Chapter 244: Battle with the Jinchuriki
"I thought you would run away immediately. It seems you still haven't realized your own weakness," Roshi said, crossing his arms with a faint smirk.
They had witnessed the destructive power of their Tailed Beast Balls firsthand, yet these Konoha Ninja dared to return and continue the fight.
"I'll show you the true power of a Toad Sage right now!" Jiraiya shouted, laughing boldly as two small cloaked toads suddenly appeared on his shoulders.
"Fukasaku, Shima, I'll be counting on you this time. These enemies aren't ordinary."
Facing two Jinchuriki who could both unleash Tailed Beast Balls, Jiraiya didn't dare underestimate them. The moment Minato had teleported them away earlier, he began preparing Sage Mode and summoned the two Great Sages of Mount Myoboku before they returned.
His Sage Mode was incomplete—he required the assistance of the two Sages to balance the natural energy—but with their help, he could maintain it far longer than any ordinary Sage could.
"Aren't those Tailed Beasts? And two at once… This will be troublesome," Fukasaku said, his tone serious as he felt the dense, oppressive Tailed Beast Chakra radiating from Roshi and Han.
In his eight hundred years of life, this was the first time he had faced two Jinchuriki simultaneously.
"Little Jiraiya, you always summon me at the worst time," Shima complained with an irritated croak. "I was just deciding what to cook for dinner tonight."
"Now's not the time for that," Fukasaku snapped. "These are Jinchuriki. I can feel the terrifying Chakra inside them."
"What do you mean, 'not the time'? Husband, do you think preparing meals is easy?" Shima retorted, glaring at him.
"After this battle, I'll introduce you to a culinary expert," Jiraiya sighed helplessly, massaging his temple as the two bickered beside his ears.
"Putting on a show," Roshi muttered, his Chakra flaring as he formed hand seals.
"Lava Release: Scorching Stream Rock Technique!"
A storm of flaming lava orbs erupted from Roshi's mouth. Each sphere was only slightly larger than an adult, but their sheer number turned them into a meteor shower raining from the sky.
"It's time to show you Sage Arts! Sage Art: Goemon!" Jiraiya shouted, grinning as he unleashed his counterattack.
He concentrated Chakra in his throat, transforming it into Chakra oil before spewing it toward the falling lava. At that moment, Shima exhaled blazing Sage flames, heating Jiraiya's oil to an extreme temperature. Then Fukasaku added a gust of Sage Wind, fanning the flames and expanding the sea of burning oil.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The scorching oil clashed violently with the lava, detonating on impact. The battlefield became a roaring inferno as molten fire and oil splashed across the terrain. Even after the initial collision, the flames raged forward toward Roshi and Han, the heat distorting the air itself.
Mugetsu watched the scene thoughtfully. Sage Mode truly amplified one's power tremendously, but even so, Jiraiya's Fire Release alone could never have achieved such destructive might without the aid of the two Sages.
It had to be said—having a strong Summon Beast could dramatically increase one's combat power. Mugetsu mused that if Jiraiya couldn't summon the toads of Mount Myoboku, his overall strength would drop by at least one-third.
He had once considered training Kurobane, hoping to raise the bird beyond a simple mount and make it battle-capable. But after several attempts, he realized it was far more difficult than expected. Summoned beasts seemed to rely more on innate talent than training.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Roshi and Han flared with Tailed Beast Chakra, retreating swiftly to avoid the sea of fire.
"What kind of Ninjutsu was that? Its power surpasses even my Lava Release," Roshi said, astonished. He hadn't expected Jiraiya's strength to rise so drastically. After all, his own Lava Release had been enhanced by Tailed Beast Chakra.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Minato quickly drew four Flying Thunder God Kunai from his pouch and hurled two at Roshi and two at Han, but the projectiles were swiftly deflected.
"Haha! Time for more Sage Arts!" Jiraiya shouted, charging toward Roshi with immense speed. Under Sage Mode, his physical power had increased dramatically.
Roshi prepared to counter with Taijutsu but overestimated himself. Against Jiraiya in Sage Mode—especially with the interference of the two elder toads—he was completely outmatched.
Bang!
A heavy blow landed, and Roshi's body was sent hurtling across the battlefield, skidding dozens of meters and carving a deep trench into the ground before coming to a stop.
Seeing this, Han—who had been battling Mugetsu and the others—erupted with white steam, unleashing his full power. His body glowed with blazing Chakra as he activated Boil Release: Unrivaled Strength, enhancing his physical power to its peak.
Although Han himself did not possess Boil Release, he could draw upon the Beast's Chakra. With a Tailed Beast sealed inside him, it was practically his own.
Unlike ordinary Boil Release users, Han had refined it into a technique that augmented his Taijutsu—using the superheated steam to push his body to its absolute limit.
The slightly chubby, dark-skinned Ninja had been engaging Han in close-quarters combat using Lightning Release Body Techniques. However, once Han activated Boil Release to enhance his strength, the difference between them became overwhelming. After a brief clash, the chubby Ninja was sent flying backward.
"Dekai!" The black-haired Konoha Ninja shouted in alarm as he watched his teammate crash into the ground.
Han took advantage of the opening, gathering Chakra in his feet to boost his speed, and charged straight toward the black-haired Konoha Ninja.
Mugetsu noticed Minato's position and, while forming hand seals, shot him a subtle glance.
Minato understood immediately. He waited until the very last moment—just as Han was about to strike—before appearing beside his teammate and teleporting him away using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"
Mugetsu released a stream of blazing fireballs at the spot where Minato's black-haired teammate had just been standing. Over thirty small fireballs erupted from his mouth, streaking through the air like meteors.
The instant Han charged forward, Minato and his teammate vanished. The next moment, Mugetsu's Fire Release arrived—thirty blazing projectiles striking Han head-on.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A series of explosions shook the battlefield, flames and smoke engulfing Han's figure.
"Brother, your Fire Release is fierce! No wonder Kari lost to you," Dekai said, having just gotten back on his feet. He smiled as he watched the sea of fire consume Han.
"Even a Jinchuriki taking a direct hit from that level of Fire Release should be—"
Before he could finish, the grayish-yellow smoke dispersed, revealing Han's towering form wreathed in dark red Chakra. White steam hissed from his armor, and a deep burn mark scarred its surface.
"You're good. If I had been even a little slower, I might have been seriously injured," Han said. His calm expression was gone, replaced by a look of grim focus.
At the last instant, he had poured a massive surge of Tailed Beast Chakra into forming a protective cloak, shielding himself from the attack.
Originally, Han hadn't paid any attention to the other Konoha Ninja besides Jiraiya. He had believed that only the Sannin was worth his notice. But now, his perception had changed. He couldn't comment on the others, but the two blond Ninja before him clearly had skill—and together, they could become a real problem.
"Then you'd better be careful," Mugetsu said with a confident smile. "I still have stronger Fire Release techniques I haven't used yet."
"Your Fire Release won't be of any use anymore. Next, I'll show you the true power of a Tailed Beast," Han replied coldly.
The dark red Chakra around him grew denser, and five massive, crimson tails emerged behind him. Even in this partial Tailed Beast form, Han's strength surged to terrifying levels. Every step he took cracked the earth beneath his feet.
But with Minato's Flying Thunder God Technique providing instant mobility, and the other fighters being elite Jonin, brute force alone wouldn't be enough for Han to crush them.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, Roshi—still unwilling to accept defeat in Taijutsu—activated his Lava Release Chakra Mode. His body became engulfed in molten rock, glowing with unbearable heat that warped the air around him.
This was a unique Chakra Mode Roshi had developed by merging his Lava Release with the Four Tails' power. The constantly flowing magma not only amplified his physical strength but also rendered most Ninjutsu ineffective against him.
"Has your whole body turned into lava? Then it seems Taijutsu is no longer an option," Jiraiya muttered, watching the molten armor form around Roshi's body. He immediately switched tactics, knowing even his enhanced Sage Mode physique couldn't withstand direct contact with molten rock.
"Sage Art: Hair Needle Senbon!"
Thousands of hardened white hair strands shot out from Jiraiya's head, turning into deadly senbon that rained toward Roshi.
"Scorch Release: Granite!"
Roshi reinforced his lava armor using Nature Transformation, letting Jiraiya's senbon pierce into him. The hairs, sharpened by Sage Chakra and harder than steel, still couldn't penetrate the molten armor—they simply melted upon contact.
"Husband, why don't we use Genjutsu? If this guy gets too close, it'll be dangerous," Shima suggested, concern in her voice.
She and Fukasaku had long mastered a powerful Sage Art Genjutsu that only the Sages of Mount Myoboku could use.
Before Fukasaku could respond, Jiraiya shook his head, dodging a stream of molten rock as he spoke. "Jinchuriki have Tailed Beasts sealed inside them. It's nearly impossible to affect them with Genjutsu."
He knew the power of the Toad Song well, but it wasn't suitable here. The technique required continuous singing to activate, which would reveal their position and prevent the two Sages from assisting in combat.
As the battlefield grew more chaotic, Mugetsu analyzed the situation carefully. Seeing Jiraiya struggling against Roshi's defenses, he spoke quickly.
"Minato, my Water Release is strong enough to suppress the Four Tails' attacks for a while. If we switch, Lord Jiraiya can come here and ambush the Five Tails' Jinchuriki."
Minato instantly understood Mugetsu's plan and nodded.
Mugetsu created a Shadow Clone and handed it a Flying Thunder God Kunai before sending it toward Jiraiya's direction.
Han noticed the movement but ignored it, assuming it was a diversion. He was more focused on killing Minato's two weakened teammates before turning his attention to the others.
Jiraiya, still in Sage Mode, sensed Mugetsu's Shadow Clone approaching, though he didn't yet grasp the plan.
"Lord Jiraiya, I can hold this Jinchuriki off for now. You go deal with the other one," the Shadow Clone said clearly and firmly.
A moment later, Minato activated the Flying Thunder God Technique, teleporting Mugetsu's true body straight to Jiraiya's side.
Jiraiya, with his vast battle experience, immediately understood Mugetsu and Minato's intent. They planned to switch battlefields using the Flying Thunder God Technique and catch the Five Tails' Jinchuriki off guard. Without hesitation, Jiraiya began forming hand seals, preparing to unleash a Sage Art.
The situation was urgent. Minato didn't say a word. He instantly teleported, bringing Jiraiya back to his teammates, who were under assault from the Five Tails' Jinchuriki.
"Fire Release: Great Flame Bullet!"
The moment Jiraiya landed, he unleashed a massive surge of Sage Art flames toward Han, who was charging at them. The enormous fireball collided directly with Han, engulfing him in searing heat and smoke.
Jiraiya didn't let up. He immediately channeled Chakra through his body, darted forward, and delivered a powerful punch to the scorched Han.
Bang!
A heavy impact echoed as Han was blasted backward, tumbling more than ten meters across the ground, blood spilling from his mouth.
"Water Release: Water Shockwave!"
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, Mugetsu's Shadow Clone released a torrential wave of water to suppress Roshi's charge. Using that water as a base, Mugetsu's main body formed additional hand seals, summoning an enormous Water Dragon that surged forward with immense force.
The Water Dragon slammed into Roshi, driving him backward as its weight and momentum forced his lava armor to flicker and weaken.
"Where did this Water Release expert come from? His technique completely counters my power," Roshi muttered darkly. The massive Water Dragon—over twenty meters long and several meters wide—was not something an ordinary Ninja could summon, especially without a natural water source nearby.
Of all opponents, Roshi hated facing Water Release users the most. The only sure way to overpower one was with a Tailed Beast Ball.
Though confident he could kill Mugetsu given time, Roshi's attention turned toward Han's worsening condition. Without hesitation, he entered a partial Tailed Beast transformation, his body swelling as molten Chakra coursed through his veins. He prepared to rush to Han's aid.
To create space, Roshi charged up a small Tailed Beast Ball and fired it.
Seeing this, Jiraiya and Minato immediately retreated, regrouping with Mugetsu at a safe distance.
"Han, are you alright?" Roshi asked, eyes narrowed at the Konoha trio.
"It's not life-threatening," Han replied, wiping the blood from his mouth. "But I won't be able to fight at full power."
The Tailed Beast's Chakra granted him tremendous regeneration, but Jiraiya's Sage Art had inflicted serious damage—wounds that wouldn't heal quickly.
"Let's both launch Tailed Beast Balls and retreat. These enemies aren't easy to deal with. If we continue, both sides will suffer heavy losses," Roshi advised.
In a one-on-one fight, he believed he could defeat either Jiraiya or Mugetsu. But together—with Minato's teleportation support—it would be a difficult and costly battle.
"Then let's retreat," Han agreed. The Iwagakure army had already fallen. There was no point in prolonging the fight.
Both Jinchuriki began condensing Tailed Beast Balls once more.
"Flying Thunder God Technique!"
Minato reacted instantly, teleporting everyone to a safe location just before the devastating explosion erupted.
The same blinding white light and earth-shaking force filled the sky. Even from afar, they could feel the tremors beneath their feet.
"How exciting... that's twice now," Dekai muttered, rubbing his sore shoulders.
"Fighting Jinchuriki is too much pressure," the black-haired Ninja added, wiping the sweat from his back.
"Sensei Jiraiya, do we need to go back and continue the fight?" Minato asked calmly.
Jiraiya shook his head. "No. Let's return to camp. Two Jinchuriki together are too much, even for us."
Han was severely injured, but Jiraiya had expended a tremendous amount of Chakra as well. He had no intention of chasing them down.
"Even though we didn't completely defeat them, this battle is without a doubt a great victory for Konoha!" Jiraiya declared proudly, dismissing his Sage Mode and Summoning Jutsu.
As two of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, Iwagakure had sent out two Jinchuriki—yet Konoha had won without deploying a single one of its own.
"Everyone performed well this time, especially Minato and Mugetsu," Jiraiya said, glancing at Mugetsu with genuine appreciation.
He already knew of Minato's excellence, but Mugetsu had surprised him. His Ninjutsu foundation was exceptionally strong. Even without relying on high-level techniques, his mastery and timing were flawless, each jutsu carrying immense power.
If this battle had been measured by performance, Mugetsu's output would undoubtedly rank second.
Of course, if he had to choose the most crucial contributor, Jiraiya would still pick Minato—without his Flying Thunder God Technique, none of them would have survived the two Tailed Beast Balls.
"I didn't expect that besides being a culinary genius, you'd also be so gifted in Ninjutsu, Mugetsu," Jiraiya said with a grin. "You're more like Sensei Sarutobi's disciple than I ever was."
During the fight, Mugetsu had skillfully used three different chakra natures, each seamlessly integrated with the others to amplify his attacks.
"Mainly, Minato's Space-Time Ninjutsu is incredible," Mugetsu replied humbly, giving credit to his comrade.
He genuinely believed it too. In his eyes, Jiraiya had been the main force suppressing a Jinchuriki, Minato had provided perfect support, and he himself had simply filled the gaps.
Through this battle, Mugetsu also came to understand the true strength of Jinchuriki. He could fight one—but killing one was another matter entirely. His full-power output was not sustainable for long; even less so than a Sage Mode user.
"No matter how strong my Space-Time Ninjutsu is, someone still has to create the opportunity," Minato said with a smile. "If your Water Release wasn't so strong, we wouldn't have succeeded."
"Haha! You two really are something," Jiraiya laughed, wrapping an arm around each of their shoulders. "Minato, if you keep this up, I might start believing you two are brothers!"
"Alright, you're both exceptional. You've all earned great merit today," Jiraiya said with a grin as he led them back toward the rear camp.
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