Chapter 92: “Ultimate Employee” Jiraiya! An Explosion of Sage Energy and Power
The air cracked as Jiraiya's presence surged behind Kazuya, ready to attack once more. Kazuya sensed the powerful energy, dodging again in an instant.
"So, an advanced Shadow Clone Technique?" Kazuya noted, evading effortlessly. But Jiraiya's speed was impressive—he quickly closed in again, Rasengan at the ready.
Golden orbs of light flowed from Jiraiya as he fought, each one adding to Kazuya's reserves:
Rewards Received:
+500 Chakra Points
+500 Chakra Points
+300 Combat Skill Points
+200 Rasengan Technique Experience
With each clash, Kazuya absorbed more high-quality energy from Jiraiya, refining his skills even further.
Kazuya responded with a Rasengan of his own, slamming it against Jiraiya's in midair.
BOOM!
The two Rasengans collided, their combined force erupting into a shockwave that blasted both of them back.
"Impressive reflexes," Jiraiya muttered, a spark of admiration in his eyes. This young man was formidable, no doubt about it. His reaction speed, strategy, and sheer skill were all reminiscent of Minato, the Fourth Hokage. It was as if Kazuya were already a Hokage in his own right.
Whoosh!
Jiraiya launched himself forward once more, determined to push Kazuya to his limits.
Once again, the clash of kunai echoed through the quiet forest.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sounds of kunai striking against each other filled the air as both fighters engaged in a fierce taijutsu battle. It was a pure showdown of speed and power, with each kunai swing narrowly missing the most critical spots, adding to the tension.
Jiraiya's expression had turned completely serious.
Realizing that Kazuya's strength far exceeded his initial expectations, he stopped holding back and unleashed his full fighting prowess. Jiraiya was now fighting with a focus and intensity that he hadn't even shown while pursuing Orochimaru.
Across from him, Kazuya's face was also serious, but he couldn't help feeling frustrated inside.
"Seriously? Taijutsu again?"
With his taijutsu talent maxed out at level 5, there was no point in grinding here anymore.
Kazuya sighed internally. In the world of ninja battles, they always seemed to start with taijutsu for a warm-up before pulling out the big moves. Couldn't they just dive straight into the powerful techniques instead?
The wind around Kazuya began to roar.
With his patience wearing thin, he let loose, forming a Rasengan in his hand and slamming it towards Jiraiya's face.
"Whoa!" Jiraiya yelled, taken aback. "You don't hold back, do you?!"
In a swift reaction, Jiraiya's white hair grew instantly, transforming into a protective barrier just in time to intercept Kazuya's Rasengan.
Boom!
The Rasengan exploded, causing Jiraiya to stumble back, though his defense held strong. But the moment Kazuya's attack subsided, the white hair surged forward, twisting like ropes as they aimed to ensnare him.
"Lion Mane Jutsu!" Jiraiya called out.
Kazuya retreated while releasing another technique. "Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
A powerful fire dragon erupted from his hand, clashing with Jiraiya's white hair that had lunged toward him.
Boom!
The fierce dragon of fire crashed against the extending strands of hair, igniting them and filling the forest with a burning intensity.
"He's not even making hand seals?" Jiraiya muttered in disbelief. "Has he mastered his jutsu to the point of not needing them? That's insane!"
Jiraiya could hardly believe what he was witnessing. In such a short amount of time, Kazuya's abilities seemed to have completely transformed. The Rasengan had evolved, the lightning jutsu was devastatingly powerful, and now he could even skip seals for techniques.
The flames collided with Jiraiya's Lion Mane Jutsu, which was engulfed in a wave of heat, causing his hair to burn.
"This…what kind of fire jutsu has this much power?!" Jiraiya's eyes widened.
It had been a long time since he'd seen such a potent fire style. The last time he'd encountered flames of this intensity had been when his teacher was still at his prime.
"Water Style: Waterfall Basin Technique!" Jiraiya quickly countered, forming a massive wave to meet Kazuya's flames head-on.
As the water clashed with fire, hot steam billowed into the air, cloaking the entire battlefield.
"Ahh! It's so hot!" Jiraiya yelped, pretending to feel the intense heat.
Kazuya only chuckled. "Still holding back, huh?"
Kazuya could only smirk at Jiraiya's antics. It seemed that a reluctant worker needed a little push to get serious.
In a flash, he activated the Flying Raijin technique, appearing right behind Jiraiya.
"What? When did—" Jiraiya looked down, noticing the marked kunai beneath his feet.
"So that's when he placed it," he thought, his mind racing.
Before he could react further, Kazuya's punch, enhanced by monstrous strength, sent him flying through the trees.
Crash! Crash! Crash!
Jiraiya tumbled through the air, smashing into tree after tree before finally landing on the ground. He had barely managed to defend himself, and even so, he looked disheveled.
As one of the legendary Sannins, Jiraiya found himself being outclassed in close-quarters combat by Kazuya.
If Kazuya were to get serious, he was certain he could win this fight. Kazuya's strength, speed, and technique were on a completely different level, each attribute maxed out beyond typical limits.
In reality, Kazuya's physical stats—strength, speed, and taijutsu—were all at the highest possible rating of 10, and if the limit weren't set to 10, he could undoubtedly surpass even that.
Whoosh!
With another flash, Kazuya appeared directly above the stunned Jiraiya.
"Guess I'll have to give him a little more pressure if I want him to show his full potential."
But before Kazuya could move further, he sensed a surge of chakra from Jiraiya's direction.
A massive wave of energy radiated from the forest where Jiraiya was lying, growing stronger and more focused.
Seeing the scene unfold before him, a softened expression crossed Kazuya's previously serious face.
[You have picked up 1000 Chakra points]
[You have picked up another 1000 Chakra points]
[You have picked up 50 points in Sage Arts aptitude]
[You have picked up an additional 50 points in Sage Arts aptitude]
[You have picked up 500 points of Sage Energy]
[You have picked up another 500 points of Sage Energy]
[You have picked up 200 points of Sage Energy]
[Your Sage Energy level has increased to lv4 (100/100,000)]
A steady stream of high-quality golden light continued to radiate from the figure standing within the dust and debris.
Finally, it's here!
Sage Mode had arrived.
Kazuya felt a sense of relief as he watched. At last, Jiraiya had set aside his playful stance and taken the fight seriously, fully committing himself.
A diligent worker—what a beautiful sight!
At that moment, Jiraiya emerged from the smoke, mysterious markings now decorating his face.
True Sage Mode had been activated.
"Kazuya…" Jiraiya said, his expression solemn, "Your speed is something else!"
"If I keep holding back, I—the mighty Jiraiya of the Sannin—might end up defeated by someone from the younger generation."
He shook his head, slightly embarrassed. "It's disgraceful that this little sparring session has forced me to use Sage Mode!"
As Jiraiya deliberated, Kazuya's figure once again appeared right in front of him.
Here he came!
Boom!
Their fists clashed with ferocious power.
The resulting shockwave was like a small explosion, uprooting trees and flattening the nearby vegetation.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Within moments, they turned into blurs, exchanging hundreds of blows mid-air in mere seconds—a pure display of power and speed.
This was no ordinary battle; they had entered a realm far beyond standard Kage-level fights.
Kazuya and Jiraiya were both equally stunned by each other's strength.
"Impressive, Kazuya! You're holding your ground against me in Sage Mode!" Jiraiya thought, realizing he had underestimated Kazuya's prowess.
Meanwhile, Kazuya mused, "Jiraiya is a true master—far more dedicated than that hack, Hiruzen."
Their exchange hadn't gone unnoticed.