Chapter 57: Water-Style Barrier

"From now on, don't talk badly about your sister in front of me, or I'll have to knock some sense into you!"

Jiraiya waved a fist with a playful grin, clearly siding with his wife in front of his brother-in-law.

"I'm warning you for your own good! Don't come crying to me when you get beaten up later."

Senju Nawaki huffed, crossing his arms in defiance.

"Nawaki, stop fooling around with our guest."

The stern voice belonged to Isamu, who walked into the training grounds with three elderly figures trailing behind him. These three were the last remaining jonin of the Senju Clan.

Despite their proud history, the years had not been kind to the Senju. The clan had suffered devastating losses during the First Shinobi War, leaving their numbers dangerously low. Their younger generation lacked true power—no one had reached jonin level, and even the strongest among them were merely elite chunin.

It was these three aging warriors, alongside Isamu, who bore the weight of the Senju's survival. But they all knew the truth: their time was running out. If the clan's fortunes didn't change soon, the Senju would fall further into decline once their elders passed away.

This was why Tsunade's marriage carried such weight. To the clan, it wasn't just a personal union—it was a lifeline, their best chance to break free from the cycle of suppression.

"Jiraiya, let's begin."

Isamu wasted no time on unnecessary pleasantries, his tone firm. Jiraiya nodded in agreement, stepping forward to meet him in the center of the training ground. The two formed the seal of confrontation, signaling the start of their spar.

"You can take the first move," Isamu offered, his voice steady. He wasn't interested in taking advantage of his opponent. With his superior strength, he didn't feel the need.

For Isamu, defeating Jiraiya seemed inevitable. In fact, he was already planning to hold back to avoid making his victory look too easy. He didn't want Tsunade's marriage to feel like a forced political move. However, the Senju's dire circumstances left him little choice.

Jiraiya didn't hesitate. Unsheathing the Lightning Flame Blade, he activated the Body Flicker Technique and launched himself at Isamu.

"Water Style: Water Wave!"

Isamu's hands flew through seals at a speed that left no time to react. Before Jiraiya could close the gap, a torrent of water erupted from Isamu's mouth, surging like a tidal wave across the training ground. The sheer force swept across the entire area, leaving no room for evasion.

It was clear why Isamu had inherited Tobirama Senju's legacy. His mastery of Water Style was on another level, far surpassing ordinary users of the technique. The wave's crushing power could shatter stone, and anything caught in its path would be pulverized into nothingness.

Standing atop the raging waters, Isamu watched Jiraiya with a calm, detached expression.

"Air Cleave Slash!"

Facing the oncoming wave, Jiraiya showed no fear. He gripped the Lightning Flame Blade tightly and slashed forward. A sharp, white arc of light cut through the torrent, splitting it in two as the water surged past him on either side.

The technique, earned from the system, created a blade of compressed air that attacked with incredible speed. It was reminiscent of Might Guy's Morning Peacock, but less reliant on raw physical strength. While the Air Cleave Slash couldn't match the destructive force of higher-level techniques, its speed and precision made it a formidable move.

"I didn't expect you to be skilled with a blade," Isamu remarked, his eyes narrowing slightly. Forming seals again, he directed the remaining water to spread out and form a series of barriers, enclosing the training ground in a dome-like structure.

With the Water-Style Barrier complete, Jiraiya found himself trapped. The walls of water left almost no room for movement or escape.

"I prefer direct combat," Isamu said, his voice calm but firm. "Dodging doesn't suit me, and I won't let you waste your time trying to break my barrier. You don't have the strength to overcome it. Focus on fighting me instead."

Raising his hand, Isamu summoned a column of water that shot upward, sealing the last open space above them.

Jiraiya's eyes widened slightly.

'What an incredible amount of chakra… To create a barrier like this so effortlessly.'

Indeed, barrier techniques required an enormous amount of chakra, but Isamu didn't even look winded. It was no wonder he had been hailed second Tobirama Senju.

This was the strongest opponent Jiraiya had faced since arriving in this world. Even the jonin he had defeated before would have been no match for Isamu. The man's sheer strength and skill were leagues above the rest.

But Jiraiya grinned. 'Perfect. I wouldn't want it any other way.'

"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"

Isamu formed a series of seals, and from the water beneath him rose a massive dragon, its serpentine body twisting as it roared toward Jiraiya.

"Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique!"

Jiraiya's hands moved in a blur, forming seals of his own. A blazing dragon of fire erupted from his mouth, colliding head-on with the water dragon.

The impact was deafening, and the resulting steam quickly filled the barrier, obscuring the battlefield in a dense mist.

"My sister mentioned you were skilled with Fire Style," Isamu said evenly, his voice cutting through the haze. "But against me, your flames will never reach their full potential."

"Even the mightiest river can be dried by a raging inferno," Jiraiya countered with a smirk.

It was true that Water Style naturally countered Fire Style, but Jiraiya had no intention of backing down. His abundant chakra reserves allowed him to pour extra power into his techniques, compensating for the disadvantage.

Outside the barrier, the three remaining Senju jonin observed the battle closely.

"How long do you think this white-haired kid can hold out against Isamu?"

"He's a civilian-born ninja. No matter how much he's learned from the Hokage, he can't last long against someone of Isamu's caliber."

"Still… That sword technique of his was impressive. Maybe he'll surprise us yet."

Though their words were skeptical, there was a glimmer of hope in their eyes. Deep down, they wanted Jiraiya to prove them wrong—to show that he had the potential to stand alongside the Senju.

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

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