Sealing jutsu… Yes, that's it… I should've realized it sooner. If Minato Namikaze taught this child his proudest Flying Thunder God Technique and Rasengan, then as his mother, how could Kushina Uzumaki not have passed down her exceptional sealing arts as well?
Now that I think about it, this kid really is the perfect blend of Minato and Kushina… Hmm? Blend… actually, yeah, that's not wrong at all…
From the moment the Reverse Four Symbols Seal was activated to Naruto converting it into the standard Four Symbols Seal and sealing away all of Danzo Shimura's chakra before instantly killing him again—Jiraiya couldn't help but stand dumbfounded at the overwhelming reversal.
Only after hearing Naruto's voice in his ear did he snap out of it, clench his fist, and tap his palm with realization.
As he mumbled to himself, the way he looked at Naruto grew more proud… and slightly bitter.
"Tch, the Uzumaki Clan's sealing arts, huh… I had to throw away all my pride and beg Kushina for ages just to learn the Four Symbols Seal. And don't even get me started on the rest. Yet this kid… only three years old and already… I… I… ugh, people like this really make you want to cry…"
"Hmph! Quit your whining, Jiraiya. Kushina told you back then—it wasn't that she didn't want to teach you, it's that your talent just didn't cut it. You spent forever just trying to learn a basic scroll seal! You seriously don't remember that?" As someone who'd often bickered and joked with Jiraiya since his unexpected arrival at Mount Myoboku, Gamabunta wasn't about to miss the chance to expose his old friend's embarrassing past. He deliberately raised his voice enough for Naruto to clearly hear and then shifted his gaze to the Root ninja around them, who were clearly panicking. "Speaking of which… what should we do with this trash? They're not really a threat, but if they try to scatter, a few of them are bound to slip away."
"You… you… you're full of crap! I—yeah, it took me a while, but that had nothing to do with talent! I was busy hunting Orochimaru day and night—there was no time to study sealing jutsu! That's why!" Even after years of shamelessly peeking—uh, "researching"—at bathhouses around the world, even Jiraiya couldn't help but flush red and puff up with anger at Bunta's blunt mocking in front of Naruto. Just as he was about to explain further, his eyes followed Bunta's gaze around him, and the words caught in his throat. Arms folded, he began to contemplate. 'Come to think of it, now that that old bastard Danzo's dead for real, there's no one left to keep them in line…'
Recalling Danzo's strange repeated revivals earlier, Jiraiya instinctively glanced at Naruto, still silent, standing beside the now permanently deceased Danzo. He was about to speak when Naruto's next move made his breath catch.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
Naruto ripped his blood-soaked hand from Danzo's chest, chunks of flesh and meat still clinging to it. Without even wiping the blood off, he crossed his hands and swiftly formed seals. Chakra surged into his throat and burst forth as flame, incinerating Danzo's cooling corpse into a foul-smelling, smoldering pile of ash. Without pause, Naruto unleashed his second ninjutsu. The roaring flames from his mouth shifted into a slicing wind, disintegrating the still-warm ash into a cloud of dust!
"That should do it… dust to dust. If he's this gone, no one can use Edo Tensei to revive him, right?" Standing in a light snow of Danzo's ashes, Naruto nodded in satisfaction and muttered quietly. He had no idea just how terrifying this scene looked to others. The way he casually turned someone into a literal pile of airborne bone powder was something even the most ruthless Root agents would flinch at. This brutal, decisive display shattered what little morale the Root ninja still had left.
And once morale is shattered, only one outcome remains—an absolute rout.
Like monkeys scattering when a tree falls, the Root agents who had once followed Danzo with suicidal loyalty now fled in all directions. Add in the deep psychological shadow left by Naruto's nightmare-like performance, and these survivors couldn't even think about revenge. Honestly, just seeing Naruto's seemingly innocent little face again might be enough to make them piss themselves and run screaming. Even Naruto didn't realize the full weight of what he'd just done.
'...Yeah, no doubt about it. That old bastard is dead as dead can be.'
'Looks like Naruto's been through even more than I thought these past three years…'
Even Jiraiya—who'd always defended Naruto—was rattled after seeing what happened to Danzo. But the more he thought about Naruto's past, the more it made sense. 'He's just venting years of rage and hatred…' He shook his head and stopped overthinking. Turning his attention to the three giant toads, Jiraiya ordered them to intercept the fleeing Root. "You're right, Bunta. If these bastards get away, they'll definitely cause trouble in Danzo's name. Block the tunnel entrance—take down as many as you can. Don't hold back!"
"Hahaha! No need to trouble yourself, Jiraiya-sama! Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
Before the toads could even move, a blast of scorching heat shot out of the tunnel. The escaping Root survivor at the front was blown back by the sudden explosion. A massive fireball exploded into a towering wall of flame, sealing off their escape completely. As the fire roared, a hearty laugh echoed through the tunnel, accompanied by a series of glowing scarlet Sharingan eyes.
"You already devoured the meat, at least let us latecomers drink the soup, eh?"
Uchiha Fugaku stepped into view, his smile broad. "Brothers! Let's go! Don't let these little rats escape! Show these scum who desecrated our fallen what the true power of the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan looks like!"
'Oho… look who showed up.'
'Now this is getting interesting.'
Jiraiya had felt a bit frustrated watching the Root survivors about to escape, already thinking about how to hunt them down later. But the timely arrival of Fugaku's reinforcements eased his concerns. He finally relaxed, called the toads off to the sidelines, and chose to sit back and watch—ready to step in only if the Uchiha's line broke.
"Now, now… Pervy Sa— I mean, Jiraiya-sama, our reinforcements aren't just the Uchiha Clan, y'know."
At that moment, Naruto appeared beside Jiraiya via the Flying Thunder God Technique, using the marker he'd planted earlier when stabbing through Jiraiya's sleeve. Panting heavily, he plopped down with hands behind his head, looking up through the smooth round hole Gamabunta had blasted overhead.
"Your summoning toad adjusted the cannon's trajectory just enough to open this shortcut for them. According to my estimates… they should be arriving just about… now."
"Haha, don't call me 'sama,' it's weird. Here, eat some Ration Pills and recover your chakra. And hey… if you don't mind, how about calling me 'Grandpa' from now on?"
Knowing Naruto also possessed the Flying Thunder God Technique, and having once mentored Minato, Jiraiya had long since accepted Naruto's sudden appearances. His bond with Minato was both master and father-like, and now he treated Naruto as his own grandson. As he awkwardly offered the rest of his high-quality Ration Pills, he continued, "You said more reinforcements? Hah, if the Third Hokage sent anyone, it's probably the Ino-Shika-Cho trio. Their family jutsu are strong, sure—but compared to the Uchiha Clan showing up like this? It's just icing on the cake."
"Ooh~ Thanks, Grandpa! I did burn through a bit too much chakra just now. I'll help myself, then!" Naruto grinned and didn't hesitate to accept. He chewed the pills happily, warmth blooming in his heart from the gesture.
"Ino-Shika-Cho, huh… Well, whether Grandpa Hiruzen sent them or not, I know one thing for sure…"
He swallowed, eyes flashing.
"The second wave of reinforcements about to arrive… is almost as strong as the Uchiha."
"Almost as strong as the Uchiha? Then it's gotta be the Hyuga Clan… but that can't be! Those two clans have always hated each other. They'd never team up!" Jiraiya's nerves eased when Naruto cheerfully called him "Grandpa" and obediently took the pills. He even felt a little floaty. Ruffling Naruto's golden hair, he chuckled. "If they ever did team up, I'd go find Tsunade right now and make her marry me."
"Hehe, Fugaku! Don't hog all the fun—leave some scraps for the Hyuga Clan too!"
"…Wait… what the hell? They actually teamed up?!"
Jiraiya's face froze as elite members of the Hyuga Clan began dropping down through the hole like divine warriors. Naruto's teasing eyes bored into him, and his cheeks flushed.
"Hehe~ Grandpa, I think I just heard the crisp sound of a face getting slapped~ So? You said if they teamed up, you'd go bring Grandma Tsunade back and marry her. When's the wedding?"
"Ahem… N-Naruto, y-you see… Grandpa was just joking… Haha… Can I take it back?"
"Hah! Him, marry Tsunade? No way, kid! Getting one compliment from her keeps him floating for days. Marry her? He'd probably get punched into orbit the moment he opened his mouth!"
"SHUT UP, BUNTA! Nobody asked you!"
"Tch, what? Can't handle the truth? If you're so bold, go get her yourself!"
"You… I… Fine, Bunta! Looks like I've let you get too cocky lately! You forget who the great Toad Sage Jiraiya is?! I swear, if you keep this up, I'll summon Fukasaku and the elders right now!"
"You coward! If you've got guts, fight me one-on-one! What kind of hero calls for backup?!"
"Shut it! Who was it who aired out my most embarrassing stories in front of this kid? You deserved it! One word—admit defeat!"
"I… I… FINE! I admit it! Damn it, Jiraiya, you win!"
'Wanting the woman you love to marry you, huh… Even now, after becoming one of the Legendary Sannin, that simple dream hasn't changed one bit…'
While Jiraiya and Gamabunta bickered like old men, Naruto's smile quietly deepened. He stared at Jiraiya's broad back and whispered, one word at a time:
"'Don't worry… In this life, I won't let you die again. And I won't let Grandma Tsunade win the only bet she never wanted to win…'"
'Better start preparing to end your bachelor life early, Grandpa Jiraiya~'
Konoha Year 52, February 15 — On New Year's Eve, under the guidance of a plan three years in the making, Naruto Uzumaki—once slandered as the Nine-Tails reborn—finally revealed his leadership and immense potential. He not only manipulated Root and Danzo Shimura into the palm of his hand, but personally obliterated Danzo's remains.
With Danzo gone and no leader to follow, Root fell into chaos. The combined forces of the Uchiha Clan and the Hyuga Clan swiftly eradicated or subdued every member. With Root dismantled and erased from the Hidden Leaf Village's structure, and the two strongest clans reconciling, Naruto gave Konoha the most valuable New Year's gift imaginable.
However, despite his great merit, Naruto refused the Third Hokage's offer to restore his identity as a hero's son. Instead, he deflected credit onto Jiraiya and the reinforcements, erasing his name from all official records. He quietly returned to the shadows, choosing to continue growing under the label of a "Nine-Tails reincarnate." Aside from those present that day, no one would know of Naruto's critical role… not until the end of the Fourth Great Ninja War, when he finally took up the mantle of Hokage—and the truth was at last revealed by Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Naruto's wife, Hinata Uzumaki.