Sage Form

"Jiraiya's Sage Arts."

Seeing this reward, even Kitagawa Gen, who had seen plenty in his time, could not help his breathing speeding up.

Sage Arts!

This was the trump card that Prince Naruto, and even the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, had kept in reserve until the very end!

Even for an invincible colossal beast like the Ten-Tails, there was a high chance that the chakra inside its body was this very thing.

When Naruto faced the Ten-Tails, the Nine-Tails had once told him.

The Ten-Tails' power was the Natural Energy that circulated through the world, and its power was endless.

Kitagawa Gen had naturally had his eye on such power long ago. It was just that, on one hand, he had only just awakened his bloodline.

And on the other, he had no method. After all, recklessly absorbing Natural Energy could very well turn him straight to stone.

"The Natural Energy in this world is completely different from what I used to know. The danger level is maxed out."

Before Hijikata sent him to this world, he had read quite a few novels too, and he had never heard of Natural Energy being anything terrifying.

But no matter what, this power was still one of the very peak powers of this world, and he could finally try to get his hands on it.

"Although Jiraiya's Sage Mode is basically good for a laugh, the most important thing is still his knowledge of Sage Chakra."

Knowledge was priceless!

Feeling the information being transmitted into his mind, Kitagawa Gen was extremely satisfied.

With this experience, and combined with his own bloodline, learning it probably would not be too difficult, right?

After resting for another day in the Land of Waves, once Kakashi felt a bit better, they immediately set off.

Although, under Kitagawa Gen's guidance, Kakashi and Jiraiya both felt that Orochimaru and the others might be in the Land of Water.

But the Land of Waves was far too close to the Land of Water. After Itachi Uchiha and Biwa Juzo returned to report, who knew if they would come looking for them?

So no matter what, they had to run first.

Fortunately, they did not run into any trouble on the way back. It took them less than two days to return to Konoha.

"Konoha is still the same as before. It hasn't changed much."

Standing outside Konoha's gates, Jiraiya looked at everything so familiar before him, and for a moment, he was filled with emotion.

Sometimes, he could not help thinking that if he had not left ten years ago, then perhaps it would not have...

All these years, he had not returned partly because he had to track Orochimaru, and partly because he truly did not want to remember these painful things.

But things had already come to this. No matter how much he thought about it, it was useless. Dealing with the matter before them came first.

"Let's go."

Turning his head, Jiraiya looked at Kakashi, who was being supported by Kitagawa Gen at his side.

"Kakashi, I'll take you to the hospital first, then I'll go find the old man. Kid, keep an eye on Kakashi later."

"No need. I'll go straight with you to the Hokage."

Kakashi shook his head and directly rejected Jiraiya's suggestion.

"My condition is still all right right now, and something that important should be reported first."

"Hey, you don't have to force yourself, do you?"

Jiraiya rubbed his brow. Seeing Kakashi in this state gave him a headache too, but Kakashi remained very insistent.

"Don't worry. I know my own condition. I won't force myself."

"All right."

Jiraiya could only nod, then looked toward Kitagawa Gen, who had not spoken the whole time.

"Kid, I'll borrow your teacher for now. You're dismissed for the time being."

"No problem!"

Kitagawa Gen nodded obediently. In truth, he had wanted to slip away ages ago.

After all, with them around, there was really no way for him to study the gold coins he had just popped from that old geezer.

After holding it in for so long, he had long since been ravenous with thirst.

"Oh, right. Save some room in your stomach."

Jiraiya walked over and took the initiative to support Kakashi, then spoke as if it were no big deal.

"It's your first completed mission, but Kakashi obviously has no way to celebrate for you. So this Sage will reluctantly help him out. If you have any friends, bring whoever you want. Just come find me at the hospital."

Jiraiya actually had quite a good impression of Kitagawa Gen.

Although the kid had a bit of a sharp tongue, when facing the two super rogue ninja, Itachi Uchiha and Biwa Juzo, not only had he not listened to Kakashi and run off alone.

He had even calmly made a judgment, tricked those two rogue ninja, and in the end, held steady while facing Biwa Juzo alone. At the same time, he had saved Kakashi too.

Even the later analysis of that organization had been based on the ideas this kid provided!

There was no way Jiraiya could dislike such a smart kid, one who valued his companions and possessed outstanding talent.

Especially since he was also Kakashi's disciple.

"Then thank you, Lord Jiraiya."

Kitagawa Gen would not refuse something this good.

Jiraiya was not short on money. This guy was a bestselling author, while although Kitagawa Gen had become a ninja, he was still pretty poor.

Following the two of them into the village, Kitagawa Gen discovered that he did not need to fill out any of those messy forms at all.

This made him glance at Jiraiya again. Kakashi still needed to fill out some things by relying on face recognition, but with this guy here, even those matters were skipped.

"But I can finally go back."

After watching the two leave, Kitagawa Gen also turned and ran toward his own home.

But just as he was about to reach home, he suddenly saw Naruto jump down from his windowsill.

"Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing?"

Seeing this scene, even Kitagawa Gen himself was dumbfounded.

"Huh? You're back?"

Naruto was startled too, but very soon, he could not hold it in anymore.

"Damn it, you bastard, you're the one who told me to water your flowers, but you didn't even give me the key!"

"Uh, is that so?"

Kitagawa Gen froze for a moment. Only then did he remember that it seemed he had indeed told Naruto to come over, which instantly made him a little embarrassed.

"Sorry, sorry, I only said it casually. I didn't think you'd actually come..."

"That's why you're a bastard."

Naruto snorted lightly, then said with some pride.

"But even if you're a bastard, if I promised you, I'll definitely do it, just like how I'll definitely pass the exam smoothly and become a ninja!"

"Didn't you say before that you wanted to take the exam early? Now you're lowering your standards?"

Kitagawa Gen blinked and asked in confusion. In an instant, Naruto's face stiffened, and before Naruto could speak, he continued.

"Also, if you want to pass the exam smoothly, you need to study properly. Don't you have class today?"

"Today is a rest day..."

Naruto's voice grew a little weak, but very quickly, he shouted loudly again.

"Bastard, I'll definitely pass smoothly!"

"All right, all right."

Kitagawa Gen scratched his ear. This kid really was loud.

"I believe you. Doing what you say is your Ninja Way. I understand."

"Huh?"

Hearing this, Naruto himself stopped short.

Doing what he said?

Ninja Way?

It seemed...

Very fitting!

"Here, for you."

While Naruto was still dazed, Kitagawa Gen suddenly took out a Kunai and a scroll from his Ninja Tool Pouch.

"This Kunai is the one I used the first time I took down an enemy. Consider it payment for helping me water the flowers. I hope you become a ninja soon too. As for the scroll, it's a gift I bought in the Land of Waves. It's for you."

"Uh... th-thank you!"

Naruto hurriedly took the two things, staring blankly at what was in his hands.

For a moment, he even forgot that he had just been calling the guy in front of him a bastard, and his eyes actually grew a little wet.

"Hey, don't do that. We're friends, after all."

Kitagawa Gen punched Naruto lightly in the chest. Considering he had mooched so much of Naruto's subsidy, he had to pay some of it back.

"Also, there's a dinner gathering tonight for my first completed mission. Save room in your stomach and remember to come. No need to be polite."

"Ah..."

Naruto came back to his senses now. First he looked a little excited, but in an instant, he became somewhat wary.

"My... subsidy hasn't been issued yet."

"Idiot. Someone else is treating. Don't worry."

Kitagawa Gen did not give Naruto a chance to refuse. He turned and walked straight up toward his own home.

"Also, don't come bother me later. I've been exhausted these past few days."

Ignoring Naruto after that, Kitagawa Gen went inside and directly shut the front door, then sat down heavily on the bed.

"I can finally give it a proper try..."

Closing his eyes, he began carefully reviewing the knowledge he had obtained from Jiraiya.

On the way back, he had basically gone through this knowledge once already. It was just that he had not done any practice or deep study yet.

Time passed bit by bit. After he spent an hour with his eyes tightly shut, reviewing the knowledge.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes. At the same time, an unusual aura appeared around his body!

In an instant, a smear of red eye shadow surfaced on his face.