"Crack... crack…"
The surrounding ice walls shattered under the force of Gamabunta's rampage. Uchiha Fugaku and Sarutobi Shinnosuke led the surviving Konoha forces in a steady retreat.
Yagura's face turned cold. With a firm wave of his hand, he gave the order without hesitation:
"Don't let any of them escape."
"Yes, Lord Yagura!"
The Mist shinobi surged forward in pursuit—only for a sudden column of water to slash through the air.
That narrow stream of water didn't look threatening at all—until it sliced clean through the thick wall of ice as if it were paper.
The fractured ice crashed down, erecting a barricade before the Mist-nin. Standing atop the shattered ice was none other than—
Jiraiya.
"Don't think you can break past the Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku!"
"Big Sis, Boss, let's use that technique!"
The two elder Toad Sages instantly understood. Their hands came together in a seamless hand seal as Jiraiya leaned back, drawing in a powerful breath.
Wind, toad oil, and flames—three distinct forces, now infused with Senjutsu chakra—combined into a cataclysmic eruption that roared like a volcanic blast.
"Sage Art: Goemon!"
"Such scale!"
Without hesitation, Yagura's form flashed ahead of the Mist shinobi and activated his jutsu—
Water Mirror Technique!
But then something shocking happened.
The mirrored Goemon reflected by the jutsu—although mimicking Jiraiya and the two elder toads—was clearly inferior in both power and scope.
In the blink of an eye, Yagura's copied technique was consumed by the original Sage Art Goemon, while Jiraiya's fiery flood continued surging toward the Mist ranks.
"Not good!"
Yagura's eyes contracted.
The famed Water Mirror Technique was said to replicate and reflect any ninjutsu—even many Kekkei Genkai abilities.
But this time, faced with Jiraiya's Sage Art, the mirrored version was completely outmatched.
"Vacuum-Layered Ice Wall!"
At the critical moment, Yoru's blade came down.
Layer upon layer of compressed ice manifested and blocked the searing blaze. The clash between fire and frost filled the air with an endless hiss of steam.
Only after several walls melted did the flames finally extinguish.
"…He actually blocked Goemon?"
"Little Jiraiya, can't you feel it yet?" said Fukasaku, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the Zanpakutō-wielding Yoru. "That boy's ice techniques—this isn't normal chakra. What's inside that power of his isn't ordinary at all."
Jiraiya paused, his expression growing increasingly grim. "Yeah… just started noticing it…"
"I never expected you'd mastered Sage Techniques as well, Yuki Yoru."
"Sage Technique?"
Yoru's grip tightened around Hyōrinmaru as he charged Jiraiya.
"Who gives a damn about something like that?"
The ice dragon surged forth.
But instead of retreating, Jiraiya leapt forward—his Sage Mode pushing his chakra and physical abilities far beyond his limits. His speed… surpassed even Yoru's.
In the blink of an eye, he was overhead, gathering a massive swirl of blue-white chakra in his palm. The spinning orb expanded until it was more than ten meters wide.
"Sage Art: Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan!"
Boom!!
Yoru raised Hyōrinmaru in defense—but even so, the impact sent a crushing force through his body, almost displacing his internal organs.
The next moment, he was blasted away.
"Yoru!"
"Lord Yoru!"
A red-haired figure burst from the Mist formation—Uzumaki Hiromi. Alongside her, Hōzuki Mangetsu and Kaguya Uruyuri also charged forward.
But just then—
A violent surge of chakra erupted from the shattered pit where Yoru had landed, stopping everyone in their tracks.
"What is this?!"
Whirling ice crystals shot into the air, forming a howling blizzard around the boy suspended mid-air. The winds carried him upward until he stood like a god atop the sky itself.
His Mist Anbu uniform shredded by the force, revealing his lean torso, encased in spiraling ice and frost.
Shards of crystal spread from his shoulders like wings—or perhaps a divine cloak of winter.
It was like winter itself had chosen a new sovereign.
A perfect fusion of Kido and Hakuda elevated his aura to terrifying new heights.
"…A technique like the Eight Gates?"
"That chakra… Little Jiraiya, be careful!"
Fukasaku and Shima gave warning. Jiraiya nodded, his face grim. He kicked off his sandals, dropped into a beastlike stance—and pounced.
From his right hand, another colossal Rasengan formed.
"Sage Art: Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan!"
"Flashburst—Wrath of Winter!"
BOOOOM!!!
The collision was monstrous.
The Rasengan and Yoru's strike crashed together mid-air—an explosive clash of Sage Art versus Frost Zanpakutō.
Ice dragons howled, vacuum-edged shards scythed outward.
"Look out!"
Shima threw a smoke bomb to obscure their escape, while Jiraiya dodged to the side in time to evade the next wave of crystal fury.
Upon landing, he thrust out his white mane—
"Sage Art: Hair Needle Senbon!"
Yoru summoned a crystalline barrier of layered ice to absorb the barrage.
Then—
Flash Step. Slash!
Clang!!
Steel met steel.
Gone were the flashy jutsu. Now it was a pure contest of speed, strength, and combat skill.
And the more they fought, the more Jiraiya's heart sank.
Back during their previous encounters, Yoru had relied on tricky jutsu, swift steps, and swordplay to buy time. He rarely clashed directly.
But now?
Now he was clashing with Jiraiya head-on.
Sage Mode, Ice Release, Kido, Kenjutsu, Flash Step…
Was this really a 14-year-old child?
Or some ancient monster reborn?
"Sage Art—Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
As they broke apart, Jiraiya formed seals, launching a massive, flaming dragon.
Yoru swung his sword—"Multilayer Vacuum Ice Wall!"—blocking the firestorm.
Fire and ice clashed again.
Steam hissed upward into the misted battlefield, already thick from Mist-style concealment.
Off in the distance, the sounds of screaming echoed—Konoha's retreating forces were being cut down.
Jiraiya might be strong—even in Sage Mode—but even after spending 50,000 system points to redeem Flashburst – Wrath of Winter, Yoru could only fight him to a standstill.
But that was all he needed.
As long as he held back Jiraiya…
The retreating Konoha forces would be nothing but prey for Kirigakure's blades.