The valley's air abruptly grew still.
Dust mist twisted under the heat waves as the ground surface began turning pale.
Jiraiya withdrew his gaze from the churning radiance of lava, his expression slightly darkening.
"Lava Release... I see."
He had finally confirmed that familiar yet dangerous presence.
The man stood bare-chested, crimson vein-like patterns emerging across his skin, his eyes burning like blazing flames.
With each step he took, the rocks beneath his feet melted.
This was the Four-Tails Jinchuriki from Iwagakure - the still relatively young Roshi?
"Little Purple?"
"So it's you."
Jiraiya murmured softly, his tone carrying a hint of resignation. "It seems this mission is more troublesome than I anticipated."
A cold smile curled at the corner of Roshi's lips, his voice low yet filled with pressure.
"One of Konoha's Sannin, Jiraiya..."
His aura gradually intensified, chakra transforming into blazing crimson flames behind him, flowing like molten magma.
The six Iwa-nin jonin had already taken their positions, their hexagonal encirclement formation silently closing in.
Further in the shadows, dozens of other Iwa-nin could be vaguely seen lying in ambush, their chakra waves intertwining like a pre-arranged trap.
Jiraiya scanned his surroundings and sighed.
"Iwagakure is really willing to invest heavily."
He chuckled lightly, though the laughter carried no warmth.
"It seems this isn't just about intelligence anymore. You've come specifically for me."
Roshi didn't deny it, merely stating solemnly: "One of the Sannin. Capturing you would naturally provide significant leverage against Konoha."
As he spoke, he slammed his palm against the ground.
Blazing red chakra instantly transformed into a lava flow, spreading across the ground.
The earth boiled, the air sizzling and crackling as it burned.
Heat waves washed over them, as if even the air itself had been ignited.
Jiraiya narrowed his eyes, lowering his stance as he pressed his palm to the ground, chakra rapidly gathering beneath his feet.
Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!
The soil instantly transformed into a swamp, swallowing the surging lava and forcibly neutralizing some of the heat.
Scalding steam rose, obscuring vision.
The next moment, Jiraiya's figure flickered,
leaping from the steam, his hands swiftly forming seals.
Boom!
A massive fireball tore through the air, colliding head-on with Roshi's Lava Flow.
Flames and magma intertwined, erupting in deafening roars.
The shockwave whipped up winds that carried rock debris, the entire valley resembling a destroyed furnace.
Roshi's figure emerged through the sea of flames, completely unscathed.
Scorching chakra circulated around him, forming a translucent lava shell.
Roshi roared, slamming one hand against the ground!
Scorching Rock Bullet!
With a roar-like rumble, dozens of magma projectiles shot forth.
Each carried extreme temperatures, exploding upon impact and leaving behind crimson craters.
Jiraiya darted between them with light footwork.
With each step, he utilized residual chakra for instant movement.
His movements flowed smoothly as he avoided every Scorching Rock Bullet, though the residual heat still seared his skin.
"This guy... more hot-tempered than I imagined."
He muttered with a bitter smile, his hands forming seals once more.
Summoning Technique!
Poof!
White smoke exploded as a giant toad appeared on the battlefield.
The moment Gamabunta landed, the entire valley trembled.
"Hey! This place is really hot."
Gamabunta complained loudly, though he had already drawn the sword from his back.
"Enough talk! Clean up these Iwa-nin first!"
Jiraiya commanded.
Gamabunta leaped violently, his long blade sweeping down as a massive pressure wave surged outward.
Several approaching Rock ninjas were sent flying, crashing against the cliff walls as screams echoed in unison.
Roshi's expression darkened, the Chakra of a tailed beast spreading behind him.
Scorching Chakra erupted like a volcanic explosion.
His body became encased in crimson armor, his face shrouded in flames,
transforming him into a walking giant of molten rock.
He shattered the ground beneath him, becoming a blur as he charged toward Jiraiya.
The air around his fist distorted from the intense heat, melting the ground into charred pits before the blow even landed.
Toad Oil Gun!
Jiraiya and Gamabunta moved in perfect sync, spewing streams of oil that intertwined with Fire Release!
BOOM!!
A colossal wave of flame clashed head-on with the lava-wreathed fist,
the explosive shockwave sweeping through the valley, kicking up dust dozens of meters high.
Even without fully transforming into a tailed beast, Roshi's Chakra was astonishing.
Lava flowed along his arm, coalescing into a massive fireball.
A sharp glint flashed in Jiraiya's eyes as he pivoted suddenly, his foot tapping the ground.
A light array flashed, and the earth beneath Roshi's feet instantly collapsed, turning into viscous, trapping mud.
The lava's momentum faltered, his movements freezing for a critical moment.
"Now, Gamabunta!"
"Got it!"
Flames erupted, illuminating the entire valley.
However, after the first exchange with Roshi, Jiraiya noticed the number of surrounding Rock ninjas steadily increasing.
The valley's heat still churned, rocks glowing red from the Lava Release, the air thick with the smell of scorched earth.
Roshi advanced step by step, the ground melting into charred trails beneath his feet, his oppressive aura making it hard to breathe.
"Jiraiya," he rasped, his voice hoarse yet mocking, "the title of the Sannin will soon be a thing of the past."
Just as he raised his hand to strike again—
The ground trembled violently.
Hiss!
Countless venomous snakes surged from the rock crevices, summoned by some unseen force, flooding the battlefield in an instant.
The snakes coiled and bit at the feet of the Rock ninjas.
Several elite Rock jonin leaped to evade, only to be ensnared by serpentine shadows and dragged back to the ground.
Roshi's face tightened as he retreated abruptly, his Chakra flaring to incinerate the snakes around him.
Before he could catch his breath, another formidable presence surged forth.
With a deafening crack, a golden figure descended from above, her fist driving into the earth with a shockwave.
The entire valley shook violently, the ground splitting apart as the blast sent dozens of Rock ninjas flying.
As the dust settled, standing amid the rubble was a golden-haired woman.
Tsunade slowly lifted her head, a cold intensity in her gaze.
She brushed the dust from her hands, her tone calm yet carrying undeniable authority.
"Who was it that said the Sannin would become a thing of the past?"
Jiraiya stared in surprise.
"Orochimaru? Tsunade? You…"
Before he could finish, a slender figure emerged from the shadows.
His pale face and golden, vertical pupils were as cold as a serpent's.
"Heh… Jiraiya, you fool."
Jiraiya frowned, baffled. "Why insult me? The old man's intel was off."
Ignoring him, Orochimaru twitched his fingers, and the snakes reassembled like a living army, coiling around him in a protective ring.
Meanwhile, Tsunade had already leaped to Jiraiya's side, her hands forming seals as Chakra surged around her fists.
"We're here to back you up."
Her tone was calm, but her eyes held a hint of concern.
It was clear that Konoha might have already noticed the Rock ninja's covert movements, which was why they had sent Orochimaru and the others to assist Jiraiya in retreating.
Yet at this moment, Orochimaru's gaze was not fixed on the enemy.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, staring at the bundle on Jiraiya's back.
The faintly glowing egg.
"What is this?"
Clearly, the oddly shaped egg had piqued Orochimaru's intense interest.
As the number of Rock ninja continued to grow, the egg on Jiraiya's back, in an effort to aid its master, could no longer hold back and began to hatch...