"You wish to see the Great Toad Sage?"
After hearing Yuzuru's words, the expressions of the gathered toads grew even tenser.
Fukasaku smiled and said, "The Great Toad Sage has been asleep for a long time. I'm afraid he cannot receive guests."
"Your Imperial Majesty, why not tell me what matter you have first? Once the Great Toad Sage wakes, I can relay it on your behalf."
Shima also chimed in, "That's right, that's right. You may not know this, but the Great Toad Sage is already very old. He spends most of his time sleeping."
Yuzuru waited quietly until Fukasaku and Shima finished speaking. Only then did he slowly open his mouth.
"What you said is all correct. However, have you ever heard this saying..."
"What saying?"
"Under the vast heavens, all land is the Emperor's land. Along the sea-boundaries of the world, all people are the Emperor's subjects. I am the Emperor, and I rule over all. As long as your Mount Myoboku is within the shinobi world, you must obey my commands."
Yuzuru gradually became cold and arrogant, his tone carrying a trace of unquestionable authority. "When I say I want to see the Great Toad Sage, I am not discussing it with you. I am giving an order."
After Yuzuru finished speaking, Fukasaku and Shima fell silent.
Jiraiya looked anxious, but he could not find a chance to cut in.
Suddenly, the enormous Gamabunta tossed the giant pipe in his mouth onto the ground, producing a thunderous bang.
He spoke coldly. "Mount Myōboku is a sacred hidden realm opened up in ancient times. Strictly speaking, it has no connection to the current ninja world."
"Even if you are the Emperor, you have no right to order us around!"
"Bunta!"
Jiraiya was somewhat startled by Gamabunta.
He knew Gamabunta had always had a fierce temper, but he had never expected him to say something so forceful.
Yet after hearing Jiraiya's shout, Gamabunta turned a deaf ear.
Fukasaku and Shima also said nothing, showing no intention of persuading him.
Seeing this, the corners of Yuzuru's lips rose slightly, and he took a step forward of his own accord.
"It seems you still do not understand."
"The Emperor's authority is not something I simply declared myself. It was carved out with my fists."
After saying that, Yuzuru raised his arm toward Gamabunta.
"Universal Pull!"
Under the force of the powerful gravity, Gamabunta's hundred-meter-tall body actually rose uncontrollably from the ground.
"W-What are you doing?!"
Gamabunta was shocked. He struggled with all his might, trying to break free from Yuzuru's control.
But no matter how hard he tried, his body still flew helplessly into the sky.
Yuzuru ignored Gamabunta. His arm merely dipped slightly downward.
The next second, Gamabunta's body smashed heavily into the ground like a cannonball.
Boom!
All of Mount Myōboku seemed to tremble. Dust flew into the air, and the earth split open.
By the time everyone came back to their senses, Yuzuru was already standing on Gamabunta's head.
As for Gamabunta, his earlier defiance was completely gone. He lay motionless on the ground, his aura weak.
"Yuzuru!!!"
Jiraiya cried out in alarm and used the Body Flicker Technique to arrive in front of Gamabunta.
He looked up and said, "Bunta's personality has always been like this. His crime does not deserve death."
Yuzuru snorted coldly. "Personality?"
"If he wants to speak of personality in front of me, then he had better be prepared to pay the price."
Fukasaku and Shima spoke in grave voices. "Your Imperial Majesty, Mount Myōboku rarely interacts with the outside world. On top of that, we are all toads and do not understand human affairs. Please calm your anger!"
Once Fukasaku and Shima spoke, the other toads also prostrated themselves on the ground one after another. "Please calm your anger, Your Imperial Majesty!"
Gamabunta could already be considered one of Mount Myōboku's top combatants, yet he had been defeated so easily by Yuzuru.
Combined with the visual impact caused by the enormous difference in size between the two sides...
How could these toads still dare show Yuzuru any disrespect?
Looking at the toads lying prostrate on the ground, Yuzuru said nothing.
Since he did not speak, the toads did not dare utter a word either.
After all, Gamabunta was still beneath Yuzuru's foot. They were afraid that if Yuzuru became even slightly displeased, he would kill Gamabunta outright.
For a time, the atmosphere fell into silence.
A moment later, an aged and feeble voice came from the enormous shrine not far away.
"Your Imperial Majesty, please come inside for a conversation. Do not make things difficult for these juniors."
The moment the voice sounded, all the toads breathed a sigh of relief.
It was the Great Toad Sage!
Yuzuru looked down at Gamabunta beneath his foot, and a long black rod appeared in his hand.
The next second, Yuzuru hurled the black rod into Gamabunta's head.
Splurt!
Gamabunta let out a miserable scream. His body twitched a few times before completely losing all signs of life.
"Bunta!!!"
Fukasaku, Shima, and the other toads all cried out in shock.
None of them had expected Yuzuru to actually kill Gamabunta directly.
But after sensing the killing intent radiating from Yuzuru, they did not dare make any unnecessary movements.
Even Fukasaku and Shima still maintained their prostrated posture on the ground.
"Hmph!"
Seeing that the toads had finally become obedient, Yuzuru turned and walked into the shrine.
No matter how things had been in the past, before him, even a dragon had to coil, and even a tiger had to lie down.
If someone offended him, he would not indulge them.
"Bunta..."
Seeing the grief on Jiraiya's face, Yuzuru smiled and said, "Jiraiya, perhaps Gamabunta can still be saved."
"I have heard that Mount Myōboku possesses a talisman capable of bringing the dead back to life."
"And it is in the hands of the Great Toad Sage..."
Yuzuru's voice was clear and bright. Not only Jiraiya, but all the surrounding toads heard it.
After glancing at the toads' reactions, Yuzuru stepped into the shrine.
Inside the shrine, the Great Toad Sage's enormous body sat upright on a high chair at the very center.
Upon seeing Yuzuru, the Great Toad Sage nodded slightly and took the initiative to speak. "Your Imperial Majesty, my body has difficulty moving. Please forgive me for being unable to rise and welcome you."
Yuzuru had already established his authority just now, so he did not care about such things.
Seeing the Great Toad Sage take the initiative to apologize, he casually waved his hand.
"It is no matter."
The Great Toad Sage looked Yuzuru up and down, then said, "Your Imperial Majesty is truly young and accomplished."
Yuzuru used his kekkei genkai to create a chair of sand and sat down, saying teasingly, "I never expected even the Great Toad Sage to know how to flatter others."
The Great Toad Sage ignored Yuzuru's teasing and said, "I am merely speaking the truth."
"That much can be seen from what happened just now."
Yuzuru had first used the strongest Gamabunta to establish his authority, then killed Gamabunta before publicly revealing that the Great Toad Sage possessed a talisman capable of resurrecting the dead.
With that, regardless of whether the Great Toad Sage saved Gamabunta or not, the situation would develop in Yuzuru's favor.
If he saved Gamabunta, he would have to lose one of the precious talismans in his possession.
If he did not save Gamabunta...
Then in the future, there would probably never again be a toad like Gamabunta, willing to risk his life to protect him and Mount Myōboku.
He clearly possessed enough power to crush everything, yet he still handled matters with flawless precision.
A person like this was the most terrifying of all.