"Cough, cough." Jiraiya forcibly steadied himself, but his heart still churned like a stormy sea. His swollen eyes struggled to widen, fixating on the little blonde like he was seeing him for the first time: "Naruto Uzumaki! Minato's son!" Minato was a genius, but this kid in front of him? His talent simply shredded common sense! Even Nagato, his deceased disciple who possessed the Rinnegan, was far inferior to this. Could someone truly learn the Rasengan just by "seeing it once"? And even add — terrifying Wind Release chakra to it?
After the shock, his experience as a Sannin allowed him to suppress the surging waves. However, that arrogant remark he once dismissed—"Genius? That's just my minimum requirement!"—now felt piercingly true! This monstrous chakra control and reserves... This kid, he might actually be able to save the ninja world! Of course, with his current strength and age, this was probably his peak, right?
But then, Jiraiya suddenly had a doubt. His swollen eyes narrowed like a hawk's, and he probed, "Cough! Kid... you haven't learned the Rasengan before, have you?"
"Heh, are you looking down on me?" Naruto was rather speechless. This old geezer probably hasn't seen what a true genius looks like.
Do you understand what SSSSSS-tier talent means? Do you understand what 452 in Jutsu Comprehension means? Do you know what it means to infer 300 from one? He put his hands on his hips, nose tilted skyward, trying his best to put on an arrogant display of a super genius.
Oh, no need to pretend, just emulate Sasuke's Uchiha pride.
"Since you doubt me, then now! Immediately! Right now! Show me a ninjutsu I've never seen, and I'll whip up an identical one on the spot!"
That genuine arrogance and certainty struck Jiraiya dumb. After all, the Ninja World Daily had detailed this guy's monstrous feat of "learning Gentle Fist on the spot and evolving it"! He had scoffed at it as fake, sensationalist news at the time... now? His face stung! This little pervert could truly shred people's worldviews like pancakes! Furthermore, the Rasengan... its circulation was almost non-existent.
"Alright, alright then!" Jiraiya sighed deeply, using his left hand as a palm and his right as a hammer, he clapped, "Kid, in that case, I, the Toad Sage, will take you as my disciple!"
Minato... your son might be a monster in human skin, huh? This kid, he's probably the Child of Prophecy foretold by the Great Toad Sage, isn't he? Of course, he'd need to observe more!
He no longer hesitated, heroically biting his thumb! "Smack!" His bloodied palm slammed onto the ground—
"Boar-Dog-Bird-Monkey-Ram! Summoning Jutsu!"
Boom! Smoke exploded!
A giant toad, with huge black eye bags and skin covered in orange-peel-like black spots, appeared, the size of an adult human! It wore a heavy necklace with the character for "Loyalty" on it, and was yawning while rolling up an old scroll with its long tongue.
"Gamachu! The scroll!" Jiraiya expertly pulled out the scroll, shhhwiiip, unrolled it on the muddy ground, and gestured to Naruto: "Come over! Sign with your own blood and leave your fingerprint! From today on, you'll have a contract with the toads of Mount Myōboku!" He raised an eyebrow, a mischievous gleam in his swollen eyes: "Did you remember the hand signs I just made, kid?"
"Tch! How could I forget such a small trick?" Naruto pouted and stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the scroll—then he suddenly paused! Two names leaped out at him:
[Minato Namikaze]
And above that: [Jiraiya]
The Fourth signed it? Then it's solid! This contract is definitely fine! Even if there's a problem, he just wouldn't acknowledge it. And with his abilities, any trap or even contract was already useless against him.
Since that was the case, Naruto, without another word, bit his thumb with his incisor! Just as he was about to dip his finger in blood to sign, there was no "ink" left after a couple of tries—looking again, the wound on his fingertip was clean as new, not a trace of injury? This finger healed at an absurd rate!
It seems... this is probably what a Sage Body is like? He hadn't sustained any injuries before to verify it.
Without a word, he pulled out a small dagger from his backpack.
Rip— He deftly sliced across his palm! A bright red gash immediately opened up, and blood immediately "gurgled" out profusely! Naruto didn't even bat an eye, simply smearing the gushing blood onto the scroll, signing his name with a flourish, and pressing his fingerprint in one fluid motion.
"Done!"
Gamachu, who had witnessed the entire process from the side, was so shocked his yawn got stuck in his throat. Jiraiya's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets: "Kid! What are you doing?! This is a Summoning Jutsu, not a pig sacrifice! Just a little blood for the print is enough!"
Naruto didn't even lift his head: "It's a small matter."
Jiraiya's gaze, however, suddenly narrowed! He stared fixedly at Naruto's freshly cut palm—the blood, it stopped? Not only did it stop! The gaping wound, like a living thing, squirmed and mended right before his eyes! In a few breaths, only a faint red stain remained on his palm. Where was the wound? Not even a scar was visible!
Jiraiya's heart trembled: This recovery power?! Is this the Nine-Tails' healing ability?
"So... I'm done signing! Time to try the Summoning Jutsu, right?!" Naruto rubbed his hands together like a fly. He'd seen others use Summoning Jutsu for a long time, but he'd never used it himself because there was nothing good to summon. He just hoped these contracted toads would be useful, otherwise... he'd dismiss them all! He glanced at Gamachu beneath Jiraiya—this guy didn't seem to have much combat power either! Were these toads useful for something else? Like eating mosquitoes?
"Oh... good. Since the contract is signed, go ahead and try it." Jiraiya hadn't quite recovered himself.
Naruto immediately formed hand signs, sinking his chakra into his dantian: "Boar-Dog-Bird-Monkey..."
No matter what, the first time using this ninjutsu, he had to be cool! Being cool was a lifelong matter!
"Wait!"
Jiraiya jolted, pressing down on Naruto's final hand sign with lightning speed. A cold sweat broke out on his back.
"Huh?" Naruto almost choked: "What now, old man?"
Jiraiya coughed, pointing around them: "Cough, don't try it yet. Let's find a more spacious place first."
This kid is the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. If his hand slips... and he summons Gamabunta in the middle of the village... If Gamabunta then sits on the Hokage's office and flattens it... even if I, the Toad Sage, personally go to apologize... it'd be tough! Even if I brought two crates of milk, it probably wouldn't be enough.
The scene shifted, and the two had slipped away to a deserted deep valley outside the village. Naruto looked around. Besides layers of green trees, steep rock faces, and a roaring waterfall, he couldn't see a single soul.
Naruto stood on his tiptoes, peering around, muttering quietly, "Do we really have to come all this way? It's just a summoning..."
It's just Summoning Jutsu, right? He's seen it before. Everyone summons cats or dogs. Last time, Kakashi summoned a ninja hound, a palm-sized thing; a small space was enough for that. He eyed Gamachu, who was about his height and weight... no need for such a large area: "Perverted Sage, can I summon here now?"
Jiraiya's temple throbbed. This brat was calling him that again? He really had no respect for his teacher. He pulled a long face: "Alright, begin."
Naruto rubbed his hands together, ready to summon, but then suddenly paused: "Right, how much chakra should I use? This jutsu won't drain me, will it?" He needed to confirm first, because this jutsu, it actually had no chakra limit. If the summoned creature was strong enough, even infinite chakra wouldn't be enough.
"Pfft—hahahahaha!"
Jiraiya burst out laughing. This kid was thinking too much. No matter how strong you are, what can you do: "Go all out! The place is big enough! Summon whatever you can! Bring out a guy that can level mountains! I, the Sage, will cover you!"
Naruto's eyes lit up instantly! Got it! Summon the strongest blind box! A man's gotta open SSRs!
Then, full of resolve, he formed the hand signs: Boar-Dog-Bird-Monkey-Ram! Summoning Jutsu!
At the same time, deep within Mount Myōboku.
The Great Toad Sage, resting with closed eyes, suddenly felt a great pull.
"Hmm... this pulling sensation?"
Boom! His colossal body evaporated on the spot! Only a warm butt print remained on the stone chair... and a scattered snot bubble: "Pop~"
Shima, carrying a bowl of bug stew, entered the room and instantly froze! "Dear husband?! Old! Losing your mind?!" Smash! The high-grade bug stew bowl sacrificed itself to the floor.
The scene cut back to the bottom of the valley!
The thick smoke gradually dispersed...
A colossal, sky-obscuring shadow pressed down! Instantly enveloping Naruto and a green-faced Jiraiya!
Naruto waved his hand to clear the smoke, standing on tiptoes and straining his neck: "Holy crap! This weight... Gamachu would have to call it grandpa, wouldn't he? Do the toads of this ninja world eat hormones every day?"
The smoke completely cleared.
Naruto finally saw the "big shot": enormous in size, but its skin was so wrinkled it could trap mosquitoes, giving it the texture of tree bark that had come to life... He tilted his head, his eyes full of suspicion as he stared at this old fellow: "Old man... are you sure you can still fight with that physique?"
He cocked his head, about to ask Jiraiya for information. Instead, he saw his freshly recognized master, so shocked his jaw dropped to the ground! At the same time, his entire body trembled as if in "vibration-sieve mode"! He could only utter single syllables: "This, this, this, this..."
Naruto poked Jiraiya's stiff arm: "Old man, did the disc get stuck? Can your eyeballs still move? Give me a signal?"
"Ah, little Jiraiya!" The Great Toad Sage opened his sleepy eyes, slowly looking down: "And this golden-haired little brat next to you... who is he?"
"Great Toad Sage, you've actually been summoned." Jiraiya never imagined Naruto would summon this great Buddha, this biggest BOSS of Mount Myōboku. He greeted him respectfully and nervously. "Just right, please tell me, is this child the Child of Prophecy from your predictions?"
Child of Prophecy? Naruto's ears perked up like antennae, listening intently! Holy crap? The ninja world actually has something like that? Then I, Naruto Uzumaki, must be the chosen protagonist!
The old toad's voice sounded like it was clearing phlegm: "The Child of Prophecy is your disciple, but I have not dreamed of who specifically it is."
"However, this Child of Prophecy will change the entire ninja world. He may bring peace to the whole world."
Naruto nodded: That's right, that's me!
"Or he may bring destruction."
Naruto shook his head again: This is NOT ME at all!
"All of this remains unknown."
Naruto was speechless. Heh, so you don't know either. What's the point of this prophecy?
At the same time, in the Sand Village, the Kazekage's office.
The light was dim, and the Kazekage's silhouette behind the curtain was imposing. Baki, the jonin leading Gaara's team, finished his report with a bow, adding, "There is another person who needs to be specially marked: Naruto Uzumaki of Konoha."
He presented today's Ninja World Daily, its headline blaring: [Naruto Uzumaki: What Genius? Genius is Merely My Threshold!]
"His talent, as I witnessed it... is monstrous! If allowed to grow, he will surely become an even greater threat than Konoha's White Fang!"
The Kazekage's voice was low: "Oh?"
Baki looked up, his eyes sharp: "According to secret intelligence, he is also the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki!"
"During the 'Konoha Crush,' if we manage to provoke his tailed beast into losing control, the jinchuriki will surely die! Konoha will also face utter destruction!"
Baki's sinister plot: provoked tail beast rampage + double kill scenario, echoed in the room.
The Kazekage's knuckles unconsciously tapped his armrest for a moment... He was pondering and making a choice. Executing the Konoha Crush plan had already completely offended Konoha; adding a jinchuriki wouldn't change that. So... a sharp glint appeared in his eyes, and he made his decision: "Feasible!"
His voice was cold and resolute, "Baki! I command you to be the primary leader of the 'Fox Capture' operation!"
"During the Chunin Exams—capture the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki at all costs! Drive him to the brink, and induce the tailed beast to go into a full rampage!"
"This is—a critical strike to destroy Konoha! No failures allowed!"
"Inform the Sound Village of this plan; you may request external assistance to ensure absolute success!"