(Welcome back, readers. Here's a little update to get you through till the New Years. A year came and went as it always did, and I'm once again glad to see how much has been accomplished. Well, enjoy what I have for you here.)
Morning came in Tanzaku, and Jiraiya woke up with a yawn, "Boy, what a night. Hey, Naruto," he turned over and saw Naruto was not in bed, "Well, that figures." he smiled to himself, and got himself ready.
He stepped outside the inn, to see Tsunade and Shizune were waiting, "Good morning Jiraiya." Tsunade greeted him.
"And good morning to the both of you too." Jiraiya replied.
Shizune looked curious, "Where's Naruto?"
"Is he sleeping in?" Tsunade inquired.
"Actually, he got up early." Jiraiya answered.
"Where'd he go?" Shizune asked.
"To finish working on the Rasengan. Come on, I know where he is." Jiraiya led the ladies off.
Meanwhile by the hillside outside town, Naruto was still working on perfecting the Rasengan.
Naruto stood his ground before looking at his right hand, "Ok, this time I'm ready. It has to work." he started concentrating at the focal point in his palm, while also using airbending to shape the jutsu and soon Naruto stood with a perfectly shaped Rasengan in his palm.
He looked at a boulder seeing it made for a good target. He used airbending to propel himself forward at his target before shoving the jutsu into it, "Rasengan!"
When the jutsu collided with the boulder it exploded into pebbles. As the dust cleared, Naruto stood with the remains of the boulder at his feet.
"Success!" he cheered, before looking at his hand. He thought, 'I mastered the Rasengan, dad's very own jutsu. Dad, if you were here right now I hope you'd be proud of me.'
Suddenly he heard clapping from behind. He looked back seeing Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Shizune, "Not bad, Naruto." Jiraiya said.
"That was impressive." Tsunade admitted.
"Congratulations, Naruto." Shizune smiled.
"How long were you three here?"
"Long enough to watch you shatter that boulder." Jiraiya answered.
"That was a clever move using airbending to shape the Rasengan." Tsunade said.
"Thanks. And with the Rasengan I'm feeling stronger already."
"Just don't get ahead of yourself, Naruto," Jiraiya warned him, "The avatar state or the Rasengan alone won't make you able to fight every enemy you come up against."
"I'm aware of that. Which is why I plan to get stronger still. Avatar state, Kurama's chakra, Rasengan. All three abilities are beneficial to me for when I face the real enemies out there." he thought or Orochimaru, Itachi, and Kisame.
Jiraiya and Tsunade nodded, as the lady spoke, "Why don't we head home now?"
Naruto smiled, but before they could head off they heard an explosion close by. They looked down at the view of Tanzaku town and saw dark smoke rising up.
"What's going on?" Naruto asked.
"Looks like an attack." Jiraiya suspected.
"That's not good." Tsunade replied.
"What do we do?" Shizune asked.
"We check it out!" Naruto used the air scooter ability and took off.
"Naruto!" Tsunade called out, but he was far ahead.
"Come on." Jiraiya said, as the three adults went after him.
When Naruto arrived in town, he heard panicked screams all around from the inns, casinos, and bars. He saw the places were being looted by a gang of bandits.
He saw one goon threatening an old couple running a stand, "This can't be all your money." he accused the elderly.
"Please, we're telling the truth." the old man pleaded.
"Shut up!" the bandit snapped, as he pulled out a dagger, "If you don't give me everything, there may be some accidents."
The couple was frightened, until the bandit was blown back by a powerful breeze, "What the hell was that?!"
The bandits looked down the dusty street seeing Naruto standing tall, "If you jerks know what's good for you, you'll get the hell out of this town right now." he warned them.
The bandits laughed, "Real cute, kid. But you think we're gonna take orders from some brat."
"Yes I do." Naruto answered.
The lead one frowned, "Smug little brat!" he threw a bunch of knives in Naruto's direction, only for the Avatar to earthbend a wall of stone up that shielded him from the blades.
Naruto thrust his arm forward as the stone wall slid in the bandit's direction knocking him to the ground while looking flattened in the face.
"Anybody else wanna go?" Naruto beckoned the bandits.
The bandits dropped their loot and armed themselves before charging at Naruto. Naruto played it cool and summoned some shadow clones. Naruto and each clone faced off against a bandit each using either Taijutsu or one of the bending elements.
Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Shizune watched, as the younger woman spoke, "Shouldn't we do something?"
"Nah, Naruto's got this one covered." Jiraiya answered.
"Agreed. Let's just enjoy the show." Tsunade agreed, as they decided to watch from the side.
As Naruto and his clones were picking off the bandits, all the spectators hiding were watching in amaze at one boy taking on the whole group.
When all the men were defeated and thrown into a pile, Naruto noticed the leader had recovered from his stupor and got on his feet, "That's it. I'm gonna cut you up!" he attempted to charge Naruto only to realize he was unable to move, "What gives?" he looked down seeing his feet were restrained by the ground he stood on.
Naruto smirked at the leader, "I think you'll be the first living thing I can try my new move out on," he held out his hand and formed the Rasengan in it, "Here I come!" he used airbending to propel himself forward into his targets direction.
"No! Wait a minute!" the bandit pleaded but was too late.
"Rasengan!" Naruto nailed the lead bandit who was sent flying backward down the road before crashing into a wall knocking him to the ground.
Naruto approached the frightened and defeated man, as the boy spoke, "Let this be a lesson to you. Don't mess with the Avatar."
"Got it." he groaned, before blacking out.
Naruto smirked, until he saw all the shopkeepers and civilians come out from hiding when they realized it was safe.
"You saved us." An old man spoke.
"It was the right thing to do." Naruto answered.
"Still, you went out of your way and took on this whole gang just for us." a woman said.
"If there's one thing I don't like it's when people like these jerks bully others they know can't fight back. The cowards." he glared at the defeated gang.
Suddenly the entire town of people started gathering around Naruto and thanking him for his heroic deed. The three adults he was accompanied by smiled seeing Naruto get thanked by so many grateful people.
"We should hold a celebration in dedication to our hero the Avatar!" a man suggested, as the townspeople agreed.
"Really, there's no need for that." Naruto began getting modest, until Tsunade spoke up.
"Now, Naruto, there's no need to be modest here. They just simply want to show their appreciation for what you did for them."
"But aren't we supposed to be on our way?" Naruto asked Jiraiya.
"Well, what's another few hours gonna hurt?" the old man asked.
Naruto could tell the two wanted to stick around and exploit the situation, but not wanting to be rude to the nice people of Tanzaku accepted the offer.
As the people of Tanzaku partied, Jiraiya was trying to hit on some of the lovely ladies, while Tsunade was having a drink with Shizune trying to keep her from over doing it.
Naruto meanwhile was sitting at a table trying some foods, with various teenage girls feeding him some samples.
'Sure is nice to be appreciated here. But I really shouldn't stay too much longer or some way get the idea I'm only in for being the hero strictly for praise.' he thought.
"Mr. Naruto." a man spoke up.
"Please, call me Naruto. And what's up?"
"The bandits have been taken to the authorities, and left you a reward." the man showed Naruto a giant wad of cash.
"Whoa. That's generous. But I really shouldn't accept this."
"But you earned it." a girl reminded him.
"Maybe, but like I said I was doing it because it was right. Why don't you all keep the reward and use it to fix whatever damages those bandits caused around here?"
The people gasped, as an old woman asked, "You mean it?"
"You need it more than I do." Naruto smiled.
"Arigato, Naruto. We of Tanzaku will never forget your generosity and courage." an old man spoke.
"No problem at all." Naruto smiled.
Soon Naruto and the three adults finally left Tanzaku and were starting their way back to Konoha.
"That was really generous what you did back there, Naruto," Shizune began, "Giving the reward money to them."
"Yeah. Generous." Tsunade said with a hint of bitterness in her tone.
"If I wanted money I'd earn it on a mission. Besides the biggest reward today was watching how much an affect the Rasengan has on a living target. I can't wait to see how it holds up against real opponents. And I'll only find out when on real missions."
Jiraiya nodded, as Tsunade and Shizune agreed as well. They continued onward back to Konoha, where Naruto was gonna have a lot to tell his friends.
(And there you go. A little short, but it's better than nothing. Don't miss next time where Naruto returns home, and Tsunade is inaugurated as Hokage. See you in 2016, readers.)