The Belated Rescue: Jiraiya Makes His Appearance

Chapter 122 The Belated Rescue: Jiraiya Makes His Appearance

Gamabunta fell from the sky and crashed heavily onto the open ground at the foot of the mountain, stirring up a cloud of dust.

Jiraiya jumped down from the toad's head and immediately saw the deep pit on the mountainside, the broken wood shards, and the bloodstains and corpses all over the ground.

Then, he saw Yang Xiang.

Covered in wounds, his armor shattered, he stood at the edge of the deep pit, his face pale.

But his eyes remained calm.

Jiraiya's expression changed.

He ran wildly up the mountain, as fast as the wind, and in a few leaps he was in front of Yang Xiang.

"Yang Xiang! Are you alright?!"

Yang Xiang glanced at him but didn't say anything.

"Where's the Raikage?" Jiraiya looked around. "Are you guys done fighting?"

"It's over," Yang Xiang said.

Jiraiya's pupils contracted slightly.

He saw the fist mark on Yang Xiang's chest, the gash from his shoulder to his waist, and the skin burned by lightning.

Anyone else would have been bedridden with these injuries.

Yang Xiang was still standing.

"I—" Jiraiya opened his mouth, "I'm late."

Like a student who has made a mistake.

"Jiraiya-senpai," Yang Xiang's voice was calm, "the Raikage led 1,500 men, coming all the way from the Land of Hot Springs, and you didn't know anything about it?"

Jiraiya's face froze.

What could he say?

Is it true that he was tricked by a feint attack from the Cloud Ninja in the Land of Hot Water?

He thought the Raikage was still in Yunlei Gorge?

He said that when he received the message, the Raikage had already been gone for three days?

These words, once spoken, are merely excuses.

"It's my fault." Jiraiya lowered his head. "I..."

A deep voice came from down the mountain, interrupting him.

Jiraiya's body tensed up suddenly.

He turned his head and saw the man standing at the foot of the mountain.

A towering body, dark skin, and crackling lightning.

The Third Raikage, A.

He was looking at Jiraiya, a cruel smile playing on his lips.

"Another one." Ai stretched his neck, his joints cracking.

His gaze swept back and forth between Jiraiya and Yang Xiang, finally settling on Jiraiya.

He's already experienced the power of that Senju brat.

Two swords severed one of his arms.

He wasn't confident he could continue fighting.

The newcomer, who looked like an elite Jonin from Konoha, was covered in injuries and had used up a lot of his chakra.

Compared to Yang Xiang, he is far inferior.

Ai's eyes changed.

He was looking for a way out.

The troops on the mountain have already withdrawn, and it's not worth it for him to stay here alone and face two opponents.

But if we can take one down before leaving—

His gaze was fixed on Jiraiya.

Yang Xiang noticed the change in Ai's eyes.

His pupils contracted slightly.

"Jiraiya-senpai"

Before he could finish speaking, Ai moved.

It didn't rush towards Yangxiang, but went straight for him!

A burst of lightning flashed, and Ai streaked across the ground, his speed so fast that his trail was almost invisible.

Although his right arm was useless, his left hand was still intact.

With his four fingers together, he gathered his Lightning Release chakra at his fingertips, forming a dazzling Lightning Spear Hell Thrust - Four-Point Piercing Hand!

This is the Raikage's strongest attack method: four fingers, each capable of piercing through any defense.

When he concentrates his power into a single finger, that becomes the strongest spear in the ninja world.

Jiraiya's pupils contracted to their maximum size.

He instinctively tried to dodge, but Ai was too fast, so fast that he didn't even have time to form hand seals.

It’s over.

The thought had barely crossed his mind when a beam of azure light shot out from behind him.

Yang Xiang's sword light.

A slight smile appeared on Ai's lips.

This is what he's been waiting for.

His body twisted strangely in mid-air, dodging the sword light, while the lightning spear in his left hand suddenly shrank—from four fingers to one.

All the power is concentrated in the index finger.

The lightning on that finger was blindingly bright.

"Hellfire Thrust - One-Shot Punch!"

This is his strongest attack, a strike powerful enough to penetrate any defense.

His target was not Yang Xiang.

It is Jiraiya.

In Jiraiya's pupils, the lightning bolt grew closer and brighter.

He tried to dodge, but his body couldn't keep up with his reaction.

boom!!!

The lightning bolt pierced through Jiraiya's shoulder.

Fresh blood gushed out.

Jiraiya was sent flying, crashing into the rock wall behind him. The rock shattered, and his body became embedded in it, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

"Jiraiya-senpai!!" Nawaki's voice rang out from afar.

On the mountainside, everyone was stunned.

Yang Xiang frowned.

He saw it.

Ai never intended to fight him from the beginning.

His target has always been Jiraiya.

Use Jiraiya as a breakthrough point to force him to make a move, and then take advantage of the gap in his attack to injure Jiraiya with your strongest attack and then escape.

Ai fell from the sky, landing on the gravel, and glanced back at Yang Xiang.

There was a hint of smugness in his eyes.

"That's all for today, you brat from the Senju family."

He turned around, transformed into a bolt of lightning, and raced down the mountain.

It was faster than before, as fast as a real lightning bolt.

Yang Xiang stood there, watching the bolt of lightning disappear into the horizon.

He didn't chase after them.

He has already used up most of his spiritual power.

"Jiraiya-senpai!" Nawaki's voice rang out again.

Yang Xiang turned around and walked to the rock wall.

Jiraiya was embedded in the broken rocks, with a fist-sized bloody hole in his shoulder, and blood was flowing down the rock wall.

His face was pale, and he was breathing rapidly, but his eyes were still open.

"Yang—Yang Xiang—" Jiraiya's voice trailed off, "The Raikage—is gone?"

"I'm gone."

Jiraiya closed his eyes and gave a wry smile.

"I've caused you trouble again."

Yang Xiang did not speak.

He raised his hand, and a pale green light shone from his palm.

Palm Immortal Technique.

Warm chakra flowed into Jiraiya's shoulder, stopping the bleeding and repairing the wound, which healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Jiraiya opened his eyes and looked at Yang Xiang.

The boy's face was expressionless; he was simply focused on treating him.

But Jiraiya noticed that Yang Xiang's hands were trembling slightly.

It wasn't because of nervousness or fear, but because of excessive consumption of spiritual energy.

"Yang Xiang," Jiraiya's voice was soft, "your injury—"

"It's just a superficial wound," Yang Xiang interrupted him. "Your injury is more serious. The Hell Thrust pierced through your shoulder, and the bone is fractured. You'll need at least a month to recover."

Jiraiya paused for a moment.

"sorry."

Yang Xiang paused for a moment.

"I—" Jiraiya's voice was a little hoarse, "If I had come sooner, the Raikage wouldn't have—"

"Won't what?" Yang Xiang withdrew his hand, looking at him. "Won't run away?"

Jiraiya was stunned.

Yang Xiang stood up and looked down at him.

"Jiraiya-senpai, the Raikage didn't run away. He withdrew."

He turned around and looked in the direction where the remnants of the Cloud Ninja had disappeared at the foot of the mountain.

"Fifteen hundred men, half gone. He himself was wounded. If the fighting continues, his entire army will be wiped out."

"He's not afraid of me, he's afraid his entire army will be wiped out."

"So he chose you as his target—not because you're easy to bully, but because he knew that after injuring you, he would prioritize saving people and wouldn't chase after him."

Jiraiya opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.

"So," Yang Xiang said calmly, "you don't need to apologize. You've come at the perfect time."

Jiraiya was stunned.

"Perfect?!"

"Hmm." Yang Xiang nodded. "If you hadn't come, he might have fought to the death. In that case, even more people would have died on Ge Cheng Mountain."

He paused.

"You gave him a reason to retreat."

Jiraiya remained silent for a long time.

Then he smiled.

The smile was somewhat bitter, somewhat self-deprecating, but also contained a hint of relief.

"Yang Xiang," he said, "you have a really nasty way of speaking."

"Just telling the truth."

Jiraiya shook his head and stood up, supporting himself against the rock wall.

The injury on my shoulder is still throbbing, but the bleeding has stopped.

He looked down at the foot of the mountain, in the direction where the Cloud Ninja had disappeared.

"Raikage—" he murmured, "Next time we meet, I'll definitely get my revenge."