Ninja Ice House

Chapter 576 Transformation of Reality and Illusion

Logically speaking, as the absolute master of the dream space, Jiraiya should have absolute control over this world. However, the foundation of this world's existence is not only him, but also the power of Kurama Yakumo's bloodline limit.

These unusual circumstances caught Jiraiya's attention instinctively and subconsciously.

The local villagers even thought it was a promotional campaign by a big company.

However, Jiraiya, who was a little dizzy from the alcohol, unconsciously looked up at the sky, which still had a little bit of dim light left.

"This is... a mirage?"

The somewhat unfamiliar town overhead had a resemblance to Konoha Village. For example, you could see the Hokage Rock, the Konoha Hospital, several large training grounds, and the outline of the Hokage's House. The general outline matched, but the details seemed completely different.

"Wait, something's not right, it seems to be getting closer."

Like a mirage falling, Jiraiya only had time to reach out and block the blinding light shining directly into his eyes. A few seconds later, when he opened his eyes again, the surroundings had completely changed.

The familiar streets and buildings have completely changed. People come and go, and it's like a dream. The beautiful hometown has become a steel forest built by high-rise buildings.

In the more than ten years since then, the ninja world has developed so much. Although the day of selecting the Fourth Hokage seems not too far away, the characteristics of ninjutsu and technology intertwining and progressing together have become more and more obvious.

"This... is also Konoha Village, but it's not the one I remember. No, that's not right either, I should have seen it before, and be quite familiar with it, so why?"

Despite the splitting headache, Jiraiya braced himself, opened all his chakra pathways, and formed hand seals, ready to strike at any moment and defend against any possible attack.

Just then, a footstep came from around the corner, and Kaguya Kimimaro, dressed in combat gear, appeared before Jiraiya.

"who?"

"Kimimaro... Kaguya Kimimaro, I originally wanted to spar with you, the so-called 'Toad Sage,' but I couldn't find an opportunity. I never expected that we would meet under these circumstances..."

"Kaguya... a successor of the Shikotsumyaku?"

Judging from Kaguya Kimimaro's appearance and the sharp aura emanating from him, one could tell that this young man was extremely strong, even more dangerous than Minato Namikaze, who was the same age.

"When did someone like you appear in the ninja world? Was Kirigakure hiding this well? Whose idea was this sneak attack, or...?"

Suddenly, she thought of the calm and serene boy named "Bai" whom she had met not long ago. He was also of the bloodline of the Minazuki clan in Kirigakure, but claimed to be a member of the Kosugi clan.

"Could it be Kosugi, or perhaps the Daimyo's decision? Is there still a chance to turn back? Our Konoha village can forgive and forget; everything is negotiable. If we truly break off relations, it won't benefit either side, only outsiders. We mustn't do something that hurts our own people and pleases our enemies..."

"It's a pity there's no time left. I originally wanted to exchange a few more words with a senior like you."

Everyone else is almost ready, so there's no need for Kaguya Kimimaro to waste time. In fact, we should act quickly and finish this decisively.

With his chest, elbows, ribs, back, knees, legs, shoulders, and neck exposed, and encased in tough yet unhindered bone spike armor, Jiraiya slightly bent his legs and then exerted force, and the boy in front of him suddenly disappeared.

"So fast!"

Before I could react, danger was imminent. I instinctively turned my head, and a sharp gust of wind swept past, severing a strand of white hair that I couldn't dodge in time, and it fell to the ground.

Before his brain could even give the order, Jiraiya's instincts and combat experience made him take a step back, then somersault away, using several leaps to create distance before biting his finger and casting a summoning jutsu.

Just then, Jiraiya sensed a spatial-temporal fluctuation that seemed to impede him, which even slowed down his summoning jutsu.

Fortunately, the feeling was fleeting and did not affect Jiraiya's summoning jutsu.

In the blink of an eye, the once empty street was enveloped and spread by writhing chunks of flesh, which quickly closed in and secreted digestive juices that could dissolve almost everything.

This is the iron stomach of the giant toad of Mount Myōboku. It is a closed physical barrier, with a powerful isolation effect like a sealing technique. Enemies trapped inside for too long will be completely digested and become toad excrement.

For the Kaguya clan, who specialize in physical combat, this kind of battle environment is almost the last thing they want to face, unless they can quickly kill the enemy in front of them and force them to release the summoning jutsu.

"really……"

Kaguya Kimimaro quickly found a suitable way to deal with Jiraiya, and even with very little contact, she knew how to handle the situation and was already prepared.

Jiraiya, in the prime of his life, traveled the ninja world and was very knowledgeable; he most likely encountered other members of the Kaguya clan.

According to the established timeline, the Kaguya clan has not yet launched a large-scale rebellion, and there are still many possessors of the insane Shikotsumyaku bloodline limit. Jiraiya, who takes it upon himself to find the Child of Destiny, will definitely witness the power of Shikotsumyaku once he has been to the Land of Water.

They even likely clashed on the battlefield.

Restricting Kaguya Kimimaro's activity range is actually a double-edged sword, not only constraining her opponent but also reducing Jiraiya's own activity range.

In a flash, Kaguya Kimimaro flicked her fingers, sending tough bone pellets hurtling towards Jiraiya at incredible speed. Jiraiya used the secret technique, Needle Jizo, to defend against them, then countered with the Lion's Mane Technique. Her white whip-like hair rapidly extended and multiplied, like a strong rope, trapping the unable-to-dodge Kaguya Kimimaro, wrapping around her again and again, like a cocoon, completely surrounding her.

While pulling hard to prevent the other party from escaping, she manipulated the white hair needles to pierce inward, intending to cause damage, but it seemed to have little effect.

The osteoblasts controlled by the bone vein bloodline limit proliferate very rapidly, forming a dense defensive layer that is almost harder than any biological armor. Spikes formed by hair cannot penetrate it at all.

The hardness difference is too great.

The struggle between the two sides did not last long. The cocoon formed by the Lion's Mane Technique was pierced in the opposite direction by the sharp bone spikes inside. Then, the edges transformed into sharp blades, and with a few slashes, the white cocoon was torn to shreds.

"Willow Dance!"

Kaguya Kimimaro, who is almost a human combat weapon, is practically a weapon from head to toe. She doesn't need any complicated physical techniques; she can cause great damage simply by relying on her combat experience. Her gentle and sometimes fast, sometimes slow defense and attack are like willow catkins dancing in the wind, without any unnecessary movements. Every move she makes puts immense pressure on Jiraiya.

If it weren't for his decades of combat experience, Jiraiya would have had a very difficult time suppressing Kaguya Kimimaro with his physical skills.