Chapter 73 – The Toad Sage's Summit
The night air in Konoha was unusually still. Inside the Uchiha compound, Mikoto rested peacefully with newborn Itachi, Fugaku seated close by, his usually stern face softened with rare warmth. Akira lingered at the doorway, drinking in the sight of his family, engraving it into his heart.
"Time to move."
Jiraiya's voice came low, but firm, behind him.
Akira turned. The Toad Sage's expression carried no trace of his usual playfulness. His broad shoulders looked heavier under the moonlight, as though even the shadows knew war loomed.
"You already gave your brother a welcome," Jiraiya said, softer now. "But tomorrow's joy can't blind you from what's coming. The war won't wait, and neither can your training."
Akira's eyes flickered to baby Itachi one last time. A faint smile tugged at his lips, but his heart tightened with resolve. "…Alright. Let's go."
---
The summoning was instant. One moment, Akira stood in the familiar woods of Konoha; the next, a swirl of chakra enveloped him and the world shifted.
The air grew thick with natural energy. Towering stone pillars rose like mountains carved by giants. Gigantic toads, some lounging, others training, filled the landscape. The faint echo of waterfalls and distant croaks carried through the strange yet vibrant world—Mount Myōboku.
Akira exhaled slowly. "We're back."
"Welcome home, brat," Jiraiya muttered, his grin returning at last.
"Oi, oi!" a familiar voice called out. From atop a rock, the small yet wise figures of Fukasaku and Shima appeared, hopping toward them.
"About time you dragged him back, Jiraiya-chan," Shima scolded. "Stopping halfway through training, tch tch tch. You humans and your attachments."
"Now, now, Shima," Fukasaku said more gently, his old eyes fixing on Akira. "A ninja's bonds are what make him strong. And look—he came back with clearer eyes than before."
Akira bowed respectfully. "I'm ready to continue."
---
The days that followed tested him like never before.
At first, Akira sat motionless on a stone, struggling to sense the flow of natural energy. The world around him felt alive—every blade of grass, every ripple in the water—but reaching into it without drowning himself was almost impossible.
Hours stretched into days. The toads coated him in the slick, pungent oil of Myōboku, forcing his body to drink the energy, balance it, and resist being turned to stone. Every mistake stiffened his skin, cracked his joints, until he felt his own weight fighting against him.
"Don't force it!" Fukasaku barked. "Feel it flow with your chakra, don't wrestle it."
Akira grit his teeth, sweat pouring down his face. His Sharingan flickered to life, glowing blue as it tracked the currents of chakra and nature around him. Slowly—agonizingly slowly—the energies began to weave together in harmony.
Jiraiya watched from the side, arms folded. His eyes narrowed, remembering his own struggle with this same training. But Akira… Akira was different. He wasn't rushing. He wasn't panicking. He simply endured.
At last, Akira opened his eyes. His aura pulsed faintly, calmer, denser. Not perfect, but balanced.
"…I can feel it," he whispered.
Fukasaku's wrinkled face broke into a wide smile. "Ho ho! Now that's more like it. The brat's got the knack after all!"
---
That night, under a starry sky, Jiraiya sat with Akira by the fire.
"You're progressing faster than I expected," Jiraiya admitted. "But don't fool yourself—it's only the beginning. You'll need every ounce of this power for what's coming. The Third War isn't something a single boy can stop."
Akira stared into the flames, his thoughts drifting back to Konoha—his parents, little Itachi, and even Kakashi, Obito, and Rin training under Minato.
"I know," he said quietly. "But even if I can't stop it, I'll protect what matters. That's enough reason to keep going."
For once, Jiraiya didn't reply with a joke. He only gave a small nod, the firelight reflecting in his sharp eyes.
The war drums of the world were beating, and on Mount Myōboku, Akira's training had only just begun.
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