novel-bin Chapter 119 Sage Mode!
Chapter 119 Sage Mode!
Chapter 119 Sage Mode!
The damp air, carrying the rusty stench of blood, permeated the scorched battlefield, while smoke and the embers of chakra outlined the ravaged landscape.
In the heart of this inferno, Jiraiya's appearance was completely different from his usual self.
He completed the incomplete immortal form and now transformed into a frog immortal in human form.
The frog-like eyes, with their horizontal pupils, gleamed with a sharp light, and the eyelids were painted with a fiery orange-red eyeshadow.
His once high and straight nose became wide and flat, with fine, dark bumps growing close to his cheeks, giving him an unusual air of authority.
The webbed fingers and toes trembled slightly in the air, the sharp nails gleamed with an eerie light, the rough skin showed the unique texture and wrinkles of a toad, and in some places, more conspicuous warts bulged out.
His body was well-proportioned with bulging muscles and high shoulders and back.
The two sages of Mount Myōboku, Fukasaku and Shima, were tightly attached to Jiraiya's bulging shoulder and back muscles as if they were symbiotically intertwined. Sage chakra flowed continuously between the three of them, creating a wondrous and solemn scene.
"Grandpa, Grandma, I'm leaving the rest to you."
Jiraiya's voice was much deeper, carrying a peculiar resonance, and clearly carried across the noisy battlefield.
Fukasaku stroked his short beard, his tone calm and reliable: "Leave it to us, Jiraiya. The balance of natural energy will not be compromised in the slightest."
Its wise frog eyes swept across the battlefield, calculating the rhythm of energy.
Shima-sensei's voice was full of heartache and reproach: "You silly child! Look at all the injuries you've sustained!"
"His flesh was a bloody mess, his bones were broken countless times! He should have summoned us long ago! Why did he have to endure it all by himself until now?"
As she spoke, she stretched out her tiny frog claws, as if to gently stroke Jiraiya's scarred back.
Jiraiya grinned, causing the pimples on his face to twitch. The smile, after transforming into a sage, appeared both bold and strange: "Hahaha, to be honest, old lady, I've been planning this for a long time! I just haven't been able to find a way in."
This time, I made a deal with a dangerous and powerful guy in exchange for the chance to activate Sage Mode.
.
His laughter carried a hint of bitterness and resolve.
Upon hearing this, Shima the Immortal's frog-like face showed helplessness: "Sigh, you've always been a worry since you were little. Oh well, it's too late to say anything now."
She sighed, and ultimately said no more, suppressing her worries in her heart.
Fukasaku gently tapped Jiraiya's shoulder with the tip of his paw, reminding him, "Little Jiraiya, even with our full support, your burden is extremely heavy. This Sage Mode can't be maintained for long. Take this opportunity to finish this quickly!" His voice was resolute.
A deep emotion flashed in Jiraiya's frog eyes.
This care and unreserved support from a non-human being, transcending race, warmed his heart.
The three holy lands have always been aloof from worldly affairs, especially avoiding getting involved in the vortex of human wars. However, at this moment, the two elders, Fukasaku and Shima, resolutely stepped into this cruel battlefield for him.
Their words and concern were by no means feigned.
"Yes!" Jiraiya replied in a deep voice, his tone as firm as a rock.
As soon as he finished speaking, he strode towards the core war zone in the distance.
Sage Mode grants him not only power, but also extraordinary vision and perception.
Even though they were far apart, every detail of the battlefield was as clear as if it were right next to him, reflected in his frog-like eyes.
He saw the massive body of the Eight-Tailed Gyūki, now fully transformed into a tailed beast, roaring and spewing out violent energy blasts.
What shocked him even more were the dazzling golden chains extending from behind the collector who was fighting the Eight-Tails!
"The Adamantine Sealing Chains?!" Jiraiya's heart trembled violently, his frog-like eyes suddenly narrowing. "That's the secret technique of the Uzumaki clan, the mark of their bloodline! There's absolutely no way an outsider could learn it—"
A long-forgotten name suddenly exploded in his mind.
Could that mysterious collector be a surviving member of the Uzumaki clan, a clan already presumed extinct?!
A huge question instantly filled his mind, but he immediately suppressed this surprise and doubt.
Now is not the time to explore the mystery of one's origins; the immediate priority is the battlefield at hand.
He pushed the incredible speed granted by Sage Mode to its limit, his figure becoming a blurry afterimage, his target pointing directly at another fierce battleground not far away: the duel between Uchiha Shisui and the Fourth Raikage, A!
Jiraiya's frog-like eyes clearly captured Shisui's every movement.
The boy's Phantom Body Flicker Technique was brought to its limit. The afterimages he left behind during his high-speed movement were all as solid as his real body. His sword light flickered and was difficult to distinguish between reality and illusion. Even the Fourth Raikage, who was so strong, could not lock onto his real body in an instant!
Jiraiya inwardly marveled, "Such an exquisite illusion technique—after this battle, the name of this young man, 'Shisui of the Body Flicker,' will surely resound throughout the entire ninja world!"
Even with the terrifying potential of the Sharingan, the twelve or thirteen-year-old Shisui was ultimately at a disadvantage against the Fourth Raikage, A, who was in his prime and whose strength and experience were at their peak.
His agile movements were more about maneuvering, dodging, and stalling against Lei Ying's berserk lightning armor and pure power; his sword could hardly penetrate the lightning armor to inflict any real damage.
Even so, the fact that he was able to fight the Raikage of Kumogakure to this extent shows that his talent and strength surprised and delighted Jiraiya himself, who made this arrangement!
In the blink of an eye, Jiraiya's imposing sage form stood like a mountain peak amidst the battlefield.
"Um?!"
The Fourth Raikage, A, who had been focusing his attention on Uchiha Shisui, instantly sensed an overwhelming threat!
He abruptly retreated, creating distance, his bloodshot tiger eyes fixed on Jiraiya's peculiar figure, especially the two lifelike toad sages on his shoulders and back, exuding an ancient aura.
An unprecedented sense of oppression enveloped Ai's heart, but Ai's fighting spirit burned fiercely, and he would never show any weakness in terms of momentum.
He forcibly suppressed the fear in his heart, a wild smile curving his lips, and mocked in a voice like thunder: "Oh?! Isn't this Jiraiya, one of the three legendary ninjas of Konoha who disappeared at the beginning of the great battle? Now you've finally decided to show yourself?"
"You think you can take me down with just two toads?"
His Lightning Release armor shone brightly with blue light, crackling with electricity, its provocative intent overflowing.
Jiraiya didn't even glance at the Raikage; his powerful Sage Mode perception had completely taken control of the Raikage's chakra flow.
He turned to look at Uchiha Shisui, who was panting beside him, his voice steady and powerful, carrying an unquestionable command and a hint of cold, decisive killing intent.
"Shisui, you did a great job! Leave this place to me. Go and support Shikaku, Inoichi, and Choza immediately! Assist them with everything you have. If there's an opportunity—seal the Two-Tails Jinchuriki here completely! At any cost!"
The murderous intent in his words was like a tangible chill, a stark contrast to his usual forthright manner.
Witnessing the fall of countless Konoha comrades in this brutal war, the deep grief and indignation, along with the determination to end the war, had long been brewing into a raging fire within his Sage Mode chest, eager to be unleashed.
"Yes! Lord Jiraiya!" Uchiha Shisui breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.
Looking at Jiraiya, whose aura was as vast as the sea, even he, who inherited the proudest bloodline of the Uchiha, felt insignificant and felt a deep awe from the bottom of his soul.
Just standing next to Jiraiya, the invisible, mountain-like divine power made him almost unable to breathe!
The boy was horrified: "This is... Jiraiya-sama's true power? What terrifying strength! I feel that even if I immediately use the Phantom Body Flicker Technique... I'm afraid I'll still be...!"
The thought flashed through my mind, only to be replaced by overwhelming hope. The dawn of victory had never been so clear!
Without the slightest hesitation, Uchiha Shisui transformed into a streak of blue light, shooting towards another battle group like an arrow released from a bow.
Fugaku Uchiha saw this scene from afar, his gaze narrowed slightly, but he did not follow.
He trusted Shisui's strength to deal with the Two-Tails, while he led the elite Uchiha Jonin, under the cover of flying shuriken and flashing fireballs, to fight tenaciously against the elite Cloud Village Jonin forces attempting to provide support, not giving them any chance to reinforce the Raikage or other Jinchuriki.
"roar!!!"
The Fourth Raikage, A, was utterly enraged by being completely ignored! How dare a mere Toad Sage treat him with such contempt?!
With a furious roar, the lightning energy on his body suddenly erupted, and blue plasma, like a raging ocean, completely enveloped his body—the ultimate technique that Kumogakure is proud of, Lightning Release Chakra Mode!
He pushed his speed to the limit, leaving only a sharp sonic boom in his wake, and his figure, like a blue meteor tearing through space, crashed into Jiraiya!
"Lightning Release: Lightning Blade Blade!!"
This was a strike powerful enough to shatter mountains and split rocks, combining the extreme speed granted by the Lightning Release Chakra Armor, the explosive power of muscles, and the Raikage's honed and refined dashing techniques.
Its power is so great that, with the added speed and single-point penetration, it even slightly surpasses Tsunade's famous Super Strength Technique in terms of instantaneous impact!
In the past, when faced with such a combination of speed and brute force, Jiraiya, who was not known for his speed, would usually choose to dodge or use exquisite ninjutsu to maneuver around the enemy, and would never dare to confront the enemy head-on.
However, at this moment, bathed in the natural energy of the immortals, he felt an unprecedented peace and confidence in his heart.
Those strange frog eyes clearly captured every subtle change in the Thunder Shadow's rapid advance, and could even predict the trajectory of his fist when it finally landed!
Even more incredibly, the comprehensive enhancement of his body by Sage Mode made him feel an unprecedented surge of power coursing through his limbs and bones!
This feeling—it's possible!
So, facing the Raikage charging like a prehistoric beast, Sage Jiraiya made an unexpected move: he didn't retreat even half a step! Instead, he took a deep breath, and the natural energy within his massive body instantly condensed into his right fist, causing the ground beneath his feet to crack slightly.
He lowered his stance, exhaled, and with a posture no less imposing than the Raikage's, he delivered a devastating punch head-on to the fist flashing with deadly lightning!
"Bang!!"
A deafening explosion, far more terrifying than thunder, erupted!
Two arms, representing the pinnacle of human power, collided violently in mid-air! Time and air seemed to freeze at that moment!
Immediately afterwards, with the point where the two fists collided as the center, a visible, destructive ring of air, a mixture of violent chakra and pure physical impact, burst out like a flood breaking through a dam!
The ground was as if it had been ruthlessly scraped by an invisible giant plow, with soil and rocks being lifted up and thrown into the air in a radial pattern!
Within a radius of several meters, all the ninjas who could still stand were violently pushed away, overturned, or even blown away like falling leaves by this overwhelming force!
A shocking vacuum zone was cleared out in the center of the battlefield!
At the heart of the stalemate! The two protagonists of this clash of pure power, the Fourth Raikage A and Sage Jiraiya, remained completely unmoved! Like two towering mountains rooted to the earth!
"What?! Impossible!!!"
The thunderous roar was filled with unparalleled horror and disbelief!
The Fourth Raikage A's tiger-like eyes were filled with trembling! This outcome was beyond his comprehension!
He, the Raikage, renowned in the ninja world for his strength and speed, managed to fight a "Toad Man" who had undergone an unknown transformation to a standstill with his full-force attack, amplified by his proud physical strength, the kinetic energy granted by his speed, and the strongest lightning armor?!
No, it wasn't even a tie! Upon closer reflection, a tremendous sense of shame and defeat instantly overwhelmed Ai.
He was charging at high speed, charging forward to build up momentum! His opponent, however, was simply throwing a punch from the spot! This meant that in a contest of absolute power, the Fourth Raikage, A, had completely lost!
Jiraiya's heart was also in turmoil; the tremendous boost brought by the Sage's power was something he hadn't expected.
Myoboku's Sage Mode, as its name suggests, emphasizes a "natural balance," comprehensively enhancing physical strength, chakra, mental perception, and ninjutsu power. However, it doesn't focus on attack and speed like Ryuchi Cave or the extreme enhancement of regeneration and defense like Shikkotsu Forest.
Its greatest advantage lies in its comprehensiveness and stability.
Unfortunately, Jiraiya's Sage Mode was not perfect, which made his conversion efficiency of Sage Chakra not high enough, thus reducing the amplification effect.
"If it weren't for that, that punch just now—" Jiraiya sighed inwardly, "wouldn't have just ended in a draw."
The Fourth Raikage, with his extensive combat experience, made the wisest choice the instant he realized he was at a disadvantage in terms of power – to retreat!
He made a quick decision, using the force of the punch that had not yet completely dissipated, and sprang backward, attempting to use his unparalleled speed in the ninja world to escape the dangerous distance where he was suppressed by force!
The blue lightning intensified once more, and Lei Ying's figure blurred instantly as he tried to transform into a bolt of lightning that tore through space and escape!
However, just as he started moving!
"Whoosh!"
A figure, seemingly traversing space and far more incredible than Raikage's flash, started almost simultaneously with him, arriving before him and appearing unexpectedly on the path he intended to retreat!
Under the horrified gaze of the Fourth Raikage, A, Jiraiya's Sage Mode profile, complete with orange-red eyeshadow and visible bumps, was crystal clear!
"This time," Jiraiya's deep voice, carrying the unique resonance of Sage Mode, sounded directly in the Raikage's ear like a natural announcement, "your power has lost the boost of speed."
Before the words were even finished, a giant, frog-shaped fist, cracked with powerful natural energy and containing the strength to shatter mountains, had already grown infinitely larger in Lei Ying's contracting pupils!
This punch was no longer delivered from a stationary position, but instead incorporated the superior speed granted by Sage Mode!
"boom!!"
There's no way to dodge! You can only take it!
The blue armor, wreathed in raging lightning chakra, took the brunt of the heavy blow head-on!
"Crack—" A faint cracking sound seemed to echo in the air.
"Ugh!"
The Fourth Raikage's massive body was sent flying as if slapped by a giant hand! He flew backward like a human cannonball at several times the speed of his retreat!
His heavy body slammed into the earthen and rocky wall a hundred meters away, making a deafening impact, and dust instantly engulfed him!
The lulls in the battle are fleeting!
Jiraiya knew that opportunities were fleeting, and he would never give the Raikage a moment to breathe!
As the Raikage's body crashed into the rock wall, Sage Jiraiya crouched down like a giant frog hunting its prey, slamming his hands down onto the ravaged earth!
"Buzz!"
Sage Chakra erupted wildly from him!
At the same time, his thick, white "hair" on his back, which had always been like a still life sculpture, seemed to be instantly infused with the source of life!
They came to life like the mythical white snake with self-awareness, and grew wildly!
In the blink of an eye, a pure white ocean of "fur balls" formed on Jiraiya's back, ready to be unleashed!
"Immortal Technique: Thousand Needles of Hair!!"
Jiraiya let out a low shout that contained the power of nature!
The next moment, those billions of long white hairs, completely imbued, tempered, and strengthened to the extreme by Sage Chakra, suddenly detached from his body! Each hair was taut and straight as a javelin!
Their tips gleamed with a deadly cold light! The instant they left their bodies, they transformed into a white storm of death that tore through the air!
This is not a launch! This is a tsunami of devastation! A torrent formed purely from unyielding, hard white hair!
Its speed far exceeds that of any ordinary ninja tool throw, and even surpasses the limits of what the eye can capture!
It was as if a white waterfall, spanning space, had descended from the sky, precisely covering the area where the lightning shadow had been thrown backward and embedded itself!
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh!"
The sharp whistling sounds blended into a cacophony, like the whistle of death! Millions of white streaks instantly traversed space!
The Fourth Raikage, A, had just caught his breath from the heavy impact and roared as he broke free of his body embedded in the rock wall. Before he could even stand up properly, the endless rain of death enveloped him!
He didn't even have time to make any complicated evasive maneuvers!