Jiraiya activated his Insight Eye as he stepped into the bounty station.
Through the enhanced perception of the technique, he quickly located the Iwagakure shinobi—gathered in a room on the second floor, sorting through a collection of scrolls.
The noise from Jiraiya kicking open the door naturally alerted the occupants.
"The enemy seems to be from Konoha. Stay alert! Avoid prolonged combat. If there's an opening, retreat immediately," instructed an Iwagakure jōnin with a grim expression.
Ever since they had been ordered to withdraw from the Land of Fire, they knew tensions had escalated between their village and Konoha. Otherwise, such a sudden retreat would have been unnecessary.
However, none of them expected Konoha to act so quickly.
"I only sense one enemy," another jōnin said, narrowing his eyes. "They're strong, but if we work together, it shouldn't be too difficult to take them down."
"Exactly! Sending just one jōnin after us? Konoha is underestimating us!"
The squad leader smirked slightly.
"Looks like we might secure a major achievement before retreating. Taking down a Konoha jōnin would be quite the accomplishment."
"Yeah, Konoha's arrogance will cost them," a chunin chimed in.
Another chunin echoed, "We're some of the best Iwagakure has to offer—elite chunin who can go toe-to-toe with a jōnin. If Konoha thinks we're easy prey, they'll regret it."
But the Iwagakure captain's cautious side won out.
"Don't get cocky. If Konoha sent only one shinobi, it means they're confident in their strength. Do not underestimate them. If we can't finish this quickly, retreat at once. Remember, we're not far from Konoha, and reinforcements could arrive at any time."
With that, he slammed his palms onto the ground.
The floor beneath Jiraiya's feet suddenly buckled and caved as chunks of the ceiling crashed down.
"Lightning Style: Slash!"
Jiraiya calmly infused his Lightning Flame Blade with chakra, releasing a powerful upward slash. A burst of lightning illuminated the room, shattering the falling debris into fine dust. Smoke and ash filled the air as the floor settled.
Immediately, the sharp whistling of shuriken cutting through the air pierced the room.
"Fire Style: Flame Current!"
Jiraiya swiftly formed hand signs, and a wave of intense, fiery chakra radiated from his body, forming a molten, crimson barrier around him. The air grew heavy with heat as the shuriken melted mid-flight, dripping to the ground as molten slag.
This defensive jutsu, an A-rank technique Jiraiya had acquired, provided 360-degree protection, limited only by the user's chakra reserves.
"Lightning Style: Thunder Step!"
In a flash of light, Jiraiya closed the distance to an elite chunin. The man barely had time to react before a sharp pain blossomed in his abdomen. He looked down, only to see blood pouring from a deep wound. His world turned dark as his body fell lifelessly in two pieces.
Jiraiya had taken him out in an instant.
Against Jiraiya's current strength, eliminating elite chunin was no different from slicing through paper.
In truth, Jiraiya wasn't interested in wasting time here. He was eager to return to Konoha—for reasons far removed from duty.
With a casual kick, he sent the corpse flying into a wall and turned his attention to the next target.
Another flash of lightning, another swing of his blade. A head flew into the air, followed by a lifeless body crumpling to the ground.
"Scatter and break through their line!" one of the Iwagakure jōnin yelled, cold sweat dripping down his face.
The sheer speed at which Jiraiya had dispatched two elite chunin chilled him to the bone. These weren't ordinary shinobi—they were among Iwagakure's best, capable of matching jōnin in combat.
Yet here they were, cut down without effort.
"This... this isn't a normal jōnin," the captain muttered under his breath, his voice trembling. He turned and bolted, his survival instincts overriding any sense of pride.
The remaining Iwagakure shinobi followed suit, fear overtaking them. The captain's words were barely out before the others had already started to flee.
"He's incredible," Mitsune Yuhi murmured in awe.
Standing outside, she had been using her sensory technique to monitor the situation. Her role was to prevent any Iwagakure shinobi from escaping.
But in mere moments, two chakra signatures had vanished.
She knew the kind of opponents stationed in this bounty station—none of them weak. Defeating them was no small feat. Yet Jiraiya had effortlessly dealt with two in such a short time.
"No wonder he's the Hokage's disciple," she said with admiration. Despite his young age, Jiraiya's strength was undeniable.
Women admired power, and Mitsune found herself quietly impressed.
A scream tore through the air as Jiraiya's Lightning Flame Blade pierced another chunin's chest. Blood sprayed across the room as yet another fell.
Four elite chunin—reduced to one in a matter of minutes.
Jiraiya swung his blade once more, releasing a torrent of lightning and flames toward the final chunin.
"Earth Style: Earth Wall!"
Desperation fueled the last chunin as he slammed his palms into the ground, raising a stone barrier. His face was pale, drenched in sweat, and his hands trembled.
He had been so confident earlier, mocking Konoha's decision to send just one shinobi.
Now, he wanted nothing more than to slap himself.
He finally understood the truth: Konoha hadn't underestimated them.
They had overestimated them.
Sending someone like Jiraiya to eliminate their squad was overkill.
The stone wall shattered with a deafening crack as the fiery blade cleaved through it. The chunin barely had time to scream before the attack cut through him, leaving nothing but blood and gore in its wake.
The room fell silent, save for the faint crackle of dissipating flames and the heavy scent of iron in the air.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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