A Master and Disciple's Legacy

He climbed in through the window and saw Naruto already lying on the bed, fast asleep, 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 freezing while he slept at night.

He tucked Naruto's blanket in properly, lay down on the outer side of the bed, and glanced once more at the sleeping Naruto before closing his eyes...

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

Naruto slowly sat up in bed. The buttons of his light-blue pajamas had already come undone. Apparently, the owner of these clothes was not very well-behaved in his sleep. Even the grayish-white nightcap on his head looked ready to fall off.

He gave a huge stretch, yawned, and straightened the cap on his head.

He rubbed his sleepy eyes and looked toward the bedside, only to find no one there.

"Pervy Sage!"

He shouted for Jiraiya, immediately jumping out of bed with an anxious expression. It felt as though a piece of his heart had suddenly gone missing, and he fell once more into that endless loneliness from before. He had not even had time to put on his slippers.

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

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

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

Jiraiya reached behind himself to untie his apron, then turned to Naruto.

"Ha ha, Naruto, I know you're hungry and want breakfast, but surely you weren't in such a rush that you couldn't even put on your slippers? Go put your shoes on and wash up before coming to eat. Ha ha ha."

Naruto rubbed his eyes again before daring to confirm that what he saw was not a dream, but reality.

"Hmph, I just urgently needed to use the bathroom."

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

Standing before the sink, he brushed his teeth while looking into the mirror. In the reflection, he saw Pervy Sage sitting at the table with his back to him, and tears silently rolled 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 used a towel to wash his face and wipe away the tears from before, then walked over and sat across from Pervy Sage.

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

"Thanks for the food!" x2

Then they began eating.

Jiraiya chewed his bread for a while before suddenly speaking.

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

Naruto suddenly froze.

That's right... Pervy Sage was only staying for one night. After this, I'll have to go back to living alone again. His expression suddenly turned desolate.

Seeing Naruto like this, Jiraiya knew what he was thinking and continued.

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

"You must be a ninja genius with extraordinary talent. It just so happens that I 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 think?"

Naruto looked up at the white-haired Pervy Sage before him, whose face was covered in smiles and red tear markings, and tears suddenly began pouring uncontrollably from his eyes.

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

Seeing Naruto's tear-streaked face, Jiraiya could not help teasing him.

"Heh heh, now you know how amazing I am, huh? I've moved you so much that you're crying, kid."

Naruto wiped away his tears with his sleeve and smiled as he retorted.

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

Jiraiya burst out laughing again.

"Ha ha ha! I made that breakfast too! Doesn't that still prove how amazing I am? Don't worry, your master will definitely turn you into the most talented ninja in the world!"

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

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

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

Back then, he had been just as excited and thrilled 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, one had left, and only he had now returned to the village.

His former master had changed as well. He had long since lost the brilliance he once had and become like a politician. The two had gradually grown apart, and the bond between master and disciple had long faded.

But as he looked at the present and gazed toward the future, seeing Naruto before him—

The legacy of belief between master and disciple continued once again.

Naruto, I gave you your name. Your father, Minato, was also my proudest disciple. Now that I have taken you as my disciple, it is 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 Minato's tragedy happen again...

"I'm done eating!"

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

Jiraiya glanced from the corner of his eye. That patch of green was still sitting untouched on the plate.

His forehead nearly furrowed into a cross as he forced an ugly smile and looked at Naruto.

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

Naruto's eyes drifted toward the brown wooden panel on the wall. He pouted, looking distracted as he pretended to remain calm.

"Can't be helped. I just don't like vegetables."

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

Naruto suddenly turned his head back toward Jiraiya.

"The Fourth Hokage?!"

Jiraiya smiled smugly and reached up to rub his nose.

"That's right. The Fourth Hokage was my disciple. So if you want to surpass the Fourth, 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 seal the Demon Fox in order to protect the village. I want to become a great ninja like the Fourth Hokage too! I want to become Hokage too!"

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

They really were family, after all. They shared the exact same dream...