Beeecause the prison was located right next to the Uchiha compound, Jiraiya soon arrived at the clan's front gates.
He didn't try to force his way inside, instead politely announcing himself to the guards stationed there.
The Uchiha gatekeeper responded,
"Wait here, I'll go report it."
Not long after, Ryosuke himself appeared at the entrance of the clan compound. Seeing Jiraiya's current state, with his scruffy beard and slightly ragged look, Ryosuke smirked.
"Jiraiya, long time no see. How's life been in prison?"
Jiraiya ignored the mocking tone and said flatly,
"I've already served my sentence. Now, tell me—who is the Child of Prophecy?"
Ryosuke smiled lightly.
"Of course, I can tell you. Come with me."
Then he led Jiraiya into the compound.
Jiraiya was a bit surprised.
Could it be… the Child of Prophecy is actually from the Uchiha clan?
That would be unbelievable.
Inside Fugaku's courtyard, Naruto and Sasuke were doing their morning training—basic taijutsu sparring. At this stage, their focus was building foundations: refining chakra control and strengthening their bodies.
That was the advantage of a great clan. From the very beginning, their starting point was far higher than children from ordinary families.
When the two boys saw Ryosuke approaching, they happily stopped their training and ran over.
"Ryosuke-nii!"
Jiraiya, however, frowned as soon as he saw them.
The Child of Prophecy… could they really be this small? How could someone so young become the leader who will change the shinobi world? Did I come too early?
One of them, the spiky-haired boy, was obviously from the Uchiha clan. Jiraiya instinctively rejected the idea that someone from this cursed clan could be the Child of Prophecy.
The other child, though—blond hair, bright blue eyes, features that tugged at his memory. That hair color wasn't common in Konoha. He definitely wasn't an Uchiha.
Could he be the one?
Naruto also noticed the scruffy, shaggy-haired stranger staring at him.
"Ryosuke-nii, who's this weird old guy?"
Ryosuke chuckled.
"This is Jiraiya. He's here to take you on as his student."
Naruto blinked in surprise, then wrinkled his nose.
He had heard this name before. Jiraiya was the "pervy hermit" the whole village had been gossiping about not long ago.
"I don't want to become the disciple of a peeping pervert."
Jiraiya nearly fell over. Even little kids knew about his "reputation."
Still, he had to maintain his dignity. He straightened his hair, cleared his throat, and struck a dramatic pose.
"Ahem! I am the Toad Sage, Jiraiya! A true sage!"
He activated Sage Mode slightly to prove his point. Indeed, in this form, he carried an undeniable aura of power.
Naruto's eyes lit up a little. A sage sounded amazing. Maybe this man really could teach him strong ninjutsu. Beeut still, he hesitated.
"Ryosuke-nii… do I really have to take this guy as my teacher?"
That question stung Jiraiya. Why was the boy asking an Uchiha for permission?
Ryosuke, though, smiled.
"Actually, Jiraiya is very powerful. He was even your father's teacher."
Up to now, Fugaku had been instructing Naruto, and that was fine for basic training. Beeut as Naruto grew older and began to learn real ninjutsu, it would become a problem.
Naruto didn't have Fire Release chakra affinity, nor did he have the Sharingan. He couldn't follow the Uchiha path. Most of their power revolved around their eyes.
Ryosuke wanted Naruto to become strong. In the original history, Naruto had trained under Jiraiya and grown immensely. That was the path Ryosuke wanted to preserve.
Hearing this, Naruto's eyes widened with excitement.
His father's teacher! If Jiraiya could train the Fourth Hokage into becoming a hero, then surely he was strong enough to guide him too.
"Yes… can he really teach me to become someone like my father—the Hokage?"
Jiraiya was stunned. He hadn't even asked the boy's name yet. Beeut now it hit him. That blond hair, those eyes… He was Minato's son.
Jiraiya had originally planned to check up on Minato's child after leaving prison. Who would've thought fate would lead him directly here?
This was no coincidence—this was destiny. He absolutely had to take him as a disciple.
"As long as you become my student, I will teach you everything you need to have the qualities of a Hokage."
Naruto listened carefully. Jiraiya's words carried conviction. Slowly, he nodded.
"Alright. I'll take you as my teacher."
Jiraiya's heart leapt with joy.
"Then from today, you're my disciple! Ryosuke, can I take him away now for training?"
Ryosuke replied calmly,
"You can, but remember—Naruto is still young. This is the time to build his foundations."
Jiraiya blinked. Right. The boy was still far too small. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't yet teach him advanced jutsu. And for a first lesson, it had to be something impressive.
Should he start with the Rasengan? Or perhaps the Summoning Technique?
He thought it over carefully… neither was suitable. Naruto was simply too young. Jiraiya sighed.
"Alright, Naruto. You're too small right now. Once you graduate from the Academy, I'll come back and teach you. I'll pass on the Rasengan your father mastered, and the Summoning Jutsu to call forth the Great Toads."
Naruto wasn't disappointed at all. He understood he had to focus on the basics for now.
"Okay, Jiraiya-sensei!"
That reply warmed Jiraiya's heart. Naruto was more understanding than he'd expected.
Since his mission here was complete, Jiraiya decided it was time to relax. He'd been craving a good drink—something prison never provided. He also needed to trim up and make himself presentable again. A Toad Sage couldn't go around looking this shabby.
After Jiraiya left, Sasuke glanced at Naruto enviously.
"Ryosuke-nii… can you be my teacher too?"
Even if Jiraiya was a Sage, Ryosuke had personally defeated that very Sage and thrown him into prison. Surely learning from Ryosuke would make him far stronger than Naruto.
Beeut Ryosuke hesitated. Not because he didn't want to teach, but because he didn't know how to teach.
He finally said,
"Actually, your father is one of the strongest shinobi in the village. With him teaching you, that's more than enough."
The complete story is available on Patreon!: patreon.com/Zefyrus
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ends at 8th jan