Jiraiya: Is This Kid Really Not Tsunade's Illegitimate Son?

"This brat is really annoying." Hearing the whistle of something cutting through the air behind him, Jiraiya felt a headache coming on. How was this kid so fast?

"Body Flicker Technique!" As the sound drew closer, Jiraiya instinctively used the Body Flicker Technique. Then he noticed that Setsuna's pursuit stalled for an instant before changing direction and resuming the chase.

He doesn't know the Body Flicker Technique? Jiraiya was astonished. The Body Flicker Technique was only a D-rank ninjutsu, yet Setsuna, with the speed he had displayed, did not know it.

Could it be that he only knows taijutsu? Jiraiya's thoughts became active. Anyone could accelerate in a straight line; being fast around turns was what truly mattered.

He used the Body Flicker Technique several more times and confirmed it. Although the brat's straight-line speed was astonishingly fast, whenever he changed his landing point with the Body Flicker Technique, the brat had to locate him all over again.

"Tch. Pure taijutsu really does have its flaws." Setsuna had also noticed his own shortcomings. His perception of qi was still at a rudimentary level. He could only sense subtle changes in the surrounding airflow and use them to track an enemy's presence and movements.

If it were something like the Raikage's Lightning Body Flicker, which focused on high-speed movement, he could naturally sense the airflow's direction. But Jiraiya's Body Flicker Technique was a ninjutsu-based technique. Since he knew no ninjutsu at all, it was difficult for him to keep up with Jiraiya.

Setsuna sighed inwardly. Sure enough, he could not underestimate ninjas. If they were unprepared, it was simple enough—one punch could instantly kill most physically frail ninjas. But once they were on guard, even a Body Flicker Technique could cause him considerable trouble.

Of course, that trouble only applied to pursuit. If anyone tried to use it to close in for a sneak attack, he would make them understand the consequences of getting close to a martial artist.

Jiraiya smiled rather smugly. "Kid, you should stop. You can't catch me."

Setsuna was unconcerned. "Are you planning to keep using the Body Flicker Technique to travel?"

The smile on Jiraiya's face instantly froze. Right. He could not shake this brat either. If he kept traveling with the Body Flicker Technique, his chakra would eventually be exhausted, and then he would be at the other man's mercy.

With that thought, Jiraiya turned around. "Looks like I need to teach you brat a lesson."

Rather than being alarmed, Setsuna was delighted. "Exactly. That's more like it. What's the fun in running the whole time?"

Jiraiya formed hand seals at tremendous speed, using a ninjutsu almost instantly. "Fire Release: Flame Bullet!"

As he used the technique, he worried that he might be hitting too hard. Although it was only a C-rank ninjutsu, in his hands it was no weaker than a B-rank technique, especially against a brat who could not use ninjutsu.

However, Setsuna casually slapped the Flame Bullet away, looking deeply dissatisfied. "Is that all you've got? Get serious!"

His "magic resistance" was not as strong as his "physical resistance," but he could still withstand cannon fire like Goku. Compared to the intense heat released by exploding shells, the temperature of this little bit of burning oil was nothing.

Jiraiya was startled. It was his first time seeing someone block ninjutsu like that. He hurriedly formed hand seals again. "Fire Release: Great Flame Bullet!"

As an advanced form of Flame Bullet, Great Flame Bullet was ten times more powerful. It was as large as an ordinary house, and its blazing oil flames rapidly heated the forest as firelight shot into the sky.

In the distance, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was rushing over, wore a grave expression when he saw this. The power of that ninjutsu already exceeded the scope of an ordinary Jonin. It seemed that what Obito Uchiha had said was true.

After realizing how powerful the enemy was, Obito Uchiha and the others had hurried off to find reinforcements.

Under normal circumstances, people of their status could not simply ask to see the Hokage. But they had found Asuma Sarutobi, and Asuma Sarutobi had not borne a grudge over losing to Setsuna. Upon hearing about the spy, he had immediately sought out Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Just then, a deafening roar rang through the mountains and forest.

Hiruzen Sarutobi did not understand what had happened, but Jiraiya was drenched in sweat. His Great Flame Bullet had actually been blown back by Setsuna's roar.

What terrified him even more was that Setsuna charged out of the sea of fire and threw a punch that tore through the air. Jiraiya barely dodged it, but the ground where he had stood was blasted into a massive crater by Setsuna's strike, like an impact crater.

Seeing the destruction Setsuna had caused, Jiraiya broke out in a cold sweat. Could this brat really be Tsunade's illegitimate son?

He had no time to think further. Setsuna's attacks clung to him like a bone-deep parasite. The pressure made him feel as though he were fighting the Raikage, leaving him barely able to breathe.

"This is bad. I underestimated this brat from the start. It's already too late to use Senjutsu—I don't have time to summon the two sages." Jiraiya's expression was grave. His Senjutsu training was not yet complete, and he needed Fukasaku and Shima's assistance. But Setsuna's offensive was too fierce to give him time to summon them.

"At this point, I can only go all out!" Jiraiya rapidly formed hand seals. "Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!"

The ground within a radius of several hundred meters instantly transformed into a massive swamp, trapping Setsuna's legs.

However, Jiraiya did not expect this move to hold Setsuna for long. After using the Earth Release ninjutsu, he swiftly formed more hand seals and summoned, "Toad Mouth Bind!"

The fleshy wall of the Rock-Dwelling Great Toad was summoned forth. This technique was usually used to trap enemies, but now he was using it to protect himself.

Even after doing all that, Jiraiya still did not feel safe. He formed hand seals again. "Ninja Art: Needle Jizō!"

His silver hair rapidly grew, wrapping around his body before hardening into something like a sea urchin's shell.

Only then did Jiraiya relax slightly. He pressed his hands together, preparing to summon the two sages.

However, before he had even caught his breath for a second, he saw a fist shatter Needle Jizō and land on his lower abdomen.

Jiraiya's face immediately twisted. Agonizing pain coursed through his body, as if an elephant were stomping back and forth over him.

The fleshy wall of the Rock-Dwelling Great Toad vanished, and he spun through the air for hundreds of meters. He crashed through more than a dozen large trees before finally stopping, every part of his body screaming in pain.

"What kind of power is this? It's even more terrifying than Tsunade's Monster Strength!" Jiraiya was horrified. If Tsunade had not beaten him up since childhood, giving him some resistance to being pummeled, and if Needle Jizō had not deflected much of the force, he suspected that this punch might have reduced him to a mass of shattered bones.

"He isn't dead, right?" Setsuna muttered quietly. He was still confident in his control over his strength. At most, that punch should have made Jiraiya suffer a little.

Hearing Setsuna mutter, Jiraiya hurriedly slowed his breathing. He admitted defeat this time, but he still wanted to preserve as much dignity as possible.

Looks like I'll have to wait until he lets his guard down, then find a chance to escape with the Reverse Summoning Technique. Jiraiya thought to himself. He had already realized that the other party had no chakra and could not use any ninjutsu. Without chakra, he could not possibly seal him.

As long as he could still use ninjutsu, this brat could never keep him here.

Just then, Setsuna lightly tapped him several times.

Jiraiya's eyes suddenly widened. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead as he asked in a trembling voice, "Acupoint Striking! You don't have the Byakugan—how can you possibly use Acupoint Striking?"

Setsuna calmly glanced at him. As a martial artist, was it not perfectly normal for him to know Acupoint Striking?

Jiraiya wanted to cry but had no tears. At the thought of being escorted back to the village and becoming the laughingstock of Orochimaru and Tsunade, grief and indignation surged through his heart like a tide, beyond words.