"Am I going to die?"
Jiraiya felt uneasy. Though he had exhausted nearly all his techniques, he never imagined he would fall by the hand of his former student.
His throat crushed by his enemy, he couldn't speak but desperately wanted to share his recent discovery with Elder Fukasaku and have him report it back to Minato.
But his enemy tightly restrained him, lifting him into the air before slamming him onto a rocky outcrop above the water's surface. Within his line of sight, the other Pain figures scattered around all moved in unison, launching toward him with black rods in hand, about to deliver fatal blows.
"Nagato! So it's actually you!"
Jiraiya stared grimly at the Shura Path gripping his throat. His mouth opened and closed, only able to produce guttural 'huh-huh' sounds. He had confirmed his suspicion: these Pains weren't true physical forms; the one controlling everything from behind the scenes was indeed his former student—Nagato!
Though he couldn't accept how that shy, insecure child from years past had become this fanatical figure before him, that was the reality.
"What kind of experiences have you gone through all these years?" Jiraiya mused bitterly as blood continued gushing from his throat and mouth. The sharp tang of blood overwhelmed his senses, even blurring his vision. Massive blood loss caused his consciousness to sink deeper and deeper. At this rate, even without further attacks from the Pains, he estimated he wouldn't survive much longer.
The torn throat not only robbed him of speech but also ripped open his carotid artery. If not for his powerful physique and the effect of chakra within his body, he would've already fallen unconscious.
"This really is a mess!" Jiraiya was already surrounded by several airborne figures. The black rods in their hands exuded an oppressive aura. In the next instant, they'd pierce him with multiple bloody wounds, snuffing out the last spark of his life.
"I really am a failure—both as a ninja and a teacher," he thought. "So this is how it ends for a ninja?"
He felt his eyelids grow heavier and heavier. The Pains in his vision gradually blurred, wave after wave of exhaustion crashing over him...
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a flash of yellow light zipped by, stopping Jiraiya mid-blink. It brought him renewed strength while simultaneously casting a ray of hope into his increasingly dark world.
Previously, he believed his own strength should be sufficient to escape Amegakure Village. But the enemy's power exceeded his expectations, and he had wasted several opportunities to break free, keeping himself constantly in dangerous situations.
Yet when death truly arrived, he found himself longing strongly for survival.
"Minato!"
A smile appeared on Jiraiya's lips. Then, his spirit gave way and his eyes shut completely, losing control of his body as he fell into unconsciousness.
If there was anyone he truly trusted, Minato was definitely one of them—right at the top.
Now that Minato has arrived, he can finally rest. His body has reached its limit; it's time to close his eyes. As for what happens next, Minato will handle it. As a teacher, he wasn't that bad after all. At the very least, Minato's growth is something he takes pride in.
[Flying Thunder God Technique]!
Minato Namikaze immediately activated the ninjutsu near the border of the Land of Fire. Despite the heavy chakra cost of this long-range Space–Time Ninjutsu, Jiraiya's current situation had become extremely dire.
He abruptly appeared beside Jiraiya, slightly lowering his posture before quickly scanning his surroundings.
The moment he materialized, Minato had no extra time to think—the Asura Path's deadly strike was already upon him. Hesitating for even a second would mean certain death in the next instant.
So almost the moment he arrived, as if he had predicted this, he raised his right hand—there, a long-handled kunai flashed into existence, rapidly spinning as he lifted his arm, and finally landing firmly in his grip.
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
Smoothly slicing from one side to the other, it carved a clean arc, blocking attacks from four assailants leaping toward him while severing their black rods midair. At the same time, his body darted sideways like an eel, sliding past Jiraiya and turning to face head-on the enemies who had restrained him.
Meanwhile, in his left hand, without hesitation, he smashed an unusually large [Rasengan]—blue-white and massive—straight into the chest of the enemy facing him.
Boom!
At the moment of impact, the Rasengan unleashed a devastating force. The Asura Path's chest was instantly torn open, a ripple of chakra surging outward from the wound while its back exploded violently like a blooming flower, revealing strange internal anatomy. The hand gripping Jiraiya also loosened, losing complete control over the Sannin. Then, as if hit by a speeding train, it flew backward at high speed.
Swish!
All of this unfolded the very instant Minato appeared. Blocking attacks from four enemies and launching one of them away at point-blank range were practically simultaneous actions—as if he had already known the predicament his teacher faced and prepared countermeasures in advance.
This all came down to his monstrous observational skills and dynamic perception, not to mention his excellent ninja abilities.
The moment he arrived via the Flying Thunder God Technique, he instantly assessed the battlefield, gained a basic understanding, and attacked directly to resolve the crisis.
Because Minato's timing was too perfect, even Nagato failed to make timely predictions or adjustments, resulting in Pain's assault being easily neutralized.
Freed from the enemy's choking grip, Jiraiya's body limply slid toward the ground. Minato leaned slightly forward with his chest and caught his teacher mid-fall using his left arm, while his right hand clutched a kunai to promptly activate the Body Flicker Technique, instantly relocating both of them to a nearby water surface.
Thud!
Four of the Pein bodies landed on the rock where Jiraiya had stood moments ago. Their sleeves extended short sections of smoothly cut black rods. Meanwhile, the Asura Path, struck by Minato's Rasengan, shot through the air at tremendous speed, limbs spread parallel to the ground, skidding across the water's surface until it crashed into a pipe and went still.
"Minato!"
"Great, another enemy incoming!" Fukasaku exclaimed with a worried expression as he leapt across the water's surface. Just moments ago, he thought Jiraiya was surely doomed—but unexpectedly, Minato had arrived in time to save him. Still, Jiraiya's condition was critical—he needed immediate treatment.
"Jiraiya! Jiraiya!" Fukasaku shouted anxiously as he jumped onto Minato's shoulder, trying to rouse the unconscious Jiraiya.
"Our teacher's unconscious, but the bleeding's stopped. He should be okay for now," Minato replied. "Still, we must leave here quickly and return to Konoha so our teacher can receive timely treatment, Sage Fukasaku." His eyes remained fixed on the five enemies ahead while his gaze flicked briefly toward several other foes nearby wearing Akatsuki Organization cloaks—some he recognized, like Saitama Uchiha, and others he'd only briefly heard about, such as the Immortal Duo and Yin-Yang-faced Zetsu, who wielded Wood Release. There were still many enemies he'd never even heard of before.
So this is just how deeply Akatsuki Organization has concealed itself! With this level of strength, no Hidden Village could stand against them alone unless they threw countless lives at the problem.
Minato held Jiraiya with one arm, his mind racing, every muscle in his body tensed as he warily scanned his surroundings.
He did not immediately attempt to escape using ninjutsu; he wanted to test the waters first.
"Be careful. The enemy possesses the Rinnegan. The one in the middle has gravity-based abilities—both attractive and repulsive forces. The heavyset one can absorb any ninja technique, and the one you just defeated had an enhanced body capable of wielding powerful puppet weapons. The remaining two's abilities are unknown, but one of them appears to possess 'resurrection' powers affecting others. Also, they share a collective field of vision! Don't let your guard down. Seize the opportunity and get away as soon as possible—saving little Jiraiya is the priority."
Fukasaku quickly relayed all the intelligence Jiraiya had gathered earlier to Minato, then firmly planted himself on Minato's shoulder, keeping a sharp watch on the enemy.
"Hmm, I understand," Minato nodded slightly, acknowledging the information, his brow furrowed as he observed the enemies.
That's the Rinnegan? He noted how the Rinnegan of the enemy looked like sliced onion rings—layer upon layer—with an unfathomable depth. Never would he have imagined that the legendary Sage's Eyes truly existed. But then again, if Tailed Beasts—creatures of legend—are real, then maybe the Sages are too.
"Tsk! Another enemy showed up again, but this guy moves way too fast—I didn't even notice him until now! Kakuzu, did you see that?" Hidan muttered briefly after falling silence, turning to ask his teammate. Their leader had nearly killed Jiraiya, only for some unknown yellow-haired ninja to snatch him away and even kill off one of their 'leaders' in the process?
"That's Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage of Konoha, known as the 'Yellow Flash'—perhaps the fastest man in the entire shinobi world!"
Kakuzu responded, his gaze instinctively drifting toward Saitama Uchiha. Recent intelligence suggested that Saitama had mastered a Space-Time Ninjutsu similar to Minato's.
"He must have activated it just now—that's what let him appear here in an instant. Don't underestimate him—or you might end up getting killed in an instant!"
"Oh? So *he's* Minato Namikaze?"
"That guy? One of the highest-bounty targets in the shinobi world, and someone you claimed you'd never take missions against? He looks pretty young. Is he really that powerful?" Hidan instantly showed interest upon hearing the name "Minato Namikaze," pressing Kakuzu for more details while conveniently ignoring the part about getting killed in an instant.
This time, Kakuzu didn't respond. His full attention was fixed on Minato Namikaze.
From the corner of his eye, he noticed Saitama rising from the ground, seemingly ready to jump into action?
Having once been a ninja of Konoha himself, encountering its current Hokage must have stirred something inside him? Both happened to be masters of Space-Time Ninjutsu techniques—perhaps this was becoming a battle of specialists?
Standing beside Kakuzu, Sasori didn't focus on Minato who had just saved Jiraiya. Instead, his gaze fixed onto the Asura Path whose half-body sank beneath the water surface, observing its broken form with obvious puppet modification traces visible inside.
"Looks like we've got ourselves quite the impressive opponent!"
White Zetsu's eyes widened as his mouth stretched open, revealing rows of sharp teeth like a shark's, betraying both surprise and excitement.
Who could've expected that during this invasion of Amegakure Village, not only would one of the Legendary Sannin—Jiraiya—appear, but also the present-day Hokage, Minato Namikaze? If they could eliminate both here, it would practically guarantee a perfect start for their future plans!
Yet recalling Minato's just-demonstrated technique reminded White Zetsu how unrealistic that hope truly was. Unless someone could genuinely restrict Minato's movements, catching him off-guard when he was prepared wouldn't be easy at all.
The only effective way to counter someone wielding Space-Time Ninjutsu was another master of the same technique.
Understanding this principle well, White Zetsu cast a meaningful glance toward the now-standing Saitama, speculating about his next move.
Recently, Saitama hadn't been performing nearly as impressively as the severely injured teenager White Zetsu once rescued. This worried both him and Black Zetsu—the Uchiha ninja seemed to be slipping beyond their control.
Had it not been for Madara's contingency measures, the circumstances wouldn't have looked so favorable. Thinking further, White Zetsu's expression darkened considerably. Even the cursed seal Madara embedded within Saitama's heart no longer seemed entirely reliable—particularly after discovering Saitama's dojutsu capabilities.
"It's going to become somewhat difficult trying to finish off Jiraiya now," Saitama remarked, slightly tilting his head toward Konan, his tone carrying genuine seriousness. Having mastered less than Minato's level of Flying Thunder God Technique made him better appreciate the sheer terror these technique-wielders represented.
Unless something forced Minato to stay, the current Pain probably didn't have enough power to stop him for good. At this point, having already rescued the seriously wounded Jiraiya, those kinds of motivations had vanished.
Therefore, Minato remained here simply to personally gauge Akatsuki's strength firsthand, laying groundwork for future decisions.
Konan remained silent, though her tightly furrowed brows betrayed concern. None of them had anticipated Minato Namikaze's sudden appearance—it completely changed the game in the enemy's favor.
Even if it doesn't change the outcome, there's still a very good chance to save Jiraiya.
"You're going to jump in?"
After a brief silence, Konan broke the silence with a question.
"What else? Minato Namikaze's Space-Time Ninjutsu is quite troublesome. Here, besides me, it seems like no one can keep up with that speed. Even Nagato wouldn't be able to land a technique on him—after all, an attack that can't defeat the enemy is completely useless."
Saitama shrugged, watching the battle unfold while staying ready to intervene at any moment. As for Nagato's feelings, he didn't dwell on them; defeating the enemy was what mattered most.
Konan fell silent. She agreed with Saitama, but Nagato might not appreciate having someone assist during his fight.
That would make him—the 'God'—seem too low-class and damage his pride.
On second thought, she realized Nagato probably didn't care much about such minor matters. Diminishing the enemy's strength and achieving victory was what he truly enjoyed seeing, and no one would doubt his power because of this.
"He probably won't even get a chance to fight. Minato wouldn't continue fighting under these circumstances—he'll retreat very soon. And even I couldn't stop him from escaping without prior preparation."
Saitama watched the yellow figure in the distance as he spoke, noticing fresh developments in the battle, his gaze growing increasingly inscrutable.
"It looks like this really is Akatsuki Organization's hideout—Amegakure Village, once controlled by the Half-God. Has it finally started falling apart?"
Minato said solemnly, appearing somewhat grave. Facing so many powerful enemies at once, he no longer felt the same ease he had when confronting dozens of Jonin from Iwagakure.
"Minato Namikaze, Fourth Hokage—you're Jiraiya-sensei's disciple, aren't you? Seems you're also someone obstructing the birth of peace."
Deva Path raised his arm without emotion, preparing to release a jutsu.
"S-sensei?" Minato frowned slightly, puzzled. This enemy with Rinnegan called Jiraiya his teacher?
[Universal Pull!]
With a low shout, Deva Path unleashed an invisible force spreading through the space, instantly acting upon Minato far away, dragging him toward himself.
"He's coming! Watch out, Minato!"
Fukasaku warned urgently, feeling a strong pull affecting its own body as well. It quickly used its chakra to latch onto Minato's shoulder, ensuring it wouldn't lose its anchor point.
Whoosh!
In the next instant, Minato vanished, leaving Deva Path's technique grasping at empty air. Then, as if they'd expected this, the four immediately adjusted their positions, standing back to back and scanning the area for signs of the vanished ninja.
Well before this, Nagato and Konan had already gathered detailed intel on a ninja of Minato's caliber, whether through Zetsu or Akatsuki's established intelligence network. To defeat Raikage of Amegakure and earn the title of "Fastest in the Shinobi World," Minato relied precisely on his highly talented mastery of Space-Time Ninjutsu.
So right from the start of the battle, Nagato knew capturing Minato would be an extremely difficult task.
Tap.
Minato Namikaze was holding Jiraiya, stepping on Fukasaku's shoulder, appearing not far from a prior flanking position. One hand pressed against the water, sending ripples outward in perfect circles as a kunai sank slowly into the depths.
From the moment Minato appeared here, he realized fighting at this location would be highly disadvantageous for him. Perhaps the Flying Thunder God Technique wouldn't even reach half its usual effectiveness. He needed kunai marked with cursed seals as teleportation landmarks, but this was all water—kunai couldn't hold their place on the surface for long, even when coated with chakra.
"Minato, watch out!"
As he pondered, Sage Fukasaku's warning came again. Mastering Sage Art chakra gave Sage Fukasaku an incredibly strong sense of detection. Thus it detected an approaching chakra signature.
Whoosh!
A blue blur flashed behind Minato and pierced straight through his chest, but the next instant Minato vanished in a puff of smoke, replaced by a wooden log and disappearing once more.
"Was that a Substitution Jutsu?!"
Saitama shook off the shattered wooden remains still in his hand and stared toward Minato's distant figure.
Just now, right after Deva Path unleashed a powerful move and Minato had just finished using his Flying Thunder God Technique, Saitama shamelessly chose to stage an ambush. Against someone as formidable as Minato Namikaze, he'd never let his guard down—eliminating the enemy quickly would be ideal; if not possible, he'd just call it quits.
This surprise attack clearly hadn't achieved the expected result.
Glancing casually at the smear of blood on his fingertip, Saitama maintained his smile without further action. Since stealth assault didn't work, there was no point continuing. Besides, one sneak attack is enough—one shouldn't keep attempting it since opponents will become alert, making such tactics ineffective anyway.
"Cough!"
Minato held Jiraiya with one arm, looking toward Saitama who had attacked him from behind. Blood dripped steadily from his back into the water, diffusing into a crimson stain.
If not for Sage Fukasaku's timely warning just now, Saitama's Chidori might have pierced directly into his body instead of only damaging some muscle. But even so, this incident weighed heavily upon him. Facing so many powerful ninja, he truly couldn't afford the slightest carelessness—especially when these shinobi refused to play by conventional rules.
They were clearly warriors whose strength rivaled or even exceeded his own, yet they still used ambushes and surprise attacks.
Drip!
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