Naruto: The Hidden Protector

178: Go To Hell With Her

As Izanami's killing intent peaked, the air grew heavy, and she was about to swing her sword the toad sages couldn't hold out any longer.

"Stop! Spare us, Lady Izanami!" one of the oldest sages shouted. He dropped to his knees, tears streaming down his face. Even though he had lived centuries longer than her, his mental fortitude was like wet paper compared to her resolve.

Izanami didn't slow down. Who did these toads think they were? Did they honestly believe their lives were worth enough to make her hesitate? This wasn't some storybook world where a villain stops just because someone begs for mercy.

Seeing his plea ignored, the sage spiraled into despair. Following his lead, the others began to collapse. In less than two seconds, every single toad was kneeling—except for Gamamaru. That finally caught Izanami's attention.

'Oh? Does this guy still not get it? Does he really think he's some bigshot who deserves a glorious death?' A mischievous smile played on her lips. She decided to give him a harsh reality check before finishing him off.

So she stopped her attack and dispersed the power gathered on her sword. Seeing Izanami finally stop, the toads thought she had changed her mind, and hope rekindled in their eyes. But the next moment, Izanami's voice hit them like a plunge into ice water, sending their emotions into a total freefall.

" Hey let's play a little game. If you could win this game, I would let you lot live " Izanami spoke in a very cheerful voice, like she wasn't going to cut these guys just a few seconds away.

And without even hearing their response, Izanami continued, " The game is simple , I see that old man Gamamaru still thinks that he is some big shot, so I want to see him face reality. And what better way is there than letting his dear clansman help him?

So, my dear toad sages, why don't you help him recognise his place and bring his head to me?"

At the end of her speech Izanami's smile grew more and more terrifying. At this moment she truly looked like a devil who came to the mortal world to burn the whole world to satisfy his curiosity.

The toad sages all had complicated thoughts they inwardly looked at Gamamaru. At this moment cold sweat began to run down Gamamaru's back. Even when Izanami was massacring the toads, he wasn't this flustered. But now Gamamaru was very scared.

As someone who had watched over humans for many years, he knew exactly what type of decision one would make when they are pushed to a corner. Even if toad sages were not humans, they were still like humans.

And Gamamaru wouldn't bet on the possibility of his clansman rejecting Izanami's twisted game. Because he himself, if it were someone else's life on the line, would immediately agree to this deal. And with the previous situation where all these cowards knelt in fear, Gamamaru didn't think these guys would suddenly grow more courage to ignore this simple offer.

But unexpectedly Gamamaru was surprised that no one came to fulfill this absurd request. In fact, all of them just stood there with complicated expressions.

"Lady Izanami, please..."

The plea came from one of the oldest sages, a toad who had always been quite fond of Gamamaru. In fact, he was the predecessor—the Great Sage of the Toad Clan who had held the mantle before Gamamaru ever rose to power. He hesitated, his voice trembling as he tried to find the words to explain that slaughtering Gamamaru was simply too much for them to bear. Even though he was drowning in despair and craved nothing more than to survive, he hadn't fallen so far as to turn a butcher's knife against his own kin.

In fact, it wasn't just this sage who held this view. Most sages, whether they were young or old, despite cowering in fear before, had resolute expressions as they looked at Izanami. They looked like resolute warriors, prepared to be sacrificed if it meant the continuation of their race.

Seeing his clansmen stand their ground, Gamamaru inwardly breathed a massive sigh of relief. He quietly began to tuck away two sealing talismans he had palmed earlier, his heart slowing its frantic pace.

'It seems I don't have to waste these two talismans today ' Gamamaru didn't even get to breathe a sigh of relief as he felt a gaze looking at him. Looking up, he saw Izanami looking at him with a very kind smile. But Gamamaru, seeing that smile, couldn't help feeling danger signals ringing in his head.

'Oh no,' Gamamaru thought as he panicked completely as his blood ran cold.

"Hey, did you know?" Izanami's voice cut through the air as she snapped her fingers. "Your so-called leader has two trump cards that could have saved all your dead comrades."

And then the two talismans that Gamamaru tried to hide began to glow brightly, making the other sages notice it.

Several of the older sages instantly recognized the talismans in her hand. In a heartbeat, the hope in their eyes died out, replaced by a cold, sharp hostility.

'Damn it, this is bad, these guys would never trust me again ' Gamamaru thought as he saw the older sages explain these two talismans.

Just as he feared, the "brave" front of the toad clan vanished. The moment the younger toads heard the explanation and saw the confirmation in the elders' grim faces, their tune changed. The air shifted from sacrifice to betrayal. Now, every single toad—from the smallest sprout to the eldest sage—looked at Gamamaru as if they were looking at a piece of discarded trash.

" So tell me now, will you still protect this great sage of yours?" Izanami asked with a very excited expression.

And this time the clan didn't stand behind Gamamaru; instead, all of them began to direct their hostility towards Gamamaru. Some toads even took out their weapons, ready to attack at any moment.

Seeing his own kin ready to tear him apart, Gamamaru felt his heart go cold. But the disappointment didn't last long—it was quickly swallowed by a burning rage.

He was Gamamaru! The Great Toad Sage, who had guided the Sage of Six Paths and helped take down the ultimate evil, Kaguya. He was a legend, a monumental figure who should be worshipped day and night for his contributions. In his mind, these toads should be honored to die for him. He had treated them like kings for centuries! It was thanks to him that the Toad Clan even survived the bloodbath of the Sengoku period.

In other words, all these sages should be grateful to him for even being able to live this long.

"You fools remember who I am! I'm still your Great Sage!" Gamamaru barked, his face turning a dark, ugly shade of red. "How dare you try to lay a hand on me just because of some words from a demoness!"

"I'm sorry, Gamamaru... but you ceased to be our leader the moment you stood by and watched," the previous Great Sage replied. His voice was heavy, dripping with a cold killing intent that filled the cavern. "You let 69% of our younger generation die in agony and regret, all while you sat on the power to save them."

One must know that for any clan, the younger generation is the hope for their growth. Even during wars the younger generation would be protected by the older generation.

But Gamamaru, for his own selfishness, let hundreds of younger sages die just to hide his trump cards.

Gamamaru saw the look in their eyes—there was no going back. His face twisted into a manic, jagged grin as he realized he was done playing the "kind savior."

"Fine! If you ungrateful trash want to see my trump cards so badly, I'll show them to you!"

With a violent snarl, Gamamaru flipped the table. He didn't try to run. Instead, he slammed the two glowing talismans together with everything he had.

"Since you want to die so much, then go to hell with her!"

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