The moist air, thick with the metallic scent of blood, permeated the scorched battlefield, where dust and the embers of Chakra outlined the desolate landscape.
At the center of this purgatory, Jiraiya's appearance had changed beyond recognition.
He had completed that imperfect Sage Mode, transforming into a humanoid Toad Sage.
His toad-like eyes with horizontal pupils glinted with sharp brilliance, and his eyelids were painted with burning orange-red eye shadow.
His once prominent nose had become broad and flat, and fine, dark bumps sprouted along his cheeks, giving him an unusual aura of majesty.
The webbing between his fingers and toes quivered in the air, his sharp nails glinted with a faint light, and his coarse skin rippled with the characteristic texture and folds of a toad, with more prominent warts bulging in some places.
His well-proportioned body was knotted with muscles, and his shoulders and back were highly arched.
The two Sages of Mount Myōboku, Fukasaku and Shima, were tightly attached to the bulging muscles of Jiraiya's shoulders and back as if in symbiosis; Senjutsu Chakra flowed ceaselessly among the three of them, forming a strange and solemn sight.
"Old man, old lady, I'm counting on you now."
Jiraiya's voice had become much deeper, carrying a peculiar resonance that carried clearly across the noisy battlefield.
Fukasaku stroked his short beard, his tone steady and reliable: "Leave it to us, Little Jiraiya. There won't be a single mistake in the balance of Natural Energy."
His wise toad eyes scanned the battlefield, calculating the rhythm of the energy.
Shima's voice was full of heartache and reproach: "You silly child! Look at all these injuries!
You're a bloody mess, and who knows how many bones you've broken! You should have summoned us long ago! Why did you insist on enduring it all yourself until now?"
As she spoke, she reached out with a small toad claw, as if wanting to gently stroke Jiraiya's scarred back.
Jiraiya grinned, pulling at the bumps on his face; in his Sage form, the smile looked both heroic and bizarre: "Hahaha, to be honest, old lady, I've been planning this for a long time! I just couldn't find an opening.
This time, I made a deal with a dangerous and powerful fellow to trade for the chance to activate Sage Mode."
There was a hint of bitterness and determination in his laughter.
Shima showed helplessness on her toad face upon hearing this: "Sigh, you've been a handful since you were a child. Forget it, it's too late to talk about that now."
She sighed and ultimately said no more, suppressing her worries deep in her heart.
Fukasaku lightly tapped Jiraiya's shoulder with the tip of his claw, reminding him: "Little Jiraiya, even with our full support, the burden on you is extremely heavy. This Sage Mode won't last very long. Use this moment to end it quickly!" His voice was firm and decisive.
Deep emotion flashed in Jiraiya's toad eyes.
This care and unreserved support from non-human beings, spanning across races, made his heart swell with warmth.
The Three Great Sage Regions had always remained aloof from the world, particularly avoiding involvement in the vortex of human wars, yet now the two elders, Fukasaku and Shima, had resolutely stepped into this cruel Shura field for him.
Their words and concern were by no means insincere.
"Yes!" Jiraiya replied in a low voice, as steady as a rock.
With those words, he began to walk toward the core combat zone in the distance.
Sage Mode gave him not only power but also extraordinary vision and perception.
Even from a distance, every detail of the battlefield was as clear as if it were right in front of him, reflected in his now toad-like eyes.
He saw the massive body of the fully transformed Eight-Tails, spitting out violent energy bombs amidst its roars.
What shocked him even more were the dazzling golden chains extending from the back of the Collector, who was locked in combat with the Eight-Tails!
"Adamantine Sealing Chains?!" Jiraiya's heart jolted, and his toad eyes suddenly narrowed. "That is the secret technique of the Uzumaki Clan, the brand of their Kekkei Genkai! It's impossible for an outsider to learn it—"
A long-buried name exploded in his mind.
Could it be that the mysterious collector is a survivor of the Uzumaki Clan, who were long thought to have been wiped out?!
A massive question immediately haunted his mind, but he instantly forced down his shock.
Now was not the time to investigate the mystery of one's origins; the priority was the battlefield before him.
He pushed the incredible speed granted by Sage Mode to its limit, his form turning into a blurry afterimage as he headed straight for another nearby clash: the duel between Shisui and Fourth Raikage Ay!
Jiraiya's toad eyes clearly captured every one of Shisui's movements.
The boy's Afterimage Body Flicker Technique was being used to its limit; the afterimages left behind during his high-speed movement were each as solid as the original. The sword light flickered unpredictably, making it hard to distinguish between reality and illusion; even with the Fourth Raikage's strength, it was difficult to instantly lock onto the true body!
Jiraiya marveled internally: "Such an exquisite afterimage technique! After this battle, the name of this boy, 'Shisui the Body Flicker,' will surely resound throughout the entire Ninja World!"
The twelve or thirteen-year-old Shisui, even with the terrifying potential of the Sharingan, was ultimately at a disadvantage against the Fourth Raikage Ay, who was in his prime with peak strength and experience.
Before the Raikage's violent Lightning Release Chakra Mode and pure strength, his agile movements were mostly for maneuvering, dodging, and delaying as much as possible; his sword blade could hardly penetrate the lightning armor to deal substantial damage.
But even so, being able to contend with Kumogakure's Raikage to this extent—such talent and strength brought an unexpected pleasant surprise even to Jiraiya, who had made the arrangement!
In an instant, Jiraiya's burly Sage-transformed body stood like a mountain within this battlefield.
"Hmm?!"
The Fourth Raikage Ay, who had been focusing all his energy on Shisui, instantly sensed a massive threat!
He suddenly retreated, creating distance, his bloodshot, fierce eyes staring intently at Jiraiya's strange form, especially the two living Toad Sages on his shoulders and back who emanated an ancient aura.
An unprecedented sense of pressure enveloped his heart, but Ay's fighting spirit burned wildly; he would not show the slightest weakness in his presence.
He forced down the tremor in his heart, his lips curling into a wild arc as he mocked in a voice like thunder: "Yo?! Isn't this Jiraiya of Konoha's Legendary Sannin, who's been playing missing since the start of the war? Willing to show your face now?
You think you can take me down with just two frogs?"
The blue light of his Lightning Release Chakra Mode flared up, the current hissing, his intent to provoke clear.
Jiraiya didn't even glance at the Raikage; his powerful Sage perception had already completely mastered the other's Chakra flow.
He turned to look at the panting Shisui, his voice steady and powerful, carrying an unquestionable command and a hint of cold decisiveness.
"Shisui, you've done very well! Leave this place to me. Go immediately to support Shikaku, Inoichi, and Choza! Assist them with everything you've got, and if there's a chance—seal the Two-Tails Jinchuriki right here! At any cost!"
The killing intent in his words was like a tangible cold current, a far cry from his usual boisterous self.
In this tragic war, having witnessed countless Konoha comrades fall, that deep grief and the determination to end the war had already brewed into a sky-burning fire within his Sage-transformed chest, waiting to be released.
"Yes! Jiraiya-sama!" Shisui replied, feeling a sense of relief.
He looked at the Jiraiya before him, whose aura was as vast as the sea; even as someone who had inherited the proudest Uchiha bloodline, he felt small and a deep sense of awe from the depths of his soul.
Just standing beside Jiraiya, that invisible, mountain-like Sage pressure made it almost impossible for him to breathe!
The boy was horrified: "Is this Jiraiya-sama's true foundation? What terrifying power! I feel like even if I used the Afterimage Body Flicker Technique right now, I probably—"
The thought flashed by, only to be replaced by a surge of hope. The dawn of victory had never been so clear!
Shisui did not hesitate, his body turning into a streak of green light, shooting toward another battlefield like an arrow from a bow.
Fugaku saw this from afar, his gaze narrowing slightly, but he did not follow.
He trusted that Shisui's strength was enough to deal with the Two-Tails, while he led the Uchiha elite Jonin, under the cover of flying shuriken and flickering Great Fireball Techniques, to stubbornly engage the elite Kumogakure Jonin units who were attempting to provide support, preventing them from having any chance to reinforce the Raikage or other Jinchuriki.
"Roar!!!"
Fourth Raikage Ay was completely infuriated by being ignored! How dare a mere Toad Sage be so contemptuous of him?!"
Amidst a berserk roar, the lightning energy crackling on his body suddenly erupted, and blue plasma enveloped his frame like a violent ocean—the ultimate secret technique that the Hidden Cloud Village took pride in, the Lightning Release Chakra Mode!
He pushed his speed to the absolute limit, leaving only a sharp sonic boom behind. His figure became like a blue meteor tearing through space, crashing headlong toward Jiraiya!
"Lightning Release: Lariat!!"
This was a strike capable of shattering mountains and splitting rocks, combining the extreme speed granted by the Lightning Release Chakra Armor, explosive muscle power, and the Raikage's battle-hardened charging technique into one.
Its power was so great that, with its single-point penetration and speed bonus, its instantaneous impact even slightly surpassed Tsunade's renowned Enhanced Strength!
In the past, facing such a combination of god-like speed and brute force, Jiraiya—who was not known for his speed—would usually choose to dodge or use sophisticated Ninjutsu to maneuver, never daring to face such sharp momentum head-on.
However, at this moment, bathed in the Senjutsu Natural Energy, his heart was filled with unprecedented calm and confidence.
Those strange toad eyes clearly captured every subtle change in the Raikage's rapid approach, even allowing him to predict the final trajectory of the fist!
Even more incredible was that the comprehensive physical enhancement of Sage Mode allowed him to feel an unprecedented surge of power rushing through his limbs and bones!
This feeling—it's possible!
Thus, facing the Raikage charging like a prehistoric beast, Sage Jiraiya made an unexpected move: he didn't retreat a single step! Instead, he took a deep breath, instantly condensing the Natural Energy within his massive frame into his right fist as the ground beneath him began to crack slightly.
He sank into a horse stance, exhaled sharply, and with an aura no less imposing than the Raikage's, threw a straightforward, earth-shaking punch toward the fist shining with lethal lightning!
"BOOM!!"
An explosion far more terrifying than a thunderclap rang out!
Two arms representing the peak of human strength collided violently in mid-air! Time and air seemed to freeze at that moment!
Immediately after, centered on the point where the fists met, a visible ring of destructive shockwaves—a mix of violent Chakra and pure physical impact—surged outward like a bursting dam!
The ground looked as if it had been scraped by an invisible giant plow; soil and rocks were overturned and thrown into the air in a radial pattern!
Every Ninja still standing within a dozen meters was violently pushed back, overturned, or even blown away like fallen leaves by this irresistible force!
A shocking vacuum zone was cleared in the center of the battlefield!
At the center of the stalemate, the two protagonists of this peak collision of pure power, Fourth Raikage Ay and Sage Jiraiya, both stood completely motionless! They were like two towering mountains rooted in the earth!
"Nani?! Impossible!!!"
A roar like thunder was filled with unparalleled shock and disbelief!
The Fourth Raikage Ay's fierce eyes were filled with wavering! This result exceeded the limits of his understanding!
He, the Raikage known in the Ninja World for his strength and speed, had delivered a full-force blow with his proud physical strength, kinetic energy from speed, and the boost of his strongest lightning armor, only to end up in a draw with a 'toad-man' who had undergone an unknown transformation?!
No, it wasn't even a draw! Upon closer thought, a massive sense of shame and frustration instantly consumed Ay.
He had the momentum of a high-speed charge! The opponent, however, had punched from a standstill! This meant that in a contest of absolute strength, he, the Fourth Raikage Ay, had completely lost!!!
Jiraiya's heart was also churning; the wild boost brought by the Sage power was something even he hadn't fully anticipated.
Mount Myōboku's Sage Mode, as its name suggests, emphasizes 'natural balance,' providing a comprehensive upgrade to physical strength, Chakra, spiritual perception, and Ninjutsu power. It wasn't like Ryūchi Cave, which specialized in attack and speed, or Shikkotsu Forest, which extremely enhanced regeneration and defense.
Its greatest advantage lay in its comprehensiveness and stability.
The regret was that Jiraiya's own Sage Mode was not perfect, which meant his conversion efficiency of Senjutsu Chakra wasn't high enough, and the boost was diminished.
"If not for that, that punch just now,. Jiraiya sighed inwardly, "wouldn't have just been a draw."
The battle-hardened Fourth Raikage, the moment he confirmed his strength was inferior, his battle instinct forced him to make the wisest choice—retreat!
He made a split-second decision, using the impact of the collision that hadn't yet fully dissipated to spring backward, attempting to use his Ninja World-best speed to escape the dangerous range where he was being overpowered by strength!
The blue lightning flared again as the Raikage's figure instantly blurred, trying to turn into a bolt of lightning tearing through space to get away!
However, just as his figure started to move!
"Swish!"
A figure that seemed to traverse space, far more incredible than the Raikage's movement, started almost simultaneously with him. Moving later but arriving first, it unexpectedly appeared ahead on his intended path of retreat!
Under Fourth Raikage Ay's terrified gaze, Jiraiya's Sage-transformed profile—with orange-red eye shadow and visible warts—was crystal clear!
"This time," Jiraiya's low voice carried the unique resonance of Senjutsu, sounding like a declaration of nature directly in the Raikage's ear, "your strength lacks the boost of speed."
Before his voice finished, a giant toad-like fist, wrapped in thick Natural Energy, rough yet containing the power to crush mountains, enlarged infinitely in the Raikage's shrinking pupils!
This punch was no longer delivered from a standstill; instead, it integrated the superior speed granted by Sage Mode!
"BOOM!!"
Unable to dodge! He could only take it head-on!
The blue armor wrapped in violent Lightning Release Chakra bore the brunt of this heavy blow!
"Crack—" A faint sound of shattering seemed to ring out in the air.
"Argh!!"
The Fourth Raikage's massive body was swatted away like it was hit by a giant palm! He flew backward like a human cannonball at several times the speed he had retreated!
His heavy body slammed into the rocky wall a hundred meters away, producing a deafening crash as dust instantly swallowed him!
The gap in battle passed in an instant!
Jiraiya knew the opportunity was fleeting; he would not give the Raikage any chance to catch his breath!
As the Raikage's body slammed into the rock wall, Sage Jiraiya had already lowered his stance like a predatory giant frog, his hands slamming onto the ravaged earth!
"Hum!"
Senjutsu Chakra erupted wildly with him as the center!
At the same time, the long, thick white 'hair' on his back, which had been like a still sculpture, seemed to be instantly injected with the source of life!
They came alive like mythical white snakes with their own consciousness, growing frantically!
In the blink of an eye, Jiraiya's back formed an ocean of pure white 'hair needles' ready to fire!
"Senjutsu: Hair Needle Senbon!!"
Jiraiya let out a low shout imbued with natural power!
The next moment, those hundreds of millions of white hairs—thoroughly saturated, tempered, and strengthened to the extreme by Senjutsu Chakra—suddenly detached from his body! Each one was as straight as a spear!
Their tips glinted with a lethal cold light! The moment they left his body, they turned into a white storm of death that tore through the air!
This wasn't just firing; it was a tsunami-like outpouring! A torrent formed purely of peerlessly hard white hair!
The speed was far beyond any ordinary Ninja tool throw, even exceeding the limits of visual perception!
It was like a white waterfall crossing space, descending from the sky and precisely covering the area where the Raikage had been embedded!
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
The sharp sounds of breaking air joined into a single shriek, like the whistle of the Shinigami! Millions of white lines crossed space in an instant!
Fourth Raikage Ay had just caught his breath from that heavy impact, roaring as he broke free from the rock wall. Before he could even steady himself, that endless rain of death had already enveloped him from above!
He didn't even have time to make any complex evasive maneuvers!