Chapter 90: Chapter 90: No Holding Back
"Wha—!?"
Tsunade, who had just been listening to Kakashi and was lost in thought, snapped back to reality, visibly shaken. Shizune, on the other hand, was completely dumbfounded.
Even Kakashi didn't look too good—because he'd realized just how absurdly fast Kitagawa Gen and the Fourth Raikage were moving.
Damn… I can follow them, but Kamui can't lock on at all.
Ever since unlocking his Mangekyō Sharingan, he had learned how to use its technique.
But the problem was, he wasn't exactly proficient in using Kamui. Trying to lock onto an enemy was incredibly difficult and draining.
And now, the battle between Kitagawa Gen and the Fourth Raikage had far exceeded his expectations. Their sheer speed, the ferocity of their moves—it was dizzying to watch.
Kakashi was secretly growing anxious, but Kitagawa Gen, who was trading blows with the Raikage, was feeling surprisingly good.
There was no denying it—the Fourth Raikage was strong.
In his memories, even when the man had lost an arm, he could still unleash terrifying combat power.
For most shinobi, the loss of a single arm would be a fatal blow.
But the Fourth Raikage was something else.
'And with Ōnoki's help, he even shattered Uchiha Madara's Susanoo.'
Sure, Madara might've been toying around at the time—but still, how many people in the entire shinobi world could claim to have done that?
'Fighting someone like this... It's honestly doing me a lot of good. And now, I think I've pretty much figured out how Lightning Release: Chakra Mode works!'
From the very start of the fight, he had been deliberately analyzing the power radiating from the Raikage.
Yes, he was a 'Fake Sage'.
But that didn't mean everything about him was fake. If he had the chance to truly learn something—he absolutely would.
Faking it was just a goalpost. First, he'd pretend to know it—and then, once he actually learned it, it would be real.
'Too bad he doesn't know Storm Release…'
Storm Release was something Kitagawa Gen had always wanted to get his hands on—but so far, he hadn't found any real opportunity.
He had never seen it before, so he couldn't use it—but regardless, he wasn't greedy.
"Damn brat!"
Kitagawa Gen might have been enjoying himself, but the Fourth Raikage wasn't looking pleased at all.
Slippery like an eel... And is this guy actually trying to learn the Lightning Release: Chakra Mode mid-fight?
Kitagawa Gen had used some odd enhancement technique on himself, boosting both his speed and strength.
The result? This kid could now barely keep up with him—yet somehow still seemed to anticipate his attacks. He kept using Transformation and Substitution Techniques to evade blows with uncanny timing.
And then there was that Purple Lightning.
That thing wasn't just defensive—it had absurd resistance and could reconfigure itself on the fly.
Worse, the Raikage noticed that this damn brat's Purple Lightning had begun to develop a unique signature—no longer just chaotically cloaking his body, but forming with intent and precision.
Did he learn this while fighting me?
The Fourth Raikage couldn't accept that. What infuriated him even more was that ANBU hadn't reported anything—how could Konoha have such a monstrous talent and leave no trace in the intel?
"You're quite something, brat."
He couldn't make sense of it, but one thing was clear: he'd need to go all out.
The Fourth Raikage suddenly halted, locking eyes with Kitagawa Gen in the distance.
"But it's a shame. Your story ends here."
"Oh?"
Kitagawa Gen raised an eyebrow in confusion, then chuckled.
"You sound pretty confident."
"Earlier, I held back because of Tsunade. I needed her help to save someone. But now... it seems you might be the one who's more valuable."
The lightning coursing over the Raikage's body grew heavier, crackling violently. Even his hair stood on end.
"To master Lightning Release: Chakra Mode mid-battle and apply it like this... Your talent is terrifying. Which means…"
"Funny you mention that. I've heard some things."
Kitagawa Gen gave him a strange look, eyeing him up and down before speaking.
"You people from Kumogakure—when you want something, you just take it, don't you? Whether it's secret techniques or kekkei genkai. Was your village founded by bandits or something? Is that why this culture still exists?"
"You little bastard—YOU DIE HERE!"
The Raikage roared, chakra erupting wildly from within. The already shattered ground began to split even further under the pressure.
"Oh, and another thing. I heard you guys have a jutsu called 'Hell Stab' or something like that."
Kitagawa Gen didn't seem fazed by the Raikage's fury. He asked casually, as if making small talk: "How come I haven't seen you use it yet? Don't tell me... you don't know how?"
"You won't get the chance to find out!"
But just as Kitagawa Gen was speaking, the Fourth Raikage had already appeared behind him.
His arm suddenly swung upward—a powerful and brutal hand chop aimed directly at Kitagawa Gen's body, as if intending to shatter the boy in a single blow.
"Is that so? Then how about you judge mine?"
Yet the instant that chop came down, Kitagawa Gen vanished from in front of him—and the voice came from behind!
...
"Damn it. He's going for the kill now."
From a distance, Kakashi and Tsunade immediately sensed the shift in the Fourth Raikage's intent. They knew something had gone very wrong.
Tsunade frowned and instinctively moved to rush over.
But in the next moment—she froze in place.
Her eyes went wide in disbelief as she stared ahead, her whole body slightly dazed.
In that instant, a figure seemed to rise in her mind…
That figure—
Was her Granduncle.
...
While Kitagawa Gen was locked in battle with the Fourth Raikage, Jiraiya had already been fighting Orochimaru for quite some time—and the clash was only growing fiercer.
The two of them knew each other far too well, which spared them the usual need for probing attacks or hesitation.
'Damn bastard... he really dragged me into a fight right in the middle of town.'
And precisely because they understood each other so well, Orochimaru had set a trap from the very start.
Dodging his strikes at high speed, Jiraiya couldn't help but curse inwardly.
The only thing he could be thankful for was how quickly the residents of Sugi Village had reacted.
Perhaps it was because small nations like this one had borne the brunt of past great wars—and this town just happened to be right along the border.
That vibrant, bustling scene from not long ago—where life thrived in every corner—still lingered vividly in his mind.
But the moment everyone realized something was wrong, they bolted for the outskirts of the town like madmen.
That at least let Jiraiya breathe a sigh of relief.
But when he turned and saw the rows of collapsing houses, his lips twitched involuntarily.
Just how much was this destruction going to cost?
Frustrated, Jiraiya formed hand seals in a flash. A torrent of searing flames surged straight toward Orochimaru.
Orochimaru wasn't about to be outdone. With a flick of his chakra, an earthen wall shot up in an instant to block the flames.
At the same time, he left behind a shadow clone at his position and silently slipped underground.
Jiraiya acted as if he hadn't noticed anything. He swiftly clapped his hands together, and his hair suddenly extended and drove itself into the wall, wrapping tightly around the Orochimaru behind it.
"Got you!"
"Idiot."
But in that very instant, Orochimaru burst up from the ground behind him and smashed a fist forward.
[Boom!]
The punch shattered Jiraiya's head—only for it to crumble into dirt.
It had been an earth clone all along.
Jiraiya's real body appeared from the other side, and the two resumed their violent clash.
"Orochimaru! Stop being so deluded!" Jiraiya shouted as he struck.
"Deluded?"
Orochimaru sneered and shook his head, his voice dripping with disdain.
"Do you know what I hate most about you? That naïve look on your face—you always act like some prophecy from your damned toads can solve everything."
"And you're always pushing your ideals onto others. Why don't you just go back and cuddle up with your toads and keep chasing your pathetic dreams?"
"Speaking of which, did you ever find your so-called Child of Prophecy?"
"Don't tell me it was Namikaze Minato?"
"Tsk, tsk… so the one you placed all your hopes on ended up as just another dead man?"
"You bastard!"
Jiraiya finally lost his composure. Orochimaru's tongue was as venomous as ever—almost terrifyingly so.
Still, he forced himself to stay calm. Fixing his gaze on Orochimaru, Jiraiya asked in a low voice: "What exactly is your objective? I've uncovered some interesting things… What's really going on with your organization?"
"..."
Orochimaru was getting irritated—was this guy ever going to shut up?
But suddenly, something clicked. He raised an eyebrow, a thought striking him.
'That old bastard Danzō had me reach out to Hanzo the Salamander… Could it have been because of this?'
He glanced at Jiraiya, who was still pressing the attack, clearly waiting for an answer. Orochimaru's thoughts were quickly coming together.
'So Jiraiya must've discovered something—that's why his attention turned toward the Land of Rain. And Danzō, ever since Root was wiped out, wouldn't dare set foot there himself, so…'
At that, Orochimaru clenched his fist tighter. He realized he'd been used like a disposable pawn.
He hadn't even planned to go to the Land of Rain—but if he had gone, wouldn't he have run straight into Jiraiya?
Knowing Danzō's nature, that kind of trap would be guaranteed.
'That damn mutt... if that's how it is…'
A glint of menace flashed through Orochimaru's eyes, and a wicked smile curled at the edge of his lips.
"You're still investigating? You've got a death wish, Jiraiya!"
"What do you mean by that?"
Jiraiya's eyes lit up at the remark—but then, all at once, he sensed something was wrong.
"You've lost your mind?!"
"Just because you don't dare use it doesn't mean I won't!"
Before the words had even finished leaving his mouth, Orochimaru was already forming hand seals.
"Summoning Technique!"
With a loud burst of smoke, the massive form of Manda appeared in an instant!
"Damn it…"
Jiraiya's face twisted. Orochimaru really didn't hold back.
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