Chapter 288: S-Rank Mission: Sage Jiraiya!
The order to "Go deal with the Shadow of Darkness" landed squarely on Gamabunta's head.
Gamabunta, who had no knowledge of Nara Keisuke's fearsome reputation, looked at the opponent in the sky who still hadn't counter-attacked. It stroked its round head and spoke with composure and calmness.
"Then leave it to me! Tongue Snare!"
Gamabunta suddenly shot out its rosy, long, narrow tongue. Like a frog catching an insect, the sticky, enormous tongue swiftly sliced across the sky, darting toward Nara Keisuke.
"That attack… is disgusting!"
Nara Keisuke's brows furrowed tightly as he watched the massive tongue rapidly approach.
He definitely didn't want to be licked by Gamabunta's tongue!
Nara Keisuke manipulated the Shadow Creature, shifting its position in the air with extreme flexibility.
Gamabunta's "Tongue Snare" seemed incredibly fast, but compared to the Shadow Creature, it was as clumsy as a piece of wood, unable to get close to the Shadow Creature's vicinity at all.
While manipulating the Shadow Creature to dodge the attack, Nara Keisuke also raised his right hand, intending to "return the favor" to Gamabunta.
But just as the Yin Release chakra gathered in his palm, Nara Keisuke silently adjusted his attack direction.
He had actually just thought of using an attack like the Spiraling Shadow Killing Cannon against a massive summoning beast like Gamabunta…
With the power of the Spiraling Shadow Killing Cannon, it could definitely inflict effective damage on Gamabunta.
But given Gamabunta's enormous size, the damage the Spiraling Shadow Killing Cannon could inflict would, at best, be a "scratch."
If this were a fight to the death, Nara Keisuke could switch to techniques with greater destructive power.
For example, a Dark Spiral Annihilation Sphere could send Gamabunta, along with Jiraiya, who was charging up on its head, straight to the afterlife.
But this was only a spar, and many high-powered techniques could not be used.
If he hit too lightly, it wouldn't hurt Gamabunta.
If he hit too hard, Nara Keisuke was afraid he might accidentally kill Gamabunta on the spot…
Rather than engaging in a fruitless struggle with Gamabunta, it was better to aim for the primary target: Jiraiya!
Spiraling Shadow Killing Cannon!
Nara Keisuke released a pitch-black shadow bullet, the size of a Rasengan, aimed directly at Jiraiya atop Gamabunta's head.
The Spiraling Shadow Killing Cannon, faster than the speed of sound, streaked across the sky like a black meteor, shooting toward the still-charging Jiraiya with immense speed.
Due to its innate racial talent, Gamabunta had extremely sharp dynamic vision.
Without needing any warning from Jiraiya, it detected Nara Keisuke's attack.
However, the black projectile was simply too small, and its flight speed was too agile.
Helplessly, Gamabunta could only retract its tongue, attempting to use its thick, giant tongue to obstruct the Spiraling Shadow Killing Cannon's attack.
But this interception created a problem.
The instant Gamabunta positioned its tongue in the projectile's path, the black shadow bullet and the rosy giant tongue made contact. The latter was instantly crushed and destroyed.
Puff—
With a terrifying sound, Gamabunta's tongue was blasted with a hole by the Spiraling Shadow Killing Cannon. Dripping blood and shredded flesh scattered in all directions, creating a horrifying sight.
"Gwa!"
Gamabunta let out a mournful cry of pain.
But the intense agony did not cause this battle-hardened "Toad Boss" to lose its essential combat instincts.
Ignoring its severely damaged tongue, it immediately lowered its body into a crouch, pulling Jiraiya down with it.
The Spiraling Shadow Killing Cannon, its momentum not fully spent, barely grazed the top of Jiraiya's head, but failed to cause him any harm.
"Bunta! Don't move so wildly!"
Jiraiya, whose focus was entirely on molding chakra, didn't even realize what had just happened.
"Fortunately, the preparation is complete…"
With the enemy right in front of him, Gamabunta couldn't be bothered to scold the inattentive Jiraiya, merely urging him somewhat incoherently.
"Goo fasder! (You go faster!)"
The damage to its tongue made it difficult for Gamabunta to speak clearly.
"What are you saying? How many times have I told you not to talk with that pipe in your mouth!"
Jiraiya responded to Gamabunta while using the finger he had just bitten to draw facial markings beneath his eyes with his blood.
"I'm going to perform the summoning now! Summoning Technique!"
Jiraiya's actions were clearly observed by Nara Keisuke on the back of the Shadow Creature.
Due to his pre-determined strategic goal, Nara Keisuke did not interrupt Jiraiya's actions at this time, instead silently observing his opponent's every move while expanding his own sensory abilities to the maximum.
Jiraiya unleashed his chakra.
The blood markings just etched beneath his eyes replaced the function of a conventional Summoning Technique scroll formation. Using Jiraiya's fresh blood as the contract, they directly summoned the two Sage Toads of Mount Myōboku.
The small green toad with white eyebrows and a goatee, Sage Fukasaku.
The other small green toad with purple warts and dark lips, Sage Shima.
"Little Jiraiya, it's not like I haven't told you."
Sage Fukasaku stood on Jiraiya's right shoulder and spoke in a patronizing tone.
"You should really learn to enter Sage Mode by yourself."
"Shut up, you old fool! Little Jiraiya is in a fight here!"
Sage Shima, standing on his left shoulder, unceremoniously scolded her husband.
"Focus on the enemy! Use the Amalgamation Technique quickly!"
"I'm using it, I'm using it…"
Sage Fukasaku formed a hand seal, responding in a hushed voice.
"Sage Art: Amalgamation Technique!"
The top-tier Senjutsu from Mount Myōboku, Sage Art: Amalgamation Technique, caused parts of Sage Fukasaku's and Sage Shima's bodies to merge with Jiraiya's. Their chakras communicated and circulated through these fused body parts.
This Trinity was the final form of Jiraiya's Sage Mode!
Jiraiya's facial appearance at this moment had undergone significant changes compared to before.
His eyes were covered with a thick layer of eyeshadow, his nose was enlarged and grew out growths resembling a toad's skin, and upon closer inspection, one could even see his pupils, which were almost identical to a frog's eyes.
"Sure enough, I'm stronger like this!"
Jiraiya took a deep breath, sensing his internal condition.
While Mount Myōboku's Sage Mode was extremely difficult to learn and could lead to death if one was careless, once mastered, the augmentation it provided was astonishing!
It wasn't just a comprehensive boost to Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and Genjutsu; it also included vitalizing augmentation to his body cells, and more.
In this Sage Mode state, Jiraiya could clearly feel the injuries to his ribs accelerating their healing process.
"Apologies, two Sages, I need to correct what you just said."
Jiraiya composed himself, reminding the two Sage Toads on his shoulders.
"I'm not fighting to kill on the battlefield right now; I'm just sparring with a comrade from the village."
"Sparring?"
Sage Fukasaku tapped Jiraiya's head.
"Jiraiya, is there something wrong with your head? Using Sage Mode in a spar? What kind of grudge do you have with this person?"
"If I had known this, I wouldn't have come!"
Sage Shima looked highly impatient.
"I still have to prepare dinner…"
"My sincere apologies, Sage Shima, but please, do not leave."
Jiraiya clasped his hands together, bowing slightly in supplication.
"This spar is about the happiness of my entire second half of life… so I beg you two Sages!
"There's no need for the two of you to take action yet; I just need you to help me stabilize my Sage Mode state."
Having quickly and decisively addressed the issue with Sage Fukasaku and Sage Shima (or so he thought), Jiraiya shifted the topic to Gamabunta.
"Bunta!"
Jiraiya's attitude toward Gamabunta was not as humble and polite.
"Let's use our combined Ninjutsu!"
"Hurry!"
Gamabunta's eyes lit up.
In the previous fight, it was the only one who got hurt.
Now Jiraiya had entered Sage Mode, and Sages Fukasaku and Shima were there to assist.
When better to seek revenge than now?
Gamabunta pressed its hands against its abdomen. Without performing any hand seals, it opened its mouth and spat out a thick, heavy stream of dark toad oil.
Simultaneously, Jiraiya rapidly formed hand seals, converting his Sage Chakra into Fire Release Chakra via nature transformation.
At this moment, Nara Keisuke keenly sensed the restless natural energy in the surroundings.
'Is he planning to use Senjutsu? And… Fire Style?'
Observing Jiraiya's hand seals in advance, Nara Keisuke deduced the type of ninjutsu his opponent was about to use. His gaze quickly moved down to the ground below.
'The small pond Gamabunta created with its Water Style, and… that large natural hot spring over there!'
Shadow Clone Jutsu!
Almost at the exact moment Jiraiya completed the hand seals, Nara Keisuke manipulated the Shadow Creature to fly backward and simultaneously created a Shadow Clone, sending it toward the small pond Gamabunta had just created.
At the same time, Jiraiya completed his seals and cast the jutsu onto the toad oil Gamabunta had released.
"Sage Art: Fire Style: Toad Oil Flame Bullet!"
In the conventional world of shinobi, Fire Release counters Wind Release, and most Wind Release jutsus even have an "accelerant" effect on fire.
But when it came to an "accelerant" effect, what could be more suitable than "oil"?
Jiraiya's Fire Style Sage Chakra combined with Gamabunta's toad oil. The viscous toad oil was instantly ignited, and the combined power of the two was terrifying and boundless.
The tide-like toad oil became the perfect fuel for the flames, instantly forming a monstrous sea of fire.
The overwhelming orange-red flames surged toward Nara Keisuke's position. Every corner of the sky and the ground seemed to be filled and ignited by the fire, leaving no space to dodge.
The Shadow Clone, which had arrived on the ground a step earlier, rapidly formed hand seals. It manipulated the "water flow" created by Gamabunta's chakra and unleashed a jutsu toward the incoming monstrous sea of fire.
Water Style: Great Waterfall Technique!
Under the Shadow Clone's manipulation, the water from the pond Gamabunta had created surged upward against the flow, turning into a majestic torrent of silver waterfall to resist the sea of fire.
Boom!
The collision of the waterfall and the sea of fire instantly triggered a deafening roar. Milky-white steam erupted and spread in all directions.
But under the destructive power of the Senjutsu Fire Style, the Shadow Clone's Water Style ninjutsu was simply inadequate.
The small pond Gamabunta had created quickly dried up, revealing the bare ground.
Even if the Shadow Clone converted all its chakra to Water Style to augment the Great Waterfall Technique's power, it couldn't stand against Sage Jiraiya's Sage Art: Fire Style: Toad Oil Flame Bullet.
Just as the monstrous sea of fire was about to engulf the Shadow Clone, whose chakra was nearly exhausted, another vast torrent of water surged in from the side, meeting the flames.
Water Style: Exploding Water Colliding Wave!
It was Nara Keisuke, who had arrived at the natural hot spring, using a Water Style ninjutsu in the nick of time to support his clone.
Rumble—
With the replenishment of the natural water source, the power unleashed by Nara Keisuke's Water Style: Exploding Water Colliding Wave was several points stronger than its normal state.
Although the overall power still couldn't compare to the Sage Art: Fire Style: Toad Oil Flame Bullet, it was at least able to hold a direct standoff against it.
The Exploding Water Colliding Wave and the monstrous sea of fire clashed and rubbed against each other. Streams of water vapor shot up into the sky, where they condensed in the cold air, forming clouds.
If the fire of the Sage Art: Fire Style: Toad Oil Flame Bullet hadn't been so frightening, illuminating half the sky directly, the surrounding environment would certainly have plunged into darkness at this moment.
During the standoff between water and fire, Nara Keisuke glanced at the new S-Rank mission that had popped up on his panel, a slight grin playing on his lips.
'I finally found you! Sage Jiraiya!'
Would you like to move on to the next chapter, or would you like to know the content of the S-Rank Secret Ninja Scroll Nara Keisuke received for the Swift Release mission?
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