Naruto: Starting with Infinite Chakra

"What a remarkable insect," Jiraiya muttered, his eyes narrowing. Although the fireball hadn't gotten close to the insect before being sliced apart and dissipating, the intense heat it radiated should have been enough for the creature to sense it. Yet, it seemed utterly unaffected.

Leaping toward the ground, Jiraiya knew that for techniques of this caliber, he would need a specialized defensive jutsu to counter them. The only defensive jutsu he currently had was Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall, which required contact with the ground to perform. He still hadn't mastered the ability to condense Earth Chakra directly in his mouth.

"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"

Mid-descent, Jiraiya formed the seals and slammed his hands onto the ground upon landing. A sturdy wall of earth instantly rose before him.

Boom!

A series of explosions erupted near his ears as three insects, accompanied by a barrage of wind blades, struck the wall head-on. The wall shuddered violently under the assault, sending dirt and fragments flying, but it held firm—no cracks formed, and it continued to withstand Ryoma's attack.

"When did Jiraiya learn Earth-Style Wall?" Tsunade exclaimed in shock. "And he's using it so skillfully! If he'd known this technique earlier, he would've definitely bragged about it to us. Did he just master it recently?"

She glanced at Jiraiya with a mixture of surprise and unease. Somehow, he felt unfamiliar to her now.

"It's possible he's been hiding his true strength," Orochimaru speculated, equally stunned.

"With his personality? That seems unlikely," Tsunade countered. She remembered how Jiraiya would always flaunt any new technique he learned, often showing off jutsu that she and Orochimaru had already mastered long ago. The idea that Jiraiya had been concealing his abilities seemed hard to believe.

"Maybe his talent has only recently begun to shine," Orochimaru mused, observing Jiraiya's performance with an air of satisfaction.

Nearby, Danzo's expression darkened. Ryoma was his most prized disciple, someone he had high hopes for. Based on his observations, Ryoma should have been capable of defeating both Tsunade and Jiraiya. That confidence had driven him to propose this match to Hiruzen Sarutobi, hoping to surpass his rival in this arena.

But from the looks of it, Ryoma was struggling even to keep up with Jiraiya.

"You think a simple trick like this can block my jutsu? Don't underestimate me," Ryoma sneered. Forming hand seals, he directed his two remaining insects to gather their chakra into a single point. The chakra compressed rapidly before detonating with a deafening roar, unleashing a storm of wind blades that tore into the earthen wall.

This jutsu was Ryoma's most powerful technique—a B-rank jutsu with power at the peak of its class.

Crack!

The wall fractured, a web of cracks spreading across its surface before it began to collapse. One of the insects that hadn't exploded darted through the crumbling wall, striking Jiraiya, followed by a flurry of wind blades.

But before Ryoma could celebrate, he realized something was off. Jiraiya's body turned into a puddle of mud.

"A substitution?! When did he pull that off?" Ryoma's eyes widened in disbelief. He had struck Jiraiya the moment the wall fell, but somehow, Jiraiya had already replaced himself with a clone.

As Ryoma suspected, Jiraiya had executed the Substitution Jutsu in that fleeting moment. He had already moved aside, leaving only a decoy in his place.

"What incredible speed," Tsunade muttered, having caught a glimpse of Jiraiya's quick hand seals.

"Who the hell started that rumor about Jiraiya being dead last?" Ryoma cursed inwardly. There was no way someone this skilled could ever be called a loser. If Jiraiya was trash, then what were the rest of them?

Ryoma's face burned with embarrassment as he recalled his earlier taunts.

"Fire Release: Flame Bullet!"

Jiraiya formed hand seals and unleashed a fireball toward the final insect. By now, the insect's chakra reserves were nearly depleted, its wings too weak to generate wind blades. The fireball hit its mark, coating the insect in burning chakra-infused oil.

The insect let out a sharp screech as the flames consumed it. Though the fireball hadn't killed it instantly, the burning oil ensured its demise. Within moments, the creature fell silent.

Ryoma winced in pain. He had only three of those insects, and now they were all gone. They weren't something he could breed himself, acquiring them required passing rigorous tests and earning the approval of the clan elders.

"Fire Release: Flame Bullet!"

Another fireball shot toward Ryoma, who now knew the technique's power. Unwilling to waste his remaining insects, he directed only a small swarm to form a Bug Wall to block the attack.

The number of bugs was calculated perfectly—not a single one wasted.

As the fireball struck the wall, Ryoma smirked, confident in his strategy.

Then Jiraiya's lips curled into a sly grin.

Ryoma's heart sank.

Two more fireballs came hurtling toward him.

"Nani?!" Ryoma's eyes bulged in shock.

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