The Demon?

It was wind.

It was trees.

When he opened his eyes, all he knew was that he was in a forest. The wind blowing against him felt rather pleasant.

It was as if someone were gently stroking him with a small hand. Yueshu felt a wave of comfort, and his heart inexplicably grew calm.

"Where is this?"

Yueshu looked around at the unchanging scenery. There were nothing but trees.

No voice answered him. There was only another gust of wind.

The wind stirred the leaves, and green leaves fluttered down like rain, making for a magnificent sight.

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

He placed his hands on the ground and sat there, savoring the quiet.

This isn't so bad.

The breeze caressing his face was pleasant. It was as if nature were whispering in his ear, and the feeling drew him in---

Smack! Jiraiya caught Kurohane's fist.

In the next instant, Jiraiya hadn't even moved, yet Kurohane was struck by a punch.

Taking advantage of that moment, Jiraiya yanked Kurohane toward him and drove an elbow into him.

"Not good enough!"

A muffled thud sounded as the elbow struck his body, but Kurohane grinned and charged straight at him.

Kurohane swept in with an attack. Jiraiya crouched slightly and dodged it.

"Tsunade's secret technique!"

"Monster Strength Fist—Imitation!"

Jiraiya threw an uppercut, chakra coiling around his fist. It worked on roughly the same principle as Tsunade's monster strength, but Tsunade had far better chakra control and was more skilled at applying chakra.

Still, this was good enough. Jiraiya was a renowned shinobi, and this degree of strength was more than sufficient to deal with Kurohane.

There was no doubt this blow had injured Kurohane.

The fact that Kurohane had been sent flying, and that blood was dripping from him, said it all.

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

Jiraiya's white hair lashed straight at Kurohane, who had only just landed.

There wasn't time to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth before Jiraiya's attack was already upon him.

Kurohane wasn't foolish enough to stand his ground. That last exchange had already shown him what Jiraiya could do.

Kurohane didn't know about Natural Energy, but he understood that Jiraiya had a way to hurt him.

He leaped lightly to the side and easily dodged the attack.

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

The mark on Kurohane's forehead began to stir.

Soon, the mark's true form was revealed.

It was a pair of eyes! Eyes that looked very much like the Sharingan.

The Sharingan? Or are those five Tomoe?

Jiraiya had noticed the change too, and quickly began to consider what it meant.

But Kurohane's attack came in a flash.

Perhaps because his eyes had awakened, Kurohane's Fire Style was tremendously powerful.

One fire dragon after another flew toward Jiraiya. Each one was powerful enough to be called an A-rank jutsu, perhaps even an S-rank.

"Water Style: Triple Water Wall."

With a technique covering such a wide area and his four students behind him, Jiraiya had no reason to retreat.

The fire dragons surged toward him, and three enormous walls of water burst from the ground.

The fire dragons crashed into the walls of water and instantly turned to steam, which billowed all around them.

"Sage Art: Needle Jizo."

Jiraiya's white hair wrapped around him, turning into sharp spikes that protected him.

Kurohane punched through the steam and struck the spikes. But Needle Jizo, infused with Natural Energy, didn't let Kurohane gain the upper hand.

"Tch."

Kurohane gritted his teeth. Jiraiya really was troublesome.

Jiraiya's Natural Energy gave him a way to hurt Kurohane, and as one of the Sannin, Jiraiya had far more experience and techniques at his disposal.

"You can't keep your eyes on me forever."

Jiraiya withdrew his Needle Jizo. Kurohane was right in front of him.

When Jiraiya spoke, Kurohane froze for a moment.

Just then, a golden figure burst through the steam.

"Teacher Jiraiya!"

Minato Namikaze slammed into Kurohane. It didn't have much effect, but even the slightest opening was enough.

"I heard my student's wish!"

Jiraiya grinned, electricity crackling around his hand.

Minato Namikaze's attack had left Kurohane vulnerable for just an instant.

"Sage Art: Lightning Style."

Jiraiya's eyes lit up.

"Heavy Flow Violence!"

Jiraiya had picked up no shortage of techniques on his travels. His teacher, the Third Hokage, was known for teaching ninjutsu, and Jiraiya, who loved to roam, was more than capable of living up to Sarutobi Hiruzen's reputation!

Smack!

His fist struck Kurohane. Natural Energy coiled around it, and Kurohane spat out a mouthful of blood.

"That punch was for my student!"

Jiraiya shouted and put even more force into his fist!

"Wind Style: Wind Piercing Technique!"

This was an experiment by Minato Namikaze: attach chakra to a Kunai, along with an Explosive Tag, then use Wind Style chakra to make the Kunai more penetrative so the Explosive Tag could detonate inside the target's body.

It required a change in the nature of Wind Style chakra, something Minato Namikaze couldn't manage yet.

But---

A little was all he needed!

Minato Namikaze hadn't mastered nature transformation. He only needed to add a little extra penetrating power.

Jiraiya punched Kurohane away, and Minato Namikaze's Kunai followed close behind.

The Kunai didn't pierce Kurohane's body.

But it still managed to wound him.

Jiraiya's punch had packed quite a punch, enough to make Kurohane lower his defenses.

That was what allowed the Kunai to wound him.

Boom!

The Explosive Tag detonated, and a cloud of smoke billowed up. The blast wave sent the injured Minato Namikaze tumbling across the ground.

"Did we get him?"

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

"Watch out!"

Jiraiya's warning had barely reached his ears when Minato Namikaze saw it.

The wind swept the smoke away. A massive fire dragon plunged down, and Kurohane was nowhere to be seen.

I can't move in time!

Minato Namikaze froze. There was no way he could get out of the way.

The fear of death bore down on him. For a moment, Minato Namikaze even felt as though his heart had stopped.

Smack!

Huh?

Minato Namikaze's body flew through the air.

He looked back.

Jiraiya had thrown him away.

"Jiraiya—"

Boom!

"Teacher—"

The fire dragon swallowed Jiraiya whole. One figure disappeared from Minato Namikaze's sight, replaced by flames bursting into bloom.

Minato Namikaze reached out toward him, but couldn't touch anything.

He hit the ground, rolled several times, and finally landed facedown.

Minato Namikaze looked up. The fire was raging, and waves of heat washed over his face. He could feel the searing flames.

"Teacher Jiraiya!"

The golden figure screamed, his voice breaking.

It seemed the cry had reached him. The flames slowly died down, and a figure appeared within them.

"Hahahaha! Hahahaha!"

That wasn't Jiraiya's laugh!

Minato Namikaze stared intently at the flames. At last, the figure inside emerged.

It was Kurohane!

Kurohane threw his head back and laughed. Jiraiya lay sprawled on the ground beside him, burned black.

"Next, it's your turn!"

Kurohane licked his lips and looked at Minato Namikaze, who was lying on the ground.

With his battered figure, the blood still at the corner of his mouth, and his face smeared with dirt, he looked just like a demon!

He laughed, and the demon laughed too!