Chapter 273: First Clash With Chūin
Torrential rain poured down, lightning flashed and thunder roared.
The downpour washed over the ruined streets of Rain Village, occasional lightning tearing through the gloomy sky, illuminating the two opposing sides below.
One side was Jiraiya in Sage Mode, with the two toad sages on his shoulders; the other was the three Pain bodies led by Deva Path, flanked by Human Path and Animal Path.
Rinnegan eyes emitted cold and eerie light through the rain curtain, like a deity indifferently overlooking struggling mortals.
“Hey, who do you think will win?” On the high tower, White Zetsu, like a pitcher plant, poked half its body out of the wall and said exaggeratedly to Obito beside it: “After all, it’s his own teacher. Nagato won’t be unable to strike, right?”
“Hmph.” Obito under the tiger mask snorted coldly, knowing White Zetsu was mocking him for failing to kill Kushina and Minato back then, even though they died in the end, but not by his hand.
On the battlefield below.
“Here we go!” Jiraiya shouted lowly, his figure blurring instantly as he took the initiative!
Sage Mode brought not only the boost of nature energy, but also extreme enhancements in speed and power!
He charged first at the seemingly heaviest Asura Path.
“Wild Lion Dance Technique!” Jiraiya’s white hair turned into a silver waterfall with life of its own, instantly hardening and lengthening like countless tough steel wires, wrapping toward Asura Path from all directions, trying to restrict its movements.
However, Asura Path’s modified three-headed six-armed body erupted with immense power, its mechanical arms swinging and actually yanking the incoming hair!
At the same time, the huge serrated blade on its back began spinning at high speed, emitting a piercing buzz, slashing fiercely at Jiraiya’s hair!
“Sage Jutsu: Needle Senbon!” Jiraiya reacted swiftly; the grabbed hair instantly softened and detached, while the remaining long hair shot out like a storm, each strand infused with sage chakra, razor-sharp, targeting the three Pain bodies: Asura Path, Deva Path, and Animal Path!
Ding ding dang dang—!
Asura Path swung its mechanical arms to block, producing endless sounds like metal clashing against stone.
Deva Path merely raised its hand slightly, a small-scale Almighty Push repelling all the hair aimed at it.
Animal Path summoned again!
Smoke burst open, a massive stone panda using its thick body to block the dense hair attack.
“Kids’ dad!” Sage Shima shouted.
“Got it!” Sage Fukasaku coordinated perfectly with her; the two sages inhaled deeply, chests bulging high!
“Sage Jutsu: Toad Song!”
An invisible, high-frequency vibrational sound wave centered on the two sages exploded outward!
This sound wave targeted the enemies’ auditory nerves and balance systems!
Asura Path, hit first, showed obvious lag in its movements; even Deva Path’s perpetually cold face seemed to frown slightly.
“Good chance!” Jiraiya’s eyes flashed, hands forming seals again: “Sage Jutsu: Fire Style: Great Fireball!”
This time, the spat flames were no ordinary chakra fire but mixed with dense nature energy, glowing incandescent white, so hot that surrounding rainwater instantly evaporated into white mist, sweeping toward the lagging three Pain with momentum to incinerate all!
“Almighty Push!”
Deva Path endured the discomfort from Toad Song, raising its hand again; a massive repulsion field erupted, trying to push away the incandescent white fire sea.
Boom—!!!
Incandescent white flames collided violently with the invisible repulsion, causing a more intense explosion than any before!
The flames were forcibly scattered by repulsion, blooming like white fire lotuses, reigniting and melting the surrounding ruined buildings!
The high-temperature shockwave even forced Konan in the air to fly higher.
However, in the brief gap after Deva Path’s Almighty Push, Jiraiya used the explosion’s visual cover and the repulsion field’s weak edge to close in on Animal Path at astonishing speed!
“Now!” Jiraiya roared, his fist coated in sage chakra whistling through the air as it smashed fiercely at Animal Path’s face!
This punch, if it landed, could shatter rock!
But Animal Path’s Rinnegan coldly watched him; just as the fist neared, space beside it distorted, a new bull summoned beast instantly appearing, blocking Jiraiya’s fist with its thick body!
Bang!!!
Amid the muffled roar, the bull summoned beast was shattered by Jiraiya’s sage-powered punch, vanishing in white smoke! But Animal Path seized the chance to retreat urgently.
“Not over yet!” Sage Fukasaku growled, coordinating with Sage Shima again.
“Water Style: Water Severing Wave!”
An ultra-condensed high-pressure water line shot from Sage Fukasaku’s mouth like an invisible blade, silently slicing toward the retreating Animal Path!
Its speed far exceeded ordinary Water Style!
Meanwhile, Sage Shima’s long tongue lashed out again like a deadly whip, wrapping toward Animal Path’s legs to restrict evasion.
Facing this pincer attack from above and below, Animal Path seemed to have nowhere to dodge!
However, Asura Path, waiting for its chance, suddenly exerted force, breaking free of the remaining hair restraints; its back and arm mechanisms snapped open, revealing dense missile launch ports!
Monster Arm Rockets!
Whoosh whoosh whoosh—!
Dozens of small tracking missiles trailed flames, swarming toward Jiraiya and the two sages like a bee swarm!
“Watch out!” Jiraiya had to abandon pursuit, spinning around, using taijutsu and hair to block and swat away as many incoming missiles as possible.
Boom boom boom—!
Missiles exploded around nonstop, firelight and shockwaves disrupting the battlefield again.
Deva Path’s Almighty Push cooldown seemed over; it coldly raised its hand, targeting Jiraiya exposed from dodging missiles.
“Universal Pull!”
Powerful suction pulled Jiraiya uncontrollably toward Deva Path!
“Little Jiraiya!” Sage Fukasaku cried out.
“Sage Jutsu: Needle Jizo!” Jiraiya stayed calm in crisis; his whole body’s hair instantly hardened and expanded, wrapping him like a silkworm cocoon for greatly increased defense.
However, Deva Path’s goal seemed not direct attack.
As Jiraiya was pulled mid-air with no footing, Asura Path’s huge high-speed spinning serrated blade and a crab summoned by Animal Path with giant pincers attacked from both sides toward the hair-wrapped Jiraiya!
“Bad!” Jiraiya’s heart jolted; this angle’s pincer was hard for Needle Jizo to fully defend!
In this critical moment!
“Sage Jutsu: Toad Confrontation Chant!”
Sage Fukasaku and Sage Shima on Jiraiya’s shoulders emitted a peculiar frog croak infused with powerful sage chakra!
This sound was no longer indiscriminate interference but formed a specific melody!
Striking the soul!
This was Mount Myoboku’s strongest illusion technique!
Once complete, enemies in auditory range would fall into total illusion, at mercy!
The eerie frog croak sounded, and all three Pain bodies stiffened instantly!
Even Deva Path’s perpetually cold Rinnegan showed violent trembling for the first time, as if resisting something.
However, this illusion needed brief preparation to fully take effect!
This stiff instant gave Jiraiya breathing room!
He abruptly released Needle Jizo, forcibly twisting mid-air to narrowly dodge the crab’s pincers, but Asura Path’s serrated blade still left a deep bone-cut wound on his left arm, blood gushing instantly!
“Ugh!” Jiraiya grunted, landing and staggering steps; sharp pain in left arm, blood dripping from fingertips, staining ground puddles red.
“Little Jiraiya, you okay?!” Sage Shima turned her head, asking anxiously.
“Still… holding!” Jiraiya gritted teeth, using chakra to temporarily seal the wound, eyes locked on the three Pain struggling from Toad Confrontation Chant’s effect.
He hadn’t expected Rinnegan’s illusion resistance to be so strong!
“Must… take out one fast!” Jiraiya knew prolonged fight favored them not; Pain’s abilities too bizarre, seemingly without chakra depletion worry.
His gaze locked on Animal Path, which had just used summoning and showed slight aura fluctuation.
“You two, give me a hand!” Jiraiya growled, regathering sage chakra, ignoring left arm injury, charging Animal Path!
“Sage Jutsu: Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan!”
A blue orb far larger than normal Rasengan, churning with violent sage chakra, rapidly formed in his right hand!
Sage Fukasaku and Sage Shima instantly understood, using Sage Jutsu: Toad Song again; though not a killing illusion like Toad Confrontation Chant, the powerful sound wave effectively delayed Deva Path and Asura Path’s rescue!
“It’s over!” Jiraiya roared, slamming the Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan at Animal Path!
Animal Path’s Rinnegan reflected the nearing Rasengan; it tried hand seals for summoning, but under Toad Song interference and Jiraiya’s max speed, too late!
Boom!
Deafening explosion rang out!
Dazzling blue light swallowed Animal Path’s figure; violent energy shockwave leveled everything around!
Smoke and mist surged skyward!
“Got it?!”
Jiraiya panted heavily, staring at explosion center.
Smoke slowly cleared; only a huge deep pit remained, plus shattered limb fragments with black metal rods.
Animal Path seemed thoroughly destroyed!
“Took one down!” Sage Shima’s tone held joy.
However, Sage Fukasaku on right shoulder stayed grim, his senses sharper: “Something’s off… Little Jiraiya, careful!”
“Almighty Push.”
Almost as Sage Fukasaku warned, Deva Path’s cold voice sounded again, emotionless.
This repulsion was small-range but focused and swift like an invisible sledgehammer, smashing into Jiraiya post-big move, aura unsettled!
“Puh—!”
Jiraiya couldn’t defend effectively; he flew like a cut kite, crashing through several ruined walls before slamming into rubble, blood spraying from mouth, staining white hair and clothes red.
He felt all bones scattered, sage chakra circulation nearly dispersed by the blow.
“Little Jiraiya!” The two toad sages cried.
Deva Path slowly descended from air, stepping toward Jiraiya struggling to rise from rubble.
Rain washed dust and blood from him; those Rinnegan like Shinigami’s gaze.
“Must say, worthy of Teacher Jiraiya to destroy Animal Path… But… it’s over.” Deva Path slowly raised hand, aiming at Jiraiya’s head.
Powerful Yin-Yang Release gathered; a black rod formed in Deva Path’s hand.
This time, gravely injured Jiraiya had no chance to dodge.
Jiraiya looked at that “Yahiko” face, cold and merciless, heart filled with endless sorrow, regret, and self-blame.
He failed to save misguided disciple, failed Great Toad Sage’s entrustment… world’s change, dark future… to end here?
Sage Fukasaku and Sage Shima pinned by Asura Path, eyes bloodshot, powerless.
Just as Deva Path’s pull peaked, about to crush Jiraiya in palm—
Boom!!!
A huge roar came suddenly from Rain Village’s southeast!
Followed by widespread Fire Release Ninjutsu destruction and thick smoke, conspicuous in perpetually rainy Rain Village.
This sudden explosion and continuous ninjutsu destruction stilled the entire battlefield!
Deva Path’s perpetually cold face frowned slightly, looking toward southeast explosion source.
Even the black rod in its hand halted!
Not just Deva Path; airborne Konan looked that way, nearby watching Obito frowned, White Zetsu chattered: “Whoa whoa whoa, massive Fire Release Ninjutsu over there! That level, at least elite jonin’s all-out!”
Black Zetsu inexplicably felt bad premonition.
Who in Rain Village now could cause such explosion level?
Even Jiraiya in rubble, consciousness blurring, was jolted awake; he arduously lifted head toward smoky direction, heart shocked and puzzled:
“That… what is that?!”
………………
“Otsutsuki… Isshiki?”
Jigen’s voice carried suppressed icy killing intent.
“Who exactly are you?”
He stared deadly at the calm black-haired boy before him, eyes full of incredulous shock and fury at touched reverse scale.
That elegant composure as if all in grasp vanished.
Without waiting answer, Jigen flicked wrist; a foot-long all-black short rod appeared in hand.
Exactly chakra black rod made with Yin-Yang Release!
He swung arm; black rod whistled through air, shooting straight at Menma’s face!
This strike flash-fast, power to pierce steel easily.
Facing sudden lethal attack, Menma didn’t even lift eyelid.
He casually raised right hand, palm waving lightly before him.
Ding!
Crisp sound like jade chimes clashing.
That black rod forcing kage level caution was casually flicked away by his hand back!
Black rod shot back faster, stabbing Jigen’s chest!
Jigen’s pupils shrank, reacting fast to catch returning black rod.
But instant his fingers touched it.
Buzz!!!
Immense unimaginable terror repulsion surged along black rod!
Boom!!!
Jigen, plus luxurious desk behind, expensive carpet, swathes of floor and walls, hurled and shattered by invisible giant force!
Office side wall blasted huge hole; gale carrying cold rain poured in, washing smoke into chaotic trails.
Jigen steadied unsteadily on gravel-strewn ground, his white feather robe wet from blast and rain, stained.
He looked up at still calmly seated Menma, not even clothes rumpled; in millennium, first showed gravity and doubt.
In smoke-rain curtain, he clearly saw opposite boy’s eyes had changed.
Left eye Mangekyo Sharingan swirling like vortex, right eye pure white with bulging meridians around pupil!
“Sharingan… and Byakugan?!” Jigen’s voice hoarse with disbelief: “You… Kaguya that bitch’s backup?!”
Such dojutsu combo unlike natural; couldn’t help linking to that betrayer nearly killing him.
Menma slowly stood up, and the rainwater seemed to slide away from his body as if repelled by an invisible barrier when it approached.
He chuckled lightly with a hint of playfulness, raised his right hand, and chakra gathered in his palm, quickly forming a pitch-black short rod identical to the one in Jigen’s hand.
“I have no relationship with Kaguya.” Menma toyed with the black rod in his hand, his tone flat: “If anything, I’m just a passing ninja.”
Jigen’s eyes sharpened, and he said no more.
He knew that words were meaningless at this moment.
The opponent knew his identity, possessed strange dojutsu and power, and his purpose was certainly not simple.
Even he couldn’t imagine who on this planet, besides the sealed Kaguya, knew of his existence?
Buzz—!
A cold and massive chakra suddenly erupted from Jigen’s body!
Black wedge-shaped marks like tattoos quickly appeared on the skin of his body, emanating an oppressive presence far surpassing before!
Jigen’s aura also became obscure and unfathomable.
Wedge·State One!
Entering this state, Jigen’s confidence returned once more.
He believed that with this power transcending the mortal, it was enough to handle any so-called “strong practitioner” in the Ninja World.
Even if the opponent wasn’t Kaguya’s backup plan, it was enough to take him down.
“I don’t sense the pure Otsutsuki Clan bloodline aura on you.” Jigen’s voice became low and filled with majesty, like a deity looking down from above.
“You are not of my clan. But you know secrets you shouldn’t… Now it seems you’re specifically targeting me?”
Although it had taken him a thousand years to barely recover some strength and fully control this body, he was not completely ignorant of the outside world.
Kaguya’s war with her two sons, the Ninja World’s thousand years of strife—he had watched it all coldly from the sidelines.
He had absolute confidence; even if someone came looking for him, he had no need to hide like a rat like Black Zetsu.
Menma swung the black rod in his hand, his tone still relaxed: “The Ninja World holds no secrets for me. I have no relationship with Kaguya; I just want to…”
He raised his head, his Mangekyo Sharingan and Byakugan locking onto Jigen simultaneously, his voice carrying a smile:
“Beat you to death.”
“Or, be beaten to death by you.”
“Heh… It seems you’re quite confident in your strength.” A elegant arc curved at Jigen’s lips: “Perfect, I also need some capable hands to handle chores. Since that’s the case, I’ll reluctantly take you as my lackey!”
Before his words finished, Jigen’s figure suddenly vanished from his spot!
The speed far exceeded before!
The next moment, he appeared at Menma’s side, the black rod condensed in his hand piercing toward Menma’s ribs with momentum tearing through the air!
Menma seemed to have anticipated it, slightly shifting his body, his right-hand black rod precisely blocking Jigen’s thrust!
Clang!!!
The black rods clashed, emitting a piercing metallic clash, sparks flying in the rain curtain!
The ground under their feet instantly cracked and collapsed!
Missing with one strike, Jigen’s attacks came endlessly, the black rod in his hand like a living thing—thrusting, sweeping, or smashing—each move ruthless and tricky, every strike containing mountain-splitting power.
Menma appeared at ease, his black rod dancing like the wind, blocking Jigen’s storm-like assaults one by one, his movements flowing like water, as if he had already seen through all the opponent’s moves.
In the intense close-quarters fight, a cold glint flashed in Jigen’s eyes as he quietly activated his ability.
Daikokuten!
Several imperceptible black rods, shrunk to the extreme, shot toward key points on Menma’s body like invisible dust, silently.
These black rods were stored in his another dimension, summonable at any time.
Immediately after, he activated Sukuna Hikona!
He intended to instantly restore these mini black rods inside Menma’s body to their original size!
From inside out, completely piercing his body!
This was his habitual and unfailing combo kill move!
However, just as he activated “Sukuna Hikona,” trying to enlarge those mini black rods, he clearly felt a powerful resistance!
Menma’s surroundings seemed covered by an invisible and tough barrier force field!
This force field was not absolute defense, but it greatly lagged the speed and power of the black rods’ instant expansion!
Although it was only a brief lag, for a strong practitioner of Menma’s level, it was enough!
Menma’s body shifted slightly with prescient precision by a hair’s breadth; those suddenly enlarging black rods grazed past his clothing hem, tearing only fabric but failing to harm his body!
“What?!” Jigen’s heart shook violently, not knowing how many times he had shown shock.
“He… he can actually interfere with Sukuna Hikona?!”
The opponent was not only powerful but seemed to have a deep understanding of his two core abilities, even finding a counter!
How was this possible?!
The more they fought, the greater Jigen’s shock.
The opponent’s power, speed, reactions, and grasp of the battle far exceeded his estimates.
This was absolutely not the strength a ordinary “native” could possess!
“State One… not enough!” Jigen instantly judged.
To take down or even kill the opponent, he needed stronger power—Wedge’s State Two!
But pathetically, this vessel’s chakra amount was fundamentally insufficient to support him activating State Two!
He must replenish chakra!
With this thought, Jigen unhesitatingly retreated explosively while activating his ability again!
Sukuna Hikona!
This time, the target was himself!
His body rapidly shrank at a visible speed, in an instant becoming as tiny as dust, completely blending into the surrounding chaotic environment and rain curtain, vanishing.
“Tch, playing hide and seek?” Menma looked at the disappeared Jigen, smacking his lips, somewhat regretting that he hadn’t found a chance to plant a Flying Thunder God mark during the intense clash just now.
His hands quickly formed hand seals, and he took a deep breath, his chest expanding.
“Fire Style·Majestic Destroyer Flame!”
Boom——!!!
Not targeting a single point, but a covering, extremely wide-ranging sea of flames erupted from his mouth!
The scorching flames instantly engulfed a large area ahead, turning the ruined office, corridor, and even the streets outside into a sea of fire!
The high temperature evaporated the rainwater, producing massive white steam.
This indiscriminate area attack indeed forced out the target!
At the edge of the flames, in a seemingly empty corner, space slightly distorted, and the Fire Release was absorbed!
“Found you!” At that moment, one of Menma’s shadow clones suddenly burst from the shadows behind him, hurling several specially made kunai like a gale toward his back!
“Hmph!” Jigen snorted coldly; although he couldn’t move quickly while absorbing, he was not without means!
Jigen’s body was absorbed into a dark red vortex, dodging those kunai.
Then, not far away, another dark red vortex appeared, and Jigen’s figure slowly walked out.
At the same time, Jigen mixed the just-absorbed Fire Release chakra with his own chakra and suddenly released it!
A violent flame no less than Menma’s Majestic Destroyer Flame erupted from his body, fiercely clashing with the Fire Release still spewing from Menma’s main body!
Rumble——!!!
The two massive Fire Release ninjutsu collided, producing an even more intense explosion!
Flames shot into the sky, illuminating the night like daylight, and the explosion’s shockwave leveled the already crumbling surrounding buildings!
Before the flames fully dissipated, two figures collided again like lightning!
The clashing sounds of black rod against black rod rang out like a death symphony amid the fire rain on the ruins.
Both their movements were at the extreme limit; ordinary people couldn’t even catch their afterimages.
After one intense black rod clash, Menma pressed forward, his free left hand fingers together, covered in Lightning Release chakra, thrusting straight at Jigen’s heart!
A fierce glint flashed in Jigen’s eyes; he didn’t dodge, his right leg like a steel whip with whistling wind sound, striking first despite being later, viciously kicking Menma’s chest!
Bang!
With a muffled sound, Menma was kicked flying by this immense force, crashing through the wall of a tall tower behind like a cannonball, leaving deep footprints on the pipe-covered wall before barely steadying himself.
He rubbed his somewhat stuffy chest, but his eyes grew even sharper.
He slowly raised his right hand, and in his palm, a basketball-sized energy sphere—dark red deep within, tightly wrapped externally by high-speed rotating pale cyan Wind Release chakra—quickly formed.
At the core of the energy sphere, the dark purple energy writhed like a living thing, emanating an aura of destruction and ominousness utterly different from this world’s chakra.
Small Spiraling Ring!
Menma kicked off with his foot, his figure shooting out again, holding this ominous energy sphere straight at Jigen who had just retracted his leg!
Seeing Menma charging again with that energy sphere in hand, Jigen in State One was full of confidence.
For this kind of “Chakra Shape Manipulation” ninjutsu, his “Wedge” absorption ability was an absolute counter!
He didn’t even take a defensive stance, instead arrogantly raising both hands, palms aimed at Menma and the Small Spiraling Ring, sneering: “This kind of move has no effect on me…”
Before he finished speaking, his expression changed abruptly!
The moment his “Wedge” absorption ability touched the Small Spiraling Ring, the expected scene of the energy being swiftly devoured didn’t occur!
That dark purple core energy was like a completely incomprehensible and incompatible foreign substance; his absorption ability… failed before it?!
“Impossible!!!” Jigen’s cry was filled with shock and confusion.
In this split second, Menma had already closed in with the Small Spiraling Ring!
Boom!!!!!!!!
The Small Spiraling Ring solidly smashed into Jigen’s hastily crossed blocking arms!
Not the roar of chakra explosion, but a deeper, strange boom as if it could tear and annihilate space itself!
“Pfft—!”
Jigen’s whole body was like being struck by a meteorite, blood spraying from his mouth like a fountain!
He clearly heard the sound of his arm bones shattering!
His entire body flew backward like a broken kite, successively smashing through several walls before stopping in a pile of ruins.
He struggled to rise but felt sharp pain and an odd sensation in his chest.
Looking down, he saw the black on his abdomen spreading, indicating this body was faltering under the successive strikes.
And a faint blue Flying Thunder God mark was slowly sinking into the skin where he had been hit.
Jigen abruptly looked up at Menma slowly approaching from afar, his eyes filled with unprecedented shock, anger, and a trace of fear of the unknown.
“Wh… why… can’t absorb it?!” Jigen’s voice was hoarse and distorted from organ damage and extreme confusion: “What the hell is that power?!”
He couldn’t understand; the opponent clearly used ninjutsu based on the chakra system, so why did it contain a kind of energy he couldn’t absorb or even comprehend?
Moreover, the opponent’s strange barrier could lag his space abilities…
This boy… what was his origin?!
Meanwhile, Menma’s heart confirmed his guess.
‘As expected… the core of the Spiral Ring is the ‘dark chakra’ from the Limited Tsukuyomi World. This world’s chakra system has no ‘darkness’ attribute at all! Jigen’s ‘Wedge’ absorption ability is based on cognition of this world’s chakra; facing completely alien energy, it naturally fails!’
