Chapter 79

"Raikage, you sure are a hypocrite, aren't you? Where was your logic when you tried to sneak attack Konoha? At least we have the guts to face you directly on the battlefield, but you were a coward who tried to stab us in the back under the guise of a peace treaty. You still have the face to be angry? Even old Tsuchikage couldn't be so shameless, and we all know how low he can go. And you, Kumo, are even more shameless. Your father would be ashamed; at least the man had the guts to admit his faults. However, look at you trying to blame us when you are at a disadvantage. And just so you know, we of Konoha are not cowards; it's just that we dislike throwing the first punch," Jiraiya retorted, dodging another lightning-clad punch while simultaneously commenting on the Raikage's words.

"That was because Konoha was weak, and it was only inevitable for the other villages to attack you. And if you are so averse to war, why not give away the fertile lands that the Fire Country so closely guards?" Raikage countered, his tone dripping with sarcasm, frustration, and anger.

"Raikage, are you even listening to your own words? If we go by that logic, you should just admit that your Kumogakure is weak and surrender unconditionally. And if not, try using your strength to get past me and save your Jinchuriki." Jiraiya's patience was wearing thin in the face of Kumogakure's two-faced behavior. They were always the first to advocate for war, and when they were at a disadvantage, they wanted to play the victim.

Meanwhile, inside the barrier, Yugito was being cornered by the trio. Shikaku's three-headed hell beast summon was tanking, while the remaining two were assaulting the two tails. However, among everyone, Might Guy stood out; he was fighting the bijuu head-on with his bare fists. He had already activated his sixth gate, while Kakashi and Shikaku played the roles of support. Shikaku had taken the lead in the confrontation and deployed his shadow puppet to restrict the bijuu's movements to a certain degree.

"Yugito, this is bad. We are losing our advantage quickly, and if this keeps continuing, I'm afraid we will eventually succumb." Two Tails shared its thoughts with its host, Yugito. The bijuu had already taken over complete control because its host was not able to handle such a high-intensity battle.

"Hold on; don't give up yet. Raikage-sama will soon come to our rescue with reinforcements," Yugito reassured herself, panicking on the inside. It was all her fault for stupidly falling into a trap because she wanted vengeance.

Riling one more time, the bijuu continued its assault. The hell beast fired a massive torrent of fire at the flank, which the bijuu tried to dodge. However, it was momentarily caught in a shadow bind facilitated by the puppet. In that split second, the flame attack crashed into the rear of the bijuu, causing it to let out a blood-curdling scream from the pain, as the flame was not ordinary.

With vengeance, the bijuu wanted to tear at the hell beast, but Guy intercepted the claw swipe with a roundhouse kick. The kick made the two tails falter, as they had been engaged in combat for more than an hour now. Even with its massive reserves of chakra, it still started feeling the drain, and the Fuinjutsu barrier was actively absorbing its chakra and suppressing it bit by bit as time progressed.

"[Hachimon: Shōgeki no mon: Kai]" (Eight Gates: Gate of Shock: Open)

With a thunderous roar, Gai activated the seventh gate as Shikaku gestured, indicating that it was time to reel the fish in.

A blue aura surged around Gai, causing even the two tails to flinch as it sensed the imminent danger from the human standing before it. Before the bijuu could react, Gai swiftly shifted the battle into high gear.

"[Asa Kujaku]" (Morning Peacock) Gai propelled himself into the air, unleashing a torrent of flaming fists upon the two tails. The beast, unable to evade the lightning-fast punches, felt each blow like the force of a mountain crashing down upon it. Visibly staggered, the two tails struggled to remain upright.

As Gai prepared for his next attack, the two tails attempted to retaliate, but Kakashi intervened from the background.

"[Raiton: Kirin]" A massive lightning dragon descended from the thunderous clouds above, striking the bijuu with pinpoint accuracy. This technique, taught by Kazuki and aided by scrolls to hasten the formation of thunder clouds, required only a brief preparation. Despite the two tails' attempt to dodge, the lightning attack was too swift, causing devastating damage and paralyzing it once more.

The ferocity of the attack pinned the massive bijuu to the ground, and the situation worsened as the shadow puppet shattered into multiple pieces, encircling the incapacitated beast with chains of shadows. Just as it struggled to break free, the next assault came.

"[Hirudora]" (Daytime Tiger) A colossal white tiger materialized from the sheer force of the punch, engulfing the two tails. Every bone in its body felt as though it had shattered, causing Yugito to collapse from the sheer force. Despite this, the two tails remained defiant, determined to fight on even as it broke free from the shadow shackles.

As Gai prepared to continue the onslaught, Shikaku halted him. Both Kakashi and Gai then noticed the two tails standing motionless, having passed out while still standing. Recognizing this as its final act of defiance, Shikaku swiftly signaled Kakashi to activate the Fuinjutsu sealing.

Pitch-black chains emerged from the periphery of the formation, ensnaring the two tails. With that, the fate of the two tails was sealed. 

"Yugitoooooo!!!"

As the dazzling lightning dragon descended from the sky, the Raikage's fury erupted like a volcano. He charged towards Jiraiya, his muscles bulging with rage as he swung his lightning-infused attacks with unmatched speed. The Raikage launched himself into the air and launched a devastating attack.

"Hell Stab Four-Finger Spear Hand: Sky Drop"

But Jiraiya, cool and collected, met the Raikage's onslaught with precise movements and countered with a Rasengan. He dodged and deflected each strike with grace, his calm demeanor contrasting with the chaos around him. Despite the danger, a smirk played on his lips as he danced around the Raikage's attacks.

Instead of trying to hurt the Raikage, Jiraiya focused on stalling him, buying time for his allies. With each moment, Jiraiya's confidence grew, his movements becoming smoother as he anticipated the Raikage's every move.

The clash intensified, with the ground trembling beneath their feet. Lightning crackled as the Raikage unleashed his most powerful techniques, but Jiraiya remained steadfast. He evaded and countered with finesse, pushing the Raikage to his limits.

As the battle wore on, the Raikage's frustration boiled over, his attacks becoming wilder. But Jiraiya stayed cool, continuing to outmaneuver his opponent with ease, all while keeping his true intentions hidden behind a mask of calm determination.

"[Fūton: Gamayu Endan]" (Wind Release: Toad Oil Flame Bullet) Jiraiya unleashed a devastating combo attack, engulfing the entire battlefield in flames. Despite his berserk state, the Raikage recognized the imminent danger and dodged, retreating from the attack's range.

"Jiraiya, I swear I will burn Konoha to ashes!" The Raikage's fury knew no bounds, fueled by his desire for vengeance. He believed the lightning dragon should have neutralized the two tails, doubting even the eight tails could withstand such devastation.

"As long as I stand, no one, not even you, will lay a hand on Konoha. If this doesn't teach you a lesson, Raikage, then Kumogakure will face the consequences," Jiraiya declared firmly, standing tall and resolute.

"You Konoha scum have crossed the line! We will fight this war to the bitter end. I will drag your precious Jinchuriki, torture him, and then execute him, so you can feel our pain!" The Raikage's determination to carry out the war intensified.

But what he didn't anticipate was the sudden shift in the atmosphere around Jiraiya. The usually calm sage was now emanating overwhelming killing intent, causing even the Raikage to flinch. Unbeknownst to him, his words had awoken a beast within Jiraiya.

The mention of torturing and executing Naruto struck a nerve deep within Jiraiya. The loss of Minato and Kushina weighed heavily on his heart, and now the Raikage's threat has ignited a fierce rage within him. Without hesitation, Jiraiya unfurled a scroll, releasing a clone that was enclosed, and immediately a massive torrent of nature energy engulfed Jiraiya. In an instant, he transformed into Sage Mode.

Jiraiya's appearance underwent a dramatic change. His eyes glowed with sage energy, and his features became more pronounced, exuding an aura of power and determination. Before the Raikage could react, a powerful fist connected with his gut, lifting him into the air. Despite his lightning armor, the force of the punch broke a rib, leaving the Raikage reeling in pain.

The Sannin's presence dominated the entire battlefield. Each move he made was powerful and precise, launching a relentless assault on the Raikage.

Despite his immense strength and quick reflexes, the Raikage found himself overwhelmed by Jiraiya's skill. Every strike from the toad sage hit hard, pushing the Raikage beyond his limits.

Each blow weighed heavily on the Raikage, his lightning armor struggling to withstand Jiraiya's relentless attacks. Despite the odds, the Raikage refused to give up, driven by his determination to keep fighting.

Despite the pain and exhaustion, the Raikage persevered, refusing to let Jiraiya defeat him. With every hit, he pushed himself to keep going, his spirit unbroken despite his battered body.

"[Senpō: Chō Ōdama Rasengan]" (Sage Art: Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan) Jiraiya unleashed a massive Rasengan powered by senjutsu aimed directly at the exposed back of the Raikage while he was airborne. The attack connected with a resounding crack, launching the Raikage towards the ground like a cannon shell. With a bone-crunching impact, the Raikage crashed down, one of his arms completely shattered from the force as he instinctively used it to defend his back at the last second.

As the Raikage's figure crashed to the ground, a few of the elite Shinobi of Kumogakure began to worry. In a desperate act, half a dozen elite Jonin among Kumo simultaneously launched themselves onto the barrier and self-destructed at the same time. The sheer force of the explosion shattered the barrier that enclosed the toad sage and their Raikage. The moment the barrier around their Raikage broke, a large number of Kumo Shinobi rushed in, and simultaneously, many of the Konoha elites also rushed in to support the toad sage.

Even with the new reinforcements, Jiraiya was confident in taking them all on. But just before he could begin, he caught sight of Shikaku approaching his side along with other Leaf Shinobi.

However, Jiraiya, despite his anger, collected himself. Although he wanted to rip the Raikage to pieces, now that the barrier was down, he knew it would be challenging to stop him. The Raikage could use his superior speed to his advantage, fleeing and later harassing the other Leaf Ninjas. Confirming Shikaku's presence, there was no need to continue the battle. However, internally, Jiraiya decided not to give the retreat order because he wanted to force the Kumo army to retreat in front of Konoha.

With a broken arm, the Raikage was now surrounded by a score of Kumo elites. Everyone could see how angry the Raikage was. This was a humiliation of the highest order, according to him. Even during the Third Shinobi War, he was never at such a disadvantage, even while fighting against the Yellow Flash.

As Jiraiya reached the incoming Leaf Ninja, everyone eagerly awaited the command from their superiors. Both sides were now waiting for a single command, and all hell would break loose again. The Raikage wanted to fight to the last man, dangerously close to making a decision out of pride. However, just then, Shikaku stepped onto Jiraiya's side, whispering into his ears, and the toad sage simply acknowledged with a nod.

At last, the Raikage gritted his teeth and stepped forward, pushing aside a few Kumo shinobi.

"Return Yugito back to us. We can call for a ceasefire." The Raikage had to muster all his energy to shout out these words despite his burning ego. Saying such words in the middle of the battlefield was like admitting that they were inferior to their enemies.

"Raikage-sama..." Many of the Kumo shinobi echoed simultaneously, wanting to stop Ay, but the man stood his ground.