Chapter 504: Jiraiya's Sage Mode
Jiraiya thought of Naruto's past suffering and remained silent.
Naruto was somewhat moved.
Sasuke sneered. Whenever it didn't involve him, he could be very calm and clever.
At this moment, he said with a look of disdain, "A weapon? So what? A ninja is a tool. From the day this profession was born, it has been a sword, a kunai. Whether you use a sword to kill or a Tailed Beast to kill, what's the difference?"
"To a ninja, the Daimyō is a tool for making money. To a ninja, a farmer is a tool for growing crops. Is there anyone in this world who isn't a tool? We're all the same."
"Don't put yourself on a pedestal, acting like you're some kind of savior. You can't save anyone!"
Tendo Pain turned to look at him. "Itachi's younger brother, you are wrong. After I pacify this chaotic world with my power, all those who sacrificed themselves in the process can be saved. This includes Itachi. You were never my enemies from the beginning. My enemy is this world, this world built on hatred."
He looked at Jiraiya. "The balance of the villages controlling the Tailed Beasts has been broken. A new era is coming. Jiraiya-sensei, your protection of the Nine-Tails jinchuriki is meaningless. Without balance, the flames of war will burn in every corner of the world. Sensei, letting Akatsuki control and end the wars is the only way out."
Jiraiya's face was stern. "Nagato, you are gravely mistaken. You do not represent the ninja world, and the ninja world will not bow to you. True peace cannot be achieved through military force."
"What a shame." An invisible ripple suddenly burst from Tendo Pain's eyes. Jiraiya and the other three felt immense pressure. He had already summoned the two great toad sages, Fukasaku and Shima, from Mount Myōboku. At this moment, the two toad sages worked together to help him blend natural energy and enter Sage Mode.
Tendo Pain raised his right hand. "The peace of your great ninja villages is violence to the small ninja villages, an endless cycle of hatred. You have committed so many evils; do you not feel any shame!"
Jiraiya was regulating his natural energy, physical energy, and spiritual energy to create senjutsu chakra. He also hoped to use dialogue to buy a little time to prepare more fully.
He didn't deny Tendo Pain's words. "You are right. The actions of the great ninja villages are not entirely correct. But the village system ended the Warring States period. I am a commoner ninja. Without the village system, a commoner like me would have no way to learn ninjutsu. The system you despise is not perfect, and for that, I am sorry. But you should not completely deny it. You should not deny the excellent ninja who sacrificed themselves for the village."
Tendo Pain closed his eyes, then opened them again. "Jiraiya-sensei, our differences are too great... Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, are you willing to come with me? As my partners, use your talents to end this chaotic world with me."
Naruto was resolute. He wasn't going anywhere until he became Hokage.
Sasuke wavered slightly but ultimately said nothing. Itachi probably wouldn't want to see me leave Konoha, would he? Too many things had happened in the past two days, too chaotic. He needed time to think carefully and wouldn't make a rash decision.
Tendo Pain saw their choice and shook his head in regret.
"A pity. You have made the wrong choice."
"Hahahaha, old brother, this is really strange, isn't it?" A wood clone of Ino walked out from the shadows.
Ino pointed at her own nose. "It seems you've never tried to recruit me? For me, it was that damn Samsara of Life and Death Technique, throwing me into some godforsaken place where birds don't shit and chickens don't lay eggs to fend for myself. For these two, it's a long-winded explanation of your theories, trying so hard to pull them in. Why don't I get that treatment? I want to join Akatsuki, but you won't even give me a chance. Are you looking down on me?"
Before he could answer, Ino pounded her right fist into her left palm. "I get it! You're not looking down on me; you're looking down on all women. Or maybe not, since there's still Konan... Let me guess, are you trying to maintain the purity of your organization? An all-male Akatsuki? A pretty boy band? Tsk, tsk, tsk..."
This was the first time she had said the words "pretty boy band" in public.
Sakura, holding Tonton, immediately showed a look of disgust.
Naruto and Sasuke exchanged a glance as if by instinct, and both saw the horror in their friend's eyes. We can never join that Akatsuki! We are definitely not gay!
Even Jiraiya shivered. Ino's description was just too terrifying.
Nagato, controlling Tendo Pain, was momentarily at a loss for words. It took him a long time to react.
Those words are too vicious! How dare you say such a thing?
Before he could attack Ino, Jiraiya had finished blending his senjutsu chakra. Red eyeshadow appeared at the corners of his eyes, his pupils became horizontal slits, and a number of granular bumps appeared on both sides of his nose.
Jiraiya's Sage Mode took a long time to gather senjutsu chakra and had a short duration. On its own, it was a complete failure of a Sage Mode. Fortunately, he had Fukasaku and Shima to assist him.
Sage Mode greatly enhanced Jiraiya's physical abilities. He crossed a dozen meters in an instant, bypassed the Preta Path, and punched at Tendo Pain.
Using taijutsu against the Six Paths of Pain was another important piece of information Ino had obtained.
Tendo Pain clenched his right fist, and a thirty-centimeter-long black rod appeared in his hand. He didn't dodge but met Jiraiya's attack head-on. The Preta Path, who absorbed chakra, launched a flying kick at Jiraiya's back.
Jiraiya fought two against one, trying to avoid using ninjutsu and focusing on attacking Tendo Pain with taijutsu.
Jiraiya's "Taijutsu," "Strength," and "Speed" were not top-tier, but Sage Mode could greatly enhance his physical abilities, and he had Fukasaku and Shima to assist him. For a time, he showed no signs of being defeated.
Sasuke stared at the battle, intently searching for Tendo Pain's weakness.
"I have to go help the Pervy Sage. Sage Mode? I know Sage Mode too, but I can't use it right now. Ahhh—" Naruto stood outside the battle circle, scratching his head in frustration. He wanted to help but couldn't keep up with Jiraiya and Tendo Pain's speed and was worried he would just get in the way.
He had just started learning Sage Mode and hadn't completed much of the training. Most importantly, he needed an extremely quiet environment to blend natural energy and create senjutsu chakra. This environment? As if!
"Do you need help blending senjutsu chakra? I'll help you," Ino's wood clone, still at the Sensory Division micromanaging the fight against the Sky Ninja, could only offer some verbal support. It couldn't provide much combat power. Seeing Naruto's predicament, it immediately offered to help.
The wood clone could handle the job of helping to blend senjutsu chakra.
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