Chapter 41 - 41

The dusty roads to Tanzaku Town were lined with merchants and travelers, and Naruto bounced along, his grin wide as he teased Jiraiya about his "research" at bathhouses. "You're gonna get us kicked out, Pervy Sage!" he laughed, dodging a playful swat. But inside, he was detached, his mind on power. Konoha was behind him, and he wanted it to stay that way. The world was vast, full of secrets the village couldn't hide, and he'd need strength to claim them—strength to face Orochimaru, to unlock the Scroll of Sealing's mysteries, to stand alone.Jiraiya's training was intense: mornings spent summoning toads, afternoons perfecting chakra control, evenings sparring with shadow clones. "You've got more chakra than most jounin," Jiraiya said, watching Naruto summon a hundred clones without breaking a sweat. "But it's wild. Focus it." Naruto grinned, nodding, but his heart raced. Jiraiya was teaching him control, but also watching him, maybe reporting to Konoha. Naruto didn't trust him, not when the Sannin dodged questions about the Fourth or the Nine-Tails.At night, Naruto trained in secret, pushing his clones to a thousand, their movements a storm. He reached for the Nine-Tails' chakra, feeling it burn hotter, more controlled. Red eyes flashed in his mind, but he pushed back, whispering, "I'm the boss." The power was his, not Konoha's, not Jiraiya's. He'd use it to roam the world, to find the truth about why he was chosen, why he was hated. The village had caged him long enough.Their journey was interrupted by a skirmish—Sound ninja ambushed them, their blades gleaming. Naruto's grin stayed as he summoned clones, shouting, "Time to kick butt!" But the Nine-Tails' chakra surged, unbidden, giving his clones a ferocity that scattered the attackers. Jiraiya's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing, only praising Naruto's "enthusiasm." Naruto laughed, but his distrust deepened. Jiraiya saw the fox's power, and he wasn't talking. Naruto needed more strength, fast, to outgrow his teacher's scrutiny and walk his own path.