Koushin: Konoha’s Dragonborn[Completed]

With their strategies in place, the joint teams readied themselves for the imminent fight. Meanwhile, Jiraiya, the legendary Toad Sage, stepped forward to confront his former teammate, Orochimaru.

"Jiraiya," Orochimaru drawled, a twisted grin on his face. "It's been a while. Looking forward to catching up?"

"Not particularly," Jiraiya retorted, his gaze unwavering. "I'm more interested in putting an end to your heinous acts."

"Hmm," Orochimaru hummed, taking in Jiraiya's determination. "You always were a party pooper, weren't you?"

Jiraiya’s response was swift. He began forming a series of hand signs, the symbol of his summoning jutsu. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" he declared, slamming his hand onto the ground. In a puff of smoke, the giant toad Gamabunta appeared, ready for battle.

"You never answered my question, Orochimaru," Jiraiya called out, his voice echoing across the battlefield. He was atop Gamabunta, the enormous toad towering over the scene. "How did you manage to return to life?"

Orochimaru, standing a distance away, his undead army forming a gruesome backdrop, chuckled, the sound unsettling in the eerie silence. His golden eyes gleamed, a disturbing mirth reflecting in their depths. "Wouldn't you like to know, Jiraiya?" he replied, his voice carrying an edge of mockery.

Jiraiya scowled, his grip tightening on the hilt of his sword. He knew Orochimaru would not provide a straight answer; the snake sannin always enjoyed playing his cards close to his chest. Regardless, Jiraiya was ready to face him.

Meanwhile, the tension between the assembled teams and their opponents was palpable. Anticipation, anxiety, anger and a multitude of emotions painted their faces as they prepared for battle.

The silence was finally broken when Orochimaru, with a wild cackle, launched himself at Jiraiya. His body shifted and contorted unnaturally, giving him the appearance of a grotesque snake. A surge of Nature Energy enveloped him, his Sage Body reacting to his will. The display of power was both fascinating and horrifying.

"Guess I'll have to beat the answer out of you, then," Jiraiya muttered, his knuckles whitening around his sword's hilt. He channeled his chakra, feeling the natural energy of the world pool inside him. His eyes took on a yellowish tint, with a pigmented red circle around them, a characteristic trait of the Sage Mode.

In response, Orochimaru grinned, his teeth a stark contrast against his pale skin. He flexed his hands, the veins in his arms becoming pronounced. As he tapped into the Sage Transformation, his skin darkened, becoming rock-like, the power of Jugo's body at his disposal.

The two powerful shinobi exploded into action.

"Summoning Jutsu!" they called out in unison. Orochimaru summoned his giant snake, Manda, while Jiraiya summoned his faithful toad warrior, Gamaken. The ground rumbled beneath the weight of these colossal creatures, their roars echoing across the battlefield.

Jiraiya, atop Gamabunta, charged. The giant toad brandished his massive sword, the weapon gleaming menacingly under the dim light. Orochimaru, riding Manda, met his charge head-on. The resulting clash of swords sent a shockwave across the battleground, stirring up a cloud of dust and debris.

Manda coiled and twisted, launching Orochimaru into the air. In a flash of hand seals, Orochimaru yelled, "Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!" A violent gust of wind erupted from his mouth, the ferocious gale aiming to knock Jiraiya off his perch.

Anticipating this, Jiraiya commanded, "Gamabunta, Water Release: Water Gun!" Gamabunta's mouth opened, unleashing a high-pressured stream of water. The water and wind collided mid-air, resulting in a colossal mist cloud that engulfed the field.

Using the mist as a cover, Orochimaru slithered towards Jiraiya, his body elongated, giving him the appearance of a massive snake. As he lunged, his golden eyes flashed with malevolent delight, "Soft Physique Modification!"

But Jiraiya was ready. "Frog Kata!" he yelled, channeling Natural Energy into his fists, and as Orochimaru lunged, he struck. His fists impacted Orochimaru's snake-like form, sending ripples of energy that resonated throughout Orochimaru's elongated body.

A pained hiss escaped Orochimaru, but he quickly recovered, his body contorting back to his human form. He sneered, "Impressive, Jiraiya. But how about this? Sage Art: Inorganic Reanimation!"

In response, the ground beneath Jiraiya's feet twisted and contorted, rising to bind him. But Jiraiya's instincts were quicker. "Toad Oil Bullet," he called out, spewing a stream of oil from his mouth. The oil slicked the contorting ground, causing it to slip and falter.

Orochimaru frowned, his annoyance clear. "Cursed Seal!" he roared, and Jugo's body transformation took over. His body bulked up, and his skin took a darkened tone. His speed and strength dramatically increased, and with a swift rush, he closed in on Jiraiya.

"Brace yourself, Jiraiya!" he called, launching a flurry of punches. Their battle devolved into a fierce exchange of taijutsu, each punch and kick resonating with the sheer force of their chakra and physical prowess.

Jiraiya was not one to back down either. He met Orochimaru's assault with his own, his Sage Mode empowering each hit. Orochimaru's strikes were relentless, but Jiraiya managed to parry and dodge most of them, retaliating with his own equally powerful blows.

However, amidst the fierce exchange, Orochimaru managed to weave a swift set of hand seals, mumbling, "Five Elements Seal." With a swift motion, he aimed to strike Jiraiya's stomach, but the toad sage, sensing danger, evaded the attack, creating distance between them.

With a broad grin, Orochimaru goaded, "Running away, Jiraiya?"

"Never," Jiraiya shot back, his gaze stern. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

In a puff of smoke, multiple copies of Jiraiya appeared on the battlefield, each mirroring his determined expression.

Orochimaru hissed, his eyes flickering between the clones. "Interesting," he mused. He darted towards the closest clone, his fist ignited with chakra for another Cursed Seal attack. The clone met him head-on, ready to parry his strike. But just as Orochimaru was about to connect, the clone poofed, leaving Orochimaru to punch the air.

From the mist, the real Jiraiya charged, his fist pulled back. "Frog Strike!" he yelled, sending a powerful punch at Orochimaru's flank. The hit landed, and Orochimaru was sent crashing into the ground, creating a small crater on impact.

However, Orochimaru swiftly recovered, using his Sage Transformation to heal his injuries. He glared at Jiraiya, his golden eyes radiating malicious intent. With a devious grin, he said, "This has been fun, Jiraiya, but let's end this."

He formed a quick string of hand seals, and with a deep inhale, he spat out, "Striking Shadow Snakes!" Numerous snakes erupted from his mouth, rushing towards Jiraiya with lethal intent.

Jiraiya, still in Sage Mode, saw the incoming attack. "Giant Rasengan!" he roared, forming a massive swirling ball of chakra in his hand. As the snakes lunged, he drove the Giant Rasengan forward, obliterating the snakes and creating a direct path towards Orochimaru.

Caught off guard, Orochimaru barely had time to react. The Giant Rasengan hit him squarely, sending him hurtling back, his form engulfed by the swirling mass of chakra. The impact resulted in a massive explosion, illuminating the battlefield.

As the dust settled, a weary Jiraiya stood tall, his Sage Mode dissipating.