"Tsunade is not here."
Orochimaru calmly reminded Jiraiya.
"Is Jiraiya ignoring his injuries?"
Although both of them considered themselves strong, Tsunade was an essential part of the Legendary Sannin of Konoha. Only when Tsunade was present could they form the Sannin's combat formation.
"It doesn't matter…"
Jiraiya grinned, his eyes sweeping over the Six Paths of Pain present, and his voice dropped quietly: "Hey, Orochimaru, let me tell you a secret. I made a bet with Tsunade when I came here. If I can return alive…"
"You made a bet with her?"
Orochimaru interrupted Jiraiya, his expression somewhat unpleasant: "Tsunade has never had good luck… If you return alive, does that mean I'll die here?"
Moreover…
There was no need for Jiraiya to say much. Orochimaru knew what kind of bet Jiraiya made with Tsunade. This bastard was truly reckless!
"Think positively…"
Jiraiya raised a finger and shook his head lightly, saying softly: "Maybe we'll survive? You continue to cover me…"
"Idiot, first deal with your student!"
Orochimaru glanced at Jiraiya, then looked at Konan flying in the air and the exploding tags continuously approaching: "If this continues, my Manda II will be blown to pieces… Jiraiya, if my summoning beast dies, you'll have to join it in the grave…"
"Got it, got it…"
Jiraiya raised his hand, looking towards Konan: "Fukasaku, Shima, let's go!"
"But it seems there's something…"
Fukasaku frowned, wanting to look towards an empty space.
"Deal with Konan first!"
Jiraiya hurriedly interrupted Fukasaku.
"Understood!"
Shima's mouth opened suddenly, spitting out a long tongue that directly wrapped around Konan's body!
Konan's body immediately turned into flying sheets of paper!
"Charge!"
Jiraiya jumped down from the Manda II, shouting loudly: "Orochimaru, use Wind Release to continue covering me!"
"Sage Art: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
Jiraiya opened his mouth and spewed out a flame!
"This idiot…"
Orochimaru could only helplessly raise his hand and quickly form a hand seal: "Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
Fire augmented by wind!
A flame dragon followed the path created by Wind Release, spreading towards the Six Paths of Pain. The Preta Path quickly stepped forward, raising its hand to absorb the technique!
However, the moment the Fire Dragon Flame Bullet was absorbed, Jiraiya's figure was hidden behind the flames, and the other Pains did not see him!
Jiraiya reached out and grabbed the Preta Path, pressing his hand on the Preta Path's face, forcibly slamming the puppet to the ground, breaking its neck!
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
Orochimaru appeared behind Jiraiya, releasing a Water Formation Wall in front of them, seemingly doing something futile…
"Shinra Tensei!"
However, just as Orochimaru completed his hand seal, the Tendo Path raised its hand and released a repulsive force, aiming to crush Jiraiya!
The Water Formation Wall released by Orochimaru was instantly turned into a wave by the repulsive force, and both of them were thrown away!
Orochimaru, perhaps already accustomed to this, instantly transformed into a long snake, which spat out another Orochimaru in midair!
Jiraiya crossed his arms in front of his chest, being sent flying by the repulsive force, spitting out a mouthful of blood. Even Fukasaku and Shima beside him felt the troublesome nature of this repulsive force!
"So this is the power of the Rinnegan?"
Fukasaku looked at the Tendo Path in shock.
"That repulsive force…"
Shima frowned.
"It has both offensive and defensive capabilities."
Jiraiya had already anticipated this. He wiped the corner of his mouth and provided more detailed information: "But that repulsive force cannot be used continuously; it requires some time between uses. The exact interval is still uncertain…"
"We just dealt with the puppet that could absorb ninjutsu, called the Preta Path? The puppet skilled in summoning, the Animal Path, has lost its main utility as its summoning beasts were dealt with by Orochimaru's summoning beasts. However, it still possesses considerable combat ability…"
"Saying all that is useless…"
Orochimaru snorted coldly and interrupted Jiraiya's words: "If we can't deal with this guy in front of us, it won't matter even if all the other Pains are taken down..."
"Charge!"
Jiraiya raised his palm and shouted: "The puppet that can absorb ninjutsu has already been dealt with, we can use powerful ninjutsu now. Fukasaku, Shima, let's use Goemon together!"
"Alright!"
The two toads sitting on Jiraiya's shoulders nodded quickly.
"Sage Art: Goemon!"
Jiraiya spewed a ball of chakra-infused oil from his mouth! As Jiraiya's oil shot forward, Fukasaku exhaled a burst of flames, and Shima released a gale! The wind, fire, and oil combined instantly, creating a wave of flame that surged toward the other Pains!
"Now, we might be able to gather more intel..."
Jiraiya watched the flaming wave of Goemon, scanning the area with his eyes as he shouted: "Nagato, if you don't have any other means to save these Pains, you'll have to use a summoning jutsu to take them away! I'm going to find your true body!"
"Jiraiya, I have already..."
Fukasaku seemed to want to say something.
"Fukasaku, don't worry..."
Jiraiya quickly interrupted him, casting a subtle glance at Orochimaru beside him, slightly lifting the corner of his mouth and winking.
"Hmph..."
Orochimaru also grinned, seemingly catching Jiraiya's signal. Using the flaming wave of Goemon as cover, his body transformed into countless small snakes and dispersed.
"Sage Art, huh..."
Tendo Path Pain squinted his eyes.
The Goemon flames surged like waves! Most of the Pains' abilities had already been deduced by Jiraiya, and with Tendo Path's Almighty Push on cooldown, they seemed to have no means to resist the approaching fiery wave! At this moment...
Pain seemed to be pushed to his limits by this move! As Jiraiya mentioned, if the Six Paths of Pain had no other measures, they would either let the Pains be burned by Goemon's flames or expose the true body's position, forcing Nagato to summon the puppets away.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
At this critical moment, the Animal Path once again proved useful!
A gigantic hell crab appeared, positioning itself in front of the Pains and spewing countless bubbles, immediately blocking the approaching flames! This was Water Release: Wild Bubble Wave, especially effective against oil and fire!
Although the bubbles couldn't completely extinguish Goemon, they managed to hold back the raging flames. However, the hell crab started to blacken as if being roasted, but it bought enough time for Tendo Path to act!
"Almost exposed my true body..."
Tendo Path Pain looked at Jiraiya, coldly continuing: "I knew from the start that Jiraiya-sensei excels at oil techniques. How could I not prepare a countermeasure against you..."
"Now..."
"It's my turn."
"I will use Tendo Path to finish you all..."
Realizing his former teacher's troublesome nature, Tendo Path decided not to hesitate any longer. If Jiraiya gained more intel, it could lead to significant losses. So he resolved to crush them with pure force!
Tendo Path's palms clasped together, and the surrounding Pains collapsed to the ground, with all their chakra converging into the strongest Tendo Path!
"..."
In the sky, Konan frowned and dissolved into countless paper pieces, not wanting to hinder Tendo Path's technique.
"Then come on."
Jiraiya smiled slightly, showing no fear of Tendo Path's attack. He even seemed eager for Tendo Path's power to be stronger!
"Goodbye, Jiraiya-sensei..."
Tendo Path extended his hand, determined to use his most powerful Almighty Push to eliminate the Sage Mode Jiraiya!
Having gathered significant intel on the other Pains, he knew that continuing to entangle with Jiraiya using these methods was risky. He did not think he could match his teacher's battle experience.
Given that...
He would rely on sheer power to crush him!
As a terrifying chakra surged within Tendo Path, preparing to release a technique powerful enough to kill Jiraiya, Tendo Path's expression suddenly changed!
"No, the true body..."
Tendo Path sharply turned to look in one direction!
There had been a chameleon hidden there, carrying Nagato's body to avoid detection. However, a massive Kusanagi Sword suddenly appeared and split the chameleon in half!
"Orochimaru!"
Tendo Path immediately understood!
This was Jiraiya's strategy!
Teacher had long discovered the invisible chameleon, and had been here attracting the attention of the Six Paths of Pain while secretly informing Orochimaru about the chameleon's whereabouts, letting Orochimaru launch a sneak attack on the real Nagato!
"The sensory abilities of Sage Mode are quite powerful..."
Jiraiya, looking at Tendo Path Pain, finally felt that he had grasped the possibility of victory: "After I entered Sage Mode, Fukasaku helped locate the invisible summoned beast, finding its position as well as Nagato's location..."
On the other side.
As the invisible chameleon was killed, Nagato's body was instantly exposed, falling from the chameleon's corpse, looking somewhat disheveled.
"Nagato!"
A painful voice from Konan echoed in the sky, countless sheets of paper flew towards Nagato!
"Konan, I'm fine."
Nagato's hands quickly formed a seal, and with a raise of his hand, a powerful Shinra Tensei sent the attacking Orochimaru flying: "Even if you've found my real body, so what? As the original owner of the Rinnegan, I can use all the abilities of the Six Paths of Pain..."
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Nagato summoned Tendo Path Pain to his side!
The sheets of paper in the sky fell between Nagato and Tendo Path Pain, folding instantly into the form of Konan!
"Yahiko, Nagato, Konan..."
Jiraiya, looking at the three figures gathered together, had a dazed look in his eyes. Although the three had long been separated by life and death, and even Yahiko's corpse had been made into the puppet Tendo Path Pain, they still seemed stubbornly united.
The Frog Team Trio.
Memories of the past vividly appeared before Jiraiya's eyes.
Konan's gaze also seemed nostalgic, looking at Tendo Path Pain and Nagato beside her, she felt a long-lost sense of familiarity.
Since Nagato had turned Yahiko's body into Tendo Path Pain, he had always remained in the shadows, rarely appearing in front of others.
This companion with the Rinnegan had always tried to make Tendo Path Pain seem like another person, always striving to maintain their past, making Konan sometimes feel that Yahiko was still alive, believing that the three of them were still together...
It wasn't just Konan who felt this way.
Even Orochimaru and Jiraiya had this illusion.
After joining forces with Jiraiya, Orochimaru looked at the three standing together and sneered: "I almost thought that orange-haired kid was still alive..."
This feeling...
Is quite strange.
The three Sannin from Konoha were all alive, yet only Orochimaru and Jiraiya were here; those kids had one deceased, yet they were all together.
"Yahiko was their pillar..."
Jiraiya sighed, slowly shaking his head: "But no matter how much Nagato tries to piece them together, it can't change the fact that Yahiko is dead; it's all just a facade he's maintaining..."
"Jiraiya-sensei..."
Tendo Path Pain walked towards Jiraiya and Orochimaru.
Nagato's body also floated up, following behind Tendo Path Pain; Konan's legs transformed into countless paper sheets, forming paper wings on her back, flying beside Nagato.
"Everything from the past... ends here!"
Tendo Path Pain raised his finger, forming a hand sign: "Since you insist on attacking my real body, making it appear, then let us students send you and your companion on your way!"
"Hoo..."
Jiraiya took a deep breath, slowly raising his finger, looking at the three familiar figures opposite him, and a bitter smile appeared on his lips: "Ah, the Frog Team has finally gathered, challenging their teacher again?"
"Jiraiya, I'm leaving first."
Orochimaru stepped back a few paces, seemingly planning to leave, and said with a light laugh: "That Rinnegan kid's abilities are too strange. I've helped you as much as I can; I won't participate in the next fight..."
After Nagato violently resolved the strategy aimed at attacking him through Pain, Orochimaru no longer had any intention to fight.
Moreover...
Orochimaru's chakra was almost exhausted in this battle, unlike Jiraiya, who had someone to help replenish his Sage Chakra.
"I understand."
Jiraiya nodded, not opposing Orochimaru's desire to escape. He knew this former close friend had already helped him a lot, being as loyal as he could be.
However...
As if struck by a thought, Jiraiya suddenly called out to Orochimaru: "Wait, Orochimaru, do me one more favor before you go..."
"Don't push it."
Orochimaru glared at him coldly.
~~~
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