"Ahhhh! Why do you eat so much?!"
In Konohagakure, at Ichiraku Ramen.
Naruto stared at the towering stack of empty bowls in front of Kitagawa Minamoto and felt utterly defeated.
Turning his head, he looked at Jiraiya, who was wiping his mouth, and couldn't hold back his frustration.
"And why are you here too, Pervy Sage?!"
"Tch, it's just a few bowls of ramen. What's the big deal?"
Jiraiya glanced at Naruto, clearly annoyed.
"Don't forget, this sage has taught both you and that Uchiha brat. What's wrong with eating a few bowls of ramen?"
On the night of Minamoto's Chūnin celebration, Naruto's "astonishing performance" had naturally impressed Jiraiya, the renowned super pervert.
Training them wasn't a big deal for him. Adding another person to the mix? Not a problem either.
What Jiraiya had taught Naruto and Sasuke were fundamental skills that would benefit any ninja for a lifetime.
For example, tree climbing and water walking—simple yet essential techniques that demonstrated Chakra control.
Sasuke had performed well, while Naruto's efforts were somewhat lacking. But that was understandable; Jiraiya knew the Nine-Tails inside Naruto affected his Chakra control.
Overall, their performances were passable. Besides, Minamoto had received some exclusive perks...
"Jiraiya-sama, are your tasks complete?"
Minamoto interrupted at the right moment, asking casually.
"What were the results?"
"Tch, don't even mention it. I didn't find anything."
Jiraiya shook his head in frustration.
"I visited several places, but without exception, there was no one there. It was a complete waste of time."
"Such good luck, huh."
Minamoto blinked and feigned a sigh.
"Unlike me, who had such bad luck the first time..."
"Hey, hey, hey, are you trying to say this sage has bad fortune?"
Jiraiya rolled his eyes, scrutinizing Minamoto before continuing.
"But I've heard about your situation. You performed well, though you were a bit reckless."
"Hey! Are you two even listening to me?"
Naruto watched as Minamoto and Jiraiya chatted away, then glanced at his nearly empty wallet, shaped like a "little frog." He couldn't help but shout.
"It wasn't reckless. The opponent was just too strong. That technique does have significant aftereffects, though."
Unfortunately, neither Minamoto nor Jiraiya paid him any attention. Minamoto went straight to the point.
"I was wondering when you'd come back, Jiraiya-sama. Now that you're here, I'd like to ask you something."
"Huh?"
Jiraiya looked puzzled, but soon his expression shifted to one of understanding.
"So, the old man already talked to you about it, huh?"
"What?"
This time, Minamoto was the one confused. He hadn't attended the meeting and had gone straight home to rest. He hadn't seen Hiruzen Sarutobi at all.
"Seriously."
Jiraiya stood up, dusted off his pants, and said,
"If you wanted to learn, you should have said so earlier. This sage wouldn't hold back, especially..."
At this, Jiraiya smiled and shook his head.
Perhaps this kid reminded him of Minato, or maybe he saw something in Minamoto that surpassed Minato in certain ways.
Jiraiya naturally wouldn't act like Naruto, who had fallen off the Hokage building due to a misstep. He had landed steadily, only to be "invited" back by Hiruzen to discuss many matters.
Minamoto's and Kakashi's mission had been a success. Not only had Kakashi gained new powers, but they had also uncovered crucial intelligence about their enemies.
Most importantly, Minamoto's performance had been exceptional. However, his actions were a bit reckless.
The Eight Inner Gates technique wasn't particularly suitable for someone like Minamoto, who primarily relied on ninjutsu for offense.
Having experienced a surge in power, they were all concerned that Minamoto might develop a harmful dependency.
Thus, they decided to involve Jiraiya in advising him, with Hiruzen hoping Jiraiya would go a step further.
"Sage Arts, huh."
When Hiruzen had proposed the idea, Jiraiya hadn't even thought about refusing.
Though Minamoto's personality might be lacking in certain areas, Jiraiya genuinely liked him. Having taught Minato before, he had some experience and was happy to give it another try.
"Huh?"
Minamoto still looked confused, ignoring Naruto, who was hopping around in frustration. He asked curiously,
"Lord Hokage didn't mention anything to me. What's going on?"
"Didn't he?"
Jiraiya tilted his head, then shook it with a chuckle. Patting Minamoto's shoulder, he said,
"Never mind. Let's not dwell on that. If you're done eating, let's get going. You wanted to ask me something, right? I happen to have some time now."
"Alright."
Minamoto smiled, stood up, and left with Jiraiya, leaving Naruto standing there in shock.
"Hey, hey, hey? Seriously? You're just leaving like that?"
Naruto stared at the two of them in disbelief, then looked at his nearly empty wallet in despair.
He knew Minamoto could eat, but he hadn't expected him to eat this much!
"And Pervy Sage is the same. Seriously..."
Naruto counted the money in his "little frog" wallet, then looked pleadingly at Teuchi, who was cleaning up.
"Um, Uncle Teuchi, since they ate so much, could you maybe give me a discount or something?"
"Hmm?"
Teuchi paused, then chuckled.
"What are you talking about? The bill's already been paid."
"Huh?"
Naruto froze, then noticed the stack of bills tucked under Minamoto's and Jiraiya's empty bowls.
"They..."
"Jiraiya-sama cares about you a lot, and Minamoto is truly a good friend."
As Teuchi cleaned up, he smiled and said,
"Didn't you want everyone's recognition? You're already doing great. Keep it up!"
"Mm..."
Naruto pursed his lips, then pretended to look annoyed.
"Who told them to pay? Seriously, I said I'd treat them! Idiots, wait for me!"
"Hey, hey!"
Watching Naruto run out, Teuchi shook his head with a smile.
"Jiraiya-sama and Minamoto both paid, and they even overpaid..."
"Never mind. Next time they come, I won't charge them."
"Is someone calling us from behind?"
"Seems like it, but I couldn't hear them clearly."
Minamoto and Jiraiya headed deep into the forest of Konohagakure. This time, the training wouldn't be like before.
Both moved quickly, barely noticing the faint calls behind them.
Before long, they had reached the forest.
"This place isn't bad. There's even a hot spring nearby where we can relax after training."
Jiraiya smiled, then adopted a serious demeanor.
"Kid, let me tell you first—I don't know what you want to ask, but I do plan to teach you something."
"Huh?"
Minamoto was stunned. He had initially wanted to learn Sage Arts to "cleanse his sins," but Jiraiya genuinely intended to teach him something?
Looking puzzled, he asked softly,
"Jiraiya-sama, what are you planning to teach me?"
"A very powerful technique. Right now, I'm probably the only one who knows it."
Jiraiya looked smug, but then sighed.
"Of course, I once taught Minato. His talent allowed him to learn it, but he wasn't very skilled at using it. Such a pity..."
Jiraiya truly felt it was a shame. If Minato had been better at utilizing Sage Arts, perhaps Obito Uchiha wouldn't have caused so much trouble.
"Only you and the Fourth Hokage know it?"
Minamoto's expression grew even more peculiar. If he wasn't mistaken, Jiraiya intended to teach him Sage Mode.
Everything seemed to align perfectly, but upon reflection, it all made sense.
"Guess I figured it out..."
Most likely, his recent use of the Eight Inner Gates had caused too much commotion. The technique disrupted Chakra flow and inflicted significant damage on the body.
Kakashi and the others were probably worried he'd grow accustomed to this power. So they sought an alternative, leading to this moment.
Having pieced together the situation, Minamoto felt both amused and grateful.
"Alright, enough talk about sad things."
Jiraiya slapped his cheeks to snap himself out of it, then continued,
"Prepare yourself mentally. I know you're not fond of toads, but what I'm about to teach you is deeply connected to Mount Myōboku. So..."
"Just tell me, Jiraiya-sama, what exactly are you planning to teach me?"
Minamoto cut Jiraiya off, getting straight to the point.
"I need to understand what I'm getting into, right?"
"You brat, you're really annoying."
Jiraiya pursed his lips before reluctantly explaining,
"I'm going to teach you a technique called 'Sage Mode.' This technique has extremely strict requirements. Without strong Chakra reserves, it's easy to be overwhelmed by Natural Energy.
Natural Energy, also known as Senjutsu Chakra, is everywhere. But absorbing it is incredibly difficult and requires specific aids.
For example, when I trained, I relied on the toad oil from Mount Myōboku. And even with that, you need a unique mindset to succeed."
Jiraiya paused, observing Minamoto's eager expression. Satisfied, he continued,
"That mindset involves learning to 'remain still.' By staying motionless and meditating on nature, you can truly perceive and train in Natural Energy.
The process is tough and painful, but remember: only those with unwavering determination can become sages!"
"Is that so..."
Minamoto pretended to ponder, nodding slightly.
His thoughtful demeanor pleased Jiraiya, who had witnessed Minamoto's exceptional talent firsthand. Whatever he taught the boy, Minamoto would quickly master.
"But Sage Mode is different, kid."
Jiraiya chuckled inwardly, then spoke slowly,
"Want me to demonstrate? Feel the power of Sage Mode, so you can..."
"Jiraiya-sama, you said Natural Energy is everywhere, right?"
Before Jiraiya could finish, Minamoto suddenly looked up at him curiously.
"That's right. It's everywhere, but accessing it..."
Jiraiya nodded instinctively, but Minamoto interrupted again.
"If that's the case, are you referring to this?"
"This?"
Jiraiya's eyes widened as Minamoto raised his hand.
It was as if Minamoto could sense Natural Energy. In an instant, an overwhelming aura erupted from him!
"What?!"
Jiraiya nearly lost his footing, blown back by the sheer force of the energy. He quickly stabilized himself, but his face was filled with alarm as he looked at Minamoto.
"This kid—he's unbelievably reckless!"
Jiraiya naturally understood what was happening, but the realization only made him more concerned. Having trained in Sage Mode himself, he knew how dangerous the process was.
Yet when he took a closer look, he was utterly stunned.
Minamoto's face now bore red markings resembling eye shadow. As he slowly opened his eyes, they had turned white, resembling the Byakugan of the Hyūga clan.
His aura had stabilized, and his presence was filled with the essence of nature!
At that moment, even Jiraiya grasped the truth.
"That's... Sage Mode?!"
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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