Breaking through a hail of earth senbon, Jiraiya closed the distance to the mustached Jōnin and swung his blade in a decisive arc.
"Earth Release: Fist Rock Technique!"
The mustached Jōnin, faster than any elite Chūnin, reacted in an instant. His right fist surged upward to meet the Lightning Flame Blade, quickly encased in a layer of solid rock.
"Aaagh!"
A sharp scream echoed as the Lightning Flame Blade sliced cleanly through the stone, wounding the Jōnin's right hand. However, the rocky coating absorbed much of the blade's force, leaving only a deep gash rather than severing the entire arm.
Meanwhile, Jiraiya dialed back the infusion of fire-nature chakra into the Lightning Flame Blade. He wasn't ready to fully commit to this technique just yet—he wanted to lull his opponents into a false sense of security before delivering a decisive blow.
The second Jōnin slammed his hands onto the ground, summoning a massive, razor-sharp slab of stone that shimmered with a dangerous sheen. The slab hurtled toward Jiraiya, carving a deep trench in the earth as it advanced.
Boom!
Without even glancing back, Jiraiya casually swung his blade, shattering the slab into pieces. His heightened sensory abilities rivaled those of the Hyūga clan with their Byakugan—he could detect threats from all directions and react without hesitation.
Taking advantage of the distraction, the mustached Jōnin retreated, putting some distance between himself and Jiraiya.
"That fire cloak of his has limits," the mustached Jōnin murmured to his partner. "When he approached me just now, I didn't feel extreme heat. If I'm right, the high temperature is released intermittently. The exact timing? Still unclear."
Not bad, Jiraiya mused, resisting the urge to chuckle. Another overthinker.
"But even so, maintaining a technique like that should burn through chakra. How is he still so full of energy?" The second Jōnin frowned, his face dark with frustration.
"This is just the warm-up," Jiraiya quipped, smirking. "Don't tell me you guys are running out of steam already."
"Don't get cocky just because you've taken out a few Chūnin!" the mustached Jōnin shouted, biting his thumb and slamming his hand onto the ground.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
A summoning formula appeared on the ground, followed by a thick cloud of smoke. Emerging from the smoke was a massive, black-armored centipede. The creature, over four meters long, gleamed with a metallic sheen. Its armor looked incredibly durable, and its sharp legs were menacingly poised.
The centipede was a low-tier summoning beast, likely one the mustached Jōnin had captured and trained himself.
In the shinobi world, summoning beasts generally fell into two categories. The first consisted of wild animals captured and trained by their summoners. These lacked intelligence and required extensive training to follow basic commands. The second type, however, were intelligent summoning beasts, such as those from the Three Great Sage Lands, the Sarutobi clan's Enma, or Temari's weasel. These creatures were capable of communication, independent thought, and even ninjutsu. The difference between the two was like night and day.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
The second Jōnin bit his thumb and mirrored his partner's actions. Another cloud of smoke appeared, revealing a giant worm-like creature. The worm immediately spewed a stream of black liquid from its mouth.
At the same time, the black-armored centipede released thick, noxious black smoke. The air quickly filled with a vile stench, making it clear that both creatures carried deadly poison.
Jiraiya's expression sharpened as he vanished from his spot, reappearing at a safe distance. The worm's black liquid splattered onto the ground, hissing as it corroded the earth and left gaping holes. The centipede's toxic fumes spread rapidly, engulfing the area in a dense cloud.
With each breath, the poison began to infiltrate Jiraiya's body. Remaining calm, he formed hand seals.
The Universal Poison Seal.
His chakra surged, wrapping around the invading toxins and burning them away with ease. This level of poison was child's play compared to what he had encountered before. The shinobi of the Land of Earth simply weren't adept at using poison—not like the puppeteers of the Land of Wind, whose toxins were truly formidable.
"He inhaled the poison," the mustached Jōnin said, grinning triumphantly. "It's only a matter of time before his body weakens. Soon, he'll be sluggish and unable to move."
The Jōnin swallowed an antidote pill, tossing another to his partner. Their centipede's poison was indiscriminate, spreading in all directions. Even they weren't immune without the antidote.
Jiraiya, now surrounded by the poison cloud, looked at the mustached Jōnin's smug expression and couldn't help but sigh.
"Seriously? You're calling that a summoning beast?" he said, his tone dripping with disdain. "It's barely stronger than a regular wild animal."
The mustached Jōnin's face darkened. "Still running your mouth? Let's see how long you last!"
The worm-like beast stopped spewing liquid and instead lunged, twisting its massive body to crush Jiraiya.
Shaking his head, Jiraiya bit his thumb and slammed his hand onto the ground.
"Let me show you what a real summoning beast looks like."
Thick smoke billowed, obscuring the battlefield.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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