"What happened to Master Jiraiya?"
"Is Master Jiraiya in a battle with someone?"
"Lady Tsunade and Shizune are there too."
As the dense fog dissipated, the Konoha ninjas, illuminated by the moonlight, saw the transformed Jiraiya and began to murmur among themselves. With the fog only half-cleared, they could see only Jiraiya's figure and were unsure of the situation.
Jiraiya had activated Sage Mode.
Could it be Tsunade's lover?
Seeing the cautious Jiraiya on the battlefield, the Third Hokage frowned and walked towards Tsunade.
"Damn, the old man showed up," Tsunade muttered in annoyance upon seeing the Third Hokage.
It was because the Third Hokage had informed Jiraiya that she was in Konoha that Jiraiya had come to bother her. However, she also knew that this was the Third Hokage's way of getting Jiraiya back to the village. Otherwise, Jiraiya would likely have been swayed by the Great Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku to wander around looking for the "Child of Prophecy," unable to return to the village in times of trouble, just like during the Nine-Tails' attack.
"Tsunade, who is Jiraiya fighting?"
The Third Hokage asked as he approached with a group of Konoha ninjas.
"Who else? It's the Flying Thunder God user you hate so much."
Tsunade replied with a sarcastic tone, her face still displaying her displeasure. Because of Shishou's relationship with Mei Terumi, the Third Hokage had been advising Tsunade to reconsider her position, which had been annoying her greatly.
The Third Hokage was infuriated, his mustache twitching in anger, "Tsunade, is this how you talk to your elders now?"
"Tch, don't give me that attitude," Tsunade retorted dismissively.
Seeing the Third Hokage and Tsunade about to argue, Shizune, Kakashi, Might Guy, and others felt a headache coming on. Kurenai Yuhi, hearing that the opponent Jiraiya was fighting was Shishou, searched the battlefield with her beautiful eyes, trying to find him. However, with the fog not yet fully cleared, she couldn't locate Shishou.
"Jiraiya, he's above you!"
Suddenly, Fukasaku's shout echoed from the battlefield, drawing everyone's attention. Following his gaze, they saw Shishou, looking like a demon lord with wings, flying in mid-air, holding a glowing blue chakra sphere in his right hand, swirling with water-like energy.
Is that him?
Upon seeing the demonic Shishou, Kurenai immediately recognized him as the one she had been longing to see.
What is he holding in his hand?
Tsunade and the Third Hokage, seeing the highly concentrated chakra sphere in Shishou's hand, immediately sensed trouble.
"Is that a Rasengan?" Jiraiya stared in shock at the chakra spheres in Shishou's hands. Not only had Shishou secretly learned his Rasengan technique, but he had also immediately developed a new way to use it. How could this bastard be so talented?
"Jiraiya, don't daze out. He's coming!" Fukasaku warned gravely. As soon as he finished speaking, Shishou hurled the Rasengan at Jiraiya.
Sage Art: Vortex Rasengan!
This new technique, developed by infusing water-nature chakra and senjutsu energy into the Rasengan, was still untested in terms of its power.
"Jiraiya, don't take it head-on!" Seeing the rapidly approaching Rasengan, Fukasaku reminded him, while Shima quickly extended her tongue to wrap around a distant tree, pulling Jiraiya and the two toads out of harm's way.
Just as Jiraiya and the toads moved, the Vortex Rasengan exploded where they had stood, creating a massive swirling water vortex that rapidly expanded, engulfing a ten-meter radius and forming a spinning water tornado with countless sharp water blades emanating from it.
"Such power!"
The Konoha ninjas were horrified, seeing the ground torn apart by the water tornado, leaving deep pits and cutting down dozens of trees with the water blades. If they had been any closer, they would have been decapitated.
The Third Hokage remained silent, seeing Shishou's powerful jutsu. Tsunade and Shizune kept their composure due to the presence of others. Kurenai, however, stared at Shishou, her eyes filled with admiration and longing.
"Tsk tsk tsk, a bit weak," Shishou muttered, shaking his head in disappointment at the Vortex Rasengan's performance. Then, he looked at Jiraiya, who had just escaped, and raised his left hand. In it, a blazing Fire Release Rasengan formed.
Sage Art: Flame Stream Rasengan!
"Another one?" Jiraiya exclaimed in disbelief, seeing the fiery Rasengan in Shishou's hand. This bastard, after using a water-nature one, now has a fire-nature one. Such talent... is infuriating!!!
As the fiery Rasengan flew towards him, Jiraiya gritted his teeth and pressed his hands to the ground.
Sage Art: Toad Earth Movement!
A five-meter-tall rock toad rose from the ground, swallowing Jiraiya, Fukasaku, and Shima. The Flame Stream Rasengan exploded against the toad, creating cracks and forming a fiery storm around it.
"Haha, a self-repairing defense, huh," Shishou noted as the rock toad's cracks began to heal. "Let's see how long you can hide."
With that, Shishou formed another Flame Stream Rasengan, bombarding the rock toad. Meanwhile, more than a dozen of Shishou's clones, each with a Flame Stream Rasengan, joined in the attack.
Though the clones' Rasengans didn't contain senjutsu chakra, they were still powerful. Under the relentless bombardment, the rock toad's defenses began to falter.
Boom boom boom boom boom!!!!
Watching the constant bombardment, the Konoha ninjas were terrified. Even a single Rasengan from a clone could wipe them out, yet Shishou seemed to be throwing them endlessly...
The Third Hokage, equally shocked, couldn't believe the amount of chakra Shishou was displaying. Shizune looked at Shishou with overflowing admiration. Kurenai, watching Shishou, felt a pang of sorrow and tears welled up in her eyes as she glanced at Tsunade.
Tsunade, seeing the constantly repairing rock toad, laughed out loud.
"Hahaha."
"Now it's catching the toad in the jar."
**********
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