Sage of the Toads Jiraiya

Honestly, the words were strange and inexplicable, but the man shouted with great spirit, making Naruto feel an inexplicable sense of awe.

"So?"

The Sage of the Toads chuckled lewdly, "I'm afraid the buxom young ladies might be scared if I go down alone. Could you accompany me?"

His eyes curved into crescent moons as he said in a trembling voice, "Then you can pretend to be my grandnephew. If I pull you along, I'll have a legitimate reason to play in the water with the young ladies!"

Lust, pure lust, entered Naruto's vision.

He considered himself well-traveled and knowledgeable, but the Sage of the Toads before him, with eyes filled with unadulterated desire, deeply shook him.

It was like a wild dog in heat, barking enthusiastically at every female dog passing by, saying, "I admire your beauty."

Naruto turned to leave, "No way."

But his vision blurred, and the Sage of the Toads, almost teleporting, blocked his path. His open red robe fluttered in the wind like a high wall.

"As an exchange, I'll teach you training."

Although Naruto didn't feel any ill will from the other party, he wasn't about to blindly trust a stranger's guidance. "No, thank you. I appreciate the offer."

The Sage of the Toads was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter, "It seems you've never heard of me."

Naruto sized him up, "I suggest you get straight to the point and pique my interest, or my patience will only last for two more sentences."

The Sage of the Toads had originally planned to interact with Naruto in a childlike manner, under the guise of a chance encounter, to avoid the awkwardness of a formal meeting.

But at this moment, he realized this child was unusually mature and wary of him.

He extended his hand for a handshake, "My name is Jiraiya. I'm a bestselling novelist, I love beautiful women, and I've just returned from traveling abroad for inspiration."

"Uzumaki Naruto," Naruto shook his hand generously. "What do you write?"

"Adult romance stories," Jiraiya puffed out his chest proudly. "My famous work is Icha Icha Paradise."

Naruto actually knew of this novel. Kakashi and Tenten carried it around and read it repeatedly. There was even a large billboard in the village depicting men and women chasing each other, used to promote the book.

However, it was forbidden for those under eighteen to read it, so he had no idea of its content.

Jiraiya chuckled, then leaned forward to look at the swimsuit-clad girls, his eyes widening and narrowing. "Come gather material with me, Naruto! This is all for the readers!"

Emotions are contagious. Seeing Jiraiya so engrossed and excited, Naruto also shifted his gaze.

Not bad, they were shapely and lively.

Naruto wasn't a prude. Just like his adoptive father often soaked in hot springs for virgins, it was beneficial for relieving stress.

As they watched, the old and young man ended up watching them, and even started splashing around with the girls, jumping and laughing.

It was noon.

"Naruto! What are you doing!"

Haruno Sakura stared in disbelief at Naruto, who was being held underwater by four bikini-clad beauties, sputtering and flailing his arms.

The bento box she was carrying slipped from her grasp.

After being eliminated, she had been diligently delivering lunch to Naruto at noon and dinner to Sasuke for the past half a month.

She was used to Sasuke's coldness, and although Naruto wasn't as enthusiastic towards her as before, they at least chatted and laughed.

But what she saw now deeply wounded her still-developing heart.

Naruto stood up from the water, wiped his face, and waved, shouting, "Come play with us, Sakura!"

The beauties, initially startled by the shout, saw Naruto's expression unchanged and smiled, waving. "Come on, little sister."

Under the blue sky and white clouds, with the distant sound of waterfalls crashing against rocks, the river flowed gently here.

Haruno Sakura picked up the bento box, her emerald eyes trembling, and ran away without looking back.

Jiraiya, his chest bare, scratched his head and said, "Looks like I did something bad."

Splash!

Several handfuls of water were thrown in his face, his hair and flowers swaying.

"Uncle, don't just stand there!"

Jiraiya's grin stretched almost to his ears. Like an ape, he kicked up a huge spray of water. "Coming!"

"Ahaha~ Uncle is so naughty!"

As the sun set, casting a dim yellow glow, the old and young man lay on the riverbank pebbles, using their hands as pillows.

Jiraiya gazed at the sky and said, "What a busy day."

Naruto: "Yeah."

They lay there in silence until the sky darkened and the air grew cool.

Jiraiya suddenly called out, "Naruto."

"Hmm?"

"I knew your father."

"Mm."

Naruto wasn't particularly concerned. Logically, his biological father was the Fourth Hokage, so there should be no shortage of high-ranking village officials connected to him. Yet, the reality was that no one paid him any mind. Indifference was akin to non-existence.

Jiraiya sat up, a little surprised by Naruto's calmness. But of course, he understood the reason. His tone was light and apologetic, "He was my disciple, and I was his teacher."

Hearing that there was a direct connection, Naruto's attention slightly sharpened. "And then?"

"He was a very good disciple. His personality was almost flawless, he was serious and reliable in his work, and devoted in matters of love, so..."

Jiraiya looked down at Naruto, who was lying flat, and smiled kindly. "I believe he must have loved you."

Stars dotted the sky, cicadas chirped loudly.

Naruto also sat up, facing Jiraiya. "I'm very happy to hear that answer."

Jiraiya let out a heavy sigh of relief, shaking his head. "I'm very satisfied with you. Starting tomorrow, you'll train with me. The location... we'll keep it here; the scenery is nice. But the bathhouse is also good. It's a tough choice."

Naruto slammed the ground and roared, "Old man! What are you rambling about?! Show me your strength! I haven't even seen your true—"

Two thick-knuckled fingers, his index and middle fingers, abruptly touched his forehead with a gentle tap.

Naruto felt his body instantly lose its balance. The scenery on either side blurred past at high speed, like watching the outside from a train window.

He was floating in mid-air, propelled by an indescribable force.

When he came to his senses and stopped, he had already passed through half the forest and was standing in the main current of a waterfall, separated from Jiraiya by half a riverbank.

Undoubtedly, the strongest.

Up to this point, in this ninja world, the strongest person Naruto had ever seen.

He was so strong he couldn't comprehend it.

Is this what they call a Sage?

Although Naruto could easily use magnetism to pull people from a thousand meters away, this was chakra. It was on a completely different level.

He still couldn't move objects through the air with chakra.

As he was contemplating, Jiraiya had already appeared before him, riding a large, red-striped toad with a "Loyalty" tag hanging from its chest.

With a croak, the wind howled through the forest, deafening.

Jiraiya laughed heartily, pulled out a scroll from his back, and unrolled it. The newest name on it was "Minato Namikaze."

"Want to summon the Great Toads of Mount Myōboku? Train with me."

Naruto's eyes lit up. A brand new world seemed to be opening up to him, about to lift the misty veil from the ninja world he still only half-understood.

He looked at Jiraiya solemnly. "Will you answer all my questions?"

"Yes," Jiraiya bared his teeth. "Except for secrets I promised the ladies I'd keep."

Naruto smiled and asked, "No hiding or deception?"

"Never," Jiraiya declared, patting his broad chest like a hero.

Naruto was always quick to trust people, before they betrayed his trust. "I'm wondering if I should go home to cook now, or go eat at Ichiraku Ramen."

Jiraiya landed with a clatter of wooden sandals on the cobblestones. "Let's eat ramen first, then go to your place. I have nowhere to stay anyway."

"My place only has a small bed."

"Haha, no worries. I can sleep on the roof or the floor."

Naruto and Jiraiya arrived at Ichiraku Ramen. Jiraiya had no money to pay, and Naruto didn't pay for him either.