Jiraiya Takes Naruto as His Student

Elsewhere.

Konoha, Land of Fire.

When Naruto ran excitedly to the Ninja Academy,

only to hear that the entire Uchiha clan had defected, he was completely stunned.

Naruto looked around, trying hard to find Sasuke.

But Naruto did not see Sasuke.

A bad feeling suddenly rose in his heart.

Naruto rushed into the crowd, hoping to catch even a glimpse of Sasuke's back.

But Naruto did not see Sasuke.

"What did you just say? The Uchiha defected?!"

Naruto grabbed a boy his age who was condemning the Uchiha, his eyes wide.

Seeing that it was Naruto, the boy immediately looked disgusted, but still said, "Dead last, the Uchiha defected last night."

Naruto could not believe what he heard.

Someone asked, "Hey, dead last, you're always hanging around with the Uchiha, aren't you...?"

At those words,

everyone else realized it too.

After all, Naruto really had been hanging around with Sasuke and Feng Yao lately.

Even the little girls in their class who liked Sasuke, such as Ino and Sakura Haruno, did not get that kind of treatment.

And so, the Konoha villagers' tradition of bullying reared its head again.

"This dead last is always hanging around Sasuke Uchiha. I bet he'll defect sooner or later too!"

"Does that even need saying? Why else would everyone in the village call him the demon fox?"

"You don't think he's a spy for the Uchiha...?"

"Could be..."

The people nearby began looking at Naruto differently.

Naruto heard people calling him a demon fox, dead last, and even a spy. Those words pierced his heart like so many thorns.

Especially when he heard them talking about Sasuke, he gritted his teeth in anger.

"I'm not dead last! I'm really strong now!"

"And Sasuke would never betray the village! There has to be some misunderstanding!"

One boy gave a scornful laugh at that.

"You, a dead last, strong? That's hilarious!"

"Exactly! Once a dead last, always a dead last!"

"Demon fox! Demon fox! Traitor! Traitor!"

"I'm not!" Naruto's eyes went red, and he shoved the boy.

"Get him!" The boy he had shoved flew into a rage. Since when had the dead last dared to shove him?

Several boys swarmed him, ganging up on Naruto.

After these past few days of training with Feng Yao, Naruto's Taijutsu had indeed improved, but two fists were no match for so many hands, and he was soon knocked to the ground.

The Anbu concealed nearby were just about to intervene when an angry voice rang out.

"Stop!"

The newcomer had a head of white hair. It was Jiraiya, his expression furious.

"An adult! Run!"

Seeing an adult arrive, the boys who had been fighting immediately ran away, and the onlookers quickly left too.

Jiraiya paid no attention to the fleeing boys.

He stepped forward to check Naruto's injuries. Fortunately, they were only superficial wounds, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Old man?"

Naruto recognized Jiraiya.

He immediately looked at Jiraiya warily.

But Jiraiya had indeed helped him out, and Naruto remembered Feng Yao's teachings.

"Thanks, old man..."

Looking at Naruto's stubborn face, Jiraiya felt a sting in his nose and was filled with guilt.

Jiraiya was experienced. Watching Naruto deftly straighten his clothes, he could tell this was clearly not the first time he had been beaten.

I've failed you, Minato, Kushina. I've let Naruto suffer in the village.

Jiraiya should have realized it. With someone as sinister as Danzo, how could the Third Hokage possibly keep him in check?

"Old man, did Feng Yao and Sasuke really defect? There has to be some misunderstanding, right?!"

Naruto did not believe it and looked at Jiraiya hopefully.

Looking into Naruto's bright eyes, Jiraiya opened his mouth, then hesitated.

What was he supposed to say?

That the Uchiha had betrayed Konoha?

That Konoha wanted to wipe out the Uchiha?

Naruto was still so young. Jiraiya did not want to expose him to this darkness within the village.

"Well... I don't know either..."

In the end, Jiraiya chose to conceal the truth.

"I see..." Naruto was disappointed.

"No, I'm going to find Feng Yao and Sasuke! I'll convince them to come back!" Naruto's eyes lit up.

"No!"

"Why not?!" Naruto's eyes were red. "Do you think I'm a demon fox too, old man?!"

Jiraiya froze, something catching in his throat that he could not put into words.

He felt even guiltier.

"No." Jiraiya crouched down and looked Naruto straight in the eyes.

"It's about strength. Right now, you can't even beat children your own age. Even if Feng Yao and Sasuke are willing to listen to you, they still have their clansmen. Those people don't know you. Would they believe someone who can't even beat children his own age?"

Naruto froze. That was right. Feng Yao and Sasuke both had families.

He felt envious. They were not like him, just an orphan.

"Then... then what do I do?!" Naruto grew anxious.

"Naruto, I..." He paused too, then smiled. "I'm a friend of your big brother Feng Yao. There really are some misunderstandings here, but you'll need to become much stronger before you can learn about them."

Naruto's eyes lit up. He had known it. How could someone as good as Feng Yao possibly defect?

"And..." Jiraiya took a deep breath. "I'm also your father's teacher..."

"My father..."

Hearing the word "father," Naruto froze.

"Yes. Your father is a great man!"

At those words, Naruto's eyes reddened and his nose stung. He burst into tears. "Then... then why...?"

So he had parents too. So he was not an orphan nobody wanted...

Jiraiya hugged Naruto, guilt weighing on him as well.

Jiraiya's eyes were filled with heartache. Naruto must have suffered so much on his own all these years.

Jiraiya became even more determined to change Konoha.

Only after Naruto had nearly cried himself out did he ask through his sobs, "Then why does everyone say I'm a demon fox, that I'm an orphan nobody wants...?"

"That's all because those villagers don't know the truth and are talking nonsense..." Jiraiya fell silent for a moment.

Of course he knew what was going on.

It was all a dirty political tactic tacitly approved by Konoha High Command.

But while Jiraiya agreed with the Third Hokage's ideals, he did not agree with his methods.

In the end, Jiraiya told a well-intentioned lie. "Your father and mother are carrying out a secret mission. They've gone somewhere far away, and it'll be a long time before they can come back..."

"Because it's a secret mission, ordinary people don't know about it..."

"Really?!"

Naruto's eyes lit up.

"Yes. Your father asked me to come back and see you a few days ago. He even asked me to take you as my student!" Jiraiya chuckled.

"Take me as your student? Are you really strong, old man?" Naruto asked curiously.

"Hey, I'm the legendary Great Toad Sage! What do you think?" Jiraiya said proudly.

"A sage?! Oh, right! Feng Yao said you were the Pervy Sage. Is that true?!" Naruto suddenly remembered Feng Yao teasing Jiraiya that day.

Jiraiya turned to stone.

Pervy Sage? What the hell?!

My lifelong reputation!

It's all ruined! Uchiha Fengyao, you're heartless! This isn't over!

The Third Hokage, who was watching from the shadows, could not keep a straight face either.

I told you to stop visiting the women's baths so often, but you just wouldn't listen!