Minato glanced sideways at the anxious Jiraiya, silently pondering, "A special plan?"
However, after exchanging a look with the calm Fuma beside him, Minato quickly regained his composure.
Fuma, meanwhile, chuckled as he looked at the scroll in Raido's hands.
That scroll was none other than the summoning contract of Mount Myoboku—the same type that Sage Mode Naruto had used during his battle against Pain.
"Jiraiya… I didn't expect you to be this well-prepared."
Fuma didn't interfere. As long as Jiraiya himself didn't personally enter the battle, even with the aid of the scroll, his students would at most be able to summon something on the level of Gamabunta.
As for Fukasaku and Shima, putting aside whether these academy students even had the chakra necessary to summon them, those two ancient toads—despite giving Jiraiya some face—would not lower themselves to helping children in a spar.
After all, they had lived for over eight hundred years. If they called themselves sages, they needed to maintain that dignity.
At this point, the outcome of the battle was already clear.
In Kakashi and Obito's fight, Kakashi was at a slight disadvantage. Thanks to his exceptional speed, Obito struggled to land a decisive blow.
At the same time, Obito, having thoroughly understood Explosive Blade, made it difficult for Kakashi to get close. Overall, it was a 60-40 battle in Obito's favor.
On the other hand, Asuma was being completely dominated by Guy. He had no chance to fight back and was being used as a human punching bag. It was clear he wouldn't last much longer.
As for Kurenai versus Konan… it was an instant defeat. They weren't even on the same level.
At fifteen years old, Konan was already far too strong for these academy students.
"Retreat. Give them some time to prepare."
Fuma's deep and steady voice echoed through the battlefield. Without hesitation, Obito and Konan immediately withdrew.
Guy hesitated for a moment, glancing at Minato for confirmation. Only after receiving a nod did he quickly retreat as well.
Jiraiya's face darkened. He cursed inwardly, "What is this? Are they just giving us a round?"
But looking at the battered Asuma and Kurenai—who needed Kakashi's help to break free from Konan's paper chains—Jiraiya had to admit that the gap between the two teams was massive.
"However… don't forget, I'm the Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku!"
Suppressing his emotions, Jiraiya turned to Fuma and argued, "That doesn't count as our loss, right? The match can still continue, can't it?"
"Of course."
Fuma had no time to entertain Jiraiya. His gaze was fixed on the Mount Myoboku scroll, a mocking smile playing on his lips.
'These prophecy-obsessed toads really like meddling in shinobi affairs. Do they think just because they have ties to the Sage of Six Paths, they can do whatever they want?'
Minato walked over to Obito and Konan, ruffling Guy's hair before jokingly complaining, "Konan, Obito, you two are so heartless. I'm your teacher, you know…"
Guy nodded in agreement, adding, "Konan, Obito, you need to follow Minato-sensei's orders before taking action!"
Obito pointed at the Samehada on Minato's back, then at the Explosive Blade in his hand. His gaze drifted toward the luxurious Uchiha mansion where Minato resided.
"Minato-sensei, you're just living off Fuma-sama and Kushina-nee… You have no right to lecture me."
Obito's body emitted faint white steam from sweat evaporating, his Sharingan glowing red with excitement.
This was the first time since awakening his Sharingan that he truly experienced its power—dynamic vision, instant genjutsu, copying techniques…
Against an enemy with these eyes, normal moves would be copied, movements would be read, and direct eye contact could trigger illusions. It was an all-around enhancement.
Obito, as a typical Uchiha, was already starting to feel overconfident with his newfound strength.
"Guh… I was wrong, Minato-sensei."
Seeing the enormous Samehada suddenly hovering over his head, Obito instantly bowed his head in submission, sincerely pleading, "I was just kidding! Don't take it seriously!"
Even with his Sharingan, Obito hadn't been able to see how Minato had moved Samehada over him so quickly.
"Damn… I'm only eleven! This bastard Minato-sensei… Just wait, when I grow up, everything will change!"
Obito sulked internally, glancing at Fuma, who seemed lost in thought. He made a mental vow: 'I will challenge my teacher… but never my clan leader.'
Minato smirked, rubbing Obito's spiky hair roughly. As he watched this rebellious brat, he couldn't help but recall Fuma's advice:
'Don't worry about all that nonsense. If anyone talks about you, just beat them up. Make sure to hit them hard—no holding back. Then, after you win, say something nice like You're strong, I'd love to be friends with you.'
Minato had been skeptical at the time, but he now understood.
As Fuma's only disciple and a co-commander of the Konoha Police Force alongside Fugaku, Minato had once been in an awkward position within the Uchiha clan.
Despite his undeniable talent, many in the Uchiha clan resented the fact that someone outside their bloodline was benefiting from their resources and influence.
But once Minato put Fuma's advice into action—using Flying Thunder God and Sealing Techniques to single-handedly defeat every Uchiha from senior jonin to clan elders—he was stunned by the results.
Instead of resentment, the Uchiha actually respected him. Some even considered it an honor to have fought him.
Of course, a few elders from the Warring States era had given him some 'fond' nicknames—like The Cunning Flash, The Evil Flying Thunder God, and The Blond Tobirama.
Konan smiled gently at the amusing yet heartwarming scene, feeling content.
.....
After thanking Rin for healing his wounds, Asuma quickly rushed to check on Kurenai.
"You okay, Kurenai?"
She shook her head. Compared to Kakashi and Asuma, who had at least put up a fight, her loss had been immediate and overwhelming.
"Be careful… I think Konan is far stronger than she ever showed back in the academy," Kurenai warned. "Her paper transformation technique—it's evolved. I looked closely. Every single piece of paper had explosive tags on it!"
"Every single one?!" Asuma was stunned. "Kurenai, you might not know this, but explosive tags are incredibly powerful… and expensive."
As the Hokage's son, Asuma had access to plenty of resources. He had even played with explosive tags as a child, so he knew their destructive power well.
"A single, well-crafted explosive tag is stronger than most B-rank Fire Release jutsu," he muttered in disbelief.
"I'm sure of it… Every paper had the distinct sealing marks of an explosive tag." Kurenai swallowed nervously, recalling the horrifying sensation of being wrapped in hundreds of them like a mummy.
"In that case, we have no choice but to use Jiraiya-sensei's backup plan," Kakashi declared coldly. "Against an opponent of this level, we can't win with just our strength."
"But…" Raido hesitated, glancing at Minato. "Is this really necessary? This was supposed to be a spar, but this… this doesn't feel like a friendly match anymore."
"This is war," Kakashi interrupted sharply, a dangerous glint in his eye. "Jiraiya-sensei said this is a war. And in war… we must win by any means necessary."
"Now—place your hands on the scroll!"
Kakashi was the first to form a seal, pressing his palm onto the scroll and pouring in his remaining chakra.
Asuma followed without hesitation, and after a brief moment of doubt, Kurenai and Rin also placed their hands on the scroll.
"Jiraiya Squad—Collective Summoning Jutsu!"
*WHOOSH!*
A massive cloud of smoke erupted as their combined chakra surged into the scroll. When the smoke cleared, Gamabunta, the massive toad as large as the One-Tail Shukaku, stood towering over the battlefield.
"AAAHHH! WHAT IS THAT?!"
Outside the Uchiha district, the villagers of Konoha screamed in panic at the sight of the colossal creature.
"Where is the Security Division?! Someone call them! A monster has invaded the village!"
To the common people, who knew nothing of Mount Myoboku or the alliance between the toads and Konoha, all they saw was a massive toad wielding an enormous blade—a creature that could only be a terrifying enemy.
"Villagers, remain calm. Stay in place and avoid causing a stampede."
The announcement echoed from the village's loudspeakers. It was the voice of Shizan Aburame, calm and composed.
He wore his signature sunglasses and the badge of the Security Division, his presence bringing reassurance to the panicked citizens.
"I am Shizan Aburame. With Fugaku and Deputy Commander Minato absent, I will be taking command. Orders—All Aburame clan members, release your Parasitic Insects and contain that toad."
"Security Division fortress team, prepare the fortress cannons and explosive bombs for the next phase of defense."
Silence followed his orders, but within moments, every member of the Aburame clan raised their hands. Countless insects took flight, swarming toward the training grounds.
Above, the Security Division's floating fortress slowly adjusted its turrets, charging them with an ominous hum. Hundreds of Security Division members, equipped with flying ninja tools, took to the skies, converging toward Gamabunta.
Shizan stood with his arms crossed, his cold gaze hidden behind his dark lenses as he watched the enormous toad.
As the head of the Aburame clan and a seasoned jonin, he knew full well that this was one of Jiraiya's personal summoning beasts from Mount Myoboku.
But none of that mattered.
Summoning a giant creature into Konoha without reporting to the Security Division was a direct violation of protocol. This was his jurisdiction.
Having aligned himself with the Uchiha, Shizan understood that his fate was already tied to theirs—there was no turning back.
The Aburame clan had enjoyed many privileges since joining the Security Division, but they had yet to fully demonstrate their power to both the Uchiha and Konoha.
Jiraiya had just given them the perfect opportunity.
"Shikuro, take action. If that toad resists, eliminate it."
Shikuro Aburame nodded silently. From his sleeves, nearly invisible nano-sized venomous insects slipped into the air. "In Fugaku's absence, I will protect Konoha."
.......
"What the hell? You brats summoned me? What's going on?!"
Gamabunta let out a mighty bellow, his voice so loud that the windows of nearby buildings trembled.
"You're Gamabunta, right? We are Jiraiya-sama's disciples. Please help us defeat those three enemies," Kakashi said, forcing himself to remain calm despite the overwhelming presence of the giant toad.
"Jiraiya, huh… That bastard really knows how to trouble me with these petty errands..." Gamabunta grumbled, his massive eyes scanning the battlefield until they landed on Jiraiya himself.
Jiraiya let out an awkward chuckle and cast a glance at Minato, who merely narrowed his eyes. The Sannin then shouted, "Go easy on them, Bunta! This is just a spar!"
The Uchiha training grounds, though located within the Uchiha district, were far from the residential and commercial areas. They weren't sealed by a barrier, allowing Gamabunta to be summoned there without issue.
Even so, summoning such a massive beast into the training grounds was an outrageous act.
Gamabunta hefted his enormous blade, revealing a gleaming edge that stretched dozens of meters. He flicked out his long tongue, grinning menacingly.
"Alright, you little human brats... Which one of you wants to be my appetizer first—"
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"
Before he could finish, Gamabunta let out an ear-piercing scream.
From the sky, countless Uchiha warriors released genjutsu upon him.
Meanwhile, on his massive body, swarms of Parasitic Insects burrowed into his flesh. As they gnawed relentlessly, they swelled to the size of a human face, forming grotesque bulges beneath his skin.
In less than ten seconds, Gamabunta collapsed to the ground, rendered motionless by the overwhelming assault. His body became nothing more than a breeding ground for the insects.
Near his heart, a faint purple glow flickered ominously.
"Intruder neutralized. Awaiting further orders," Shikuro reported as he stepped toward Fuma, his voice steady.
______________________
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