Chapter 11: Who’s Spreading Lies About Me?

Ryoma never expected Jiraiya to unleash three Fire Bullet Jutsu in one go.

Just moments ago, Ryoma had been feeling smug about his control over his insects. He'd even been silently patting himself on the back for his accomplishments. But in the blink of an eye, his jaw dropped.

Seriously? A Chūnin managing to fire off three Fireball Jutsu at once? Add that to Jiraiya's earlier display of speed with the Earth Substitution Jutsu, and Ryoma felt utterly humiliated.

For someone of the same rank, Jiraiya was way out of line. Couldn't he act like a proper Chūnin for once? Ryoma thought miserably. He had only come to the training field for a friendly sparring match—not to watch Jiraiya show off his tricks.

Seriously, give me a break! Ryoma screamed internally.

Boom! Boom!

The first fireball slammed into Ryoma's insect shield, setting the insects ablaze with a series of crackling pops. The barrier held but was consumed in the process. The remaining two fireballs, radiating intense heat, hurtled straight toward Ryoma.

He barely had time to react. The moment he had formed the insect barrier, he hadn't anticipated this scenario.

After all, in the history of Konoha, no Chūnin had ever managed to unleash three consecutive Fireball Jutsu. Only seasoned Jōnin with mastery over Fire Release could achieve such a feat.

Sure, a Chūnin could theoretically pull it off with relentless training, but who would spend so much time on a single jutsu when there were countless others to learn?

Ryoma couldn't believe this was Jiraiya. As far as he knew, whenever Jiraiya had free time, he was either loitering near the women's bathhouse or plotting ways to peek. There was no way someone like him had dedicated countless hours to perfecting the Fireball Jutsu.

Yet here they were. Three fireballs. It made no sense.

Left with no options, Ryoma could only stare wide-eyed, paralyzed with fear, as the fireballs closed in on him.

"Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere!"

Just as the flames were about to engulf Ryoma, Danzo formed a series of rapid hand seals, channeling wind-nature chakra to his mouth. A compressed wind blasts shot forward at lightning speed.

Whoosh!

The wind bullet tore through the two remaining fireballs, scattering them into harmless embers.

Ryoma collapsed to the ground, drenched in sweat. For a fleeting moment, he had tasted the bitterness of death.

His entire body reeked of burnt hair, and his scorched eyebrows and singed hair left him looking as if he'd just survived a firestorm. If Danzo had been even a second slower, Ryoma was sure he'd have been reduced to ash.

Jiraiya turned to glance at Danzo after his attack was neutralized.

"Impressive," Jiraiya said, genuinely acknowledging the elder. "No wonder you've trained such powerful organizations like the Anbu and Root. Your skill speaks for itself."

Danzo returned Jiraiya's gaze, his tone surprisingly warm.

"You've certainly surpassed expectations, Jiraiya. Lord Third, your student is remarkable—I pale in comparison."

Ryoma, still trembling, staggered to his feet and bowed deeply toward Jiraiya.

"I apologize for my earlier arrogance. I was wrong to underestimate you." His tone was sincere, his attitude transformed.

Shinobi revered strength, and Ryoma's respect for Jiraiya had grown exponentially after this crushing defeat.

"It's no big deal," Jiraiya said, waving off the apology. "But let me give you some advice: It's fine to be competitive, but acting cocky when you lack the skills to back it up is a surefire way to get hurt."

Ryoma nodded earnestly, falling into step beside Jiraiya as they left the training ground together.

Danzo, still observing the two, turned to Jiraiya with a rare smile.

"You've improved significantly, Jiraiya. Your progress is astounding—it caught us all off guard."

Jiraiya's fight had showcased precision, cunning, and timing. Even Danzo couldn't help but feel impressed.

"Well," Jiraiya replied with a sheepish grin, "it's all thanks to relentless training. No shortcuts here."

Of course, he couldn't reveal the truth about the system. If Konoha's higher-ups ever discovered its existence, Jiraiya would be dissected before he could say another word.

"Oh? That's strange," Danzo said, his lips quirking into a sly smirk. "I've heard you spend most of your time loitering near the women's bathhouse."

"Who said that?!" Jiraiya exclaimed, his expression twisting into outrage. "That's slander! I demand to know who's spreading these lies about me!"

His indignation was so convincing that even Hiruzen Sarutobi, who knew his student's habits all too well, found himself briefly questioning Jiraiya's innocence.

Orochimaru and Tsunade exchanged stunned glances. They couldn't believe how flawlessly Jiraiya could lie with such conviction—no flinching, no hesitation, no shame. It was truly a masterclass in deception.

Orochimaru gave a wry smile. "Tsunade, I'm starting to worry for you."

"Worry about what?" Tsunade retorted, crossing her arms. "If Jiraiya can win, what makes you think I'd lose?"

"Don't misunderstand me," Orochimaru said quickly, raising his hands in mock surrender. "I'm not saying you'd lose. But I did hear that if Jiraiya won, you'd promised to grant him a favor. Knowing his personality, I'm sure you can guess what he might ask for."

Tsunade's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Do you think my fists are just for show? If that idiot dares to ask for anything inappropriate, I'll crush his skull with one punch!"

----------------

For each 100 Power Stones +1 Chapter

Read more than +100 chapters and support me on Patreon

Patreon(.)com/Jixo