264.Reinforcement

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"Who knows?"

"Obito" let out a dry, hoarse laugh.

"Well, what are you going to do now, Konan?" He turned to look at her.

"Madara, don't forget that your goals align with ours," Konan said coldly. "Although Nagato has temporarily lost his combat ability, the enemy is now left with only Jiraiya-sensei. Go and grab Naruto!"

"Oh? So you still need me to step in?" "Obito" said noncommittally. "If it weren't for me earlier, you would have been caught in that genjutsu too, and Nagato would be dead."

Konan fell silent.

Indeed, although she had used a paper clone to deceive Naruto's Tailed Beast Ball earlier, she hadn't been able to escape the range of that terrifying sound-based genjutsu in time.

In the end, it was Obito who used his space-time ninjutsu to take her away and then brought her back in time to save Nagato.

But...

Konan looked at Jiraiya's current state.

The two toad sages had disappeared, and Jiraiya had completely exited Sage Mode. Now, he stood in front of the unconscious Naruto and Guy, still panting heavily.

If Obito didn't step in, even though Jiraiya-sensei had expended a lot of energy earlier, after the continuous battles, her own chakra was nearly depleted.

In a one-on-one fight, she had little chance of winning.

Even if she could barely defeat Jiraiya-sensei, reinforcements from the Leaf would arrive soon.

Thinking this, Konan coldly stared at Obito and said firmly, "Only if you act now can we successfully take the Nine-Tails! Don't forget our shared goal!"

"Alright, I get it!"

"Obito" raised his hands in surrender.

"Is it coming?" Jiraiya's expression was grave.

Naruto and Guy were out of the fight, leaving only me to hold the line.

The other one is Obito, right? Based on the intel, it's definitely him.

A space-time Mangekyō Sharingan? This is troublesome.

Jiraiya thought about this, assessed his own condition, and forced himself to stay alert and ready.

"Have you two finished discussing, Konan, Obito?" His tone was light, and he made exaggerated gestures with his hands. "But no matter what you decide, as long as I, Jiraiya, am here, I won't let you take Naruto!"

Though he spoke confidently, Jiraiya wasn't entirely sure. He could only hope that the Leaf's reinforcements would arrive soon.

But...

Hearing the distant explosions from the village, Jiraiya knew that Tsunade and the others were still fighting.

"Well then..."

Jiraiya bit his right thumb and drew a blood mark on his left palm.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

Poof! White smoke rose.

"Ribbit."

A toad with thick iron armor on its arms appeared.

"Protect those two while I fight, Iron Arm Toad!"

Jiraiya gave the order and turned back to keep an eye on Konan and Obito.

"Ribbit."

The Iron Arm Toad seemed to be a quiet one, silently standing guard in front of Naruto and Guy.

Having prepared, Jiraiya didn't initiate the fight. He knew his goal was to protect Naruto and Guy. All he needed to do was hold the line and wait for reinforcements.

"Still not making a move?" Konan, who was also guarding the unconscious Nagato, urged "Obito."

Oh dear, oh dear...

The blood puppet "Obito" muttered to himself.

Although my master has made a deal with the Leaf, I can't be too obvious in helping them.

That Black Zetsu guy is definitely watching from somewhere. If I slip up, things will go south.

"Don't rush me," "Obito" said, pulling out a chain and gripping it tightly. "I'll go grab the Nine-Tails now!"

With that, he swung the chain and charged forward.

Jiraiya pulled out a kunai and held it firmly, his body slightly crouched, ready to defend.

Whoosh!

Obito threw the chain, which passed between Jiraiya and the Iron Arm Toad, aiming for Naruto lying on the ground behind them.

Clang!

The Iron Arm Toad blocked the chain with its armored arms.

Jiraiya, however, remained in place, his eyes locked on "Obito's" movements.

"Obito" retracted the chain and charged straight at Jiraiya.

Jiraiya stepped forward, slashing with his kunai, but it passed right through "Obito's" body as expected.

"Obito" didn't slow down. His body passed through Jiraiya and then through the Iron Arm Toad, effortlessly reaching Naruto. He bent down and grabbed Naruto by the collar.

"Now!"

Jiraiya turned and threw his kunai, then immediately closed the distance.

"Not so fast."

"Obito" sneered, letting the kunai pass through his head as he grabbed Naruto's collar again.

"Let go!"

"Ribbit!"

Jiraiya and the Iron Arm Toad attacked from both sides.

"Got him!"

"Obito" lifted Naruto with one hand and leaped into the air.

Jiraiya jumped as well, quickly forming hand seals.

"Ninja Art: Lion's Mane Technique!"

His hair instantly grew longer, strands of it whipping like mad snakes, rapidly lashing out at "Obito."

At the same time, the Iron Arm Toad jumped up and blocked "Obito's" path from behind, swinging its armored arms at his head.

"Obito" ignored Jiraiya's hair and turned to kick, colliding with the Iron Arm Toad's arm.

Whoosh...

A giant shuriken made of paper spun rapidly through the air, slicing through Jiraiya's hair before dispersing into countless smaller paper shurikens, all aimed at Jiraiya.

"Come here!" Konan threw another giant paper shuriken.

By now, "Obito" had used the Iron Arm Toad's arm as a springboard, leaping even higher into the air.

"Ha!"

Jiraiya shouted, and his hair grew even longer. Some of it wrapped around his body to block the paper shurikens, while the rest shot toward "Obito" in the air.

"Here!"

"Obito" used the chain to bind Naruto, then tossed Naruto's body toward Konan with one hand, allowing Jiraiya's hair to pass through his own body.

"Mission accomplished!"

"Naruto!"

Jiraiya quickly turned, his hair also changing direction to reach for Naruto in the air.

"Jiraiya-sensei, the Nine-Tails is ours now."

Konan manipulated a dense swarm of paper to block Jiraiya's hair, while simultaneously wrapping Naruto's body in paper.

"Not yet!"

Jiraiya formed hand seals again.

"Toad Oil Bullet!"

A large amount of sticky oil shot from his mouth, drenching the paper Konan was controlling.

"Give him back!"

The paper, soaked in oil, lost its control. Jiraiya's hair quickly extended, wrapping around Naruto's body and pulling him back.

"I'm still here."

"Obito" suddenly appeared, grabbing the chain around Naruto and slashing through Jiraiya's hair with a kunai.

Whoosh!

A finger blade wrapped in sharp wind-style chakra shot out from the forest like lightning, aiming straight for the back of "Obito's" head.

"Reinforcements are here!" Jiraiya breathed a sigh of relief.

"Tch."

"Obito" phased out again, letting the finger blade pass through his head.

Naruto fell heavily to the ground.

A black thread snaked across the ground, connecting to Naruto's shadow.

In the next moment, Naruto's body rolled to the side, dodging "Obito's" outstretched hand.