Jiraiya’s Death

"Is this how you welcome me the moment I arrive in Sunagakure? You people sure are enthusiastic."

Jiraiya spoke with feigned boldness as he secretly surveyed his surroundings. Although the Four Violet Flames Formation covered a wide area, it had been cast by Hyuga Mirai’s Shadow Clone. Given his strength, this formation would not be easy to break.

Should I make some noise?

But how had these three intercepted him the instant he emerged from the Iwasuku Toad’s stomach? Jiraiya frowned slightly, puzzled. If Sunagakure’s people arrived, they likely would not let him go either. And before these three, Jiraiya had almost no confidence that he could escape.

"You infiltrated through the checkpoint in Iwasa District, Jiraiya. A wandering writer, huh."

Hyuga Mirai slowly said to Jiraiya, "Instead of gathering material, you spend all day causing trouble. Did Sarutobi Hiruzen send you? Konoha actually dared to act against the Suna-nin without authorization. Looks like you want to break the alliance and start a war."

"Sunagakure has plenty of material too. Besides, a wandering writer won’t be confined to one place!"

Jiraiya burst into laughter, though inwardly, he was thinking about how to get away.

Hyuga Mirai asked, "Where is Yasunori Sakai? Is he still inside your Toad Barrier?"

"Was it because of him that you found me?" Jiraiya’s expression turned grave. He had sensed that something was wrong earlier. An ordinary person could not ignore his Illusion Technique, and that man had not behaved like an ordinary person either.

"Jiraiya, although I always called you an idiot in the past, you were actually quite shrewd. You simply never paid attention to matters you didn’t care about, clinging to that pathetic dream of yours as though it were the truth."

Orochimaru slowly stepped forward and spoke to Jiraiya.

"If you hadn’t been influenced by those Toads, you should be standing with us now. Then the dream of peace you pursue would have come true sooner!"

When Jiraiya saw Orochimaru step forward, he sneered. "Orochimaru, I won’t join forces with someone like you."

Orochimaru smiled. "What about Tsunade? Even Tsunade has joined us now. Jiraiya, among the Sannin, you may be the first to leave the stage."

"Summoning Technique!"

The moment Orochimaru finished speaking, he rapidly formed hand seals and used the Summoning Technique, calling forth several Ryūchi Cave Great Snakes. Yet the Snake Scales on these great snakes were bizarre and strange, as though they had mutated.

Seeing Orochimaru summon great snakes from Ryūchi Cave, Jiraiya also used the Summoning Technique. He quickly formed hand seals, then summoned the two enormous Toads, Gamaken and Gamahiro.

Moreover, Jiraiya cared greatly about what Orochimaru had just said. With anger on his face, he shouted at Orochimaru, "Orochimaru, what did you mean by that!?"

"What it means has nothing to do with a dead last like you anymore, Jiraiya. Actually, you shouldn’t have come today. Now, let me use you to test my newest research."

Orochimaru smiled as he formed hand seals with one hand, then immediately directed several Ryūchi Cave Great Snakes to attack Jiraiya.

Fortunately, in order to control Jiraiya precisely, Hyuga Mirai had deployed a sufficiently large barrier that allowed gigantic Summoning beasts to fight.

And the great snakes Orochimaru had summoned were anything but ordinary.

"Orochimaru really is a genius at experimentation. He actually transplanted Kekkei Genkai into snakes, and even implanted mechanical skeletons inside their bodies!?"

Hyuga Mirai activated his Byakugan and quickly saw through the details of Orochimaru’s great snakes: an Ice Release Great Snake, a Crystal Release Great Snake, a Magnet Release Great Snake, and a Shikotsumyaku Great Snake. The mechanical skeletons also enhanced their close-combat strength and resistance to attacks. They were practically a combination of his Xiao Zi and Sasori’s puppets.

"Sasori, you helped him, didn’t you?"

Sasori turned his head with a somewhat subtle expression and said, "I only provided some ideas and Kekkei Genkai research. I told you, I’ve never asked anyone for anything."

He definitely asked. I’ll go ask Orochimaru for the recording later.

Hyuga Mirai thought to himself, then turned his attention to the battle between the two Sannin. This place was some distance from Sunagakure. Since Jiraiya was worried that Sunagakure’s Ninja might encounter him if he got too close, he had only made his move after Yasunori Sakai had traveled some distance away.

It was also because of that that Hyuga Mirai had been able to deploy a barrier nearly a thousand meters wide, while Jiraiya himself was now suffering the consequences.

One Ryūchi Cave Great Snake opened its bloody maw and instantly spat out a massive Ice Spike three meters thick. A Summoning beast using a Kekkei Genkai? The sight left Jiraiya stunned for a moment, but Gamaken blocked the Ice Spike.

However, the tremendous impact still forced Gamaken back two steps, kicking up dust that filled the sky.

The other Ryūchi Cave Great Snakes also unleashed all kinds of Kekkei Genkai: Crystal Release Shuriken, Magnet Release: Iron Sand Spears, and countless Bone Spikes as thick as giant trees suddenly sprouting from the ground.

In an instant, Gamahiro and Gamaken were plunged into danger. Although they had abundant combat experience, they were still overwhelmed by the simultaneous assault of so many Kekkei Genkai.

"Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!"

Jiraiya had originally intended to summon the two Toad Sages and have them help him enter Sage Mode, but under the attack of the Kekkei Genkai Snakes, he had no choice but to act, using Earth Style to restrain one of the great snakes.

Damn it, where did Orochimaru find so many troublesome great snakes? If this keeps draining my Chakra, there truly won’t be even the slightest hope of escape.

Although Jiraiya’s chances of survival were slim, he would not easily give up as long as there was even a sliver of hope. Besides, he had uncovered quite a bit of intelligence this time. It seemed the Yasunori Trading Company had considerable ties to Hyuga Mirai, and he had to warn the old man.

And Tsunade…

At that thought, Jiraiya’s eyes filled with determination. He had to escape, then ask Tsunade about this.

"Gamaken, cover me."

Jiraiya leaped into the air. With Gamaken’s help, he landed on top of a Ryūchi Cave Great Snake. After forming hand seals with both hands, he pressed his palm against the snake’s body.

"Reverse Summoning Technique!"

Boom!

That Ryūchi Cave Great Snake was instantly sent into the Iwasuku Toad’s stomach by Jiraiya’s Summoning Technique. But in the next second, a massive snake tail swept toward Jiraiya. Fortunately, Gamahiro caught the tail between his twin swords, producing an enormous metallic crash and blocking the blow for Jiraiya.

"Metal skeletons? Just how many great snakes has Orochimaru modified?"

Jiraiya pressed his hands together. He had to enter Sage Mode now. Otherwise, if his Chakra continued to be depleted, he would have no chance at all.

"Sage Mode? What a naïve dead last. Even that won’t let you escape. Give up, Jiraiya. Let me swallow you obediently. That would still be better than dying at someone else’s hands!"

Orochimaru stared at Jiraiya with his golden vertical pupils. He had now mastered Sage Mode as well, and after modifying his body, Orochimaru had directly achieved perfect Sage Mode. He had also learned one of Ryūchi Cave’s Sage Arts.

Even if Jiraiya entered Sage Mode, he would pose no threat to him whatsoever.

The two people watching from the side commented on Orochimaru’s biological modifications with some interest. They were certainly novel, but their practicality was far weaker.

"After modifying these great snakes, Orochimaru probably didn’t spend much time managing them. He has always focused only on research and rarely takes the time to convert his research results into combat power. The coordination of four Kekkei Genkai Snakes is inferior to your Five-Style Mecha Puppet. Two were controlled so easily."

Sasori smiled in agreement, but immediately realized something and returned to his cold expression. He snorted. "That guy truly doesn’t care about improving combat power. He should be the weakest in the organization now. Even that Uzumaki is stronger than him."

No, there’s also Tsunade. Although she only just joined, she can’t be overlooked!

Hyuga Mirai thought that to himself without saying it aloud, then continued watching the battle.

Orochimaru seemed to be testing the strengths and weaknesses of the Kekkei Genkai Snakes. He only controlled the snakes to attack and scarcely acted himself.

And the power of Summoning beasts using Kekkei Genkai was indeed greater than that of humans. Summoning beasts that had lived in the sacred summoning lands for years and undergone modification possessed far more Chakra than ordinary Ninja. It was just that Ryūchi Cave had too few intelligent great snakes. Otherwise, after receiving Kekkei Genkai transplants, they would have been useful helpers instead of disposable tools like Orochimaru used them.

As time passed, the two giant Toads were covered in wounds beneath the assault of the Kekkei Genkai Snakes. Orochimaru’s control over them also became increasingly fluid, as he found ways to coordinate two Kekkei Genkai together.

"Jiraiya seems to have summoned two small Toads. What is he planning?"

Through the long-range vision of his puppet, Sasori clearly saw the change on Jiraiya’s body. After spotting Fukasaku and Shima, he turned his head and asked.

Hyuga Mirai replied, "Those are two Toad Sages from Mount Myoboku. With their help, Jiraiya can enter Sage Mode."

"Sage Mode, huh? Once we return, I should study it too and see whether I can develop Sage Mode for my puppets. Are you making a move?"

Sasori had only gotten halfway through his sentence when he suddenly saw Hyuga Mirai step forward, and he asked in surprise.

He had thought Hyuga Mirai was still too lazy to act and had been planning to test the combined puppet himself shortly.

"Yes. The entertainment is over. Sunagakure may notice soon."

Hyuga Mirai did not want to expose his relationship with the Yasunori Trading Company. He was already known to the Suna-nin. If their relationship were exposed, Sunagakure would not abandon the Yasunori Trading Company, but they would definitely become wary in the future.

"Orochimaru, leave the rest to me. Your testing should be about done."

Seeing Hyuga Mirai preparing to act, Orochimaru waved a hand and stepped aside. "Hehe, I had originally wanted to test Jiraiya’s Sage Mode, but since Mirai-kun has said so, I’ll leave it to you."

Upon seeing Hyuga Mirai, Jiraiya, who had entered Sage Mode, was filled with gravity. The last time he had entered Sage Mode, he still had not been Hyuga Mirai’s match. This time, he feared…

"Boss, Big Sis, I may be in real danger this time. If things go bad, you must escape immediately—"

Before Jiraiya could finish speaking, he suddenly saw Hyuga Mirai’s white pupils transform into a deep blue.

"Blue eyes."

Sage Fukasaku and Sage Shima also saw Hyuga Mirai’s Tenseigan. The man and two Toads instantly recalled the Great Toad Sage’s prophecy.

Although they had previously known that Hyuga Mirai’s Summoning beast was connected to the Great Toad Sage’s prophecy, a Summoning beast could not represent the person mentioned in the prophecy. Furthermore, Hyuga Mirai’s eyes had not been blue, so Jiraiya had never believed that Hyuga Mirai was the one foretold by the Great Toad Sage to destroy the Ninja’s future.

But now, it seemed that the person in the Great Toad Sage’s prophecy was him!

"Boss, Big Sis, if I die, you must bring this news back to Konoha!"

A look of resolve appeared on Jiraiya’s face. Beneath those deep blue eyes, even after entering Sage Mode, he felt an indescribable pressure.

"Jiraiya, even now, you still have a chance to live."

Hyuga Mirai spoke calmly. As he spoke, green Chakra emerged around him, a circle of magatama appeared around his collar, and nine Truth-Seeking Orbs appeared behind his back.

"Kill the two Toads on your body, and I can let you live."

Upon hearing this, Jiraiya immediately shouted, "Keep dreaming, kid! If you’ve got the ability, come at me! Two Sages, attack together! Gamaken, use oil too!"

The moment he finished speaking, Jiraiya prepared to use Sage Art: Goemon. It was his strongest Sage Art after entering Sage Mode. It could attack the enemy and possibly break the barrier, giving him a chance to flee.

"What a pity. I gave you a chance."

After Hyuga Mirai spoke, one Truth-Seeking Orb behind him moved under his control and floated into his hand.

Then, the Truth-Seeking Orb erupted with intense golden light.

"Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion!"

A golden beam formed in Hyuga Mirai’s hand. With a forward push, it instantly shot forth toward Jiraiya.

The golden beam was incredibly fast, like a streaking meteor. Although Jiraiya sensed that something was wrong, he was gathering Sage Chakra, and by the time he reacted, it was already too late.

Squelch!

The strike pierced through Jiraiya’s chest. His chest was directly penetrated by the Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion, along with Hyuga Mirai’s Four Violet Flames Formation and the rocky hills of the desert, all of which were effortlessly pierced as if they were rotten tofu.

Sasori asked in shock, "What kind of move was that? I’ve never seen him use it before."

Orochimaru did not know either, so he did not answer. But he vaguely guessed that it was related to an Eye Technique.

"Y-you two, q-quick…"

After Jiraiya’s chest was pierced by the golden beam, his heart was destroyed immediately. The wound in his chest also suppressed all of Jiraiya’s Chakra. He seemed unable to feel pain anymore and gradually lost control over his body, unable to even complete a sentence.

"Little Jiraiya!!"

Sage Fukasaku and Sage Shima cried out in panic. They had not expected their opponent to possess such a Ninjutsu, capable of killing Jiraiya in a single strike from nearly a hundred meters away.

"Don’t worry. You’ll accompany him soon enough."

Hyuga Mirai flew before Jiraiya at incredible speed. With a reach of both hands, he intended to kill the two Toad Sages.

"Old woman, run! Release!"

Sage Fukasaku reacted quickly. He leaped forward, shoved Sage Shima away, and at the same time released her blood contract, sending Sage Shima directly back to Mount Myoboku.

But he had no time to escape. Hyuga Mirai’s Chakra pierced through his body, impaling him like a spear.

Boom!

Boom!

Seeing that the situation was bad, Gamahiro and Gamaken also took the initiative to release the Summoning Technique and returned to Mount Myoboku.

"They escaped rather quickly."

Those two Toads were not Hyuga Mirai’s primary targets, so they had a chance to escape. However, Fukasaku had been decisive, sending Shima away at the very first moment.

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