A Master and Disciple's Legacy

Jiraiya climbed into the room through the window and saw Naruto already fast asleep on the bed, while his Shadow Clone sat by the window.

Jiraiya immediately dispelled the Shadow Clone, took off his clothes, and placed them on the brown wooden cabinet beside the bed.

He closed the window most of the way, leaving only a narrow crack for ventilation. Winter was gradually approaching, and he did not want Naruto to freeze at night.

After tucking Naruto's blanket around him, he lay down on the outer side of the bed and took one more look at the sleeping Naruto before closing his eyes...

Sunlight streamed through the window into the room, carrying a faint warmth with it.

Naruto slowly sat up in bed. The buttons of his light blue pajamas had come undone, suggesting their owner was not a very peaceful sleeper. The grayish-white nightcap on his head also looked as though it were about to fall off at any moment.

He stretched lazily, yawned, and straightened the cap on his head.

Rubbing his bleary eyes, he looked toward the side of the bed and found no one there.

"Pervy Sage!"

He shouted for Jiraiya and immediately jumped out of bed, panic on his face. It felt as if a piece of his heart had suddenly gone missing, and he was once again swallowed by that endless loneliness from before. He did not even have time to put on his slippers.

"Naruto, you're up. Come have breakfast."

Hearing the Pervy Sage's voice from the living room, Naruto finally snapped out of his lingering fear.

He walked barefoot into the living room and saw two plates of breakfast already set on the table: toasted bread, fried eggs, a cup of hot milk, and the green vegetables he hated most.

Jiraiya reached back to untie his apron, then turned to look at Naruto.

"Haha, Naruto, I know you're hungry and want breakfast, but there's no need to be in such a hurry that you can't even put on your slippers. Go put on your shoes and wash up before coming back to eat. Hahaha."

Naruto rubbed his eyes again before daring to believe that what stood before him was not a dream, but reality.

"Hmph, I was just in a hurry to use the bathroom."

He turned around, went back into the room, put on his slippers by the window, and ran to the bathroom to wash up.

Standing before the sink, he brushed his teeth while looking into the mirror. In its reflection, he saw the Pervy Sage sitting at the table with his back to him. Tears silently slid down his cheeks.

Ever since he could remember, this was the first time he had woken up with someone by his side.

After brushing his teeth, he wiped his face with a towel, washing away the tears from earlier as well. Then he walked over and sat across from the Pervy Sage.

The two of them picked up their chopsticks at the same time.

"Thanks for the food!" x2

Then they began eating.

As Jiraiya chewed the bread in his mouth, he suddenly spoke.

"Hey, Naruto, thanks for letting me stay at your place last night. Otherwise, with how cold it was outside, I definitely would've caught a cold if I'd slept outdoors."

Naruto suddenly froze.

That was right... the Pervy Sage was only staying for one night. After this, he would have to return to living alone. His expression suddenly fell.

Seeing Naruto's face, Jiraiya knew what he was thinking and continued.

"By the way, Naruto, I saw you eat two bowls of extra-large deluxe char siu ramen last night."

"You must be a ninja prodigy with extraordinary talent, and I happen to have nowhere to stay now that I'm back in the village."

"How about this? Become my disciple, and I'll teach you how to train. In return, I'll live at your place from now on. What do you say?"

Naruto looked up at the white-haired Pervy Sage before him, whose face bore red tear-like markings and a broad smile. Tears suddenly began pouring uncontrollably from his eyes.

"Okay! It's settled! From now on, you're my master!"

Seeing Naruto's face covered in tears, Jiraiya could not help teasing him.

"Heh heh, now you know how amazing I am, huh? I've moved a little brat like you to tears."

Naruto wiped his tears with his sleeve and smiled as he protested.

"No! It's just... it's just that breakfast is so good that it made me cry!"

Jiraiya burst out laughing again.

"Hahaha! I made that breakfast too! Doesn't that just prove how amazing I am? Don't worry, your master will definitely train you into the greatest ninja genius in the world!"

Naruto raised the half-eaten bread in his hand and shouted in agreement.

"Yeah! The greatest master will definitely train me into the greatest ninja in the future!"

The two continued eating breakfast, but the sight before him could not help reminding Jiraiya of the time when he had first become the old man's disciple.

Back then, he had been just as thrilled and excited as Naruto was now.

Not only that, Tsunade and Orochimaru had been by his side as well. Unfortunately, so many years had passed, and everything had changed. One had defected, another had left, and only he had returned to the village.

His former master had changed too. He had long since lost the brilliance he once possessed and become more like a politician. The two had gradually drifted apart, and the bond between master and disciple had already faded.

But looking at the present and gazing toward the future, as he watched Naruto before him...

The inheritance of their convictions, of master and disciple, continued once more.

Naruto, I gave you your name. Your father, Minato, was also my most prized disciple. Now I have taken you as my disciple too, not merely to make up for the guilt I feel toward Minato.

It is also because I see hope for the future in you. No matter what dangers lie ahead, let us face them together as master and disciple.

I will never let what happened to Minato happen again...

"I'm done!"

Naruto's voice pulled Jiraiya back from his memories and thoughts.

Jiraiya glanced from the corner of his eye. Those green vegetables were still sitting untouched on the plate.

His brow furrowed deeply as he forced an ugly smile and looked at Naruto.

"Naruto, why aren't you eating the vegetables? Didn't your master work hard to make those too?"

Naruto's eyes drifted toward the brown wooden panel on the wall. His lips puckered as he pretended to remain calm, looking thoroughly distracted.

"Can't help it. I just don't like vegetables."

"You have to eat them! If you can't overcome even this little difficulty, how are you going to become the greatest ninja in the future? How are you going to surpass the Fourth Hokage!"

Naruto suddenly turned back to look at Jiraiya.

"The Fourth Hokage!?"

Jiraiya smiled smugly and rubbed his nose.

"That's right. The Fourth Hokage was my disciple. So if you want to surpass the Fourth Hokage, shouldn't you hurry up and listen to me? Start by eating the vegetables in front of you!"

"Okay! I heard the Fourth Hokage sacrificed himself to protect the village by sealing the Nine-Tails Fox. I want to become a great ninja like the Fourth Hokage too. I want to become Hokage!"

Naruto's words stirred Jiraiya's memories once again. Watching Naruto lower his head and eat the vegetables, he recalled Minato's dream from back then.

They really were family. They shared the very same dream...