Traveling through three generations: Making Konoha great again!

Chapter 185 Neither the Hokage nor the Sages are saviors, everyone else is! (A massive chapter of 10,000 words!)

"Feed Orochimaru—"

"I was just saying, why did you actually tell the teacher?"

Jiraiya was somewhat at a loss: "With so many ninjas watching, and my teacher being so strong, there's no way I can hold back—"

"If they win, what will that mean?"

Orochimaru and Tsunade exchanged a glance and couldn't help but laugh.

Upon hearing that their teacher was so strong, the two of them felt that Jiraiya had some self-awareness.

But was it because he was worried that the teacher was too strong, so he wouldn't go easy on him?

Orochimaru and Tsunade were starting to lose their composure when they thought about Hiruzen Sarutobi throwing Hanzo like a fish ball.

"Tsunade, do you still have the enhanced version of the Medical Chakra Scroll? I remember you said you were going to make a few with special effects, for surviving extremely severe injuries—"

Orochimaru asked in a low voice.

"Yes, yes," Tsunade said seriously. "I'll definitely be there. Just to see the battle between Jiraiya and my teacher, I'd activate the Hundred Healings Seal to heal you all. It'd be worth the ticket price!"

Jiraiya felt a chill run down his spine.

What a bloodthirsty audience!

Does it really have to go that far?

"no--"

"Orochimaru, tell me the truth, did our teacher also improve his skills while I was training?!"

Jiraiya looked at him suspiciously: "Has Master developed some new technique, or mastered a new bloodline limit?"

It wasn't that Jiraiya was overly arrogant.

Rather, the Sage Mode truly provides him with a tremendous boost; doubling his combat power is an understatement.

Although he cannot enter alone now, and there is also a time limit for the battle.

However, ever since Hiruzen Sarutobi was designated by the Toad Sage as his master of prophecy—

Jiraiya's treatment at Mount Myōboku has become increasingly better.

Not only are the materials supplied to Konoha for making "Holy Land Pills" increasing, but Fukasaku and Shima are also required by the Toad Sage to cooperate with Jiraiya as much as possible because of this prophecy.

Therefore, although Jiraiya only barely mastered the use of Sage Chakra, he could still manage to use it in actual combat, as long as he entered the "human-frog fusion" state.

Fukasaku and Shima the Sage will help him refine Sage Chakra—

These two are veterans who have cultivated immortal arts for hundreds of years!

"I don't know that—"

Orochimaru shrugged: "I've been very busy lately. I'll only ask my teacher what he's been up to if he asks me to study ninjutsu together, but he's been going to see the Uchiha clan for the past few months—"

Jiraiya said in bewilderment, "You stinky snake, this isn't like you!"

"The teacher has developed a new ninjutsu, and you don't want to learn it?"

"Of course I want to, why wouldn't I?" Orochimaru smiled. "But why am I in such a hurry? The ninjutsu I want to learn will be taught to me step by step by my teacher. It's too troublesome to learn one by one. It's better to wait for the teacher to keep building up the techniques and finally learn the complete version."

"So let's focus on doing things for the teachers and the village first."

Orochimaru took an elegant sip of tea, a stark contrast to the drunken Jiraiya before him.

Since mastering the techniques of resurrection and cloning, Orochimaru has maintained a very stable mindset.

This is the unique secret and bond between him and Hiruzen Sarutobi!

unbreakable--

"Damn it, you bastard—"

Jiraiya gritted his teeth and couldn't help but mutter, "Is this what it means to be a genius who's been spoiled by teachers since childhood? I envy that composure—"

"Stupid students really aren't popular!"

Orochimaru shrugged.

"You stinky snake, tell me what you've done for the village during my one or two years of seclusion?" Jiraiya asked, still somewhat unwilling to give up.

"This is a little gadget we recently developed—"

Orochimaru brandished the pager in his hand: "This is called a 'Heart Meridian Dispatch,' an encrypted communication tool exclusively for select Jonin and Konoha committee members."

"Supports precise positioning, urgent strong alerts, and confidential long messages; it can also be linked with the Mind Transfer Technique to trigger one-way mental warnings."

Image projection in the mind—

Jiraiya's mouth opened slightly.

This is clearly a powerful weapon for three-dimensional intelligence on the battlefield!

"Come to the research department tomorrow to register. We'll transfer your chakra into it; you'll get a share too—"

Orochimaru glanced at Jiraiya's shocked expression and was quite pleased.

Orochimaru continued, "The simple application of natural energy is also underway. Hizashi has already achieved a preliminary Sage Mode. You should also prepare yourself as my material for researching Sage Mode."

Jiraiya subconsciously waved his hand in resistance.

"What? In order to make the village's ninjas stronger and the children more securely protected, is the Great Sage unwilling to cooperate with my work?"

Orochimaru gracefully set down his teacup, his snake-like eyes slightly narrowed.

"What are you saying! I'll go, okay?!"

Jiraiya quickly waved his hand: "You're Master's disciple, not Danzo's—don't jump to conclusions so easily, my head isn't that big!"

Tsunade chuckled. No matter how many years had passed, the interaction between the two was still as interesting as ever.

They care about each other, but they have to pretend they don't care at all, and they even have to attack each other.

Upon hearing this, Orochimaru felt slightly uncomfortable after learning that Jiraiya's strength had improved.

"Furthermore, research on the cells of the First Hokage has also made progress. Currently, through the cells and eye power of the Uchiha clan, the concentrated toxins of the Salamander, and sealing formations, we are gradually able to reduce their activity."

"If I could just give myself three to five more confirmed research directions, I believe a safe transplantation version of the first-generation adult cells could be available within a few years."

Orochimaru smiled and said, "The bloodline transplant was quite successful, but this is not my achievement alone; it was Hiruko who led the effort."

"In addition, there was the renovation of the village's defensive and sensory barrier arrays, which I led Kushina and Uzumaki Ushio to deploy—"

Jiraiya was a little confused and quickly waved his hand to tell Orochimaru to stop talking.

"no--"

"You've done so much? Putting aside manpower, where did you get all this funding?"

Orochimaru glanced at Jiraiya: "It was approved by the teacher—I'm the person in charge of the entire Konoha Research Department! Billions of yen have passed through my hands; how can we not get results?"

"Don't think this is an easy task. Danzo, Hizashi, and the new young man are all watching me. That Uchiha boy has the potential to become a second Hokage—"

Tsunade looked puzzled, but didn't say anything.

Does the Uchiha clan have the looks of his great-grandfather?

Jiraiya choked for a moment.

For a moment, he even felt embarrassed to mention the "Ninja Breaking the Heavens" he held in his hand.

Can this really be sold for money?

Although it's just an outline given by the teacher, it's only one-third of the way through.

"well--"

Jiraiya took a swig of sake and shook his head dejectedly.

His training at Mount Myoboku was extremely rigorous.

However, the cultivation of Sage Mode is by no means something that can be accomplished overnight. The fact that he was able to get the basics down in just over a year already shows that he has talent in this area.

But compared to the same period—

Jiraiya felt that he had fallen far behind.

Orochimaru and Tsunade aside, even Hiruko, who used to lag behind him by one or two steps, has found his irreplaceable place in the village.

That would be a mistake in bloodline transplantation!

Even in the entire ninja world, this is absolutely top-tier technology—

The potential benefits for Konoha are immeasurable.

"Idiot, stop making that face. Everyone can find their place."

Orochimaru looked at Jiraiya and said softly, "If you have something to say, go talk to him after you finish your fight with him tomorrow."

Jiraiya sighed, "At my age, do I still need to confide in my teacher? Don't worry about me, I'm fine, I just had a momentary lapse in judgment!"

After saying that, Jiraiya drank another cup of sake: "I'm going back to rest! I still need to summon to Mount Myōboku later to say hello to my older brother and sister so I can enter Sage Mode sooner!"

Orochimaru watched Jiraiya's retreating figure and shook his head.

"That idiot—"

"Always seemingly carefree, but actually more meticulous than anyone else!"

Although Orochimaru was a genius from a young age, he mastered all ninjutsu extremely quickly.

Jiraiya may seem a bit dim-witted, always resorting to abstract techniques, but his perseverance and talent actually put Orochimaru under considerable pressure.

This guy is definitely a genius!

Moreover, to be fair, it was actually Jiraiya who truly inherited Hiruzen Sarutobi's Five Escape Techniques after growing up.

Although he lacks one chakra attribute—

"Aren't you one too?"

Tsunade shook her head: "You two, your relationship is really strange. Sometimes it feels more awkward than those kids in love. Can't you just be more open and considerate of each other?"

"What did you say?" Orochimaru frowned. "Nonsense!"

I won't repeat myself—

Tsunade chuckled as she stood up: "Alright, I'm going to rest too. Let's see if Jiraiya can give us a surprise tomorrow, he talks a big game—"

"His Ninja Body Illusionary Three-fold Enhancement has been strengthened, and two immortals have been invited to stay and help him."

"Don't be upset when Jiraiya actually gets stronger—"

Orochimaru chuckled.

can you?

Perhaps it really will happen—

But he didn't care, because ever since Hiruzen Sarutobi approved his research on the Reanimation Jutsu and even put his own name on it, Orochimaru had already transcended that.

He will always be the teacher's most trusted disciple!

#

The next day.

Konoha's First Martial Arts Arena.

This largest training ground in Konoha has undergone another renovation and has become incredibly vast.

This is due to both sufficient infrastructure funding and the need for ample space for the Konoha ninjas to practice freely as their battlefield performance grows stronger.

As a result of the publicity, many ninjas came to watch today.

It's obviously unrealistic to bring all the ninjas from an entire village here; many critical positions cannot be brought to a standstill, and the village itself must operate precisely at all times.

However, each small group spontaneously sent a few representatives so that they could seriously watch the competition and then return to provide an immediate oral report.

At the Ninja Academy today, Kakashi, Asuma, Obito, and Might Guy are present.

The person from the Security Department was Fugaku. This Konoha committee member had to use all sorts of sweet talk, promising to treat everyone to dinner and drinks, before he was finally persuaded to come and see the place.

The Hishi of the Anbu was also there, but he didn't need to compete with others for a spot, since everyone knew he was the Hokage's shadow.

Danzo also took a day off to come and watch the match with Tobirama.

There were also Might Guy and a group of special Jonin, Chunin, and Genin—

Below the martial arts training ground.

Jiraiya took a slow, deep breath.

It doesn't matter if people are watching him; after all, he's a man who fought valiantly in the Second Shinobi World War.

However, engaging in such serious and formal public exchanges with his teacher always stirred his artistic sensibilities, leading him to associate it with things like "a son challenging his father" or "the passing of the baton among men."

This sense of inheritance made Jiraiya nervous.

Minato stood smiling beside Jiraiya, and Kushina also came over to watch.

"After sparring with our master for so long, I'm finally going to see Jiraiya-sensei in front of him! I'm really looking forward to it—" Minato smiled brightly. "You have to do your best, Jiraiya-sensei! Show the spirit of our lineage!"

"Yes, I will!"

Jiraiya carefully organized various ninja tools, with a concentrated soldier's ration pill in his mouth to replenish his energy. His expression was quite amusing, as if he were taking his ninja graduation exam back in the day.

This time, however, Tsunade and Orochimaru weren't with him; he was all alone.

"Oh, right, Minato—"

Jiraiya coughed lightly: "I heard that when I wasn't around, it was the teacher who guided your training. You should know a little bit about the teacher, right?"

"You know, intelligence is the most powerful weapon a ninja uses in battle!"

"Give me a hint—"

A look of embarrassment appeared on Minato's face.

"Isn't this inappropriate, teacher?"

"What's wrong with that! That's my teacher, your grandmaster! I'm about to go up and demonstrate, do you think I'm afraid of leaking information about the Hokage beforehand?"

Seeing an opportunity, Jiraiya's eyes lit up, and he quickly moved closer to Minato: "You better remember, kid, I'm your teacher, we're the closest of friends—"

"I feel like grandparents are closer to their grandchildren—" Kushina said wistfully, "My grandmaster took good care of me and Minato, and always gave Minato pointers on his training, while Jiraiya-sensei has been gone for quite a while—"

"It's a good thing Minato said he wanted our child to have the same name as the protagonist of your novel—"

"Oh dear—" Jiraiya scratched his head awkwardly.

It's not good to talk to a pregnant woman!

"His name is Naruen? That's a pretty nice name—" Jiraiya said subconsciously.

"Naruto, Naruto! It's the biography of the strong-willed ninja you wrote, Minato loves it so much—" Kushina glared at Jiraiya.

"You have a new book?" Minato said with obvious delight. "Let me see it, Jiraiya-sensei!"

"Quickly, tell me about the teacher—"

Jiraiya coughed lightly: "You can see all the manuscripts from now on!"

Minato turned to look at Hiruzen Sarutobi in the distance and noticed that his master was also looking at him with a smile, which put his mind at ease.

"I see, Jiraiya-sensei—"

Minato pondered, "My master has three forms in total, which I call Balance, Speed, and Power. They are just different in their emphasis. Speed, defense, and power are all very strong, and he has a strange ability to ignore many ninjutsu."

"And you should be careful, Jiraiya-sensei, try not to get into close combat with your master. If it's unavoidable, be careful of the Heavenly Punishment Domain descending, as it can easily put you at a disadvantage."

"Besides, my master's reflexes are extremely fast, so a sneak attack is generally not feasible."

"It's best not to use illusions either. I heard from Qing Shui and Ya Dai that our grandmaster is immune to illusion pressure—"

"Anything else, it's nothing. You should also remember that Fire Release is ineffective."

"In short, my master was an all-powerful man who inspired despair and shone with dazzling light—" Minato described Hiruzen Sarutobi in a chuunibyou-esque way.

This is the clever design of the water gate—

His unique, somewhat childish way of speaking allowed him to convey information to Jiraiya without revealing too much.

Jiraiya was completely bewildered.

"Minato, I really have to control you now—"

"Listen to what you're saying! Three forms? According to you, Teacher is an all-rounder of ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu, and has immunity to all three. Why should I even fight him?"

"You little brat, stop reading those cringey, melodramatic quotes. You really need to read my 'Breaking Through the Heavens'!"

Minato shrugged helplessly; honestly, nobody believed him anyway.

In Minato's view, a one-on-one fight with Hiruzen Sarutobi would indeed be like this, with immense pressure from the very beginning.

Without a few distinctive ninjas forming a systematic teamwork, Minato didn't think anyone could stop his master, the Great Sun of Konoha.

Jiraiya stepped onto the field.

Hiruzen Sarutobi chuckled as he looked at his old disciple and nodded: "Not bad. You've been in much better spirits since returning from Mount Myōboku, and you look much stronger."

"I've lost a bit of weight. I'll go home later and get 100 pounds of braised beef to help me recover."

Jiraiya felt a warmth in his heart; it had to be his teacher, and this was pure encouragement-based education.

But he suddenly realized something was wrong—

"Teacher, does your wife usually cook over 100 pounds of beef?"

"Yeah, I ate a lot, it'll only take a few days—" Hiruzen Sarutobi raised an eyebrow.

"You must be really old—" Jiraiya looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi's strong, middle-aged face and his shoulders, which were even broader than his own.

After thinking about it, I still didn't say anything.

Where is old?

"Being able to eat means the teacher is indeed in good condition; that's the first piece of information."

Jiraiya took a deep breath: "Teacher, please do your best to correct my mistakes in this match—"

"I want to see just how far I can go with my full strength!"

In essence, this competition was not something that Zilai could afford to do without giving it his all.

This was to demonstrate the power of Sage Mode to the ninjas, thereby boosting morale and laying some groundwork for the future implementation of the Cursed Seal.

If you just muddle through, it's like tarnishing the reputation of the research project.

After all, most ninjas never actually see Hizashi in action; his story is simply passed down like an urban legend in Konoha.

"OK--"

Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced intently at Jiraiya's tense expression and sighed softly.

As the Hokage and Dean of Konoha, Hiruzen Sarutobi was well-versed in the essence of the four diagnostic methods of traditional Chinese medicine: observation, listening, questioning, and palpation.

At first glance, it's clear that Jiraiya's mental state isn't quite right, even though he's usually a sunny and cheerful young man—

"After all, he acted like a fanatic before, so it's not surprising."

"That's fine too. So far, Mount Myōboku has been sincere in its cooperation with Konoha. I also need to meet with the leader of Mount Myōboku in person to discuss this further."

"Let's see if we can send the Ape Demon over to strengthen it—"

Although Hiruzen Sarutobi is not sensitive to natural energy, his summoned beasts may be able to do so.

Given Hiruzen Sarutobi's physique, it wouldn't be impossible for him to forcibly accept the cursed seal.

However, the Hokage has always been reluctant to engage in any behavior that could potentially lower his potential.

It still requires successive generations; he and Orochimaru are somewhat similar in one respect—they're not in a hurry.

Believe in the power of time and the growth of Konoha!

The two stood facing each other, forming a seal of opposition.

The battle between master and disciple has officially begun at this moment!

"Fire Release: Great Flame Bullet!"

Jiraiya retreated instantly, inhaling as he did so, and then unleashed a torrent of flames of exceptional skill!

Minato looked puzzled. Didn't he just tell Jiraiya that his master was immune to fire jutsu?

But Minato soon realized that he couldn't understand this without experiencing it for himself.

In that instant, a torrent of lightning surged from Hiruzen Sarutobi's body.

Lightning Release Chakra Mode!

The cells were rapidly activated under the stimulation of lightning, reaching their peak speed at that moment, almost as if they had disappeared from the spot in an instant!

"Is this speed mode?"

Jiraiya was startled, realizing that Minato wasn't talking nonsense, but was actually describing something vividly.

At that moment, the surging fireball was violently split in two by a bolt of lightning, and Hiruzen Sarutobi charged straight toward Jiraiya, arriving in front of him in almost an instant.

Jiraiya's eyes widened—

He had intended to test the waters, but it seems like it's all over just because of one mistake in the game.

Is it really that straightforward?

Hiruzen Sarutobi punched Jiraiya straight in the face, causing him to instinctively cross his arms to catch his fist.

However, the two had different neurological responses.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had already withdrawn his power from the punch mid-air, and in one fluid motion, bent his knee and kicked out, striking Jiraiya in the chest and sending him flying like a cannonball.

"If you're going to go all out, you shouldn't have the mindset of testing someone when facing a strong opponent."

"A trump card that cannot be used is meaningless."

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke slowly and deliberately, his voice not loud but clear enough, with electric current crackling around him.

"hehe--"

Danzo said smugly to Tobirama beside him, "See? Hiruzen's Lightning Release has reached its current level thanks to my Wind Release techniques that helped him continuously refine it!"

Tobirama nodded in agreement, ignoring Danzo.

Upon learning that his beloved disciple had mastered the "Ten Thousand Seals Body Seal," Tobirama felt a sense of urgency.

It's not that I want to compare my strength with Hiruzen Sarutobi, but I feel that I can't be weaker than the previous generation after being reborn, right?

It must be significantly stronger in at least one dimension—

Otherwise, wouldn't we be holding Hiruzen back?

"This Lightning Release chakra mode is truly pure—" Izuna murmured, "Even among the leaders of the Land of Lightning during the Warring States period, few could compare to Hiruzen!"

"Indeed—" Tobirama subconsciously thought, what would he do if he faced Hiruzen one day?

With this level of lightning release skill, water release probably won't work.

Amidst the dust.

Jiraiya slowly stood up, rubbing his chest and panting heavily.

That kick almost knocked him out—

"The teacher held back, otherwise I would have been in trouble if she had caught up."

"I can't delay any longer. My teacher is right. When we encounter a strong opponent, we should go all out from the very beginning!" Jiraiya no longer hesitated. He immediately bit his finger and used the Summoning Jutsu.

A wisp of mist dissipated, and Fukasaku and Shima landed on Jiraiya's shoulder.

"Jiraiya, you've come looking for us so quickly?"

"After all, he's the prophet the master spoke of, and the Hokage of Konoha—" the two toad sages rambled on.

"Please, you two, help me enter Sage Mode as soon as possible!"

Jiraiya said with utmost seriousness, "Teacher is very strong, stronger than I expected!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi did not rush to attack, but instead calmly observed Jiraiya.

He even waved and smiled at the two toad immortals to show his friendliness.

In any case, Mount Myōboku is now sending a large amount of raw materials for the Sacred Land Pill at cost price, and the toads also shed blood for Konoha during the Second Shinobi World War.

Although it's a bit of a charlatan's charade, we can still cooperate.

Fukasaku and Shima were taken aback, and they returned the greeting by waving their webbed feet and Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Big Brother, Big Sister—"

"We need to go all out and fight a tough battle!"

"Don't be afraid if you get injured. Tsunade and the Slug Sage are ready to go. This time, we're going to promote the power of natural energy in Konoha, which will also serve as proof of my training results—"

Jiraiya muttered to himself.

"Alright!" Fukasaku and Shima agreed. Being able to fight the "Master of Prophecy" without holding back was a rare experience for them.

This is also very helpful in verifying the Toad Sage's prophecy—

Fukasaku and Shima were in a state of combat readiness at Mount Myoboku.

Soon, enough Sage Chakra to sustain Jiraiya's combat abilities for a period of time was replenished.

At that moment, Fukasaku and Shima stood on Jiraiya's shoulders.

Jiraiya's body swelled slightly, his nose became rounder and larger, and some bumps appeared on his toad-like skin.

The most obvious change is the appearance of deep red eyeshadow, representing celestial magic!

"Teacher, I'm incredibly strong in this form!"

Jiraiya clearly became more confident.

With the blessing of immortal magic and the doubling of all his stats, he certainly had reason to be so proud!

Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled slightly.

If Jiraiya were to be defeated in one move under abnormal circumstances, how could the power of Sage Mode be demonstrated?

Everything becomes clearer when compared.

"I'm here, teacher!"

Jiraiya's speed was noticeably faster, and he arrived beside Hiruzen Sarutobi in the blink of an eye.

The two exchanged a solid punch.

This time, Jiraiya did not retreat noticeably.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes lit up; Jiraiya's power had clearly doubled—

This shows that Sage Mode is truly extraordinary!

But compared to Hiruzen Sarutobi's surprise, Jiraiya's heart was in turmoil. He never expected that even with the blessing of Sage Mode, his power was still no match for his teacher.

Jiraiya hardened his heart and mustered all his strength.

I have grown up after all!

"Sage Art: Frog Kumite!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi neither dodged nor evaded, but simply raised his arm to parry, his forearm precisely striking the point of force on the side of Jiraiya's fist, and then flipped his wrist to lock Jiraiya's arm in place.

This time, Jiraiya reacted quickly, using the agility boosted by Sage Mode to deflect the force, and his sweeping leg, carrying the power to shatter the ground, swept towards Hiruzen Sarutobi's lower body.

But then Hiruzen Sarutobi swiftly leaped into the air, landing with a low knee strike aimed straight at Hiruzen's shoulder and neck!

Jiraiya's heart sank.

The only option is to take it head-on.

The shockwave exploded out!

Jiraiya felt a tingling sensation in his shoulder bone, as if half of his body had lost sensation.

At this moment, the two toad sages unleashed their long tongues, imbued with Sage Chakra, slightly forcing Hiruzen Sarutobi's attack back.

"You teacher—"

Fukasaku retracted his numb tongue and mumbled, "His body feels much better than yours, that succumbent brat!"

Master Shima nodded in deep agreement.

"The teacher's reaction speed is too fast—"

Jiraiya stretched his shoulder blades, saying, "I even doubt he can react to Minato's Flying Thunder God Technique!"

Minato, watching Jiraiya's lips move, smiled slightly: "Indeed—"

"How about it, Jiraiya-kun—should we try a different strategy?"

"No, I think I'm gradually getting used to the teacher's strength!" Jiraiya stubbornly shook his head: "Big sister, big brother, please provide me with some more Sage Chakra. This time, I'll fight the whole time with the Frog Kaguya. With you guys, I can make up for the speed difference—"

"As long as the strength can keep up, that's fine!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi silently watched Jiraiya and sighed softly.

He had three apprentices.

The conflict between Tsunade and Orochimaru has been resolved.

But Jiraiya did not.

Today is a great opportunity.

"Sage Mode is truly powerful—"

Danzo squinted: "The power to exchange punches with Hiruzen, and the speed to barely keep up, just the boost to the body alone is remarkable—"

"The cursed seal certainly has great potential."

Danzo sighed and decided that he would no longer repeatedly check Orochimaru's project.

Of course, this only applies to curse seals.

Sakumo Hatake squinted, suddenly feeling that he should also become stronger—

He's a bit out of touch with the times!

Cursed Seal, Sage Mode, Bloodline Limit —

"I need to think of something—" Sakumo pondered to himself, what type of person would suit him best?

I heard that the newly joined youth from the vortex village has even collected two pairs of "left zero, right fire" eyeglasses—

I'll go to the research department for a physical exam sometime.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have the power to protect the Will of Fire, a thought that made Sakumo feel uneasy.

Although it was just Sakumo's psychological effect.

But he just felt that the way his son looked at him just now didn't seem as admiring anymore—

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Jiraiya were locked in combat once again.

This time, Jiraiya maintained his Sage Mode enhancement throughout, and used the Frog Kumite to counter every attack.

Although they still couldn't keep up in speed, with the help of Shima and Fukasaku, they were able to make the game look like a back-and-forth battle even in a three-on-one situation.

After several rounds.

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a slight step back, and the lightning that wrapped around his body instantly dissipated, replaced by boiling white steam!

Boil Release Chakra Mode: Unparalleled Strength!

Jiraiya knew something terrible was about to happen just from hearing the force of the punch.

Is this the power form that Minato was talking about?

Unable to dodge, Jiraiya gathered all his strength and was forced to exchange punches with Hiruzen Sarutobi!

The moment their fists collided, a deafening explosion erupted!

A ring of air rippled outwards from the two of them, sending up clouds of dust and debris.

The bluestone slab beneath their feet instantly sank, and spiderweb-like cracks spread in all directions.

Jiraiya felt a tremendous force slam into his meridians through his fist, and the bones in his entire right arm seemed to be groaning as his muscles instantly tensed to their limit.

His feet carved two deep furrows in the hard ground, and he managed to stabilize himself from a distance using Sage Chakra.

Jiraiya's clenched fist trembled uncontrollably; the web between his thumb and forefinger was already split open, and bright red blood dripped from between his fingers.

Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled a breath of stale air.

While the Boil Release Chakra Mode is slower than the Lightning Release Chakra Mode and less resistant to attacks, its power is significantly increased.

This punch is like a chakra-enhanced version of a dump truck—

"Old woman, I feel so dizzy—"

"Honey, I'm dizzy too—"

Although the two toad sages did not directly come into contact with Hiruzen Sarutobi's fist, the force transmitted to them was enough to make their brains feel as if they were being repeatedly shaken.

"We absolutely must not use physical techniques against the teacher!"

"Unless you're like the Third Raikage, capable of hand-to-hand combat with a Tailed Beast, fighting the Master in close combat is practically suicide—"

Jiraiya's mind stirred.

A Sage Art composed of Wind Release, Toad Oil, and Blazing Fire, combined with natural energy!

Immortal Technique: Goemon!

This is a highly volatile oil composed of oil heated to thousands of degrees Celsius, which, in addition to its high temperature, also has the characteristic of being constantly scalding.

And its coverage is extremely wide!

It's a devastating battlefield weapon; given the right moment to unleash it, it can easily wipe out multiple squads.

"Celestial arts?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi focused his mind; the structure he saw was indeed different from that of conventional ninjutsu.

A bluish-white glow appeared in his eyes.

The invisible Spirit Release chakra exploded in the boiling oil!

This invisible force suddenly pierced through the core of the Sage Mode, forcibly stripping away the chakra that maintained the balance of the technique, causing it to lose its balance with the harmony of natural energy.

The natural energy contained within the volatile oil is wildly dissipating in all directions!

The remaining chakra was in disarray within the jutsu.

The first thing to collapse was the wind-style skeleton.

The Wind Release technique, which originally carried waves of oil and fueled the fire, multiplying its power several times over, instantly dissipated from a directional hurricane into a chaotic torrent without the support of natural energy.

Instead of being a catalyst, it has become the culprit that disrupts the scheme.

The turbulent airflow scattered the oil waves and fireballs, and the once unified torrent was instantly torn apart.

The fire jutsu that had been enhanced instantly reverted to its most ordinary form. The flames, which had been extremely solid, became ethereal and scattered, and even the surrounding air could no longer be burned and distorted.

In the blink of an eye, Goemon degenerated into a chaotic mass of ordinary kerosene.

Most of the flames and oil dissipated in the turbulent currents before they could even reach Hiruzen Sarutobi.

The remaining scattered fireballs fell sparsely to the ground, igniting only a patch of unremarkable flames.

Fukasaku and Shima, perched on Jiraiya's shoulder, stared wide-eyed in astonishment, even their chakra, which was maintaining Sage Mode, momentarily disrupted.

Jiraiya himself stood frozen in place, his pupils filled with disbelief.

He never imagined that his Sage Art would, in the blink of an eye, plummet from a world-destroying technique to a terrible jutsu that even an ordinary Jonin could easily block!

"It's working!"

"The ratio of chakra in this Sage Art is indeed important. Although I cannot interfere with natural energy, I can simply break down the chakra components—"

With a thought, Hiruzen Sarutobi's blue light from his mouth and eyes intensified, and his Spirit Release eye technique locked onto Jiraiya!

For ordinary ninjas, Spirit Release eye techniques wouldn't be very effective, because the chakra within their bodies is inherently a stable state without any elemental attribute.

At most, it will fall into a period of chaos.

But Jiraiya was different; he needed to maintain a delicate balance between the chakra and natural energy within his body—

"Chakra is disordered!"

Jiraiya's expression froze, and the two toad sages were also shocked. They had practiced Sage Mode for hundreds of years, but had never experienced their chakra becoming uncontrollable.

Hiruzen Sarutobi swiftly summoned his spirit and appeared before Jiraiya at that moment.

The hands, glowing with a bluish light, clasped Jiraiya's shoulders.

Without a sound, the Monkey King, transformed into the Golden Cudgel, suddenly extended from a distance. Arms that split off from the staff grabbed Fukasaku and Shima, pulling them away from Jiraiya's shoulder.

Sage Mode was forcibly deactivated.

Jiraiya was suddenly startled. His most relied-upon Sage Mode, the only one among the Sannin who could master it, was gone—

In Konoha, a village teeming with geniuses, amidst the dazzling brilliance of his fellow disciples, his only trump card allowed him to stand tall and prove he was no ordinary talent—

However, Hiruzen Sarutobi also exited Spirit Release mode.

Instead of activating Boil Release or Lightning Release Chakra Mode again, he threw a punch that was just slightly heavier than Jiraiya's.

But once Jiraiya began to adapt, Hiruzen Sarutobi would change his strength and punching style, gradually increasing the intensity—

"Hold on, Jiraiya!" Hiruzen Sarutobi shouted.

Jiraiya was taken aback, and a surge of power welled up within him, forcing him to keep up with Hiruzen Sarutobi's pace.

As the rhythm and force gradually increased, Jiraiya seemed to lose consciousness, returning to the state he was in when he was a child and underwent special training with Hiruzen Sarutobi, completely forcing his potential to advance again with willpower.

I don't know how much time has passed—

Jiraiya collapsed from exhaustion, lying sprawled on the ground, panting heavily.

"teacher--"

"I'm still the bottom of the class, even after mastering immortal arts."

Jiraiya said with a wry smile.

"How could that be?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat down next to Jiraiya: "How could a loser like you think of such a grand ideal as bringing peace to the ninja world all by yourself?"

Jiraiya stared at Hiruzen Sarutobi, a pang of bitterness rising in his heart.

"You know, although you've been mischievous since you were little, you're the one I worry about the most out of the three of you."

"You are stubborn, but you can get up quickly every time you fall, just like you just pushed yourself to your limits time and time again and endured round after round of pressure."

"But there's always a time when a person can't hold on any longer. When you can't hold on any longer, you should lie down and rest for a while, and see if your companions can lend you a hand so that you can walk side by side again."

Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly said, "One person's strength is limited—"

"Jiraiya, if peace can be brought by one person, it can also be taken away by one person."

"You've wandered the ninja world for so many years searching for the so-called Child of Prophecy, whether it's Nagato, Yahiko, Minato, or even me, your teacher—"

"Peace cannot be brought about by any one of us alone—"

"My strength is also due to the countless Konoha ninjas who each performed their duties and united to unleash their energy, which gave me the courage and will to continue training—"

Hiruzen Sarutobi stared at Jiraiya: "Peace is never an epic of one person, but of countless people walking side by side, passing the torch from one generation to the next—"

"You have done very well. I am proud to have you as my apprentice."

"But you are not the savior, and neither am I. It is only by all of us who yearn for peace, unite as one, and possess the Will of Fire in our hearts that we can possibly save this ninja world—"

Jiraiya stared intently at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

I was stunned.

Fukasaku and Shima exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes.

He truly deserves to be called the Master of Prophecy!