Naruto: The Legend of Red Haired Shanks

This time, Killer Bee and Chojuro were going all out. 

After witnessing the great shifts in the world and having seen the power of the strongest men, they had learned to never underestimate pirates. 

But the moment Jigen struck back, they realized something was wrong. 

The entire sky churned as if responding to his attack. A simple strike from him could cause such a massive shift in the atmosphere. 

Standing above them, Jigen spoke in a cold, dismissive tone, as if their attacks weren't even worth his attention. 

 The enormous cloud dragon rushed past Jigen, diving straight at Killer Bee. 

"Boom!!" 

The two massive chakra spheres smashed into Jigen's attack, creating a violent explosion that shattered the dragon's head. White shockwaves rippled through the sky. 

"Don't underestimate the power of ninjas, pirates!" 

Chojuro gritted his teeth, gripping his twin swords tightly. Just that one attack had already surpassed most S-rank ninjutsu. 

If this were out at sea, that attack alone would've been enough to sink a large ship. 

The pirates below had all seen Chojuro's attack, and many of them frowned. 

To be fair, none of the criminals sent to Hozuki Castle were weaklings—they all understood exactly what that kind of attack meant. 

No-hand-sign ninjutsu. If what Chojuro just used was considered ninjutsu, then this level of power was already enough to handle most Devil Fruit users. 

Fighting ninjas had made them realize the weaknesses of ninja techniques. 

In the past, when they were just ordinary people, ninjas had an absolute advantage over them. But against these pirates, forming hand seals was just a waste of time—time that could mean life or death. 

Pirates wouldn't wait for you to finish your seals. 

And an average ninja? How could they possibly compare to a Devil Fruit user? 

"That guy is insanely strong!" 

"No… it's not that he's strong—it's that we're still not strong enough." 

"But what's with that pirate in the sky? Is he planning to break someone out of prison?" 

"Unless he's completely lost his mind, there's no way. With so many ninjas here, he's basically walking to his death." 

One of the pirates was sweating nervously. He couldn't understand why the Five Great Nations were putting so much effort into guarding them when they weren't even that powerful. 

And yet, just looking at the security detail, there were so many guards. On top of that, a few ninjas from Konohagakure—all of them were ability users. 

Among the other ninjas, there were already four Jonin, and one of them was even above Jonin level—Jiraiya, a ninja as famous as Orochimaru, one of the legendary Sannin. 

With a lineup like this, escape seemed impossible—utterly hopeless. 

Even so, when Jigen appeared, these pirates had already started forming their own escape plans in their minds. 

Meanwhile, above them, Killer Bee's face remained tense. The eight blades on his body gleamed, their sharp light cutting through the shattered white clouds. 

*Shhh!* 

The already broken clouds were torn apart layer by layer, splitting and dispersing. 

The next moment, beyond the scattered clouds, a massive dragon head lunged toward Killer Bee—and not just one. 

Behind Jigen, more than ten of these attacks had formed! 

Seeing this, Killer Bee was momentarily stunned. 

"No way!" 

"There's nothing impossible about it. I am not some low-level pirate." 

Jigen's expression remained cold. His clothes and long hair floated as if caught in an unseen force. 

His gaze was like the surface of a calm lake—completely emotionless. He didn't even look directly at Killer Bee. His words just now sounded more like he was talking to himself. 

"Go down." 

In the next instant, Jigen clenched his right fist, and the ten or more cloud-like dragon heads behind him shot toward Killer Bee. 

"Eight-Sword Style: Chaotic Dance!" 

Killer Bee didn't back down either. Compared to Shanks, Jigen was still too weak. Sure, he was putting some pressure on Killer Bee… 

But it wasn't enough. 

For someone who had faced Shanks head-on, this level of power wasn't nearly enough to threaten him. 

The next second, eight massive sword slashes erupted from Killer Bee's body, shredding through Jigen's attack. 

There were many skilled swordsmen in the ninja world, but none could wield eight weapons as unpredictably as Killer Bee. 

Overwhelming attacks? That didn't exist for him. 

As long as he had enough weapons, he was the one fighting with a numbers advantage. 

A sharp glint flashed beneath Killer Bee's sunglasses. Now that the cloud dragons were dealt with, the next step was to take care of this strange guy. 

But in the very next moment— 

*Buzz!* 

A jet-black katana appeared right in front of Killer Bee, moving at an incredible speed—almost as if it had been waiting for this exact moment.

"Get down, low-level ninja!" 

Boom!! 

A massive blade of energy completely engulfed Killer Bee. The clouds in the sky split apart, stretching for several kilometers. Killer Bee turned into a streak of light and plummeted toward the ground. 

He crashed heavily into the sand, his eight swords shattering and scattering in all directions. 

A layer of crimson chakra emerged from his body, forming a tentacle. 

Killer Bee forcibly entered his Tailed Beast state, but even so, blood trickled down his chest. 

"Ugh!! Damn it, I let my guard down… that guy…" 

His injuries weren't severe. For an average ninja, wounds like these could be life-threatening. 

But for Killer Bee, they were just wounds—nothing more. 

What truly shocked him was the power Jigen had just displayed. That black blade…? 

Wasn't that kind of power something only Shanks and Orochimaru possessed? 

Jigen's strength wasn't as overwhelming as Shanks', but it had already far surpassed what was normal for a ninja. Even Killer Bee's Tailed Beast chakra couldn't block it. 

"I… lost?" 

"He sliced the sky open with a single strike." 

"No way… Could that guy be a Logia-type Devil Fruit user? That's terrifying." 

The pirates below stared wide-eyed, unable to believe what they had just witnessed. 

Even the soldiers on the ship were in shock. That ninja lost? No, not just him… 

Both ninja had fought together just now—and they still lost? 

"How can a pirate be this strong?" 

"Can we even fight against someone like that?" 

Many soldiers clenched their teeth. They had chosen to become soldiers to fight pirates, to protect their families and their homeland. 

But now, faced with a pirate of this level, a deep sense of hopelessness crept into their hearts. 

Was this kind of pirate really something ordinary people like them could handle? 

"Don't panic. He's a Devil Fruit user. We'll deal with him." 

Mui spoke coldly. He was trying to reassure the new recruits, but his face only ever had one expression. 

More importantly, even Mui didn't fully understand what was going on with the enemy. 

"Jiraiya-sama, that guy looks like real trouble." 

He wanted to hear Jiraiya's opinion. And at that moment, Jiraiya had also realized how dangerous Jigen was. 

The fact that Jigen could stand in midair already made him nearly untouchable. 

If he had wanted to dodge that last attack, he could have. 

But he didn't. Instead, he deliberately chose a method that would show off his power. 

"Is he doing this for these pirates? Looks like we're dealing with another ambitious one." 

Jiraiya seemed to understand Jigen's motives. 

"He's strong, no doubt about it. He's at the absolute peak in all aspects." 

"The only thing he lacks… is Conqueror's Haki." 

"Guy, protect them. I'll handle this." 

In the next moment, Jiraiya entered Sage Mode—no warning, no preparation needed. 

Ever since he returned from Mount Myoboku, Jiraiya's strength had reached an entirely new level. 

"The Sky Pirates, huh? I don't know why someone as strong as you hasn't set sail, but since you're here, I have no choice but to stop you. 

No matter what you're planning." 

Jiraiya stepped off the ship, and at that moment, his body began floating in midair. 

His long white hair swayed in the wind, and beneath it, his eyes had turned into a toad's. A red hue appeared under them— 

One of the distinct signs of Sage Mode. 

Everyone who enters Sage Mode experiences some changes in appearance. 

But not everyone who enters Sage Mode can float in the air. 

"You're not on Shanks' level. As the captain of the Sky Pirates, earning the respect of this crew isn't that easy." 

Jiraiya hovered in the air, step by step approaching Jigen above him. Behind Jiraiya, pitch-black Truth-Seeking Orbs appeared. 

At the same time, a dark energy coated his hands—also the power of the Truth-Seeking Orbs. 

Or, one could call it Armament Haki! 

What the Sage of Six Paths once achieved, Jiraiya now stood at the threshold of as well. 

Unlike Orochimaru, Jiraiya didn't rely on external forces. He had pushed his Sage Jutsu to this level purely through his own spiritual strength. 

He had taken no shortcuts. 

Right now, Jiraiya's strength was undeniable. He had no weaknesses—no flaws. 

Not even Jigen, or even Shanks, could take him down easily. 

"Jiraiya-sama... is that Jiraiya-sama's Sage Mode?" 

"I don't feel any overwhelming pressure, but this form…" 

This was the first time anyone had seen Jiraiya's Sage Mode. 

It felt completely different from Shanks' Conqueror's Haki. 

When faced with Conqueror's Haki, they felt an unstoppable force, an overpowering will that crushed them. 

But now, standing before Jiraiya's Sage Mode, they felt something entirely different. 

It was the presence of a truly powerful being. 

This wasn't like Yamato's or Orochimaru's kind of strength— 

This was something beyond that, a higher form of life itself. Everything about it felt overwhelmingly positive. 

Jiraiya wasn't exerting pressure on anyone. Instead, his very presence filled them with hope—hope that they, too, could one day reach such heights. 

It wasn't just their minds hoping for it— 

It was their instincts. 

At the same time, up in the sky, Jigen had noticed Jiraiya's transformation. 

He had lived in the ninja world for over a thousand years. From Kaguya's era to the present, he had seen many sages. 

But in that era, the Sage of Six Paths had been the strongest of them all. 

That was why Jigen never thought much of Kaguya—just a woman who relied on her sons. 

But now, at this very moment, Jigen could feel that same power from Jiraiya. 

The power of the greatest sages. 

For once, Jigen had nothing to mock. 

Because now, another name had been added to his list of worthy opponents in this world. 

"Jiraiya of the Legendary Sannin." 

Jigen slowly descended from the sky. 

"I never thought the ninja world still had someone this strong. 

You became one of the greatest sages, yet instead of chasing after some grand dream like the Sage of Six Paths, you're here, guarding a bunch of prisoners. 

What a surprise." 

Jigen's words unsettled everyone else as well. 

Rikudou Sennin? 

There was only one Rikudou Sennin in the ninja world. Even ordinary people had heard the legends about him. 

And now, with more information about the Divine Tree spreading, people were learning more about ancient myths. They were beginning to understand just how significant Rikudou Sennin truly was. 

"The… Rikudou Sennin? The one who sealed Kaguya?" 

"The legendary sage, the ancestor of all ninjas." 

"A key figure even in the legends of Devil Fruits. And he was one of the Three Legendary Ninjas watching over us? No way, this has to be a joke." 

"No, that's impossible. We're just pirates." 

"Yeah, why would they take us so seriously?" 

The pirates were in an uproar, but the ninjas were even more shocked. 

Rikudou Sennin was to ninjas what Shanks was to pirates—a figure of absolute legend, almost like a deity. 

And now, they were being told that Jiraiya-sama had reached the same level as Rikudou Sennin? 

That couldn't be possible… Jiraiya-sama, at that level? 

The appearance of these two men had caught everyone off guard. Neither Jigen's nor Jiraiya's power seemed normal anymore. 

At the same time, Jiraiya became more cautious. The fact that his opponent knew about his strength yet showed no fear made one thing clear—Jigen wasn't weak either. 

"Looks like this is going to be trouble." 

As Jiraiya finished speaking, the air around him exploded, and his figure vanished from sight. 

"It sure is," Jigen sneered, slashing his katana. At the same time, he spread his left hand, and the sand in a ten-kilometer radius started surging. 

This battle had begun much earlier than in the original timeline. But… just like fate itself, their destined clash had erupted once again. 

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