Zhi Qiang

Jiraiya had originally intended to spend his time in Tanzaku Town indulging in wine and song, but as luck would have it, he overheard rumors of someone who wasn't a ninja yet possessed the ability to "transform into anything," with a mastery so profound that even ninjas couldn't see through it.

Driven by suspicion and curiosity, Jiraiya entered the izakaya. After marveling at the fact that the target's Transformation Technique was indeed undetectable, he downed a few drinks, only for those pitch-black shadows to follow in quick succession.

The Shadowkhan launched an indiscriminate attack on everyone in the izakaya without a word. Jiraiya was no exception; seeing this, he immediately hardened his long white hair, wrapping it around his body to deflect the incoming strikes.

The patrons fled in terror, scattering in all directions. The Shadowkhan had a very clear objective, launching a fierce assault directly at the izakaya owner's son.

Although Jiraiya spent most of his time outside the village, he was well aware of the Shadowkhan. He immediately concluded, "That child has a talisman on him!"

Wrapping his white hair around the izakaya owner's terrified young son to pull him to safety, Jiraiya unleashed another technique: "Ninja Art: Needle Jizo!"

His hair, spreading out like the mane of a lion, rapidly coiled around the bodies of the Shadow Ninja, but this time, he was far from gentle.

With a sharp "snap," the hair tightened instantly, shredding the Shadow Ninja to pieces. Had their true forms not been mere shadows, they would have been torn limb from limb.

"Are you alright, little one?"

With the immediate threat neutralized, Jiraiya crouched down to check on the child, who was trembling uncontrollably while clutching the corner of a table.

The boy reverted to his original appearance, and Jiraiya clearly saw the talisman hanging around his neck, engraved with the image of a monkey.

"This is... the Monkey Talisman?! So, Shape-Shifting is its power?"

The boy had kept his eyes shut the entire time and only dared to open them once the noise died down. Then... he saw Jiraiya's large hand reaching toward his head.

In the next moment, he reacted instinctively, and the radiance of the Monkey Talisman erupted. Jiraiya couldn't dodge in time and was struck dead-on.

"Ninja-sama! Ninja-sama! Are you alright?!"

Seeing his precious son saved, the izakaya owner, who had been hiding behind a secret door, ran out, crouching down and asking with a face full of apology.

"Ah! I'm fine, I'm fine! It's just a bit of chakra exhaustion; I just need some good wine to replenish it!"

Jiraiya joked with his usual carefree attitude, but he immediately sensed something was wrong. Strange... I've been to this izakaya before. Is the owner this tall? He's like a giant. And that little boy—why does he feel taller than ten of me put together?

Furthermore, why did the izakaya owner look at him with an expression of complete confusion, as if he couldn't understand a word he was saying? Could my voice be too quiet?

"Th-that, Ninja-sama, I don't understand what you're saying... perhaps you should see for yourself..."

With that, the izakaya owner brought over a mirror and set it before Jiraiya—

"Nani?!"

The reflection in the mirror was no longer human in the slightest. His head had become wide and flat, his mouth broad, and two eyes bulged slightly on either side of his crown, his pupils murky. His limbs were thick, though the forelimbs were short; his belly was a grayish-white, and his back was covered in rough, warty bumps...

He was, in every sense, a toad!

Even if I am the Toad Sage, I didn't mean to actually turn into a toad!

And... he couldn't perform the Transformation Technique! It wasn't a matter of his forelimbs being too short, nor was there an issue with his chakra flow; it was as if the ninjutsu had been firmly locked by invisible chains, preventing its use, while all other ninjutsu functioned normally.

"Quick! Use that thing to turn the Ninja-sama back!"

The izakaya owner hurriedly gave his son a knock on the head, but just as the boy raised the Monkey Talisman to aim at Jiraiya, a flying axe tore through the air, passing between them and embedding itself firmly into the wall.

"Who's there?!"

Though he sensed no chakra, Toad-Jiraiya immediately shifted his gaze. He felt it... a wave of immense pressure.

"Apologies... I am acting on behalf of another. Please hand the talisman over to me..."

Standing at the entrance of the izakaya was a short, thin man wearing an orange hard hat, a handlebar mustache, a blue vest, a plaid shirt, and a pair of lumberjack overalls. Strapped to his back was a chainsaw that looked like it hadn't been used in a long time.

"You are...?"

Jiraiya searched his memory for a long time but couldn't find any powerful figures who matched this appearance, so he had to ask.

"Oh my! Baldy Qiang from Bear Ridge! Why are you here?!"

Uncle finally pushed open the izakaya door, but the moment he saw the man, his jaw dropped.

"Mr. Uncle...?"

"That is a name from the past. I am now known as... Zhi Qiang!"

Uncle? Then the starfish monster beside him must be Chixing, right?!

Still in his toad form, Jiraiya grew instantly alert upon hearing the name "Uncle"—a name Sarutobi Hiruzen had mentioned in his letters countless times. "The mysterious Qi Magic user who hunts for talismans..."

"How could someone once hailed as one of the three great war gods of Bear Ridge, whose primary goal was to protect the forest, fall so low as to work for the Hidden Organization..."

"Those are things of the past... Mr. Uncle... I am also acting out of necessity. Please, hand the talisman over to me!"

"Hmph! In your dreams. Go tell that to Uncle's Chixing!"

With nothing more to say, Zhi Qiang and Chixing tapped their feet on the ground and vanished in an instant. The axe that had been embedded in the wall was now back in Zhi Qiang's hand, clashing against Chixing's Magma-Magma Fruit-infused fist.

"So fast!"

The speed of their movements was so great that even Jiraiya hadn't been able to track them.

"Is that Armament Haki?! Is this the benefit the Hidden Organization has given you?"

Uncle was shocked. One had to know that Armament Haki was specifically used to counter Logia-type Devil Fruits; logically, it should have been lost to history everywhere except for Bikini Bottom.

Zhi Qiang didn't respond directly. He simply braced himself, his axe coated in black Armament Haki, and pushed forward with force, knocking Chixing back several meters. He then spoke: "Your Magma-Magma Fruit is indeed powerful, but surely you haven't used your full strength yet, have you?"

Zhi Qiang was right. Because they were in a confined space with innocent civilians nearby, Chixing hadn't dared to unleash his full power.

"The three great generals of Bikini Bottom, if you truly have the courage to face me in battle, then follow me!"

Having said that, Zhi Qiang no longer concealed his aura, letting it erupt forth!

A powerful shockwave instantly tore a hole through the ceiling and the dome above. Then, with lightning speed, Zhi Qiang snatched the Monkey Talisman from the izakaya owner's son and shot away like a meteor.

"Chixing! Quick, chase him!"

"Wait! Old man..."

There was no time to pay attention to Jiraiya, who was left confused and transformed into a toad. Chixing's small rocket ignited once more, and Uncle also unleashed his new technique, the "Universal Gravitation Scroll," stepping through the air in pursuit, leaving only the toad behind, croaking in place.