Feel Pain, Then Understand Pain

"Earth Release: Thrust!"

In the valley, a sharp earthen spike suddenly erupted beneath Jingū Kiraku's feet.

Like a spear, it viciously stabbed toward his neck.

His brows rose, and he immediately darted to the side, avoiding the earth spike.

Unexpectedly, a pair of arms emerged from the ground beneath his feet and tightly seized his ankles.

"Got you!"

A Konoha ninja poked his head out, his expression savage.

Another Konoha ninja took the opportunity to appear behind Jingū Kiraku, mercilessly swinging the Ninja Blade in his hand.

"Heh, working together too?"

Jingū Kiraku curled his lip and stomped down.

A terrifying force instantly surged into the ground, causing it to sink half a meter.

Countless black cracks spread like a spiderweb as the rocks underground compressed wildly, directly crushing the Konoha ninja hiding beneath the earth into pieces.

At the same time, the violent trembling of the ground threw the other ninja off balance.

Jingū Kiraku spun around and threw a punch.

"Bang!!"

The ninja was violently sent flying, embedded in the valley's rock wall.

"Huff..."

After dealing with the two of them, Jingū Kiraku looked around, then glanced at the densely packed markers on the map and could not help laughing.

"Two of the legendary Three Legendary Ninja, plus sixteen jonin, one hundred and forty-three chunin, and three hundred and seventy genin—for a total of five hundred and thirty-one ninja..."

"Konoha really thinks highly of me."

A faint smile rested on Jingū Kiraku's face, as though he did not take such a terrifying force seriously at all.

Seeing this, Jiraiya narrowed his eyes and sneered.

"Jingū Kiraku, are you still talking tough when death is at your doorstep?"

Although he had little Chakra left, with so many comrades aiding him, taking down the opponent was practically inevitable!

"If you surrender without resistance, we can still leave the Land of Rain a way out."

Feeling that the time was right, Jiraiya immediately tried to persuade him to surrender.

After all, he did not want this war to continue either.

If they could persuade the other side to surrender, it would undoubtedly reduce the losses of both nations considerably.

Unfortunately, Jingū Kiraku only answered with a cold laugh.

"Surrender?"

"After surrendering, should the Land of Rain continue serving as the battlefield of your great nations, while its people continue living lives of oppression, worse than pigs and dogs?"

"Hasn't Hidden Rain Village surrendered to Konoha before?"

Jingū Kiraku's questions once again plunged Jiraiya into silence.

Because the truth was just as he said. Whether they surrendered or not, the people of the Land of Rain would continue suffering these hardships.

Perhaps that was the sorrow of small nations...

Though Jiraiya wished to change this situation, one's position determined one's perspective. Right now, he had to end this war first.

So he let out a deep sigh and said,

"Since you refuse to surrender, then die on this battlefield."

"Everyone, prepare to attack!!"

With Jiraiya's command, countless killing intents focused upon Jingū Kiraku.

Kunai after kunai and ninjutsu after ninjutsu stood ready to be unleashed.

It looked as though they could crush Jingū Kiraku into pulp at any moment!

Yet he burst into laughter.

"Die in battle? I'd like to see who dies first!"

Jingū Kiraku's gaze rapidly turned cold.

Then, he raised both hands.

Surging Chakra poured forth from his body, and the entire valley began to shake violently.

"What is this?"

Under the terrified gazes of Jiraiya and the others, the surrounding valley and ground all shattered apart.

Sheets of paper floated out from them, as if the entire world had been assimilated by those papers.

"This is the gift I have prepared for all of you from Konoha."

"Paper Style: Divine Style User Technique!!"

Jingū Kiraku spread his arms, and the papers filling the sky transformed into a raging tidal wave, rushing toward the Konoha ninja with claws and fangs bared.

He had begun preparing from the very start of the war.

Only recently had he perfectly disguised all the sheets of paper and Exploding Tags as this valley.

Now, it was time for them to serve their purpose.

Watching the papers whirl through the sky, Jiraiya's expression changed drastically.

"It's a trap! This entire valley is a trap personally created by Jingū Kiraku!!"

He had finally realized it, shock written all over his face.

Tsunade beside him was equally astonished.

After all, among the Konoha ninja at the front lines were quite a few Sensory Ninja, and even ninja from the Hyuga Clan.

Yet none of them had noticed anything amiss. They had thought this was merely an ordinary valley within the Land of Rain.

What terrifying camouflage ability was this?

But what frightened them even more was yet to come.

Under Jingū Kiraku's control, one "explode" character after another appeared on the sheets of paper pouring forth and dancing through the air.

That meant the countless sheets of paper disguised as this valley were all Exploding Tags!!

All the Konoha ninja gaped—

They could not imagine how terrifying the power would be if so many Exploding Tags exploded at once.

"If they all explode like this, that guy will die too!"

Jiraiya stared fixedly at Jingū Kiraku.

"His body has already been stuck with my Toad Oil. He can't fly at all..."

Before he could finish speaking, Jingū Kiraku spat out a lump of clay from his palm.

The lump of clay swiftly transformed into a giant bird, carrying him on its back as it slowly rose.

Perhaps sensing Jiraiya's gaze, Jingū Kiraku smiled faintly, as if to say—

Didn't expect that, did you? I can still fly!

At that sight, panic finally appeared on Jiraiya's face.

If he allowed these Exploding Tags to detonate, not only would he die, but every Konoha ninja around him—and Tsunade as well—would perish!

Thinking of this, he gritted his teeth and warned Jingū Kiraku in the sky.

"Jingū Kiraku, have you thought this through?!"

"We are the Hokage's disciples. If we die here, the Land of Rain will absolutely face Konoha's unimaginable retaliation!!"

Jiraiya's words abruptly silenced the battlefield, and Jingū Kiraku's expression grew serious as well.

He nodded, adopting a thoughtful look.

"Indeed..."

"You are Hiruzen Sarutobi's personal disciples. If you die, the Land of Rain will absolutely suffer a catastrophe beyond salvation!"

Hearing Jingū Kiraku's words, Jiraiya's eyes lit up—

There might be a chance!

But the next moment, he saw a trace of mockery appear on the other's face.

"So, if I surrender to Konoha like Hanzō the Salamander, and help build up your reputations, perhaps I can keep my miserable life..."

"Then become a dog Konoha keeps in the Land of Rain?"

By then, Jiraiya had understood something, and his expression immediately changed drastically.

Meanwhile, Jingū Kiraku in the sky let out a cold laugh.

"I'm not trash like Hanzō the Salamander!"

"Feel what pain truly is, then..."

"Try to understand pain, everyone!"

As soon as he finished speaking, an enormous number of Exploding Tags ignited at the same time.

The dazzling blaze completely lit up the skies above the Land of Rain!!