Leaving behind the desolate valley that had served as his dojo, Jiraiya moved deeper into the mountainous territory, his body now resonating with the power of the pact. He no longer searched for distant signs; now he could feel the vibration of the Great Apes, the unmistakable energetic pulse that distinguished them from lesser beasts. Following that resonance, he moved with renewed confidence, though always with the caution of a shinobi in unfamiliar territory.
The energy was most palpable in this central region. The plants were larger, the sounds of wildlife more intense. I felt the proximity of the Hollow Earth, a vast reservoir of latent power beneath the crust. And mixed with that primordial energy, I felt the presence of the Great Apes, multiple energy signatures moving together. Kong's tribe.
He located them in a hidden valley, nestled between towering peaks, a lush place with a waterfall tumbling down a massive cliff into a crystal-clear lake. He approached slowly, emerging from the cover of the forest, his hands empty and raised. There was a group of about a dozen Kongs of various sizes, from juveniles to towering adults.
The Kongs stopped their activities upon detecting him. Their golden gazes fixed on the small, solitary figure. There was curiosity, yes, but also the inherent alertness of predators. The larger males emitted low growls, a warning. Jiraiya stopped, maintaining his non-threatening posture, radiating calm and, crucially, allowing Father Mountain's energy to gently resonate within him.
The effect was immediate and profound. The growls diminished. The stares softened slightly. An adult male, enormous and with scars that suggested he was the leader, slowly stepped forward, his gaze fixed on Jiraiya. This was likely the Kong who had fought the Skull-Crawler in his early days. His energy was powerful, but it didn't possess the age and depth of Father Mountain's.
The leader stopped several feet away from Jiraiya, staring at him with an intensity that made the air vibrate. Jiraiya maintained his stance, trying to convey respect and the echo of the pact through his energy. He concentrated, allowing the Mountain Father resonance to become a little clearer, a silent sign of their connection.
A slow realization seemed to cross Leader Kong's face. He bowed his head slightly, a gesture Jiraiya interpreted as acknowledgment, perhaps of the ancient energy now inhabiting him. The leader emitted a softer growl, not of warning, but of... acceptance?
Before they could establish deeper communication (the telepathic language with Father Mountain seemed to be a direct channel, not one he could open at will with the entire race), the ground began to shake. It wasn't the rhythmic tremor of a moving Titan, but a faster, more irregular one. Creatures emerged from the forest across the valley.
They were Skullcreepers, but not the relatively small ones the Olwatu feared. These were larger, their skin a pale, sickly gray, their multiple limbs ending in sharp claws, and their elongated skulls equipped with jaws filled with teeth. They were voracious hunters, emerging from tunnels that connected to the Hollow Earth, perhaps attracted by the concentration of energy in the valley.
The Kongs reacted immediately, their warning growls turning into battle roars. The leader stood between his tribe and the creatures, pounding the ground with his massive fists. The juveniles clustered behind the females.
Jiraiya, his shinobi mind instantly shifting into combat mode, assessed the situation. The Skull-Crawlers were dangerous, especially in number. Their tough hide made them resistant to physical attacks, and their swift, subterranean movements made them unpredictable adversaries. The Kongs were powerful, but lacked the tactical finesse to deal with a well-executed ambush.
This was his purpose. This was his role as agent and bearer of the pact. He couldn't stand by while the race of his ancestral ally was attacked.
Without hesitation, Jiraiya leapt into action. He dashed toward the flank of the Skull-Crawlers, using his enhanced speed to outflank them. Wild energy seethed in his channels, ready to be used. He concentrated the energy into his right fist, a pulsing sphere of amber-green power.
"Primordial Rasengan!" he shouted, launching himself at the nearest Skull-Crawler.
The impact was devastating. The Primordial Rasengan, fueled by the island's energy, not only struck the creature with tremendous force, but also released a shockwave of primordial energy that threw it backward with a crackling exoskeleton. The energy lingered in the air for an instant, disorienting nearby creatures.
The Kongs paused their attack for a second, their golden eyes fixed on the small human who had just taken down one of their attackers with a single technique. Leader Kong let out a roar of surprise and perhaps... approval?
Jiraiya didn't wait. He moved among the beasts, using a combination of energy-enhanced taijutsu and evasive tactics. He struck at the Skull-Crawlers' exposed joints and eyes with infused punches and kicks, each impact resonating with force. He created small bursts of earth energy to knock them off balance or block their attacks. He launched energized rock projectiles with deadly accuracy.
It was a chaotic dance of giants and one tiny warrior. The Kongs, recovering from their shock, joined the fight with renewed ferocity, their immense fists crushing and their jaws tearing. They worked together , though without verbal communication; Jiraiya used his agility to strike at weak points the Kongs couldn't easily reach, distracting the beasts to allow the apes to land decisive blows.
He watched young Kong, a juvenile who, despite his size, fought valiantly, though sometimes endangering himself. At a critical moment, one of the larger Skullcreepers attempted to attack the juvenile. Jiraiya, sensing the energetic disturbance of the impending attack, quickly intervened. He used his nascent energy defense, creating a temporary barrier of pulsing energy around himself and the juvenile. The Skullcreeper's claw strike echoed off the barrier, deflecting with enough force to leave both unharmed.
After what seemed like an eternity, the remaining Skullcrawlers fled, crawling back into the tunnels from which they came, defeated by the combined might of the Kongs and the unusual little human. The valley fell silent, broken only by the Kongs' gasps and the hissing of residual energy.
Leader Kong approached Jiraiya, his gaze now filled with clear recognition. He bowed his immense head again, a gesture of respect. The other Kongs watched him with a mixture of admiration and wariness. The young Kong, whom he had protected, made a soft sound, almost a chirrup.
Communication was rudimentary, based on gestures, grunts, and, most importantly, energy resonance. Jiraiya projected gratitude for being accepted and a willingness to help. Leader Kong responded with the impression of "protector," "ally," "one who shares the strength of the earth." It was an unspoken pact, based on a show of strength and energetic connection.
While the tribe recovered, Jiraiya had a chance to observe the Kongs up close. His perverted mind made a fleeting appearance. "Wow, what ergonomic specimens," he thought to himself as he took in the females' musculature, quickly suppressing the thought with a mental sigh. "Focus, reincarnated Ero-sennin, focus." He focused on their stamina, their rapid healing ability (something he noticed in small wounds sustained during the fight), and their relationship with the valley's energy.
He looked at young Kong, the island's future king. He saw the intelligence, the curiosity, the untapped potential. This was the direct descendant of the ancestor with whom he had made a pact. The connection between them, though indirect, was palpable.
Now Jiraiya wasn't just an outsider or a "Wanderer" to the Kongs. He was an ally, one who possessed a strange and effective power, and who resonated with the energy of his own ancestral lineage. He had found a base of operations, not in a human village, but among the giants who ruled the island. The pact with Father Mountain was beginning to bear fruit, guiding him toward those who would be his comrades in the fight against the "Darkness" of Hollow Earth. His purpose in this world was taking an ever clearer shape.
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