"Do you truly think there are no capable fighters left in Konoha?"
As this voice filled with fury rang out, the area where Sakumo and Chiyo were locked in battle was suddenly swallowed by darkness deeper than the already gloomy sky.
Both looked up. A towering shadow loomed overhead, swallowing the sky.
It was none other than Gamabunta himself!
"My summoning time is almost over. The battle is in your hands now."
Gamabunta said, since he had long since moved far away from Minato, the ninja who summoned him, and his time in this world had lasted quite long already.
"Thanks for your help this time," Jiraiya's voice came through.
"Puff!"
With a burst of smoke, that enormous toad and the Colossal Blade shielding Hatake Sakumo vanished instantly.
Looking up at the two figures falling through the air, Chiyo's expression turned extremely grim.
Still, she was an established expert, and quickly manipulated her Chikamatsu Collection to launch an upward assault—puppets had no blind spots in this battlefield.
Swish!
At this moment, Sakumo also moved, dashing forward with his Tanto brandished toward Chiyo.
He intended to protect Jiraiya and Orochimaru still descending from above.
Chiyo indeed held many reservations toward Sakumo, so half of the Ten Puppets remained behind just to keep watch over him.
The other five puppets either swung steel cords or launched barrages of poisonous needles and kunai.
[Fire Release - Rapid-Fire Great Fireball Jutsu!]
In midair, both Jiraiya and Orochimaru had already prepared themselves for combat. Jiraiya unleashed several large fireballs in succession, immediately blocking Chiyo's entire line of sight.
Roar!
At the same time, these attacks clashed amidst roaring flames, being intercepted and halted.
[Water Release: Suiran no Jutsu!]
"Hiss!"
A portion of the flames covering the space above Sakumo and Chiyo dissipated under the Water Release technique, creating billowing steam that still obscured vision entirely within the battlefield.
All of this happened nearly instantaneously.
[Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!]
From within the rising mist, a dark swift figure dashed forth, slicing through the air with a sound that transformed into dozens—no, hundreds—of sounds within moments.
Frowning, Chiyo recalled the five puppets previously attacking Jiraiya and Orochimaru, then withdrew another five engaged in holding off Sakumo. The Ten Puppets became an unbreakable defense, intercepting the storm of flying shuriken.
An endless rain of shuriken clattered down, each clanging against the ground with a sharp metallic clang.
Swish! Swish!
Meanwhile, two figures emerged from the misty vapor, landing before Hatake Sakumo.
The sight of these two brought even Sakumo to crack a slight smile.
This battle against Chiyo was the most arduous he'd ever faced since becoming a ninja.
Her power stood above his. Were it not for his specific counter to puppet masters, anyone else would have already fallen to Chiyo.
In all of Konoha today, only the Third Hokage could stand alone against that hag and survive.
[Water Release: Water Formation Wall!]
Orochimaru formed hand seals, then spat out a geyser of water from his mouth. The torrent surged upward, shielding the trio from the flames above and around.
The massive Fireball falling from the sky was constantly neutralized by this wall of water.
Chiyo remained in her defensive puppet formation. Her double-bladed puppet swung its weapons overhead, slicing through any stray fire raining down.
Other puppets also tried to defend, though they moved with hesitation.
That's only natural — besides dreading powerful physical attacks, puppets fear fire above all else.
This is exactly why Jiraiya used such large-scale Fire Release techniques — not merely to land safely.
When the last embers had mostly fallen, Chiyo inside her puppet group narrowed her eyes into a murderous glare.
She never expected the situation, once seeming certain, to turn out like this.
It wasn't just faulty intelligence — more importantly, how could that summoning appear so quickly along with both Jiraiya and Orochimaru?
Ultimately, it all came back to that golden-haired punk from Konoha who had summoned Gamabunta.
This kid not only destroyed two of her puppets but nearly ruined her attempt to kill Sakumo Hatake.
As Chiyo fumed inwardly, Jiraiya and Orochimaru said nothing at all.
Both men's eyes burned with rage. Jiraiya began forming hand seals, then slammed his palm on the ground with an explosive sound.
[Earth Release: Mud Wall Rise!]
The earth roared as four towering walls erupted outward, completely enclosing Chiyo and her army of puppets within.
Shocked, Chiyo hadn't underestimated them — but even she hadn't expected them to unleash such a powerful Earth Release technique so instantly!
Still, she immediately directed several physically destructive puppets from her Chikamatsu Collection to attack those walls, which rapidly developed cracks from the force.
Yet, despite their usual destructive power, they couldn't break through this powerful Earth Release technique immediately.
Just then, two figures climbed atop the earthen wall above, each striking a flamethrowing pose.
[Fire Release: Great Flame Bullet!]
[Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!]
Two incredibly powerful fire techniques rained down from above, suddenly filling Chiyo's vision with roaring flames.
WHOOSH!
Thick flames burst skyward, igniting throughout the entire enclosure created by the Mud Wall Rise.
"Turn your pathetic puppets into ashes!" Jiraiya shouted furiously.
Yet before either man fully landed, a whistling sound arose amid the flickering flames.
[Three Treasures Suction Collapse!]
WHOOSH WHOOSH!
A violent whirlwind tore through the blazing inferno. This terrifying gust actually scattered the rising flames, sending them shooting outward across mountains and battlefield alike.
For those ninja still reeling from such a high-level battle, the flames surged like a wildfire, forcing them to scatter for cover.
"Actually managed to disperse the flames with wind..."
Junko choked back a sob. In Chakra Nature Transformation, [Wind Release] generally countered [Fire Release], but this wasn't always absolute.
If one had enough power, wind really could put out fire.
Jiraiya's and Orochimaru's Fire Release techniques were anything but weak, yet Chiyo's Wind Release appeared even more extraordinary.
Under the force of this powerful wind, the Mud Wall Rise suddenly crumbled, countless rocks swept away by the gusts, creating tremendous impact.
When this storm finally settled, Chiyo's figure reappeared. Her eyes burned with fury as she stared at them.
But what she got in return was an even colder, sharper stare from Jiraiya and Orochimaru alike.
...
...(continued)
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