"So this is walking on water? I think I know how to control chakra now."
Beside a small river, Naruto jumped for joy.
Minato watched Naruto, his eyes filled with pride. This is my child. Kushina, can you see him? One day, he'll grow into a ninja who surpasses me.
Minato grew serious. "Since we only have a month, let's not waste time. We'll get straight to it. I just tested your chakra nature. It's wind, so Wind Release is well suited to you."
Naruto, a poor student who still knew nothing about chakra nature transformation, immediately asked, "Wind Release? Sounds pretty powerful. What does it do?"
Minato explained patiently, "Your teammate Sasuke has Lightning Release. Your Wind Release can counter his Lightning Release. However, Sasuke is also good at Fire Release, which counters your Wind Release."
After explaining how the chakra natures countered one another, Minato began teaching Naruto in earnest, starting with the simplest basic Wind Release ninjutsu: the C-rank Great Breakthrough.
Watching Naruto practice hard nearby, Minato felt boundless tenderness well up inside him. Two people in the distance witnessed the entire scene.
"This is that genin from another country you mentioned? The one you found so strange that you insisted I come take a look?"
"Yes. Do you see anything?"
"No. It's perfectly normal teaching. All right, stop interrupting my research."
"Lord Jiraiya, don't you think he resembles someone?"
"Who?"
"My teacher, the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze."
The two onlookers were none other than Jiraiya, who had returned to Konoha, and Kakashi.
At Kakashi's words, Jiraiya's expression darkened, but then he laughed loudly. "Don't be ridiculous. You know perfectly well what happens when someone uses the forbidden technique, the Reaper Death Seal. Minato couldn't possibly have survived under those circumstances."
Although Kakashi knew that perfectly well,