Chapter 66: The Toad Sage's Gaze
The moment Aizen laid eyes on Jiraiya, he sensed an anomaly in the man's energy signature.
While he could clearly perceive the vast ocean of chakra within Jiraiya, there was another power layered beneath it. Though faint, the energy it contained was as profound and startling as a clap of thunder from a clear sky.
It seems my understanding of this world is still too simplistic, Aizen thought, a spark of intense interest igniting within him. Many fascinating secrets are hidden here.
If standard chakra had only piqued his academic curiosity, the aura emanating from Jiraiya truly captured his full attention.
The energy Aizen sensed was, in fact, the residue of senjutsu chakra from Mount Myōboku.
Having mastered Sage Art to its peak, traces of natural energy lingered within Jiraiya's body. Ordinary shinobi could not perceive natural energy; only those who practiced senjutsu could absorb it, combining it with their physical and spiritual energy to form the unique senjutsu chakra.
Aizen's ability to vaguely sense this energy was largely due to his own mastery of a different, yet similarly profound power: spiritual energy. The long-term integration and mutation of his spiritual power and chakra had made him sensitive to such esoteric energies. However, to truly command Sage Art, he would require systematic training.
Aizen was determined to find the source of this mysterious power. He had a strong intuition that mastering it would allow him to shatter his current limitations and ascend to an entirely new level of power.
This fanatical desire led him to the idea of deliberately approaching Jiraiya. Although he sensed that this man was a more formidable figure than the Third Hokage, his pursuit of ultimate power rendered him fearless.
Jiraiya walked calmly and alone through the streets of Konoha. Having been absent for so long, most ordinary civilians didn't recognize the legendary Sannin. He strolled leisurely toward the quieter parts of the village.
Aizen followed at a distance, unhurried, his every move calculated. He was waiting for the right opportunity, a chance for a seemingly natural encounter with the Toad Sage.
After some time, the two of them, one after the other, left Konoha's bustling center and arrived at a bathhouse in the southern district. What Aizen saw was a large, public bathhouse. However, the sign above the entrance made his brow furrow slightly.
Women's Bathhouse.
Aizen was puzzled. Why would a man of Jiraiya's evident power come to a place like this?
Then, Jiraiya did something Aizen never expected.
The sturdy Sannin crouched down, his body tensed with excitement, and pressed his eye against a gap in the bathhouse's partition wall.
Oh my. What an interesting character, Aizen couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. He hadn't anticipated that a powerhouse like Jiraiya would have such a... unique hobby. It was both baffling and mildly amusing.
But this was irrelevant to Aizen. From beginning to end, he cared only about the pinnacle of power. Only with the strongest power could one stand above the clouds for eternity.
He remained silent, concealing his presence, and continued to wait patiently for his moment.
It was then that two other figures appearing in the distance caught his attention. One was a plain-looking man wearing a special jōnin vest, though he carried an air of incompetence. The other was a carefree boy with striking, spiky yellow hair.
Special Jōnin Ebisu and Uzumaki Naruto.
They were here because Ebisu, on Kakashi's request, was supposed to be teaching Naruto finer chakra control. However, the Five Elements Seal placed on Naruto by Orochimaru was disrupting his chakra balance, causing him to fail repeatedly.
At that moment, Ebisu spotted Jiraiya's peeping and moved to intervene, only to be swiftly and unceremoniously knocked unconscious.
When Jiraiya finally stood before Naruto, he didn't immediately introduce himself. Instead, he glanced sharply over his shoulder, his voice dropping to a cold, commanding tone.
"Come out. That kid who's been following me."
His gaze was fixed directly on Aizen's hiding spot.