The Weakness of Paper Release

"Fire Style: Great Flame Bullet!!"

Jiraiya spat out a blazing ball of fire that evaporated all the surrounding rain like a Fire Dragon.

Seeing this, Jingū Kiraku swept out a hand, sending a torrent of paper sheets crashing head-on into the flames.

"Boom!!"

Red and white collided with a thunderous blast, erupting into a startling explosion.

The next second, a pair of delicate hands tore through the black smoke screen.

Tsunade's golden hair flew wildly as she pierced through the explosion in an instant and appeared before Jingū Kiraku.

She raised one leg high, Chakra surging wildly throughout her body and transforming into an unimaginable, terrifying force.

"Painful Sky Foot!"

Tsunade let out a fierce shout, bringing down an axe-like kick squarely at Jingū Kiraku.

He did not dodge, instead allowing Tsunade's kick to smash straight down.

"Rumble!!"

The earth shook once more as Tsunade unleashed her violent strength, effortlessly shattering the ground.

Jingū Kiraku's body shattered as well.

"Just as I thought, again..."

Tsunade gritted her teeth, her expression grim as she stared at Jingū Kiraku, who was slowly reassembling atop Ibuse's head.

Jiraiya nodded with an equally solemn expression.

"Physical attacks are useless against him."

"This bastard's ability is really troublesome."

As the paper sheets continued gathering, Jingū Kiraku's smile appeared once more.

"Is this the strength of the Three Legendary Ninja? Truly astonishing."

Though his words sounded like praise, coming from the Amegakure Leader, they felt more like mockery...

After all, the title of the Three Legendary Ninja had been personally bestowed by Hanzo, the man who had died at his hands.

At least, that was certainly how Jiraiya and Tsunade heard it.

"Damn it, don't think you're invincible!"

Jiraiya instantly flew into a rage and immediately summoned Gamabunta.

"Teach him a lesson, Gamabunta!"

Standing atop Gamabunta's head, he rapidly formed hand seals.

His longtime partner nodded at once.

"I got it."

The next second, Gamabunta opened his massive mouth and wildly spewed out an enormous amount of brown oil—Toad Oil.

As for Jiraiya, he once again activated a Fire Style ninjutsu.

Combining the flames from his mouth with the Toad Oil, he formed this combination technique—

"Toad Oil Flame Bullet!!"

Though it was called a Flame Bullet, in terms of actual effect, it was practically a vast sea of fire!!

The raging flames lit up the sky itself. The surrounding rain evaporated in the rolling inferno, turning into hazy steam overhead.

The flames surged recklessly, as though they intended to devour everything.

At last, a trace of surprise appeared on Jingū Kiraku's face.

Mount Myōboku, one of the three great sacred lands, truly had something to offer.

The power of this combined ninjutsu was indeed impressive.

However...

His Paper Release was no worse!

Jingū Kiraku narrowed his eyes as an immense number of paper sheets surged out from behind him.

Opposite the sea of fire, they formed an equally lifeless white ocean.

"Paper Style: Sea of Death!"

He swept both hands forward, and countless paper sheets swarmed ahead, rushing fiercely toward the sea of flames!!

The red and white oceans collided explosively across the battlefield!!

Surprisingly, those seemingly fragile, feeble sheets of paper were not instantly devoured by the flames.

Though the paper was continuously burning, the flames were also rapidly dissipating.

The two had somehow fallen into a strange stalemate.

"Lady Tsunade, the enemy's Paper Release, created with Chakra, does not seem to be countered by fire."

Not far away, Katsuyu reminded Tsunade.

"Mm."

Tsunade had noticed it as well.

Her eyes remained fixed on the battlefield, trying to find even the slightest opening in Jingū Kiraku.

On the battlefield, the flames and paper sheets gradually subsided.

Jingū Kiraku crossed his arms, a flash of killing intent passing through his eyes.

Master Knife below immediately understood.

It opened its mouth and sprayed out billowing poisonous gas, instantly enveloping nearly half the battlefield.

Knowing how dangerous the gas was, Jiraiya immediately had Gamabunta leap away.

But Jingū Kiraku and his Summoning Beast had already charged in. A massive cleaver tore through the air toward them.

Gamabunta did not dare let his guard down and hurriedly raised his Ninja Blade to block.

The terrifying force numbed both his hands, and his enormous body was forced back several steps.

"That last attack used up too much Chakra."

Gamabunta drove his Ninja Blade into the ground and spoke through gritted teeth.

Jiraiya was also panting heavily, his face grave.

After using several large-scale ninjutsu in succession, he had little Chakra left as well.

Meanwhile, their opponent still looked full of energy...

He had no idea whether that was an act or whether Jingū Kiraku truly possessed such absurd reserves of Chakra.

Seeing that Jiraiya was running out of steam, Tsunade, having caught her breath, hurriedly stepped in.

"Rest for a while. I'll take over."

She charged forward with the massive Katsuyu.

Katsuyu spat out clumps of acidic mucus like cannonballs.

They could not hit him, but they could at least buy time, couldn't they?

As for Jiraiya, he rested while carefully observing the battlefield.

His teacher had once said that no perfect ninjutsu existed in this world.

No matter how powerful a ninjutsu was, it would surely have a weakness.

With that thought in mind, Jiraiya scanned the battlefield.

Suddenly!

He seemed to spot something—

Sheets of paper that had not had time to burn were stuck tightly to the ground!

"Is it the Toad Oil?"

A glint of light flashed in Jiraiya's eyes.

This Paper Release resisted fire and water, but apparently not oil...

More precisely, Toad Oil could make these sheets of paper lose their ability to hold their shape!

Realizing this, Jiraiya immediately bent down and said something to Gamabunta.

"Really?"

Gamabunta gave Jiraiya a doubtful look.

Jiraiya, however, brought his fists together and said with certainty:

"Trust me, I'm sure of it!"

"All right, then."

Out of trust in Jiraiya, Gamabunta squeezed out what little strength he had left.

He kicked off the ground with both feet and leaped into the air at tremendous speed, then spat out a mouthful of thick oil.

Jingū Kiraku instinctively controlled a great number of paper sheets to block it.

But this time, Jiraiya did not choose to ignite the oil.

Instead, he watched as the Toad Oil slammed heavily into the paper sheets.

Under Jiraiya's certain gaze, the sheets of paper, unable to bear the weight of the oil, fell limply to the ground one after another.

"Just as I thought!"

Wild joy appeared on Jiraiya's face as he immediately leaped off Gamabunta.

Before Jingū Kiraku could react, Jiraiya's white hair surged outward and tightly bound him.

Previously, Jingū Kiraku would certainly have dispersed into countless scraps of paper.

But now, as he watched Toad Oil continuously seep from Jiraiya's hair, he fell into thought.