The Third Hokage: First Move Send Danzō to Prison

Sage Mode Jiraiya and Tsunade versus the Raikage Brothers.

The advantage was theirs.

"In Sage Mode, I won't lose."

"With us brothers united, no one in the world can stop us!"

Both sides were thinking the same thing.

After Sage Mode Jiraiya clashed head-on with Killer Bee in partial Tailed Beast transformation using his Giant Rasengan, both parties retreated to regroup with their allies.

It was a deadlock.

"Tch. So you really did master that mode," Tsunade remarked, glancing at Jiraiya's toad-like features with a hint of emotion.

As someone who had also signed a contract with one of the three great summoning sanctuaries, Tsunade naturally knew what Sage Mode was. What caught her off guard was that the one who mastered it turned out to be Jiraiya the one who had always lagged behind. Even Orochimaru, a childhood genius, hadn't achieved it. And she, a descendant of the Senju, had also failed.

"Yeah, though I've only got partial mastery." Jiraiya's attention never left the Raikage brothers. His sage-enhanced toad pupils narrowed slightly as he spoke in a low, serious tone. "Raikage, are you seriously trying to start a war?"

The Raikage flexed his numb right hand, recharging his Lightning Armor. He roared back, "Enough with the crap! Let's go!"

The Raikage exploded forward in a bolt of lightning.

"Yo yo! Big bro, no chill this battle's thrill! Brothers side by side, face the Sannin with pride we're takin' y'all down tonight!" Killer Bee rapped with enthusiasm, joining from the opposite side to form a pincer assault.

Double Lariat!

The brothers became streaks of crackling lightning, weaving together as they charged like a storm, afterimages trailing behind them.

The most iconic brotherly tag-team technique was now aimed straight at Jiraiya!

But in Sage Mode, Jiraiya's reflexes were honed to a razor's edge. He leapt high into the air, avoiding their synchronized strike.

"Tsunade, leave them to me! Go deal with the Cloud ninja!" Jiraiya shouted midair.

On his shoulders, the elder toads Shima and Fukasaku joined him in weaving hand seals.

One man, two toads perfectly synchronized unleashed a devastating area control technique.

Sage Art: Goemon!

A deadly combination of wind, oil, and fire infused with sage chakra burst forth, producing temperatures exceeding 3,000°C far beyond any ordinary Fire Release.

In an instant, the entire forest erupted into an inferno.

The Raikage Brothers were forced to abandon their charge and leap back to avoid the blaze, even with their defenses and transformations.

Tsunade scowled. She vanished and reappeared near the brothers, dodging flames as she barked, "Idiot! Let's finish off these two first!"

Unlike their high-level duel, the rest of the battlefield had become a bloody chaos. Regular Cloud shinobi were falling in droves to the rampaging summoned beasts. Were it not for Darui constantly shielding his comrades, the Cloud side would already be decimated.

Half the Sannin's reputation came from their beasts and once casualties mounted, Tsunade's psychological trauma would inevitably be triggered.

Though she rejected Jiraiya's original strategy, Jiraiya didn't press. He just laughed boldly. "Alright then! It's been years since we fought together. Let's do this!"

But inside, he was grim.

As I thought… Tsunade's condition really is unstable.

Tsunade brought down her fist with immense force, creating yet another crater like a meteor impact. At the same time, Jiraiya unleashed another fire barrage, cutting off the Raikage's path.

Forced to split up and dodge from both sides, the Raikage brothers were being overwhelmed.

On the battlefield, with Sage Jiraiya serving as artillery and Tsunade fulfilling the roles of tank and healer, the Sannin were dominating.

If things continued like this, it was only a matter of time before they won.

But then 

"Bee!" the Raikage roared.

"I got it!" Killer Bee answered.

The Raikage vanished in a blinding streak of lightning, racing straight toward Naruto in the distance.

The Raikage reckless and cunning had never truly intended to defeat both Jiraiya and Tsunade. He knew these legends were nearly unbeatable in open battle. His target had always been Naruto.

With his unmatched speed, and Bee buying just a few seconds, he could snatch the Nine-Tails or kill the boy outright.

That jinchuriki was Minato Namikaze's son. If the strongest tailed beast fell into enemy hands and worse, learned the Flying Thunder God technique the balance of power would be shattered. The Hidden Cloud would never allow such a threat to grow.

In fact, just imagining Killer Bee using Flying Thunder God was enough to make the Raikage giddy. He'd be unstoppable. But if Konoha's jinchuriki mastered it?

Unacceptable.

"Damn it!" Jiraiya and Tsunade both turned pale at once.

But it was too late.

Killer Bee had already fully transformed into the Eight-Tails an enormous ox-headed, octopus-limbed behemoth, generating a whirlwind with his massive body.

The flaming forest around them roared even higher as the wind fanned the flames.

With that titanic body blocking the entire battlefield, any hope of pursuit was sealed off.

The monstrous mouth of the Eight-Tails began to gather an enormous sphere of chakra a devastating blast about to erupt.

Tailed Beast Bomb!

Meanwhile, on the other front 

Gamabunta and Katsuyu had successfully suppressed dozens of Cloud shinobi. Casualties were mounting.

Darui grew increasingly frustrated. Several times, he tried to scale the toad's massive body to reach the mission target atop its head. But Gamabunta wasn't just huge his reflexes were sharp.

Every time Darui tried to make a move, the toad would leap or swipe.

This toad wasn't just smart. He trash-talked.

"Haha! Watch this, little Naruto! See how this old toad dominates the battlefield! You've got a long way to go before I acknowledge you!"

"These Cloud shinobi? Not even warm-ups compared to the fights me and Minato used to have!"

"Watch closely, kid!" Gamabunta swung his enormous short-blade, generating a gale-force wind. "These guys can't even give me a proper warm-up!"

With a flash of steel, another unlucky Cloud ninja was cleaved down. Darui's pupils shrank.

He had to stop this beast.

"At least reach Jiraiya's level before expecting me to notice you!" Gamabunta roared as he leapt over a Lightning Release, then countered with a vicious slash.

"I'm not like that nice old monkey!"

A torrent of water followed, scattering several Cloud shinobi mid-jutsu.

Then another strike a slash that tore through Darui's lightning technique. With every swing, the pressure intensified.

Though Darui was destined to become the Fifth Raikage in the future, right now he was just a lesser version of Kakashi standard build. Against a wild-card battlefield like this, he struggled.

He could protect himself, but defeating a top-tier summon with enough power to go toe-to-toe with a tailed beast? That was a tall order.

Raikage-sama... please hurry.

With that thought, Darui began weaving hand signs.

Storm Release: Laser Circus!

Dozens of lightning-infused water beams twisted and arced toward Gamabunta, forcing the toad to leap back. In doing so, he saved a wounded Cloud ninja from death.

"You're the biggest pain," Gamabunta muttered midair. He twisted and brought his blade down toward Darui.

Darui couldn't dodge in time. He was forced to raise his weapon in defense.

But the size difference was absurd. It was like trying to block a guillotine with a toothpick.

The blade struck true slicing clean through.

Darui's body split apart like butter under a hot knife.

"Did I just get stronger again?!" Gamabunta puffed up proudly. "I won before Jiraiya even got back!"

"Idiot! It's a clone!" shouted the Monkey King's eye from Naruto's staff. "Naruto, defend yourself!"

The figure on the ground flickered and vanished in a bolt of lightning a clone all along.

The real Darui had already reached the top of Gamabunta's head during the toad's moment of carelessness.

A blade arced downward toward Naruto.

Sorry, kid, Darui thought, silently apologizing as he brought the strike down on someone who still looked so young.

"Naruto!!!" Shizune screamed from atop Katsuyu, panic tightening her voice.

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