Chapter 236: Lord Jiraiya, Why Can't You Understand Me?
"What do people from small villages have to do with me!"
Itachi erupted with inexplicable fury. His descending blade grew heavier and heavier, striking Gamahiro's dual swords until sparks flew everywhere.
"Lord Jiraiya, why can't you understand me?"
"I'm doing this entirely for the village's benefit!"
"The village suffered such massive losses and now carries enormous reparation debts. Without external expansion, forget economic recovery—even eating our fill won't be easy!"
"Stop being so naive!"
"Wake up!"
"Open your eyes and see reality!"
"The village is already teetering on the brink of collapse!"
"We're attacking small shinobi villages—this is a war we absolutely cannot lose!"
"Why can't you understand me?"
Jiraiya's anxiety and anger boiled over. He couldn't help roaring:
"Itachi, you're a complete fool!"
"Every war inevitably brings death and suffering. On the battlefield, any accident can occur."
"Where in this world exists a war guaranteed to be won?"
"Even small shinobi villages have their own heroes!"
"The Land of Rain is a small nation. It once had Hanzo the Salamander, now has Nagato and the Akatsuki. They're small, but not weak!"
"Any weak village that never produced heroes couldn't possibly survive until now!"
But Itachi had already lurched from one extreme to another.
He screamed at Jiraiya with wild abandon:
"Shut up, Jiraiya!"
"I won't let you slander Lord Kazuma!"
"Lord Kazuma promised he has methods to conquer enemy villages without bloodshed. The village won't suffer any casualties!"
"I believe Lord Kazuma's words from the bottom of my heart!"
"If he says it's possible, then it absolutely is!"
"You've fallen into darkness, Itachi!" Jiraiya shouted desperately.
"No, Jiraiya—you've forgotten your origins! You're chasing fantasies of boundless universal love. You're the one who's fallen into darkness!"
The two bellowed at each other. Gamahiro and Susanoo clashed relentlessly.
"Seems words cannot resolve this!" Jiraiya sighed with disappointment, addressing the two Toad Sages who suddenly appeared on his shoulders. "I must trouble you again. But this time, the enemy is a former comrade!"
Sage Shima smacked her lips, calling out in her croaking voice:
"Little Jiraiya, today's Konoha Village is no longer the village of yesteryear."
"Rather than waste time on these people, you should simply give up."
"Throughout the shinobi world's thousand-year history, all organizations eventually perish. Shinobi villages will inevitably fall someday."
"You needn't be so obsessive."
Sage Fukasaku sighed:
"Old woman, knowing Jiraiya's stubborn character, he'll never give up. Why bother with such pointless talk?"
"If he wants to fight, we'll help him."
"After all, we're bound by contract to him. Assisting in battle is only natural."
After Fukasaku's words, Shima fell silent and began concentrating for combat.
Jiraiya rapidly formed hand seals, opening his mouth wide.
"Sage Art: Goemon—Toad Oil Flame Bomb!"
Massive quantities of toad oil gushed from Jiraiya's mouth like ocean waves, surging across the lake's surface toward Susanoo.
Both Toad Sages opened their mouths simultaneously. One spat a fire dragon into the oil sea while the other enhanced the flames with Wind Release.
Three jutsu combined instantly transformed the area into an inferno.
Burning toad oil climbed Susanoo's legs, rapidly ascending the energy giant's body. Soon Susanoo blazed like an enormous torch.
Under exaggerated temperatures, lake water evaporated rapidly into steam, rising skyward before being bound by Wind Release, forming steam tornados that trapped Susanoo inside.
Scorching heat remained locked within the steam vortex, not escaping even slightly.
"Itachi, Susanoo has been used too many times. Many people already know this technique's strengths and weaknesses."
"It excels in overwhelming offense and defense, but vulnerabilities exist."
"All formless attacks can bypass Susanoo's protection and directly harm the user."
"Under such extreme temperatures, how long can your body endure?"
"I have no intention of harming you. Just stop letting Kazuma and his cohort manipulate you—"
"Silence, Jiraiya!" Itachi loudly interrupted, swinging his blade to disperse the steam tornados one by one. "Do you think victory is already in your grasp?"
"While you understand my intelligence, I equally understand yours!"
"My Susanoo can fight continuously for an entire day. But how long can your Sage Mode last?"
"After Sage Mode ends, you're merely a slightly stronger jonin!"
Itachi's hands formed rapid seals, controlling Susanoo to spray toward the sky.
"Water Release: Wild Water Wave!"
In an instant, torrential floods poured from Susanoo's mouth, shooting skyward before cascading down. The deluge washed down Susanoo's body, extinguishing every flame completely.
The mighty current crashed into the lake, spreading in all directions, sweeping away the encircling steam tornados entirely.
"Show your true abilities!"
"Defeating me with jutsu of that caliber is impossible!"
Itachi charged forward again with great strides, swinging his blade down toward Jiraiya.
Gamahiro raised his dual swords to meet the attack. Once more they clashed with ringing impacts.
"Sigh!" Jiraiya exhaled heavily. His right hand extended. A blue chakra sphere began spinning at high speed in his palm.
Sensing the flow of Sage chakra, Sage Shima cried out in alarm:
"Wait, little Jiraiya! You're using that technique?"
"But you haven't perfected it yet!"
"No time remains for leisurely practice." Jiraiya's expression hardened with determination. "To defeat Itachi, I must first break through Susanoo's defense."
"Among all my attacks, only this technique has any possibility."
As if to strengthen his own resolve, Jiraiya roared loudly:
"Believe in me! I will succeed!"
"For the village, and for Itachi—I absolutely will succeed!"
He gripped his right wrist with his left hand, concentrating all his attention on his right palm.
Perhaps in the shinobi world, willpower truly could create miracles.
Under such unwavering conviction, the blue Rasengan in Jiraiya's hand gradually, thread by thread, became wrapped with Sage chakra's aura.
***
80+advance chapters at patreon.com/Eatinpieces