No one came to disturb them.
Even Obito himself couldn't forgive what he had done, so it was impossible for Naruto not to be angry. Kiyosuke and Kakashi didn't interfere—they decided to let the two of them handle it on their own.
This was something Obito had to face sooner or later after coming back.
Although he had been controlled, it was still because of him that Minato and Kushina had died. Because of him, Naruto had lost his parents the moment he was born. That was something no one could change.
Rin stepped forward, gently brushing Obito's hair like she used to, comforting him softly.
"Alright, alright, Obito. Don't cry anymore. You couldn't control yourself all these years—we all understand that. Minato-sensei and Kushina are gone, but we can still protect Naruto, can't we?"
Obito wiped his tears and said, "You're right. I'll protect Naruto with my life!"
"I don't need your protection!" Naruto groaned, scratching his head in frustration.
Kiyosuke said, "Hey, Obito, stop hugging Rin. She's already married."
"M–Married?!"
Obito jumped back several steps in shock, his face turning pale.
He looked at Kakashi and Kiyosuke with disbelief.
"Y–You're joking, right?"
Kakashi stepped forward, patting his shoulder.
"I even paid your share for the wedding gift. I'll need you to pay me back—thanks. A hundred thousand ryō, plus interest."
…This guy's heart is really black!
"Considering you just got back and don't have much money," Kiyosuke added, "I can offer a loan service. Pay nine, return thirteen. How's that sound?"
The two of them working in perfect sync turned Obito completely gray-faced.
"P–Please lend me some!" Obito cried again.
If his first tears had been from guilt and remorse, these were from pure heartbreak.
The girl he loved had married someone else.
Was there anything more painful than that?
"…"
Bang! Bang!
Rin smiled sweetly as she walked up and smacked both Kakashi and Kiyosuke on the head, her smile carrying a dangerous edge.
"Really now—you two are bullying him the moment he comes back? Have some heart!"
She had agreed to go along with Kiyosuke's little joke earlier, but seeing Obito this miserable, she couldn't keep it up anymore.
"Rin! I'll definitely pay for the wedding gift!" Obito said loudly.
"Obito, you idiot!"
Even Rin couldn't hold back anymore—she gave him a whack on the head before storming off angrily.
"Uh… what did I do wrong?" Obito scratched his head in confusion.
Smack!
Smack!
Kiyosuke and Kakashi both facepalmed at once.
"We were just joking! Rin's been waiting for you all this time. Now hurry up and chase after her!"
They kicked him on the backside to send him running.
"You two are terrible!" Obito shouted furiously and dashed after her.
"That uncle Kiyosuke, Kakashi-sensei… is he really…" Naruto walked over, his expression complicated.
"Yes," Kiyosuke said. "Just like I told you before—when he wasn't being controlled, he was a hot-blooded idiot who dreamed of becoming Hokage, just like you. So… do you hate him?"
"You have every reason to."
Naruto shook his head. "It's impossible not to hate him… but he's also a victim. I can't forget what happened to my dad and mom because of him, but he wasn't acting of his own will. More than hating him, I hate the one pulling the strings."
No—if anything, the man behind the scenes was even more pitiful.
He'd been nothing more than a tool himself.
Madara would've never imagined that the 'tool' he created would end up treating him as the real tool.
"You'll meet him soon enough," Kiyosuke said. "But before that, you need to get stronger."
"Yeah! My Wind Style: Rasenshuriken training is already complete!" Naruto said proudly, wiping his scarred hand across his nose with a grin.
Kiyosuke shook his head.
"No—it's still a half-finished technique. It causes too much damage to your body. It's been officially classified as a forbidden jutsu."
Although Naruto had developed the Rasenshuriken, it was still incomplete. He couldn't throw it yet, and using it in close combat created a storm of destructive chakra that damaged his own muscles and bones. It was a "hurt the enemy by a thousand, harm yourself by eight hundred" kind of move.
Because of how dangerous it was to the user, Tsunade had forbidden him from practicing it further.
"What?! But that's the jutsu I poured my heart into! If I can't use it, what am I supposed to do now?"
Naruto was dumbfounded.
Kiyosuke said, "You still need to refine it. Come on, we're going to find Jiraiya-sama."
"The Pervy Sage? What for?"
"For something much more important. It's time for you to start learning senjutsu."
"Senjutsu? What's that?"
"Stop asking. Just come with me."
Kiyosuke dragged Naruto off and found Jiraiya at an izakaya, drinking with Tsunade. The man was completely drunk, sitting across from her, his bleary eyes repeatedly drawn to the dark cleavage of her kimono.
Kiyosuke explained their purpose, but Jiraiya refused, saying he wanted to drink. He told Naruto to summon a toad himself and use reverse summoning to go to Mount Myōboku.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Naruto had no choice but to do it himself. A human-sized orange toad appeared with a puff of smoke.
"Yo, Gamakichi! I need to go to Mount Myōboku. Take me and Kiyosuke-san there."
Gamakichi croaked, "You can just use reverse summoning, but what about this human?"
"No need to overthink it. Just open your mouth."
"Ah—"
Before the toad could react, Kiyosuke dove straight into its mouth, curling himself up inside.
"Alright, let's go."
Gamakichi blinked. "…Fine, whatever."
Poof!
With a puff of smoke, the toad disappeared, taking Kiyosuke and Naruto with him to one of the Three Great Sage Lands—Mount Myōboku.
Compared to Ryūchi Cave, Mount Myōboku's scenery was much more pleasant. All around them grew enormous plants, some towering like trees.
Even the mushrooms were bigger than houses. Ridiculous.
"Thanks," Kiyosuke said as he jumped into a crystal-clear stream to wash himself off. He burned off the remaining moisture with a flicker of flame, emerging spotless and refreshed.
Naruto soon arrived, looking around in awe.
"Whoa! Amazing! So this is Mount Myōboku?"
"That's right."
Gamakichi puffed up proudly.
"This is our Mount Myōboku! My old man's not here right now—this area's where Grandma and the others rest. I'll take you to them."
Following Gamakichi, they arrived at a tall, bamboo shoot-shaped building.
Shima, one of the Great Toad Sages, came hopping over with a basket of bugs in hand. When she saw them, she blinked in surprise.
"Well, if it isn't the child from Ryūchi Cave! What brings you to Mount Myōboku? And who's this kid?"
"Hello, Shima-sama," Kiyosuke greeted. "We came hoping you and Fukasaku-sama could teach Naruto the Sage Mode. Jiraiya-sama's too drunk to bring us himself, so we came on our own."