The Third said nothing at first, merely taking a deep pull on his pipe.
Hazy smoke slowly curled between them.
Only after a long silence did he take a slightly aged scroll from inside his robes. Its edges had yellowed a little, but it was remarkably well preserved.
"Naruto."
A hint of wistfulness colored his voice as he solemnly placed the scroll in Naruto's hands.
"Uzumaki Secret Method: Copy"
"These are the training methods for the Secret Techniques passed down through the Uzumaki Clan. Lady Mito, the First's wife, left them behind."
The last person to use this had been Naruto's mother, Kushina.
Looking at Naruto now, the Third thought he resembled Minato more and more.
Naruto carefully accepted the scroll, feeling its fine texture beneath his fingertips.
The scroll was made from high-quality materials. Judging by its style as well, it had to be an old piece.
The Third watched Naruto, a trace of guilt flashing in his eyes. "I originally intended to give this to you once you finished Introduction to Sealing Jutsu. I never expected you to go all these years without coming to exchange it."
"At first, I thought you simply had little talent for Sealing Jutsu."
He shook his head with a rueful smile.
"Only while sorting through my old belongings today did I realize I had accidentally given you Konoha's Complete Sealing Jutsu Compendium back then."
At this point, undisguised admiration entered his gaze. "I never imagined you would master more than half of it through self-study, without anyone guiding you. Naruto, your aptitude for Sealing Jutsu truly exceeded my expectations."
The embers in his pipe flickered beneath the dim, yellow lamplight, illuminating the old man's gratified yet complicated expression.
By comparison, Konohamaru fell far short of Naruto.
"Thank you for the praise. I'll