Minato Arrives

Jiraiya's figure suddenly appeared, shoving Orochimaru aside.

Orochimaru's snake pupils dilated to their maximum: "Jiraiya!!"

Madara thrust his sword straight into Jiraiya's heart, and Jiraiya's eyes instantly dimmed.

Liao Wu closed his eyes: "It's over, Jiraiya!"

Perhaps this was the sorrow of a ninja—setting foot on this path meant a tragic end was inevitable.

A ninja was an assassin's profession, and an assassin's fate was rarely kind.

Tsunade, beneath Liao Wu, stirred slightly, as if sensing the final chapter of Jiraiya.

"Idiot, you fool, you're always like this. Why are you always like this?"

Orochimaru cursed Jiraiya loudly.

His body had long been transformed into that of a snake, his vitality far more tenacious than an ordinary ninja's. Even if stabbed through the head, he could still hold on.

In worse cases, even if killed by Madara Uchiha, Orochimaru still had ways to revive himself.

After the Second Ninja World War, Orochimaru had begun dabbling in Human Body Forbidden Techniques. His means of survival were endless.

Even if the entire ninja world were destroyed, Orochimaru might not necessarily be wiped out.

But Jiraiya didn't know that. Jiraiya thought Orochimaru was still a Mortal Body. Jiraiya thought Orochimaru was still his bond.

His voice seemed to fray like a snapped thread: "O... Orochimaru, the village... the village depends on you from now on. Please, trust the teacher. Don't... don't defect..."

In a daze, Orochimaru's mind seemed to echo with everything from the past.

"Hey! Orochimaru! Come out and fight! You're reading those weird books again?"

"Orochimaru, cough... your bandaging skills are far worse than Tsunade's. Damn it, those Rain Village guys are such a pain!"

"Orochimaru, is this the disciple you took? I never thought a cold-blooded person like you would take on a student. Congratulations, congratulations!"

"You idiot—"

Orochimaru lunged at Madara like a madman. Caught off guard, Madara was even bitten by Orochimaru's Poison Fang.

As Madara and Orochimaru fought further away, Liao Wu stepped forward to collect Jiraiya's body.

Jiraiya still had a breath left. He sensed Liao Wu's presence and opened his dim and lightless eyes.

"... Liao Wu..."

Jiraiya made one final plea: "... Protect Tsunade. I'm begging you!"

With that, Jiraiya's head drooped, never to lift again.

A faint green glow coated Liao Wu's hands as he reached toward Jiraiya.

Suddenly, a flash of Yellow Shadow, carrying a Blue-white Rasengan, Body Flickered between Liao Wu and Jiraiya.

It was Minato!

Minato's Rasengan slammed into Liao Wu's chest, sending him flying.

"You again, Minato!"

Minato quickly caught Jiraiya, his eyes full of worry: "Teacher! Teacher!"

"..."

Jiraiya's aura was faint. Minato felt it was on the verge of fading.

Rage surged in his chest.

"Liao Wu—"

The Rasengan was a powerful twisting blunt-force trauma from chakra. Liao Wu's Internal Organs were twisted by Minato's Rasengan.

He used the Chimera Technique to straighten his Lungs and Viscera, then burned a Life Spore to restore his condition.

Standing opposite Minato, Liao Wu was somewhat puzzled by Minato's anger.

Then he understood—Minato thought Jiraiya had been killed by him.

That was giving him too much credit.

Though Liao Wu was no longer what he used to be, he still wasn't at the level to take down a Kage-level Master like Jiraiya.

Misunderstood, Liao Wu simply accepted the misunderstanding. He closed his eyes, then opened them.

The Three Tomoe Sharingan surfaced in his pupils.

Liao Wu outright claimed Madara's achievements as his own.

"That's right, Minato. I revived Madara. I killed Jiraiya. I captured Tsunade. I did it all."

Minato's peripheral vision swept across the ravaged land, shock filling his heart.

Even the Mist Village Frontline couldn't produce a battlefield this shattered. What kind of fight had they been through?

And that Red Figure toying with Senior Orochimaru... that aura of a Sea of Corpses and Blood, like a Top Killer who had carved his way out of the Warring States Period.

That... is the resurrected Madara Uchiha?

Minato recalled the description from the Contact Frog of Mount Myōboku.

All of this is because of... Uchiha Ryobu!

Minato gripped his kunai, his expression stern. "It's all my fault for being too careless. Back then, I was actually fooled by you."

Ryobu chuckled. "Minato, you did pierce my heart, and I was on the brink of death."

"But unfortunately, brother, unfortunately—next time, aim for the head!"

Minato tightened his grip on the Flying Thunder God Kunai. "Thank you for the lesson. I'll remember it well. I won't make the same mistake twice."

Minato was about to strike, but Ryobu was faster than the Yellow Flash.

"Ancestor, save me!"

Ryobu dropped the act and bolted straight toward Madara.

Not fast in action—fast in retreat.

Minato: "(⊙_⊙)."

"When encountering Konoha's Yellow Flash, the mission can be abandoned immediately without penalty!" — Iwagakure Ninja Code.

One-on-one, the Flying Thunder God is invincible.

Without a counter or a way to defend against Space-Time Ninjutsu, don't even think about fighting Minato alone.

Even if you have one, do you think your combat IQ is higher than Minato's?

Obito, that fool, thought his Kamui could counter Minato, but in the end, he was still beaten into a panicked retreat by him.

Without White Zetsu Cells, he would have been killed long ago.

Ryobu had a way to fight Minato: use his Main Body to hide underground with the Mayfly Technique, then send a Spore Clone to fight.

But if the Main Body couldn't win, wouldn't sending a clone just be feeding him?

Why bother with all that useless effort? Just let Madara Old Demon deal with Minato.

Madara used Wood Style to bind Orochimaru, but at that moment, his body seemed to have some minor issues.

On his arm appeared a curse mark bearing the symbol of Ryūchi Cave, accompanied by small red spots.

This is... Snake Venom!

Orochimaru laughed loudly. "Madara, this is my Poison Curse Mark, made from the venom of the White Snake Sage of Ryūchi Cave combined with a curse seal."

"Even a ninja like the First Hokage would die in an instant if struck by my poison!"

"Ridiculous!"

Madara let out a Cold Laugh, and the Yin Yang Release within him instantly suppressed Orochimaru's Poison Curse Mark.

"Die!"

Madara formed a Hand Seal, and the wooden golem punched down toward Orochimaru's location.

One Punch Mountain Sea Shattered—the ground for dozens of miles shook violently as if struck by an earthquake.

Orochimaru... reduced to nothing!

After the commotion settled.

Minato, carrying Jiraiya, stared in shock at the Arhat Wooden Golem that seemed capable of shattering everything.

"What... what kind of ninjutsu is this?"

Madara then turned his attention to Minato.

Minato was instantly frozen in place.

Madara Uchiha—a legendary ninja from the Warring States Period, a man Equally Famous with the First Hokage.

Jiraiya suddenly drew a breath and spoke with difficulty, giving Minato a final instruction: "...Minato, run... you're no match for him..."

"Teacher!"

Minato helped Jiraiya up and glanced at Madara.

"Hmph! Trying to escape?"

Ryobu came charging back, a Rasengan forming in his Hands.

Minato activated the Flying Thunder God Technique, but just before disappearing, he saw a struggling Yellow White Shadow lunging toward him.

"Teacher Minato! Teacher Minato!"

Minato: "(・_・?)."

Ryobu's Rasengan blasted a huge crater into the ground, but the spot where Jiraiya and Minato had been was now empty.

Ryobu brushed the dust off his clothes and snorted. "They got away fast! Next time, I'll take both your heads, master and student."

The great battle between the Sannin, Minato, Madara, and Ryobu.

Minato fled in defeat, Jiraiya was On the Brink of Death, Orochimaru was Killed in Action, Tsunade was captured—Konoha's top-tier Combat Power was essentially wiped out.