"Bijuu Bomb!"
Naruto had run out of patience for Jiraiya's repeated foolishness.
The Tailed Beast Bomb burst forth in a flash of blinding light, launching like a cannonball from his mouth.
"Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bullet!"
Jiraiya completed his hand signs in a flash. The ground trembled, and a massive dragon made of earth erupted from the soil, jaws gaping wide. It swallowed the incoming Tailed Beast Bomb and soared skyward.
A deafening explosion followed. Blazing light tore through the sky.
"So this is what combat experience looks like…"
Naruto looked up at the fading explosion, a thoughtful glint in his eyes.
The Earth Dragon Bullet was a mere B-rank ninjutsu, yet it had successfully diverted his Tailed Beast Bomb. The chakra disparity between the two techniques was at least twentyfold, and yet Jiraiya had managed to redirect it with minimal cost.
If it were him, he would never have thought of such a chakra-efficient solution. All he would've done was try to brute-force it in a clash.
"Don't be reckless, Naruto. We can talk this through."
Seeing Naruto hadn't pressed the attack, Jiraiya quickly tried to pacify him. "I was only making a suggestion. Just calm down, everything is negotiable."
"Forget it. I've had enough of your stupidity."
Naruto shook his head. "Do you remember what I said just now, Jiraiya? You're trash. Pure trash. I don't even need to get close to you to know exactly what kind."
"You act like you understand people, always preaching your shallow ideals. You think if you toss around a few naïve principles, someone will live out your fantasy for you."
"But the truth? You ignore the darkness. You avoid human nature. You run from reality like a stray dog, wandering the world."
"You cling to your dream and try to pass it on to others, never taking responsibility. Frankly, people like you only bring misfortune to those around you. Believe in your nonsense one day, and you pay the price the next."
Jiraiya's expression changed. For a moment, familiar faces flashed through his mind.
Yahiko. Nagato. Konan...
He looked stricken, as if Naruto's words had pierced right through him.
Inside the seal space, Kurama clapped his massive paws in admiration. "Kid, that was brutal. You kill without lifting a blade."
Naruto shook his head slightly. "I just shattered his illusion. After all, it's not lies that hurt people. It's the truth."
Naruto's feelings toward Jiraiya were a complicated blend of admiration and disgust.
He admired the way Jiraiya cared for his students, like a devoted father.
But at the same time, he loathed Jiraiya's idealism. His belief in some fantasy of peace through mutual understanding was more than naïve it was utterly foolish.
In Naruto's eyes, Jiraiya wasn't entirely wrong. He was just painfully one-sided and powerless, which made his behavior not only irritating but dangerous.
People in this world always reached for perfection. Even peace had to be perfect.
They didn't realize that wanting everything meant losing everything. Those who couldn't let go, in the end, held on to nothing.
It was a pity. They never had sages or philosophers to teach them the wisdom of balance.
This whole conflict began because Jiraiya had tried to force his idealistic doctrine onto Naruto.
In modern terms? Classic savior complex.
Those who truly understand pain don't speak of "understanding." They act first to ease the suffering.
"You look a little pale, Jiraiya…"
Naruto spread his arms, smiling coldly. "Did something pleasant just come to mind?"
"Enough, Naruto…"
Jiraiya looked at him, visibly drained. "I'm sorry. I didn't consider your feelings."
"Empty words."
Naruto formed a hand seal. "Wood Clone Technique."
Creak... creak...
The sound of trees growing echoed unnervingly as four wood clones burst from Naruto's back. The moment they landed, their figures vanished.
"East, west, south, and north. I've placed Flying Thunder God marks in all four directions around the village. ANBU will be here soon, and if anyone makes a move on me, I'll treat it as an act of war. I trust you understand the consequences."
"From here on out, prepare for total war, Jiraiya. This started because you made the first move."
He formed another seal.
Unlike Jiraiya, whose hand signs dazzled the eye, Naruto's movements weren't fast.
But thanks to his refined chakra control, he now needed just a single sign.
He clapped his hands together.
"Wood Style: Wood Human Technique!"
Boom
The ground quaked violently as a massive wooden titan burst from the earth beneath Naruto's feet, rising tens of meters into the sky.
Naruto's hands moved again. "Wood Style: Wood Dragon Technique!"
He raised his palm, and a wooden dragon flew out. A low rumble, like a dragon's roar, echoed in the air.
The dragon stretched nearly a hundred meters long, curling itself around the giant wooden figure.
Unlike the grotesque, tentacle-nosed version used by Hashirama Senju, Naruto's wood dragon was intricately sculpted, complete with four claws. It looked majestic and imposing.
"So you're using the First Hokage's jutsu… I'm flattered, really."
Jiraiya gave a bitter smile and formed a summoning seal. A toad emerged from his mouth not a pleasant sight by any means.
It was a bizarre creature, arms crossed, a long scroll strapped to its belly.
"Fukasaku," Jiraiya said with a sigh, "give him the key."
He turned to Naruto and waved him over. "Come down, Naruto. Let's end this here."
Naruto snorted but jumped down from the wooden giant's head without hesitation. He didn't fear any tricks.
Unless Jiraiya could instantly kill him, no seal or illusion would work.
You want to restrain me with your puny chakra? I'm the guy trying to freeload off the Rinnegan. Please.
He looked at the toad. "How do I unlock the seal?"
"Uhh…"
Fukasaku blinked, clearly caught off guard by the situation. He looked from Jiraiya to Naruto, then wisely chose silence.
He was the guardian of the Nine Tails' seal key. If Jiraiya had approved it, he had no reason to object.
With a flick, he unrolled the scroll strapped to his belly and crossed his arms. "Imprint your chakra here, then open your mouth. I'll enter your stomach."
Naruto channeled chakra into his fingertip and marked the scroll.
Then he gave the toad a skeptical look. "You know Transformation Technique, right?"
"Fine, fine. I get it. Your mouth isn't exactly toad-sized…"
Fukasaku shrunk himself with a jutsu and zipped into Naruto's mouth.
Naruto winced. The fact that this toad had just crawled out of Jiraiya's gut made him feel more than a little grossed out.
But still… the key was finally his.