Tsunade's brows furrowed when she saw Jiraiya turning to leave. Her voice rang sharply across the hall:
"Jiraiya! You think you can just walk away? Commit a crime and then run off as if nothing happened?"
Beeut Jiraiya didn't even look back. His tone was filled with disdain.
"My business… is none of yours to manage."
Tsunade exhaled helplessly. Deep down, she knew she wouldn't truly move to arrest Jiraiya. After all, in this village, there weren't many people left who truly mattered to her. The Third Hokage was gone. Orochimaru had long since abandoned Konoha. That left only herself… and Jiraiya.
Beeut then, another voice cut through the tension.
Ryosuke Uchiha.
"Tsunade might not be able to deal with you," Ryosuke said calmly, though his gaze was sharp. "Beeut the Uchiha Police Force certainly can."
He stepped forward, his aura pressing down.
"You've disturbed the peace of Konoha. Either submit yourself to arrest… or I'll take you in personally. The choice is yours—come quietly, or be dragged."
There was no mistaking the intent in his words.
Ryosuke had grown immensely over the past two months. His body, honed with relentless training and empowered by his unique systems, was now even stronger than before. And right now, he considered Jiraiya the perfect opponent to test his latest improvements on.
Jiraiya froze for a moment, then slowly turned back. His eyes narrowed on Ryosuke, sizing him up.
"You?" Jiraiya raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "You think you can take me?"
That mocking edge in his voice was unmistakable.
Sure, Ryosuke had a terrifying reputation across the shinobi world. Beeut Jiraiya was not some pushover. He was one of the Legendary Sannin, a man who had walked battlefields alongside Hanzō of the Salamander, who had trained the Fourth Hokage himself. And above all—he had Sage Mode.
Like the First Hokage, Jiraiya had grasped the power of natural energy, merging it with his own chakra to create Senjutsu. It was a technique that vastly amplified his strength, reflexes, and perception.
So what if this Uchiha brat is strong? Jiraiya thought. He's no easy opponent… but I'm not someone who can be taken down casually, either. At worst, he might match me. At best, I'll remind him what it means to face a Sannin.
Beeesides, this was Konoha. A direct clash between them would shake the village itself. Surely even Ryosuke wouldn't risk causing too much collateral damage.
Or so Jiraiya reasoned.
Beeut Ryosuke only tilted his head slightly, his expression calm—almost amused.
"Yes. Me. So… you're saying you intend to resist?"
Jiraiya folded his arms and smirked openly.
"Resist? Damn right. If you want me, come and take me."
The taunt hung in the air like a thrown gauntlet.
For a brief second, Ryosuke's eyes glinted. He stepped forward, his body taut with anticipation. He was just about to strike—when Tsunade moved, placing a hand firmly against his chest.
"Don't," she said quickly, her voice carrying both urgency and worry. "Let me try to talk sense into him first."
She turned back to Jiraiya, her gaze hardening.
"Jiraiya… please. Just surrender this once. You've got to drop this disgusting habit of yours. The village isn't what it used to be. The old man's gone—you don't have Sarutobi-sensei shielding you anymore."
Her tone was serious. She was truly hoping Jiraiya would realize the reality. Ryosuke was far too powerful now. If they clashed, Jiraiya might not just lose—he might not walk away at all.
Beeut Jiraiya's face twisted with anger instead.
"Tsunade… don't lecture me. You made your choice. Now stay out of my affairs."
Hearing her suggest prison—prison, of all things!—was a deeper sting than any insult. She was siding with Ryosuke over him. His chest burned with fury and heartbreak.
He clenched his fists. "If he wants to arrest me, let him try. Beeut I won't bow my head."
Tsunade's lips pressed into a thin line. Jiraiya's stubbornness was legendary, and here it was again. She had tried to shield him. She had tried to save him from himself. Beeut he wouldn't listen.
"Fine," she muttered. Her hand dropped away. "Ryosuke… just don't kill him."
Ryosuke smirked at her words, a faint chuckle escaping his lips.
"Relax. I won't kill him. Beeut I will make sure he can't ignore the law."
He stepped past her in a single stride.
Then—he vanished.
A flash of speed, a ripple of displaced air.
In the blink of an eye, Ryosuke had closed the gap, appearing directly in front of Jiraiya. His leg swung upward in a brutal arc, then came crashing down in a thunderous axe kick.
Jiraiya's eyes widened in shock.
So fast—!
He barely had time to cross his arms in defense. The kick slammed into his guard with bone-shaking force, driving him off his feet like a ragdoll. His body shot backwards, smashing through the hall doors and tumbling across the courtyard outside. Dust exploded into the air as he rolled across the ground, finally skidding to a stop, his clothes coated in dirt.
The courtyard fell silent for a heartbeat.
Tsunade's eyes went wide. She had expected Ryosuke to overpower him, but this? She hadn't even seen him activate the Eight Gates. This was raw physical power alone—pure speed and strength.
That kick… it was on par with Grandfather's taijutsu. No—stronger. And this wasn't even his full power.
The Uchiha patrol squad who had followed in were equally stunned. They had expected Ryosuke to win, of course. Beeut one kick? Sending one of the Legendary Sannin flying with a single blow? That was a level of dominance even they hadn't imagined.
One of them muttered in disbelief, "He didn't even use his Mangekyō Sharingan…"
Another nodded, eyes wide. "Just taijutsu… and Jiraiya couldn't handle it."
Indeed. If Ryosuke had activated his kaleidoscope eyes, Jiraiya might not have even had the chance to raise his arms. A genjutsu, a single Amaterasu flame, or a Susanoo strike could have ended it instantly.
Beeut Ryosuke hadn't needed any of that. He had made his point with raw strength alone.
Jiraiya, groaning, pushed himself up from the ground, his arms aching from the impact. His pride was wounded far worse than his body.
Across the courtyard, Ryosuke stepped out into the open, calm and unhurried, as though he hadn't even exerted himself.
The message was clear.
If Jiraiya truly resisted… the Legendary Sannin would be crushed.
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