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NBB Chapter 144: Gen vs. Jiraiya
🕑 Added 2025-08-13 00:18:22 +0000 UTCUp in the stands, Tsunade stood beside Hiruzen, muttering in irritation.
“Old man, you’re not even pretending anymore, are you?”
“?”
Hiruzen blinked, looking at her with confusion.
“Isn’t this just a normal assessment?”
“Tch. His earlier tests were way too easy.”
Tsunade arched a brow. Hiruzen only smiled.
“Other than a few calculation problems, everything else was fine. The gaps can be filled later. Back when Kakashi became a jōnin, it was even easier for him.”
“Tch, that was during wartime.”
Tsunade shook her head but didn’t press the matter. She’d seen Gen’s strength for herself.
And over the past stretch training under her, she had witnessed his absurd talent firsthand—though his personality was… harder to judge.
“Alright, enough about that.”
Hiruzen wasn’t interested in debating whether “the rest could be made up later.” Kitagawa Gen and Jiraiya were already on the stage.
“Barrier Team, prepare.”
“Yes, sir.”
The Barrier Team immediately moved to set up the field. A fight like this needed limits—at the very least, they couldn’t allow the combatants to strike beyond the arena.
“Well then…”
Sensing the invisible barrier rise around the stage, Hiruzen gave the signal.
“Begin the assessment!”
The instant the order rang out, Kitagawa Gen and Jiraiya—already having formed the Seal of Confrontation—sprang into motion.
Without the slightest reservation, Gen shifted his hand seals, and in an instant, a roaring dragon of flame surged toward Jiraiya!
“Knew you’d pull that! Fire Release: Flame Bullet!”
Jiraiya muttered under his breath—Gen never passed up an opening—but immediately launched a counterattack.
The two surging torrents of fire collided head-on, and in the blink of an eye, blazing flames erupted upward within the barrier.
“That’s some fire release—impressive…”
“This kid’s no ordinary one. No wonder he’s taking the exam so young.”
“I hear he’s got a few other devastating moves, but those are kept under wraps.”
"Impressive."
Even a straightforward fire release clash had already left the surrounding jōnin surprised—especially since Kitagawa Gen was weaving seals with just one hand.
That level of chakra control, mastery of technique, and precision in timing was no small feat.
"Kakashi, aren’t you worried?"
On Kakashi’s side, Asuma couldn’t help but ask in a low voice.
"I mean, sure, he’s strong, and he’s still holding back a lot of tricks, but you’re a little too calm right now."
His words drew the attention of Ebisu and Genma. This time, it wasn’t just jōnin who had come to watch—special jōnin were in the stands as well.
"Relax. Gen’s got this."
Before Kakashi could respond, Guy chuckled from the side. Kakashi could only nod slightly.
"He’s got plenty of moves up his sleeve."
As they spoke, a kunai flashed inside the barrier—then, in the next instant, it split into countless identical copies.
"Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique."
"Flying Thunder God, huh?"
Jiraiya, of course, knew Gen’s style well. Without hesitation, he formed hand seals again.
"Fire Release: Great Flame Bullet!"
In an instant, he exhaled a sweeping torrent of fire that filled the arena.
Every kunai was engulfed in the blaze—he knew all too well how dangerous the Flying Thunder God was, and he wasn’t about to let those blades get anywhere near him.
"They really should ban him from using the Flying Thunder God—it’s such a cheat," he muttered inwardly, moving into another sequence of seals.
"Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld."
The ground beneath them turned into a mire, both to restrict Gen’s movement and to set up for Jiraiya’s next move.
As his chakra spread outward, Jiraiya quietly formed a sensory barrier.
The Flying Thunder God was far too unpredictable—if he couldn’t track Gen’s every move, or even the trajectory of those kunai, he wouldn’t stand a chance.
"Hmm… here he comes?"
At that moment, he sensed Gen entering the barrier, rushing toward him at high speed.
"This brat’s fast."
In the blink of an eye, Gen was right in front of him, the White Fang Short Blade flashing free of its sheath.
"Huh? No Lightning Release?"
Jiraiya was briefly puzzled—then his eyes widened.
"Water Release: Water Blade Slash!"
A surge of Water Release chakra coated the blade, compressing into a high-pressure edge that came slicing down toward him.
"Water Release?"
Out in the stands, Tsunade arched a brow—that strange feeling of déjà vu washed over her again.
"Water Release?"
Jiraiya was just as surprised, but his reaction was quick. He leapt back to avoid the strike, his hands snapping together in a seal.
"Wild Lion’s Mane Technique!"
His sharpened hair shot toward Gen like a volley of steel needles—but in the same heartbeat, Gen shifted his stance and completed another jutsu.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
A spiral wall of water burst outward around him, spinning in a circular motion to block the incoming hair.
The next moment, the ground beneath them gave a subtle surge—Jiraiya’s eyes narrowed, and he immediately leapt into the air.
He had only just moved when, in the spot he’d vacated, a surging column of water erupted upward.
The torrent spun rapidly like a waterspout, then in an instant spread outward like a crashing waterfall, rushing straight toward him.
"This brat—"
A bead of cold sweat rolled down Jiraiya’s temple; he had a feeling he knew exactly what Kitagawa Gen was aiming for.
Up in the stands, Hiruzen and Tsunade both arched their brows—they’d realized it too.
"Water Release: Severing Wave."
Gen didn’t let up. The moment Jiraiya touched down, he launched his next assault.
The raging waters split apart, and in the blink of an eye, an ultra–high–pressure jet of water shot straight toward him!
"Hey, hey, hey—are you trying to kill me?"
Jiraiya cursed under his breath, but his hands never stopped moving.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!"
[Boom—]
The ground roared, and a massive, thick earthen wall surged upward. He didn’t raise just one, either.
He knew exactly how dangerous this technique was; even though Earth Release had an advantage over Water Release, he didn’t dare take it lightly.
[Buzz—]
Sure enough, the moment the Severing Wave swept past, the earthen wall’s surface was torn apart—but by then Jiraiya had already leapt clear.
"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
Without the slightest hesitation, he went on the offensive. The raging blaze twisted like a rampaging dragon, lashing toward Gen with explosive force.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Fang Explosion!"
Gen countered instantly. A massive column of water surged skyward, taking the form of a dragon that lunged viciously at Jiraiya.
[Boom—]
When the two releases met, the resulting roar shook the arena.
The barrier containing them warped under the impact, as though it might not withstand the clash for much longer.
"That’s incredible…"
"Kitagawa Gen’s chakra reserves are that huge? Trading jutsu with Jiraiya-sama and not losing ground at all?"
"Unbelievable… looks like Konoha’s produced another genius!"
The surrounding jōnin couldn’t help but click their tongues in awe.
Asuma, however, stared wide–eyed. After a long pause, he finally muttered, "Isn’t he supposed to specialize in Lightning Release? He’s even mastered the Lightning Release: Chakra Mode, plus the Flying Thunder God Technique, so how—"
"He knows so much that how he fights is entirely up to him. Besides—"
Kakashi left the rest unsaid. He couldn’t exactly admit that his student had an infuriating habit of pulling unexpected tricks just to mess with people.
"They moved!"
Guy’s sudden shout snapped everyone’s focus back to the barrier.
Through the haze of smoke, Gen’s figure shot forward in a single bound—instantly closing in on Jiraiya.
In his hand was a technique shaped like a water–formed spear—its layers shifting, its spiral rotation erratic, compressed into a dense, piercing form.
"That’s… Water Release: Hard Vortex Water Blade? Damn it, what’s he planning?"
Many recognized the jutsu, but it was too late to intervene. In the same heartbeat, Gen drove it straight into Jiraiya’s body—
[Boom—]
Another thunderous detonation echoed. Yet in the next moment, Jiraiya’s form shattered apart, collapsing into a pool of water.
Obviously, it was a Water Clone.
“Got you, kid.”
The next moment, Jiraiya’s real body suddenly burst up from beneath the water, a smug grin on his face.
His hand shot forward, reaching to clamp down on Kitagawa Gen’s arm—only to notice the faint smile playing on Gen’s lips.
“We’re in the middle of a Water Release here, Jiraiya-sama. Or did you forget what I’m best at?”
“Damn it!”
Jiraiya froze for a split second, his expression shifting sharply. In that instant, Gen’s form erupted into lightning—the violet arcs spreading across the entire water’s surface in a blinding flash.
“Lightning Clone! That bastard!”
Jiraiya couldn’t help cursing aloud. His body dissolved into water once again, while yet another Jiraiya burst up from beneath the surface.
This was his true self. Even so, he couldn’t stop himself from grumbling—this kid had been using Water Release the whole fight.
Since this was meant to be closer to a spar, he had assumed Gen would stick with it until the end.
Turns out, the brat was shameless beyond belief.
[Whoosh—]
Right at that moment, a kunai came flying toward him from nearby. Still paralyzed midair, Jiraiya could do nothing to respond.
In the next heartbeat, Gen was at his side, one hand steadying him as he brought him safely down onto the water’s surface.
“Thank you for the lesson, Pervy Sage.”
The moment they landed, Gen was all smiles, forming the Seal of Reconciliation.
“You really are as much of a rascal as ever.”
Jiraiya pressed his lips together, but his nature was easygoing. Smiling, he formed the Seal of Reconciliation in return.
“But that’s what being a shinobi is. Congratulations—you’ve passed the assessment.”
[Main Quest Stage Two Completed: Become a Jōnin]
[Reward being calculated]
No sooner had Jiraiya spoken than the system notification popped up in Gen’s vision, filling him with delight.
He couldn’t help but wonder what the system would grant him this time.
“Old man—”
What he didn’t know was that, outside the barrier, Tsunade’s fists were already clenched tight.
“What the hell did you do?”
“I didn’t think he’d pull that…”
Hiruzen looked a bit embarrassed—but alongside that awkwardness came a deep sense of nostalgia.
Gen’s Water Release was exactly like his sensei’s—smooth and seamless.
Even ending with a burst of Lightning Release somehow felt truer to his sensei’s style.
How could that not stir something in him?
Still… there was a touch of awkwardness too.
'Why do I feel like I’ve been taken advantage of?'
