Once the tailed beast sealing was completed, Deva Path casually gave a few instructions before vanishing on the spot and leaving in a hurry.
Saitama glanced at the others, completely ignoring Konan's scrutinizing gaze, and disappeared as well. He found this upcoming showdown pretty intriguing.
The rest had a vague idea of where those two had gone, but no one really cared.
They didn't have the abundant chakra like Pain and Saitama did—capable of enduring ten straight days of continuous tailed beast sealing.
Although Jiraiya—legendary among the Sannin (the three elite ninja sages)—piqued the interest of everyone present, their current strength and condition seemed insufficient for joining the commotion.
However, everything has exceptions. When curiosity accumulates to a certain degree and gathers together, it can trigger a qualitative change.
"Hey! What's going on now? Shouldn't we go check it out? The bounty on a Sannin's head is astronomical. Doesn't anyone care?"
Kakuzu scanned the positions where Pain and Saitama had stood moments ago while asking the others, who were still deep in thought.
Although Jiraiya was his junior, his actual power had reached the current pinnacle of the shinobi world—Kakuzu himself couldn't claim any advantage against him. If Jiraiya truly launched an assault on Konoha, Kakuzu doubted whether they could manage the threat effectively, especially since most of the Organization's core members were already gathered here.
So if the Leader and Saitama had already gone ahead, this might finally be the true start of the battle. Now *that* was something worth seeing!
Moreover, recalling Jiraiya's previous encounter with Hidan, Kakuzu hadn't forgotten the sharp, relentless offensive tactics—the continuous, tightly packed combat rhythm. All these made him clearly realize that Jiraiya was indeed a true powerhouse. Witnessing such a powerful foe face defeat here would certainly provide some much-needed amusement for his long and dull existence.
"Forget it. Rest first. Since the Leader and Saitama have already gone, we should remain calm and stay here," Konan said coldly in a soft voice before transforming into countless pieces of white paper fluttering away from the finger of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.
If Kakuzu and the others rushed to join the battle right now, the Six Paths Clones hidden for so long might be exposed. This slightly unsettled Konan, who never fully trusted other members within the Organization. Of course, her words were nothing more than mere verbal objections—if they really insisted on going, she wouldn't stop them. Nagato was confident enough to reveal his techniques openly in the village. She simply wanted to prepare for every possible scenario.
"Tch, aren't you heading there yourself too!" Hidan snarled arrogantly despite his pale complexion and apparent weakness, clearly unable to forget how Jiraiya had slashed off his head during their last meeting. "Hey, Kakuzu, shall we go see what's happening? Looks like it's that same guy again, right? My neck still hurts today. Now he's stepped onto our turf—shouldn't we give him a warm welcome?"
"You think you can handle it? Go ahead if you don't mind dying badly. Maybe you'll even witness firsthand how the Leader fights—one of the legendary Rinnegan users!" Kakuzu replied with an amused smirk, eyes narrowing. Then, without another word, he leapt toward the exit—clearly not planning to return for rest anytime soon.
Shikaku ignored what Konan had just said. After living this long, he could clearly see that Konan was wary of her own comrades—but wasn't he the same? At the heart of the Shinobi World lay the principle of trusting only oneself and regarding everything with suspicion and ill intent.
Moreover, enemies at the Sannin level rarely appeared—they represented practically the peak of power in the Shinobi World. Just imagining how such an opponent would fare against Pain, the Akatsuki leader, made Kakuzu curious and excited. Ever since joining the organization, he'd never actually seen Pain fight. Before, merely looking into those eyes had been enough to erase any thoughts of challenging him.
And today, apparently, he'd have the chance to witness a battle between two "Sages"—one wielding the legendary Rinnegan, the other using Jiraiya's famous Sage Art.
"Heh, count me in too," Sasori suddenly spoke up, aligning himself with Kakuzu. How could he possibly miss such an exciting event? Either side offered tremendous appeal—more than enough reason for him to spend time observing and studying carefully.
"Hey, wait! I'm coming too—I might even get to offer a decent sacrifice to Lord Jashin for once!" Hidan shouted, unwilling to fall behind. He clutched his neck as he spoke.
Though his physical condition was terrible and he ranked low among the Organization, his immortality made him the boldest of them all.
"Heh, what energetic guys," White Zetsu murmured toward the darker half of his face. "Black Zetsu, shall we go check it out too? The fight must be nearing its end already, and so many reinforcements have arrived. That ninja called Jiraiya probably can't last much longer."
Black Zetsu opened his eyes, yet his pupils remained pitch black, revealing nothing of his true thoughts. Sensing the shift, White Zetsu slowly curled his lips upward into a strange smile.
"It seems you're interested too. Then let's go watch that Konoha ninja's fight! A master versus disciple battle—it really sounds exciting!"
White Zetsu continued speaking on his own, delightedly merging the halves of his plantlike body before gradually sinking into the ground.
He was well aware of the relationship between Nagato and Jiraiya.
Back when Madara implanted eyes into Nagato, he himself had served as the final surveillance tool—always watching Nagato's growth until he gained enough strength and mastery over the Rinnegan's powers, then finally allowing him independent development.
Witnessing this conflict between mentor and student now—the former teacher and current enemy—it truly made for an intriguing drama.
One by one, everyone left this dim underground chamber where three Tailed Beasts had just been sealed using a Sealing Technique. Left behind were only the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path radiating endless vitality and terrifying aura, plus three lifeless corpses. Once again, peace returned to this place.
...
Clearly summoned through a technique, Deva Path Pain had vanished. Saitama activated his sensing ability fully and soon located the missing Deva Path near the Secret Base. Saitama pursued swiftly through the drainage pipes.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
A flurry of white paper scraps followed Saitama closely—Konan, expressionless as usual.
The two moved forward in silent understanding toward Pain's location. The battle over there seemed to have quieted down, but neither of them paused to try to make sense of it.
Saitama just wanted to enjoy the show, while Konan's job was to keep a close eye on him and make sure nothing went off track.
Though Saitama knew Nagato's Six Paths clones were powerful, up until now the most problematic one—the Deva Path—had been absent from the fight, making it difficult to predict what would happen.
In the original plot, Jiraiya had faced six unknown Pains alone, relying on his outstanding ninja abilities to defeat several of them. Though he ultimately passed up a chance to escape for reasons still unclear, his strength shouldn't be underestimated.
Therefore, without the overwhelmingly powerful Deva Path, Jiraiya should have steadily held the advantage.
But now that Deva Path Pain had arrived, the final outcome became unpredictable. Furthermore, with their own involvement, Jiraiya's upcoming situation was about to become extremely difficult. Even just standing there without attacking would create pressure; Jiraiya would certainly need to pay attention to them and wouldn't be able to fully concentrate on fighting Pain.
...
"Hey, little Jiraiya, are you alright?" Sage Shima stood atop Jiraiya's shoulder, eyes alertly fixed ahead as she asked him. Right now, her appearance was quite messy, bearing a few minor wounds.
Originally, there had been five enemies. Though they possessed great power and unique abilities, through teamwork and mutual understanding, Jiraiya and Shima had gradually seized control of the battle, even uncovering key information during the fight.
Just moments ago, when Jiraiya entered Sage Mode and prepared to deliver a decisive blow to the enemy capable of [bomb-launching jutsu] from its body, another unexpected opponent suddenly pierced through his chest, black rods deeply embedding into Jiraiya's flesh and instantly turning the tide of battle.
Only because Fukasaku quickly intervened by grabbing the weapon, neutralizing both its chakra and force, did Jiraiya avoid being knocked out of Sage Mode or severely injured at worst.
"I'm fine, Sage Shima." Crouching halfway on the water surface, Jiraiya cast a deep gaze toward this newly appeared enemy.
Same Rinnegan eyes, orange hair, and the signature Black cloaks adorned with red clouds. The only difference was that this person wasn't unfamiliar—he recognized and knew this individual well!
"Yahiko!? Is that really you?!"
Jiraiya gathered natural energy into his palm before pulling out the Black Receiver which hadn't gone too deep inside him. Made from an unknown material, these Black Receivers could disrupt chakra flow—in fact, he'd already suffered from this before.
He pressed a hand over the wound Yahiko had left, his voice filled with disbelief at seeing someone he'd believed long dead now standing before him as an enemy.
This new opponent was none other than Yahiko, one of the three disciples he'd taken under his wing back in the Land of Rain—an individual who once displayed exceptional talent for Water Release techniques!
Yet why did he now possess the Rinnegan of Nagato? Jiraiya couldn't figure it out, his mind reeling in confusion, forcing him to fix his former student with a seriously solemn gaze.
"It's been a long time, Master Jiraiya!"
"Yahiko!" Jiraiya shouted in disbelief. The sage thought he was looking at Yahiko—not just another ninja who resembled him—and a chill spread through his heart.
"Why? Why does Nagato's Rinnegan appear on you? Did you kill Nagato?"
Jiraiya straightened his posture as chakra surged around his body, rippling outward from beneath his feet. He stood face-to-face with his former pupil, doubt clawing at his gut with every passing second.
"Hehe... Sensei, Nagato is gone. Yahiko is no more. What stands before you..."
The Deva Path raised his arm, pausing briefly mid-sentence. At the same time, the Six Paths Puppets previously scattered all leapt forward in unison and landed beside him. Each of them fixed Jiraiya with a gaze of icy indifference and overwhelming superiority.
"We are the Pain! We are the god of this nation!"
The Deva Path aimed his palm directly at Jiraiya. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly across the battlefield. As he spoke those words, it seemed more like a simple declaration of fact.
"God?" Jiraiya's hand trembled slightly over his wound, then his pupils sharply constricted. That didn't sound like something a normal person would say!
[Universal Pull!]
An invisible force extended from the Deva Path's hand and struck Jiraiya's body. Instantly, Jiraiya lost control—It felt like an unseen force had grabbed hold of him, dragging him forward helplessly.
"This is... Watch out, little Jiraiya!" Fukasaku cried desperately, his face turning pale as he gripped Jiraiya's shoulders tightly.
This sudden attack appeared extremely strange—completely unlike any regular ninjutsu that followed predictable patterns. It was more like a secretive form of Sage Art.
Was this yet another strange power unlike anything else?
The Rinnegan—the Sage's legendary eyes—could really be this powerful!
Whoosh!
Jiraiya flew straight toward "Yahiko." At first, he was caught completely off guard, but quickly reacted. Planting both feet on the water surface and leaning backward, he tried resisting the pull. But the effort proved futile. Though his feet dragged furrows across the water, he still couldn't resist that unseen gravitational force.
[Fire Release: Massive Inferno Sphere!]
In this critical moment, Jiraiya launched his jutsu urgently. A fiery sphere over ten meters in diameter erupted from his mouth, expanding further with wind currents provided by the frog sage on his shoulder. Then, under the influence of the gravitational pull, it sped toward Yahiko even faster than Jiraiya himself moved forward.
Meeting the surface of the water, the flames produced dense clouds of steam, swiftly closing in on the enemy.
So far, Jiraiya had already tested and identified some enemy abilities: one was extremely skilled in Summoning Jutsu, capable of summoning various giant messenger animals and even bringing forth other enemies possessing the Rinnegan; another was a Puppet Master who might have transformed himself into a puppet, able to launch missile-style attacks; one enemy was a ninja capable of absorbing all kinds of Chakra, whose upper limit had not yet been determined. As for the remaining two, their abilities were still unknown—they had been playing the role of "eyes" from the backline, as the Rinnegan users appeared to share vision through some sort of method.
And finally, there was Nagato's current appearance—Yahiko...
Meanwhile, facing the overwhelming wave of flames, The Deva Path remained impassive and did not even attempt to dodge. He simply narrowed his eyes while keeping his hands raised at chest level.
He wasn't surprised by Jiraiya's reaction either. With a forward clenched fist, the techniques that had originally been drawn toward him instantly struck an invisible yet solid air barrier and were blocked several meters away before disappearing shortly after.
Boom!
Jiraiya's advancing body also came to an immediate halt as the powerful gravitational pull vanished. Stabilizing his footing, he formed seals toward the weakening fire wave in front of him.
[Water Release: Great Exploding Bullet Technique!]
Calmly and steadily, Jiraiya launched another ninjutsu. As he leapt back, the water beneath his feet surged upward, coalescing into a massive ball that roared forward.
[*Hiss!*] [*Hiss!*] [*Hiss!*]
The two techniques of opposing elements collided violently, creating a tremendous explosion that produced thick white steam spreading rapidly in every direction.
"Gravitational force and repulsive force? A troublesome ability... Is this what the Sage's Eyes can do?" Jiraiya frowned, gliding across the water surface while continuously retreating.
Within moments of the battle starting, he'd already deciphered 'Yahiko's' ability and started piecing together theories in his head. Perhaps it was time to temporarily withdraw.
His biggest question now was this: how could Nagato—who only had one pair of eyes—have given them to six people at once?
Had the Sage's Eyes somehow been replicated?
Thinking about this, Jiraiya recalled his former comrade—the one obsessed with mastering the truths of the world and seeking immortality. Was it possible for him to do something like this? Then could Orochimaru be involved with Akatsuki as well? Was he truly linked to Uchiha Saitama?
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Before Jiraiya could pause, three figures burst through the dense white steam, launching themselves directly at him. Leading the charge was none other than his own disciple, Yahiko.
Without hesitation, Jiraiya pushed off from the water's surface and charged straight ahead. There was only one way to get answers—to bring down this "Yahiko" and his allies!
Throwing a punch that slammed into Yahiko's crashing arm, he twisted his body mid-air and lashed out with a powerful kick toward the stout opponent beside Yahiko—the Chakra Absorber.
Thud! Thud!
Two heavy impacts echoed, but none of the three fighters took even a single step backward.
Just as the three clashed together, the two frogs perched on Jiraiya's shoulders sprang into action simultaneously.
Fukasaku leaned forward, claws tightening as he punched toward Yahiko's chest. The air distorted from the impact of his strike. Though small in stature, the force behind his blow was formidable under the influence of Sage Chakra. Meanwhile, Shima gathered a glob of toxic slime inside her mouth and spat it toward Preta Path's eyes, attempting to obscure the enemy's vision.
Boom!
A powerful invisible force erupted outward from Yahiko at its center, pushing Jiraiya and the two frog sages backward. Their expressions changed instantly as they helplessly got blasted away, their attacks thus neutralized.
Puff!
Jiraiya's body kept spinning across the water surface like a stone skipping across waves, looking extremely disheveled.
The Shinra Tensei from Deva Path could repel anything near its user—bodies, ninjutsu—and cause damage simultaneously.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Several more missiles flew over. Jiraiya dodged swiftly. The missiles' explosions carved towering geysers across the lake's surface.
"Tough ability, and their coordination is seamless!" Jiraiya steadied himself, wounds on his body reopening from the movement and previous attacks. Blood dripped into the water, quickly staining a section of the lake red. He stared at the three figures standing atop the water surface, and the three positioned behind them serving as support.
They worked together just as smoothly as Jiraiya and the Frog Sages did. Moreover, their abilities complemented each other well, making them very difficult to eliminate.
If it had just been the original five, he'd still feel confident taking them on. But now, with Yahiko added and his troublesome power, things were becoming overwhelming. With Yahiko joining the enemy ranks, they now had the strongest defense and unstoppable offense—those strange gravitational pulls and repulsions looked nothing like ordinary techniques.
"So this is the power you've gained after obtaining the Rinnegan, Yahiko!" Jiraiya looked toward Yahiko, face filled with seriousness, not caring about his injuries.
Whoosh!
Before he could speak further, another missile spiraled toward him, leaving a long exhaust trail behind.
Jiraiya leaped back again, narrowly dodging the attack, his expression turning grim. The enemy showed no hesitation—clearly aiming to kill.
Jiraiya gazed at the six enemies ahead, thinking about how to fight back. Obviously, the front trio bore the role of main combatants, while the rear three served as team "support," whose strength wasn't overwhelming but was certainly unusual.
His eyes locked onto the two opponents among the back three who had hardly moved into battle yet, realizing where his opportunity lay.
"That's right—it's the power of a god! You should've felt it too, teacher!" Deva Path stared directly at Jiraiya, extending his hand once more, lips curling into a contemptuous smile.
"Here we go again?" Jiraiya remained alert, calculating within his mind.
Yahiko's abilities were gravity and repulsion—forces no one could resist through mere physical strength. Judging from their earlier clash, human effort proved completely ineffective. Such tremendous power surely couldn't be used indiscriminately, right?
Otherwise Akatsuki wouldn't have remained hidden all this time. His next move should be figuring out how Yahiko's powers work and where they fall short, or looking for a chance to strike from behind and take down one of them before leaving this place!
"This is why you killed your comrades and obtained these eyes, isn't it? Yahiko!" Jiraiya snapped coldly, voicing his suspicions. Very few people knew about Nagato possessing those eyes—could it really be that Yahiko had harmed his own comrades to gain such supreme power?
"I've already told you," Deva Path slightly curled his lips, reiterating firmly, "Neither Nagato nor Yahiko exist anymore. Standing before you is the god who will bring peace to the Shinobi World! Names are merely labels, Jiraiya-sensei. If you insist on calling us something, then call us Pain! For this name represents suffering!"
"Never would I imagine you'd become this delusional—have you truly lost all restraint for the sake of such power?" Jiraiya looked at Yahiko with a frown. "Then tell me, what was the purpose of forming the Akatsuki Organization and gathering the Tailed Beasts?"
"Hmph. Since you're about to die, I'll tell you," Preta Path standing beside Yahiko finally spoke, his voice heavy with menace and oppression. "By gathering all Tailed Beasts, we can create a forbidden weapon capable of annihilating an entire great nation in an instant! And upon that wasteland, we shall rebuild the ultimate peace!"
Jiraiya remained silent, his gaze turning even colder toward Preta Path's words—an idea he clearly found utterly distasteful and deeply repulsive.
"Only through suffering can peace be born!" Deva Path continued. "Humanity must endure the agony of helplessness to truly long for peace—just as we once did, Jiraiya-sensei!" Yet such words sent chills down Jiraiya's spine, making him feel completely unfamiliar with his former disciple.
"Is destruction the only path to rebirth?" Jiraiya sighed heavily. "I don't know how else to say it… I never imagined you'd go this far. I suppose I was never much of a teacher after all." Straightening himself up, Jiraiya steeled his expression, as the two frogs also resumed serious expressions. If someone with the Rinnegan believed that, it could spell disaster for the entire Shinobi World!
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Two figures shot out from a pipe section and swiftly landed on a nearby platform—Saitama and Konan had arrived following their pursuit.
Swish!
Glancing sideways, Jiraiya recognized their faces immediately, his expression darkening as his gaze lingered especially long on Konan.
"Long time no see, Jiraiya-senpai!"
"Jiraiya-sensei!"
Saitama and Konan called out at the same time to Jiraiya standing on the water's surface, creating a momentary silence while Pain didn't act yet, simply observing Jiraiya's reaction quietly.
"Saitama Uchiha! Konan!"
Jiraiya's pupils contracted slightly, calling out their names. He knew both well—especially the latter; he had thought she died in the war-torn years, yet now she had become Yahiko's accomplice.
"What a rare reunion, isn't it?" Jiraiya mused bitterly, eyes shifting between Konan and Yahiko, the absence of Nagato painfully obvious. His heart sank, thoughts churning as he tried to make sense of it all.
Never had he imagined that the three who once stuck together like glue—Nagato, Konan, and Yahiko—would now be down to just two, and worse yet—those eyes that once belonged to Nagato were now on someone else's face!
Of course it was Saitama Uchiha, the rogue ninja from Konoha who murdered his own teacher. It wasn't surprising he appeared here too! Jiraiya instinctively clenched his fists.
With two more enemies joining the fray, even he couldn't guarantee escaping unscathed. The situation had shifted in an instant, placing Jiraiya in a real dilemma.
Deva Path cast a glance toward Saitama, his gaze flickering slightly before returning to Jiraiya. Clearly, Jiraiya had no chance of fleeing now. What remained was simple—finish the task!
Kill Jiraiya, one of the legendary Sannin, end this bond from the past, and clear away the final hurdle standing between us and peace!
Saitama looked down at the scene below. The surrounding area was already heavily damaged—with many water pipes rupturing and nearby buildings sustaining varying degrees of destruction. The previous battle must have been intense.
Luckily, this area was part of the village's restricted zone—barely inhabited, so there weren't many casualties.
A faint smirk crossed his face as he casually plopped down at the platform's edge, legs dangling over the water, showing no sign of joining the fight.
"What will you do, Senior Jiraiya?"
Standing beside Saitama, Konan gazed at Jiraiya on the surface of the water, emotions visibly stirring within her eyes. She wrestled internally with herself. Though she'd anticipated this moment, actually standing here facing the act of killing her mentor still stirred hesitation inside her.
"Konan, is this truly your choice?" Jiraiya asked, looking straight at her with serious eyes. If Yahiko pursued power for his twisted vision of peace, then what drove her?
Yahiko had already clearly declared his stance. Over these years, things must have happened beyond Jiraiya's expectations to push Yahiko into such blind fanaticism. So what about Konan?
"Yes, Senior Jiraiya. I'm glad to see you again, but even as our teacher, if you stand against the birth of peace, you must still be destroyed!" Konan stared at the familiar figure of her former teacher, slowly closed her eyes. From Saitama's angle, a single crystal tear gathered at the corner of her eye, then slipped silently down her cheek. When she opened her eyes again, they were resolute and emotionless—she had made her choice.
"I guess I really was a terrible teacher, to have let all of you become like this." Jiraiya said bitterly, standing still atop the water, maintaining his stance while slightly bowing his head to look at his reflection, filled with visible regret. Maybe if he'd made up his mind back then to take those three kids back to Konoha, none of this would've happened.
"And you too… Saitama. It's been so long, and I never expected you'd reach such a level!" Jiraiya shifted focus, directly targeting the seemingly relaxed Saitama. This child, once among those he had high hopes for, had also chosen a path no one accepted!
"It sure has been a long time. A lot really has changed! Senior Jiraiya, none of us are naïve kids anymore. We all know exactly where we're headed now!" Leaning slightly forward with his arms pressing against the ground on either side of him, Saitama tilted his torso ahead, observing Jiraiya with a remarkably casual tone.
"Small talk's over, Master Jiraiya!" Deva Path beside them finally made his move, raising his palm toward Jiraiya and activating the Rinnegan's power.
"That's right. It's over! None of us can go back anymore!" Jiraiya's eyes dimmed slightly, yet fierce fighting spirit surged through him. The two frog sages on his shoulders straightened their bodies as well, facing forward.
[Universal Pull]!
A force of gravity extended from Deva Path's hand, instantly depriving Jiraiya of control over his body. He helplessly flew toward him. Although he had been prepared, this kind of attack was completely intolerable! Jiraiya grimaced inwardly while crossing his hands together.
"Jiraiya!" The two frogs shot out their tongues, wrapping around nearby protruding stones and pipes in the water.
Boom boom!
The tongues couldn't last even a second before being directly torn apart. Consequently, both frogs suffered injuries, spitting blood and looking listless.
[Fire Release - Toad Oil Flame Bullet]!
Jiraiya pulled out the same old trick, hurling the technique at Yahiko with blinding speed.
[Blocking Technique Absorption Seal]!
Preta Path standing beside Deva Path extended his hands toward the incoming technique. The once-powerful ninjutsu gradually weakened until it was completely absorbed.
Swish!
From beneath Deva Path's sleeve, a black rod emerged, aimed directly at the flying Jiraiya.
Jiraiya seemed trapped now—if that black rod hit him again, there'd be no escaping this time. His life was really on the line!
Bang!
Jiraiya had already reached just a few meters from Yahiko when suddenly the water where Yahiko stood exploded. A figure shot up from below—it was actually Jiraiya himself!
Holding a Rasengan in his hand, he burst forth from Yahiko's side position, slamming his attacking hand toward his chest.
Time itself seemed to hold its breath for that one second. Even Saitama watching from the "stand" found this unexpected turn surprising. Though both showed astonishment, neither of them was particularly worried about Pain.
Deva Path hadn't expected Jiraiya to use Shadow Clone Technique to hide his final strike beneath the water surface, but he quickly took a step backward and instantly changed his move accordingly.
[Shinra Tensei]!
Boom!
The shadow clone and Jiraiya's real body collided together, splashing across the water and crashing far away. While tumbling through the air, the shadow clone vanished into white smoke due to external damage.
Spurt!
Although not directly hit by the actual attack, Jiraiya still sustained injuries. As soon as he landed on the water surface, he spat out a mouthful of blood, placing one hand over his painfully throbbing chest.
If this continued, he would surely die!
This thought flashed through Jiraiya's mind. But when looking at his two former disciples who'd now gone astray, he didn't want to leave things like this—he wasn't ready to abandon them. Actually, he did have confidence in retreating, even though opposing him were Saitama Uchiha, Konan, and five others who wielded Rinnegan powers. They might not be able to entirely stop him escaping. Though leaving wouldn't be perfect, he could still escape—but only if he was willing to pay the price.
Both the Reverse Summoning and the Flying Thunder God Kunai Minato had given him before gave him a fighting chance when things came down to the end.
Jiraiya always felt like he had missed something important. Looking at the six enemies in his sight who all possessed the Rinnegan, he experienced a strong sense of dissonance, but for now, he couldn't pinpoint anything to verify his instincts.
He had no intention of leaving without resolving this nagging doubt in his mind.
"Not bad, Sensei!" Deva Path said with a hint of admiration, though his hidden killing intent intensified as he watched Jiraiya neutralize his attacks twice.
Although he had always known Jiraiya was powerful, seeing him remain composed and capable of turning the tide against opponents with the Rinnegan was indeed surprising. This made him, who believed himself as god, feel slightly angered.
Hearing Yahiko speak like that, Jiraiya's expression didn't waver—he only became more alert instead.
"Hey! Isn't that one of the Sannin, Jiraiya?" Just as Jiraiya pondered his next move, another voice rang out.
Instantly raising his head toward the pipe opening on the right, he saw three figures stepping out from it—Kakuzu, Hidan, and Sasori.
The speaker was Kakuzu. He had always held resentment over their last fight, where that younger ninja Jiraiya had completely subdued him, humiliating him in front of Hidan.
After exiting the passage, the trio noticed the current situation. What startled them most were the several ninja near Pain, as they all shared the same Rinnegan and physical appearance as Pain himself—black rods piercing exposed limbs and orange hair.
While they had always considered Pain to be deeply mysterious, seeing him now still brought shock.
So there isn't just one set of Rinnegan?
Various thoughts flashed through Kakuzu's mind before he quickly dismissed them. The stronger the Organization was, the better their chances against the Hidden Villages. Their leader's secretive ways until now could be understood—it was a survival strategy, much like how he himself relied on his trump cards.
"Looks like things are unfolding just as I suspected. Now it's really getting interesting!" Sasori said, looking at Deva Path with familiarity. His gaze shifted repeatedly between the other Pain bodies, seemingly confirming a suspicion he had long harbored. As a puppet master, he possessed an unusual intuitive sharpness.
"Hey, you old white-haired bastard, long time no see! You said last time we'd meet again, and today looks like the perfect opportunity to return the pain to you tenfold! So tell me, how would you like to die today?" Hidan looked at Jiraiya's aged appearance compared to last time, licked his lips, and spoke in an arrogant tone.
Over there, Konan frowned slightly. Those guys actually came after all, despite telling them not to follow. With this, the Pain clones were completely exposed.
Saitama noticed Konan's sudden change in expression right away—he realized it was because Pain's clones had been exposed, which visibly upset her. Therefore, he spoke up, "There needs to be a certain level of trust among comrades. After all, we will fight together in the future."
"Yes," Konan murmured softly, then turned her gaze back toward Jiraiya.
By now, she had already seen Jiraiya's future. If there had ever been a way out, it was practically gone the moment she and Saitama arrived. And now with the arrival of Sasori and others, any retreat for Jiraiya was completely blocked. From what she remembered, Jiraiya didn't possess Space-Time Ninjutsu abilities—such a situation looked absolutely impossible!
A ninja without Space-Time Ninjutsu, facing this many opponents all nearly at the same level as himself—no matter how hard she thought, she couldn't think of a single way for him to get out alive.
Tsk tsk!
On top of the building directly facing Jiraiya, a plant gradually emerged. A face split into yin and yang quietly watched him, seemingly like an insignificant extra, yet no one could ignore him due to his eerily calm demeanor and strange complexion.
"Do you think this Konoha ninja can escape? I've never seen an enemy treated like this by Akatsuki before! This feels pretty interesting!" White Zetsu looked down from above at Jiraiya standing atop the water, slowly grinning while emitting a chilling laugh.
"This is trouble, Gama-chan!" Sage Shima gently patted Jiraiya's head with her claw, looking somewhat distressed, even sweat appeared on her forehead. "Old man, the kids' meal isn't ready yet. Should I go back first to prepare something?"
Fukasaku said nothing—his cape was already soaked through with sweat. Having lived so many years as a sage in Mount Myōboku, such a scene was unprecedented. Probably the first time in all his years as a frog—and he could feel death closer than ever.
At this moment, facing directly across from Jiraiya were six Akatsuki members possessing Rinnegan eyes, along with the yin-yang faced figure on top of the building.
Although on the left platform stood Saitama and Konan, who showed no intention of fighting, on the right platform stood Hidan and two other Akatsuki members, eyes burning with eagerness.
"Entering enemy territory and falling into their encirclement…" Jiraiya sensed the Sage Chakra within his body gradually fading away, along with the limited remaining time of Sage Mode. An endless pressure pressed upon him; events were gradually slipping out of his control and calculations. It seemed he must find a chance to break free!
Absolutely cannot die here—he still had too much left to do—he couldn't die here!
...
Bang!
A burst of white smoke appeared, landing on Minato Namikaze's desk. It was a relatively small toad, but with an extremely mature facial expression.
Minato Namikaze noticed it immediately while working. He glanced over grimly, already having a rough idea of what happened.
"What happened, Gamatzu!"
Minato recognized this toad—it was the younger brother of Elder Wintai. Although he already had a guess in mind, he patiently asked anyway.
"Minato, just now Sage Shima and Elder Fukasaku were summoned by Jiraiya into battle. As per your request, I've come to inform you."
Gamatzu looked at Minato, directly stating the purpose of his arrival this time. This was exactly what Minato had previously instructed him to do—to serve as a messenger.
Jiraiya summoning these two sages must mean he encountered a formidable enemy, thus requiring activation of Sage Mode. Considering Jiraiya's current mission likely targeted Amegakure Village—the hideout of Akatsuki Organization—then the enemies Jiraiya faced must be members of the Akatsuki!
Previously, Minato had said he would assist Jiraiya using the [Flying Thunder God Technique], and now was clearly the time to do so. He was ready when the time came.
Although Jiraiya hadn't actively sought assistance, as a disciple, Minato knew he needed to be proactive and couldn't wait for his teacher to explicitly ask for help.
"Alright, Gamatzu! Thanks a lot! I'll treat you to ramen next time!" Minato gave a grateful nod to the frog that brought the message and made his promise.
"Okay, see you next time!" Without hesitation, Gamatzu poofed into a cloud of white smoke and vanished.
As both parties had signed an equal Summoning Contract, they could reach each other's side through summoning or [Reverse Summoning]. This explained how Gamatzu could directly come to Minato from Mount Myoboku.
"Jiraiya!" Minato's eyes became sharp, with something flashing momentarily in his light-blue irises. He immediately summoned Anbu and briefly assigned them tasks before vanishing on the spot and rushing straight toward the village gate. There wasn't time to assemble the Main Force—not that he needed to. His original plan had always been to reach Jiraiya quickly using his [Space–Time Technique] for backup.
Konoha and Amegakure Village weren't too far apart, but they weren't exactly close either. If he used the [Flying Thunder God Technique] to travel directly from Konoha, the chakra consumption would be enormous, which wouldn't be good preparation for any unknown dangers ahead. Therefore, Minato chose to make his way forward by alternating between taijutsu and ninjutsu, keeping himself in optimal condition throughout the journey. That way, when he reached Jiraiya's side, he'd be in top shape instead of dragging him down.
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