A Little Graduation Test, Nagato and Jiraiya

Outside Konoha, at the Third Training Ground.

Sunlight streamed through the dense leaves, illuminating the two clearly divided groups.

On one side stood three eight-year-olds who had graduated early from the Konoha Ninja Academy this year:

The energetic, eager orange-haired boy Yahiko; the quiet, focused blue-haired girl Konan; and the tall red-haired boy Nagato, whose former gloom had given way to determination, though a trace of sorrow still lingered in his eyes.

All three wore brand-new Konoha Forehead Protectors. Sunlight glinted off them, casting a brilliant gleam.

On the other side stood the person who had brought them back to Konoha from the Land of Rain, taken them in, and raised them—and who was also their Jonin instructor, Uzumaki Qi Luna!

Three years of experience had made his chakra increasingly restrained. His dark combat uniform made his red hair look almost shadowy, and his calm, sky-blue eyes rested on his younger siblings and students.

Over the past three years, as Hatake Sakumo's student and subordinate, Qi Luna had perfectly combined the speed and precision of the White Fang of Konoha's teachings with his own immense chakra reserves. Just standing there, he seemed utterly unassailable.

"Today's test is a fairly traditional one. You win if you manage to hit me. Damaging my clothes counts, too—even if you only get my clothes dirty."

"You have one hour."

"Yes!"

As soon as Qi Luna finished speaking, Yahiko charged ahead, his orange hair flying as he used the Taijutsu Qi Luna had taught them over the past three years.

Nagato swiftly formed Hand Seals and shouted:

"Fire Style: Flame Bullet!"

"Wind Release: Gale Palm!"

"Combined Ninjutsu: Fierce Flame Bullet!"

A scorching fireball, strengthened by Wind Release, cut off Qi Luna's escape route. At the same time, Konan flicked her slender hand, sending countless paper shuriken whirling toward him like a white tornado from an unexpected angle.

Qi Luna shifted slightly, sidestepping with the ease of a leisurely stroll. He avoided the Fierce Flame Bullet and the storm of paper shuriken by a hair's breadth, caught Yahiko's sweeping kick with one hand, then spun a full three hundred and sixty degrees and tossed him back.

Seeing Yahiko flying toward him, Nagato's hands faltered. His reaction slowed by half a beat, and Yahiko's body slammed into him, knocking them both to the ground.

"Your intentions were too obvious, your teamwork wasn't smooth enough, and you weren't stealthy enough. And when facing a powerful enemy, wasting so much chakra for nothing isn't a wise choice."

As he gave his assessment, Qi Luna glanced at Nagato, whom Yahiko had knocked to the ground.

While Qi Luna waited for the three little ones to launch their second attack, his gaze suddenly shifted to a massive tree at the edge of the training ground. A meaningful smile tugged at his lips.

He hadn't activated Mind's Eye of the Kagura during their simple test, but he'd still caught a faint, familiar presence, deliberately concealed—the presence of a bold man fixated on a sage's prophecy!

"Toad Sage Immortal, hiding up in that tree from Mount Myoboku—since you care so much about Nagato and the others, why not show yourself and test them in person?"

Qi Luna's teasing voice carried through the trees, reaching the eavesdropper's ears.

Before his words had even faded, Qi Luna vanished!

"Isshiki: Violent Step!"

There was no earth-shaking burst of power, only a crimson afterimage that tore through the air! In almost an instant, Qi Luna appeared atop the tree trunk as if he'd teleported.

"Whoa!"

A startled cry rang out. A figure with disheveled white hair and a red outer robe tumbled down awkwardly. It was Jiraiya, one of Sarutobi Hiruzen's students, a Summoning Contract holder of Mount Myoboku—one of the Three Great Sage Regions—and one of Konoha's Sannin!

He stood up and brushed the dust and leaves from his clothes, staring helplessly at Qi Luna, who had used the Body Flicker Technique to appear in front of him.

"Hey, hey! Qi Luna! Did you learn that speed from Senior Sakumo, or did you secretly learn the Flying Thunder God Technique from Minato? How are you so fast?"

"And your sensory skills, too! This great Jiraiya's Transparent Escape has never been detected by anyone. Well, except for the old man... So how did you find me?"

Qi Luna ignored his complaints and looked back at the three stunned youngsters, who had stopped fighting. He pointed at Jiraiya, who had just regained his footing and wore an expression that said, "You've really gotten me into trouble," then announced in an unmistakably firm voice:

"The task has changed. This is Jiraiya, whom you know well. He's 'very concerned' about your abilities and potential—especially Nagato's—and wants to test you in my place."

At the mention of "Nagato," Jiraiya's gaze instantly sharpened. He discreetly looked the boy over, and when his eyes landed on the Rinnegan, which had changed but still held a profound power, his pupils contracted almost imperceptibly!

The prophecy once told to him by the Great Toad Sage, Gamakichi—the prophecy of the "child of destiny" who would bring great change to the Ninja World—rang in his mind once more!

Qi Luna noticed Jiraiya's reaction and thought, Just as I expected. That was one of his reasons for setting this up.

He continued:

"Your new objective: hold out against Jiraiya for fifteen minutes. He'll take the test seriously."

"Is that Jiraiya, one of Konoha's Sannin, who fought Salamander Hanzo back then?!"

Yahiko sucked in a sharp breath, seeming to grow even more energized.

A large number of paper shuriken instantly surrounded Konan, poised to fly, as if she were facing a formidable enemy.

Nagato seemed to sense Jiraiya's probing gaze. His Rinnegan shifted slightly, and his expression grew complicated and solemn.

Jiraiya looked at the three tense but fired-up kids, then glanced at Qi Luna, who stood beside him with his arms crossed and an expression that said, "Go ahead, put on your show." It was clear Qi Luna had already seen through his thoughts. Jiraiya helplessly rubbed his nose, then laughed heartily.

"Hahahaha! Qi Luna, you really know how to give this great Jiraiya more work! As the Jonin Commander, I'm a very busy man!"

As he spoke, his expression grew serious. The presence of a top-tier warrior slowly rose around him.

"But... if it's for Konoha's young sprouts, then this Toad Sage will play with you! Let's see what kind of shape these 'gems' are in after three years of training under Qi Luna and that Tsunade woman! Don't disappoint me too much!"

Jiraiya swiftly formed Hand Seals, and a powerful wave of chakra spread out at once.

Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan exchanged glances. More than three years of working together meant they understood each other without a word. Faced with this legendary figure, a powerful man whom Qi Luna—both their older brother and their teacher—had deliberately brought here, they turned their nervousness into even fiercer determination. He was even stronger than Qi Luna!

Qi Luna quietly withdrew to the edge of the training ground. His sky-blue eyes calmly followed the action.

Having Jiraiya take his place wasn't just a valuable demonstration of a training match. Qi Luna had deliberately arranged it so Jiraiya could see that Nagato was no longer the orphan they'd met in the Land of Rain. Under Konoha's sunlight, with the guidance of Qi Luna, Tsunade, Kushina, Minato, and the others, he was working to master his own power and find a new future as a shinobi of the next generation!

The child of destiny? Nagato had never been one. And he would never be anyone's puppet!

Nagato was first and foremost a Konoha shinobi, Qi Luna's student and subordinate—and one of the few family members Qi Luna wanted to protect!

That was the message Qi Luna wanted to convey through this "graduation test" to Jiraiya, to Sarutobi Hiruzen, and to everyone in Konoha!

Additional notes:

Before the Third Shinobi World War ended, the standard in Konoha was for students to enter the Ninja Academy at age five and graduate at ten, and early graduation was relatively easy to obtain.

For example, Obito and the others probably graduated at around eight and became Chunin at nine.

According to the information that Nagato and Konan both died before seventeen years had passed since Minato's death, at the age of thirty-five, they were only about six years younger than Minato. It was Konoha Year 41, Minato and the protagonist were fourteen, Nagato and the others were eight, and Kakashi was four and about to start the Academy.