Watching Jiraiya dive into the depths of the sea, Naruto once again formed a black sphere in his hand, gripping it tightly.
Cero!
A black beam shot out at incredible speed, heading straight for Jiraiya in the water.
As the beam disappeared from Naruto's hand, he frowned slightly. His attack hadn't fully hit its mark.
After entering Sage Mode, Jiraiya's Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, and Taijutsu had all been significantly enhanced. Even in the water, Jiraiya's movements were incredibly swift. He dodged the vital areas at the last moment, leaving only a flesh wound on his shoulder.
At the same time, Jiraiya kicked off the seabed, using the water's resistance to propel himself upward with incredible speed. He broke through the surface of the water in an instant, standing firmly on the waves once more.
His limbs had grown thicker, and his hands and feet now resembled those of a frog even more closely.
Naruto didn't hesitate, and another black sphere formed in his hand.
Seeing this, Jiraiya's pupils contracted, and the two Toad Sages on his shoulders also looked alarmed.
"Jiraiya-chan, we have to stop him
Fukasaku and Shima spoke almost simultaneously.
Jiraiya shared the same thought. With the Nine-Tails' power and Uzumaki bloodline, Naruto's Chakra Reserves allowed him to use powerful techniques as if they were ordinary attacks. Even with the boost from Sage Mode, Jiraiya stood no chance in a Ninjutsu battle.
Jiraiya crouched low, his limbs touching the ground like a true toad. His muscles bulged as he focused intently on Naruto.
The moment Naruto released the black beam, Jiraiya's muscles tensed, and he leaped high into the air, becoming a blur. The Cero only grazed a bit of flesh on his chest as he appeared in front of Naruto in an instant.
"Hmph, so Ninjutsu doesn't work, and now you're trying close combat?"
Naruto remained calm, watching the massive hand coming toward his head with little concern.
In the face of the Flying Thunder God Technique, trying to defeat him in close combat was laughable.
A flash of golden light, and Naruto appeared behind Jiraiya. His fist, wrapped in a surge of Nine-Tails' Chakra, aimed straight for Jiraiya's back.
However, Jiraiya wasn't alone. Shima, perched on his shoulder, spat out her long, fanged, wart-covered tongue, aiming to entangle Naruto. A disgusting mucus oozed from it.
On the other side, Fukasaku puffed out his cheeks and spat a sharp stream of water, cutting toward Naruto's head.
"What a disgusting ability."
Naruto didn't feel particularly threatened, but the sight of Shima's gaping, wart-covered tongue made him nauseous.
He abandoned his attack on Jiraiya, retreating while several invisible wind blades formed around him, slicing toward Shima's tongue.
Puff! Puff! Puff!
"Aaahhh!"
After a few sounds, Shima let out a pained cry. Her extended tongue had been cut into several pieces, yellow mucus splattering into the air.
Jiraiya, with no leverage in mid-air, fell straight down after his failed attack.
Naruto formed another black sphere in his hand. After all, why would he bother with close combat when he could attack from a distance?
However, things took an unexpected turn. Fukasaku clapped his hands, and the seawater, which had been rushing back in, surged upward into a massive wave.
Jiraiya landed on the crest of the wave, using his limbs to propel himself toward Naruto once more.
"That's a pretty good idea."
The black light in Naruto's hand disappeared, and a fighting spirit ignited in his eyes.
"Since you want close combat, then let's give it a try!"
Naruto charged forward, engaging Jiraiya in close-quarters combat.
Although Jiraiya's Frog Kata attacks were unpredictable, with the Flying Thunder God Technique, none of his strikes could land on Naruto.
Within just a few exchanges, Jiraiya was completely on the defensive, becoming little more than a punching bag for Naruto.
"Wife!"
Seeing the situation turning dire, Fukasaku couldn't help but call out to Shima in desperation. If this continued, Jiraiya might be killed outright.
Shima, still clutching her mouth, was equally anxious. Hearing her husband's call, she immediately understood his intent.
The two exchanged a glance.
Their cheeks puffed out simultaneously, and a piercing, unpleasant sound echoed across the open sea.
"Demonic Illusion: Toad Confrontation Chant!"
Unable to move, Naruto punched Jiraiya in the chest once more. But when he tried to throw another punch, he found his body immobilized.
In the blink of an eye, Naruto found himself in a water-filled barrier, surrounded by four giant toads in armor, their webbed hands pointed at him.
'Genjutsu?'
Looking around, Naruto's face showed a strange expression, 'They're using Genjutsu against me?'
"Jiraiya-chan, finish him now!"
Fukasaku shouted urgently, but Jiraiya made no move to attack. His frog-like eyes had lost their spark. Whether it was Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, or Genjutsu, he was no match for Naruto. He suddenly remembered his younger self, the dead-last who was inferior in every way.
It was Mount Myoboku that had given him everything he had now. All these years, rather than running away, it was more accurate to say he had been shouldering this responsibility.
Jiraiya seemed to have come to a realization. He was tired. He shook his head gently and said, "It's useless. With those eyes..."
Sure enough, Naruto merely widened his eyes slightly, and the barrier before him shattered instantly. The Genjutsu was broken directly.
"How is it possible!?"
"Admittedly, the sound-based Genjutsu was quite effective, but that's about it."
Naruto's figure appeared directly behind Jiraiya. The heavily injured Jiraiya's reflexes had slowed significantly, and Fukasaku and Shima were still in shock.
A long sword materialized in Naruto's hand, and he thrust it straight into Jiraiya's back.
"Jiraiya-chan!" Fukasaku and Shima's expressions changed drastically.
Puff! Puff! Puff!
Several more swords appeared, piercing Jiraiya's body simultaneously.
Naruto watched this scene with calm eyes, suddenly feeling that Ninja were truly fascinating creatures, 'If it were blunt force trauma, you could punch them dozens or even hundreds of times without issue. But with sharp injuries, a few stabs were enough to end them.'
"Jiraiya-chan!"
Fukasaku and Shima continued to call out Jiraiya's name in desperation, but Jiraiya, now riddled with swords, could no longer hear them clearly. His Chakra Control faltered, and he fell into the sea.
Through the clear water, Jiraiya's dim eyes reflected Naruto's indifferent face.
'Sorry, Minato.'
His eyes slowly closed, and Fukasaku and Shima dissipated into smoke.
A small black sphere appeared in Naruto's hand.
But before he could throw the Spiralling Ring down, his brow furrowed again.
A small toad appeared beside Jiraiya, then swallowed his body whole in one gulp.
Naruto retracted the Spiral Rasengan, simply watching the scene quietly. Only when the toad turned into a puff of smoke did a faint smile curl on his lips.