Author's note – Kishimoto Masashi owns Naruto while Guyver is written by Yoshiki Takaya.
I make no claim to either, I am merely playing in their sandboxes.
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Chapter Forty-Four
Meeting The Toads
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Jiraiya waited until Hinata and Ino had finished giving Naruto long hugs (exchanging cheek kisses in the process), then Naruto gave Fu a hug, leaving the Jinchuuriki girl smiling widely.
"Okay, pervy-sage." Naruto sighed. "I'm ready."
"Excellent." Jiraiya nodded. "Okay, we should be being reverse-summoned any…
…minute now."
Naruto dropped to his knees, groaning and Jiraiya looked down at him.
"It's always hard the first few times, but you get used to it." He said in commiseration. "Once you feel up to walking, let's go talk to the Sages."
"Aren't… aren't you the Toad Sage?"
"Yep." Jiyaiya grinned. "I'm the Toad Sage, taught by the Three Sages of the Toad Clan."
"Hello?" A new voice rumbled and Naruto looked round to see a large toad carrying a sasumata and shield looking at them.
"Ah, Gamaken!" Jiraiya said with a wide smile. "I'd like to introduce you to the newest Toad Summoner, Uzumaki Naruto. Naruto, this is Gamaken, one of the best warriors of the Toad Clan."
"Thank you, but I am rather clumsy." Gamaken deferred. "Gamabunta-dono wanted me to escort you the Toad Council. Please follow me…"
"Where are we?" Naruto asked as he looked around curiously.
"In a different realm." Jiraiya supplied and Naruto gave him a shocked look. "According to the Great Toad Sage, this world is where a group known as the Otsusuki came from."
"The… who?"
"Otsusuki." Jiraiya repeated. "The now-extinct clan that the Sage of the Six Paths was born into. Also known as the Ancestral Shinobi. Not much is known about them other than that, but this is the world they came from. Anyway, just before they left, something happened and the animals became sentient. Whether this led to them leaving or if it was just a coincidence isn't stated. However, the way that the Otsusuki travelled bound both worlds together, allowing beings to travel through certain portals which are usually concealed in caves or hidden valleys. To reach Mount Myoboku without using reverse summoning takes almost a month and required you to travel through loads of winding caves and valleys… easy to get lost. The toads use a special portal that lets them travel straight to Konoha if they need to, but summoning is far easier."
During Jiraiya's explanation, Gamaken led them past plants that Naruto had never seen before and onto a path that wound up the mountain and led to a large building built into the mountain itself. The front was almost temple-like and Gamaken paused at the threshold.
"The Sages and boss are through here, shinobi-samas." He said with a bow. "Good luck."
"Thank you, Gamaken." Jiraiya replied, then he turned to the doorway.
"Come on, Gaki." He ordered. "Time to meet the Great Sage."
Naruto followed Jiraiya into the massive room, looking round curiously. The room itself was huge, so big that the Hokage Tower could have fitted inside without touching the edges or ceiling, but the walls were almost covered with giant scrolls easily three times Naruto's height. At the focal point of the room was a large, shallow pond in which sat a wrinkled, brown toad as large as Gamabunta, who was watching from one side. Sat in the edge of the pond in front of the ancient giant toad were two smaller toads, one of whom motioned for them to advance.
"Come on, we haven't got all day." He scolded and the other small toad dope-slapped him. "Ow!"
"Don't be rude to our guests." She scolded and Jiraiya bowed.
"Naruto, be known to the Toad Sages, my teacher in the path of the Sage, Fukasaku, his wife and fellow teacher, Shima, and the Great Toad Sage Gamamaru. Honoured Sages, may I present Uzumaki Naruto, son of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina…"
"The Guyver." Gamamaru interrupted and Jiraiya blinked.
"I… do not understand, Great Sage. Who or what is this guyver you speak of?"
"A boulder in the stream of time which has caused a new path to be travelled." Gamamaru mused. "A weapon from another world, made by those beyond its stars. A living device created far beyond the linking of our worlds and one which has changed the future."
"The prophecy… is broken?" Jiraiya gasped and Gamamaru shook his head.
"All rivers lead to the ocean, the meaning may change but the words do not. Send forwards your friend… I have seen him before… or I think I have… let me look at him."
Naruto slowly advanced and Gamamaru leaned forwards to stare at him.
"Hmmmmmm, you have destiny… you have power… you will meet a creature with octopus tentacles… you will battle a young man with powerful eyes… the lock is broken, but in breaking it is strengthened, the key will fit no more…"
For a long moment, the room seemed to sing with an echoing silence, then Gamamaru let out a snore.
"I think the old geezer is done for the day." Fukasaku said after a long moment. "Bunta, take these two down to your house for now."
"As you command, Fukasaku" Gamabunta said with a bow before performing a low leap to land in front of the two Shinobi. "Old pervert, Naruto-san, please come with me."
"How the hell does the gaki rate a –san whereas I get called an old pervert?" Jiraiya spluttered and Gamabunta stared at him.
"…you do remember his blasting technique, yes?" He finally asked and Jiraiya pouted.
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"So… am I staying here, or can I jump between here and Konoha?" Naruto asked as he sealed away the dishes that had been used for their meal.
"Good question." Jiraiya admitted. "Trouble is, it takes energy to reverse-summon someone. Lots of it. Not sure how much, but more than it takes to call them to us, which is why it's not done very often."
Naruto sighed and Jiraiya patted him on his shoulder. "I know, kid. It's hard, having two beauties waiting to shower you with their love and for you to be away from their gentle embraces, their pleasant kisses, their large boo-hey!"
Jiraiya rolled to his feet as Naruto glared at him, one fist out-thrust just where Jiraiya's head had been.
"Jiraiya…" Naruto growled and the older shinobi swallowed nervously.
"Hey, calm down, I was congratulating you…"
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Hinata raised her head and looked round blearily.
"wzzizi?" Ino managed to ask and Hinata briefly activated her byakugan before shrugging and lowering her head back down to the pillow.
"I thought someone was talking about us." She sighed and Ino shrugged before snuggling into her.
"wtvr, wnnaslp…"
Ino's breathing steadied and Hinata reflected that the bed didn't quite feel right without Naruto there, then she let herself fall asleep too.
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"Since it's earlier here than in Konoha, your fiancees are probably both asleep by now." Jiraiya said as he rubbed at the bruise on his cheek. "It's been a long day… well, more like a day and a half, so it's no wonder you're getting cranky."
Naruto, his face a mass of bruises, glared at Jiraiya from the base of a tree which boasted a rather impressive fresh indentation.
"On the plus side," Jiraiya added, "I've now got a good feel for how well you fight and who taught you what. Maito Gai oversaw your taijutsu training, Kakashi dealt with ninjutsu and chakra control… I'm not sure, but I think that Yugao-chan helped with your kenjutsu, I recognized one of the stances you used, even though you didn't have a sword. I have to know, though, why didn't you simply try to swarm me with kage bunshin? You should have been good for at least a hundred."
"They're not… not good in… in battle…" Naruto managed as he used the tree to help him stand up again. "One hit… and they… pop…"
"True." Jiraiya admitted. "But what about the other types? Rock, mud… I read your records, you know those types of clones. Mix an exploding clone or two amongst them and you'll be able to get almost anyone by surprise."
Naruto blinked as he considered what Jiraiya had said.
"You've got some good moves and you improvise well." Jiraiya continued, unsealing a bottle and taking a swig. "But we really need to work on your indirect techniques and synergy. Rock Clones to close in and Shadow Clones to hit from a distance with ninjutsu? Water Clones to prevent enemies from running over lakes for fear that their feet will be stabbed? Exploding clones scattered through your clone forces with instructions to get close to a distracted enemy before going boom? Just using clones properly can win a battle for you."
"Never… thought of that…" Naruto mused.
"Yeah, that armour of yours is pretty damned powerful." Jiraiya admitted. "But if someone used raiton against you…you're grinning. Why?"
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Fu half-collapsed against the tree, gasping for breath.
"Yosh! You have made great progress today!" Her tormentor cheered. "Already you are lasting longer than one minute against Lee."
Fu gave up her battle against gravity and slumped to the ground, turning her head just enough to see her main tormentor and his mini-clone, both of whom were still bouncing around making noises about youth or something.
"You get used to them." A new voice said and Fu let herself be picked up by Tenten, Lee's kunoichi team-mate. "Gai-sensei! Fu and I are off to cool down and then get some book-work done."
"Of course!" Gai replied with a grin that Fu swore sparkled. "Training the body alone is useless if one has not also trained the mind to guide it. Lee, let us also cool down by running around Konoha ten times!"
"Yes, Gai-sensei!" Lee returned enthusiastically, then the green-clad duo blurred out of the training ground.
"Let's get you back to your house and into your onsen." Tenten smiled as Fu tried to make her legs obey her despite the fact that they felt, at best, like two columns of water.
"Fu… would like that…" Fu admitted as Tenten shifted her arm to provide better support.
"Once you've recovered, we can continue running you through the Academy syllabus." Tenten continued. "You're learning very quickly."
"Fu has good teachers." The Jinchuuriki replied with an exhausted smile. "Fu likes learning…"
"Chomei likes learning too." A voice said in agreement, but only one Kunoichi heard it.
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"Naruto-san?" Fu asked in shock and the Naruto who had opened the door shook his head.
"Nope, the boss made a whole load of us and sent us back through the portal that the toads keep. He tested it and he still gets the memories when we dispel, so even though he's getting trained by pervy-sage and the toads at Mount Myoboku, he's sort-of here too, via… well, us."
"Do I want to know?" Tenten asked and the clone shrugged.
"Boss is getting special training before the finals. According to pervy-sage…"
"Who?" Tenten interrupted and the clone grinned.
"Jiraiya."
"Jiraiya of the Sannin?" Tenten gasped. "Tsunade's team-mate?"
"The one and only, thank goodness." The clone agreed. "He's a weird pervert, but when it comes to seals and combat tactics, he really knows his stuff. Anyway, Hinata-hime and Ino-san are already soaking, so if you and your friend want to go through, wash and get changed, we'll be bringing dinner out soon."
Fu staggered forwards, still resting on Tenten's arm, a wide smile on her face.
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Naruto slammed into the rock, leaving a dent, then he shattered into a pile of stone.
"Excellent!" Fukasaku shouted as he spun round, his gaze darting from hiding-place to hiding place. "A perfect substitution with a clone!"
"Kid's getting better." Jiraiya said as he landed on a bush, dispelling the clone that was hiding underneath it, then he rolled sideways as a rock clone slammed down exactly where he had been standing, leaving a crater. "Damn, he'd probably give Minato a run for his money at that age, assuming he didn't use that armour of his."
Jiraiya stamped hard, causing the clone that was about to grab his ankle from underground to dispel, then he ducked as a clone was thrown at him.
BOOM!
Jiraiya emerged from the trees, staring at the scorched and charred log that had taken the attack.
"Kid's damn good." He stated before he leapt back into the undergrowth to continue the spar.