The Wide Guard barrier erupted into existence amidst the rainy night.
Countless Rock Crystals emerged from the ground, interlocking to form walls that completely sealed off Orochimaru's escape route.
Unlike its previous purely defensive application, Jiraiya had refined it into a trapping technique.
Standing firmly on the water's surface, Jiraiya wore an unusually stern expression: "Orochimaru, you're not going anywhere today!"
In the next instant, he exploded into motion, his fist carrying Earth Release Chakra as it slammed directly into Orochimaru's face!
The impact was so powerful that the very air vibrated with the force.
Rain mist exploded and water splashed everywhere as Orochimaru was sent stumbling backward several steps. Blood trickled from his mouth, washed away by the rain, yet he maintained his eerie smile.
"Heh... Have you lost your mind, Jiraiya?"
Wiping the blood from his lips, a cold glint flashed in his eyes.
Jiraiya's hands flew through a series of hand seals.
Chakra surged from his mouth, transforming into dense Water Gun projectiles that rained down like hundreds of arrows.
For a moment, rainfall and Water Release intertwined, engulfing the entire mountain forest in a torrential downpour.
Orochimaru darted swiftly through the water currents, his body becoming almost a blur as he twisted with serpentine agility.
"...What are you trying to accomplish, Jiraiya!"
He evaded the relentless barrage of Water Gun attacks.
Jiraiya maintained his stance, his expression growing more serious: "That egg you're carrying - what's the story behind it!?"
Orochimaru's movements faltered slightly before he resumed his evasive maneuvers, his eyes turning cold.
"The egg? Heh, that one?"
He let out a derisive laugh, his tone dripping with his characteristic scorn and sarcasm: "I acquired it from the Rain Ninja."
"From the Rain Ninja?"
Jiraiya froze, immediately recalling Shiroishi's transaction with Hanzo.
Could it be...
The egg Orochimaru purchased was from the same batch that Hanzo had distributed?
In that instant, his anger began to dissipate.
Seizing Jiraiya's moment of hesitation, Orochimaru raised a finger, and a dozen Poisonous Snakes shot from his sleeves, lunging at the Crystal Wall with intense venomous energy.
With a thunderous crash, the snake shadows exploded, shattering the Rock Crystals into fragments that scattered like rain.
Through the thick smoke, Orochimaru's voice drifted eerily: "You... remain as foolish as ever."
He landed lightly, a cold gleam flashing in his golden vertical pupils.
"Of course I need to investigate these special Ninja Beasts thoroughly."
As he spoke, he patted the incubating Ninja Beast Egg.
After hearing this, Jiraiya's furrowed brow gradually relaxed.
"...So you were just conducting business with Hanzo?"
Orochimaru tilted his head slightly and offered a cold smile: "What else?"
He had to admit, Jiraiya was particularly dense.
The student he himself had taught was an exceptionally troublesome schemer with bizarre abilities, yet Jiraiya still harbored not a shred of suspicion.
It was utterly ridiculous.
The two stood facing each other for a moment, an awkward absurdity hanging in the stormy air.
Jiraiya scratched the back of his head and chuckled sheepishly: "Ahaha... I guess I might have overthought things."
Orochimaru's gaze lingered on him briefly before he let out a disdainful snort.
"Fool. If you interfere with me again, I won't be so lenient next time."
With those words, his form dissolved into countless white snakes that scattered along the rain curtain, vanishing without a trace moments later.
Jiraiya gazed at the empty valley and sighed.
Then he quietly returned to the entrance of the secret hut.
Fresh from the rain, before he could even remove his cloak, Jiraiya spotted flames rising in the courtyard.
It was Charmeleon.
The once petite Charmander had now transformed into a crimson, robust Ninja Beast, its Tail Flame blazing fiercely, radiating an imposing aura.
It stood tall and proud, its sharp eyes gleaming with pride and battle intent.
Jiraiya froze for a moment, his lips twitching slightly. "Is... is this Charmander's transformation? What they call evolution?"
Before Yahiko could respond, Charmeleon confidently lifted its head and let out a low, rumbling roar from its throat.
Boom!
A massive Fire Vortex erupted from its mouth, swirling with heat and sparks, directly targeting Jiraiya!
"Hey? Hey, hey, hey!?"
Jiraiya's pupils contracted sharply. At that moment, Mudkip grew angry.
Wide Guard!
A curtain of water surged forth, forming a crystalline barrier that completely swallowed the wave of flames.
Steam billowed into the sky, and a wave of heat washed over them.
As the dust settled, Mudkip stood before Jiraiya, its eyes cold and fierce.
That gaze was truly menacing.
Yahiko's face stiffened, and he hurried forward. "Charmeleon, you can't be so rude!"
But Charmeleon merely snorted arrogantly, flicking its Tail Flame, completely unfazed.
That insolent attitude thoroughly irritated Mudkip.
Their eyes locked mid-air.
Sparks seemed to fly visibly between them in the atmosphere.
"Grr..."
Mudkip growled low, its body emitting a suppressed Chakra Wave.
Charmeleon responded with a roar, stepping forward without backing down.
The next second!
Charmeleon's claws gleamed with a metallic sheen as it slashed down fiercely.
Meanwhile, the mud and water beneath Mudkip's feet exploded, swirling into a vortex that forcefully intercepted the attack!
A powerful shockwave sent dust and shattered leaves flying around.
Jiraiya was about to intervene when he suddenly halted.
Mudkip's body became enveloped in a blue-white light, its Chakra Wave intensifying rapidly.
"Is Mudkip evolving too!?" Jiraiya exclaimed in surprise.
He had thought Konan's Squirtle would be the next to evolve.
At that moment, Mudkip's body rapidly changed within the light.
Its once rounded contours were replaced by sturdier muscles, its fin-like arms transformed into powerful forelimbs, and its tail grew broader and thicker.
Shiroishi, who had just emerged from the secret hut, was also taken aback, not expecting Mudkip to have completed its evolution.
Indeed, the Ninja Beasts raised by the Sannin could evolve quickly even without the World Tree Chakra conversion method.
Marshtomp!
Its vacant expression remained, but when its gaze locked onto Charmeleon again, it revealed a strangely unsettling smile.
Boom!
Mud and water churned violently, surging forth like a wild beast lunging at Charmeleon.
Clearly, Marshtomp still held a grudge against Charmeleon.
Charmeleon swung its tail, releasing another Fire Vortex that collided head-on with the mud flow!
The explosion reverberated loudly.
"Stop!"
Shiroishi's voice cut through the chaos.
At the same time, Nagato formed hand seals, and Ivysaur immediately extended its vines. Thick branches grew rapidly like a barrier, separating the two Ninja Beasts.
The branches still glowed with a green Chakra Light, forming a gentle barrier that restored peace to the air.
Steam lingered, and the sound of rain enveloped the scene once more.
Shiroishi sighed helplessly as he looked at Charmeleon and Marshtomp, still glaring angrily at each other from opposite sides.
Shiroishi then turned to Yahiko and said, "Charmeleon will only become more aggressive and brutal in the future. You should think of a way to completely tame and control it."
These Ninja Beasts, like the Tailed Beasts, are all transformations of the Ten-Tails.
Fundamentally, Yahiko still needed to address Charmeleon's temperament issues.
Meanwhile, the Squirtle held by Konan was looking enviously at Marshtomp, Charmeleon, and Ivysaur.
Konan was also quite helpless; every time, she seemed to be one step behind.
-
Brother Squirtle can learn Wave Guidance, which is a very impressive development.
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