Burning Youth

"Hang in there a little longer, Gamabunta!" Strange oil paint stripes had appeared on Jiraiya's face, and on both sides of his shoulders, Fukasaku and Shima had merged into his body, and Natural Energy was gradually gathering within him.

"He can actually use the power of Wood Release..." Jiraiya was truly taken aback by Obito Uchiha's Wood Release Ninjutsu, which further increased his perception of the masked man's danger. If he hadn't returned today, this mysterious person would probably still be hiding in the Shinobi World...

"Akatsuki... He's a member of Akatsuki too...?" Jiraiya clasped his hands together abruptly, a powerful aura erupting from Jiraiya body. His entire appearance changed drastically, seemingly a partial frog-like transformation resulting from incomplete Sage Mode. Even so, this powerful surge of energy still shocked everyone present...

"Is this the legendary Sage Mode?" Hashirama Senju once possessed a perfect Sage Mode, which could unleash unparalleled power and left behind the 'legend' of Sage Mode for Sage Mode Konoha. Now, seeing Jiraiya suddenly transform, Obito Uchiha was slightly surprised, and even Itachi Uchiha and Kakashi Hatake, who were in the midst of a fierce battle, turned their heads slightly and looked in Jiraiya's direction.

"Sage Jiraiya! Here he comes!" In Sage Mode, Jiraiya's abilities are greatly enhanced, whether it is the power of Ninjutsu or Taijutsu. Seeing that Gamabunta was being overwhelmed by Obito Uchiha, Jiraiya, and with a light step, he shot towards Obito Uchiha like a cannonball.

"Gamabunta! Go help Kakashi Hatake... I'll take care of him!" A faint blue wave gradually surged from one hand Jiraiya stared at Obito Uchiha. Even with his Sage Mode perception, he couldn't seem to tell whether Obito Uchiha was intangible or solid form.

'According to the information left by Minato Namikaze, it only materializes at the moment of the mysterious person's attack...' Jiraiya's gaze turned slightly cold, Jiraiya the pale blue light in his hand grew larger and larger, until a rapidly spinning cyan-blue ball appeared in his hand...

"Sage Art: Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan!" The super-sized Rasengan spun violently, unstoppable, shattering the branches formed by Wood Release into dust. It not only freed Gamabunta but also enveloped Obito Uchiha's entire body within it.

"Jiraiya, is this your strongest ability? It's nothing special..." The Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan still couldn't cause any damage to Obito Uchiha. He just smiled contemptuously and instantly left the center of the wind blade's cutting.

If it weren't for the special abilities of Kamui Sharingan, Obito Uchiha's skill in both Taijutsu and Ninjutsu would be far inferior to Jiraiya's. However, possessing the power of Kamui, he seemed to be born invincible...

'There's no limit to how much damage it can inflict. It doesn't seem to be absorbing damage, but rather completely escaping this space. What the eyes see might just be a disguise...'

"You're talking too much too soon!" "Sage Art: Sage Art: Hair Needle Senbon!" Jiraiya calculated in his mind, turned around, lowered his head slightly, and countless white hairs behind him poured down like a rain of pear blossom needles. The area covered was so wide that it almost covered the entire space within sight, and the continuous attack seemed endless for a moment...

"It's no use... Jiraiya, a traditional ninja like you has no place to stand in the future..."

"How about I finish you off right here..." Amidst the endless Senbon, Obito Uchiha's figure silently approached Jiraiya, a hint of cruelty in his eyes through the mask.

No physical damage could harm him whatsoever; Obito Uchiha was completely fearless...

'It seems this state will last longer than I expected...' Despite the continuous barrage of Sage Art: Hair Needle Senbon, Obito Uchiha showed no fear and seemed unconcerned about his safety. This sight made Jiraiya's heart sink, but he also knew that if the masked man made a move, he would definitely materialize. Seeing Obito Uchiha walking towards him, Jiraiya did not immediately leave, but quietly Hand Seals again.

'Physical attacks probably won't work... so we'll have to use Genjutsu...'

"Lord Fukasaku, Shima, I'm afraid we'll need to use Genjutsu to deal with this guy... This situation is more troublesome than I imagined..." Jiraiya wasn't completely ignorant of Genjutsu magic, but he was quite mediocre, and for a moment he couldn't think of any way to deal with it...

Jiraiya's Genjutsu abilities were indeed not very high.

"This ability of Jiraiya's opponent must be related to his Sharingan..."

"Legend has it that the Sharingan is also known as the Eye of Reflection of the Heart. Who is this mysterious person who possesses such spatial abilities?" Sage Shima pondered, unable to imagine anyone in the Shinobi World whose Sharingan possessed such power...

"Should we use Genjutsu...?" Fukasaku the Toad seemed to have thought of something and nodded slightly.

"No, no, I'm so old, why should I sing a duet with my child's father..."

"At a time like this, don't say anything willful!"

"A duet?" Ignoring the argument between the two Toad Sages, Jiraiya vaguely seemed to have heard of this kind of Genjutsu before, but he was also somewhat puzzled...

"Our most powerful Genjutsu is to trap the enemy in Genjutsu using sound... but it takes some time to achieve the desired effect..."

"Understood! Lady Fukasaku! Lady Shima! Please!"

"I'll stall him..."

"Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!" The moment the Swamp of the Underworld was formed, Jiraiya stopped probing and instead launched a barrage of Ninjutsu and Taijutsu attacks on Obito Uchiha, seemingly unconcerned even if his attacks missed, relentlessly forcing Obito Uchiha to make a move.

Although Obito Uchiha occasionally retaliated, he remained in Kamui intangible state most of the time. With the power of his single-eyed Kamui, he was virtually invincible, but his offense was extremely weak. He might be able to hold off Jiraiya, but defeating or even killing him seemed impossible for him at the moment...

Thinking this, Obito Uchiha couldn't help but glance at Kakashi Hatake, who was fiercely fighting Itachi Uchiha. His determination to reclaim the Sharingan that originally belonged to him in Kakashi Hatake's right eye only grew stronger...

Meanwhile, Kakashi Hatake and Itachi were locked in a fierce and evenly matched battle. Despite both possessing the Sharingan and being several years older than Itachi, Kakashi Hatake was surprisingly at a disadvantage against Itachi Uchiha. Itachi's Genjutsu abilities, which were virtually unpredictable, and his almost superhuman sensory abilities left Kakashi Hatake with virtually no openings. Instead, he was repeatedly attacked by Itachi, and he didn't even dare to make eye contact with Itachi Uchiha...

"Amaterasu!" Just as Itachi Uchiha's Sharingan flashed and a black flame rising from nowhere was about to engulf Kakashi Hatake, a sudden Frog Song made Itachi Uchiha's mind go blank for a moment, and Kakashi Hatake narrowly avoided the flames of Amaterasu...

"Croak... croak..." The sudden Frog Song of frogs on the field drew everyone's attention. The three with Sharingan were extremely sensitive to the power of Genjutsu and immediately sensed that it contained a powerful Genjutsu...

"Genjutsu created through hearing..." Itachi Uchiha frowned slightly. The instant he heard the croaking of Frog Song, he immediately moved away from the battlefield between Jiraiya and Obito Uchiha. With his understanding of Genjutsu, he only needed to hear it briefly to feel a momentary daze, and instantly realized that it was Genjutsu that he was completely unable to resist in his current state...

"Magic Illusion: Toad's Cry!" A chorus of Toad began to echo throughout the space. Obito Uchiha was hit hardest; an irresistible, intense shockwave seemed to rip his mind from his head. Even Kamui, capable of defending against all physical damage, was powerless against the power of Genjutsu...

"How is this level of Genjutsu possible?" Even Pain, who possessed the Rinnegan, could not resist the Genjutsu, which had almost no resistance, and it immediately had a decisive effect. Obito Uchiha was slightly stunned, and his entire body became still, as if his mind had left his body.

"He's really difficult to deal with..." Looking at Obito Uchiha's consciousness, now controlled by Genjutsu and trapped within the Genjutsu space, completely sealed within the barrier, Jiraiya couldn't help but smile. "In that case, we've finally avenged the villagers of Konoha who perished during Minato Namikaze and the Nine-Tails Rebellion..."

Consciousness detached from space, Jiraiya conjured Rasengan with incredible speed, intending to kill Obito Uchiha instantly...

"Looks like I've been caught off guard again..." Obito Uchiha's body was suddenly shrouded in a dark shadow. Seeing Jiraiya approaching, the shadow controlled Obito Uchiha's hands to form hand Hand Seals. Layers of Wood Release immediately enveloped Obito Uchiha's body, reaching a depth of several meters...

"Who? When?!" Even with Jiraiya's Sage Mode senses, he was momentarily caught off guard and didn't notice the person lurking in the shadows. But at that moment, the Rasengan had already struck the Wood Release's protective layer, and the layers of Wood Release were broken apart like clay, revealing an orange-red mask inside...

"Crack..." The mask shattered suddenly, and Obito Uchiha's eyes snapped open at that moment, the power of his Mangekyō Sharingan rushing straight Jiraiya...

"Kamui Dimension!" A distorted spatial fluctuation emanated from his body, Jiraiya was instantly terrified, Byakugan wanted to drag him into some kind of alternate dimension. Without further hesitation, Reverse Summoning Technique to disappear from his original spot, and when he reappeared, he was already in Gamabunta's mind...

"It's him..." Jiraiya's eyes flashed with cold light and shock; Jiraiya simply couldn't believe his eyes. The true identity of this mysterious person...

"Obito Uchiha?!!" The Setsuna Obito Uchiha's mask shattered, Kakashi Hatake was quietly stunned. Although half of Obito Uchiha's body was covered in scars and wrinkles, Kakashi Hatake instantly recognized that familiar face—his former close comrade-in -Sharingan, one of the wounds in his heart that could never be erased.

"Obito Uchiha! I never expected it to be you! Why?!"

"As Minato Namikaze's disciple, why would you do that..." Jiraiya was certainly familiar with Minato Namikaze's disciples, and had even occasionally given them pointers, but now, looking at Obito Uchiha's vaguely familiar face, his expression was full of confusion...

"Heh... So you've been found out? Jiraiya, I really underestimated you... You've made me look so pathetic..."

"Obito Uchiha... you're not dead... what... what happened?!" Kakashi Hatake was shocked. He had thought Obito Uchiha was long dead, but now, he was standing alive and well in front of him, and the very person who killed Minato Namikaze...

Meanwhile, Itachi Uchiha, sensing the watchful gaze of someone who seemed to be enjoying the spectacle, quietly stopped what he was doing and simply observed the three of them, a slight smile playing on his lips...

"Why... Haha... You ask me why..." Obito Uchiha looked at Kakashi Hatake and Jiraiya's questioning tone, and it seemed that some of the emotions that had been hidden deep in his heart were stirred up. He gave the two of them a cold look, and his tone was filled with hatred.

"Kakashi Hatake... did you protect Rin? You're alive and well now, an Elite Jonin of Konoha, and that gives you the right to criticize me? You think you're so great, so arrogant, so much a pillar of Konoha, but Rin... have you forgotten all about her...? You didn't even protect Rin, what right do you have to question me!"

"Minato Namikaze, he deserves to die! I trusted him so much. The Flying Thunder God... what a powerful Ninjutsu, the Yellow Flash of Konoha... yet he couldn't even protect his own student..."

"You hypocrites, you should all die..."

"I will create a perfectly beautiful world!"

"And you are all its nourishment!!!"

Obito Uchiha's expression was somewhat manic. He thought he could remain calm, but seeing Kakashi Hatake and Jiraiya's seemingly dignified demeanor, he could no longer hold back and began to vent the pain he had been hiding deep inside...

"Obito Uchiha ..." Kakashi Hatake was filled with grief as he looked at Obito Uchiha's frenzied state, speechless for a moment.

Seemingly understanding something, Jiraiya and let out a long sigh. His entire life had been spent searching for the 'Child of Prophecy,' seeking a way to completely end the world's war, but ultimately, he had found nothing...

Looking at Obito Uchiha now, although he still wouldn't let the man who killed Minato Namikaze and his wife go, he also understood in his heart that this man was also someone whose heart had been twisted by war...

"Everyone experiences various kinds of 'sorrow' in life, big or small. If you don't find the right way to deal with this 'sorrow,' it will gradually ferment into poison, and then ruin your life..."

"Obito Uchiha, you've gone down the wrong path..." Jiraiya shook his head, looking at Obito Uchiha as if he were a madman. He might understand the pain of losing a loved one, but he couldn't understand Obito Uchiha's act of taking his anger out on others, especially his master and mistress who had always taken care of him...

"You must atone for your mistakes..."

"Someone's coming..." Itachi Uchiha was enjoying the fierce battle when he sensed an incredibly fast ninja rushing towards them. But before he could finish speaking, a cloud of dust billowed up in the distance, and a green figure appeared before his eyes...

"Kakashi Hatake! My nemesis! I've finally found you!" Might Guy ran, his eyes lighting up the moment he saw Kakashi Hatake. He leaped up and landed on the field, a slight smile playing on his lips, a glint of light flashing across his white teeth.

"You've finally arrived... Guy..." Kakashi Hatake breathed a slight sigh of relief as he looked at Might Guy landing on the field. Among all the Jonin of Konoha, Might Guy seemed unremarkable, but as his friend, Kakashi Hatake knew the immense power hidden beneath that ordinary face. He had sent a message to Might Guy when he came to find Jiraiya, but he hadn't expected him to arrive so late...

"Sorry Kakashi Hatake, I'm late because I'm being chased by youth..." Kai smiled slightly, his gaze sweeping over the people on the field.

"Lord Jiraiya! You're back!"

"These three seem to be enemies..." Kai's gaze narrowed slightly. He had just finished his mission and immediately rushed back. Upon entering Konoha, he sensed something unusual. Konoha's barrier had been broken, and the ninjas guarding the gate had vanished without a trace. It wasn't until he encountered Kakashi Hatake's summoning beast that he roughly understood the current situation...

"Youth is in full bloom! Looks like another exhilarating battle is on the horizon!" Obito Uchiha Might Guy, a slight smile appearing on his face...