Ōnoki wasted no time, immediately targeting Jiraiya.
He had caused Iwagakure plenty of trouble.
"Jinton: Genkai Hakuri no Jutsu" (Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique)
A massive transparent cube barrier enveloped everything in its path.
"Ha!"
Ōnoki shouted as he unleashed his attack.
The white light within the cube disintegrated everything inside it, leaving behind a perfect square of leveled ground.
From beneath the ground, Jiraiya emerged.
As expected, this old man would be his opponent.
"Attacking without so much as a word, old man? Isn't that a little rude?" Jiraiya teased, his hands forming seals rapidly.
Taking a deep breath, Jiraiya unleashed flames toward the sky.
"Katon: Karyū Endan!" (Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!)
A fiery dragon erupted from Jiraiya's mouth, racing toward the airborne Ōnoki.
Ōnoki quickly ascended higher, but the fire dragon was gaining speed and soon caught up with him, engulfing him in flames.
Despite the apparent hit, Jiraiya felt no relief.
Defeating a Kage wasn't that easy.
The next moment...
"Doton: Gōremu no Jutsu!" (Earth Release: Golem Fist Technique!)
A giant rock fist erupted from the ground, smashing into Jiraiya's chin, bending his head backward unnaturally.
"Poof!"
Jiraiya's body turned into smoke.
"Ran Shishihō no Jutsu!" (Wild Lion's Mane Technique!)
White hair extended from behind Ōnoki, attempting to wrap around and bind him.
"Doton: Kajūgan no Jutsu!" (Earth Release: Added-Weight Rock Technique!)
Without even turning around, Ōnoki used the technique. The moment the hair touched him, it became incredibly heavy, crashing to the ground under its immense weight.
No matter how hard Jiraiya pulled, it wouldn't budge.
Ōnoki raised his hand, and the Dust Release barrier began forming again.
Seeing the incoming danger, Jiraiya swiftly cut his hair with a kunai and leapt out of the Dust Release barrier's range, his hands still weaving seals.
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu! Yōtai Kuzushi no Jutsu!" (Summoning Jutsu: Food Cart Destroyer Technique!)
A massive toad plummeted from the sky, aiming to crush Ōnoki beneath its bulk.
Ōnoki swiftly flew backward, narrowly avoiding being squashed by the enormous amphibian.
With a deafening crash, the giant toad landed, and smoke billowed into the air.
When the smoke cleared, Jiraiya stood atop the toad's head.
"Yo, Jiraiya!" the green toad, Gamagorō, greeted Jiraiya with a wave.
His gaze shifted to the distant Ōnoki.
"So, this time, we're fighting that shorty, huh?"
"Who are you calling short, you little bastard!!" Ōnoki yelled, unable to hold back his anger.
He hated being called short more than anything.
"This one's the Tsuchikage, so be careful," Jiraiya warned Gamagorō.
Despite the Tsuchikage's unimposing appearance, he was anything but weak.
"The Tsuchikage, huh?"
Even Gamagorō recognized one of the five Kage, the elite shinobi who stood at the peak.
"Where's your Hokage, then?" Gamagorō asked, drawing out his dual swords.
"Sarutobi-sensei is holding down the fort in Konoha," Jiraiya replied offhandedly.
The Third Hokage wouldn't stoop to personally engaging in such battles, unlike these other Kage.
"Got it," Gamagorō responded simply. He wasn't particularly interested in human affairs, but the Great Toad Sage had instructed them to maintain good relations with humanity. Although he didn't know why the old sage was being so meddlesome lately, he had no choice but to listen.
With that, Gamagorō leapt toward Ōnoki, his dual swords slashing downward.
"Kugutsu no Jutsu! Gama Nidan Giri!" (Hidden Weapon Technique! Toad Twin Slash!)
However, Ōnoki dodged swiftly, maneuvering between the sword strikes and flying higher, raising his hands.
"Jinton: Genkai Hakuri no Jutsu!" (Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!)
The transparent cube began forming around Gamagorō, ready to engulf him.
But Jiraiya was faster, his seals already completed.
"Gamayudan!" (Toad Oil Bullet!)
Jiraiya spat out a stream of oil, drenching the unprepared Ōnoki.
His movements slowed immediately.
"Katon: Gamayu Endan!" (Fire Release: Toad Oil Flame Bullet!)
Gamagorō followed with a spray of oil, and Jiraiya unleashed a fireball. The flames ignited instantly, racing toward Ōnoki, who was still covered in the oil.
The Tsuchikage was engulfed in fire, and his Dust Release dissipated.
"Did we get him?" Gamagorō asked.
"Not likely," Jiraiya replied.
Sure enough, several figures of Ōnoki emerged from the sky, surrounding both Jiraiya and Gamagorō.
"Doton: Iwa Bunshin no Jutsu!" (Earth Release: Rock Clone Technique!)
"Jinton: Tajū Genkai Hakuri no Jutsu!" (Dust Release: Multiple Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!)
Numerous transparent cubes formed, encasing Jiraiya and the toad from all sides.
There was no escape.
The next moment, the cubes glowed with white light, disintegrating everything within.
"It's over," Ōnoki declared, landing on the ground as his clones crumbled into earth.
He massaged his back, which had been aching lately. Yet, despite the destruction, he saw no sign of Jiraiya or the toad.
Even underground, there was no sign of them.
As far as Doton (Earth Release) was concerned, Ōnoki didn't believe anyone in Konoha could surpass him.
Just as Ōnoki was about to relax, thinking the battle was finished...
"Boom!"
Jiraiya reappeared mid-air.
"Gyaku Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" (Reverse Summoning Technique!)
And in his hand, a swirling blue orb.
"Rasengan!"
This was the technique developed by his disciple, Minato.
Ōnoki quickly turned, forming a Dust Release barrier to shield himself.
He truly deserved the title of Tsuchikage. Reacting in such a critical moment was no easy feat.
But Minato's Rasengan was not a technique to be taken lightly.
The swirling Rasengan collided with Ōnoki's Dust Release barrier, causing it to twist and distort.
"A chakra-disrupting jutsu," Ōnoki realized, narrowing his eyes.
How did Konoha keep developing such powerful techniques?
The white, transparent barrier twisted and vanished.
Just as the Rasengan was about to hit Ōnoki...
The Tsuchikage crouched down and activated another technique in the split second he had.
"Doton: Keijūgan no Jutsu!" (Earth Release: Light-Weight Rock Technique!)
Jiraiya's body suddenly became lighter, floating slightly upwards. At the same time, Ōnoki ducked low, narrowly avoiding the Rasengan.
Ōnoki's hand then transformed into rock, delivering a powerful punch to Jiraiya's gut, sending him flying.
The Rasengan dissipated, its chakra exhausted.
Jiraiya landed some distance away, clutching his stomach.
"Man, you're strong," he muttered, watching as Ōnoki slowly rose into the air once again.
Despite giving it his all, Jiraiya hadn't gained the upper hand.
This was the strength of a Kage.
"You've really pissed me off, brat," Ōnoki snarled, gritting his teeth.
That evasive maneuver Jiraiya had pulled earlier wasn't just dangerous, it was insulting.
"Today, you'll die here."
"I wouldn't be so sure," Jiraiya replied, a smile spreading across his face.
If he didn't use that technique, there was no way he could win.
"But I've got one last secret weapon."
(End of Chapter)
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