"Jiraiya-sama!"
Kakashi quickly arrived, landing and immediately surveying his surroundings, while also observing Jiraiya's condition. It was horrific.
It looked like a large hole had been torn through Jiraiya's abdomen, and even half of his head protector was gone. His white hair was disheveled, some parts appearing as if they had been cut.
Lying on the ground, Jiraiya struggled to lift his head and glanced up. Seeing that it was Kakashi, he finally smiled and said, "Kakashi, don't worry, Orochimaru is gone."
"Jiraiya-sama, I'll take you for treatment right now!" Kakashi was stunned to hear this, then immediately tried to help Jiraiya leave the area.
"No need, just stay put for now." Jiraiya weakly waved his hand, his expression murky.
It wasn't easy to keep Orochimaru. Even if he wanted to use Sage Mode, he couldn't. However, even if he couldn't keep him, he wouldn't have been beaten into his current state.
Orochimaru had given him a piece of information that caused him to lose focus for a moment. That gave Orochimaru an opportunity to use the kusanagi sword to tear a large hole in his abdomen.
For a moment, Jiraiya's thoughts rewinded to not long ago.
Orochimaru saw Jiraiya keeping his palms together, and having already researched Senjutsu Chakra, he naturally sensed the gradually intensifying Senjutsu Chakra.
He then instructed Manda, "Manda, interrupt his movements."
Manda no longer had his initial arrogance, as once Mount Myōboku's Sage Mode was activated, even he might not be able to leave, so he attacked Jiraiya without a word.
"Gamabunta! Stop him!" Jiraiya shouted in a deep voice.
Regarding Hiruzen's change this time, no matter the reason, he had to keep Orochimaru.
Gamabunta, hearing Jiraiya's command, crouched down and then leaped high into the air.
Water Release: Water Gun!
In mid-air, Gamabunta formed a hand seal with both palms, and a giant water ball spewed from his mouth. Due to gravity, its speed was twice as fast as usual.
Manda, coiling on the ground, merely twisted his tail and swept it towards the water ball.
The immense force dispersed the water, and for a moment, the surrounding dense forest seemed to be hit by a downpour.
Failing in one attack, Gamabunta drew his short sword and slashed down from the air.
Clang—
Manda raised his head, once again blocking Gamabunta's short sword with his horns.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru, on Manda's head, stretched his neck at a bizarre angle, then elongated it to strike at Jiraiya on top of Gamabunta's head.
Seeing this, Jiraiya gritted his teeth, leaped up, and clapped his feet together.
Ninja Art: Needle Jizo!
Orochimaru, who hadn't expected Jiraiya to form a hand seal in this manner, couldn't dodge in time, and several cuts appeared on his cheek.
The next moment, the kusanagi sword emerged from his mouth, curving to stab at Jiraiya, who resembled a porcupine.
Clang—
Sparks flew.
Jiraiya, hidden within his hair, watched Orochimaru's head slide past his eyes.
Seeing the attack fail, Gamabunta could only retreat by leaping and flipping backward.
Orochimaru, retracting his neck, narrowed his vertical pupils and chuckled at Jiraiya. "Jiraiya, you're still as unreliable as ever."
Jiraiya, his hair gradually receding, burst into laughter upon hearing this. "But it's very effective, isn't it?"
"Is it?"
Orochimaru merely chuckled, and the kusanagi sword in his mouth lengthened again, striking out.
Gamabunta was about to block it with his short sword, but Manda quickly closed in, coiling around him and pinning him down.
Jiraiya, unable to use another jutsu in time, could only crouch down and duck. His 'Oil' character head protector, however, was cut open by the kusanagi sword.
Orochimaru's head tilted slightly, and the kusanagi sword slashed down towards Jiraiya.
Seeing Gamabunta suppressed, Jiraiya knew that if this continued, not only would he be unable to gather Senjutsu Chakra, but he might even die on the spot.
As for whether Orochimaru truly wanted his life?
Jiraiya dared not gamble at the moment.
Helpless, he could only release his clasped hands and block Orochimaru's kusanagi sword.
"Heh heh, Sage Mode."
Orochimaru, seeing Jiraiya give up on gathering Senjutsu Chakra, retracted the kusanagi sword.
He said, "I didn't expect that among the three of us, you would be the first to succeed in training. However, it seems there are many limitations."
Jiraiya looked at Orochimaru with a serious expression and said in a deep voice, "Orochimaru, don't continue to be so stubborn."
"Whether it was the experiments many years ago, or the recent attack on the border outpost, you have committed unforgivable sins."
"Come back with me, the old man can at least give you lenient treatment out of old friendship."
"Heh heh hahaha!"
Orochimaru burst into laughter upon hearing Jiraiya's words, and after a long time, he raised a hand to wipe away a tear from the corner of his eye.
"Can we please stop saying those old, stale lines? You're making me sleepy."
As if remembering something, Orochimaru asked Jiraiya curiously, "Oh, by the way, my decaying teacher has taken on a new disciple?"
Jiraiya, who had been looking solemn, was stunned by Orochimaru's words, then nodded.
"Ah, a talented young man."
"Apparently, he escaped from your hands a while ago." As he said this, a smile couldn't help but appear on Jiraiya's face.
Orochimaru scoffed disdainfully, asking Jiraiya, "Heh, I wonder what kind of wind will blow in. But, Jiraiya, do you still remember those children you took in in the Land of Rain back then?"
"Yahiko? Nagato? Konan?! Orochimaru! Where are they!" Jiraiya was stunned by Orochimaru's words, then loudly asked Orochimaru.
"Jiraiya, your disciples seem to be quite remarkable. Whether it's Minato, or those two, they are all astonishing existences."
After confirming the names, Orochimaru shook his long hair, then turned and leaped off Manda's head.
Boom—
The release of the summoning jutsu immediately caused a thick fog.
Jiraiya was about to give chase but Gamabunta, beneath his feet, suddenly shouted, "Jiraiya! Watch out!"
The next moment, Jiraiya's pupils dilated sharply as a kusanagi sword pierced him from behind, then emerged from his abdomen. It tore a large opening directly through his abdomen.
"Jiraiya, if you chase me again, I will kill you."
As Jiraiya fell to the ground, the last words he heard were these.
—
Yahiko, Nagato, Konan, where are you exactly?
Lying on the ground, Jiraiya gradually felt his eyelids grow heavy, and his consciousness began to blur.
"Jiraiya-sama!"
Kakashi quickly helped Jiraiya up.
Just as he was about to take him somewhere for treatment, a voice sounded from afar.
"Kakashi!"
"Guy?"
Kakashi turned his head to look, only to see a familiar green figure radiating green Chakra, rushing towards him.