Jiraiya weaved through the buildings, keeping a close watch on the figures behind him as he adjusted his route.
Pain's Three Paths pursued him like a kite on a string, neither too close nor too far away.
Deva Path Yahiko smiled. "Sensei deliberately avoided the residential district. Should I call him kind, or naïve?"
Thud! Thud! Thud! Jiraiya leaped and darted among the striped steel pipes between the buildings. "Are you two ready?"
"Frog Song requires the enemy to hear a specific melody before they can fall under the genjutsu, so the acoustics of the environment are very important!"
"Little Jiraiya, go inside the pipes. But make sure he sees you, or you won't be able to lure him in!"
"Got it!" After jumping down from the rooftop, Jiraiya spotted an oval pipe entrance. He slowed down, and when the three figures appeared behind him, he sprang into the pipe!
At first, Jiraiya had worried that they would suspect a trap and refuse to follow. But when metallic thud, thud, thud footsteps sounded behind him, his tense heart finally eased somewhat.
He could not help laughing at himself. "Of course. Up to this point, aside from gaining a slight advantage near the end of our one-on-one fight, I've spent almost the entire battle getting beaten around... That's why he never took me too seriously."
"But that very contempt has given me a chance to turn things around!"
"Little Jiraiya, we're ready. We can begin Frog Song at any time!"
"Please don't rush, you two. To be safe, let's sort through the situation first!"
"Pain has six bodies, each with its own ability. Before I summoned you two, the Pain who absorbs chakra attacked me, but for some reason, he suddenly vanished..."
"Thinking back on it now, the phenomenon when he