The Root ninja unleashed their Wind Release techniques with full force, barely managing to counter the searing flames of the Toad Oil Flame Bullet. However, mere wind couldn't dispel the overwhelming heat radiating from the fire.
One elite Chunin from Root, suffering severe burns, was instantly incapacitated. The flesh on his hands had melted away, leaving him unable to form hand seals. In his current condition, even taijutsu was impossible—rendering him completely useless in battle.
"Gamabunta, don't you think that was a little too little oil?" Jiraiya frowned, clearly displeased.
His first use of the Toad Oil Flame Bullet in this fight hadn't even managed to take down a single elite Chunin. The technique was powerful, but the lackluster results left much to be desired.
The reason was obvious—Gamabunta had released far too little oil.
If he had used a greater amount, at least all the Root elites would have been incinerated.
"Against a bunch of brats like these, wasting so much oil would be shameful," Gamabunta grumbled, making excuses.
"Then the three of you take care of the Jonin and the elite Chunins. I'll handle the elite Jonin myself," Jiraiya ordered, his tone carrying a hint of warning. "Don't let me down this time."
"Well, I may not be much, but I'll do my best," Gamaken responded first, raising his massive weapon before charging straight at one of the Root Jonin—the strongest opponent besides the elite Jonin.
"Ken, that one's mine," Gamahiro, the twin-blade-wielding toad, said coldly. Without hesitation, he slashed forward with his blades.
Jiraiya, meanwhile, drew the Lightning Flame Blade, channeling Lightning Release chakra into it.
Thanks to Sage Mode, the moment his chakra surged into the blade, lightning crackled across its surface, arcing wildly in all directions.
In a flash, Jiraiya dashed toward the elite Jonin, Hotaru.
His speed in Sage Mode was terrifying.
Before Hotaru could even react, Jiraiya was already behind him. The Lightning Flame Blade, now wreathed in crackling lightning, swung down with devastating force.
Slash!
Hotaru was cleaved cleanly in two.
Yet, no blood spilled.
Instead, with a puff, his body burst into two swarms of insects.
These insects, their sharp mandibles gleaming like miniature swords, emitted a piercing hum as they surged toward Jiraiya.
Jiraiya narrowed his eyes slightly before unleashing a Great Fireball, engulfing the swarming insects and reducing them to ashes.
That was a bug clone… he realized.
The moment he processed this, he sensed chakra surging beneath his feet. Without hesitation, he leaped into the air.
The instant he left the ground, a massive black insect erupted from where he had just stood. Its gaping maw, lined with rows of razor-sharp teeth, snapped shut violently.
If Jiraiya had been even a second slower, he would have been bitten in half.
"As expected, elite Jonin are always a pain to deal with," he muttered.
With a swift motion, he swung the Lightning Flame Blade in an arc.
A streak of fire-wreathed lightning shot forth, slicing through the giant insect.
Boom!
The creature was instantly torn apart, its body split into four smoldering chunks.
Jiraiya's Sage Mode-enhanced techniques packed immense power—if an enemy failed to evade in time, death was almost guaranteed.
At this level, even if a Kage were to appear, Jiraiya could hold his ground.
However, even as the black insect's remains scattered, more swarms of black beetles erupted from its corpse, lunging toward him.
"Tch, what a nuisance," Jiraiya muttered.
Every single member of the Aburame clan was troublesome to fight.
He launched another Fire Release technique, incinerating the wave of insects, but Hotaru himself was still nowhere to be seen.
"He must be aware of Sage Mode's limitations. He's trying to buy time until I can no longer maintain it… Not a bad strategy," Jiraiya mused.
Even with his heightened perception in Sage Mode, he still couldn't pinpoint Hotaru's exact location.
He must have mastered an advanced concealment technique.
Otherwise, Jiraiya wouldn't have been fooled by the bug clones in the first place.
Hotaru was clearly attempting to use this technique to outlast Jiraiya's Sage Mode and then engage him once he was weakened.
Too bad for him—that's not happening.
Jiraiya might not know exactly what technique Hotaru was using to evade detection, but no concealment jutsu was flawless.
Unless Hotaru had the ability to leave this space entirely and hide in a different dimension, he could be found.
And high-level space-time ninjutsu? Hotaru definitely didn't have that.
As long as he remained within this battlefield, Jiraiya would track him down.
Sure enough, within moments, Jiraiya pinpointed Hotaru's location—hidden in the brush to his left, his body covered in swarming insects that masked his presence.
A smirk played at Jiraiya's lips.
In a blur, he vanished, using the Body Flicker Technique to close the distance.
Hotaru's eyes widened as he saw Jiraiya charging toward him.
He found me?!
"Sage Mode truly is impressive... to think you'd locate me even in this state," Hotaru admitted.
But despite his shock, he remained calm. He knew Jiraiya's Sage Mode was close to running out—if he could just stall a little longer, the tide of battle would shift.
As he retreated, a swarm of insects erupted from his sleeve, forming a living barrier between himself and Jiraiya.
But Jiraiya effortlessly dodged them, his speed overwhelming.
Just as he was mere meters away from Hotaru, Jiraiya suddenly flung the Lightning Flame Blade forward.
A deafening dragon's roar echoed across the battlefield.
Lightning crackled violently as the blade transformed into a massive lightning-infused dragon, coiling in midair before launching itself at Hotaru.
Lightning Release: Thunder Dragon!
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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