Chapter 29: The Search and Training Begin
Once he got rid of the flames, Jiraiya returned the hallway to normal and let out a sigh of relief. He then woke up the woman that had been put under genjutsu.
"Can you find your way back home?" he asked.
"Yes," she said. "Thank you."
She walked off but as soon as she turned around the corner another person came running past her. Might Gai stopped as he saw the Team 7 genin and Jiraiya.
"Master Jiraiya! I have bad news! Itachi Uchiha is back in the leaf and-
"We already ran into him and his partner," Jiraiya said. "They're gone."
"Oh, well thank goodness! Leave it to a Sannin to scary even some of the most dangerous criminals away!" Gai said
"They'll be back though," Jiraiya said.
"Well I'm glad they didn't take Naruto, you okay kids?" Gai asked.
"They all took a bit of a beating from Itachi but they should be okay," Jiraiya said. "Itachi dislocated Sasuke's wrist."
Sasuke gritted his teeth, the adrenaline and hatred had numbed him to the pain in that area. Gai immediately walked over and grabbed hold.
"Brace yourself," he told the young genin.
And he snapped the wrist back into place.
"Ouch!" Sasuke exclaimed. He shuddered for a moment but the worst of the pain soon wore.
"You should be good as new in no time," Gai told him. "Just don't strain that wrist too much."
Sasuke nodded with a glare.
"You're lucky you didn't end up like Kakashi," Gai said.
"What?" Naruto exclaimed.
"Is Kakashi Sensei okay?" Sakura asked in concern. "Is he-"
She feared the worst.
"He's alive," Gai stated to the genin's relief. "But he was hit with some sort of jutsu that's put him in a coma. We don't know how to get him out."
"Oh, that's too bad," Jiraiya said. "Well, we're on our way to find Lady Tsunade. If anyone can get him out its her."
"Oh good!" Gai said. "He should be fine then! Once she gets here!"
"Alright well lets go and get those guys!" Naruto said angrily.
They all glanced at him in annoyance, with the exception of Guy.
"We just got our butts kicked by him!" Sakura screamed. "Now you want to go after him, you idiot!"
"You're not ready Naruto!" Jiraiya said. "Neither you, nor Sasuke, and especially not Sakura. There will be another time. I can't say for certain yet but I may have time to prepare you."
"Fine," Naruto relented. "But don't expect me to run away if they come back!"
Sakura smiled at her boyfriend. His resolve was both annoying and inspiring at the same time. But sometimes he was too brave for his own good.
…
They headed out of the Inn, Jiraiya had to pay for the damage as well.
"We'll double patrols around the village," Gai said. "It might be tough with how we're already pushing ourselves but this proves we're still vulnerable. The sooner you guys get back the better."
"Right, we'll be back in a week or two at most," Jiraiya said. "Just keep Kakashi from starving in his sleep."
"Will do," Gai said. "The nurses at the hospital will take good care of him."
And with that, Jiraiya and Team 7 headed out. They traveled for a long time until finally Jiraiya noticed Naruto stop and clutch his stomach.
"You know, its not you they're after, just the thing inside you," the Sannin said.
"The thing inside you?" Sasuke asked. "What's he talking about, Naruto?"
Of course, Sasuke didn't know about it. Yet.
Naruto sighed. "I guess I should tell you as well. Sakura already knows."
They continued walking as Naruto told Sasuke about the Nine Tailed Fox. By the end of it Sasuke's eyes widened.
"So, you have a beast inside you," he said.
"Yeah," Naruto confirmed. "I just hope that doesn't change anything between us."
"It makes you stronger, right?" Sasuke asked.
"Yeah," Naruto said once again. "It was that fox's chakra that I used a couple times like on the bridge when we fought Haku and in the Forest of Death against Orochimaru."
"I… guess I should be grateful you have it," Sasuke said with a small frown.
"But?" Naruto asked noting this.
Sasuke growled. "This means you will always be stronger then me. Or at least, you will be with the power of the Nine Tails."
"I'm trying not to rely on it unless I have to," Naruto said.
"And don't fret Sasuke, there are some Ninja out there that can fight Tailed Beasts," Jiraiya said. "It's said that the First Hokage defeated it while also fighting with Madara Uchiha who was controlling it."
Sasuke felt mixed feelings at that. On the one hand it proved humans could achieve a power equal to a tailed beast. But on the other, he felt shame to know another of his clan had betrayed the Hidden Leaf Village, this one during the reign of the first Hokage.
"Well, I'm not gonna let you surpass me easily Naruto," Sasuke said.
"Right back at ya, Sasuke!" Naruto said.
They continued forward, making their way out across the Land of Fire. The next day after passing through a festival, Jiraiya stopped them for a little training break.
"Alright, here's the jutsu I wanted to teach you, Naruto," the Sannin said.
He raised his hand, palm open. A blue ball made of pure chakra began to spin in his hand. He then lashed out a nearby tree and completely destroyed it, causing all three of the Genin to freeze and Naruto and Sakura's mouths to fall open.
Naruto immediately wanted to learn the jutsu.
"So that's the jutsu you mentioned was equal or even greater the Chidori?" Naruto asked. "Awesome!"
"Yes, its called the Rasengan," Jiraiya said. "The Fourth Hokage invented himself. Its unlike any other jutsu in that it doesn't require hand signs."
"Amazing," Sakura said.
"Do you two want to learn it while you're here?" Jiraiya said.
Sasuke watched with intrigue. "It actually looks like it does more damage to me."
"It has a greater area affect ratio," Jiraiya said. "And it can cause some other things as well that might work to do more damage. But your Chidori is at least just as strong."
Sasuke smirked. "Well then, like I said before no thanks. I have Chidori already. Though I need to do something else if I want to defeat my brother someday. Sakura, you mind helping me train. My brother uses genjutsu primarily like what he did to Kakashi and tried to do to Naruto, but he's also highly skilled in Ninjutsu and Taijutsu. I want to work on dispelling genjutsu with my eyes. I know your is probably not nearly as strong as Itachi's but it could still make good practice."
"Of course, Sasuke," Sakura agreed. "Anything for a friend."
"Thanks," Sasuke said.
Naruto frowned as he saw them looking at each other. He couldn't shake the feeling that maybe Sasuke was trying to steal Sakura.
"Well, good luck," Jiraiya said. "I'm sure when we wake Kakashi up he'll be able to teach you something that might help."
Sasuke nodded as he and Sakura walked away to train on their own as comrades. That left Naruto with Jiraiya.
"Alright, how do I do the Rasengan?" Naruto asked.
"First you need to spin your chakra," Jiraiya said as he reached into the bag he'd brought which held a bunch of water balloons. "Rotate it and make it spin."
He held out one of the balls which began to change shape from a simple round ball to a spiked one as the water inside spun around. Naruto watched in amazement as he did so. Jiraiya then handed Naruto a balloon and he began to spin chakra in it.
"I'll have this done in no time!" Naruto declared.
"Alright, we'll train till the sun goes down," Jiraiya said with a chuckle. "Or at least… you will."
He soon took a nap while Naruto continued training.
"Lazy old man," Naruto grumbled as he worked, the water swishing inside his balloon.
…
Nearby, Sakura performed a few genjutsu on Sasuke. He watched her, sharigan active. She vanished as she activated the first genjutsu which caused her to disappear even to his eyes. Then roots sprouted from the ground and tried to wrap themselves around him. He dodged them and focused with his eyes. He needed to find Sakura. It was difficult through the genjutsu, but not impossible. Soon his eyes picked up the chakra flowing through her and he leapt, landing a light kick on her.
"Ah!" she exclaimed as she fell and landed on her back end. Her focus over the genjutsu disappeared and he smirked down at her. "Guess that's one way to stop a genjutsu. But here's another one."
She showed him the hand-sign to release. They went through several more with Sasuke soon becoming able to copy them with his sharingan even dispelling them.
"That will probably help at least a bit," Sasuke said. "Thanks."
She nodded. A part of her wished he could have been like this back when they'd started. They might have gotten together easier. But she was with Naruto now, and she intended to remain loyal.
They headed back and found Naruto holding a balloon while Jiraiya slept. The sun was getting close to setting. Naruto just stood there holding the balloon, which was sloshing somewhat.
"What are you doing, loser?" Sasuke asked.
"Trying to get this water to spin around real fast!" Naruto said. "But I can't seem to do it here!"
"Heh, bet I could have it done twice as fast you," Sasuke taunted. "Its easy to learn a jutsu that has hand-signs probably."
Naruto gritted his teeth at his teammate and rival. "Oh yeah, well take this!"
He threw the water balloon at Sasuke who easily dodged.
"You missed," he taunted.
Naruto growled. "Why'd Pervy Sage have to bring you along anyway? He's only training me!"
"Oh come Naruto its fun having all of us on this together!" Sakura said.
"I guess," Naruto said. "Would be pretty boring with no one but the old man to talk to."
He looked over at Jiraiya as the Sanin snoozed.
"Its getting late, "Sakura noted. "We should probably call it a day and get something to eat."
"I agree," Sasuke said.
"Yeah, I'm starved," Naruto said.
They woke Jiraiya up and then headed into the town they had stopped before. They had dinner at an Inn and then went to bed, Naruto and Sasuke in a joint room while Sakura and Jiraiya each got their own individual rooms. Before bed, Naruto did some more training.
…
"Hey Pervy Sage!" he called knocking on Jiraiya's door before coming in. "Time to get up we're all ready!"
Jiraiya slowly and sleepily opened his eyes. "Hey get me some water will ya?"
"Some water?" Naruto repeated in annoyance. But then an idea occurred that caused him to grin. He got out one of the water balloon from the bucket and held it in one hand while using his other to add more chakra.
The balloon soon swished and formed spikes before popping loudly. Naruto had managed to do it last night, once he realized he was getting nowhere with one hand. Then he realized he had another hand, and a weapon like his sword always struck harder when it was wielded with both hands rather then one.
"I did it!" Naruto said in triumph.
Only to find Jiraiya had fallen back asleep.
"WHHAAAATTT!"
Sorry for skipping the festival part, I forgot about that one for a while. But it wasn't really necessary for the story so no big deal. And don't worry about Sasuke and Sakura, they are just friends now supporting each other. Naruto is just jealous of Sasuke, in part thanks to the curse mark. Just five more chapters to go I think.