Two massive clouds of smoke erupted beside Jiraiya.
When the mist cleared, two elderly toads appeared—Fukasaku and Shima, the Sage Toads of Mount Myōboku. Their presence radiated an overwhelming Sage Chakra that stirred the air itself.
Fukasaku's expression stiffened the moment his eyes fell on Gamabunta, frozen solid in a block of glimmering ice nearby.
"What in the world…? Jiraiya, what happened here?"
Jiraiya didn't answer. His tone was grave, urgent.
"Fukasaku-sama, there's no time to explain. We have to start the fusion now!"
The elder toad immediately understood the severity of the situation from Jiraiya's expression alone. He nodded firmly.
"Understood!"
Beside him, Shima cast a wary glance toward the battlefield. Her gaze landed on Shigure, standing in the distance with calm, piercing eyes. Behind him loomed two immense Ice Dragons, frozen in place yet emanating power. Strange sealing marks glowed faintly along their icy bodies.
So that's the one Jiraiya's fighting? she thought, a chill creeping down her spine. He carries Tailed Beast Chakra… could he be a Jinchūriki?
A human child—young, barely grown—possessing such immense power? It was hard to believe.
When had such a monster appeared in the shinobi world?
Shigure watched as Jiraiya began preparations to merge with the Sages of Mount Myōboku. In a normal battle, no opponent would ever allow such time to gather nature energy—but Shigure wasn't rushing.
"Great Sage, analyze."
[Great Sage]: Currently analyzing and calculating target—Jiraiya.
"Include the two toads as well."
[Great Sage]: Estimated analysis time—ten minutes.
"Ten minutes, huh?" Shigure mused, amused rather than concerned. That's longer than usual—but I suppose Sage Mode isn't something simple to replicate.
For him, whether it took ten minutes or one made little difference.
Behind him, the Six-Tails' Chakra flared violently, cloaking his body in molten heat.
Boil Release: Matchless Monstrous Strength!
Shigure's body exploded forward, blurring through the air. As he soared toward Jiraiya, he unsheathed his blade—Zangetsu—and slashed downward in one swift motion.
The strike wasn't even enhanced by his Water Breathing technique—it was just a simple swing. Yet the speed was monstrous.
Jiraiya, caught mid-fusion, froze for an instant before instinct kicked in. He threw himself into a desperate roll across the ground—less graceful than heroic, but effective.
The sword strike carved open the earth, leaving behind a deep, jagged trench that extended far into the distance.
Even Fukasaku's eyes widened.
"That human brat… that power—!"
If that swing had landed, Jiraiya would've been split clean in two.
Cold sweat formed along Fukasaku's back.
Steam rolled off Shigure's shoulders as his Boil Release burned fiercely.
"This feeling…" Fukasaku murmured, narrowing his eyes.
"Little Jiraiya, doesn't it look like that kid's using Boil Release?"
Jiraiya's expression darkened. "You're right. That's definitely Boil Release."
No wonder Shigure's physical strength and heat were so overwhelming. Even for a Jinchūriki, this level of destructive power was absurd.
Now it made sense. Shigure wasn't relying solely on his Tailed Beasts.
He possessed dual Kekkei Genkai—Ice Release and Boil Release.
A dual-Bloodline shinobi—already a rarity in the ninja world. Combined with the chakra of two Tailed Beasts, it was no exaggeration to call him a prodigy of monstrous proportions.
Even the Mizukage's plan to make him her successor wasn't just political. It was logical. This was his true value.
"Done!" Shima declared as her eyes snapped open. The fusion was complete.
Jiraiya's body flared with natural energy as Sage Mode activated. Orange pigmentation formed around his eyes, his presence suddenly magnified several times over.
Shigure felt it instantly—the shift in the air, the pressure of nature energy condensed into living force. His enhanced thought process kicked in under the Great Sage's blessing, his cells instinctively trying to mimic the transformation.
He quickly suppressed it. No. I don't need that kind of imitation… that could get ridiculous fast.
He gripped Zangetsu tighter, the corners of his mouth twitching upward.
"Let's see what Sage Mode can really do."
Behind him, his nine tails flexed like living spears before shooting forward, streaking toward Jiraiya.
This time, Jiraiya didn't dodge. He extended his hands and caught one of the tails mid-strike, muscles bulging under the strength of Sage Mode.
"Kid!" he shouted, his grin returning. "The battle's just getting started!"
With a roar, he pulled hard, trying to drag Shigure toward him—but in the same instant, several other tails lashed out, forcing him to leap back.
Shigure closed the distance in a flash, his hand forming seals as he lunged.
Water Release: Water Wave Hand!
A torrent of water burst from his palm, washing over Jiraiya.
The attack itself wasn't powerful—hardly enough to even bruise a shinobi of Jiraiya's caliber.
But Shigure didn't intend it to be.
Because the next moment—
The water surrounding Jiraiya shimmered and hardened.
Ice Release!
But in the next instant, Shigure's expression shifted—he understood something.
"Not good!"
Ice Release: Freezing Moment!
The flowing water instantly froze solid. Ice crystals surged forward, spreading rapidly toward Jiraiya. The biting cold clashed violently with his Sage Chakra, creating a storm of opposing forces.
Jiraiya's face tightened.
Frog Kumite!
With a powerful punch, he shattered the advancing ice, breaking apart the spreading frost and halting the chilling invasion.
"Not bad!" Shigure muttered with a faint smile.
"You actually caught on."
But his assault was far from over.
His body liquefied into water, slipping through the cracks between the shattered ice shards. Then, spinning like a vortex, Shigure burst forward—his kick slammed squarely into Jiraiya's chest.
The impact detonated like a cannon blast. Jiraiya was sent hurtling backward, and even Fukasaku and Shima were nearly swept away by the sheer force.
Mid-air, Jiraiya's gaze locked onto Shigure, who was already pursuing him relentlessly.
"Sage Art: Fire Release — Great Flame Bullet!"
Boom!
A roaring inferno erupted, swirling violently around Shigure.
But in the blink of an eye, Shigure burst straight through the flames. Chakra tails whipped around his body, shielding him completely from the scorching heat.
"Close combat, then!" Jiraiya gritted his teeth as he landed and steadied himself.
Their fists met in an explosive clash.
The ground trembled as the two exchanged blows—fist against fist, kick against kick. Yet in that brutal exchange, Jiraiya felt it clearly—his taijutsu, refined through countless battles, was being overwhelmed.
He, one of the legendary Sannin, was being utterly suppressed.
Each collision reverberated through his body like thunder. Sweat beaded on his forehead after only a few seconds of fighting.
Shigure seized Jiraiya's arm mid-swing, twisted his body, and yanked him forward. Jiraiya staggered—off balance.
Thud!
Shigure's knee drove into his waist, forcing the air from his lungs.
"This isn't enough!"
Crack!—Bang!
A spinning kick followed, striking Jiraiya's head and sending him crashing into the earth below.
...
TN:
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