no, it must be because of Naruto.'
But surprise aside, Jiraiya unceremoniously snatched the notebook filled with wonderful words and pictures from their hands.
"This work hasn't been released yet. Letting you preview it is already generous."
"Hey! Jiraiya-sensei is so stingy..."
"Stingy, stingy..."
Watching their perfectly synchronized antics, the gloom that had clouded Jiraiya's heart for so many days finally dissipated.
Plonking back down on the bed, Jiraiya picked up the food they had specially brought him and started wolfing it down without caring about appearances.
Unsure how long he had slept, the intense hunger in his stomach was overwhelming.
"So, that guy controlling the stone statues is dealt with, Naruto?"
Though phrased as a question, Jiraiya's tone was quite certain.
He knew such a minor problem wouldn't trouble Naruto.
After saying this, his familiar unserious expression returned as he nudged Naruto's shoulder sideways.
"Well? I gave you the spotlight this time. I imagine that Priestess girl has already fallen for you, right?"
Hearing this, Naruto didn't immediately agree, instead rubbing his cheek.
"About that..."
...
Rewind slightly to when that earth-shattering beam had just finished cleansing everything.
The people of the Land of Demons on the city wall watched Naruto, who could change the world with a wave of his hand, as if witnessing a miracle. Their minds were completely blank.
Their experience was simply insufficient to comprehend what had just happened.
Honestly, even Jiraiya's methods, creating giant beasts with a wave, were already considered 'divine skills' in their eyes.
No wonder this small country's Priestess regarded that so-called Moryo as a calamity capable of destroying the whole world.
If she truly knew how many colossal entities lurked beneath the surface of the Ninja World, she'd probably scare herself to death without waiting for any 'death premonition' to activate.
After one unnamed blast of Conqueror's Haki mixed with Chakra, nothing remained on the ground.
Those stone statues, which kept coming back no matter how many times they were shattered, were now completely reduced to dissipating powder.
The mental energy connecting them was disrupted by the powerful Conqueror's Haki impact, while the matter composing them and the Chakra driving them were thoroughly cleansed by Naruto's Chakra Blast.
"Hmm?"
Just as Naruto was about to stop, his Observation Haki detected something.
The next moment, he teleported a kilometer through the air, landing directly at the spot where Yomi and the others had been 'evaporated'.
"This is..."
Though nothing remained there, Naruto could still detect a certain type of Chakra.
This came from the Otsutsuki Clan's innate talent for controlling Chakra.
Reaching out, the purple-black Chakra lurking in the soil was 'pulled' out by Naruto like an earthworm.
That Chakra seemed to carry some will. Sensing it had been discovered, it immediately tried to burrow deeper underground.
But having fallen into Naruto's palm, how could it escape so easily?
Under Naruto's restraint, Moryo's Chakra struggled in vain.
"Almost let you slip away."
Looking at this Chakra, clearly carrying a villainous vibe, Naruto barely hesitated before preparing to stuff it into his mouth.
The Baku Baku no Mi and his Otsutsuki physique were jointly urging him to eat.
As for whether swallowing this would have similar effects as swallowing [Zero-Tails] last time? Naruto didn't care.
Firstly, this one's aura was clearly weaker than Zero-Tails… at least in its current diminished state.
Secondly, he, Uzumaki Naruto, was no longer who he used to be.
The Otsutsuki physique granted him the ability to absorb any kind of Chakra almost without risk.
Perhaps due to losing too much mass, causing its cognitive ability to shrink proportionally-
Even on the verge of being devoured, Moryo kept whispering temptations to Naruto, trying to make him a second vessel like Yomi, promising to help him rule the world with its power.
"Rule the world? If I wanted that, I could do it anytime..."
Naruto didn't care at all, casually squashing and stretching Moryo's Chakra.
"And with your level of power... sigh, you wouldn't understand even if I told you."
'How do you know I wouldn't understand if you don't tell me!?'
With this unwilling final word, Moryo's consciousness completely dissipated as its Chakra was digested.
Meanwhile, Shion, the Priestess who was Moryo's sealer, felt something.
The oppressive feeling that had haunted her since inheriting the Priestess position from her mother had completely disappeared.
"Moryo... is dead?"
She found it hard to believe.
Even the first Priestess could only seal Moryo, having to separate its body and soul.
Yet now, Jiraiya had somehow summoned a god who directly resolved this crisis that had plagued the Land of Demons for years.
Honestly, the first feeling in Shion's heart wasn't joy, but confusion.
She didn't know what to do next, or even whether their country's centuries of perseverance meant anything.
'Could this thing... really endanger the Ninja World?'
...
"So yeah... she doesn't seem to want to see us."
Naruto shrugged, puzzled by the Priestess girl suddenly falling into self-isolation.
"We don't need that Priestess's approval! Naruto-Aniki is about to marry two big sisters! Whether Hancock-nee or Stussy-nee, neither is less beautiful than her!"
Konohamaru was even more agitated than Naruto, immediately defending him.
'What the heck! We helped this country, and that Priestess looked at Naruto-Aniki strangely, almost as if blaming him.'
"What?!"
But Jiraiya's focus wasn't on the first part at all.
He looked at Konohamaru in disbelief, then looked to Naruto for confirmation.
"Naruto... he said you're going to marry... two women? So sudden?"
Hearing Jiraiya ask this, Naruto snapped back and quickly pulled a photo from his pocket.
It was a group photo taken before he came to the Ninja World, with Stussy holding little Adam.
The two super beauties clearly had some friction between them, evident even in the photo, yet they could still superficially harmonize for this picture together.
This was what most amazed, even bewildered Jiraiya.
Even considering himself a 'master of romance novels', Jiraiya couldn't fathom this plot even if he racked his brains.
Sometimes, reality truly is stranger than fiction.
"Yeah, Jiraiya-sensei. The reason I returned to the Ninja World this time was actually to invite you to be a witness at the wedding. They both... Jiraiya-sensei, what's wrong with you?"
Naruto started introducing his two wives and son to Jiraiya, then prepared to mention the witness matter, only to see Jiraiya suddenly drop to his knees, eyes vacant. He quickly moved to help him up.
But Jiraiya gently pushed Naruto's hand away, looking at him with grief and indignation.
"Don't call me Sensei..."
"From now on, you're my teacher."
"Naruto, how did you do it?! Teach me!"