The gates of Konoha loomed behind them, tall and scarred from the recent invasion. Naruto glanced back once, his chest tight. The village was still covered in scaffolding, shinobi moving rubble, and families patching their homes. Smoke no longer stained the air, but the wound was raw.
"I'll be back stronger," Naruto whispered under his breath.
Jiraiya adjusted the scroll strapped across his back, watching Naruto from the corner of his eye. The kid's grin was still there, but it didn't shine as blindly as before. Good, he thought. He's finally learning what responsibility tastes like.
The road stretched long, lined by forests and quiet rivers. Every few hours, a caravan passed them—traders, mercenaries, wandering farmers. Each glance lingered on Naruto a moment too long. Whispers spread quickly after an invasion, and the word "Jinchūriki" was never far from people's lips.
Naruto caught the looks but kept his chin high. Once, they would have broken him. Now, he wore them like fuel.
Two days out, Jiraiya led Naruto to a wide riverbank, where water sparkled beneath the sun.
"Strip down to your boots and get in," Jiraiya ordered.
Naruto frowned. "Why? We're supposed to be finding your teammate!"
Jiraiya crouched, tracing patterns in the dirt with a stick. "If you can't control your chakra, you'll never convince Tsunade—or anyone—that you're Hokage material. This isn't just a trip to find her. This is your trial."
Naruto stomped into the river, splashing water. Jiraiya tossed him two green leaves. "Balance these on your hands. Keep your chakra steady enough that they don't move. No fidgeting, no bursts."
Naruto groaned. "That's it? Easy!"
Two minutes later, both leaves floated downriver.
By sunset, Naruto's arms trembled, his face twisted in frustration. His Perfect Copy instinct allowed him to recall Kakashi's calm precision and Neji's chakra control during the exams—but knowing wasn't the same as doing.
Finally, when the moon rose, the leaves stayed put. Naruto collapsed backward into the water, panting.
Jiraiya grinned. "Good. You're finally learning patience."
Naruto grumbled. "Patience sucks."
Over the next week, the training escalated.
First: water-walking. Naruto could already manage it with clones, but Jiraiya forced him to sustain dozens at once while crossing currents. When a single clone lost focus, the whole river rippled, sending Naruto plunging in.
Second: blending chakra types. Jiraiya showed him how to mix wind into his strikes, amplifying speed and sharpness. Naruto copied what he'd seen from Temari during the exams, but the strain nearly split his arms open.
"Don't just imitate," Jiraiya barked, yanking him up after another failure. "Copying is step one. Refining is step two. Making it yours is step three. You're stuck in step one."
Naruto bit his lip, tasting blood, but nodded fiercely. Then I'll reach step three.
Third: summoning.
Every night, Naruto practiced with the blood contract, summoning larger and larger toads. Most of the time, he managed only palm-sized ones, but occasionally, smoke cleared to reveal a massive beast staring down at him.
One evening, he landed atop Gamabunta again—this time not by accident. He held the Chief Toad's glare a heartbeat longer before collapsing unconscious.
When he woke, Jiraiya sat beside him, watching the stars.
"You've got guts, kid. But guts alone won't tame the fox inside you. When the time comes, you'll need more than courage. You'll need control."
Naruto lay quietly, feeling the fox's rumbling presence deep inside. "I'll do it. I'll tame him. I'm not gonna end up like Gaara."
Elsewhere, in a roadside inn, two cloaked men occupied a corner table. Their presence was heavy, drawing wary glances.
"The Jinchūriki leaves the village," one said, his voice smooth and cold. "So soon after the Hokage's death."
The other stirred his tea with a single finger. "Weakness invites opportunity. But he is not ready. Not yet. The boy must ripen before harvest."
Under the table, the faint glow of concentric ripples flickered in shadowed eyes. "Still… let us keep watch."
By the third week, they reached a gambling town near the border. Neon lanterns lit the streets, gamblers' laughter clashing with drunken brawls. Naruto gawked at the sights, his stomach growling.
"Stick close," Jiraiya warned. "Places like this are full of vultures."
Naturally, Naruto slipped away within minutes.
He found himself at a dice table, crowded by jeering gamblers. One shoved a handful of dice into Naruto's palm. "Try your luck, brat!"
Naruto hesitated—then grinned. He let his Perfect Copy flicker, replaying the gambler's sleight of hand in his mind. When he rolled, his dice landed perfectly, earning cheers and curses.
The men tried again, this time palming the dice to cheat. Naruto's golden eyes narrowed, his hand slamming down. "You switched them!"
The tavern went quiet, fists tightening—until Jiraiya loomed behind Naruto, presence heavy as a storm.
The gamblers scattered instantly.
"Didn't I say stick close?" Jiraiya grumbled, dragging Naruto out by the collar.
Naruto smirked. "But I caught him cheating, didn't I?"
Jiraiya's sigh carried a trace of pride he didn't bother hiding.
That night, under the stars, Naruto sat cross-legged by the fire, eating roasted fish. His grin had faded into something more contemplative.
"Pervy Sage… when I fought Gaara, I almost lost it. The fox's chakra… it scared me." His voice dropped. "What if I can't stop it next time?"
Jiraiya's face was serious in the firelight. "Then we'll train until you can. But remember this—your power isn't just the fox's, and it isn't just what you steal from others with your Perfect Copy. It's what you do with it. Your choices, brat. That's what makes you dangerous."
Naruto's fists clenched around his knees. "Then I'll make the right choices. I'll protect everyone. Even if I have to fight that fox inside me."
The flames reflected in his eyes, golden and determined. Jiraiya leaned back, a small smirk tugging at his lips. This kid… he might really pull it off.
But far beyond the firelight, unseen eyes watched from the treeline. Waiting.
The road was long, and Naruto's trials had only just begun.