Evil Spirit?

It was the wind.

It was the trees.

Opening his eyes, Yueshu only knew that he was in the middle of a forest, and the breeze blowing against him felt rather pleasant.

It felt as if someone were gently stroking him with small hands; Yueshu felt a wave of comfort, and his heart calmed down inexplicably.

"Where is this?"

Yueshu looked around at the uniform scenery, nothing but big trees everywhere.

No voice answered him; there was only another gust of wind.

The wind stirred the leaves, and the green foliage drifted down like rain, looking truly spectacular.

Yueshu suddenly sat down, as if someone had given him a gentle push from the front.

He placed his hands on the ground, sitting there, feeling the tranquility of the moment.

This isn't so bad.

The refreshing breeze was very comfortable, and nature seemed to be whispering in his ears; this feeling made one want to immerse oneself in it—

Smack. Jiraiya caught Kurohane's fist.

The next moment, even though Jiraiya clearly hadn't moved, Kurohane was struck by a punch.

Taking advantage of that moment, Jiraiya pulled Kurohane in and delivered an elbow strike.

"Useless!"

The sound of the elbow strike hitting a body rang out with a thud, but Kurohane just smiled and leaned into it.

Kurohane's attack swept across, but Jiraiya ducked slightly and dodged it directly.

"Tsunade's secret technique!"

"Strength of a Hundred Fist—Fake!"

Jiraiya delivered an uppercut, chakra swirling around his fist. It was a similar principle to Tsunade's Strength of a Hundred, but Tsunade's chakra control was far superior, and her application of chakra was even more masterful.

However, it was enough. Jiraiya was a famous and formidable figure, and this level of brute strength was already sufficient to deal with Kurohane.

This blow undoubtedly caused Kurohane some injury.

One only had to look at the sent-flying Kurohane and the dripping blood to know that.

"Sage Art: Wild Lion's Mane Technique."

Jiraiya's white hair lashed out directly; Kurohane had only just landed at that moment.

Before he could even wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth, Jiraiya's attack was already before his eyes.

Kurohane wasn't foolish enough to take it head-on; just from that last hit, he already understood Jiraiya's methods.

Although Kurohane didn't know about natural energy, he understood that Jiraiya had a way to injure him.

Leaping lightly to the side, Kurohane easily dodged the strike.

"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Swimming in the Sea Technique."

The mark on Kurohane's forehead began to stir.

Soon, the true form of the mark on his forehead was revealed.

It was an eye! An eye that looked very much like a Sharingan.

A Sharingan? And with five tomoe.

Jiraiya naturally saw this development and quickly began to think.

But Kurohane's attack arrived soon after.

Perhaps because he had opened his eye, the power of Kurohane's Fire Style was immense.

Fire dragons flew toward Jiraiya one after another, each one powerful enough to be called an A-rank ninjutsu, or perhaps even S-rank.

"Water Style: Triple Water Wall."

With such a wide-range ninjutsu and his four disciples behind him, Jiraiya had no reason to retreat.

As the fire dragons charged over, three massive walls of water rose from the ground.

The fire dragons collided with the water walls, instantly turning into steam that filled the surroundings.

"Sage Art: Needle Jizo."

Jiraiya's white hair wrapped around him, the strands turning into sharp spikes to protect him.

Passing through the steam, Kurohane punched the spikes, but the Needle Jizo, infused with natural energy, did not let Kurohane gain any advantage.

"Tsk."

Kurohane gritted his teeth. To be honest, Jiraiya was truly causing him trouble.

The natural energy he didn't understand gave Jiraiya a way to harm him, and as one of the Sannin, Jiraiya had far more combat experience and techniques than Kurohane.

"You can't just keep your eyes on me, you know."

Jiraiya retracted his Needle Jizo, and Kurohane stood right before him.

As Jiraiya's voice faded, Kurohane was stunned for a brief moment.

Just then, a golden figure burst forth from the steam.

"Master Jiraiya!"

Minato Namikaze slammed into him; although it didn't have much effect, even the slightest impact was enough.

"I have received my student's wish!"

Jiraiya smiled, electricity coiling around his hand.

Because of that brief collision from Minato Namikaze, Kurohane had a momentary opening.

"Sage Art, Lightning Style."

Jiraiya's eyes lit up.

"Heavy Flow Violence!"

Jiraiya, who traveled far and wide, had plenty of tricks up his sleeve. As his teacher, the Third Hokage was known as the Professor of Ninjutsu, and Jiraiya, who loved to roam, had more than enough ability to inherit that title from Sarutobi Hiruzen!

Smack.

The fist struck Kurohane's body, natural energy surging around the knuckles, and Kurohane spat out a mouthful of blood.

"This punch is in return for my student!"

Jiraiya shouted, increasing the force in his hand!

"Wind Style, Wind Piercing Technique!"

This was an attempt by Minato Namikaze to coat a kunai with chakra and attach an Explosive Tag, using wind-natured chakra to increase the kunai's piercing power so the Explosive Tag could detonate inside the target's organs.

This required a change in chakra nature, which the current Minato Namikaze naturally could not achieve.

But—

A little bit was enough!

Minato Namikaze hadn't reached the level of nature transformation, but a slight enhancement in piercing power was sufficient.

Jiraiya sent Kurohane flying with a punch, and Minato Namikaze's kunai followed closely behind.

The kunai did not pierce through Kurohane's body.

However, it successfully wounded him.

The weight of Jiraiya's punch was significant enough to force Kurohane's body to drop its guard.

Because of that, the kunai successfully injured Kurohane.

Boom!

The Explosive Tag detonated, thick smoke billowed out, and the shockwave sent the injured Minato Namikaze tumbling.

"Did it work?"

Minato Namikaze sat on the ground, staring at the thick smoke overhead.

"Watch out!"

The moment Jiraiya's voice reached his ears, Minato Namikaze saw it.

The wind blew the smoke away, and a massive fire dragon swooped down; Kurohane's figure was nowhere to be seen.

Too late!

Minato Namikaze stood frozen, unable to escape in time.

The fear of death surged up, and Minato Namikaze felt as if his heart had stopped in that very moment.

Smack!

Huh?

Minato Namikaze's body flew through the air.

He looked back.

It was the sight of Jiraiya throwing him away.

"Jiraiya—"

Boom!

"Master—"

The fire dragon swallowed Jiraiya whole. Minato Namikaze's eyes no longer saw a person, only the blooming flames.

Minato Namikaze reached out toward that spot, but he couldn't touch anything.

He hit the ground, rolled several times, and finally collapsed face-down.

Minato Namikaze looked up; the fire was burning fiercely, the heat waves hitting his face, and he could feel the scorching sensation of the flames.

"Master Jiraiya!"

The golden figure screamed, his voice cracking from the strain.

As if hearing Minato Namikaze's cry, the flames began to subside, revealing a silhouette within.

"Hahaha! Hahaha!"

That was not Jiraiya's laughter!

Minato Namikaze stared intently at the fire as the figure inside finally emerged.

It was Kurohane!

Kurohane stood there, head tilted back in laughter, while Jiraiya lay on the ground, his body charred black.

"Next, it's your turn!"

Kurohane licked his lips and turned his gaze toward Minato Namikaze, who was sprawled on the ground.

With his disheveled appearance, blood still staining the corners of his mouth, and his face smeared with dirt, he looked just like a vengeful spirit!

He smiled, and the vengeful spirit smiled back!