"Pervy Sage, I'm going to start fighting back!" Perfectly evading a series of Jiraiya's Fire Release: Flame Bullets, Naruto moved with fluid grace, his hands already raised to complete the hand seals mid-dodge. "Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!"
*Poof, poof, poof!*
The next instant, accompanied by a massive billowing of white smoke, Naruto directly created a vast number of shadow clones in one go, swarming Jiraiya from all sides.
This time, Naruto's shadow clones were not nearly as easy to deal with as they had been back at Training Ground 58 in the Village Hidden in the Leaves.
Moving with incredible agility, every single one of Naruto's shadow clones possessed exceptional reflex nerves. Watching this unfold, Jiraiya felt completely dazzled.
*This kid Naruto is genuinely difficult to deal with now!* A mix of astonishment and pride welled up inside him as he looked at the formidable horde of incoming shadow clones, thinking to himself, *Perhaps in this battle with Naruto, I'll have to use Sage Mode.*
His mind racing, Jiraiya first enveloped himself in his Needle Jizo technique, then spun around, already preparing a powerful Ninjutsu: "Fire Release: Great Flame Bullet!"
*Boom!*
The next second, a roaring inferno—far surpassing the Fire Release: Flame Bullet in both power and scale—burst forth from Jiraiya's mouth. Because the Fire Release: Great Flame Bullet was a technique where Jiraiya used toad oil refined from his own chakra, combining it directly with his Fire Release, the flames burned with exceptional fury, and the temperature was absurdly high.
In the blink of an eye, a towering sea of fire swallowed up a huge number of Naruto's shadow clones. Seeing this, Jiraiya laughed heartily and said, "Naruto, your training still isn't quite up to scratch, kid."
Yet the very next moment, no sooner had Jiraiya finished speaking than a powerful whirlwind swept up from the edge of that towering sea of fire. One of Naruto's shadow clones, gripping a Wind Release: Rasengan, directly dispersed the flames of Jiraiya's Great Flame Bullet!
*"That's...? A new ninjutsu that infuses wind-attribute chakra into the Rasengan? The brat Naruto actually managed to develop the Rasengan to this extent!"* Locking his gaze onto the Rasengan in the right hand of Naruto's shadow clone—the one adorned with four sharp wind blades—Jiraiya praised him inwardly.
The moment Jiraiya was thus distracted, another of Naruto's shadow clones launched a surprise attack from an unimaginable angle.
With a precise side kick, the shadow clone landed a direct hit right on Jiraiya's handsome face.
Strike two.
The nosebleed that had just stopped was once again made to flow, and the footprint on Jiraiya's face seemed to have grown slightly deeper. Having his face kicked by Naruto twice, Jiraiya was losing his cool: "Hey, Naruto, you're doing this on purpose, aren't you?!"
Looking at Jiraiya's disheveled appearance, Naruto couldn't help feeling a pang of sympathy. "Sorry, Pervy Sage, that was my shadow clone that kicked you. I apologize on his behalf."
*What the hell... Isn't your shadow clone just you? And you're apologizing for him?*
Jiraiya was practically at a loss for words. Naruto's train of thought and way of thinking were simply not something he could keep up with on short notice.
However, the fact that Naruto had managed to hit him twice was ample proof of his strength, a fact Jiraiya knew all too well in his heart.
It was safe to say that right now, Jiraiya truly regarded Naruto as an opponent of equal standing!
Already fully entering combat mode, Jiraiya's gaze grew noticeably sharper. *Should I activate Sage Mode...? No, the preparation time for Sage Mode is too long; it's not wise to use it immediately. I'd better try to find an opening in the brat Naruto's defenses through standard combat first.*
With that thought, Jiraiya quickly raised his hands to form hand seals: "Shadow Clone Technique!"
The next second, five shadow clones of Jiraiya were created. Although their numbers fell far short of Naruto's Multiple Shadow Clone army, they fundamentally altered the situation of Jiraiya facing Naruto's massive force of shadow clones all by himself.
"Brat Naruto, you mentioned earlier that you still had a newly created ninjutsu you hadn't used yet. That Wind Release: Rasengan move just now must have been it, right?" Surrounded and fully protected by his five shadow clones in the center, Jiraiya spoke through one of them.
"Ah, you mean that one? Pervy Sage, I'm about to let you see it," the real Naruto said just as Jiraiya's voice trailed off. "My newly created ninjutsu is called... Wind Release: Rasenshuriken!"
After uttering words that left Jiraiya thoroughly astonished, Naruto raised his right hand, and terrifying wind-attribute chakra began to rapidly condense over his palm.
A fierce gale suddenly rose in the air. Right then, centered around Naruto's right hand, a terrifying storm seemed on the verge of descending!
*"Bzzzz..."* Soon, a harsh, piercing whine rang out. The moment that Wind Release: Rasenshuriken formed in Naruto's hand, Jiraiya clearly felt a powerful oppressive force sweeping outward from the surface of the Rasenshuriken!
*"This ninjutsu is no joke!"* Looking at the Rasenshuriken in Naruto's hand—which was more than twice the size of the one in the original tale—Jiraiya quickly made his judgment.
He absolutely could not take this move head-on, or something truly terrifying would happen!
Yet the very thought had barely crossed Jiraiya's mind when the real Naruto flung his arm and hurled the Rasenshuriken forward at high speed!
*"What?! He can even throw it?!"* Jiraiya's pupils constricted at the sight, and his combat instincts drove him to take evasive action without the slightest hesitation.
In the end, it was Jiraiya's five shadow clones that took the place of his real body and bore the brunt of Naruto's Wind Release: Rasenshuriken.
As the Rasenshuriken spun at high speed, it pushed forward like an unstoppable beast, instantly driving all five of Jiraiya's shadow clones high into the air.
The next second, the power of the Rasenshuriken erupted completely. The terrifying chakra wind blades swept and ravaged the area, instantly swallowing Jiraiya's five shadow clones and shredding them into wisps of white smoke.
Every bit of this scene played out before Jiraiya's real body. Gazing at the astonishing destructive power unleashed by the Rasenshuriken, he couldn't help but sigh involuntarily, "Simply amazing. This is probably the strongest Wind Release ninjutsu known to date, isn't it?"
"Naruto, you really do bring me surprise after surprise."
High in the sky, the piercing screech echoed endlessly. After a long while, the chakra storm whipped up by the Rasenshuriken gradually subsided.
Naruto walked up to Jiraiya and grinned broadly. "Pervy Sage, I knew that with your strength, you'd definitely be able to dodge my Rasenshuriken."
"You brat, you sure have a lot of confidence in your teacher," Jiraiya said, rolling his eyes at Naruto with exasperated amusement.
Needless to say how dangerous that Wind Release: Rasenshuriken move was just now; if Jiraiya had actually taken the hit from Naruto's ultimate technique, the entire Mount Myoboku would probably have been holding a funeral feast for him by tomorrow.
Which raised the question: attending a banquet on Mount Myoboku, should he sit at the toad table, or the toad table?
Looking at Jiraiya's thoroughly depressed expression, Naruto laughed heartily. "Pervy Sage, are we going to keep fighting?"