Chapter One : The Lotus of Rebirth

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Disclaimer - I Do Not Own Anything.

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A very important Author's Note at the end.

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Naruto Uzumaki walked to the hokage tower, with all of his orange majestic glory, but he wasn't grinning or laughing, but scowling. The reason? His sensei, One Kakashi Hatake.

It has been 10 days since team seven returned from the wave country, after they survived. yes, survived, their encounter with zabuza and haku. And even now, after an eye opening encounter, with ever present death in the line of shinobi, their sensei chooses to read his perverted novel over training them.

Don't get him wrong, he respects and likes Kakashi. His jounin sensei is undoubtedly one of the strongest ninja in the leaf, his teaching is very efficient and fast and even if he hasn't taught him any cool jutsu, his lessons in taijutsu and ninja tactics are simply brilliant.

And there comes the problem. He is a brilliant and genius ninja and instructor but he is a very shitty teacher. The guy has no motivation to teach other than occasional lessons, naruto couldn't remember even one time where his sensei wanted to teach them anything. Everything seemed too forced on his part and his behaviour is not something you expect from a jounin sensei.

For kakashi, team seven is like a chore he has to do due to the orders of hokage. And Naruto hates it. Hates the lacklustre teacher he got. He wants to be hokage, dammit! How would he prove himself to everyone if his teacher doesn't want to teach him?

And then comes his teammates, Sasuke, the eternal brooding uchiha and Sakura. Since sasuke awakened sharingan, he got extra training time with kakashi to use his bloody damn eyes properly, and he has become even more of an ass after he got his shit eating orbs they call sharingan. The guy broods even more, and you can practically see his mood from afar. The guy never lets his emo thoughts leave him and enjoy his life a bit. Because naruto came to a hard realisation after he fought haku, that shinobi life is a ticking time bomb, you should enjoy every second of it. You wouldn't know when you die, No matter how strong you are!

And, enjoy he did. Just after arriving in the village he ate 15 bowls of his favourite ichiraku miso pork ramen, chatted with the old man, and konohamaru, ate more ramen and did some wacky, wild pranks. Which even now made him laugh his ass off. But it didn't do anything to improve his foul mood.

His mind wandered off to his other teammate, the girl he loves, sakura. She is still chasing after the emo ass, and she hasn't improved as much as she should. That damn uchiha is hindering her growth and wasting her potential! But it got him more determined to show her the truth, the truth of his love for her.

Anyways, back to track, he will request the old man to either straighten up Kakashi, or assign him a new team. For a few days or even weeks it was understandable but it has been 2 months since he graduated from the academy, and he could bet that even now kiba and the emo bastard will kick his ass if they fight, not that he would admit it.

He reached the leaf administration building, took a deep breath, With a determined nod to himself he opened the hokage's office's door. But the sight he saw was not what he would expect from the leader of the leaf village.

— — —

(Few Minutes Earlier)

Hiruzen Sarutobi, The Third Hokage of The Village Hidden In The Leaves, and second person to hold the title of god of shinobi, was doing the bane of every man's existence – paperwork.

Using shadow clones will only give him more headache then he already has.

He is still dealing with the aftermath of team seven's C-rank turned A-rank mission in the wave. If anything had gotten wrong, not only would the leaf have lost their jinchuriki and the last loyal uchiha, hiruzen would have lost his surrogate grandson and would have broken the promise he made with minato and kushina, whatever remained of it anyways.

This brought out a lot of regrets. His failure to protect naruto's identity from the village populace, leaked courtesy of danzo, his failure to give naruto a decent life, like a normal child. Training him was out of option or he risked danzo getting involved to make him a war tool.

Hiruzen failed to give him a family, no one wanted to adopt him, and those who did, only did so for the power he would have given them, namely the late uchiha clan. He failed to properly educate Naruto and he failed to be able to deal with his depression due to always being alone. That was one of the reasons he always turned blind eye to his pranks and fun escapades. It always was a good break.

'Some Leader I am' he thought dejectedly. The weight of his choices weighting down on his old shoulders. But before he could continue the depressing line of thought, a very familiar voice took his attention.

"Yo! Sensei!" The voice of his student, jiraiya, echoed in the silent office of the fire shadow. He was sitting on the right window, weaving his hands. Hiruzen smiled, jiraiya was his only, truly loyal student who still served the leaf.

"Jiraiya! I am truly happy to see you my boy! How have you been?" Hiruzen greeted a bit enthusiastically and asked, leaving his bane paperwork for later.

"Oh, i am just as good as always sensei!" jiraiya cheekily replied. He was more childish than an actual child.

Hiruzen shook his head at the antics of his middle aged student. "I didn't think you would return before the chunin exams. Is something the matter? You aren't the type to shy away from your 'research' just to meet your old sensei, are you?" He asked.

Jiraiya just chuckled sheepishly. "Ahmm… something like that, yeah" he replied nervously.

Hiruzen quirked an eyebrow and said, "i have time. So, tell me in detail what is the matter. everything!"

Jiraiya then hopped out of the window and took a seat on the sofa. Hiruzen activated silencing seals, knowing that some sensitive information will be involved.

"Well you see… i was suspended from the toad contract for the month." he said. looking somewhat shameful.

"WHAT!? HOW? I mean is it even possible to be temporarily suspended from your summonings? And just what the hell did you do to piss the elder toads so much?" Hiruzen also looked somewhat shameful for his earlier outburst. Elders like him shouldn't get surprised but this was a new territory altogether.

Jiraiya just looked down sheepishly, hiruzen already had an answer, "let me guess. You 'research'?" Jiraiya just nodded. Hiruzen just sighed "but I thought you'd never use your summons for such a menial task, You enjoy." Jiraiya just looked at him like he had grown a second head.

"Menial? How is it menial? I am the best writer in the elemental nations, sensei! If I don't publish my work on time then many fans of mine will die! And don't you speak like you don't enjoy my work!" Jiraiya spoke in an accusing tone and Hiruzen looked sideways, a little red dusting on his wrinkled cheeks.

"And for your kind information, the toads do enjoy my research too. There are many of them who volunteered to do it! They were scout toads and they have the ability to share their senses. But a new recruit just complained to Pa, that I am corrupting the toads and he was really angry, you know!" He replied with a shudder, remembering the beating fukasaku gave him with his cane.

Hiruzen, for his part, couldn't contain himself. It started as a chuckle and then he went into full blown laughter. Just imagining Toads sharing their senses with Jiraiya and then being corrupted. It was gross and hilarious at the same time! Toads appreciating Human female form!

After a few minutes, Hiruzen calmed down, such hysterical laughter was good for his old lungs, and spoke between his breaths. "Oh, jiraiya! You just made my day! Well, is there anything left for you to say?"

Jiraiya instantly adopted a look of pure seriousness. He withdrew a scroll from his person and gave it to hiruzen. The scroll was a formal report containing everything Jiraiya wanted to say.

"Few things sensei! One is my former teammate, orochimaru becoming a kage of his own village. Second is the probability of the sand village going bankrupt. Third is about Akatsuki who wants to capture my godson and a few other things, you know!" he said somewhat vaguely. Going through every piece of information he had acquired from his spy network.

Hiruzen put the scroll in his secure drawer to read it later. At the same time, Jiraiya unsealed something else. And when Hiruzen's eyes landed on the object in his student's hands, his face lit up like fireworks and a heavy blush crept up his neck. It was the graphical edition of 'Make Out Tactics - Anant Vasna', which wasn't to be released until two years later.

Jiraiya saw the expression on his sensei's face and smirked. He tossed the book to him and Hiruzen grabbed it like a puppy grabs a bone thrown at them. He chuckled, it always made him happy when someone appreciated his writing and his own sensei who always opposed him to do his precious 'research' was one of the biggest fans of his 'Make Out Tactics'.

Jiraiya looked towards the window with an unreadable expression and said, "What about naruto, sensei? How has he been?"

Hiruzen's excitement met an early death and was replaced with visible sadness and guilt. "Not good enough, jiraiya. This village we both protect cannot see a child they hurt daily just because the object of their hatred is contained within said child. It truly pains me and i am very ashamed to call this village the same hashirama-sensei and tobirama-sensei envisioned"

Jiraiya said nothing. Just looked out of the window. He spoke again in a low tone, "Does he know about the nine tails?"

"Yes," the hokage replied, "but he found out in a very unfavourable situation. And this important truth was revealed to him by a traitor."

Jiraiya remained quiet for some time, then his eyes flashed with a brilliant idea. And Hiruzen's gut told him that whatever his student is planning, it will cause so-very-not-needed-paperwork for him.

"Sensei," he began, looking hiruzen straight in the eyes, "i will be in the village for some time, maybe like two months or more. So how about I train him from now on? And it will give me some basis to make a bond with him and tell him about minato and kushina." Hiruzen was about to protest the idea of revealing Naruto's lineage, but Jiraiya raised his hand to silence him and let him continue, "it is time he learns about them. No child should be without the knowledge of their parents. And if the kid is anything like Minato, he will be a top brass in no time." he finished with a knowing and fond smile.

But before Hiruzen could reply, the gate to his office opened and came the very familiar figure of one naruto uzumaki.

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(POV - Naruto)

His eyes landed on the book in Old Man's hand and he groaned, "Hey old man! Get a grip! I know you are pervy but reading that shit in the office ain't good!" he yelled angrily.

Hiruzen, with lightning speed, hid the book somewhere and chuckled sheepishly. He didn't want Naruto to know about his 'interests', he found out once and that almost cost him the scroll of seals and life of his beloved surrogate grandson.

"Aah! Naruto my boy! Welcome! How are you?" Hiruzen asked with a gentle smile. Naruto always made his days enjoyable.

Naruto visibly relaxed and smiled back. "I am good, old man," then his features became angry as he shouted, "but not good enough!" he huffed and crossed his arms.

"What happened?" The hokage asked in a calm tone.

"Oh, nothing, just an ugly, perverted cyclops happened!" he replied heatedly.

"Oh? Kakashi? What did he do now?" Hiruzen asked with raised eyebrows.

"That's the problem old man! He didn't do anything! No training! No instructions! No teaching! Just smut reading! I HATE THAT GUY!!" At this point he was breathing a bit heavily.

"Calm down my boy," the aged hokage attempted to calm the young genin, "Anger is not an answer. I am sure we can solve this peacefully. And what is the reason for your anger? Kakashi being lacklustre isn't something new, is it?" he tried to reason but naruto had none of that.

"Reason? Its lack of training even when we survived an encounter with a demon itself. Do you think I didn't try? No old man, I tried, daily and multiple times every day! Heck I am coming from the training ground three AFTER I spoke with that pervert to train us better. But no! He has no intention of training me or Sakura, for him only emo ass sasuke exists. I had enough old man! Either I get another teacher or you straighten up that cyclops and he starts to train us for real or I am quitting!" At this point he was breathing heavily and shaking with barely contained rage.

'Oh my' hiruzen thought. The situation is out of hand now. He never reprimanded Kakashi for his behaviour because he knew exactly what he had been through from a younger age. But Naruto, a 15-almost-16 year old child, couldn't understand it. And, again for the lack of action on his part, someone's relations will be broken. Kakashi will be even more heartbroken if his sensei's son is removed from his team. Before he could reply, Jiraiya spoke.

"You know kid, you are very close to insubordination. He is the hokage, his word is the law in our village. And you are disrespecting him very much! Maybe it's you who couldn't learn from kakashi?" Jiraiya said to Naruto with a frown. Sure, he himself did not like that Cyclops's personality much but he didn't have anything against him either. And bad mouthing one's sensei is a BIG 'No' in Jiraiya's book.

Naruto eyed Jiraiya with narrowed eyes. "And Who Exactly are you?" He asked, also a bit ashamed at himself for not noticing a third participant in the room.

Jiraiya smirked and took his iconic introduction pose, "What? You don't know me? I am The Great, Gallant Jiraiya. One of the three legendary sages of the leaf and writer of the most famous book in the elemental nations; Make Out Tactics. You can call me Lord Jiraiya or Great Sage if you would like" he finished with a smirk, his eyes were closed so he didn't see naruto's incredulous expression.

Naruto clapped mockingly and said, "Wow! What a lame introduction" and then the make out tactics made their way to his mind, "Wait, so YOU are the mega pervert who wrote that shitty smut?! And you call yourself a writer? Well… I don't give a shit!" He replied in a flat tone, then turned towards hiruzen. "What is your answer, old man?" Naruto asked impatiently. Not wanting to put up with this weird old Pervert. 'Why do super strong ninjas have to be perverts?' he thought, 'will i also become like them when I grow stronger?' he shuddered at the thought and shook his head to clear it.

As for jiraiya, his face faulted while hiruzen chuckled. Oh he will have a good time when he will train the brat! And will teach him how to treat his seniors, but internally, he smiled. The kid looks like Minato but his personality is just like kushina. But jiraiya also had other things to say too. So he decided to voice it.

"So… you need a new mentor huh? Well lucky for you, I happen to be free for the time being. If you want, I could train you. So what do you say?" He asked with a grin.

Naruto looked hesitant, not sure what to say to an offer out of the blue, and turned to Hiruzen, and the aged hokage smiled, "Naruto, jiraiya is a great teacher. He was the one who taught your hero," Naruto's eyes were wide after hearing this and Jiraiya could swear he saw his eyes shine like comical puppies, "and he is one of the – if not the – strongest ninja in the leaf right now.'' After hearing this, Naruto's respect for Jiraiya climbed up a few stages.

Naruto would have instantly replied, but he paused and asked, "what would you teach me? And what of my team?"

Hiruzen thoughtfully frowned a little bit, "They will be put to reserve for the time being, meaning no mission greater than D-Ranks, not until they acquire their third member. You see Naruto, if jiraiya taught you, it would count as an apprenticeship so you would be pulled from your team!"

Now Naruto really looked like he wanted to reject, "wait, then what of sakura? And I may not like the one eyed pervert's teaching attitude much but he is a great guy and I really get along with him! And how will I do missions if I become the old pervert's student, huh?" He asked in a no-nonsense tone.

"Well kiddo," jiraiya began, "I don't have time to make you my permanent apprentice, at least not yet. This will be provisional, so you are not being removed from your team entirely, you can take it like a vacation if you will..." He took a deep breath and moved near the window, "and what to teach you? Hmm… we will see tomorrow what you lack so i can improve it, don't be late, i hate late people. Training ground 24." then he turned towards hiruzen with a lecherous grin. "Sensei, i have some 'research' to do. Bye-Bye!" He waved at them and disappeared.

Naruto looked baffled and was about to shout but was stopped by Hiruzen, who put his hand on naruto's right shoulder. "How about we take a break? Ichiraku, my treat!" He said with a wink

Naruto grinned ear to ear and said "you know how to please me old man! Lets go! Ichiraku, here we come!" And with that both grandfather and grandson duo left the leaf administration building. Leaving the Anbu in the room gawking at what has transpired.

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(Tomorrow - Training Ground 24)

Morning sun stemmed from the leaves of the trees, the temperature of air was low and wind was blowing, making everything appear beautiful and surreal. Naruto walked in this scene of the training ground, his demeanour showing supreme confidence.

Why wouldn't he be? Today is the day he proved his worth to someone great. And the sweet training he will receive is also a plus!

Yesterday he went to the library and read about the exploits of jiraiya, even though he hated reading. Oh well, something gained something lost. But Naruto really had to admit that the guy may be a self proclaimed super pervert but he is strong, no, freakishly strong.

And he was a sage too, not only in the title but literally. The article was very short and it only described the basics of a special art known as senjutsu. Senjutsu was far, far more superior than any ninjutsu or genjutsu used by shinobi.

He broke out of his memory lane when he gazed over the clearing. There was a big waterfall and a riverbank nearby and jiraiya was sitting in the middle of the grass field, in front of the waterfall. Jiraiya was sitting in a lotus position and his eyes were closed, probably meditating.

"Yo! Pervy sage!" Naruto announced himself while grinning, with an enthusiastic wave of his hands.

"Ah, Naruto!" Jiraiya greeted back, his own grin matching Naruto's.

"So, how are we gonna do this?" the blonde asked once he reached jiraiya, getting straight to the point.

Jiraiya had a thoughtful frown on his face for a moment, then he said, "Well, let's just go with the flow. Full contact, no holding back! Give me everything you have!" He finished with a smirk.

Naruto, too, grinned. "Are you sure? I could hurt your old body, Believe it!" while he made some distance between him and the old Pervert.

"Sure as I can ever be! Believe me kid, even if there were 100 of you, I wouldn't even have a scratch!" Jiraiya took his casual, loose stance.

Naruto wasted no time. With a powerful leap, he launched himself at Jiraiya, a kunai glinting in his hand.

Jiraiya smirked. He sidestepped the attack with a casual grace that belied his years. Before Naruto could recover, a blur of movement filled his vision. Jiraiya was already upon him, a swift hand reaching out to disarm him.

Naruto twisted away, the kunai spinning in his hand. He brought it down in a diagonal slash, aiming for Jiraiya's shoulder. Jiraiya, anticipating the blow, raised his own kunai to block. The metal met metal with a loud clang, sending sparks flying.

But Naruto wasn't done yet. As Jiraiya deflected the initial attack, a shadow clone materialised beside him, a shuriken flying from its outstretched hand. Jiraiya, with lightning-fast reflexes, spun away from the projectile, the shuriken embedding itself harmlessly in a nearby tree trunk. Naruto jumped back, making distance between him and jiraiya

Naruto landed a few feet away, a grin splitting his face. "Not so easy, pervy sage!" he shouted, his voice laced with playful defiance.

With a quick shout of 'Shadow Clone jutsu', Naruto made the cross hand sign. A puff of smoke erupted, and ten clones materialised beside him. Each clone mirrored his grin.

With a burst of speed, Naruto launched himself at Jiraiya, a blur of orange. He aimed a powerful roundhouse kick towards Jiraiya's head. Jiraiya, seemingly unfazed, tilted his head just enough for the kick to whoosh past harmlessly. He countered with a swift jab aimed at Naruto's chest, but before it could land, Naruto used body replacement. A shadow clone took the blow and puffed away.

The real Naruto, now behind Jiraiya, unleashed a barrage of punches. Jiraiya, with years of experience backing him, effortlessly weaved and parried each blow, his movements fluid and precise. He spun around, catching one of Naruto's clones in a headlock and tossing it aside. Smoke erupted as the clone dispersed.

Naruto pressed the attack, his clones surrounding Jiraiya like a swarm of bees. But Jiraiya, a seasoned veteran, anticipated their movements. He ducked a flying kick from one clone, used the momentum to spin and deliver a sweeping kick that sent two more clones puffing away.

The fight continued in a blur of orange and movement. Naruto's clones attacked from all sides, throwing punches and kicks. Jiraiya danced through the onslaught. He used his experience to predict their movements, disarming them with a well-timed elbow or a perfectly placed leg sweep.

Frustration flickered in Naruto's eyes as he watched his clones get dispelled one by one. He gritted his teeth and made the familiar hand sign and shouted. "Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Another puff of smoke filled the air, and this time, a hundred Naruto(s) materialised, surrounding Jiraiya in a sea of orange. Jiraiya surveyed the scene, a hint of amusement playing on his lips.

"Feeling overwhelmed, pervy sage? Let's test your claim that you could defeat one hundred me(s), Literally!" one Naruto taunted.

Jiraiya let out a hearty laugh. "Not in the least, brat! You are a hundred years too early for that!" He then launched into a display of taijutsu mastery that left Naruto breathless. He moved like a whirlwind, a blur of limbs and precise strikes. He used the clones' momentum against themselves, knocking them out with a single, well-placed kick or deflecting their attacks with unmatched reflexes.

One by one, the clones fell. The training ground became littered with puffs of smoke as Naruto's army dwindled. Finally, only the real Naruto remained, panting heavily, sweat dripping down his face.

Jiraiya stood before him, a single bead of sweat rolling down his temple. "Impressive display, Naruto," he said, his voice calm. "You have a lot of raw power and chakra. But remember, taijutsu isn't just about brute force. It's about strategy, anticipation, and reading your opponent."

Before Naruto could respond, Jiraiya saw an opening. With a lightning-fast movement, he delivered a powerful punch to Naruto's stomach. The air whooshed out of Naruto's lungs, and his knees buckled. He crumpled onto the ground, gasping for breath.

Jiraiya knelt beside him, a concerned look on his face. "Alright, pipsqueak, that's enough for today. You pushed yourself hard."

Naruto, painting just nodded and fell to his back on the grass. Damm, the pervert didn't pull any punches.

"So," naruto began, still trying to even his breath, "What do i have to improve?" He finished still huffing.

"Everything," Jiraiya replied in a flat tone and Naruto stared at him, dumbfounded. Naruto opened his mouth to argue but jiraiya stopped him.

"Let me explain brat!" Jiraiya's voice indicated frustration. He raised his hand and lifted his index finger to indicate one. "First is your diet. You are a midget, too small for an almost 16 year old. So we will be changing your diet to something healthy and ramen occasionally, and only ONE bowl.'' Naruto growled at that. He can't survive a day without ramen after all. But he remained quiet, knowing that if he wants training from a person busy as jiraiya then, he has to listen to him. But he didn't have to like it. And honestly he hated it.

Jiraiya continued, obvious or not so obvious to his apprentice-to-be's plight, lifted his middle finger, "Second is your chakra control. Let's face it brat, because of the fox," Naruto touched his stomach with a sad and pained look on his face, "Your chakra reserves are almost 50x larger than a jounin, and you are also an uzumaki – people known to have a monstrous amount of chakra. So we will be working to fix it, and today will be water walking." He motioned to the waterfall and the flowing river.

Then jiraiya lifted his ring finger, "Third is your taijutsu. Honestly, you are shit at that! And it is the area we will be working the most. Yes, you hit hard and fast but you're a street brawler, and while I admit that your brawler style makes you very unpredictable, it also gives you a very big disadvantage of efficiency. So I will teach you my personal style until you acquire your own." Jiraiya paused to let the information sink in and also to make sure the orange wearing brat was paying attention.

He then raised his little finger, "The fourth area will be battle tactics. You suck! Charging any enemy head on is not the way a shinobi fights!" He said a bit more heatedly, "If you don't get your head in the game, forget about hokage, you will die before you even reach the rank of chunin!" Naruto just lowered his head. What Jiraiya said was true after all. In his last important fight, he charged recklessly at haku without thinking and if it weren't for the damned fox, he would have been dead. This really was an area he had to improve! A hokage can't be an idiot, can they?

Naruto chuckled a bit at himself and admitted that he is an idiot. Jiraiya peeked at him and saw the look of acceptance and then fiery determination ignited in his eyes. He smirked internally. He really was Kushina's brat.

"And fifth, we will be improving and expanding your overall repertoire of shinobi arts. You will be learning medical ninjutsu, at least to a level to survive until an actual medic reaches you, we will be doing more ninja tool training and you will learn new ways to use different ninja tools. I will also teach you how to set up traps and ambushes, you will also be learning sealing arts and last but not the least, weapon Training. To the level of you being able to save your life, at least." he finished and took a deep breath.

Naruto looked very determined but for a moment, that determination morphed into self doubt. Could he do it? He is not a genius like sasuke, nor he is a person who learns fast. Can he really learn everything jiraiya will teach him? Honestly, he had no answers…

Jiraiya saw the look of doubt on Naruto's face and placed a hand on his shoulders. Naruto looked up, at him, in the eye. Jiraiya gave him a very gentle and reassuring smile. "Don't worry kid, I am here, aren't i? I am your teacher now, you are my responsibility. I will guide you to be the best of yourself. It's okay if no one believes in you, I was pretty much the same when I was a genin." Then he gave a very soft and fond smile. "But I will always believe in you! I am your master, it won't matter that we don't share any blood, Naruto, but remember a teacher is one of the most important people in someone's life, second only to mother and father." He then ruffled Naruto's hair in an obvious show of affection.

Naruto just stared at jiraiya with wide, teary eyes. No one has ever said that they believe in him. People have berated and insulted him, yes. but never encouraged him. And this man – as perverted as he may be – who he met just yesterday announced a very close, familial bond with him. He wiped his eyes and said with as much as determination he could muster. "Yes, Jiraiya-sensei! I won't disappoint you. Ever.'' Jiraiya just ruffled his hair again. Today, Naruto Uzumaki was happy. Truly happy.

Jiraiya smiled at his godson's reinforced resolve."Don't you worry Naruto, we will be using a trick to speed up your training." Then fire ignited in Jiraiya's eyes, literally. "And I promise you that you will win the upcoming chunin exams!"

Naruto gave his trademark foxy grin. "Believe it!" Then Naruto asked the obvious question.

"What is that trick sensei?" Naruto asked. Not calling him pervy sage for now. He decided that for at least until he trains with him, he will refer to him as such.

"Oh it's shadow clones! Don't you know that it gives memory feedback when it gets dispelled? People like you and me are the only ones who can use such a training method. Since it takes a shit ton of chakra just to make a clone let alone maintain it for training. You could do one day's worth of training in one hour using 24 clones and it can go till you can handle it. But be warned, it also gives you accumulated fatigue from every clone, naruto." He finished and took a small amount of satisfaction from seeing Naruto's expression.

As for the blonde, he just stared at Jiraiya with wide eyes. Come to think of it, he does have memories of seeing himself fight! 'Dammit! I really am an idiot!' he mentally berated himself for not noticing such an important detail. Oh, the pranks he could have pulled! "Then, what are we waiting for jiraiya-sensei? Let's begin!" He said and quickly ran towards the river made by the waterfall. Then he heard Jiraiya's voice call out to him.

"Hold your horses, kid. There is a thing I need you to do first." He said to the approaching Naruto.

"And what would that be?" he asked with visible curiosity.

"Signing the toad contract!" Jiraiya replied with a grin but Naruto only gave him a look of disbelief.

"Nah! Not interested. Toads are lame!" and he began to walk towards the river again to begin his training in water walking. Jiraiya just face faulted. The kid just disrespected his entire career. Then he got a gleam in his eyes.

"Not even if I told you that the Fourth hokage also was a toad summoner?" Jiraiya baited and smirked when he saw Naruto freeze mid step and he came to him so fast it looked like damn teleportation.

"Where. Is. The. Contract. I. Will. Sign. It. Now." his voice was more like a man possessed. No one could blame the blonde. How many people got the chance of getting to sign the same summoning contract as their inspiration.

Jiraiya smirked even more and walked a little away from naruto. Then he bit his thumb enough to draw blood and went through the hand seals of summoning jutsu; Boar, Dog, Bird, Monkey and Ram. He then gathered enough chakra to summon gama – the contract holder toad and then he slammed his palm onto the ground and…

Nothing happened…

Naruto just stared at Jiraiya with a confused look on his face.

Jiraiya looked dumbfounded at the failure of summoning jutsu, it has never happened before!

He tried again. But again, nothing. Not even a leaf moved.

He tried again with enough chakra to summon gamabunta, but that too failed. Is it because of his suspended contract? he wondered. But quickly shook his head, he was forbidden from summoning spying toads and toads who specialise in information gathering and infiltration, not the battle toads.

"What happened, jiraiya-sensei?" questioned Naruto from the top of the river. Wait… Top Of the river? Jiraiya looked in naruto's direction and sure enough, the kid was standing on the river. This clearly left Jiraiya baffled. He thought that the kid would need at least 3 days with clones to get the water walking down. But he did it in less than a minute. Then a thought came to the super perverts' head; Minato. Yeah, the brat is Minato's son, and he was a genius in every sense of the word. So, it is to be expected from his son.

"Nothing, Naruto! Just the summoning jutsu failed to summon anything. Don't worry, I will try again." then jiraiya made more distance, to try summoning all the giant toads at the same time. And in some time, he will be glad that he did.

Jiraiya squashed his bitten thumb to draw more blood, did the hand signs and poured every bit of chakra he had, enough to summon 6 giant battle toads and both Fukasaku and Shima, with him being left with enough to enter sage mode.

Toads didn't come. But what did come was a massive explosion which created a wide crater, 25 metres in diameter and almost 15 meters deep. It sent Jiraiya very far from his point of summoning and it also sent Naruto deep under the river.

— — —

(POV - The Honoured One - Empty Space/Void)

He lost.

Satoru Gojo, The World's Strongest Jujutsu Sorcerer, The Honoured One, Lost.

Lost to a relic of the past. Lost to sukuna's World Cutting Slash. His infinity failed to save him this time.

A mirthless chuckle escaped his pained mouth. Loss. It was an unfamiliar word to him. He never even thought about the possibility of losing to someone, let alone dying.

Then, his conversation with his dead comrades came to his mind. He chuckled again, but this time, it had a hint of joy in it. But he couldn't even hear his own voice in the hyperspace he was in. His sanity and consciousness only kept intact by his cursed eyes, six eyes.

When sukuna cut his torso and his arms, he died that moment, not able to survive the bisection of his soul. Pathetic. World's strongest sorcerer couldn't survive a measly cut to his torso, and that was when he had his reverse cursed technique running in full force.

He chose North. When Nanami told him about this concept of north and south, he understood what he had to do. He has to become a better version of himself, such is the goal of life. Yes, his current… the last one ended, but he is not enlightened, so he will return to the cycle of reincarnation – Samsara – and be reborn.

Yet, here he is, floating in hyperspace after drifting from an uncountable number of universes. His mind should have been crushed, but again, his cursed eyes kept his mind intact, and healthy, Kept him Sane. Just like it did in the prison realm.

But in this hyperspace, he had ample time to reflect on his life and the actions he took. Hibara was right, he has never used his jujutsu to protect anyone. He only did so because he found it fun, not because of his desire to keep anyone safe.

Loneliness. A familiar companion of his, but that too was because of himself. His isolation was also an illusion, a mental barrier he created because of his own arrogance, his overconfidence in being the strongest, being the honoured one, the chosen one.

Don't get him wrong. He did extensive study on almost all religions of the world and their branches. Most specifically Buddhism, and its parent philosophy, Sanatan Dharma, or better Known as Hinduism. And when he thought that he had been enlightened, he quoted Siddharth Gautam Buddha.

Both schools of thought were very much the same and different – A duality, just like life.

Both of these teachings emphasised on one thing – Liberation. Be it Moksha in hinduism or Nirvana in Buddhism. Being free from suffering is the only goal of a mortal's life. Buddhism taught how one can achieve Nirvana by leaving this world of desires and illusions while Hinduism taught how one will achieve moksha by understanding all things and achieving a balance between it. One is to reject and connect, the other is to accept and connect.

Some might wonder, what does buddhism and hinduism have to do with anything? It is, for satoru. Because he rejected and refused to connect.

He had everything. Power, money, fame, and most importantly, people who wanted to connect with him.

He was the world's strongest. So no one could have threatened him or people close to him. He was one of the richest people on the face of the planet, jujutsu society loved their special grade, so he had – and could have – pretty much everything he wished for. Fame? It was in his foot. He had a family, had many friends, conrads and his students – his sons and daughters in a sense – but he was still alone and isolated and it was his fault.

When he died, a bitter realisation hit him. It wouldn't have mattered if he would have won, or not against sukuna. Death was his only destination. He lost so it was granted instantly, should he have won, he would have died of old age. His death would have been painful. What Yuji told him was correct, he came to this world alone, and he would die alone. But he should die surrounded by people who he loved and they loved him in return. a meaningful death.

Again, his fault. His own arrogance never allowed him to make any sort of important bond with anyone. Life is like a coin. If there is happiness, there will also be sadness, if he had loved, he would have hated too, when he laughed, he would get angry too.

Suguru compared him to a flower, a lotus. He was right, but if someone tried to understand the lotus, shouldn't the flower let them do so? He didn't!

If someone is to imagine the life experience of satoru gojo, they could call it a coin which is neither heads nor tails, it is the middle.

One's Power and overall strength and one's character and mindset are two sides of the same coin. He let his power decide what would become of his character and mindset. But he should have done the opposite. He should have let his mindset develop and then let it guide his power in the right direction.

He was the one to isolate himself, not the other way around. He chose the life of loneliness, when he could have lived a life surrounded by people he loved. But when he denied them to connect with him, he denied himself to connect with them too. He thought no one understood him, or could understand him – except suguru – but he himself didn't understand anyone. And love comes from understanding, after all.

Satoru Gojo, The World's Strongest Jujutsu Sorcerer, The Honoured One died without regret, but after his death, the most he regretted was his own life.

He was the one to isolate himself, not the other way around. He chose the life of loneliness, when he could have lived a life surrounded by people he loved. But when he denied them to connect with him, he denied himself to connect with them too. He thought no one understood him, or could understand him – except suguru – but he himself didn't understand anyone. And love comes from understanding, after all.

But before he could muse anymore, he felt a pull on his soul.

"It's 'About Damn Time!" satoru practically yelled while grinning, at no one in particular. But if someone heard his voice they could've told that he is very excited to be reincarnated. A very peculiar thrill to witness one's own consciousness be crushed and their souls be rewritten according to the laws of the world where they are to be born. Their karma to be the judge of the condition they will spend their next life in. And having six eyes in his astral body made him aware of the shape of his own soul too.

But Nothing Happened.

He groaned and wondered if the typical isekai shit is about to happen.

'Nah' he thought to himself. How could that be right? When a soul reincarnates they shed their astral body, and the astral body is the vessel of consciousness of their current life. Their memories, Personality, Experience, preferences, their very being is stored in the astral body. What is referred to as the soul is nothing but the Astral Body, a skin for the real soul, just like the physical body. The only thing the actual soul carries is a spark of pure consciousness, an individual identity in infinite stream and one's karma, nothing more nothing less.

Yes, it is possible to have memories of one's past life or lives. Or you open a portal to another universe or be summoned there. Having past life memories, that counts as a siddhi – a spiritual accomplishment. And the strongest sorcerer he might have been, Gojo was never the one to be a spiritualist. Because he thought he was already enlightened. And from what he was able to gather, jujutsu was born from Tibetan tantric traditions, and tantric siddhis leave your body when you die, only yogic siddhis are the ones which will go with you.

Satoru felt a stronger pull this time. But again nothing…

It happened again and then again… NOTHING!

At this point he was getting pretty frustrated. Why the hell couldn't he just reincarnate already? Does the Brahman (ultimate reality) hate him that much? Or is his karma too bad to be reincarnated?

He felt the same frustrating pull again. But this time this pull was strong. No scratch that, it was freaking strong.

Gone was the sterile void, replaced by a kaleidoscope of vibrant colours, swirling and shifting like a maelstrom of possibilities. The entire hyperspace – which is known as the dimensional void by everyone – shook and swirled around him, only due to having six eyes – A Siddhi – and the nature of his limitless he could perceive the dimensional hyperspace, albeit faintly. He saw countless universes flash by, realities both familiar and bizarre, again.

Then he felt like he had fallen, he was able to feel the ground beneath his back. 'What the hell' satoru yelled in his mind. Why can he feel the ground? Why has his consciousness not been erased?

Then he slowly opened his eyes and saw things fimiliar and unfimiliar to him at the same time.

In his old world, there was a misconception about six eyes, that it allowed one to perceive cursed energy. No. They couldn't be anymore wrong. Six eyes, once mastered, had the ability to perceive the unperceivable, the invisible, things which can be considered higher dimensional existence. He could not only perceive cursed energy, but one's prana (Sanskrit for Ki/Chi), the physical life force of a living being, he could also perceive shakti (Sanskrit for Spiritual energy), the energy of the pure consciousness and where cursed energy comes from.

And now, he is witnessing something bizarre, a mixture of both the energies, it existed everywhere. But it shouldn't be possible! or at least not everywhere! Perceiving spiritual energy of the world is a nearly godly feat, it can make you a literal god. If, A BIG IF, you could perceive, you could influence it, and being able to influence the every energy of the world meant you can literally do anything! Creating matter out of literally nothing? Possible. Talking to the dead? Pfft, easy feat. Reviving the dead when the body of the deceased is not available? It Has been done before by some Tibetan monks and Himalayan yogis. Becoming agelessly immortal? It was the practice of Xian, wasn't it? Something called senjutsu?

Well, back to the topic, he was now able to see and with a little more focus, hear things. When he focused on his surroundings, he was able to see that he was in some kind of crater, and he was in his old body.

What. The. Fuck.

That was the only thing his pained mind could think of in his condition. 'So the isekai shit did happen' he thought to himself and chuckled, while coughing blood. Aah, it was painful but it also felt good to be able to feel your body.

Now, he focused on his body and wondered why he was not dead... Again? Both of his hands are severed, his torso is severed from his waist, his brain is heavily damaged to even attempt rct.

"Well, Shit!" He mused to himself, as he coughed blood.

Then, from the corner of his cursed eyes, he detected two presences, both were very strong. One was very familiar. Aah. The first one which he felt during the pull. But what piqued his interest more, despite his current state, was the second one. His six eyes gave him very high visual acuity, so he could see the teen in bright orange with bright, Spiky blonde hair and a headband with a…leave? Yeah, leaf logo. The first person was an old dude with long white hair and a weird horned headband with 'Oil' written on it.

The old dude came to him, clearly panicked by his state, and said something he couldn't understand. Maybe the language of this world? No. Satoru couldn't hear properly. He Guess that being in hyperspace for so long might have messed up his senses. Then he focused on the blonde teen and the teen too, looked very scared and he might puke. Figures, seeing his current state, any sane and normal person will have the same reaction.

Then the old dude knelt down and tried to reattach his torso to waist down, his hands started to glow green, he could perceive the same mixing of energies he witnessed in the world, but this energy was his own. More prana than shakti. And it looked like he was healing him. Or as best as he could, satoru could see the crudeness in his healing method. The guy was no expert.

Then seeing some hope, satoru began to infuse some positive energy to at least heal his brain. It worked, albeit slowly and it hurt like bitch. If his brain is healed, he would be able to use his rct at full power and be completely healed in a few seconds!

— — —

(POV - Jiraiya - A Few Seconds ago)

The explosion propelled Jiraiya through the air like a ragdoll. He slammed into the first tree, splintering bark, before crashing into a second with a sickening thud. Pain radiated from his ribs, threatening to buckle him. But Naruto was in danger!

Gritting his teeth, Jiraiya pushed himself up. Ignoring the searing ache, he channeled a truly massive amount of chakra, supercharging his speed as he rocketed towards the churning river. He reached supersonic speeds, creating a sonic boom, the world blurring around him as his sole focus narrowed on Naruto's safety.

Reaching the riverbank, Jiraiya found Naruto emerging from the water, drenched and coughing. Relief flooded him. "What happened back there, pervy sage?" Naruto sputtered, his voice laced with worry.

Jiraiya forced a smile. "Just a botched summoning jutsu," he explained, his voice strained. But even as he spoke, a new sense of unease prickled at him. He focused his chakra senses, detecting a faint presence near the crater created by the explosion.

Approaching cautiously, Jiraiya's breath hitched. In the centre of the crater lay a figure unlike anything he'd ever seen. A man, bisected from the waist down, his hands severed at the elbows. Panic surged through Jiraiya. Had his failed jutsu summoned this poor soul? Had he caused this horrific injury?

Pushing past the fear, Jiraiya knew he had to act. He knelt beside the injured man, focusing his chakra. He wasn't sure if his medical jutsu would work on someone with such injuries, but it was the only chance he had. With a deep breath, Jiraiya began the process, hoping to at least stabilize the man's condition until he could reach a proper medical facility.

Mystic palm worked, even only a little. It was a great technique, once mastered to heal any sort of damage in the body but Jiraiya can only heal skin deep wounds. And now regretting not learning any good medical ninjutsu to an acceptable level.

Could you blame the guy? He was a sage, after he achieved sage mode, nature energy always healed him and he healed any injury in less than a week, no matter how severe they were.

Slowly the blood stopped, and the white haired man's skin on his torso started to mend. Dammit, it was taking a good chunk of chakra to even heal this much. He has already spent most of his chakra summoning this injured man.

Despite the current situation, jiraiya couldn't help but wonder, how the hell did this man survive being cleaved in half? And from where did the white haired man come from? As far as jiraiya knew, summoning realms are pocket dimensions interconnected with the main home dimension and each other. And summoning jutsu cannot summon a human, if it's not a specialised variation, that is.

Jiraiya looked up to have a good look at this strange man. He had very white hair, striking azure blue eyes, which were glowing with untold power, his face was very handsome despite numerous cuts and blood, he was wearing baggy white pants and black muscle shirt. He looked young, but his body was near thirties. And he was looking at him with a thankful expression, well, as expressive his face can be in his condition anyways.

Jiraiya looked back, towards where Naruto was standing, and sure enough, the blonde had a very horror stricken face. No one could blame him, even being a shinobi, you don't see people in such a state and it can have a lasting trauma. His teammate, Tsunade, was the same. She saw too much blood and the blood of her loved ones and it became PTSD and she became hemophobic.

Jiraiya looked up to have a good look at this strange man. He had very white hair, striking azure blue eyes, which were glowing with untold power, his face was very handsome despite numerous cuts and blood, he was wearing baggy white pants and black muscle shirt. He looked young, but his body was near thirties. And he was looking at him with a thankful expression, well, as expressive his face can be in his condition anyways.

How could his be? Naruto wondered. Who was this man and how did he come here? The academy taught them about summoning jutsu and how it works, basics at least. It summons a contracted animal from their realm or the place they live in. It is a very developed technique with no failures ever recorded in history. But here he is, watching the toad sage trying to summon toads and end up summoning a very injured, half dead – who should be dead again – man and then healing him.

Naruto has never seen so much blood in his life at once. And when he looked at the man's face, he saw a familiar expression. Loneliness. And depression.

Just what the hell could happen to almost kill this man? He looked powerful. No. Scratch that. He looked freakishly strong, if the amount of chakra his body was ozing off was anything to go by. Naruto's chakra was visible too – and even now naruto had more chakra than this man – when he performed techniques, but this man was on a whole different level in terms of chakra potency. His senses screamed at him to get as far away as possible, but his mind was glued to the strange man's face.

Suddenly, a strange pulse came from the injured man, and his body was enveloped in a transparent aura. What was more strange was that his wounds started to heal at a very rapid, unnatural rate. And this healing was different, since normal healing jutsu creates a steam like effect from the excessive chakra in the body, but this man's healing looked more like he was recreating the damaged parts.

Gone were the gruesome wounds. His bisected torso reattached seamlessly, and where his arms were severed, new flesh had grown, leaving only faint pink lines as evidence of the injury. Even the gashes and scrapes that had marred his skin vanished without a trace.

Jiraiya started, his jaw slacking. "What... What jutsu was that?" he stammered.

The man chuckled, a deep, rich sound. "Nothing fancy," he said, his voice smooth and confident. "Just a little technique called the Reverse Cursed Technique. It's my specialty."

Naruto's head spun. Regeneration like that was legendary, a feat accomplished by only the most powerful.The Only known people to possess the ability to recreate organs and limbs are Tsunade Senju and her deceased grandfather, Hashirama Senju. This stranger, with his casual demeanour and near-godlike ability, was unlike anything he'd ever encountered.

"The name's Satoru Gojo," the man continued, extending a hand towards Jiraiya. "And it seems I've stumbled into quite an interesting situation." He flashed a grin that was both charming and vaguely unsettling. "By the way, did I mention I'm from another world?"

Jiraiya, still speechless, could only stare as Satoru offered his hand, a single thought echoing in his mind: another world? 'This day just keeps getting wonderful' he thought sarcastically.

Satoru's smile remained playful, yet a hint of impatience flickered in his cerulean eyes.

"Introductions first, introductions first!" he said, extending his hand further. "Manners, old-timer. I wouldn't want to be considered rude on my first day in this... fascinating world."

Jiraiya, finally regaining his composure, nodded curtly. "Right. You first, then."

Satoru's grin widened. "Satoru Gojo," he stated, his voice taking on a more serious tone. "And yes," he added, a hint of amusement in his voice, "as I mentioned before, I seem to have arrived from another world entirely."

Jiraiya, forced back to reality by the outstretched hand, mumbled a self-deprecating apology. "Jiraiya, at your service," he muttered, shaking Satoru's hand with a firm grip. "And this here," he gestured towards Naruto, "is Naruto Uzumaki, a student of mine."

Naruto, still trying to process the impossible regeneration, nodded curtly. Satoru's gaze landed on him, holding it for a beat before returning to Jiraiya.

Jiraiya studied Satoru for a moment, his gaze sharp. "Another world? That's a bold claim, stranger. How can you possibly expect us to believe that?"

Satoru raised his hands in mock surrender. "Fair enough. Look, I understand this is all a bit… unconventional. But trust me, the explanation is even more unbelievable." He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Let's just say I possess certain… abilities that might seem a bit outlandish here."

"Alright," Satoru continued with a sigh, a hint of seriousness creeping into his voice. "You have questions, I can tell. How about we find more… private location to discuss them?" He glanced pointedly at Naruto.

Jiraiya understood. This situation was beyond Naruto's current understanding. "Right," he agreed, placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Why don't you head back to the village, Naruto? I'll catch up with you later."

Naruto, though hesitant, nodded and took his leave. Now alone with Satoru, Jiraiya met his gaze directly. "Alright, Gojo," he said, his voice firm. "How did you heal like that? And who are you, truly?"

Satoru's smile didn't falter. "Ah, the burning questions," he mused. "Well, Jiraiya, I wouldn't call myself a typical healer. In my world, I'm what you might call a sorcerer. The world's strongest, in fact." He tapped his chest with a flourish. "The Honored One, Satoru Gojo, at your service."

"And as for how I healed like that?" He flexed his arms and jumped a few times with a smirk, "it would be the Reverse Cursed Technique, the ability to produce positive energy from negative emotions and then creating blood, flesh, bone and skin from that!" then he became more serious but he still had a gentle yet unnerving smile on his face, "It is a truly special technique, only a handful of people in my world were capable of doing so."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "A sorcerer, huh? And from another world? That's a lot to take in." He paused, considering his options. Leaving the healing for more glaring questions. This Gojo might be powerful, but powerful didn't always translate to trustworthy.

"Look," Jiraiya continued, his voice low, "you understand I can't just take your word for it. You're powerful, that much is clear. And frankly, I can't risk someone with your abilities running loose in the village." he finished and looked up the sky.

Jiraiya sighed and turned back to Satoru, his gaze unwavering. "Alright," he said, his voice gruff. "If you're truly from another world, then you understand the need for caution. A powerful stranger with unknown abilities… it's my duty to investigate. You'll come with me to the Hokage."

Satoru sighed dramatically. "Spoilsport," he muttered. Still, he shrugged and offered a nonchalant smile. "Lead the way, then."

The journey to the Hokage's office was filled with a tense silence. Jiraiya remained vigilant, his senses on high alert. Satoru, on the other hand, seemed unfazed, his gaze wandering over the unfamiliar landscape.

He could just fly there or teleport if he knew the location but what fun would be in that? You just don't go to another world daily. And Satoru Gojo will milk this opportunity for all its worth!

He saw many masked figures in black trailing them, on guard and ready to attack at any moment. They were not so hidden from his six eyes, and he could tell that they were no push over. And definitely not even close to the level of the man who is escorting (more like dragging) him to their leader's abode.

Those masked figures were at most grade 2 and Jiraiya was at least at special grade 1. Considering this world's energy constantly being absorbed by him, even only in very miniscule amounts.

His own strength has changed. He witnessed the rewriting of laws on his soul, he couldn't make heads or tails of what exactly happened, but being aware of your spiritual shape does allow you to perceive any changes.

And more specially, he had this strange energy in his body. Mixture of both prana and shakti. He could see his spiritual energy being drawn from his third eye; pineal gland and physical energy being drawn from the base of his spine, both being combined in the entire body but especially the heart, where the heart chakra (Anahat Chakra) is located and being stored in his stomach.

He also noticed a very important fact that everyone here, well most people with this strange energy were in control of their cursed energy. Or… it was more like their cursed energy was being blended into this strange energy. Many civilians did have cursed energy leaking from them but it was constantly being purged by the natural energy of this world.

'Huh…Suguru would have loved this world, a world with no curse spirits' he thought sadly.

But he didn't have any time to dwell on his sadness, since they arrived in an old-but-fancy looking building with the kanji for 'Fire' on it. 'Oh, Yeah. Hokage means 'Fire Shadow'. He thought.

Upon reaching the Hokage's office, they found Hiruzen Sarutobi, the leader of the village, calmly sipping tea. He greeted Jiraiya with a nod, his gaze then settling on Satoru with a hint of curiosity.

Hiruzen had seen everything from his crystal ball, his intentions were to gauge Naruto and see if jiraiya is goofing off or really training him. It displayed the scene from the clearing, showing him everything, showcasing Satoru's miraculous regeneration.

Satoru eyed the old man with curiosity. What the hell is up with this world? He had seen almost three special grade 1 level individuals, including the orange wearing blonde teen. This old leader was also on a whole other level. And as satoru could tell, if they fought, if he fought with any of the two without his limitless, he would be played and squashed like a mere child.

"Lets move to the Anbu headquarters, we have much to discuss, much to verify!" He said cryptically and not so cryptically then the aged hokage got up from his seat and body flickered to the said location.

"Let's go, gojo!" Jiraiya said in a serious tone, and he put his arm on his shoulder, satoru let him, by turning off infinity. Then, they too vanished in a body flicker.

— — —

(Anbu Headquarters - Level 36)

Hiruzen arrived in the deepest level of Anbu headquarters. This level was reserved for utmost secret missions and imprisoning the most hideous of criminals for interrogation and execution. Inoichi present to perform mind walks and ibiki for old fashioned interrogation.

Just after a few seconds of him arriving, Jiraiya and Satoru Gojo arrived, his eyes glowing with immense power and it made him look very elegant and errie at the same time.

Jiraiya's posture remained rigid, a stark contrast to Satoru's nonchalant demeanour. The air crackled with a tension that transcended mere physical presence. Satoru, however, seemed oblivious, a playful glint in his eyes.

Satoru, ever the showman, flashed a dazzling smile. "Wow, this place is something else! All these hidden compartments and security measures – you folks really take security seriously, huh?" His voice echoed in the sterile, dimly lit chamber.

Hiruzen and Jiraiya exchanged a guarded glance. This newcomer, Gojo, possessed a disconcerting mix of playful charm and raw power that put them on edge. The playful banter wasn't easing their apprehension.

"Let's cut to the chase, Gojo," Hiruzen said, his voice firm. "We need answers. Your arrival, the nature of your abilities… they raise many questions."

Satoru's smile faltered slightly, but he recovered quickly. "Of course, Old Man. Ask away, and I'll do my best to answer truthfully."

Hiruzen's gaze held Satoru's, his voice firm. "Tell us, Satoru Gojo, about your world. About the power you wield."

Satoru leaned back slightly, a thoughtful look replacing his usual playful demeanour. "The world I come from," he began, "is a lot like yours, but with a hidden side. There exists a power called Cursed Energy, a malignant force born from negative emotions like fear and hatred. Every human has negativity and thus cursed energy but some people have more than others, and then they are able to see cursed spirits."

He gestured vaguely. "The cursed energy leaked from humans can manifest as monstrous entities called Cursed Spirits. These spirits prey on humans, causing chaos and destruction."

"To combat these threats," Satoru continued, "we have Jujutsu. And Jujutsu Sorcerers. We learn to channel and manipulate Cursed Energy to fight these spirits. We also have allies – special creatures called Shikigami that we can summon to aid us. They are also manifestations of cursed energy but shikigami are created by a sorcerer for a specific purpose."

Jiraiya leaned forward, his curiosity piqued. "So, are these curses like demons then?"

"Not quite," Satoru said. "They're more like… lingering negativity. The stronger the negative emotion, the stronger the curse."

Seeing their intrigued expressions, Satoru elaborated. "Some Jujutsu Sorcerers, like myself, are born with unique abilities called Innate Techniques. These techniques are incredibly powerful and vary greatly between Sorcerers."

Inoichi, who had been silent until now, spoke up. "Innate technique? So, are your abilities unique to you?"

Satoru nodded. "Yes. Many Jujutsu Sorcerers have innate technique and many don't. Some innate techniques are hereditary and are passed on to one's offspring, like my limitless and six eyes."

Inoichi nodded in understanding. They are just like bloodline limits but more versatile.

A hint of pride flickered across his face. "In my world, I belonged to one of the three most powerful Jujutsu families, the Gojo Clan. I was also blessed with two very rare Innate Techniques of My Clan – the Six Eyes and Limitless."

He explained how the Six Eyes granted him unparalleled perception, hypercognition and allowed him to see the flow of Cursed Energy and even the weak points of techniques. Limitless, he described, was a complex technique that granted him the ability to manipulate space down to the subatomic level and he used it to create a barrier of infinity around himself.

"I was considered the strongest Jujutsu Sorcerer of my era," Satoru admitted, a hint of sadness tinging his voice. "The Honoured One."

Hiruzen's eyes narrowed. "Strongest? But how did you end up here? in our world?"

A heavy silence descended upon the room. Satoru took a deep breath. "But even the strongest can fall, I learned that the hard way," he said, his voice low. "I perished in a battle against the King of Curses, Sukuna, the most powerful Jujutsu Sorcerer turned Cursed Spirit from the Heian era. During the fight, something… unusual happened."

Again, a heavy silence descended upon the room. Inoichi, who had been intently listening, spoke up hesitantly. "But that doesn't answer how you ended up here?"

Satoru's gaze flickered to Inoichi, a flicker of hope rekindled in his eyes. "I don't know exactly. Maybe a side effect of my infinity clashing with Sukuna's the World Cutting Slash? Because I was dead and that meant reincarnation, but my original body was summoned into this world and my soul was rewritten according to this world. It was like… I got reincarnated into my own body in a different world, yeah! Or maybe something else entirely. All I know is I woke up injured in that crater."

Hiruzen, the Hokage, stroked his beard thoughtfully. "A world beyond ours… Jujutsu Sorcerers… cursed spirits. It's a lot to take in, Gojo. But for now, we'll hear you out further. However, understand that your presence raises concerns. We'll need to assess the potential threat you pose, and…" he looked pointedly at Satoru, "investigate your claims further."

Satoru sighed, a hint of his playful demeanour returning. "Fair enough. I understand your caution. Just know, I have no desire to cause trouble. I'm just… trying to figure out how to live my new life to the fullest. Because, after dying and being reborn, I won't look a gift horse in the mouth. When I died, I entrusted everything to my students and passed on without regret, and my dead comrades/friends opened my eyes, for real but when I was in hyperspace, the thing I regretted most was my own life of self isolation."

Hiruzen, the Hokage, stroked his beard thoughtfully. "A world beyond ours… Jujutsu Sorcerers… cursed spirits. It's a lot to take in, Gojo. But for now, we'll hear you out further. However, understand that your presence raises concerns. We'll need to assess the potential threat you pose, and…" he looked pointedly at Satoru, "investigate your claims further."

Inoichi's brow furrowed. This technique, while powerful, could leave mental scars on both the user and the target. "Lord Hokage," he said, his voice low, "a Mind Walk at this level is…"

Satoru, however, cut him off with a confident wave of his hand. "No worries, good sir. My Six Eyes keeps my mind in a pristine garden, untouched by mental weeds. Proceed."

Hiruzen nodded curtly. "Very well, Gojo. We need to be certain."

Inoichi hesitated for a moment longer, then met Satoru's gaze. He gestured to the gojo to sit down on a chair available, he himself sat on the opposite one. He did some hand seals and a seal array appeared to restrain a target to make them still. Then he went through a set of completely different, unknown hand seals, ending with a seal resembling a snake seal but vertical and the thumbs were facing upwards. His hands started to glow blue and he touched the forehead of satoru, as be blacked out.

"Secret Art : Life Dream Genesis" inoichi muttered and he too blacked out, along with hiruzen and Jiraiya, who were seated beside him and satoru.

They witnessed a World shift.

The first image that solidified was a sterile hospital room. A newborn baby, radiating an unusual intensity, lay cradled in his mother's arms. News reports flashed across the screen, declaring the birth of Satoru Gojo, a child hailed as a prodigy, a harbinger of change. The world of Jujutsu Sorcerers buzzed with an unseen tension. The balance, precariously maintained for centuries, seemed to tilt with Satoru's arrival.

Then the leaf shinobi saw a Monster in Human Skin.

Years flowed by in a montage. A young Satoru, eyes blazing with an unnatural power, effortlessly mastered complex Jujutsu techniques. His peers cowered, some whispered of a monster in human skin. His immense talent fueled arrogance, a cold indifference to those he deemed beneath him.

Amidst the isolation, a flicker of warmth appeared. Suguru Geto, another prodigy burdened by his own darkness, became Satoru's first and perhaps only true friend. Together, they were an unstoppable force, their combined power awe-inspiring.

The mission to protect Riko Amanai, a young girl harbouring immense cursed energy, who was to be sacrificed as a star plasma vessel for the world, became a turning point. Toji Fushiguro, a powerful assassin from the zenin clan, with heavenly restriction, materialised as a relentless opponent. Satoru, for the first time, tasted defeat, a humiliating loss that shattered his arrogance. On the verge of death, clinging to life by a thread, Satoru awakened – Reverse Cursed Technique. He emerged from the brink, stronger than ever, his power amplified by a newfound understanding. The battle concluded with a devastating display of his newfound technique, a hollow purple blast that vaporised Toji. Not before the dead assassin told him about his son and his deal with the zenin clan.

He chose to adopt the son of his assailant, Megumin Fushiguro and raise him as his own.

Years passed, filled with training and mentorship. Yuta Okkotsu, another boy burdened by a powerful curse, became Satoru's student. He poured his heart into training Yuta, recognizing the potential for good within him.

A chilling darkness descended. Suguru Geto, his friend, his confidante, fell from grace. Consumed by a twisted ideology, Suguru turned his back on the Jujutsu world, becoming a formidable enemy. The weight of that betrayal bore heavily on Satoru. He later witnessed the death of his only friend by the hands of his student; Yuta.

Life continued, bringing new challenges. Yuji Itadori, a young man who became a vessel for the monstrous Sukuna, entered Satoru's life. The trio of Yuji, Nobara, and Megumi became his new pupils, their growth a source of pride and hope.

Hiruzen, Jiraiya, and Inoichi witnessed Satoru's prowess in battle, the near-invincibility granted by his Infinity technique. They saw him strategize, lead, and fight with unwavering determination.

The events of Shibuya unfolded – a devastating battle that left scars on the Jujutsu world. They saw Satoru sealed within a special prison realm. But even sealed away, Satoru's spirit remained unbroken. He emerged from the prison realm, stronger than ever, ready to face a new threat – Sukuna, now wielding control over his another vessel, Megumin and had access to the 10 shadows technique, specifically mahoraga.

The final battle was a display of power. Satoru pushed his limits, unleashing the full might of his techniques. But in the end Sukuna's world-cutting technique proved too powerful. The scene shifted – a desolate world bathed in an ethereal glow. Satoru, his form fading, found himself surrounded by familiar faces – Suguru, a hint of remorse in his eyes. A sense of peace settled over Satoru as he embraced the afterlife, reunited with his friend.

Inoichi, Hiruzen and Jiraiya exited the mind of satoru. Respect is evident in their eyes and immense trust too. Why wouldn't they? Trust comes from knowledge and they know everything about the gojo.

Slowly, the white haired sorcerer opened his eyes, and saw a fondly smiling hiruzen. He too smiled in response, getting up from the restraint chair. How long has it been? He had no idea and no sense of time either.

A sense of relief washing over Satoru. He stretched, his joints protesting mildly after the experience.

"You've shown us a great deal, Young Satoru," Hiruzen continued, his voice low and respectful. "Your world, your power... it's unlike anything we've encountered before."

Satoru nodded, understanding the weight of his story. "I apologise if it was overwhelming."

Hiruzen chuckled, a dry sound. "Overwhelming, perhaps. But also undeniably impressive. You've earned our respect, young man. That much is clear."

A beat of silence hung in the air. Then, Hiruzen reached into his robes and pulled out a small, intricately carved wooden pass. "This is a Leaf village pass," he explained, extending it towards Satoru. "It grants you safe passage within our borders. We trust you."

Satoru's gaze flickered to the pass, then back to Hiruzen. A hint of surprise crossed his features, quickly replaced by a genuine smile. "Thank you," he said, his voice sincere. "That means a lot, Old Man."

Hiruzen gestured to a chair. "Please, sit. Now, tell us, Satoru. What do you intend to do now?"

Satoru leaned back in the chair, a contemplative look settling on his face. "Honestly? The same thing I did in my world," he finally said. "Fight for what's right. Protect people from those who would harm them. And this time for real. I only fought for thrill in my past world, but not anymore."

He paused, then added with a wry smile, "Though maybe this time, I'll try to do it while making some real connections. Form some bonds. In the end... Well, I don't know how long I will live. But I wouldn't mind having some people around when it's all over."

Hiruzen listened intently, a thoughtful frown creasing his brow. He glanced towards Jiraiya, who wore a similar expression. It was clear Satoru's words resonated with them.

"Have you considered joining the Leaf Village, Satoru?" Hiruzen finally asked.

Satoru raised an eyebrow, a flicker of amusement dancing in his eyes. "The Leaf Village, huh? Why not? After all, I don't exactly have another place to go." He paused, a playful glint entering his gaze.

"But," he continued, holding up a hand, "on one condition. I saw a young man here, a blonde with an orange tracksuit, Naruto… was his name?. There's a lot of loneliness in him, a deep well of pain. And I also saw…" his voice trailed off, his brow furrowing as he focused.

"Two types of energy," he concluded, his eyes locking with Hiruzen's. "He reminds me of someone – Yuta and Yuji, from my world. Like him, and Yuji, this boy seems burdened with a curse he didn't choose."

Hiruzen's eyes widened slightly. This was unexpected, but not unwelcome. The young Gojo was a well of power and it spoke volumes about his visual prowess to be able to witness so much in a brief glimpse of his grandson.

"I'd like to train him," Satoru finished, his voice firm. "Help him learn to control that power, use it for good. Become a better person and maybe i will also become a better person along with him?" He wondered.

A slow smile spread across Hiruzen's face. This was even better than he could have hoped for. A powerful ally, willing to share his knowledge and experience with the next generation. The future of the Leaf Village seemed a little brighter.

"That," Hiruzen declared, his voice filled with quiet authority, "can be arranged."

Satoru grinned, "You know? I like you old man, really do!"

"Feelings mutual, young man, feelings mutual!" Hiruzen replied with a smirk of his own.

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A/N - thanks for reading. I am writing this to improve my writing and hopefully, someday write a novel of my own. I am no native English speaker, so forgive any grammatical mistakes and inconsistency, and if you could, point them out so I can improve them in further chapters.

One important thing, this will be a mega crossover fanfiction, with maybe some elements of romance. Honestly, I am writing this fic as a trial run for my original story which is based on real human experiences.

Romance will not be the primary focus of this story but it will be there. There might be a…harem. Nothing is set in stone yet. But if I do make a harem, it will be a really meaningful one and with enough character development to support it. No seeing a hottie and falling for his kindness shit! Or the likes! There are many factors in being attracted to someone and pursuing a relationship with them. Even a stranger shows kindness on the streets and helps you sometimes, but it doesn't mean you have to fall in 'love' with them and fuck them silly, it it? i know, kindness is a good trait, but real life females don't care much about that particular trait. speaking from personal experience, observations and books.

One more thing, as i said, my original story will be based on human experience, and i am a hindu so you can expect sanskrit shlokas (with translation) and concepts of sanatani scriptures be used. And many elements of hinduism, buddhism, jainism, etc will be used.

Just Like This Chapter.

Because honestly, sanatan dharma has a very open and beautiful philosophy. (no disrespect to any other religion)

Right A Review, Will You? It's like an incentive for a writer when people review their work. Doesn't matter whether it's negative or positive. If your reviews are positive, thank you very much! If Negative, sorry to disappoint you and I will try to improve next time.

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Next Chapter – Sage Vs Sorcerer.