To be honest, watching Kabuto transform into this neither-human-nor-demon form, Jiraiya felt truly shocked.
If it weren't for the fact that he was an enemy, Jiraiya would have praised him wholeheartedly.
That Naruto could enter Sage Mode was already incredibly impressive.
And yet, Kabuto had also managed to master Sage Mode… in his own way.
"I thought Orochimaru would be the first one to discover this power," Jiraiya said, now even more wary.
"Lord Orochimaru certainly knows about Sage Mode," Kabuto replied proudly, reveling in the strength of Sage Mode. "But his body was too weak to withstand its power. You're truly fortunate to witness all of this firsthand."
"He can actually gather Natural Energy on his own and enter Sage Mode? And even move freely?" Jiraiya thought to himself, astonished. Naruto could do it as well—but only because he had his own unique method.
"This is what you call 'perfect form'?" Elder Shima loudly retorted. "Sage Mode isn't omnipotent, you know. While you may live longer, you're far from immortal. You'll still age, and you can still be injured in battle."
"I never claimed this was the end result, did I?"
The smug look on Kabuto's face was infuriating.
It was as if he had uncovered a world-shattering secret and longed to scream it to the heavens—but he knew he couldn't, not to Jiraiya at least.
Because he knew if Jiraiya discovered his secret, he'd definitely try to stop him.
And the more Kabuto held back, the more Jiraiya's curiosity grew. Unable to help himself, he asked, "Then what is it?"
"That's not something you're meant to know," Kabuto smirked, clearly enjoying manipulating a powerful ninja like Jiraiya so effortlessly. "Maybe, if you're lucky, I'll let you see my moment of greatness with your own eyes. Then you'll understand everything."
He really wanted to tell Jiraiya—that much was obvious. Well then, two possibilities lay ahead.
Either Jiraiya defeats Kabuto and stops his plan, or Kabuto defeats Jiraiya—and Kabuto would reveal everything out of sheer arrogance.
But Jiraiya truly hoped it wouldn't come to that. Judging by how confident Kabuto seemed right now, Jiraiya had a feeling—he didn't want to know Kabuto's plan, and he definitely didn't want to face it.
Suddenly, Kabuto smiled. "Let's see whose Sage Mode reigns supreme—the snake's or the frog's!"
Blue chakra scalpels flared to life in his hands as he rushed toward Jiraiya at astonishing speed.
Fukasaku was the first to react. Since Kabuto entered Sage Mode, he'd kept himself on high alert.
[Sage Art: Hair Needle Senbon!]
His tongue stretched endlessly, firing countless thin, needle-like strands straight at Kabuto.
Kabuto evaded the attack with ease, sending a twinge of unease through Jiraiya.
Without using Shima's genjutsu to limit Kabuto's mobility, landing a successful strike against someone as formidable as him would already be extremely difficult. Worse still, Kabuto had now entered Sage Mode, significantly enhancing both his reaction speed and sensory perception.
"Are you kidding me?" Jiraiya muttered inwardly, as Kabuto suddenly lunged in front of him, swinging his chakra scalpel in a fierce assault.
"Alright, I have to admit," he muttered, "the Snake's Sage Mode is indeed faster than the Frog's," though he hated to admit it.
Kabuto noticed that Jiraiya could always predict his attacks, so he stepped back a few paces, flicked out his snake-like tongue, and mocked,
"Looks like two heads aren't always better than one."
"What do you expect?" That guy was unbearably arrogant, but Jiraiya had to stay calm. Even before becoming Orochimaru's assistant, Kabuto had already been an exceptionally powerful ninja—Jiraiya needed to give him the respect he deserved.
"Well then, watch this—[Sage Art: Goemon]!"
A massive stream of oil erupted from Jiraiya's mouth while Shima and Fukasaku spewed flames and wind in tandem. The three forces merged into a blazing inferno, surging toward Kabuto.
Even within such a vast chamber, the flames nearly engulfed every corner.
Kabuto's golden snake-like eyes gleamed eerily in the face of the raging fire. With an almost impossible level of flexibility, he narrowly avoided the deadly strike—but there was no escape.
He ran desperately along the wall, trying to evade the fiery onslaught, only to realize that wherever he went, Jiraiya's attacks followed relentlessly.
Suddenly, Jiraiya's long white hair grew wildly outward, morphing into the head of a gigantic lion that lunged at Kabuto.
[Sage Art: Lion's Rampant Mane!]
The lion's gaping maw clamped down on Kabuto's body, yanking him off the wall like a ragdoll flung through the air.
At that moment, Kabuto's body unexpectedly turned into liquid, slipping right out of the lion's jaws.
"This ability stems from genetic material extracted from Shukaku and another jinchuriki I once researched," he explained.
"Fascinating," Jiraiya replied with a forced smile. "I suppose you've even implanted the Uchiha clan's genetic material? It's obvious you're after immense power—you really want everything for yourself."
"Your jokes are even more boring than your attacks," Kabuto shouted loudly from a safe distance. "But honestly, this doesn't surprise me. After all, haven't you always believed that the younger generation surpasses the old? You should believe we'll become far superior to your generation."
"Did you hear that, Jiraiya?" Fukasaku whispered just loudly enough for Kabuto to hear. "He's already claiming he's stronger than you."
"Yeah. He never learns."
"Jiraiya said, stroking his beard, "I really wonder, if he truly thinks he's surpassed me, why go through all this effort? Honestly, I just don't get today's youth."
Kabuto wasn't fooled. Not the slightest hint of anger crossed his face. But he couldn't help replying anyway:
"Of course I had to do this, my Senior. Back then, in that war-torn era, before even your generation was born—that was a glorious time. I wanted to follow in your footsteps. I wanted to surpass you. But I could never attain power like the Sage of Six Paths, so I had to look for alternatives—other means—to grow stronger."
"What the hell are you going on about?"
A strange smile appeared on Kabuto's face. It was the smile of someone who thought he'd figured everything out. He already seemed certain of victory.
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