Seeing Utakata lounging on a branch with that carefree look,
the Suna shinobi bristled at his earlier taunt—then froze in unison a beat later.
"Kirigakure!"
"He's from the Hidden Mist! Did Suna team up with them?!"
Jiraiya had already noticed the headband on Utakata's brow. He ignored the Suna forces he'd nearly shattered and lifted his gaze, wary eyes sweeping for other Mist shinobi.
"No need to look. I came alone."
Utakata lifted the flute in his hand, expression mild.
"Alone?"
Jiraiya's search stilled. He suddenly laughed and looked up at Utakata.
"Kid, sounds like you don't know who I am."
"Listen up—I'm one of the sages of Mount—"
Tap-dancing atop Gamabunta's head, Jiraiya started to boast, but Utakata's voice cut in.
"One of the Legendary Sannin, Jiraiya. I know."
Utakata nodded, still calm.
"That so? Being underestimated, then." Jiraiya's showy moves halted; his face hardened.
"Underestimate you? I wouldn't underestimate a Sannin. If I did, I wouldn't be here."
Utakata slid the flute back at his waist and sprang into the air.
In the next instant, chakra surged from him in a flood.
A dark red chakra cloak wrapped his body; six tails of pure chakra streamed behind him, swaying.
Bubun Bijūka (Partial Tailed-Beast Transformation)!
The violent chakra wave made the Suna shinobi below shudder.
"The Six-Tails' jinchūriki!"
Jiraiya's voice tightened. Now he understood why the guy dared come alone.
Swoosh!
Midair, Utakata didn't fall. He hovered for a beat—then the six chakra tails cracked like whips. A red streak tore across the sky, arrowing for Jiraiya.
Too fast!
By the time Jiraiya reacted, Utakata was already in front of him.
Jiraiya stamped hard, launching backward as his hands flashed through seals.
Ninpō: Hari Jizō (Needle Jizō)!
White hair erupted, hardening into countless needles that cocooned him. Each strand thrust forward like a steel spike.
Utakata appeared right before him. Covered claws slammed down—
Crash!
The hair-needles punched through the chakra cloak around Utakata's palm, but at the same time Utakata ripped away a huge swath of Jiraiya's protective mane—
exposing Jiraiya within.
Jiraiya's expression didn't waver. Beneath the hair, his hands completed a second sequence of seals.
Ninpō: Ranji Shigami no Jutsu (Wild Lion's Mane Technique)!
His hair surged again, growing at a speed visible to the eye, flooding forward.
Pinned so close, Utakata had no time to evade; the iron-hard hair wrapped him, locking him in place.
Even through the chakra cloak, a forest of needle-sharp strands pierced through to flesh.
Utakata let out a low growl. His entire body turned a dark green—
to be precise, his skin gushed a highly corrosive secretion until he was coated in an acid sheen.
The Six-Tails' unique trait—corrosive secretion.
Ssssss—
Jiraiya's mane hissed and melted wherever it touched the green film, dissolving at once.
Free of the binds, Utakata's color flushed back to dark red.
He tucked in, sprang backward, and reappeared midair.
His belly tightened; his cheeks swelled—then a torrent of corrosive liquid sprayed down
at Jiraiya and Gamabunta!
"Bunta!"
Jiraiya shouted.
They'd been trading blows atop Gamabunta's head, so the toad had kept out of it—but with Utakata airborne, an opening appeared.
As Jiraiya's longtime partner, Gamabunta was already moving.
Suiton: Teppōdama (Water Bullet)!
He opened his mouth and blasted out several massive globes of water to meet the falling acid.
The air filled with a long, tearing hiss.
Diluted by the water bullets, the acid's potency dropped several levels. What splashed onto Gamabunta's hide smoked white,
but never ate through the outer skin—no real effect.
Gamabunta didn't stop after the volley.
He tensed and leapt into the air,
rising to Utakata's height.
With a clear ring, he ripped the short sword from his waist. The giant blade flashed and hewed down at Utakata from above.
The pressure wave alone scythed a clearing from the forest below.
Facing the falling blade, Utakata's descent paused for a heartbeat.
Then his whole body loosened like softened rubber, gliding along the steel and slipping past the edge.
A blink later, he stood balanced on the sword's tip.
Swoosh!
Red light flickered—and Utakata vanished, reappearing atop a treetop far away.
The strike cut air.
Gamabunta drew the blade back and slammed to the ground, a thunderclap of impact kicking up a geyser of dust.
Jiraiya remained atop his head, face set as he stared across at Utakata.
Their eyes met, silent, in the sky between them.
Strong.
So strong.
Below, the Suna shinobi—forgotten by both sides—stared, slack-jawed.
Compared to this, their scuffle with Jiraiya earlier was child's play.
"He's a jinchūriki too—so why doesn't he have that savage aura Gaara has?"
one Suna shinobi asked, hesitating.
"Not like Gaara. This one has full control over the tailed beast's power."
their unit captain said, voice grave.
"What do we do now?" another asked.
After watching that exchange, they knew they couldn't touch a fight at this level. Staying here would only get in the way.
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