You Mean... Lacking These?

Jiraiya sensed the situation turning dire; his figure flashed as he leaped onto the head of Bunta, his feet landing firmly on that rough, toad-like skin.

"Bunta!"

No further words were needed. Bunta understood instantly, his massive mouth snapping open as a foul-smelling, viscous liquid rapidly gathered in his throat.

"Hmph, leave it to me!"

With a thunderous roar, Bunta spat out a torrent of toad oil, which swept forth like a torrential downpour, instantly filling the air with a pungent, acrid stench.

The oil spread rapidly, enveloping the Susanoo like a spiderweb, sealing it off completely.

Almost at the same instant, Jiraiya rapidly formed hand seals, his chakra surging within him as he opened his mouth to exhale a blast of scorching flames, the light blindingly bright.

"Toad Oil Flame Bullet!"

BOOM—!

The flames and oil collided, erupting with an earth-shattering roar and transforming into a sea of fire that swept across the world, sending waves of scorching heat rolling outward.

The Susanoo was swallowed by the flames, the intense heat searing the air until the surrounding scenery began to warp.

Yet, facing this terrifying sea of fire, Uchiha Yoru's gaze remained cold, a look of disdain curling the corners of his lips.

He tilted his head slightly, looking toward the horizon, his voice drifting over calmly:

"Foolish."

The Susanoo's chakra armor vibrated slightly, its purple radiance flowing like water as it rapidly formed an impenetrable barrier, completely blocking the onslaught of the flames.

The fire licked madly at the surface of the armor but could not advance an inch; the oil was effectively isolated by the chakra barrier, unable to adhere to the surface.

The flames gradually died down, the lingering heat waves echoing like a fading sound, yet the Susanoo remained unmoved, standing like a god of war looking down upon mortals.

"Still useless, then..."

Jiraiya stood atop Bunta's head, his fists clenched tight, cold sweat sliding down his temple.

He had assumed the high temperature and adhesive properties of the Toad Oil Flame Bullet would be enough to break the defense, yet all of it appeared so powerless before the mighty Susanoo.

Reality had slapped him hard, exposing his own helplessness.

"Damn it..."

Uchiha Yoru looked down at them with contempt, his scarlet Sharingan flickering with a playful light, his voice as cold as a blade, as if he were dealing with insignificant prey.

"You have struggled long enough."

He did not form any hand seals; the chakra within him surged violently, that power sweeping across everything like a hurricane.

An overwhelming wave of fire erupted from within the Susanoo, transforming into a boundless inferno that covered the entire world in an instant.

"Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"

BOOM—!!!

The flames roared like a wild dragon unleashed, blanketing the sky and earth, the burning heat waves howling forth with an unrivaled momentum; the air twisted violently, as if even the earth itself were bowing under this pressure.

Compared to other fire techniques, this Majestic Destroyer Flame, bolstered by the Susanoo's chakra, had long since transcended the category of ordinary ninjutsu.

The fire seemed capable of devouring the heavens and the earth, everything disintegrating within its scorching breath.

"Oh no!"

Bunta's pupils constricted, his massive body leaping upward, carving an arc through the air as he narrowly avoided the direct impact of the flames.

However, the scorching sea of fire followed like a shadow, as if imbued with life, pursuing them relentlessly.

"This fire... it actually tracks?"

Cold sweat beaded on Bunta; the flames behind him drew closer and closer, the searing heat nearly scorching his skin.

He could almost feel the blistering heat waves of the fire madly tearing at his body.

"What a nuisance."

Bunta gritted his teeth, trying his best to stay calm while firing a water bullet in retaliation, hoping to distract the flames. But no matter how hard he tried, the incoming fire followed closely behind, impossible to shake off.

Jiraiya also felt an unprecedented pressure, a surge of anxiety rising in his heart.

He knew that if this continued, Bunta might not be able to hold on much longer, and he himself would struggle to endure.

"Rock Lodging Great Toad!" Jiraiya suddenly formed seals to perform a summoning technique.

Almost at the same instant, the air beside them fluctuated, and the massive body of the Rock Lodging Great Toad appeared on the battlefield, its enormous esophagus temporarily altering the field of vision and shielding them from the encroaching sea of fire.

But before the Rock Lodging Great Toad could do anything, the giant Susanoo instantly tore its esophagus apart; the toad let out a pained cry before vanishing with a poof.

"If this keeps up..."

Bunta panted heavily, his heart sinking as he looked toward Uchiha Yoru ahead. That nearly unshakable sense of oppression made him feel heavy.

"Jiraiya, this guy... he isn't someone an ordinary person can handle."

He said in a deep voice, his gaze heavy as he looked at the Susanoo, his body tensed.

No matter how hard they tried, they could not break through this terrifying suppression before them.

Yet, Jiraiya's expression did not show a hint of retreat; instead, it grew even more resolute.

He gritted his teeth, his low voice radiating a sense of grim determination.

"Bunta, cover me!"

"I am going to activate Sage Mode!"

Bunta was taken aback for a moment, then let out a savage grin: "Fine! I'll do my best!"

Even though the enemy was terrifyingly powerful, he was still willing to give his all for Jiraiya.

In this life-or-death moment, he did not hesitate in the slightest.

BOOM—!

Susanoo approached with slow, deliberate steps, the ground trembling as a destructive pressure, like a landslide or a tsunami, made the very air feel heavy.

The next second, Susanoo suddenly raised its hand, its blade slicing through the sky, carrying a momentum of annihilation as it swung down toward Bunta!

CLANG—!!!

Bunta swung his twin blades to parry, sparks flying everywhere; the violent impact made his arms go numb, nearly causing him to lose his grip.

"Tch!"

Bunta cursed under his breath and quickly retreated, simultaneously spitting out a water bullet in an attempt to create some distance.

However, Susanoo merely raised its blade slowly and slashed down with effortless ease—

BOOM!!!

A terrifying slash swept across the earth, sending dust and debris billowing into the sky and boulders flying; Bunta was forced back repeatedly by the shockwave, narrowly avoiding being caught in the blast.

Susanoo continued to rain down strikes upon Bunta.

Bunta could only leap and dodge the attacks from Susanoo, knowing that the slightest carelessness would result in him being carved into pieces.

The battlefield was in complete shambles.

"Almost there, just a little more..."

Jiraiya could only growl in frustration.

To Uchiha Yoru, the wind-up time for his Sage Mode activation was nothing more than that of a sitting duck.

Suddenly, Jiraiya's pupils constricted, and he whipped his head around—

"This is... Flying Thunder God?!"

He saw a shadow clone of Uchiha Yoru, and beneath the clone's feet, the traces of lightning had yet to dissipate.

When?!

Before he could clear his thoughts, Uchiha Yoru's clone acted decisively; with a wave of its left hand, a blade of Susanoo manifested instantly and pierced straight into Bunta!

SHINK!

The blade tore through flesh, and Bunta's body, which had been rampaging across the battlefield, suddenly stiffened. The next moment—

"Ugh, aaaaah—!"

Amidst the wails, the massive toad transformed into billowing smoke and dissipated completely.

Losing his footing, Jiraiya plummeted to the ground, slamming into the earth with a thud that caused the ground beneath him to crack inch by inch!

He was uninjured, however.

As the dust swirled, Uchiha Yoru approached with slow, measured steps.

Jiraiya gritted his teeth, wanting to say something.

"You..."

Before the words could leave his lips, a violent palpitation swept through his entire body.

In an instant, Uchiha Yoru's hand had already pierced through his chest.

He leaned in close to Jiraiya's ear, his tone calm and indifferent.

"Almost there? Is this... what you meant by 'almost'?"

Uchiha Yoru used his other hand to make a gesture that would make a certain country's competitor turn red with rage.

SHINK!

Fresh blood sprayed out, splattering across the shattered earth.