Naruto scanned the village. How many lives could he have saved if he had broken the seal just a day earlier?
Suddenly, Jiraiya appeared beside him.
"Let's go look for someone together."
Naruto raised an eyebrow.
"Aren't you Hokage now?"
"The elders want me to take the position, but I've got too much on my plate."
"Then I'm not going. I'm not your bodyguard—I'm a ninja. If it's not a direct order from my superiors, I can say no. Plus, I need to figure out who sealed me."
Jiraiya placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I plan to teach you a jutsu even more powerful than Chidori. And… I might also know something about seals."
"I don't need any jutsu. I just want to return to how I was before. Right now, I've got almost no strength, and I move slower than a slug."
Jiraiya reached into his pocket and pulled out some money, placing it in Naruto's hand.
"You've got two hours to get ready. Meet me at the main gate."
##Two Hours Later##
Jiraiya noticed the blond walking toward him and gave a whistle.
"Looking sharp."
Naruto grinned.
"This look helps me get noticed by girls."
And so, they set off.
As they walked, Naruto spoke.
"What do you know about my seal?"
"The Four Symbols Seal was meant to control the Nine-Tails."
Naruto gripped his sword tightly and shouted angrily.
"Cut the crap! I'm serious—what the hell happened to me?"
Jiraiya swallowed hard.
"As for the seal... Listen, Naruto. When Sarutobi-sensei and I sealed you, we thought you were..."
"You and Sarutobi-sensei? That old geezer helped seal me?"
Jiraiya awkwardly scratched his head.
"Ah, well, I also added a Gravity Seal. Sorry about that."
"I knew it! There's no way I'd naturally be this slow!" Naruto ripped off his forehead protector, revealing his forehead. "Quick, remove the seal!"
Jiraiya formed several hand signs and placed his hand on Naruto's head.
"Seal release!"
"All right. Now I feel better…"
Jiraiya felt compelled to continue explaining.
"Naruto, I—"
"I don't want to hear anything else right now."
******
Naruto and Jiraiya spent the night at an inn. That evening, Jiraiya sneaked out to flirt with girls.
Lying on the bed, Naruto suddenly sensed two figures near the door—they had hidden their chakra levels.
He jumped out the window to find Jiraiya.
Naruto ran across the rooftops toward the outskirts.
He bit his thumb and summoned a toad.
"Go find Jiraiya. Tell him to find me as soon as possible, or I'm done for."
The toad nodded and left.
Naruto sighed and slowly turned around.
"I know you're there. Come out."
Two figures wearing black, hooded cloaks emerged, each with a straw hat pulled low over their face.
Naruto sighed.
"Well, well—if it isn't Itachi Uchiha."
The other person smiled, removed his hat, revealing blue hair.
"It seems you've gained quite a reputation in the village, Itachi."
Naruto rubbed his forehead.
"And Kisame Hoshigaki too… Now there's a pair of bad news."
He dropped into a fighting stance.
Itachi Uchiha sneered at Naruto's small stature.
"Who knew the Nine-Tails jinchuriki would be just a runt? Itachi, want me to cut off one of his legs so he doesn't try running?"
Itachi stepped forward.
"Come with us, Naruto."
Naruto sighed.
"Come on, man. I'm just a kid."
"Itachi, this kid's got a big mouth. Let me handle him."
Itachi stared at Naruto.
"Don't go too far. The Leader needs a live jinchuriki."
Naruto drew his ninja blade and in the blink of an eye had it pressed against Kisame's throat, but Kisame had already lowered Samehada to block the strike.
"Not bad, kid."
"I used to be faster… stronger, too…"
Kisame swung his massive sword toward Naruto's shoulder and then kicked him away.
Naruto got up from the ground.
"Ugh… damn that cursed seal…"
Kisame laughed maniacally as he charged at Naruto with his sword swinging.
Naruto ducked low and swept Kisame's legs out from under him.
Kisame jumped back and aimed a kick at Naruto's head, which Naruto quickly dodged.
"Man, thank god Ero-Sennin lightened the Gravity Seal—even a little—or I'd be dead meat by now."
Itachi took a few steps forward.
"Naruto, come with us. You can't beat both of us."
Naruto glared at them.
"Uchiha Itachi!"
Naruto turned around and saw Sasuke standing not far away, eyes locked tightly onto his older brother.
"You told me to live by hatred in order to grow strong enough to kill you. Well, that day has come!"
...
Naruto leaned back against a tree watching Jiraiya chat with Might Guy, who carried Sasuke on his shoulder.
That Itachi Uchiha really worked Sasuke over.
At least Sasuke bought him enough time for Jiraiya to arrive.
"Oi, brat! Get over here!"
Naruto stood up and walked over to Jiraiya and Guy. As angry as he felt, he had to admit—if they hadn't intervened just in time, he'd have been flattened by now.
Might Guy smiled brightly.
"Yo, Naruto! Today, you showed the real power of youth—holding off two enemies like that!"
"Thanks, Guy. But honestly, I wasn't any help at all. They could've killed me anytime."
Guy shook his head, still smiling.
"But you're alive, right? That means you can become even stronger!"
Naruto smirked slightly.
Jiraiya grabbed Naruto's shoulders.
"Time to move, kid. We've got a lead to follow."
Naruto muttered something under his breath and followed Jiraiya as he was pulled along.
---
"So where are we headed now?"
Jiraiya tossed Naruto a water orb.
"This is a three-step ninjutsu. First, channel your chakra into rotating the water orb until it bursts."
Naruto yawned.
"Ugh… sure."
Jiraiya extended his other hand, forming a rapidly spinning blue chakra sphere in his palm.
"It's called the Rasengan. It's one of the Fourth Hokage's most prized ninjutsu."
"Whoa…"
Naruto took the water sphere from him and easily burst it apart.
Jiraiya shook his head.
"A genin shouldn't pick this up that quickly."
"Well, I was never really a genin to begin with. I'm ANBU, remember?"
Naruto raised an expectant gaze toward him.
"What's next?"
Jiraiya clumsily pulled out a rubber ball:
"Explode this using just your chakra. This is supposed to be the hardest step."
KABOOM!
Naruto clutched his ears in pain.
Jiraiya's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
"You actually got it on the first try?!"
---
"What happened here?"
Jiraiya and Naruto looked at what used to be the famous Tora Street. The ground was covered in rubble. Jiraiya noticed holes in nearby walls—left behind by his reckless teammate.
Jiraiya grabbed Naruto's arm.
"Come on kid, we're close. Very close."
After searching the town all day, they finally laid eyes on a tavern. As Jiraiya stepped inside, he suddenly paused:
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