The early morning sun peeked over the horizon, casting a warm glow on the clearing where Naruto and Hikari stood facing each other. A faint breeze rustled through the trees, carrying with it the tension of an impending spar. Naruto stretched his arms, bouncing on his feet, while Hikari stood calm and composed, her Sharingan already activated, scanning his every move.

"Ready, Hikari?" Naruto grinned, his blue eyes alight with excitement.

"Whenever you are," Hikari replied, her tone calm but focused.

Jiraiya, standing a few feet away, crossed his arms and observed with interest. "Alright, let's keep it clean, you two. No permanent injuries this time, Naruto."

Naruto snorted and gave a thumbs-up. "Yeah, yeah, I got it, Pervy Sage!"

Without further warning, Naruto dashed forward, his hands forming the familiar seal of the Shadow Clone Jutsu. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" he shouted, and in an instant, several clones of Naruto sprang into existence, surrounding Hikari from all sides.

"Let's see you dodge all of this!" the Narutos yelled in unison as they lunged toward her, aiming punches and kicks from every direction.

Hikari's crimson eyes flickered, calculating their movements with precision. With a fluid motion, she sidestepped the first clone's punch, caught another clone's kick with her arm, and sent it flying into two others with a swift spin. Her movements were graceful and efficient, cutting through Naruto's clones as if they were nothing more than mere distractions.

"Come on, Naruto!" Hikari called out, a slight smirk playing on her lips as she sent another clone flying with a well-placed roundhouse kick. "You'll need more than clones to take me down!"

Naruto gritted his teeth, but his grin didn't falter. "Oh, I'm just getting started!"

He pulled back, letting his remaining clones charge forward again. As Hikari easily dodged their blows, Naruto reached into his pouch, pulling out a handful of shuriken. "Let's see you dodge this!"

He flung the shuriken at her, their metallic edges whistling through the air as they hurtled toward her. Hikari's eyes followed their trajectory with ease. With quick flicks of her wrists, she deflected the shuriken with her kunai, spinning gracefully as she did.

Naruto wasn't done yet. "Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!" he shouted, sending a gust of wind hurtling toward her.

Hikari's eyes widened slightly, but she was already forming hand seals. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!" she called out, sending a roaring ball of flames to meet Naruto's wind attack. The two jutsu collided, but instead of canceling each other out, the wind only amplified the fire, turning the flames into a raging inferno that blasted toward Naruto.

"Whoa!" Naruto jumped back, barely avoiding the scorching heat. "Okay, note to self: don't use wind against fire!"

Hikari seized the opportunity. In a flash, she closed the distance between them, her speed far outpacing Naruto's clones. She swept his feet out from under him in a smooth motion, sending him tumbling to the ground. Before he could react, she was already standing over him, her kunai lightly pressed against his throat.

"Yield," she said, her voice calm but with a hint of amusement.

Naruto looked up at her, panting heavily, but grinning nonetheless. "You win," he muttered, his body going limp in defeat.

"Alright, that's enough!" Jiraiya called, stepping forward. "Good spar, you two."

Hikari withdrew her kunai and extended a hand to help Naruto up. He took it, dusting himself off with a sheepish grin. "Good fight, Hikari. You're crazy fast."

"You weren't bad yourself," Hikari replied with a small smile.

Jiraiya approached, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Well, well, I have to say, I'm impressed with both of you. But, there's always room for improvement."

Naruto straightened up, eager for feedback. "What did I do wrong?"

"You rely too much on your clones," Jiraiya said bluntly. "While they're a great asset, you need to learn to coordinate your attacks better. Don't just overwhelm your opponent with numbers—make them work together, use them strategically. And don't forget, your wind style won't always be an advantage. Against Hikari's fire jutsu, you were at a disadvantage."

Naruto nodded, taking it all in. "Got it, Pervy Sage. I'll work on that."

Jiraiya turned to Hikari. "As for you… you were holding back."

Hikari blinked, taken aback. "Holding back?"

Jiraiya's expression was serious. "Yeah. I've seen you in action, and I know you can fight with more intensity than that. You were pulling your punches—maybe not consciously, but you need to put more pressure on Naruto. He needs to be pushed to his limits if he's going to grow."

Hikari considered his words, then nodded. "Understood."

Naruto gave her a sidelong glance, raising an eyebrow. "Holding back, huh? Next time, don't go easy on me!"

Hikari smiled softly. "I'll keep that in mind."

Jiraiya, satisfied with their responses, nodded approvingly. "Alright, now that we've got that out of the way…" He turned to Naruto, his tone shifting to one of curiosity. "How's the Rasengan training going?"

Naruto's face lit up with excitement, and he grinned triumphantly. "Watch this!" He reached into his pouch and pulled out a rubber ball. Holding it in his palm, he focused his chakra, and within moments, the ball popped with a sharp snap.

Jiraiya's eyes widened in surprise, and he let out a low whistle. "Well, I'll be damned. You mastered the second stage already? When did you figure that out?"

Naruto beamed with pride, glancing at Hikari. "Actually, it was this morning. Hikari helped me out. Her Sharingan let her see the way my chakra was flowing, and she coached me on how to control it better."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow, impressed. "Well, well. Looks like you've got a good training partner, huh? That's some nice teamwork, you two."

Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, but before he could respond, Jiraiya smirked and added, "Just don't go getting too cozy with your little girlfriend, Naruto."

Naruto's face turned beet red in an instant. "S-She's not—! I mean—! We're just training!" he stammered, waving his arms wildly in protest.

Hikari raised an eyebrow, her expression amused but composed. However, a faint tint of pink appeared on her cheeks, and she cleared her throat awkwardly. "We're just teammates," she muttered, glancing away.

Jiraiya chuckled, clearly enjoying their reactions. "Alright, alright. Calm down, both of you. I'm just messing with you." He then crossed his arms, giving Naruto a more serious look. "Now that you've got the second stage down, it's time to move on to the third. This is the most difficult part, but I'm confident you can handle it."

Naruto's eyes sparkled with determination. "I'm ready! What's the next step?"

Jiraiya grinned. "Now that you can create the rotation and power, you need to combine them perfectly. No more popping balls—this time, you're going to form the Rasengan for real."

Naruto clenched his fists, his resolve burning. "I'll do it, believe it!"

Jiraiya nodded, then glanced at Hikari. "And you, Hikari, you'll be helping him again. Your Sharingan is going to be key in helping him see where he's going wrong. But don't forget to push yourself, too. You've got a lot of potential, but you won't reach it if you keep holding back."

Hikari nodded, her eyes flickering with determination. "I'll do my best."

"That's the spirit," Jiraiya said, clapping his hands together. "Alright, let's get some rest. Tomorrow, we'll start the next phase of training—and this time, it's going to get intense."

Jiraiya, with his arms stretched behind his head, gave both Naruto and Hikari an approving nod.

"You two did well today. But we've still got more work ahead of us," he said with a grin. "But for now, I think I'm going to call it a day. I've got some important research to handle in town."

He finished that statement with his signature perverted giggle, rubbing his hands together with excitement. Naruto rolled his eyes and groaned in annoyance. "There he goes again with his 'research'.'"

Hikari raised an eyebrow at the odd exchange and turned to Naruto, curiosity clear on her face. "What does he mean by research?" she asked, genuinely confused.

Naruto sighed, shaking his head. "Pervy Sage's 'research' isn't anything important. It's just him going off to do perverted things," he said nonchalantly, as if he had explained it a thousand times before.

Hikari stared at him blankly for a moment, then tilted her head. "Perverted things? Is that why you call him 'Pervy Sage'?"

Naruto nodded vigorously. "Yeah! He likes to spy on women at the hot springs." He cringed as he recalled the many embarrassing times he'd been dragged along by Jiraiya. "He even wrote those pervy books Kakashi-sensei is always reading."

Hikari blinked, processing the information. After a moment, she gazed at Naruto with a serious expression. "Should I be worried about you picking up his perverted habits?"

Naruto's eyes widened in pure horror, his face turning as red as a tomato. "W-What?! No! I'd never—! Why would you even ask that?!" He waved his hands frantically, his voice rising in pitch as he tried to defend himself.

Hikari, looking utterly unimpressed by his outburst, kept her gaze steady. After a moment of silence, she tilted her head slightly and said, "Good. I'd hate for you to find out what the consequences would be."

Naruto gulped nervously, her calm yet ominous tone sending a chill down his spine. He could only imagine what Hikari would do to him if he ever turned out like Jiraiya. "N-No worries there! I'm not interested in peeking or any of that stuff!" He chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head.

Hikari let out a satisfied hum, her expression softening slightly. "I'm glad to hear that."

Naruto, still sweating a little, was eager to change the subject. "So, uh… want to check out the town while the Pervy Sage is busy? I've got some extra cash from all the missions we've been doing."

Hikari considered the offer for a moment before giving a small nod. "Sure. It might be nice to explore a bit."

Naruto's face brightened. "Alright, let's go!" he said with enthusiasm as they set off towards the nearby town, side by side.

The town was lively, with vendors lining the streets selling various goods, from food to handmade trinkets. The air was filled with the enticing aroma of grilled skewers, sweet treats, and fresh produce. It was a refreshing change from the intensity of their training, and both Naruto and Hikari found themselves enjoying the vibrant atmosphere.

As they wandered through the market stalls, Naruto excitedly pointed out different things. "Look at that!" He gestured to a stall selling a variety of ninja tools. "Maybe we should get some new kunai while we're here. Or maybe some shuriken?"

Hikari smiled faintly at his excitement. "You always get excited about the smallest things, Naruto."

"Hey! These things matter when you're out on a mission!" Naruto shot back, though there was no malice in his tone—just the usual playfulness they shared. "Plus, you never know when a kunai might save your life."

Hikari chuckled softly. "I suppose you're right."

They continued walking, occasionally stopping at stalls to check out what was on offer. Naruto bought a few dango sticks and offered one to Hikari, which she accepted with a nod of thanks. As they ate, Naruto's gaze drifted over the bustling town, his mind clearly working over something.

"Hey, Hikari," Naruto began, his tone a bit more serious now, "back when we ran into Itachi, he mentioned something called the Mangekyo Sharingan. What is that, exactly?"

Hikari's steps slowed for a moment, and her expression hardened slightly, though she kept walking. "The Mangekyo Sharingan… it's a special and rare form of the Sharingan. It's far more powerful than the ordinary Sharingan that most Uchiha have."

Naruto looked at her with wide eyes, hanging onto her every word. "So, what can it do?"

Hikari hesitated, as if weighing how much she wanted to say. She kept her gaze ahead, her voice growing quieter. "It grants abilities that go far beyond what normal Sharingan users can do. Each Mangekyo has different powers unique to its user, but it can allow for techniques like controlling others' perceptions, casting powerful genjutsu, and even using fire that can never be extinguished."

Naruto blinked, absorbing the information. "Whoa… that sounds… intense. But, how do you get it? Is it something you train for?"

Hikari's throat tightened, and she stopped walking, her gaze fixed on the ground. Her fists clenched at her sides, the memories she had buried threatening to resurface. "No, you don't train for it," she said, her voice strained. "The Mangekyo is only awakened through experiencing the greatest kind of emotional pain… usually through the death of someone you love."

Naruto noticed the sudden shift in her demeanor, the pain that flickered in her eyes despite how hard she was trying to mask it. He stopped beside her, watching her with concern. "You don't have to talk about it, Hikari," he said gently. "I didn't mean to bring up something that hurts you."

She swallowed hard, forcing herself to take a deep breath. "No, it's… it's alright. I just don't like thinking about it. The price of the Mangekyo isn't something I would wish on anyone. Itachi's eyes… his Mangekyo Sharingan… they're filled with a different kind of pain than mine."

Naruto's brows furrowed as he tried to process everything. He had always known the Uchiha clan was complicated, but hearing this from Hikari made it all feel more real. He could feel the weight of her words. He could see that despite all the strength she possessed, the memories of how she gained that power still haunted her.

"Listen," Naruto said after a moment, stepping closer to her. "You don't need to tell me anything you're not ready to say. I get it… there are some things that are too painful to talk about. But just know, I'm here if you ever want to, alright?"

Hikari lifted her head, meeting his gaze. For a moment, she said nothing, but there was a subtle shift in her expression—something softening in her eyes. It was rare for her to let her guard down, to let anyone in, but with Naruto, it felt… different. His sincerity was something she wasn't used to, but she was beginning to trust it. Trust him.

"Thank you, Naruto," she said quietly, offering him a small, genuine smile—one of the few she had shown since they met.

Naruto grinned back at her, feeling a surge of warmth at her smile. "Hey, no problem. That's what friends are for, right?"

Hikari nodded, the weight on her chest easing slightly as she resumed walking. "Right."

The two continued their exploration of the town, the unspoken bond between them growing stronger with each shared moment, each conversation that deepened their understanding of one another.

xxx

As the sun began to set, they made their way back to their inn, where they found Jiraiya waiting for them at the gates with a mischievous grin on his face.

"Did you two have fun exploring the town?" Jiraiya asked, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

Naruto crossed his arms, eyeing his sensei suspiciously. "We did. But what kind of 'research' did you do, Pervy Sage?"

Jiraiya chuckled, waving off Naruto's suspicion. "Oh, nothing you need to worry about, Naruto. Just some important 'work' for my next book."

Naruto rolled his eyes but let it go. "Yeah, yeah. Anyway, are we heading out tomorrow?"

Jiraiya nodded. "Yup. We've still got a long way to go before we reach Tsunade. You two better get some rest. Tomorrow's going to be another busy day."

Naruto and Hikari exchanged glances before nodding in agreement. As they headed inside the inn, Naruto couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. Between their growing bond, his progress with the Rasengan, and the promise of meeting Tsunade, there was a lot to look forward to.

But for now, they would rest and prepare for the challenges ahead.

Thanks for reading!