Chapter 40 – Seiten-suke Returns from Training
Jiraiya reluctantly woke up from the warm, fair embrace of the young lady.
He thought he'd risen early, but Naruto was already up.
The boy was tending his vegetable patch.
Over the past six months Naruto had turned the Peach Grove at the center into a ring of vegetable beds.
Garlic, scallions, tomatoes, chili, greens—everything.
What disappointed him was that the golden shovel's special effect still hadn't triggered.
Naruto suspected the so-called "certain chance" was the gacha-rate 3%.
Otherwise, how could he be this unlucky?
"Naruto."
Jiraiya's eyes swept the place; Hiruzen had mentioned it, but he hadn't understood.
Minato's cooking was first-rate, yet he never actually grew the food himself.
So what was up with this kid?
"Morning, sensei."
Naruto waved without pausing his work.
He unreservedly irrigated with Chakra.
He'd discovered long ago that a shot of Chakraraised the flavor by a whole grade.
It didn't seem to have any other use, but for someone from China, "tastes better" was a fatal temptation.
"Why do you like farming?"
Jiraiya asked, watching the boy's practiced moves.
"Oh, nothing else to do."
Naruto tossed off an excuse. "And home-grown saves money."
Jiraiya blinked, then felt a pang of guilt.
The kid spoke lightly, but he caught the undertone.
Nothing to do meant loneliness.
Saving money meant poverty.
He blamed Hiruzen even more.
Using such shabby tricks on the son of Konoha's hero, the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze—absurd.
Old man, it's time you retired.
You've lost the clarity and boldness a Hokageneeds.
"Need a hand?"
"No thanks, I'm almost done."
Naruto left the beds and watered the twenty-one peach trees.
After half a year of care the saplings were in full growth; blossoms wouldn't be long.
"Why not plant cherry trees?"
Jiraiya asked, bored while he waited.
In the Ninja World cherry blossoms were the favorite.
"I want to eat peaches."
Naruto clapped his hands. "Cherry blossoms you can only look at."
Imagine the golden shovel giving cherry blossoms a creepy special effect—scary.
There were too many ghost stories about cherry trees.
And, as he said, you could cook with them, but it was a pain; peaches tasted better.
"I see."
Jiraiya didn't doubt him.
An eight-year-old thinking about nothing but play and food—perfectly normal.
"Naruto, you know about Summoned Beasts?"
Jiraiya pulled the massive scroll from his back.
"I know."
Naruto's eyes lit up—this was the prelude to the Mount Myōboku contract and Sage Mode.
"Summoned Beasts are a Ninja's great partners, strong in combat or support. Among them three are supreme."
Jiraiya lifted his chin, proud. "Today I'll give you one: the toads of Mount Myōboku, one of the three great clans, mighty beyond measure."
"As expected of a Legendary Sannin!"
Naruto played along, feeding the man's ego.
"Sign your name at the end."
Jiraiya unrolled the huge scroll.
He found Naruto even more likable than Minato—Minato never flattered.
Naruto glanced at the earlier names: Minato Namikaze, Jiraiya, and some strangers.
He asked no questions; those extras hadn't appeared in the original story.
After writing his name he looked up expectantly—next came Sage Mode, right?
He didn't need to borrow Nine-Tailed Chakra in a crisis to summon the chief toad, Gamabunta; at his current level it would be easy.
Reading his gaze, Jiraiya smiled. "Master Rasenganfirst, then I'll teach you some Ninjutsu."
Naruto thought of the man's techniques; aside from Sage arts, the most unique were Needle Jizō and Wild Lion's Mane.
Hair lengthened and lashed with terrifying force—Saitama would be jealous.
Learn those and never fear baldness, he mused, eyeing Jiraiya's thick white mane.
Sure, he wasn't balding yet, but better safe than sorry.
Sure enough, for the next month Jiraiya showed no intention of teaching Sage Mode, and Narutowasn't in a rush.
He learned the hair techniques and Fire Release; his strength rose nicely.
Most Jonin already wielded two or more elements; his first was Wind, his second Fire—close to the teacher, and with Sasuke's Fire Style to boot.
Forging a Fire-adept Ninja was effortless.
He remembered that late-story Naruto had six elements.
The summer holiday was mostly gone.
Hinata, who'd been visiting relatives, had returned; she often practiced Gentle Fist beside him while he trained.
If her origins weren't so hard to explain, he'd have asked Jiraiya to teach her Sage Mode.
But the sage, seeing Naruto learned everything fast, slacked off, mostly off "gathering material" and vanished.
Naruto couldn't track him at all.
When the break ended Jiraiya came to say goodbye; two months in Konoha had left him restless.
Seeing Naruto had learned enough, he waved and strolled off.
"When I return I'll teach you my ultimate technique."
He meant Sage Mode, Naruto figured—but the next homecoming might coincide with Orochimaru's invasion and Hiruzen's death.
Would they end up attending the old man's funeral together?
Sasuke, training under Kakashi, came back a week before term.
Confidence radiated off him; the moment they met he challenged Naruto.
Getting cocky, Naruto thought, and agreed to knock some sense into Seiten-suke.
"I want you to go all-out."
Deep in the Forest of Death Sasuke faced him.
He knew Naruto was strong, but not how strong—last time he'd been utterly crushed.
Now, feeling Jonin-level himself, he hoped to see Naruto's full power.
The only spectators, Hinata and Neji, perked up; they'd merely meant to welcome Sasuke home.
Hinata's eyes held a trace of worry, though she trusted Naruto—she only feared a scratch.
"Sure."
Naruto dropped his weights and took an Eight Extremes Fist stance. "Let's start with taijutsu."
"Right."
Sasuke inhaled and vanished like a lightning flash.
(Sage Mode will be handled in a separate plot. PS: dear readers, please vote! Holidays feel empty, the site's so quiet today…)