On Konoha's training grounds, Kai's blue vapor, Asuma's razor-sharp wind blades, and the lingering aftereffects of Kurenai's chilling genjutsu had yet to fully dissipate. The air still brimmed with the vigorous vitality and faint pressure that came after their increase in strength. Jiraiya stood with his arms crossed, leaning against a tree at the edge of the field. A smile of happiness for the younger generation rested on his face, but a trace of loneliness and longing lingered deep in his eyes.
He watched Kakashi's elusive Lightning Release Swordsmanship and bizarre space-based eye technique. He watched Kai's unrestrained Seventh Gate state, which seemed as though it could last until the end of time. He watched Asuma and Kurenai undergo transformative leaps in strength... The proud scales in his heart, labeled "senior," were beginning to tilt. He longed to grow stronger, to stand before these outstanding juniors rather than merely witness their growth.
However, asking for that opportunity from Neji—a junior young enough to be his son—by competing for missions and fighting like a youngster was something his old face simply could not bear.
Tsunade saw through his inner conflict. That evening, in the Hokage Office, she pushed a scroll before Neji.
"This is the revised understanding you gave me before, regarding Mount Myoboku Sage Art." Tsunade sighed. "Give it to that old pervert. The way he's acting is painfully awkward."
Neji picked up the scroll and swept it with his spiritual sense, immediately understanding. After integrating the inheritances of the Three Great Sage Regions, he had worked backward through the Mount Myoboku Sage Art system, discarded its dross, retained its essence, and compiled this improved version based on his deeper understanding of chakra's nature. It not only corrected some obscure and even potentially hazardous aspects of the original Sage Art,