Chapter 267: Naruto, Run, You Can't Beat Them
"What? Orochimaru?!"
"Damn it, that guy Orochimaru really can't be trusted! I knew he was harboring ill intentions!"
After snapping back to his senses, Jiraiya hurriedly fled in the opposite direction.
However, he did not immediately run at full speed. After taking a couple of steps, he glanced back to confirm that the "Orochimaru-controlled" Second Hokage was targeting only him, not Konoha Village or Naruto.
Once he confirmed that Tobirama was indeed charging straight at him, Jiraiya let out a small sigh of relief and continued running, heading toward the outskirts of the village.
No matter what, any battle had to be kept as far away from the village as possible.
"Huh? Isn't that Pervy Sage and that Second Hokage stone-face uncle?"
Naruto, who had just been knocked down by Sakura, tilted his head back and saw the scene upside down. He quickly scrambled to his feet and looked in the direction the two had gone.
"Were they just fighting? Why? Who's the good guy and who's the bad guy?"
Sakura walked over with a puzzled expression and pulled Naruto up from the ground.
"No idea, but I think I heard them mention Orochimaru just now. Sakura, I'll go take a look. You go inform the others."
As soon as he finished speaking, Naruto leapt onto a rooftop and began chasing after the two figures who were about to leave the village.
"Strange. Could it be that the Second Hokage didn't leave any Flying Thunder God markers in this direction?"
While being pursued, Jiraiya noticed that Tobirama was simply chasing him at normal speed, with no sign of using the Flying Thunder God technique. He found it rather odd.
Before he had time to think further, he had already run out of the village.
However, after only a few more steps beyond the gates, a figure appeared ahead of him and blocked his path.
"Old man? Great, you're here!"
"I'm telling you, that guy Orochimaru is controlling the Second Hokage to hunt me down!"
"I told you before that Orochimaru couldn't be trusted. The way he sealed my… that… was obviously just a test."
"You have no idea how evil Orochimaru is."
"It would've been one thing if he only sealed the front, but he sealed the back too."
"Now when I take a dump, I can't even wipe myself. The moment I stuff toilet paper in there, it gets shredded by Wind Release."
"Every time I need to go, I have to use the bathhouse restroom. After I'm done, I immediately jump into the bath to clean up."
"And yesterday, the truth came out. The bathhouse owner found out and put me straight on the blacklist. I…"
Jiraiya poured out his grievances to Sarutobi Hiruzen in front of him.
Suddenly, he felt that something was off. Why wasn't the old man saying anything?
Jiraiya looked more closely at Hiruzen and noticed that Hiruzen's gaze was directed behind him.
Behind him?
That would naturally be the Second Hokage catching up.
However, after Tobirama arrived, he simply stood a short distance behind Jiraiya, motionless and silent.
This formation made it look as if the Second Hokage and the old man were teaming up to surround him.
Wait a second!
Jiraiya suddenly realized something. Damn it, the old man had also been revived through Impure World Reincarnation!
Startled, Jiraiya quickly stepped back, widening the distance between them.
Huh?
Jiraiya warily watched the two of them from both sides. After waiting for quite a while, neither made a move.
What was going on? Did Orochimaru's connection get cut off?
If he had known they were just going to stand there, he would have taken the opportunity to gather senjutsu chakra and prepare to enter Sage Mode.
In reality, before attacking Jiraiya, Tobirama had already sent a shadow clone to notify the Third Hokage, who was helping Tsunade with official duties. He explained his idea to him.
The Third Hokage naturally agreed.
Handling paperwork was something anyone could do. It was not irreplaceable.
For Naruto's growth, he was willing to put on a show together with the Second Hokage.
Thus, Tsunade, who had just resumed the Hokage position and was ready to happily slack off again, watched as the Third Hokage placed the remaining paperwork in front of her, explained his intentions and reason for leaving, and then departed.
Tsunade was stunned, "How could you be so selfish, you bastard!"
Shizune was also stunned, "How could you be so selfish? Third Hokage-sama, if you leave, what are we supposed to eat… no, wait, if you leave, what am I supposed to do? Am I going to handle all this alone?"
They had just lost an Impure World Reincarnation body that did not fear overwork, did not get tired, did not need sleep, food, or bathroom breaks, and could work twenty-four hours a day.
Outside the village.
The reason the Third and Second Hokage stood motionless was simple. Their audience, Naruto, had not arrived yet. Performing in advance would have been meaningless.
Facing the direction of the village, the Third Hokage spotted Naruto rushing over from afar and took action first.
"Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen threw a shuriken at Jiraiya, then rapidly formed hand seals. The single shuriken split into a rain filling the sky.
"Ninja Art: Wild Lion's Mane Technique!"
Jiraiya gave a confident smile.
The old man's move wasn't anything special. He could block it easily.
Huh?
Wait!
After using the Wild Lion's Mane Technique, Jiraiya touched his head.
Sure enough!
His hair had just been shaved off by Tobirama's Flying Thunder God Slash!
Without enough hair volume, he couldn't bring out the full power of the Wild Lion's Mane Technique at all!
Jiraiya hurriedly performed a clumsy forward roll, tumbling across the ground and narrowly dodging the attack.
"That move was aiming to take my life."
After barely evading it, Jiraiya was convinced that Hiruzen must be under Orochimaru's control. Otherwise, he wouldn't have attacked with killing intent.
However, with his nerves stretched tight, he failed to notice that Hiruzen's hand seal sequence had been slightly off.
That technique had not been the Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique, but rather a failed product once developed by the "Professor of Ninjutsu," Sarutobi Hiruzen—the Shuriken Clone Technique.
Just one word different, like the difference between the Shadow Clone Technique and the Clone Technique.
The latter was a basic ninjutsu required of Ninja Academy children and was almost never used after graduation.
The Clone Technique created no physical substance and could not cause damage. In short, it was merely a visual trick.
The Shuriken Clone Technique was the same.
Among the rain of shuriken filling the sky, only one was the real shuriken capable of causing harm.
"Pervy Sage!"
Seeing his mentor in such a sorry state, Naruto shouted anxiously as he ran over.
Given Naruto's personality, there was no way he would hide in the shadows to observe first. He would definitely jump out immediately and start yelling.
"Don't come over, Naruto!!! Go back to the village, it's safe there, go back! You can't beat them! Run!"
"Tell Tsunade that Orochimaru deceived us. And Sasuke, who went to Orochimaru, is in danger too…"
Lying on the ground, Jiraiya raised one hand and shouted toward Naruto.
"Summoning Technique!"
"Monkey King Enma!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen summoned Enma and had him transform into a staff, then thrust it straight into Jiraiya's mouth, blocking his words.
Strictly speaking, this was rather strange. While those revived by Impure World Reincarnation could be controlled by the caster, summoned beasts could not.
If an intelligent summoned beast launched an attack, it would be based on the will of its original contractor.
This was not referring to Hiruzen and Enma, but to the case of Hozuki Gengetsu and the Giant Clam during the Fourth Great Ninja War.
"You... you bastard!"
Seeing his respected sensei treated like this, how could Naruto listen to anything about retreating? He charged straight at the two of them.
(End of this chapter)