Chapter 41 – The Road After the Clash
The dust of the small village still clung to their sandals as the three travelers walked down the narrow road leading into the forest. The air smelled faintly of ash and dango, but neither Naruto nor Sasuke spoke. Even Naruto, usually a storm of words, walked quietly beside Jiraiya, his face shadowed by thought.
Jiraiya's sharp eyes flicked back and forth between them. The boy with the golden eyes who could laugh in the face of gods, and the boy with the Sharingan who carried a silence that cut deeper than any blade. They were young, but their steps had the weight of grown men who had lived too long.
Finally, Jiraiya broke the silence.
"You two… you're hiding more than you're saying. And don't even try to deny it." His voice was steady, but beneath it was strain. "I know you're not just some lucky prodigies. You're reborn. Both of you."
Naruto scratched the back of his head, forcing a grin that didn't reach his eyes.
"Ero-sennin, we already told you, right? The only thing that matters is what's ahead—the Fourth War. That's all you need to know."
Sasuke's voice was colder, sharper.
"The past… our past lives… it won't help you. It won't help anyone. It's gone. What matters is preventing the world from tearing itself apart again."
Jiraiya narrowed his eyes.
"So all I get are half-answers and riddles? You expect me to train you blindly without knowing what shaped you into this? Without knowing what you went through?"
The boys glanced at each other—just a flicker, but enough. In that silent look, they shared entire volumes of memory: battles, sacrifices, betrayals, and deaths that Jiraiya could never imagine.
Naruto's smile softened, almost sad.
"If we tell you everything, Pervy Sage, you'll just carry our burdens. And they're not yours to carry."
Sasuke added, his tone low but firm:
"What we've seen… what we've lost… those aren't stories for this world. All that matters is the war to come, the enemies who are waiting, and how we prepare."
Jiraiya stopped walking. The forest was quiet, cicadas humming in the distance. His jaw tightened as he studied them. These weren't just children. They weren't even just shinobi. They were… something beyond. Something torn out of time itself.
"You two…" he muttered, his voice heavy, "…you've lived through hell, haven't you?"
Naruto didn't answer. He just stuffed his hands into his pockets, eyes fixed on the dirt path ahead. Sasuke's gaze lingered on the sky for a moment before lowering.
Jiraiya let out a long sigh. I shouldn't push further, he thought. The only things they're willing to give me are about the war itself… nothing more. That's the wall they've built around themselves.
So he didn't press. Instead, he forced a grin and stretched his arms behind his head.
"Fine, fine. I'll stop prying. But if you think that means I'll go easy on your training, you're dead wrong. From here on out, you'll wish you'd never been reborn."
Naruto immediately perked up, shouting:
"Bring it on, Ero-sennin! I'll handle whatever you throw at me!"
Sasuke scoffed softly, but the corner of his mouth twitched—the faintest smile.
"Hn. Don't slow me down, dobe."
As the three disappeared deeper into the forest, Jiraiya's grin faded. His thoughts turned serious again.
They're keeping secrets. Heavy ones. Their past lives must be filled with scars I can't even begin to imagine. But… if their eyes are set on this war, then I'll make sure they're ready for it. No matter what it takes.
The leaves whispered above them as the path wound forward. The journey continued, heavy with unspoken truths, but bound by an unshakable resolve.
---