However, they decided to teach Reko. As they too understood that it was only a matter of time, Reko could use that technique again to suppress the nature energy.
…
"You said you wanted to learn Senjutsu from me but it appears that you have already treaded on that path."
Jiraya commented as he stood beside Reko. It was hard to stomach this fact for him that this young man was already capable of sensing and moving that strange chakra.
Reko seemed to get what Jiraya meant, but he still had reservations. Doesn't he still have to learn a particular sacred place's sage mode to acquire their traits?
For example, he could acquire the sensitivity and reflex trait from the toad sage mode. But it would be different for the snake sage mode, he would have high regeneration as well as ability to put life into inanimate objects.
What could he even do with just learning to control nature energy? He was more interested in the traits acquisition.
Or could the natural sage mode be really the superior one? Just like the first Hokage?
He was curious.
"I didn't expect that you were already able to sense that energy."
He complimented, glancing at the hand which had turned back into normal.
"It happened eventually."
Reko laughed it off. He had good control of chakra, no doubt. And this was not even after Tsunade's help in her sacred land.
No! He was already able to sense that energy from the utilisation of curse mode.
It was just that he didn't have a reason to inform anyone of that.
"With this, you would be able to learn it within a month."
"And that's guaranteed!"
Jiraya patted Reko's shoulders, relieved by the fact that their village would get yet another sage user.
'Only if you knew how Madara used sage mode with the help of those eyes.'
Reko politely smiled, however his inner thoughts were very different. In this universe, it didn't mean if he had sage mode. When the main villains joined, the sage mode would be the bare minimum, just entry level for that fight.
"Woah! I didn't expect you to be this strong Pervy sage!!"
Naruto looked awed from the spar just now. This was the first time he had witnessed Jiraya using sage mode. Even in the battle against nine tails, Jiraya had not used it as it required preparation beforehand.
"Haha! You underestimate me, the legendary Sainin."
He grinned, happy to see the look of awe on Naruto's face.
'I am tired now. My chakra is drained too. But he looks half ok?'
He took a look at Reko. Even though the boy had just experienced the pain of his body turning into a stone, he didn't seem tired at all.
Jiraya himself was tired as he had exhausted his chakra and needed a good rest to recover.
'Such a prodigy!! To have been born in this era, he would dwarf them all.'
He took a look at Reko and then his new student, Naruto.
Naruto was growing, at a very fast pace at that. But did he compare to Reko? Jiraya did not think so.
After learning the sage mode, which would be done in a month, Reko would keep growing. He had spread his fingers in too many specialisations.
'Will he walk on his father's path? I could have made him do the sage training but it's difficult with the nine tails.'
Though, he still didn't lose hope for Naruto. Naruto had a legacy and a very powerful chakra weapon.
It was a problem for now but would be resolved in upcoming years. By then, Naruto's chakra would already rival Senjutsu. And once he manages to master the sage Jutsu then there would be no opponent.
'Wait until he learns to control the nine tails. He will become the best.'
Jiraya thought to himself as he took a deep breath, ready to recover.
[Disaster from inability to resolve a grudge!]
"Jiraya? I have wanted your bounty for so long."
A man, tall, enclosed in eerie looking tendrils, draped in the Akatsuki robe, Kakuzu, happened to recognise jiraya.
He had been traveling grumpily with his new insufferable partner, Hidan. His luck was not working out these days. He could not find a good bounty.
"Look at how lucky we are!! They are resting, probably exhausted from a battle."
A silver haired man with a three-bladed scythe, Hidan, laughed eerily as he commented.
It was obvious to him that Jiraya and the rest had just come out of a battle and were resting.
Their luck suddenly turned for better, allowing them to chance upon such an opportunity.
A battle weakened and exhausted Jiraya? A great bargain.
"No way!!! You are from that group."
Naruto gasped as he recognised the familiar attire of the two weirdo. The robes, he could not forget them even if he wanted.
"Akatsuki?"
Reko also took a glance at them. He had just looked at the warning about the disaster.
It did not take him much thought to realise that this situation was somehow linked to his disaster.
Jiraya on the other hand, stood up, his eyes glaring and his face grave. He was low on stamina and did not have much chakra for this battle.
But he was prepared for a battle nonetheless. He had some knowledge about Kakuzu, the famous bounty hunter and he was aware that it would be a tiring one to get out of.
"He is?"
Hidan asked, confused. He recognised the nine tails guy but not Reko.
"He is another big catch. The rumoured talented student of the fifth hokage, Reko Senju."
Kakuzu muttered, unwilling to explain but did so anyway because he was happy about having an additional bounty.
Also, he did not want his partner to be careless and die before he managed to capture all his targets.
Where could he get a legendary Sainin with a bounty in millions as well as a tailed beast and a Hokage's student.
"Luckily, we got you when you are exhausted."
Hidan laughed, happy to have more powerful sacrifices for his god.
"Can you fight?"
Ignoring the duo from Akatsuki, Reko asked Jiraya if he was in the condition to battle.
As someone even above those of S rank shinobis, Jiraya could not be this easy to defeat.
"I didn't expect to encounter an enemy just after my chakra reserve is empty. The sage mode takes quite a toll on the body."
Jiraya explained, his eyes glancing at his surroundings and then the duo from Akatsuki.
"But it's fine. We can get away from here."
He grinned. This was nothing, he could even take one of the enemies out in this battle, escaping was not that difficult.
"You support me from behind, protect him. I will take care of them."
Reko stepped forward, instructing Jiraya to stay back as he threw a chakra recovery pill to Jiraya.
He wanted Jiraya to take care of Naruto while he dealt with the duo from Akatsuki. He had more than eighty percent of his chakra.
"Aren't you very eager to become my sacrifice? Hehe! Come on then!"
Hidan laughed, seeing Reko come forward to battle against them. He ran fast, aiming his scythe at Reko for an attack.
Hidan slashes, his scythe extending to Reko's neck, about to draw blood.
But Reko easily dodged the attack and tapped on the ground. A sudden earth wall erupted from just below Hidan, throwing the maniac high in the sky.
Hidan grunted, but handled his scythe well. He quickly got up, watching Kakuzu laugh at him.
"Sneaky! But do you think you can kill my immortal self? Try harder!!"
Hidan rushed at him again, slashing his scythe rapidly, not caring for any injury on his body.
"Shadow clone jutsu"
Reko instantly made four clones, each of them equipped with a Rasengan each rushed at Hidan.
The religious maniac didn't seem to care but Jiraya and Kakuzu were keeping an eye.
Kakuzu wanted to land a sneak attack with his long ranged attacks and was keeping an eye on Reko.
Though, he did not expect the young prodigy to splurge chakra on useless shadow clones like that. But it all worked in his favour.
The blue ball of energy looked intense but he didn't care. Even if Hidan died, he didn't care as long as Reko was out of chakra.
He prepared a lightning ninjutsu, ready to strike at the perfect moment as he kept an eye on Jiraya.
He did not dare to risk it against that guy. Even on his last leg, Jiraya was too much to deal with.
"Did that hurt? Mister immortal."
Reko pinned Hidan against the ground with the help of his clones. He had far superior Taijutsu and physical strength than Hidan.
With the bombarding of a few Rasengans, Hidan was completely immobilized.
He was aware how the things with Hidan worked. So, he let his clones do the fighting.
Just when he was fighting, he felt a really strong attack aimed at him. He formed a thick wall of Earth to defend but the wall got pierced.
Instinctively, he decided to jump to the side, not having expected his wall to be this weak against lightning.
Hidan took the opportunity, grunting, he held his scythe and rushed at Reko, uncaring to the hole in his stomach.
"I did not expect the leaf village to produce yet another talented youngster. You need to die! Now!"
Kakuzu shouted as he aimed yet another lighting bolt towards Reko. His tendrils on the body kept moving to protect him from any sneak attack.
Reko dodged as he got his clones to assist him. He needed to be on a lookout for both of the enemies and both were kind of immortal.
'Body reinforcement it is! Kakuzu seems wary and doesn't come close, I will have to subdue Hidan first.'
Reko decided to use his super strength to fight against Hidan while his clones defended him from Kakuzu.
He needed to deal with one of them first.
"You think I am an easy target?"
'He seems to be particularly keeping a guard against me.'
'He is not worried about Kakuzu getting to those at the back but he is keeping me away from them.'
'Does he know? Is he aware of my way?'
Hidan laughed as he swung his scythe erratically. Reko had to keep a fair distance from the guy to get outside the range.
"Aren't you pretty weak though?"
Reko made another attempt to come close and subdue Hidan but it was useless. Even taunting him did not work, the guy did not stop any of his attempts to draw on blood.
"You will know in a few minutes! When I drain your blood and sacrifice it to my god!"
Hidan used the cable attached to his scythe to unexpectedly slice through the skin of Reko's forearm.
Reko did not expect the range to be this high. He instantly reacted but even the earth skin that he had been keeping on for defence did not protect him.
The defence was broken and his blood was on Hidan's Scythe.
'No way!'
Just when Reko realised it, he decided to chase the scythe and remove his blood from it.
Unfortunately, Kakuzu seemed aware of his intentions and jumped directly in between Hidan and Reko, trying to separate them.
Reko did not bother and instead used his superior strength to punch Kakuzu away.
Kakuzu unexpectedly held on and did not go flying in the sky. But his hand and shoulder were blown off, broken, with two of his hearts shattering in an instant.
The backlash was huge and he could not concentrate for a second, allowing Reko to get to Hidan.
"Haha! Just a few seconds and it will be over."
Hidan was already doing the symbol. He had licked the blood off the scythe. The only step remaining was to draw a symbol of his god and then begin with the sacrifice.
He could see the look of panic on the young man. It felt great! Thrilling!
...
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