Kusari no Naruto

Twenty Seventh Link

The ground cratered where Jiraiya landed, feet spread wide in a sturdy stance. That seemed to be the theme of his transformation, Pain mused; durability. He was faster, stronger and tougher, his jutsu more powerful, and he seemed to react with a preternatural quickness that had little to do with his enhanced senses. It was as though an invisible field hovered around his old sensei's body, informing him through some sixth sense when anything got too close.

The first blow to his Human Path had been no joke. To a lesser being it would have been instant death, the spine powdered and the body broken. As it was, he had been forced to bring out his Naraka Path from where it had been hiding nearby. He was sure Jiraiya had noticed the figure, just as he was sure the man continued to hold that suspicion when the Human Path returned to the fight, completely healed from what should have – at the very least – been a crippling injury.

Despite his claims of divinity, despite everything he preached with undeniable conviction, Pein was nervous. Nervous of that white-haired man he could remember so clearly. The sensei to three little orphans with unshakable self-confidence and a deserved air of power and mystery. He had seemed like he knew everything back then, a friend, a teacher and a father-figure to all three of them. And now he was fighting that very same man, his power divided by necessity to keep him apart from the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki.

The child had proven irritatingly difficult to pin-down. He had impressive control of the beast's Chakra and was clearly well-trained in its use. While he had paired up the two paths most suited to covering each other's weaknesses, he remained elusive. It had annoyed him to commit the Animal Path. He had been flying the body away from the conflict, in the hopes that when they inevitably captured the Jinchuuriki, they could be summoned a safe distance away, far enough that Jiraiya would be unable to follow.

That plan was now untenable.

Still, the combined power of three paths should be more than enough to handle the child. They would have to leave in a more conventional sense, but with the diversity of summons he could bring to bear, that shouldn't prove much of an issue. What remained was to keep Jiraiya busy until then. He refused to admit how difficult that prospect now seemed.

He raised an arm and felt that familiar surge of power travel from his eyes to his hand.

"Banshō Ten'in," he whispered, the volume of the proclamation having no bearing on the power. He targeted Jiraiya directly, suddenly pulling the man towards him from where he had been holding off a joint assault from the Naraka and Human Paths. If only he could stab the man with one of his Chakra rods, he could disturb whatever strange technique sustained his immense strength.

He prepared one at his side, forming it from pure Chakra and catching it deftly as it dropped from his sleeve. Jiraiya was far from unprepared though, twisting his body adroitly in mid-air and suddenly taking a deep breath in. Pein remained unconcerned until the two elderly toads on his shoulders joined him in the act and he felt just how much Chakra they were moulding into the jutsu.

"Sage art: Goemon!" The sannin called in a strangled tone, before releasing his breath and spitting out a fountain of thick, viscous oil. The two toads on either shoulder spat out complimentary gouts of wind and flame, the three streams of volatile elements combining into one great funnel of raging heat. It surged forth, only hastened by Pein's technique pulling it forward. Nearby trees caught flame just from its proximity, and he could feel its overwhelming heat long before it drew near.

He abandoned the universal pull, instead crushing the Chakra rod back into pure energy and reabsorbing it. He channelled that power into his free hand, eyes pulsing urgently.

"Shinra Tensei!"

The roiling sea of superheated oil parted, an enormous scoop ripped out and sent flying back towards its progenitors. It never made contact. Jiraiya had wasted no time in following up his technique, a sound like a contained whirlwind suddenly roaring to life. The sage burst through his own technique, clutching an enormous sphere of pure Chakra in his outstretched hand.