The crystal pulsated with a malevolent energy, sending tremors through the chamber as Jiraiya struggled to regain his footing. The force of the blast had thrown him back, but his determination to stop Shinno only grew stronger. The mission was clear—he had to stop this madness before it escalated any further.
Shinno stood across the chamber, his eyes cold and calculating. His cloak billowed around him, adding to the ominous aura he radiated. Jiraiya's heart raced, but his resolve was unwavering. He couldn't let someone like Shinno continue down this dark path.
"You think you can stop me, Jiraiya?" Shinno's voice echoed through the chamber, mocking, almost sadistic. "You're nothing but a relic of the past. You've already lost."
Jiraiya's fists clenched at his sides. Shinno had changed. He had become something beyond human, something Jiraiya could hardly comprehend. But he would not allow this madness to continue. Not if he could help it.
"I don't care how much power you've gained, Shinno," Jiraiya said through gritted teeth. "I'm going to stop you, no matter what it takes."
The room seemed to grow darker as Shinno smirked. "Then try your best, Jiraiya. But know this—I've already surpassed the limitations of your precious human body. I am beyond your reach now."
Jiraiya's gaze hardened. "We'll see about that."
In a flash, Shinno moved with terrifying speed, his form blurring as he closed the distance between them. Jiraiya barely had time to react before Shinno's fist collided with his chest, sending him flying backward into the stone wall. He grunted, the air knocked out of him. Pain radiated through his body, but he ignored it, focusing on the task at hand.
"Is that the best you can do?" Shinno taunted, stepping forward with a grin that twisted his features. "You're so slow. So weak."
Jiraiya slowly pushed himself off the wall, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Shinno was fast, faster than he had anticipated. But he had his own tricks up his sleeve.
With a sudden movement, Jiraiya formed a series of hand seals, summoning his toad companion, Gamabunta. The massive toad appeared with a loud splash of chakra, landing between Jiraiya and Shinno. The earth shook as Gamabunta's presence filled the room.
"What's this?" Shinno sneered, raising an eyebrow. "A giant toad? Is this supposed to scare me?"
Jiraiya didn't answer. Instead, he stepped back, allowing Gamabunta to take the lead. The toad's eyes were fierce, and its size alone was enough to intimidate. Shinno, however, didn't flinch.
"You really are a fool, Jiraiya," Shinno said, his voice dripping with disdain. "Summoning a toad won't change anything. You still can't match my power."
"We'll see about that," Jiraiya replied, his voice low and filled with determination. He quickly formed another series of hand seals, his chakra flaring as he entered Sage Mode. His senses heightened, and the world around him came alive with detail.
Shinno's expression faltered for a split second as he recognized Jiraiya's new form. But it was only for a moment. He quickly recovered, and his body began to pulse with a dark, almost unnatural energy. The two stood facing each other, both preparing for the inevitable clash.
"So, you've decided to show your true power," Shinno said with a smirk. "How quaint. But it won't help you."
Jiraiya's eyes burned with determination as he faced off against the rogue medic-nin. "You can say what you want, but I'm not backing down. Not now. Not ever."
With that, the two launched themselves at each other, the battle of wills beginning in earnest.
---
The first strike was a blur. Jiraiya's fist collided with Shinno's chest with a force that could shatter mountains, but the rogue shinobi twisted out of the way, using his newfound speed and strength to counter. He struck Jiraiya across the face, sending him staggering backward, but Jiraiya quickly regained his footing, his senses sharp in Sage Mode.
Gamabunta, seeing the opening, lunged at Shinno with a swipe of his massive tongue. But Shinno leaped backward, narrowly avoiding the attack. He then formed his own series of hand seals, summoning a creature of his own—a monstrous beast with long, jagged claws and an aura of darkness surrounding it.
Jiraiya's eyes widened. "What the hell is that thing?"
"This is my creation," Shinno said, his voice filled with pride. "A creature born from the forbidden techniques I've mastered. It's more than just a summon—it's an extension of my power."
The creature snarled and charged toward Jiraiya, its claws swiping through the air with deadly precision. Jiraiya barely managed to dodge, the beast's claws grazing his side. The wound stung, but he fought through the pain, leaping into the air to gain the advantage.
"You're going to have to do better than that," Jiraiya said, grinning despite the pain. He reached into his pouch and pulled out a kunai, charging toward the beast with lightning speed. But as he got closer, the creature's claws lashed out once again, forcing him to retreat.
"What's wrong, Jiraiya?" Shinno taunted from across the room. "Are you finally realizing you're outmatched?"
Jiraiya growled, his eyes narrowing. "Not yet. Not by a long shot."
With a roar, Jiraiya summoned a barrage of Rasengans, sending them hurtling toward Shinno and his monstrous creature. The Rasengans exploded on impact, but Shinno's creature managed to absorb the blasts with its body, shielding Shinno from the damage.
"Is that the best you've got?" Shinno asked with a sneer. "You're nothing more than a weak old man playing with children's toys."
Jiraiya's expression hardened. "If you think you can break my spirit with words, you're wrong. You're the one who's weak."
In the blink of an eye, Jiraiya disappeared, using his Sage Mode to move faster than the eye could track. He appeared behind Shinno, delivering a devastating blow that sent the rogue medic-nin crashing into the wall.
Shinno's creature let out a shriek of rage and lunged at Jiraiya, but the toad sage was already in motion. He leaped into the air, his Rasengan charged and ready. The beast roared as Jiraiya's Rasengan collided with its chest, shattering the creature into nothing but dark mist.
"Impossible!" Shinno shouted, his eyes wide with disbelief. "How did you—"
"I told you, Shinno," Jiraiya said with a grin. "You're not the only one with tricks up his sleeve."
With a roar of fury, Shinno rushed at Jiraiya, his chakra flaring. But Jiraiya was ready. He focused all of his remaining energy into one final attack. With a mighty shout, he formed a massive Rasengan, one that dwarfed anything he had used before.
The final clash was inevitable. Jiraiya's Rasengan met Shinno's assault head-on, and the resulting explosion filled the chamber with blinding light. The shockwave sent both combatants flying, but only one would rise.