"Hey! Hey! Hey! You said I needed to complete three stages!" Naruto barked, shadowing Jiraiya as the old man shouldered his pack, ready to depart.
"What is it now? The training continues on the road!" the Sannin replied, his tone laced with annoyance.
"Huh? How?" Naruto blinked, his expression shifting between confusion and eager anticipation.
"Here! Catch!" Jiraiya produced an ordinary balloon, inflated it with a quick breath, and tossed it toward the boy.
"Eh? This is the same as before..." Naruto grumbled, catching it.
"It actually isn't, Naruto," Shorai intervened, stepping alongside them. "This is the crucial stage—the one built upon everything you have accomplished thus far."
"How so?" Naruto asked, squeezing the air-filled latex, testing its texture.
"Like this!" Without another word of explanation, Jiraiya produced a second balloon and began the demonstration.
"I don't get it. It just... sits there," Naruto pointed out, his frustration mounting.
Shorai sighed. He understood the boy's struggle; Naruto was a kinetic learner, not a theorist. "Naruto, recall the final form of the technique. What did you see?"
"Ah… a spinning ball of chakra?" Naruto paused, looking between Jiraiya's hand and Shorai.
"Exactly. Yet it sits quietly in the palm of your hand." Shorai nodded, pointing toward the sphere in Jiraiya's hand.
Naruto's eyes widened as realization struck.
"You forgot the end result," Shorai said, resting a hand on his hip. "The first stage taught you rotation. The second taught you the power needed for lethality. This final stage is about containing and managing both within a stable sphere—an extension of the water-walking exercise."
As Naruto began to grasp the concept, Jiraiya shook his head. "Shorai… I wanted him to figure that out on his own." He sighed. "I know it comes easily to you, but…"
"Everyone learns at a different pace, Jiraiya-san," Shorai said sternly. "We are born with different aptitudes; therefore, the approach must be individualized. A teacher's task is to guide a student toward the essence of the lesson through the right words and a clear demonstration. Naruto does not learn through abstraction. He is visually oriented; he tests results against his own body, brute-forcing his way toward mastery."
Jiraiya offered a thin, thoughtful smile. "You are not wrong. Visual, you say?" He turned toward a nearby tree. "Naruto, watch. Those first two stages were meant to bring you to this…"
He produced a pale, translucent Rasengan. "This is the product of the second stage—unrefined power."
The Sannin slammed it into the trunk, leaving a jagged, spiral scar on the bark.
"That is power unleashed, kept in constant motion," Shorai remarked.
"And here..." Jiraiya concentrated, his chakra densifying into a perfect, shimmering blue sphere. "This is the complete form."
He pressed the sphere into the wood. Instead of a messy scar, the tree groaned as a perfect, deep crescent was carved into its structure. Jiraiya cancelled the jutsu before the vortex could fully erupt outward.
"Burn that image into your memory, Naruto," Jiraiya said, turning to lead the way.
Naruto immediately tried to replicate it with his balloon, only for it to pop prematurely during his unique dual-wielding attempt.
"It's not easy, kid," Jiraiya said with a smirk, casting a glance back at Shorai. "Some people learn faster than others, but this jutsu is no joke. Its creator was a true genius."
Naruto stared at his hand, where scraps of burst balloon still clung to his fingers. "…Piece of cake! I'm going to surpass the Fourth Hokage—and every Hokage before him!"
"The boy's development was hindered from a young age, Jiraiya-san," Shorai added, moving to stand beside the Sannin. His voice had lowered into a more serious register. "His difficulty with certain concepts is not a lack of intelligence. It is the consequence of growing up alone in a village that feared what he carried. Fear of the Fox restricted the education and guidance he should have received."
Shorai thought of his own advantage—the memories of a past life that had served as his compass. Without them, would he truly have been any different from Naruto?
Jiraiya rubbed his chin. "Hindered, you say?"
"Fear of the contents leads to the neglect of the container," Shorai finished.
"Hey! What was that? I'm not stupid!" Naruto protested, catching enough of their conversation to understand the tone. "Don't start talking to me like Sasuke-teme does!"
Jiraiya straightened, his eyes fixed on the horizon. "Alright, enough talk. The longer we waste time, the greater the chance that Tsunade leaves Tanzaku Town. Move!"
—
The trio trekked through dense forests and over jagged mountain passes. By the time the sun passed its zenith, Tanzaku Town's red gates and weathered stone walls had emerged beyond the trees.
Pop!
Another balloon burst, sending Naruto sprawling across the dust before the entrance.
"Quit wasting time, Naruto!" Jiraiya barked without looking back.
"I'm training as hard as I can!" Naruto snapped, pushing himself back to his feet. "Anyway, what's so special about this lady? Why are we traveling so far for her?"
Shorai shook his head. "If you had spent any time in the Konoha Library—particularly in its medical section—you would understand the weight of this journey."
"No way!" Naruto huffed, reaching for a fresh balloon and filling it with air. "You've been a total bookworm since the Academy, Shorai. I'd die of boredom in there. At least you aren't as condescending as he…"
"Careful, Naruto. That attitude may be what costs you your dream," Shorai said, his voice sharpening.
"Eh? The Hokage is the strongest in the village! What does that have to do with books?"
Shorai gave him a narrow, sidelong look. "Then why did you attend the Academy at all? Why did you take the Chūnin Exams? Did you hear Ibiki-san's lesson during the written portion?"
He continued before Naruto could answer. "A leader carries the burden of the entire collective. A Kage bears an even greater and more difficult responsibility. They must understand every aspect of the shinobi world—governance, history, diplomacy, medicine, and war. Strength is a requirement, yes, but wisdom is the foundation. A fool in power can bring the whole family to ruin."
His gaze drifted somewhere beyond the road ahead. "And a powerful fool may survive only to watch helplessly as his siblings die around him…"
His voice cracked. Something stirred at the edge of his mind—an image, a feeling, a grief with no name—but it vanished before he could grasp it. Only an uncomfortable blur remained, along with a gap in his memories.
The warning hung heavily in the air. Naruto fell silent, his usual boisterousness momentarily muted beneath the weight of Shorai's words. Jiraiya's brows furrowed as he watched the white-haired boy in silence. There had been something in Shorai's voice—something too raw to belong to a mere lecture—and concern settled quietly in the Sannin's gaze.
—
Upon entering Tanzaku Town, Jiraiya headed straight for the gambling dens. While the Sannin showed Tsunade's photo to the locals, a sleazy gambler approached the boys.
"Hey, kids… want to get rich? One roll of the dice can change your fortune. Don't be shy—I can teach you," the man said with a smirk.
"Not interested. I'm training," Naruto snapped.
"Training? Kid, this is the perfect place for both," the man persisted, his eyes drifting over Shorai's striking, expensive-looking attire.
"Knock it off," Shorai said, his eyes turning cold. A faint pulse of chakra slipped from him—small enough to go unnoticed by the street, yet sharp enough to make the gambler's skin prickle.
He brushed aside his coat, revealing the Hidden Leaf forehead protector secured at his waist. "Trying to swindle children? Have you no shame, or are you simply that desperate?"
The man paled and backed away at once.
Nearby, Jiraiya was having his own trouble with a witness. "My memory is a bit foggy," the man told Jiraiya. "Perhaps a round of dice would clear my head."
"Fine. I'm in!" Jiraiya sat down with a sigh. "I'll take... Even!"
Shorai stood behind Naruto, arms crossed, watching the blatant robbery unfold. The swindler's smile widened as he began to lift the cup.
Bam! Woosh!
At that exact moment, Naruto's balloon burst with a violent pop. The blast of air sent a shockwave through the room, making the decorations tremble.
Shorai had been prepared for the familiar moment, but then he felt the current strike his back—and stall.
'Shit. Do I have to become the hand of fate again?'
In a split second, his perception sharpened, his senses approaching the clarity of a two-tomoe stage. Jiraiya and the swindler were preoccupied with the sudden noise, neither of them looking at the dice.
Shorai saw it immediately: the result would be a loss.
'Not on my watch.'
With a movement too subtle for an untrained eye to catch, Shorai flicked his wrist in a tight arc. He did not use the Stone. He used the air. A precise needle of chakra-laced wind shot forward, catching the dice just as the cup rose.
The dice settled as they should have.
'Phew… good.'
Shorai relaxed, quietly pleased by the precision of his Wind Release.
"Huh?" The swindler stared at the mat, dumbfounded. The result had changed in mid-air.
"Ho-ho! I win!" Jiraiya cheered. He caught Shorai's brief, sharp wink and smirked. "Now, tell me where she is."
—
They moved from house to house, following a trail of rumors. Distracted by the lights and noise, Naruto drifted toward a street game hosted by a smiling woman.
"The gambling siren calls," Shorai muttered, following him with his eyes.
"Hehe! I won!" Naruto's shout rang out a moment later. He came rushing back, grinning from ear to ear.
"Brat! What happened to the three shinobi taboos?" Jiraiya scolded as Naruto returned, his toad-wallet noticeably fatter. "Since you have a hidden talent for this, you're paying for dinner tonight!"
"Eh?! Pervy Sage, that's cruel!"
"And you're paying for tomorrow's meal as well, for calling me that!"
Their search led them toward the town's castle, but as they reached the central hill, they found nothing but a void.
"The castle... is gone?" Jiraiya froze.
"Peculiar," Shorai noted, a thin smile touching his lips. "Perhaps she was settling a debt, or simply terrifying the loan enforcers."
They climbed to a vantage point, looking down at the rubble of what had once been a fortification. Panic was spreading through the streets below.
"Run! It's the Snake!" voices cried out.
Naruto tensed. "Snake? Like the one that attacked the village?"
"That would be a significant complication," Shorai said, his gaze fixed on the destruction.
"Late again," Jiraiya muttered, scanning the wreckage. "They're gone. Let's head back into the heart of town."
—
"Where the hell is she?" Jiraiya muttered anxiously as the trio jogged through Tanzaku Town's evening-lit streets. Every so often, he stopped to peer through the entrance of a restaurant or bar.
After a dozen failed attempts, he exhaled in disbelief. "She couldn't have just disappeared without anyone noticing! Damn it…"
His gaze drifted to the nearest bar and stopped.
"I need a drink to collect my thoughts," Jiraiya grumbled. "We're eating here."
"We're wasting time!" Naruto protested. "Besides, Shorai and I are too young to be in a place like this!"
"Don't be an idiot. You won't be drinking. Just be cute and stay out of the adults' way," Jiraiya barked.
Shorai froze.
'Could it be? The same situation… This time, it must be.'
Without further delay—or an opportunity for Naruto to argue—the Sannin strode firmly into the bar, with the boys following behind him.
Shorai felt a sudden shift in the atmosphere. A familiar presence was nearby. As they walked deeper into the hall, he peered over the wooden partitions.
"T-Tsunade!" Jiraiya's voice cracked.
"Jirai-ya!"
The two Sannin stared at each other across the room, sharing a opposite expressions- one of disbelieve and confusion, another of success and easiness. Tsunade stood up leaning onto the table, her long silky blonde hair glowing in the dim light. Beside her sat Shizune, looking equally shocked.
'What a gorgeous woman… damn. And yet, such a tragic life.'
Shorai stood rooted in place, studying the mature woman across the room. Her beauty was a stark contrast to the hardship written into the stories surrounding her—a beauty that had not faded with age, but had instead become sharper, heavier, and impossible to ignore.
She was as striking as the stories claimed. Her golden-brown eyes were hazy with drink, yet beneath that haze lay a quiet sorrow as she silently bored into Jiraiya. Her rosy lips parted and closed with restrained irritation. Still, it was her presence as a whole that commanded the room: regal, dangerous, and unmistakably that of one of the Legendary Sannin.
Shorai's attention finally settled on her forehead, where the purple, diamond-shaped mark enhanced the mystery and authority in her features.
'And that vitality… or perhaps a technique. A youth prolonged so thoroughly that countless women would kill to possess it.'
He smiled faintly and glanced aside at Naruto, who was staring openly at her kingdom-toppling figure.
"Why are you here?" Her annoyed, drink-roughened voice carried across the table, snapping Naruto out of his stunned silence.
Their long journey to find the Legendary Sucker was finally over.