Where Jiraiya lay, dust drifted slowly through the air, illuminated by thin shafts of moonlight breaking through shattered branches. He stared up at the canopy above him, leaves trembling as the forest settled back into silence.
Ma and Pa sat squarely on his chest, their small weight somehow feeling heavier than it should.
"Are you okay, boy?" Ma asked, peering down at him.
Pa leaned closer. "You're not dead, are you?"
Jiraiya chuckled weakly, a short breathy laugh. "Yeah… well, I think so."
"That was reckless," Ma scolded, though there was clear relief in her voice.
Pa nodded. "It's time for us to go. Bring the boy after this, alright? I'm sure you remember the prophecy."
Jiraiya's smile faded just a fraction. "Yeah," he said quietly. "I remember."
"Good," Pa replied. "Then we'll see you later, boy."
With a final look, the two toads vanished in twin poofs of smoke.
Jiraiya groaned as he sat up, brushing dust from his clothes. 'Naruto… I really didn't know you had that in you,' he thought. He pinched his nose and winced as pain flared. '…And you definitely broke something.'
Shaking his head, he started back toward the clearing.
Naruto was still standing there, shoulders slumped, breathing slow but steady. When he noticed Jiraiya approaching, he straightened instinctively.
Jiraiya smiled.
"Alright, kid," he said plainly. "You win."
Naruto blinked. "Huh?"
Before he could say more, Tsunade walked over, arms folded. "Are you two finally done?"
"Yeah," Jiraiya replied. Then he glanced at Naruto. "Well, I am. I don't know about you."
Naruto shrugged. "I could go for another three hours."
Jiraiya burst out laughing. "You really know how to piss off an old man, don't you?"
Tsunade sighed and placed Katsuyu gently on Jiraiya's shoulder. The slug immediately split and began healing him, green chakra glowing softly. She then turned to Naruto and placed a hand on his chest, healing him as well—even though he clearly didn't need much.
Naruto glanced down at Katsuyu, now sitting comfortably in his hands.
"…Can I keep her?" he asked.
Tsunade laughed. "Sure. Just make sure to feed her ten thousand calories a day."
Katsuyu let out a cute, bubbly laugh.
"I'm willing to pay that price," Naruto said solemnly.
Jiraiya rested a hand on Naruto's shoulder, expression serious now. "You did well, kid. Even though I wasn't using a hundred percent."
Naruto rolled his eyes.
"Alright, fine," Jiraiya amended. "Ninety-eight. Still impressive." He smirked. "And since we had a bet, I'll keep my word. After you get back from your mission, I'll teach you Sage Mode."
Naruto's grin returned instantly. "Thanks, Pervy Sage."
Then his expression shifted. "By the way… I heard you're planning to leave."
Jiraiya nodded. "Yeah. But I'll be back before you, I'm sure."
"I don't think you should go," Naruto said calmly. "From what I gathered from the Akatsuki I fought… their leader is way too strong."
Jiraiya and Tsunade exchanged a sharp glance.
"They gave you information about the leader?" Tsunade asked.
"Well… not directly," Naruto replied. "Just something one of them said in passing. I thought it was useless at the time, so I didn't mention it."
"And what did they say?" Tsunade pressed.
"That the one leading them is far stronger than any Akatsuki member I've faced so far."
Inside, Naruto sighed. 'I could honestly win an award for acting.'
Tsunade nodded slowly. "That… changes things."
Jiraiya rubbed his chin. "Yeah. It does." He exhaled. "Guess I won't be going myself. Might have to send a clone instead."
"I strongly recommend that," Naruto said.
After that, they parted ways.
Naruto returned home in a flash of Flying Raijin, collapsing onto his bed the moment he arrived. His body finally relaxed, exhaustion catching up all at once.
As sleep finally claimed him, the world faded into darkness—but his mind refused to rest so easily. One thought lingered stubbornly at the edge of his consciousness, bright and insistent.
' In a few days… Sage Mode.'
The idea sent a quiet thrill through him even as his breathing evened out. Power earned through effort. Balance. Stillness. Something entirely different from brute force. With that final thought, Naruto drifted fully into sleep.
…
The following days passed faster than he expected.
Training blurred into brief moments of rest, meals came and went, and before he could truly settle into anticipation, the mission order arrived. There was no dramatic buildup—just the familiar weight of responsibility settling onto his shoulders as they assembled.
Naruto stood beside Hinata at the edge of the village, the early light of morning filtering through the trees. At their feet lay one of Kakashi's ninken—a massive hound with dark fur and a broad build.
Big Bark Bull.
The dog rolled onto his back without hesitation, tail thumping against the ground as Naruto crouched and brushed a hand across his stomach. The ninken let out a pleased huff, tongue lolling slightly as he soaked in the attention.
"Heh… you're enjoying this way too much," Naruto muttered with a small grin.
He straightened and glanced at Hinata. She stood calmly beside him, lavender eyes focused but soft, her posture relaxed yet ready.
"You ready, Hinata?" Naruto asked.
She nodded immediately. "Yes." Her voice was quiet, but there was no hesitation in it.
"Good. Then let's go," Naruto said, pushing himself to his feet.
Kakashi's voice cut through the air then, casual yet sharp enough to command attention.
"Listen up. Our first priority is tracking Sasuke's scent," he said, one hand tucked into his pocket. "Secondary objective is Akatsuki movement in the area. If you find anyone—friend or enemy—report your location immediately and lay low. Don't engage unless necessary."
His visible eye curved slightly. "That's all. Scatter."
The moment the word left his mouth, shinobi vanished in bursts of motion. Leaves rustled, branches bent, and the clearing emptied in seconds.
Naruto took off alongside Hinata, their movements instinctively synchronized as they leaped from tree to tree. The forest rushed past them in streaks of green and brown, wind tugging at their clothes.
Big Bark Bull bounded ahead, nose low, powerful limbs carrying him effortlessly across branches and through gaps Naruto barely registered. Every so often, the hound released a short bark—low and focused—signaling he was still on the trail.
Naruto followed without question, his senses alert, chakra steady.
' Honestly…' he thought as they moved, eyes scanning the terrain out of habit, 'I don't even want to find Sasuke right now.'
The image of his former teammate flickered briefly in his mind—cold eyes, distant presence.
' I'll meet him again during the war, Naruto decided. That's when it really matters.' He thought.
He glanced sideways at Hinata, who kept pace beside him, her Byakugan not yet activated but her awareness sharp all the same.
For now, this mission came first.
TO BE CONTINUED