Chapter 101: Chidori About to Arrive
"Immortal? Immortal my ass! You look more like a ghost to me!" Naruto complained, lying listlessly on a large rock, while Jiraiya lay beside him. "And a perverted ghost at that!"
"Kid, are you in a position to insult me, the Great Immortal?!"
The bruised and battered Jiraiya rolled over, looking at Naruto, whose face was also covered in bruises, and a strange expression appeared on his face.
Suddenly, Jiraiya, who had been as wilted as a frosted eggplant after escaping the pursuit, seemed stimulated by Naruto's words or something else; he found strength from somewhere to jump off the large rock, and then the atmosphere suddenly became bizarre.
"Listen well!" Jiraiya struck a flamboyant pose. "I am the Great Immortal—under the tutelage of the Great Toad Sage, undefeated in all directions, one of the legendary Sannin of Konoha, the white-haired youth, the Toad Messenger, Jiraiya!"
"Oh... got it..." Naruto remained the same, but his sharp-tongued nature was on full display. "Is it true that the longer a person's nickname, the weaker they are, and the louder their reputation, the more perverted they are? If that's the case, I acknowledge you!"
"Kid! I am..."
"A Perverted Old Man chased and beaten by a group of women; no amount of titles can cover up that fact!"
"You don't know..."
"You're amazing; being able to crush a roof is something an ordinary Ninja wouldn't be able to do!"
"I..."
"Your name is Jiraiya, you are a Perverted Old Man, is there anything else you need to add?"
Jiraiya, like a deflated ball, sat back down on the large rock in low spirits. After looking at Naruto, whose gaze was unfocused, he crossed his legs, rested his chin on one hand, and began to speak.
"Are all the brats in Konoha like you now, both difficult and annoying?"
"You have the nerve to say that?!" Naruto suddenly became agitated. "I was recognized! My name was exposed! My full name! In front of so many women! And I wasn't wearing any clothes! How am I supposed to live after this?!"
"Did they see it?" Jiraiya asked suddenly.
"Uh... they saw it..."
"Hey! What are you doing?" Naruto's tone suddenly became excited.
Seeing Jiraiya take out paper and a pen, his eyes turning lecherous, Naruto couldn't help but feel a chill and inexplicably wanted to kick him.
"I remember telling you that I am an artist, and going to the women's bathhouse was just to gather material." Jiraiya looked at Naruto. "Tell me about the scene at that time so I can record it!"
"Didn't you see it yourself!"
"I saw it, but this is the first time hearing someone describe it, and I want to try it!"
"Go to hell!"
At the Hokage Building, the Ninjas who had come for the meeting had all dispersed.
"Have you made contact with Naruto?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi rubbed his somewhat uncomfortable nose; as people get old, their vitality isn't what it used to be, and he quietly moved the crystal ball on the table to the side without changing his expression.
"He's a decent little guy, and... the Seal on his body..."
Jiraiya had regained his composure, although the bruises on his face added a touch of comedy to his seriousness, but there was no doubt that after making contact with Naruto, Jiraiya already had his own judgment.
"I reinforced it for him when he was three years old." On serious matters, Hiruzen Sarutobi was never ambiguous. "Besides further assisting the Eight Trigrams Sealing Style in suppressing the Nine-Tailed, the interference Naruto receives has also been reduced significantly."
"A very exquisite Seal." Jiraiya praised. "It can make Minato's child suffer less..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a bit awkward; he knew Jiraiya was implying something, but he pretended not to hear it and, with a normal expression, told Jiraiya, who had just returned to the village, about Naruto's growth over the years.
"Like father, like son; this child Naruto is even more excellent than Minato!" After quietly listening to Hiruzen Sarutobi's nagging, the joy on Jiraiya's face could no longer be contained. "His future achievements will definitely surpass Minato's!"
"I want you to teach Naruto; after all, I am very relieved if he is with you."
"That kid Kakashi has some skills. Although it's a bit tough for him to teach the current Naruto, it's sufficient for now."
Jiraiya raised some doubts. He had only been in contact with Naruto for a short time, and judging a person takes a long time, so he did not want to take on a Disciple easily.
After all, Jiraiya remembered the prophecy of the Great Toad Sage very clearly.
"I need Kakashi to put most of his energy into Sasuke. If Sasuke's mindset is not properly corrected, it's very easy for problems to arise."
Hiruzen Sarutobi actually didn't want Kakashi Hatake to pay too much attention to Uchiha Sasuke, but Uchiha Sasuke's bond with Narutowas now too deep. If something were to happen to Uchiha Sasuke, it would be difficult to predict what Naruto might do...
Not wanting to complicate matters, Hiruzen Sarutobi could only continue to smooth things over.
"I am old..." Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed. "I no longer have the spirit of my youth, nor the methods of those days. This is all I can do now. Can you understand, Jiraiya?"
"I will observe a little longer..." After a moment of silence, Jiraiya reluctantly agreed.
Although he had spent years wandering outside Konoha, he was not entirely ignorant of Konoha's affairs; otherwise, he wouldn't have been moved by Hiruzen Sarutobi's few words to rush back to Konoha to provide support.
It was just that what Hiruzen Sarutobi had done in the past was too excessive, which disheartened Jiraiya, and at the same time, he didn't really want to face Hiruzen Sarutobi.
There is an unwritten rule in the Ninja World, or rather a relationship that most Ninjas highly recognize—the Master-Disciple relationship.
The Master-Disciple relationship is one of the deepest bonds in the Ninja World. Before any conflict arises, this relationship is definitely one where Master and Disciple can confide in each other. Even if a conflict eventually arises, it is rare to see a complete break or a situation where Master and Disciple kill each other.
Moreover, the Master-Disciple relationship also represents a Legacy; when teaching a true Disciple, it is rare for a Master to hold back or not teach with heart.
Therefore, it was understandable that Jiraiyaintended to carefully observe Naruto before taking him as a Disciple, and Hiruzen Sarutobi naturally expressed his understanding.
"This is as it should be. By the way, help me test the results of my education over these years." Hiruzen Sarutobi was very confident in himself. "Although Naruto wasn't raised entirely by me, I can be considered his half-teacher. In terms of Heart-Nature, Naruto is absolutely fine!"
"I hope so..."
Jiraiya sighed, inexplicably thinking of Orochimaru, who was still a rogue Ninja, missing without a trace.
"This is Chidori, an A-rank Ninjutsu I created based on my teacher's Seal-less Ninjutsu!"
Kakashi Hatake had been conducting special training for Uchiha Sasuke for several days, and now he finally brought out his trump card, the original version of Chidori!
"Is this the technique that even 'Heaven' praised?!"
Before Uchiha Sasuke could ask what he was thinking, Kakashi Hatake's subsequent words provided the answer for Uchiha Sasuke.
"This is just the most primitive version. After you Master it, I will teach you its advanced version, Lightning Blade!"
"Kakashi-sensei, I'm ready!" Uchiha Sasuke's eyes lit up. After learning this technique, it would be enough to significantly boost his strength.
By then... I should be able to beat that annoying guy Naruto once!