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Chapter 37: Fists Always Trump Morals
Chapter 37: Fists Always Trump Morals
Boom! Boom!
The intense clash between the two combatants continued unabated in the open space.
Jiraiya, aware of Hagoromo Xuan Yue's intentions, intensified his assault.
However, in the face of Hagoromo's near-infinite chakra supply and his ability to instantly regenerate any damage with his Impure World Reincarnation, these attacks were but minor inconveniences.
But Jiraiya was not alone in this battle.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Several poisoned senbon needles shot out from Shizune's wrist-mounted concealed weapon, speeding towards Hagoromo with incredible velocity.
Despite the stealth of the attack, Hagoromo's senses captured the movement.
He pivoted gracefully, effortlessly dodging each of the senbon.
Taking advantage of this opening, Jiraiya freed up his hands and clapped them together, shouting:
"Ninja Art: Wild Lion Mane Technique!"
Jiraiya's white hair rapidly elongated and thickened, resembling a lion's mane as it swiftly entangled Hagoromo from head to toe.
Crackle! Crackle!
As the mass of white hair contracted, a force strong enough to snap metal bore down on Hagoromo, threatening to crush him into a pulp.
Unfazed by the cracks appearing on his Impure World Reincarnation body, Hagoromo calmly opened his mouth and declared:
"Lava Release: Melting Monster Technique!"
A torrent of acidic liquid spewed from Hagoromo's mouth, effortlessly corroding the Wild Lion Mane Technique that bound him. Following his command, the acid flowed like a mighty river towards Jiraiya and Shizune.
"This is troublesome."
Jiraiya muttered to himself, his body retreating as he formed hand seals and declared:
"Earth Release: Yellow Spring Marsh!"
The ground beneath them transformed into a vast, brown marsh, colliding with the surging acidic liquid.
Amidst the sizzling sounds, the Yellow Spring Marsh visibly shrank at a rapid pace.
However, the Lava Release acid also ceased its advance, gradually dissipating as it was consumed.
Boom!
In the distance, another loud explosion reverberated.
Jiraiya's brow furrowed as he glanced at Hagoromo, whose damaged body was rapidly repairing itself amidst the fluttering paper scraps. In his mind, he acknowledged:
"Ordinary attacks have little effect on the Impure World Reincarnation. Only sealing techniques can truly restrict him. But even for someone like me, it's challenging to deal with Hagoromo quickly."
"If this drags on, what will happen to Tsunade?"
Jiraiya's anxiety grew.
Equally aware of the dire situation, Shizune gritted her teeth and said, "Jiraiya-sama, I'll hold him off! You go find Tsunade-sama!"
"Shizune, you..."
Jiraiya looked deeply into Shizune's eyes.
Seeing the resolute determination on her face, he made a swift decision, characteristic of a seasoned ninja, and said no more.
"Naruto, let's go!"
Only he could be effective against the combination of Orochimaru and Kabuto.
However, Naruto's important identity could not be ignored.
Naturally, Jiraiya intended to bring him along.
"Hey, hey, you two! Making decisions on your own without considering my opinion at all? How rude!"
Hagoromo, the witness to all of this, found the situation amusing and spread his hands in mock exasperation.
The current scene resembled something out of a manga he had read before, where, due to certain circumstances, a member of the protagonist's team would selflessly choose to stay behind and buy time for the hero.
The only difference was that he was now the villain of the story.
But he couldn't help but wonder, "Are all villains this obedient? Do I just obediently follow your plan because you said so?"
Jiraiya paid no heed to Hagoromo's sarcasm and was about to act on his decision.
Hagoromo moved to intercept him, but another figure rushed forward.
"Your opponent is me now!"
Shizune's lips parted, and she spat out several poison needles, propelling them at Hagoromo with deadly force.
Hagoromo slowed his pace, his fingers tapping lightly in the air.
"Little girl, are you overestimating your abilities?" Yuyi Xuan Yue casually blocked each of Shizune's punches and kicks, continuing, "Or perhaps, you're underestimating mine?"
"For Tsunade-sama! No matter how difficult, I will do it!" Shizune's determined gaze didn't waver.
She parted her lips and declared, "Ninja Art: Poison Mist!"
Instantly, Shizune's chakra transformed into a special chemical that turned into a toxic purple mist as it left her mouth, rapidly spreading towards Yuyi Xuan Yue.
"That's a bit interesting." Yuyi Xuan Yue took a step back.
"But it's still far from enough." As his words landed, he clapped his hands together, and a gust of wind erupted from them, dispersing the incoming poison mist.
The howling gale kicked up clouds of dust.
Squinting, Shizune anxiously searched for Yuyi Xuan Yue's whereabouts when a mocking voice suddenly rang in her ear.
"If making a vow or shouting a slogan, 'For so-and-so, I must do this or that,' is all it takes to succeed, then why bother with diligent training? Anyone could defeat all their enemies by simply shouting."
Behind you!
Shizune's eyes narrowed, and she wrapped her hands in a pale blue chakra, forming sharp surgical blades that she swung fiercely behind her.
The next second—
"Not there!" Shizune's pupils contracted as she noticed the empty space behind her, and she unconsciously kicked off the ground, intending to retreat.
But it was too late.
Yuyi Xuan Yue appeared at her side like a ghost.
"You need more practice." Boom! Shizune's body flew like a cannonball toward Jiraiya.
As it turned out, slogans alone weren't always effective.
Yuyi Xuan Yue turned toward Jiraiya, who had only walked a short distance away, and pointed his finger. Several Lava Release fireballs rained down, forcing him to halt.
"Still not good enough?" Jiraiya sighed and stopped moving forward.
Naruto quickly ran to Shizune and hugged her. "Shizune, are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Shizune nodded weakly and used the Palm Mystical Healing Technique to treat her injuries while apologizing to Jiraiya, "I'm sorry, Jiraiya-sama. I was too useless!"
"It would've been difficult for anyone else, too. I was too hasty and took things for granted." Jiraiya looked at the approaching Yuyi Xuan Yue and admitted his mistake.
He had harbored a glimmer of hope.
But now, he realized that this outcome might have prevented Tsunade from catching up and instead put Shizune's life in danger.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Yuyi Xuan Yue approached the trio once more and calmly stated, "Hand over the Spirit Transformation Technique, and I'll let you meet with Tsunade."
Before Jiraiya and Shizune could respond, Naruto angrily shouted, "You want to forcefully take something that doesn't belong to you just because they don't want to give it? What kind of bullshit senior are you!"
Naruto didn't know what the Spirit Transformation Technique was, nor did he understand Yuyi Xuan Yue's true identity.
But his simple sense of right and wrong told him that forcefully taking something from someone was just plain wrong.
"You're absolutely right." Far from being angry, Yuyi Xuan Yue nodded in agreement. "Morally speaking, what I'm doing is indeed wrong."
"But when has this world ever truly valued morality?"
"As someone who's been around, let me teach you a real lesson, kid."
"Fists always trump morals!"
(End of Chapter)
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