Chapter 70 — The Message from the Frog Sage
The days after Gaius's last broadcast passed in a strange silence.
In Konoha, the village carried on as it always did, the markets noisy, the children laughing, the wind drifting through the alleys. But for Naruto, it felt oddly still.
He lay sprawled on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Empty cup noodles gathered on the desk beside him, next to a cracked photo frame showing Team 7. The air smelled faintly of dust and old paper.
Jiraiya had been gone for a long time. No word, no message. Just gone.
Naruto sighed, drumming his fingers against his stomach. "Man… I wish the old perv would hurry back already."
Out of boredom, he blinked, and the familiar Multiversal Chat interface appeared in front of his eyes, its blue hue panel lighting the darkened room, though only him can see it. The holographic window, opening to the shared space that connected him with others beyond his world.
Inside the Chat, the group was already mid-conversation.
Tony: "Had a visitor. Russian guy. Used my old arc reactor design, made electric whips out of it. That are capable of cutting vehicles in half, he attack me outside my house."
Saeko: "Someone copied your technology? That's dangerous."
Mindy: "Did you kill him?"
Tony paused before replying.
Tony: "No. He's in prison now. Said my family were thieves. "
Mindy: "You should've killed him. If he escapes or sells the design, others could make the same weapon."
Tony: "Hmm, your are right, i'll be on guard." but still didn't say about killing him.
Naruto frowned, wanting to join in, but can't since he has No know knowledge of the Arc Reactor power.
Before he could ask what is a Arc Reactor, a shadow appeared by his window, calm, silent, familiar.
The window slid open. Kakashi stood there, half his face hidden as always, a scroll in hand.
"Lady Hokage has summoned you," he said simply. "Let's go."
Naruto blinked, confused but obeyed. "What's this about? Did I do something again?"
Kakashi gave no answer, only turned to lead the way. Naruto quickly closed the Chat interface and followed.
The streets were painted in the warm orange light of the noon sun.
They reached the plaza before the Tower, and Naruto froze.
Two giant toads loomed outside, their presence impossible to miss. The ground shook slightly under their weight.
"Gamabunta?! Gamakichi? What are you doing here?" Naruto called, eyes wide.
Gamakichi looked down from atop his father's head. His usual playful grin wasn't there. "Hey… Naruto."
The tone, quiet, almost hollow, made Naruto's stomach tighten.
Kakashi didn't speak either. He only gestured silently toward the door. "Inside."
Naruto swallowed hard and followed.
The Hokage's office was full.
Tsunade, Shizune, Sakura, Sai, and an old green toad with wise eyes, Fukasaku, were waiting. The air felt heavy, almost suffocating.
Naruto stopped just inside the doorway. His grin faltered when no one spoke.
"What's with the faces? Did something happen?"
Tsunade's expression was steady but weary. She looked at Fukasaku and nodded.
"Yes. This is Uzumaki Naruto."
Naruto blinked. "Huh? What's going on?"
The small toad hopped closer, his eyes kind but filled with quiet sadness. "So this is Jiraiya boy's student."
Naruto frowned. "Who're you, old frog?"
Tsunade's tone sharpened. "Watch your mouth, Naruto."
But Fukasaku only smiled faintly. "Heh. He's got Jiraiya's mouth, that's for sure."
Then his expression sobered. "Naruto lad… I came here with news."
The world seemed to slow around Naruto as the old toad spoke his next words.
"Jiraiya boy has fallen in battle."
For a long moment, no one moved.
Naruto's breath caught. His eyes darted between them , searching for a hint of a joke, a smirk, anything.
"…What?"
Fukasaku bowed his head. "He died fighting a man named Nagato. One of his own students, a wielder of the Rinnegan."
Kakashi's visible eye widened. "The Rinnegan? You're certain?"
Fukasaku nodded. "Aye. Before he passed, Jiraiya boy left a message, carved into my back using the last of his strength."
He turned around, showing faint markings etched into his skin, a sequence of numbers and symbols. Shizune quickly took notes, her voice trembling.
When he turned back, the silence returned, heavier this time.
"That's all he left behind," Fukasaku said quietly. "A message."
Naruto's voice was small at first. "Did.. you let him go, Granny?"
Tsunade remained quiet, her hands clasped in front of her as she looked down
Naruto snapped, the words cracking. "How could you let Jiraiya sensei, go to such a dangerous place alone!"
"Enough, Naruto," Kakashi said softly but firmly.
Naruto's hands shook. His chest felt tight, like he couldn't breathe.
"He was my teacher! He said he'd show me how to become strong, how to control it all, and now he's just… gone?"
No one answered.
The silence was unbearable.
He turned, eyes stinging, and reached for the door.
"Where are you going?" Sakura asked, her voice trembling.
Naruto stopped, his back to them.
"I'll ask for help," he said quietly. "From my friends."
Then he left.
Behind him, the room stayed silent until Sai finally spoke.
"Friends?" he murmured. "Who could he mean?"
No one had an answer, since Naruto has few friends, that they know of.
Outside, the village looked unchanged, people laughing, shops open, the sun dipping behind the rooftops. But to Naruto, everything felt gray.
He walked aimlessly, eyes downcast, his thoughts a blur of memories: Jiraiya's laugh, his clumsy advice, the sound of sandals on training ground dirt.
He stopped at a bridge and stared at the water below. His reflection looked smaller than he remembered.
"…Old man," he muttered. "You really left me, huh?"
For a while, he just stood there. The wind moved softly, carrying the scent of rain.
After walking for a while, Naruto looking at the Glow of the Sun, and made a resolute decision,
"I'll avenge, you old man."
Then, faintly, a light flickered before his eyes, blue and soft. The Multiversal Chat shimmered to life again, unprompted.
Naruto blinked in confusion.
The words appeared slowly, one by one, like a heartbeat echoing in the silence.
Mission: Help Naruto Uzumaki avenge his teacher, Jiraiya.
Objective 1: Destroy Nagato's puppets.
Objective 2: Defeat or kill Nagato.
Optional: Eliminate any Akatsuki members for bonus rewards.
0/2, Number of participants may accept this mission.
Reward:Varies depending on who accepts.
Naruto's eyes widened. He stared at the floating script, the blue light reflecting in his pupils.
His breathing steadied. His anger, grief, and confusion slowly reshaped into something quieter, resolve.
~~~
Inside the command hold of a massive ship, the light from the chat projection rippled faintly across Gaius's armor.
He had been reading after-action reports when the system's notification appeared in his vision.
He lifted his gaze.
Mission: Help Naruto Uzumaki avenge his teacher, Jiraiya.
The towering warrior read in silence, his expression as calm and unreadable as ever. The golden light of his armor cast a faint glow across the screen, reflecting the words before him.
He murmured softly, almost to himself, "Naruto's world…"
There was no disbelief in his tone, no pity, only quiet sympathy. He kept his gaze on the fading text, eyes unmoving even as the light dimmed.
For one who had walked battlefields beyond, who had seen comrades fall and worlds burn, loss was a familiar companion. Yet knowing Naruto, his laughter, his stubborn hope, the warmth he carried even through the screen, made this harden Ultramarine feel different.
Gaius stood still for a long moment.
~~~
In the dim light of his lab, Tony sat slouched in a chair, the holographic display hovering above his arc reactor.
He wasn't expecting a system notification, and when it appeared, he read it twice.
Naruto Uzumaki… avenge his teacher.
He leaned back, exhaling softly. "So the kid lost his mentor, huh."
He remembered Naruto's bright grin from the earlier broadcasts, the naive confidence, the jokes.
Now that same kid has his teacher died.
Tony rubbed a hand over his face and muttered, "Damn it, kid… life hits hard."
~~~
Under the moonlight of the moon, The multiversal Chat flickered into being, its glow reflecting off the calm sea.
She paused mid-training, reading the message carefully.
Her voice was soft. "Naruto's teacher… died?"
She remembered the boy, the energy in his eyes, the way he laughed during Gaius's last transmission.
A trace of sorrow passed over her expression.
"Poor Naruto," she murmured.
She looked up at the stars, the projection fading quietly beside her.
~~~
In a dim room in the mansion of Takagi Estate, Saeko leaned against the window while Mindy sat cross-legged on the couch, both staring at the shared message glowing on their devices.
Mission: Help Naruto Uzumaki avenge his teacher.
Saeko frowned. "So his teacher's dead…"
Saeko's tone was calm, but her eyes softened. "He always spoke of his teacher with pride."
Saeko turned to the window, her eyes drawn to the moon hanging quietly in the night sky.
~~~
In the dim light of her room, Mindy sat still, her Suit still on, she hadn't even bothered to change after kicking some ass of a few thugs earlier. Her eyes fell on the glowing prompt on her screen:
Mission: Help Naruto Uzumaki avenge his teacher.
For a moment, she said nothing. The usual fire in her eyes softened. Naruto was her friend, loud, kind, always trying to cheer others up, and she remembered how often he talked about Jiraiya with that mix of pride and warmth. Knowing he'd lost someone like that hit her harder than she expected.
Mindy let out a quiet breath, her expression steady but her heart heavy.
End of Chapter — "The Message from the Frog Sage"
~~~
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