Naruto trudged beside Jiraiya on a dusty road, his grin wide as he juggled pebbles, shouting, "Bet I can hit that tree, Pervy Sage!" The Sannin snorted, but Naruto's eyes flicked to their surroundings—shadows in the trees, a faint chakra signature. His senses, sharpened by months of distrust, caught what Jiraiya hadn't. "Yo, we got company!" he said, his tone playful, but his hand was on a kunai. Smarts weren't just book learning; they were reading the world like a battlefield.The ambush came fast—rogue ninja, likely Sound operatives, their blades flashing. Naruto summoned a thousand clones, shouting, "Let's party!" but his strategy was precise. He split his clones into three groups: one to flank, one to distract, one to protect Jiraiya's blind spots. The Nine-Tails' chakra flared, boosting his speed, but he didn't let it run wild. He analyzed the enemies' movements, noting their reliance on taijutsu, and countered with traps—clones feigning retreat to lure them into a Rasengan. The fight ended in minutes, the rogues bound and unconscious.Jiraiya's eyes gleamed. "Not bad, kid. You're thinking now." Naruto grinned—"Just awesome, right?"—but his mind was on the fight. He'd used their overconfidence, turned their strength against them. Konoha's lies had taught him: trust no one, outsmart everyone. Jiraiya's praise was useful, but his secrecy about the Nine-Tails was a red flag. Naruto would learn, but he'd keep his plans hidden.Training intensified: Jiraiya taught him chakra manipulation, sealing basics, and toad summoning finesse. Naruto absorbed it, but he also experimented, combining clone tactics with Rasengan variants. He sent clones to test theories—some spun chakra left, others right, noting stability differences. The Nine-Tails' chakra was his focus, its red pulse now a tool he could shape for seconds longer each day. "I'll master you," he whispered, his grin gone in the dark. The world was full of enemies—Orochimaru, rogue ninja, Konoha's elders—and he'd outsmart them all to roam free.
