Gamabunta's departure was anything but dignified.
The moment Jiraiya slipped away, man and beast clashed in a fierce battle.
For an enormous summon like Gamabunta, most ninjutsu from regular shinobi were nothing more than mosquito bites annoying at best, but far from lethal. His massive body and thick skin allowed him to shrug off techniques that would flatten entire squads of ninja.
But against Naruto, things were different. The boy's chakra reserves dwarfed those of most shinobi, and the last thing Gamabunta wanted was to become a living target dummy for that overwhelming power. Naruto actually relished the chance giant summons were the perfect kind of training partner. They couldn't dodge easily, and they made for satisfying bullseyes.
To make matters worse for the toad boss, Naruto's speed left him no room to counter. Gamabunta swung his tanto-sized blade, tried to leap, even spat oil flames, but the boy darted around like a yellow blur, battering him from every angle.
When Naruto finally began weaving signs for his devastating Five-Element Barrage, Gamabunta felt the crushing tide of chakra building behind the technique. For the first time in centuries, fear flickered in his enormous eyes. Wounded and gasping, the proud summon dropped his usual bravado.
"I… I recognize you, brat!" he bellowed, before vanishing with a loud puff of smoke, fleeing back to Mount Myoboku.
Naruto lowered his hands, canceling the jutsu with a look of disappointment. He had wanted to test some of the ninjutsu he had painstakingly learned from the Third Hokage. To think Gamabunta who had always carried himself as a hardened, unshakable warrior would retreat so quickly?
Naruto clicked his tongue. "Big guy like that, but with such a tiny backbone. I really misjudged you, Gamabunta."
Jiraiya returned just in time to hear the story, clutching a bundle of fresh notes for his so-called "research." His face twisted at Naruto's casual tone.
"Are you crazy, kid? Using that kind of ninjutsu, if Gamabunta hadn't run, he'd be the real idiot!" Jiraiya scolded, though a bead of sweat slid down his temple. "Still… tell me honestly. How bad did you hurt him?"
Naruto waved a hand dismissively, biting into a stick of dango as if it were nothing. "Relax, he won't die. Half a year of rest, and he'll be hopping around just fine again."
"Poor Gamabunta…" Jiraiya muttered, sighing for his old friend's battered pride.
Naruto leaned forward, raising an eyebrow. "So? You told me there was some method to drastically boost my power. Was this it? Signing a contract with a summon who can't even handle me?"
Jiraiya shook his head firmly. "Of course not. Gamabunta was just the gateway. What I'm talking about is something far greater Sage Arts."
Naruto froze. It was a term he had never heard before. Not from Kakashi, not from Iruka, not from anyone.
"Sage Arts?" he repeated, curiosity piqued.
Jiraiya gestured for him to sit beneath the shade of a towering tree. Once they were settled, the older man's voice grew more solemn.
"You've seen all kinds of summons in this world. But have you ever wondered why only three places the Three Great Sage Lands stand apart from the rest? Mount Myoboku, Ryuchi Cave, and the Shikkotsu Forest. The reason is simple: all three guard the secrets of Sage Arts."
"So that's it…" Naruto murmured, piecing it together.
Jiraiya nodded, lips curving into a small smile. "When I introduced myself back in the day, do you remember what I called myself?"
Naruto's mind flashed back. "The… Toad Sage?"
"Exactly," Jiraiya said proudly. "It wasn't just a title. I trained in Mount Myoboku's Sage Arts. That's what gave me the power to stand among the Sannin. And now, I want to take you there, Naruto. You'll undergo training to master these arts as well."
Naruto's eyes widened. "So that's why you had me sign the contract first… so I could use reverse summoning to enter Mount Myoboku?"
"Smart kid," Jiraiya chuckled. "That's right. But I'll be honest with you. Training in Sage Arts isn't easy. You might spend weeks, even months, with no progress at all. It'll test your patience as much as your strength. You'll need to be ready."
He watched Naruto carefully, worried the boy who had soared so easily past every hurdle so far might falter when faced with genuine failure.
But Naruto's expression remained steady, determined. He wasn't just gifted his will was forged from years of isolation, ridicule, and relentless self-discipline. Endless hours of harsh training had already tempered him.
"I'll go," Naruto said simply. "But before I leave, I want to tell Sasuke, Hinata, Kakashi-sensei, and Guy-sensei. If I vanish for too long without a word, they'll be worried."
Jiraiya nodded. "Fair enough. We'll head out tomorrow. Don't worry, I'll call you back before the final stage of the Chunin Exams begins."
That evening, Naruto introduced Jiraiya to Sasuke and Hinata. That was when things took an unexpected turn.
Hinata's pale eyes studied the man carefully, a frown creasing her brow. Something about Jiraiya's stance, his leering expression, felt disturbingly familiar. She activated her Byakugan and her jaw tightened.
"You're the pervert who spies on women in the hot springs," she said flatly.
The air went dead silent.
"Cough, cough! Research! It's research!" Jiraiya sputtered, flailing his arms. "I wasn't peeping for fun, it was for my work!"
"Research?" Hinata tilted her head, her gaze sharp.
"Yes! I'm not just a ninja, I'm also a world-famous author!" Jiraiya puffed up proudly.
Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Then why would a writer need to peep to gather material?"
"Because I write romance novels!" Jiraiya declared, hands behind his back as if he were some tragic poet. "Without firsthand inspiration, my pen has no soul."
Naruto frowned. "What's the name of your book, anyway?"
"Make-Out Paradise!" Jiraiya answered, beaming. "Number one bestseller in the entire shinobi world!"
The three younger ninja stared at him in silence.
Jiraiya waved them off. "Of course you kids wouldn't know it. Only adults can read it."
Naruto shook his head. "We know. Kakashi-sensei has his nose buried in that book all the time."
"Ah, Kakashi!" Jiraiya grinned, clearly delighted. "A loyal fan! I knew my student's student would appreciate fine literature."
Naruto turned to Hinata with a sigh. "Do whatever you want, Hinata."
The boy's words were simple, but Hinata understood instantly. Her eyes flared white as the Byakugan surged to life, veins bulging around her temples.
"Jiraiya-sama," she said sweetly, hands glowing with chakra. "Please allow me to give you a proper demonstration of the Gentle Fist."
"Noooo!" Jiraiya howled, scrambling back as her Lion Fists roared to life.
Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Idiot," he muttered, walking away. There was no point in getting involved in Jiraiya's well-earned punishment. He had training to focus on.
Naruto was about to vanish into a mountain of training himself, learning this mysterious Sage Art. Sasuke clenched his fists. He couldn't afford to fall behind. His elemental mastery wasn't complete yet he needed to shore up every weakness, to build the perfect foundation.
Only then could he surpass his brother.
In raw taijutsu, genjutsu, and ninjutsu, he was already formidable. Perhaps even stronger than the Itachi of his childhood memories.
But there was one thing still beyond his reach those eyes. The Mangekyo Sharingan.
Itachi's words echoed in his head, along with the haunting vision of that power. Even his three-tomoe Sharingan might crumble before it. After all, if so many Uchiha elites wielding the same eyes had fallen, what chance would he have without it?
But Sasuke clenched his jaw. No. He would not take Itachi's path. He refused to pay that price.
Even without the Mangekyo, he swore, he would gain the strength to kill his brother. He would carve his vengeance with his own hands.
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