As the two fell onto the battlefield, Ryu moved his hands with almost superhuman precision, forming a sequence of 44 hand seals in rapid succession.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!" Ryu declared, his voice echoing across the field amidst the constant sound of rain.
From the gray clouds, a colossal water dragon emerged, formed from the very essence of the storm. The sky seemed to part for the creature, which slithered majestically and powerfully. The storm's lightning reflected off its crystalline body, making it even more imposing. The entire battlefield froze, and every eye turned to the sky, where the colossal silhouette of the dragon dominated the horizon.
With a decisive gesture, Ryu brought his palms together, fingers pointing upward, forming the 'Ram' seal. It was as if the dragon itself understood the command, descending with overwhelming speed toward the ground.
The combatants on the battlefield froze as they looked upward, their bodies unable to react.
"W-wait... is that...?" A ninja trembled, his voice faltering under the weight of terror.
"Impossible! It's too massive!" another shouted, his disbelief overshadowed only by fear.
"Who... who could launch a jutsu like that?!"
As panic spread like wildfire, Konan observed silently. Unlike the others, her heart wasn't gripped by fear but by profound admiration. Her eyes fixed on the dragon, and on her face was something close to a smile. To her, it wasn't just a display of power; it was a work of art.
"He's incredible..." Konan thought, her eyes shining. The dragon wasn't merely a weapon; it was the embodiment of absolute power she knew Ryu possessed.
"Konan!"
"Right!" she replied without hesitation. Konan's paper sheets manifested instantly, spreading through the air before descending toward the ground. As if alive, the papers swiftly folded and formed floating platforms beneath her and Ryu, supporting them above the chaos.
Ryu furrowed his brow, an expression of exhaustion and surprise. He knew the magnitude of the Water Dragon Jutsu was immense, but he hadn't expected it to drain so much chakra. It was the first time he felt so depleted. However, something unusual happened. He felt a sudden surge of energy flowing through him, as if his chakra was mysteriously being restored. It was intriguing, but there was no time to question it.
Boom!
The dragon collided with the ground in a devastating impact, unleashing a massive wave of water that spread like an unrelenting flood. Sky and earth seemed to merge amidst the chaos. The terrain shattered, transforming into a vast, muddy swamp as the torrential rain continued to pour.
Ryu glanced around, quickly assessing the situation. He knew he needed more. "Konan, help me!" He swiftly formed the Horse seal, inhaling deeply. With renewed strength, he expelled a ferocious torrent of fire from his mouth, shaping it into a massive wall of flames that rapidly spread across the field.
"Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!"
The intense flames lit up the dark sky, advancing with destructive force, seemingly consuming everything in their path.
Konan didn't hesitate. She formed her own hand seals and spat a large volume of mud from her mouth.
"Earth Style: Mud Waves!" The mud flowed like a river toward the fire, mixing with the flames. The result was devastating: the fire intensified further, the heat rising exponentially as the mud acted as fuel, creating a lethal combination that ravaged everything in its path.
The ground trembled under the impact of their combined forces, as steam rose into the sky in dense clouds. The battlefield was completely transformed, and the joint power of Ryu and Konan proved relentless, leaving their enemies in utter despair.
"Come on, Jiraiya and Tsunade!" A firm and threatening voice echoed behind them, causing both to turn quickly. What they saw was a terrifying sight: a giant purple snake with shimmering scales and intense green eyes descending upon them like an avalanche of pure terror.
Without wasting time, Ryu formed the Snake seal, channeling his Lightning Style chakra. A spark traveled down his arm, transforming into a fierce electrical current that took the shape of a long, radiant sword. The blade, made entirely of lightning, measured an impressive 7 meters, humming with destructive energy.
"Lightning Style: True Spear of the Heavens!" Ryu shouted, his voice brimming with determination as he wielded the energy weapon. With a swift, precise movement, he launched the lightning blade toward the giant snake.
The blade pierced the air with a sharp screech, slicing deeply into the creature's neck. A deafening roar echoed as the giant snake was struck, its massive head falling to the side while blood gushed like a storm. The attack was so powerful that cracks formed in the ground around the impact site.
Ryu, however, paused for a moment. His eyes widened as he recognized the creature.
'Wait... That's Manda, Orochimaru's summon!' Rapid thoughts flooded his mind. What was Manda doing here? This could only mean one thing: Orochimaru was directly involved in this battle.
Jiraiya and Tsunade quickly arrived.
'This is problematic.'
Ryu's thought was direct and realistic. He and Konan were now facing none other than the Legendary Sannin, warriors whose skills were the stuff of legends. The tension was palpable, like a rope about to snap.
Konan noticed the weight of the situation on Ryu's face. His movements, though calculated, carried an intensity she didn't often see. It was clear: they were in trouble. However, as he took a deep breath, a subtle change occurred. The intensity was replaced by calm, and it had an immediate effect on Konan. Seeing the confidence on Ryu's face, she herself felt steadier, as if she could face any opponent by his side.
Ryu smirked faintly, the expression of someone who had already decided the course of the battle. Without wasting time, he quickly summoned several shuriken, throwing them in a precise arc at the three Sannin.
"Hmph!" Orochimaru responded with disdain, repeating the same motion and throwing his own shuriken.
Clang!
The metallic clash of blades echoed across the field. It was at that exact moment that Ryu demonstrated his true speed. He was already in front of Jiraiya, a spiraling wind sphere fiercely rotating in his hand.
"Wind Style: Spiral Blade!"
Jiraiya's eyes widened, and he instinctively leaped backward. Ryu's attack struck the ground, cracking the earth and launching chunks of rock into the air like a storm of debris. The impact forced both Tsunade and Orochimaru to retreat, avoiding the wave of destruction.
It was then that Konan sprang into action. A swarm of paper appeared from all directions, enveloping Tsunade and Orochimaru in seconds.
"Paper Style: Angel's Seal!" Konan declared.
The paper formed giant angelic statues, trapping the two Sannin in immaculate, almost divine structures. The angelic figures glowed under the light, creating a surreal contrast with the devastated battlefield.
Ryu wasted no time, quickly forming another hand seal.
"Earth Style: Head Hunter Jutsu!"
The angel statues began to sink slowly into the ground as Ryu manipulated the earth around them. In the end, only the heads of the structures remained visible, fixed in the soil like sinister monuments to his technique.
"Orochimaru! Tsunade!" Jiraiya's voice resounded across the field, filled with concern and disbelief. He looked at his comrades' immobilized bodies and clenched his fists tightly.
Ryu and Konan stood side by side, facing the remaining Sannin.
"Damn, you two have great synchronization. This is complicated," Jiraiya commented, frowning as he bit his finger to summon a formidable ally. His fingers moved quickly, forming hand seals with precision.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
A dense curtain of smoke rose, dominating the battlefield. Despite this, neither Ryu nor Konan showed any reaction, their gazes remaining unchanged and cold. When the smoke dissipated, it revealed the gigantic figure of Gamabunta, the chief toad of Myoboku.
"Jiraiya..." Gamabunta began to speak, but was quickly interrupted by a wave of water that spread across the field, hitting everything in its path.
"Water Style: True Sea Birth!" Konan declared, her voice firm as she created a vast sea that swallowed the dry land, transforming the battlefield into an improvised ocean.
Ryu was already preparing his next move, his hands agilely forming a series of seals in rapid succession.
"Lightning Style: Electromagnetic Assassination!"
From his hands, an intense wave of electricity emerged, spreading across the sea and lighting up the area with flashes of lightning. The electric current was so powerful that it made the ground vibrate, threatening to destroy anything in its way.
"Watch out!" Gamabunta shouted, his muscular legs propelling him into the air with an impressive leap, dodging the spreading electric current. While he was in the air, his voice echoed, "This guy isn't even giving us time to breathe!"
"Listen, Bunta." Jiraiya looked at the giant toad seriously. "I'm going to activate Sage Mode. Please keep them busy while I prepare."
"Alright, but this is going to be tough. Also, I'll warn you: it's going to shake a lot."
Jiraiya bit his wrists, lines of blood ran down his eyes, and he pressed his hands together in concentration, preparing for the transformation.
Meanwhile, Ryu continued pressing forward. Without hesitation, he formed another sequence of seals, his voice sounding with authority:
"Earth Style: Mountain Rise!"
Large, sharp peaks emerged from the ground, tearing through the earth and advancing toward Gamabunta. The chief toad didn't flinch. Performing the tiger seal, he retaliated swiftly:
"Water Style: Water Bullets!"
A large sphere of water shot from his mouth, colliding with the earth spikes and destroying them in an explosion of mud and debris.
Ryu watched the exchange of attacks with a tense expression. He knew what was coming.
'Summoning Gamabunta now? This complicates everything.'
Meanwhile, Konan remained by his side, ready to intervene.