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Chapter 197 Naruto vs Jiraya
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[Name: Jiraiya]
[HP: 885/885]
Naruto froze as the faint translucent screen flickered before his eyes. His gut tightened.
That HP bar… it was massive. Comparable to the black knights he had faced in Lordran. Flesh and bone that could take a beating and still keep moving.
But he knew better than to trust the numbers.
The system tracked only the surface. It could not measure the depth of a shinobi's chakra, experience, and most importantly their skill. Jiraiya's bar was just his foundation. The real danger lay in what the numbers did not show.
And this was one of the Legendary Sannin. A shinobi so powerful that Kakashi had not even considered asking for backup, even when Gato had threatened to send more assassins. Naruto should have felt awe. Instead, his blood boiled. Because here this man was, someone who carried the respect of the shinobi world, doing something so obscene to Tsunami of all people.
Respect and caution warred with rage, and rage won.
In an instant, twelve clones burst into existence, swirling into place like a living barricade between Jiraiya and the woman.
Tsunami's cry tore through the air. She clutched the water to her chest, arms trembling as though she could hide herself from the eyes that had already seen too much. One of Naruto's clones vaulted forward, pulling a blanket from a nearby clothesline and wrapping it tightly around her body before leaping away to safer ground.
Her shoulders shook as she gasped for breath, eyes wide and shining with tears of humiliation.
"Hey, hey, what is the big idea?" Jiraiya waved his hands, his grin sheepish, as if this were nothing more than a prank gone wrong. "You ruined the whole show, brat!"
Naruto's jaw clenched. He did not care if this man was a Sannin. Right now, all he saw was a pervert who dared look at Tsunami like a piece of meat. That alone was unforgivable. He snapped his fingers, and twelve clones immediately drew breath together.
"Wait, wait, hold on!" Jiraiya shouted. "We can talk this out, brat!"
The clones did not falter.
The humor drained from the toad sage's face. His hands slammed against the dirt.
Summoning Jutsu!
The ground cracked as ink spread outward, forming a wide seal. A plume of smoke exploded, engulfing the clearing. When it cleared, a massive toad stood tall, pale green skin glistening, patterned with golden streaks. Its purple eyes blinked slowly, framed by painted lashes. A bright violet bow stretched proudly across its back, fluttering in the heat of the fire. Red lipstick shone against its wide mouth, and blush pinked its cheeks.
"Jiraiya-chan, darling, what is the meaning of this?" the newly summoned toad cooed. "You dragged me away from my beauty routine. Do you have any idea how much effort it takes to keep this skin so perfectly radiant?"
Before Jiraiya could answer, the chorus of Naruto's clones roared in unison. Their chests swelled, air drawn deep into their lungs until their stomachs ballooned. A second later, the clearing exploded in fire.
Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!
Dozens of blazing spheres launched into the air, arcing forward in overlapping lines. They collided midflight, merging into a monstrous wave of black-speckled flame.
The toad blinked, lips curling into a painted smile. "So, you summon me to battle against flames this bold and beautiful? Very well. I shall not disappoint."
Its chest swelled, throat expanding until the skin bulged grotesquely. Then its mouth snapped open.
Water Style: Water Gun Jutsu!
A torrent of water shot forth. The pressure was so immense that the air rippled around it, droplets bursting into mist at the edges. Steam hissed where the two met, but the weight of Naruto's flames was too much for the water jutsu.
"Tch. It is not enough," Jiraiya muttered, forming a quick string of hand seals. He filled his lungs and exhaled with all the force his chakra could muster.
Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!
A hurricane burst from his lips, chakra sharpening the gust until it howled like a blade. The gale struck the toad's torrent, compressing it, twisting the water into a spiraling bullet so fast the air whined in protest.
The collision shook the clearing.
A deafening boom tore through the forest, sending shockwaves rippling through the soil. Trees bent nearly sideways, their leaves stripped clean. The air itself seemed to tear apart as a wall of boiling mist swallowed everything in sight.
Jiraiya hunched low, shielding his eyes with one arm, his white mane whipping violently in the gale. "Brat's serious about this…" he muttered under his breath.
The toad fanned its face dramatically with one webbed hand, lashes dripping with condensed steam. "Jiraiya-chan, darling, I must ask, what are we battling?"
Jiraiya was confused by the toad's comment, but he did not have time to ask further questions. Something slammed into him from nowhere, and he was hurled backward into the mist. He struck the ground hard, sliding across broken roots and stones, his white hair splaying around him as the air was knocked from his chest.
"Damn… how does the boy know an invisibility jutsu," he muttered, pushing himself upright, already making hand seals.
Left behind in the clearing was his summon. Gamariki adjusted the bow on his back, pouting as he turned toward the mist. "You know, how about we call this a truce? I really do not want to ruin my beauty routine over some tantrum."
His voice trailed off when Oscar emerged. The ravenous crystal lizard form glinted in the steam. Oscar's maw opened, releasing a guttural growl that reverberated like rocks grinding together.
"Oh my, what a grotesque little beast," Gamariki said, though his lips curled into a wicked smile. "But I suppose I cannot leave my darling Jiraiya-chan undefended. Very well. Let us dance."
Oscar lunged forward, rolling his crystalline body across the ground like a living boulder. Gamariki leapt into the air with surprising grace for his size, his bow fluttering as his body spun. His throat swelled, and with a sharp snap of his jaw he unleashed a stream of high-pressure water.
Water Style: Gunshot!
The lizard responded instantly, firing a shard of crystal from his gullet. The projectile met the water stream midair, exploding into a burst of steam and glittering fragments.
Gamariki landed lightly, perfectly unscathed. "Crystal release? Now that is a first. Tell me, little beast, which summoning clan spat you out? You certainly are not from any of the realms I know of."
Oscar's only reply was a flick of his tail as he launched a razor-edged crystal shuriken. It spun with a whistle, slicing through Gamariki's midsection. But instead of blood, the toad's body burst into water, collapsing into a puddle.
Oscar crouched low, confused. Then a heavy glob of thick, golden liquid slammed into his back. He screeched as the syrup clung to his body, pinning his limbs to the earth.
Water Style: Syrup Capture Field!
From the mist, the real Gamariki charged. His bow flared behind him like a banner as he bounded forward, lips painted with a smug grin. He landed before Oscar and placed a hand over the struggling lizard's head.
Yin Style: Kiss of a Hundred Illusions.
A strange shimmer passed from his lips, washing over Oscar's eyes. The lizard stiffened, body freezing as if trapped in invisible chains.
"That was a fun little scuffle, brat. But remember this: you cannot touch the fabulous beauty of Mount Myoboku. Not with tricks. Not with crystal. Never."
He turned his head, ears twitching as the clash between Jiraiya and Naruto echoed through the mist. The sound of clones bursting and explosions rolling made his brow furrow. "Strange… why is Jiraiya-chan not taking this seriously?"
His musings cut short when he felt something searing hot burn across his back. Cracks raced along his skin as jagged crystal began to spread, carving through his bow and locking tight into his flesh. He roared in pain, whipping his head around, only to see Oscar crawl free of his false restraints. The small lizard, back in his base form, slinked forward with slow, deliberate steps. His tiny claws scraped the dirt, his beady eyes glinting with intelligence.
Gamariki's breath caught. "You… were never caught in my genjutsu. You pretended. You let me think I had you, just to make me lower my guard."
Oscar tilted his head, chirping once, his scales flickering with residual chakra.
"You scheming little reptile!" the toad roared, beginning to weave hand signs.
But before he could complete the jutsu, sharp pain spiked in his neck. Two fingers pressed against a cluster of nerves, cutting his chakra flow instantly. Gamariki's eyes went wide as he turned his head. Kakashi Hatake stood beside him, calm and composed, his single visible eye cool as steel.
"What is the meaning of this, handsome dog?" Gamariki hissed, his tone suddenly dropping into something far less flamboyant.
"I apologize, Gamariki-san. But you must not use chakra with those crystals on your back. If you had forced a jutsu, they would have detonated, and you would be dead."
Gamariki froze, the realization sinking in as the heat of the crystals flared against his skin. He let out a long, dramatic sigh. "Tell Jiraiya-chan that he owes me for this indignity. I expect a day at the finest salon in the village when this is over."
Kakashi's eye curved into an amused crescent as he drew a kunai and carefully cut the crystals free, leaving shallow, bloody gouges in the toad's back. "I will tell him."
A puff of smoke engulfed Gamariki, and in the next moment he was gone, reverse summoned back to Mount Myoboku. Kakashi exhaled slowly and looked down at Oscar.
"You know," Kakashi murmured, his voice carrying the faintest edge of humor, "for something so small and cute, you are incredibly dangerous."
Oscar chirped proudly and leapt up onto Kakashi's head, settling between his silver spikes as if he owned the place.
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A few minutes ago, something invisible slammed into Jiraiya from nowhere, the force like being hit by a battering ram. He was hurled backward into the mist, crashing through roots and tumbling over broken stones. His white mane fanned out as he struck the ground hard, the air leaving his lungs in a sharp grunt.
"Damn it…" Jiraiya wheezed, rolling to his feet. "How does the brat know an invisibility technique?"
His fingers blurred through hand seals.
Barrier: Canopy Method Formation!
Chakra rippled outward in a translucent dome, a sensory net woven from his own chakra threads. It spread through the mist, brushing over trunks, stones, and leaves. Every living thing inside the bubble stirred faint impressions in his mind. It was not sight, not sound, but something deeper. A sixth sense telling him exactly where Naruto moved, regardless of tricks.
Jiraiya flexed his toes, sliding into a stance low to the ground, weight shifting into his legs. The boy came at him again, fists raised in a boxer's guard.
"Not bad, brat. You've got guts charging straight at me," Jiraiya said, raising his leg in a frog-like stance. "But I'll warn you now. Toads do not punch. We kick!"
Naruto drove forward, flickering in with a jab, then a quick hook. Jiraiya bent his knee unnaturally low, his foot whipping up in a snapping arc that caught Naruto's guard and sent him skidding back. Naruto ducked low and drove in again, fists like pistons. Jiraiya hopped backward, springing forward off the balls of his feet, and lashed out with a heel aimed at Naruto's chest. The impact rang like a drum, knocking the boy a step back.
The two circled in the mist, Naruto throwing combinations, Jiraiya parrying with sharp kicks and sweeps, his barrier always tracking the boy no matter how he tried to vanish.
Naruto clicked his tongue, sliding out of reach. His body shimmered faintly, his invisibility starting to distort. "So… it's not my spell failing. You're using some kind of detection jutsu."
"Smart kid," Jiraiya admitted, never lowering his guard. "This barrier picks up movement and chakra flow. In here, you could turn yourself into a ghost and I'd still smell you out."
Naruto leapt back, already flashing through signs. "Then I'll just drown you in targets!"
A burst of chakra filled the air as dozens of shadow clones formed in rapid succession. They fanned out, darting through the trees, some immediately spitting Wind Style: Bullet Barrages. Compressed gusts tore through the fog, each one sharp enough to splinter bark and gouge earth. Jiraiya twisted between them with surprising agility, his barrier flaring to warn him of each angle of attack.
Then he paused. The mist parted, and his grin faltered for half a beat.
Naruto's form shimmered into view, surrounded by a dozen clones… all women.
Jiraiya's grin spread wide, and he pumped his fist in the air. "Aw, hell yeah!"
Naruto smirked, arms folded. "Heh. Thought so. I figured if I can't beat your strength, I'll beat your weakness. Every guy in the village knows about perverts like you. So I combined two of the deadliest forces in existence…" He raised a hand like he was announcing the final act of a play.
"Sexy Jutsu: Thousandfold Heavenly Maiden Greatbow Execution, Shadow Clone Variant, Version Seven!"
The name went on and on until even his clones looked confused. Jiraiya sweatdropped, lowering his head slightly. "Kid… you could've just called it Sexy Bow Girls and saved yourself a breath."
"Shut up, old man! This is artistry!" Naruto barked, pointing forward. "Firing Squad!"
The clones pulled back their strings. Chakra flared. A storm of arrows shot out at sonic speed, glittering in the mist, each one leaving faint heart-shaped trails in the air.
Jiraiya's grin slipped into horror as he realized the arrows were real, not just illusions. His hands flew together. "Aw, hell nah!"
Ninja Art: Needle Jizō!
His hair writhed, lengthening and hardening into thousands of steel-like quills that wrapped around him in a dome. The arrows shattered against it with sparks, snapping one after another until the ground was littered with broken shafts.
Inside the cocoon of his own hair, Jiraiya muttered, "Damn brat… using my weakness against me." His voice echoed out loud now, sharper. "Alright, enough playing around. Stop this, Naruto, or else."
Naruto did not answer. He only raised his hand, signaling his clones to attack again.
"Stubborn brat!" Jiraiya roared. His hair quills flexed outward.
Ninja Art: Needle Hell!
The air screamed as thousands of hardened hair needles shot outward in a storm. The sexy clones were shredded in bursts of smoke, the needles tearing holes into the ground and trees until it looked like the clearing had been caught in a hailstorm.
The original Naruto used the Black Knight Shield, absorbing the worst of the barrage. He pushed the shield down, smoke rising from it where needles had struck, and glared through the haze.
Jiraiya stood in the middle, hair slowly retracting, breathing steady but his expression more serious now. "You've got guts, I'll give you that. Hell of a first meeting, kid."
Naruto responded by unsheathing his zweihander, pulling it from his pouch, which was actually just a cover for the inventory.
It looked comical.
Jiraiya raised an eyebrow, lips quirking. "Kid… that's the most ridiculous thing I've seen all week. You really want to play swordsman with me?"
His grin faded, expression hardening.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Smoke burst in front of him. When it cleared, Jiraiya was gripping a slate-grey blade. The weapon was brutal in its own way. The pommel was hollow and circular, a chain looping from pommel to hilt, and the long wide blade was veined with faint, unnatural markings that looked like molten scars frozen into steel.
He lifted it with surprising grace, twirling the chain once to test its balance before dropping into stance.
"I warn you, brat. I was trained by one of the finest masters of the blade. Don't think this old man can't cut you down just because you're flashy."
Naruto slid into a guard, zweihander leveled low, both hands braced. "You talk too much."
The ground cracked when they moved.
Jiraiya came forward first, blade whistling as he brought it down in a two-handed arc. Naruto met it head-on, the zweihander rising in a master cut. The shock of impact rattled the air, sparks flying as steel scraped against steel. Naruto's arms bent and shifted, letting the weight roll past instead of meeting it straight. The motion was fluid, practiced as he slid Jiraiya's blade aside with the edge and countered with a thrust that would have skewered the toad sage had he not twisted away.
"Tch. You've got real form," Jiraiya muttered, chain jingling as he swung his blade out wide to reset. "You didn't learn that in the Academy."
Naruto answered with silence, eyes sharp. He advanced. His zweihander cut in high, then low, then side into a flowing sequence of master cuts, each designed not only to kill but to close off an opponent's possible counters. Jiraiya parried one, blocked another, but each clash shoved him back an inch at a time.
"You fight like a damn samurai," Jiraiya grunted, barely deflecting another downward chop. He tried a trick, snapping the chain to wrap Naruto's blade and pull it wide. Naruto anticipated it, twisting his wrists and rolling the zweihander free, punishing the attempt with a pommel strike that nearly cracked Jiraiya's jaw.
The sannin staggered, spitting blood. He barked a laugh even through the sting. "You little bastard. You've got me sweating. It's been years since anyone pressed me with steel."
Naruto pressed harder. A feint cut high drew Jiraiya's guard; the true cut came low, a sweeping strike at the legs. Jiraiya jumped back, sandals skidding across dirt, and threw his own riposte, blade cutting in a vicious diagonal. Naruto leaned aside, the zweihander angling into a hanging guard, then rippled downward to slice into Jiraiya's defense. The sannin barely managed to shove it away with raw strength.
"Damn it," Jiraiya muttered between breaths, chest heaving. "You're reading me like a book. Every cut you make, it's like you already know where I'm going."
Naruto exhaled slowly, not smug, just calm. His stance never faltered.
The fight went on for several more exchanges, the clearing echoing with the clash of steel and the hiss of blades cutting the mist. But it was becoming clear. Jiraiya's strikes, while powerful and creative, lacked the same precision. His swordsmanship was effective, yes, but not pure. He relied too often on raw force, on improvisation, on tricks. Naruto's movements were exact, trained, drilled. Every cut, every guard, every counter came from an understanding of the blade that far surpassed mere combat instinct.
It all ended with Jiraiya having Naruto's massive sword buried through his stomach. Or so it seemed. The sannin grimaced, blood at the corner of his lips, but even then he chuckled. "You're full of surprises, brat… but remember this. A shinobi doesn't win with strength alone. We fight with deception."
The body burst apart in a concussive pop of chakra.
Ninja Art: Exploding Shadow Clone.
Naruto had leapt back due to the Way of Focality pulling his awareness sharp as the clone detonated in a burst of force and smoke. But the blast itself betrayed him. The light cast a clear, stretched shadow across the broken ground.
That was all Jiraiya needed.
Toad Subjugation: Art of the Manipulated Shadow.
Jiraiya's form melted into ink-like darkness and merging with Naruto's shadow. The boy froze mid-step, his muscles locking as though invisible chains bound him.
From the shadow at his feet, Jiraiya's head rose, eyes sharp. "It's over, kid. Stop struggling. If you don't yield, I'll knock you out and drag you back to Kakashi myself. No more games."
Naruto's jaw tightened. His lips moved, murmuring words in a language Jiraiya didn't recognize. The syllables rolled like a prayer.
[ Force Miracle has been attuned. ]
The Thorolund talisman manifested in Naruto's palm. Before Jiraiya could react, a shockwave erupted outward in every direction. It was like a bell made of pure force had been struck inside the forest. The wave tore through the mist, uprooted dirt, and stunned the sannin long enough for Naruto to wrench free.
With telekinesis, Naruto ripped Jiraiya out of his own shadow, dragging the sannin's body into his grasp. He seized his throat with crushing strength.
A puff of smoke burst. In Naruto's grip, a log, being shredded under Naruto's grip.
Substitution Jutsu.
Jiraiya reappeared several meters away, landing in a crouch. He rubbed his neck and gave a crooked grin. "Wow. Looks like you really do want me dead. Guess I should start taking you seriously."
Naruto's eyes burned. He formed a spear of lightning in his hand, the crackling energy casting harsh shadows across the trees.
The hair on Jiraiya's arms rose. He could feel it. That wasn't a simple elemental jutsu. If it landed, he would not walk away unscathed. His smile vanished. He cupped his hand, chakra spiraling violently.
Rasengan!
The two attacks collided midair. Lightning and spiraling chakra ground against each other for a heartbeat before exploding in a thunderclap that shook the entire clearing. Both fighters were hurled back, smashing into trees, rolling across the earth.
Jiraiya was first to recover. He slammed a hand into the ground, blood on his lip but eyes fierce.
Summoning Jutsu: Toad Mouth Bind!
The ground twisted beneath Naruto's feet. Fleshy, pulsing walls surged up around him, slick with mucus and muscle. He struggled as the grotesque, living walls clamped around his body, binding him from the neck down. The reek of stomach acid burned his nose.
He braced to trigger another miracle, when a hand touched the top of his head. His helmet was lifted away, golden hair spilling free.
Naruto's eyes widened. He looked up.
Kakashi stood there, calm but firm, the helm tucked under his arm. "It's over, Naruto."
Jiraiya straightened, exhaling. "Damn right it is. Kid's tougher than I thought." His eyes lingered on the golden hair and the whisker-marked cheeks, his chest tightening at the strong resemblance to Minato.
Naruto grit his teeth, then let out a long sigh. He hated it. He hated that Jiraiya never once fought him at full intent, hated that his chance to punish the man slipped away. But Kakashi was right. He had pushed his limit.
"Fine," Naruto spat, looking down in frustration. Then he forced a grin and shouted, "I'm not gonna kill this old pervert… for now. Dattebayo!"
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Author Note:
And with that, the scene wraps up, so you know what time it is: the Q and A.
1 – Why is Jiraiya's HP so high?
Before I get into Jiraiya, let me answer a more general question I've seen floating around: do shinobi have stats?
Yes. Everyone in the Naruto world has stats. Naruto's system doesn't magically create them, it just lets us see his in numbers. For example, Sasuke being able to swing a claymore makes sense because he already has the strength stat to do it. When Tenten tried to lift Naruto's zweihander, she couldn't, because her strength wasn't anywhere near the requirement. Everyone has stats baked in, Naruto just has a HUD.
Now, on to the big guy: Jiraiya.
The Naruto-verse as glass cannons
One of the hardest things about writing stat blocks for Naruto characters is how fragile they actually are when compared to Dark Souls characters. In Dark Souls, you can take three arrows to the skull, have your throat slashed open, drink an Estus Flask, and keep going. In Naruto, if someone slips for even a second, a simple kunai to the skull ends it. That makes the Naruto-verse full of what I call glass cannons. They can dish out absurd amounts of damage with ninjutsu, genjutsu, or taijutsu, but if they ever get caught off guard, they crumple.
Think about how many top tier characters in Naruto go down this way. Hashirama finishes Madara by stabbing him in the back with a sword. Asuma dies because he gets caught in Hidan's ritual for a single moment. Even Kage level fighters can be brought down by a well timed sneak attack if they do not reinforce their bodies with chakra. Without chakra reinforcement, a normal shinobi is not tanking an arrow through the skull or a blade through the throat with the exception of those with regen.
That is why comparing them to Dark Souls characters gets tricky. Dark Souls is built on the idea that you can soak up punishment, heal, and go again. The Naruto world is built on the idea that one mistake means death, and that makes it feel more dangerous, but harder to measure in numbers.
So why did I give Jiraiya such high HP?
Because unlike many others in the Naruto world, Jiraiya has shown an insane level of vitality. His fight with Pain is proof enough. He had his arm ripped off, his throat crushed, his chest and body impaled, and he still lived long enough to process what had happened, think through strategy, deliver information, and even smile at the end. That is not normal vitality for a shinobi.
Yes, you can argue Sage Mode chakra reinforcement helped him last longer, but even with that, his willpower and body endurance were on another level. Most jonin would have dropped dead from one of those injuries alone. Jiraiya kept fighting through all of them. That makes him one of the few shinobi I would actually consider "tanky." So an HP stat in the 800s feels right for him.
Why 885 specifically?
The truth is, it is a joke number. Originally, I wanted to make it 80085 because that spells "boobs" on a calculator. Middle school humor. Unfortunately, the system setup did not allow me to go that high, so I shortened it. I also thought about 420 for the meme value or 669 because it is, well, nice. But those were way too low for someone of Jiraiya's caliber. So I settled on 885. A nice nod to the joke, but still high enough to reflect a Sannin's resilience.
And before anyone asks, yes, the top tiers in the Naruto world will have higher HP to reflect their standing. That said, Jiraiya's 885 is meant to stand out when compared to the average shinobi, who usually sit somewhere under 200 to 300.
This whole Naruto versus Jiraiya scene was really just a showcase of Naruto's bag of tricks clashing with Jiraiya's bag of tricks. Both of them are walking nonsense factories when it comes to abilities, so putting them together was always going to look like a circus of weird ideas. Honestly, it was fun to write. I hope it was fun to read.
That is it for now.
As always, thank you to everyone who reads, comments, and throws questions my way. You make the ride worth it.
- Adam
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[ Personal Note: First off, thanks a ton to all of you for sticking with this story. Seriously, you guys are awesome. Now, if you're interested in supporting me on P@treon, let me just say that over there, I post these massive 5k-word chapters. But heads up, if you're jumping to P@treon, you'll need to start from Chapter 92, since that's where this chapter lines up with the content there.
To everyone here just reading along, please don't forget to leave a comment! Honestly, your comments make my day, and they let me know you're as invested in this story as I am. So yeah, thanks again, and I hope you have an amazing rest of your day!