"What happened? Are you really sure it's what you said?" Third Hokage inquired, leading several Anbu who had already donned their combat gear and rushing to the site of the disturbance.
Though Anbu had been informed that it was Jiraiya caught pilfering the helmet and Naruto who had pursued him, they remained baffled by the true nature of the confrontation.
The sheer power on display astonished even the Third Hokage.
"Indeed!" An Anbu spoke up, his voice laden with grief. "But I have no idea why it unfolded this way." It was clear that Haruno Sakura had provided them with the information.
How could apprehending a mere pervert, particularly one as notorious as Jiraiya-sama, result in such a tumultuous scene?
Third Hokage felt a headache coming on and the Chūnin present couldn't help but swear under their breath. The aftermath of this incident would undoubtedly be troublesome.
With a mix of suspicion and agitation, Third Hokage glanced at the Anbu stationed near the battle and headed straight for the epicenter.
Upon arrival with his Anbu entourage, they witnessed dozens of Naruto clones surrounding Jiraiya.
"Stop!" Third Hokage bellowed as he dashed over.
"Harem Technique!"
However, at that precise moment, Naruto happened to be in the midst of forming a seal, and dozens of figures morphed into alluring, cool girls simultaneously.
Puff! Puff! Puff!
Jiraiya and Third Hokage both spurted out blood and collapsed to the ground, their legs kicking in the air.
The Anbu who had followed closely weren't spared either; two of them couldn't resist the urge and succumbed to the same fate.
The two Toad Sages, who had originally been perched on Jiraiya's shoulders, fell to the ground with a thud.
Shima's face was crimson with rage. "This is utterly humiliating, Jiraiya! You will never summon me again, or I shall never be done with you!" she exclaimed before releasing the Summoning Technique.
Fukasaku looked at Naruto with a helpless expression, who had retreated his clones and was feeling quite pleased with himself. He was certain there would be no further skirmishes. He sighed deeply and followed his wife back to Mount Myōboku.
"You're quite proud of yourself, aren't you?" a gloomy voice called out from behind Naruto.
Naruto turned and spotted Yūgao. "Ah, it's Sister Yūgao. What brings you here?" he asked with a nonchalant smile.
"You owe me this!" Yūgao glared at him angrily.
Surveying the scene, she and Naruto were the only ones standing upright. Everyone else lay on the ground, including the revered Third Hokage and the legendary Sannin, Jiraiya. They all bore expressions of shock and amusement.
"Then, to express my apology, I'll treat you to dinner!" Naruto offered with a grin, unfazed by Yūgao's displeasure.
Yūgao had no right to rebuke Naruto and thus remained silent. Whether she consented to dine with him or was too embarrassed to refuse, Naruto took her silence as agreement.
Shortly after, the initial Anbu group and Sakura approached the scene.
The Anbu leader scratched his head, puzzled by the situation. "What on earth happened here?"
They had been terrified by the clash of Rasenshuriken and Goemon and only dared to return when the commotion ceased. They were oblivious to Naruto's latest ninjutsu masterpiece.
Yūgao had to step in to explain the situation, albeit vaguely, as she was too embarrassed to disclose the specifics of the Harem Technique.
The Anbu were perplexed by her explanation.
The visual impact of Naruto's Harem Technique was immense, even leaving seasoned veterans like Third Hokage and Jiraiya stunned for an extended period.
Sakura hastened over to check on Naruto. "Are you okay?" she asked, visibly concerned.
"Not even a hair was harmed!" Naruto replied with a touch of pride.
Sakura rolled her eyes, but her anger was genuine. "You really scared me!" she exclaimed.
"To express my apology, I'll treat you to dinner," Naruto said, recycling his previous offer but this time to Sakura.
This infuriated Yūgao, who had been present all along. She stiffened and glared at him fiercely.
Naruto shot Yūgao with a mischievous wink, which she caught, making her furious.
"That's what you promise!" Sakura's face lit up with joy.
Naruto's performance almost conquered her just now.
Now that the weight of Naruto in Sakura's heart has gradually caught up with Sasuke's, she couldn't help but start to wonder whether it would be better to continue pursuing Sasuke, who had shown no signs of reciprocation, or to turn around and find Naruto.
Of course, it's not time to decide yet. However, what she truly desired was to have more contact with Naruto and learn more about the "advanced" ninja world that she didn't understand.
Finally, after several Anbu's efforts, the Third Hokage and the others managed to regain their breath, though they were somewhat embarrassed.
They were all seasoned individuals with thick skin, having been around for decades.
The Third Hokage made eye contact with Jiraiya and immediately reached a consensus - the incident just now would never be mentioned and would be listed as a top secret of Konoha!
"Ahem, Jiraiya, Naruto, should you give me an explanation? Why are you fighting like this?" Third Hokage composed himself and resumed his Hokage demeanor.
He seemed to be afraid that others might misconstrue his question, and deliberately added 'why did it happen like this' at the end.
So, just answer why you are fighting, and don't elaborate any further.
Jiraiya coughed dryly, glanced at Naruto with complex emotions, and then said: "I also want to ask you, old man, why is Naruto so strong? It's too absurd!"
"I'll tell you about this later. Answer my question first!" One of the reasons why Third Hokage dislikes Jiraiya is because he never obeys his orders properly.
He couldn't even answer a question truthfully, but Third Hokage had no control over him. These disciples all had minds of their own and were utterly uncontrollable.
"It doesn't seem to have anything to do with me anymore, so I'll leave first!" Naruto didn't enjoy their bickering and attempted to take Sakura with him.
But how could that work? After all, he was one of the involved parties!
The Third Hokage sighed heavily and said, "Come with me to the Hokage office and explain the matter thoroughly before leaving. The implications of this incident are too significant. If it isn't handled properly, it could lead to serious trouble."
With no other choice, Naruto and Jiraiya looked utterly miserable as they made their way towards the Hokage Building, as if they were walking to their execution.