Dropping from the hollow in the tree, Jiraiya held a kunai in his right hand in front of his chest, ready to defend himself.
"I almost got killed by you, old man! That was so scary!" Kizaru patted the spot over his heart, putting on an exaggeratedly frightened look.
"What a nasty personality this guy has!" Jiraiya wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his left hand, silently grumbling to himself.
"Just as expected of Konoha's latest genius. You're a real handful." Jiraiya imitated the Kumogakure ninja, putting on a fierce look as he said sternly, "Brats like you have to be eliminated before you grow up!"
With that, Jiraiya bent his knees, pushed off with both legs, and leaped into the air.
Taking aim at Kizaru, he hurled the kunai in his right hand with all his strength.
With a sharp whistle, the kunai shot straight toward Kizaru's face.
"Old man, do you think it's possible..." As he spoke, Kizaru tilted his head and dodged the kunai. "That I've already grown up a little?"
After speaking, Kizaru even raised his right hand and made a "C" shape that would enrage a certain country.
"Enough talk, brat!"
Dropping from the air, Jiraiya formed Hand Seals and used Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld.
Feeling something under his feet, Kizaru looked down and saw the hard earth beneath him had turned into a muddy swamp.
"Brat, this is what you get for underestimating me and getting cocky. Die!" Jiraiya seized the opportunity to teach Kizaru a lesson, deliberately announcing, "Fire Style: Flame Bullet!"
"That kind of attack won't kill me, old man!" As he spoke, Kizaru rapidly formed Hand Seals, took a deep breath, and used Super Wind Style: Vacuum Wave.
Wind blades, like whips, streamed from Kizaru's mouth. As he swung his head, they darted toward Jiraiya with the agility of venomous snakes.
Jiraiya leaped backward, twisting and turning as he nimbly dodged the Wind Snakes' attacks.
While dodging, Jiraiya didn't give up attacking. He continued to form Hand Seals, puffed out his cheeks, and unleashed a burst of explosive flames that shot forward in a straight line. After destroying the Wind Snakes Kizaru controlled, the flames surged on toward him without losing any force.
Tsunade, who had been watching from behind a bush, saw Jiraiya use the high-level Fire Release Ninjutsu Dragon Flame. She tensed, ready to rush in and rescue Kizaru at any moment.
"Jiraiya's taking things way too far!" Tsunade half rose, looking ready to charge out at once.
By contrast, Orochimaru, Kizaru's future teacher, didn't move at all and seemed completely calm.
"That brat is fine," Orochimaru said coolly.
"What?" Tsunade, her attention fixed on the training ground, hadn't heard him clearly. She instinctively turned to ask.
"He's already escaped," Orochimaru replied.
Hearing Orochimaru's words, Tsunade whipped her head around to look ahead, just in time to see Kizaru break free of the swamp's muddy grip and leap into the air.
"That was terrifying, old man!" Kizaru said with a smile, having jumped into the air to avoid Jiraiya's attack.
Jiraiya didn't waste words. He charged forward, pulling three shuriken from the pouch strapped to his thigh as he ran and throwing them at Kizaru in midair.
Falling from the air with nowhere to push off, Kizaru seemed unable to dodge the three shuriken Jiraiya had thrown.
Just as the shuriken were about to hit him, Kizaru didn't use the Substitution Technique like an ordinary ninja. Instead, he raised his right hand and extended his index finger.
Seeing Kizaru's movement, Jiraiya slowed his charge slightly, warily wondering, What's this brat going to do now?
Brilliant golden light blossomed at the tip of Kizaru's index finger. A laser shot out, melting through the shuriken and knocking them out of the air before continuing toward Jiraiya.
Already on guard, Jiraiya leaped instantly, dodging to the front left just in time to avoid the laser.
Bang!
The laser Kizaru fired struck the ground and exploded, sending up chunks of stone and clouds of dust.
Using his arm to shield himself from the flying debris, Jiraiya silently congratulated himself on dodging in time.
What kind of ninjutsu is that? Lightning Release? Jiraiya looked up at Kizaru as he landed, guessing to himself.
"You've discovered my secret. What am I supposed to do now, old man?" Kizaru held the pose he'd landed in, pointing his right index finger at Jiraiya and looking troubled.
"Looks like I'll just have to take you out, old man." Kizaru gazed at Jiraiya with a beaming smile.
Jiraiya's heart tightened. For the first time, he felt a sense of danger!
"Then give it your best shot, you brat!" Jiraiya answered defiantly.
"Then I won't hold back, old man!" Kizaru replied with a smile.
With that, Kizaru used the Body Flicker Technique and vanished from where he stood. He leaped into the air, turning into a streak of light, and appeared before Jiraiya in an instant.
Returning to human form, Kizaru radiated a blinding light so intense that no one could look directly at him.
"Th-that guy turned into light!" Tsunade exclaimed, stating the obvious.
"What kind of ninjutsu is this?" Orochimaru's curiosity only deepened.
Compared with his two friends watching from a distance, Jiraiya was in a much worse position.
The intensely bright light shining from Kizaru's entire body caught Jiraiya completely off guard. Since he had never faced an attack like this before, the glare temporarily blinded him.
Jiraiya squeezed his eyes shut as tears streamed out. Relying on his instincts as a ninja, he suddenly leaped backward, trying to avoid Kizaru's next attack.
But Kizaru, who had transformed into his glittering golden form, naturally wouldn't give his enemy time to recover. He pushed off with his toes and lunged at Jiraiya, who was retreating.
"Old man, have you ever been kicked by light?" As he spoke, Kizaru raised his right leg, turning it into a streak of golden light. After it reached Jiraiya's side, it instantly became solid again.
Speed was power. With light speed behind it and Kizaru's recently enhanced strength, his right foot sent Jiraiya flying the moment it made contact.
Jiraiya shot away like a blur, crashing through three tree trunks in a row before hitting the ground and skidding several meters.
Turning to face the direction his enemy had flown, Kizaru didn't stop. He raised his right hand, and a golden flash lit up at the tip of his index finger once more.
"Well then, goodbye, old—"
"Wait!"
Tsunade stood up from behind the bush, calling out as she leaped onto the training ground.
Still pointing his right index finger, which glowed with light, Kizaru turned to look at her.
Her face was pretty, and vaguely familiar. His gaze moved down. Very large!
His eyes lingered below her neck, and Kizaru recognized who she was: one of the future Sannin, Princess Tsunade.
"The person you just fought was Jiraiya, a Konoha ninja." Faced with Kizaru's stare, Tsunade hurriedly explained.
Kizaru raised an eyebrow, and his smile grew even brighter. "So it was Lord Jiraiya! I'm terribly sorry. Lord Jiraiya's acting was so convincing that I really thought a spy from Kumogakure had been sent to assassinate me. You scared me half to death!"
Tsunade had been about to explain further, but Kizaru's words left her silent for a moment. She couldn't shake the feeling that the way this brat spoke was laced with mockery, making anyone who heard him want to punch him!