"Sora?"
Mei exclaimed in surprise, a joyful smile spreading across her small face.
She had originally come with the determination to die, ready to perish together with the Ninja who had 'killed' Sora.
Now, seeing the boy from her heart standing before her completely unharmed, she was naturally overjoyed.
"Are you alright?"
Sora glanced over Mei's still slightly youthful but already curvaceous body and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Earlier,
Seeing Yagura's miserable state, he had thought Mei couldn't be much better off. Now it seemed Jiraiya's damage had all been absorbed by Yagura, which could be considered making the most of his use.
"Yuki!"
"Yuki-sama!"
"Yuki-sama!"
The intelligence department's chief, Fuguki, was fine, but the other two members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, both Juzo and Raiga, greeted Sora with faces full of awe and respect.
Especially the one-armed Juzo, whose eyes held a trace of fear that Sora might settle accounts later.
In the Village of the Bloody Mist-
The one with the biggest fist makes the rules.
Now, the terrifying combat power Sora had displayed made even these arrogant Seven Ninja Swordsmen' members sincerely submit, not daring to act out of line in his presence.
As they spoke,
On the battlefield,
The terrifying flying snow finally ceased. The endless cutting of the snowflakes had actually torn away more than half of Jiraiya's Sage Art defense, revealing his face painted with red markings, now solemn.
"Truly a fearsome opponent!"
Jiraiya looked solemnly at Sora in the distance.
He was very clear in his heart just how terrifying the explosive power of his Sage Mode was.
It enhanced Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, and Chakra comprehensively, even allowing him to exhibit combat power comparable to peak mid Kage-level for a short time.
However,
Even this ultimate trump card had failed to defeat his opponent, showing just how fearsome the combat power of this mysterious Kirigakure's youth was.
Jiraiya couldn't help but think: 'If this guy like this suddenly appeared on the main battlefield, what kind of terrible casualties would he inflict on Konoha's forces?'
It was chilling to think!
"Sage Art: Great Flame Bullet!"
Instantly,
Jiraiya's hands formed hand seals rapidly, and he spat out another massive fireball.
Using oil to fuel the flames and Senjutsu Chakra to amplify it, the fireball instantly transformed into a vast, endless sea of fire, crashing down towards the location of Sora and the others.
"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"
"Water Release: Exploding Water Wave!"
"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"
In an instant,
Before Sora could even act, Mei, Fuguki, and Raiga behind him formed hand seals and counterattacked with Water Release Ninjutsu.
Overwhelming waves of water crashed against the endless sea of fire.
The next moment,
Billowing clouds of scalding steam shot into the sky with a fierce roar, sweeping out in all directions, enveloping an area of a hundred meters in a fog of misty vapor.
"Retreat!"
"Retreat now!"
Under the cover of the mist, Jiraiya's Sage Mode also deactivated. He shouted sharply and, without a second thought, fled towards the rear with the remaining Konoha's Jonins.
He can't fight Sora anymore!
If they continue to clash head-on like this, the losses will only get bigger!
After all,
Jiraiya's Sage Mode wasn't unlimited in duration. Once the time was up, his body would only become weaker, and by then...
He would be even less of a match for Sora!
'It's too troublesome!'
'This mysterious Kirigakure youth's combat power was simply outrageously strong. Relying on my strength alone, I was no match.'
It can't be helped. Before this battle, although Jiraiya's Chakra had been depleted somewhat by Yagura, he still had fourteen elite Konoha's Jonins with him!
In theory, with such a lineup plus Jiraiya himself, they could have gone to assassinate the Third Mizukage!
However,
The harsh reality was that Sora, right in front of Jiraiya, had almost single-handedly wiped out the team of Konoha's Jonins, and even forced Jiraiya to use his ultimate move, Sage Mode, without falling behind.
It was too monstrous!
Jiraiya had already realized that if the fight continued, with the reinforcements from Kirigakure's Seven Ninja Swordsmen, he might very well die here today!!!
'Jiraiya-sama...'
'Is fleeing!??'
Seeing the legendary Konoha's Sannin was actually forced to retreat by a 'previously unknown' Kirigakure youth, the Konoha's Jonins felt like they were dreaming!!!
"We've lost..."
"Completely lost!"
"Even Jiraiya-sama is no match for him, is that boy a monster!??"
"The Third Mizukage? Does the Kirigakure's Mizukage even have this kind of strength?"
The expressions of the three Konoha's Jonins became incredibly vivid, their eyes filled with horror and fear.
After all, the invincible Jiraiya has been defeated!
This is Jiraiya we're talking about!
The Hokage's direct disciple, one of Konoha's Sannin, the Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku, one of the strongest Ninjas in Konoha besides the Hokage himself!
How could he lose!??
How!
Wasn't Jiraiya just an unparalleled powerhouse who could single-handedly fight the Third Mizukage to a standstill?
How come in the blink of an eye, he's been suppressed by a Kirigakure's youth!??
Just who is the Mizukage here!??
Stupefaction.
Fear.
Trembling.
At this moment,
The three Konoha's Jonins had completely lost their will to fight. They had also completely lost the courage to face Sora again!