Chapter 16

Konoha, Uchiha Compound

"Please, teach me! I'll do anything", implored Sasuke.

"No."

Somewhere in the elemental nations

Kisame came to an abrupt stop, his nostrils flaring. A cruel grin spread across his face, teeth gleaming like the edge of a serrated blade. "We've got company, Itachi," he said, his voice carrying a cruel edge. "And… oh, would you look at that? Looks like some old friends of yours."

Itachi's response was as flat as ever. "I'm aware."

Kisame's sharp eyes caught a faint flicker in Itachi's usually stoic gaze. A trace of emotion? Maybe. It didn't matter. Itachi was always peculiar about Konoha—a strange mix of detachment and something more complicated. Kisame didn't pry. Every rogue ninja had their ghosts, and Itachi's were especially messy. But Kisame had no interest in untangling them. Not when there was a fight brewing.

Then he felt it, the surge of a familiar chakra signature. His grin widened into something wilder, more feral. "Well, well, if it isn't Maito Gai. The son of the man who wiped out most of the Swordsman of the Mist in one swing. And died doing so. This is going to be entertaining."

The underbrush parted as three figures landed in front of them: Hatake Kakashi, Maito Gai, and a third man Kisame didn't recognize. He surveyed them with a predatory air, the hilt of Samehada shifting easily in his hands. "Three against two? Not exactly a fair fight," he taunted, his voice dripping with mockery. "And coming at us head-on? No ambush, no strategy? What's the matter—too eager to die?"

"YOSH!" Maito Gai roared, striking a pose so absurd Kisame would've laughed if it didn't come with the promise of violence.

But his amusement faded when his eyes landed on Kakashi. The silver-haired ninja didn't look unsettled. In fact, there was something almost... smug about his calm.

Then, Kisame's grin froze as Kakashi locked eyes with Itachi, the intensity of the moment unnerving even him. No one—absolutely no one—looked into Itachi's eyes willingly. Not without paying the price. But there Kakashi stood, calm and unflinching, like the Sharingan was a parlor trick beneath his notice.

Then Kakashi spoke, his voice steady and clipped. "Code Alpha-Delta-Kappa. Authorization level - KB7H5. Directive - End CIM-GBH."

The air around them shifted, becoming something almost alive, pressing against Kisame's skin. He tightened his grip on Samehada instinctively, the blade humming faintly as it sensed his unease. Kisame turned to Itachi, expecting his usual blank expression. Instead, he saw something else entirely.

Confusion, first. Then, Itachi's lips curved into the faintest hint of a smile—an almost imperceptible change, but it was there. His eyes, which usually held nothing but detachment, seemed lighter, sharper. For the first time, Kisame thought he saw… relief? No, not just relief. Almost happiness. What the hell was going on?

"What the heck, Kakashi-senpai?"exclaimed the third guy. Maito Gai also seemed confused as heck.

Before Kisame could fully process it, Kakashi's smirk deepened, and he added, "Two against three, Kisame? Nah-uh." He tilted his head ever so slightly, his voice laced with quiet confidence. "Four against one, you meant."

Kisame's stomach dropped, his sharp teeth grinding together. "No way," he hissed under his breath, his feral grin faltering. Impossible. There was no way— no way—Itachi would—

"Amaterasu."

Kisame's world exploded in chaos. Black flames roared to life, consuming the space between them in an instant. Samehada shrieked as it sensed the unnatural energy, thrashing violently in Kisame's hands. His instincts screamed at him to move, but the black fire seemed alive, pursuing him even as he swung the blade to absorb its chakra.

"FUCK," Kisame snarled, leaping back and twisting as he barely dodged the black fire. His mind raced.

The forest erupted into chaos in a heartbeat.

Kisame barely had time to register Kakashi's Sharingan before Itachi moved, shuriken whistling through the air, cloaked in chakra. Kisame swung Samehada, devouring the energy-laced weapons in one sweep, but that single move cost him. Gai was already there, a green blur striking with a thunderous kick to Kisame's ribs. The sickening crunch echoed through the clearing as Kisame hurtled backward, slamming into a tree with enough force to split the trunk.

He barely hit the ground before Yamato's hands flew into a blur of seals. Roots surged upward, sharp and unyielding, wrapping around Kisame's arms and legs. The rogue swordsman snarled, ripping through the wooden tendrils with Samehada, only to meet Kakashi head-on. The Chidori illuminated the clearing with its sharp crackle, plunging into Kisame's side before he could raise his weapon in defense. Blood sprayed, darkening the forest floor.

Itachi's voice rang out again, like a death knell. "Amaterasu."

Black flames erupted on Kisame's arm. He screamed, his roars primal and guttural, swinging wildly to douse the unrelenting fire. Gai followed with a barrage of strikes, his fists and feet landing with the precision of a master. Each blow shattered bone, ruptured muscle, and drove Kisame further into the ground.

Kisame growled through the blood pooling in his throat, slamming Samehada into the earth. A dome of water exploded around him, dragging everything into its suffocating grasp. The battlefield transformed into Kisame's element, but even here, he had no chance.

Yamato countered instantly, raising enormous wooden spikes that navigated almost as fast as he could swim through the water. Kakashi and Gai darted through the chaos, their movements so precise that Kisame couldn't keep track of both of them at the same time — not with his attention being taken by Itachi appearing within the dome, Susano'o shimmering into existence. The massive spectral warrior swung its blade, cleaving through water and chakra alike as if they were paper.

Kisame fused with Samehada in desperation, his body grotesquely transforming into a hulking, shark-like monstrosity. He surged forward, aiming for Itachi with a guttural roar. But Gai's fist caught him mid-charge, the impact obliterating his newly formed gills and sending him crashing into the earth once more.

"Enough," Itachi said coldly.

The Susano'o's sword descended, piercing Kisame through the chest. Blood erupted in a violent arc as the rogue's body twitched, his monstrous form reverting back to flesh. The water dome collapsed, the battlefield returning to silence except for the faint crackle of the dying Amaterasu flames.

Kisame's lifeless body slumped forward, the massive blade Samehada falling beside him with a low, mournful groan. The fight was over before it had even truly begun.

Kakashi's voice broke the heavy silence, his tone dripping with mock nonchalance as he adjusted his headband. "Well, you see, Yamato. A walk in the park, truly. Bit of cardio, bit of teamwork."

Yamato, still catching his breath, shot him a flat glare. "A walk in the park? That thing was a nightmare with teeth."

Gai stepped forward, his fists still clenched, energy radiating off him like a furnace. "WELL DONE, TEAM!" he bellowed, striking a victorious pose. "A SHINING EXAMPLE OF YOUTHFUL COOPERATION!" He then hesitantly turned to Itachi, "AND YOU ALSO, UCHIHA, YOUR FLAMES OF YOUTH SHINES BRIGHTER…errrr…Darker? Errr…why are you looking at us like that?"

Konoha, Uchiha Compound

"Please, teach me! I'll do anything," Sasuke begged, his voice raw with desperation. "I'll serve the village, do anything—I swear it. Just… please. I need to become powerful!"

"No."

Konoha, District 17

Jiraiya stepped into what used to be his apartment, only to stop dead in his tracks. The place was bare. Not a scroll, not a bottle of ink, not even the half-eaten ramen cup he'd left on the counter. All of it—gone. His eyes snagged on a single piece of paper taped to the wall, its presence almost mocking in the empty room. He ripped it free, scowling at the crude doodle of the Hokage, complete with a ridiculous monkey tail. Scrawled beneath it in cheerful handwriting: "Dear youngest brother, your apartment has been relocated to the Hiruzen Complex. Welcome home. - Hiroto."

Jiraiya crumpled the note in his fist, muttering under his breath. "Youngest brother, my ass. That punk wasn't even born when I was learning Rasengan." Still grumbling, he vanished in a blur, reappearing on the rooftops near the Sarutobi compound.

He landed lightly in front of one of the smaller houses, and sure enough, there were his belongings—neatly stacked cardboard boxes filled to bursting. Jiraiya's eyes twitched as he spotted the familiar spines of his notebooks peeking out: a mix of risqué drafts for his novels and the ones he never showed anyone, the ones filled with heartbreak and stories too raw to share. "At least the old man didn't trash them," he muttered, summoning two clones with a lazy wave. "You two—get this junk inside."

Hey, old man! You can make clones? Real ones? Like, solid and everything? Can you teach me? Please, please, please? I wanna do that! How'd you do it? Amazing! So cool!"

Jiraiya turned, his brows furrowing. "What in the—" His words faltered as he took in the boy standing in front of him.

Jiraiya spun around, the beginnings of a retort on his lips, but the words died in his throat. His chest tightened as his eyes fell on the boy. It was the first time he'd met him face-to-face, though he'd watched him from afar before. The kid was energy incarnate, vibrating with life and curiosity. Bright orange covered him head to toe, making him stand out like a bonfire against the quiet compound. Blond hair stuck out in every direction, wild and untamed, framing a face alive with a grin too wide for its size. Blue eyes sparkled with excitement, darting between the clones and Jiraiya, as if the world's secrets had just unfolded before him. Whisker-like marks etched on his cheeks twitched as he spoke, only adding to the fox-like mischief. The boy was a riot of noise and motion, but behind the boisterous front, Jiraiya saw something else—something raw and achingly familiar.

Naruto Uzumaki. The son of his student. Minato's hair. Kushina's eyes and vibrant energy.

"Is it some kind of super secret jutsu? Can anyone learn it? Wait, don't tell me—do you have to be, like, a super ultra ninja? Or a sage or something?" Naruto was practically vibrating with excitement, his blue eyes darting between Jiraiya and the clones, like they held the secrets to the universe. He bounced on the balls of his feet, his hands waving around like he was conducting an invisible orchestra. "Come on, old man, teach me! I promise I won't mess it up. Well... okay, maybe a little, but I'll fix it! Please?"

Jiraiya's throat tightened as Naruto's voice rang out, each word faster and more frenzied than the last.

"I..." he began, his voice faltering.

"Pleasepleasepleaseplease!" Naruto steamrolled over his hesitation, his hands pressed together in an exaggerated plea. His eyes sparkled with raw, infectious energy. "Pretty please with ramen on top! I'll even share mine with you! I promise! I'll—uh—I'll clean your stuff, too! I mean, I'll try... not great at cleaning... but still! Come on, old man, I don't know how to make clones! Mine always look all sick and droopy, like they're about to puke! Iruka-sensei said I can't graduate if I can't do it! I have to learn, or how am I gonna be Hokage one day?"

Jiraiya felt something crack inside him. That face. That bright, beaming, hopeful face. It was so much like Kushina's when she was young—fiery, passionate, unyielding. And yet, there was Minato too, in those blue eyes. A quiet determination beneath the wild energy. Jiraiya had spent years preparing himself for this, for the moment he'd come face to face with Naruto Uzumaki, but nothing could have readied him for the rawness of the boy's presence.

"I…."

He sighed, his hand falling to his side. No more students, he'd told himself. No more promises tied to that damn prophecy. But Naruto just kept staring at him, relentless, hope radiating from him as if rejection wasn't even an option.

"Aaaaaah….".Jiraiya sighed, the kind of sigh that carried the weight of entire lifetimes. "Fuck it," he muttered under his breath, the resignation rolling off him like steam.

Then, without warning, he sprang into the air, twisting into an elegant salto as if gravity had momentarily forgotten its purpose. Mid-flip, he vanished in a puff of smoke, the sharp sound of it snapping through the quiet street.

For a moment, there was silence. Then, the air erupted with the blaring strains of kabuki music, loud and theatrical, as if the heavens themselves had summoned it. Naruto froze, his head whipping toward the sound as the smoke parted.

A massive toad emerged, red-skinned and gleaming, its golden eyes scanning the street with a regal air. Standing atop the beast was Jiraiya, arms spread wide, robes fluttering in a dramatic gust of wind that seemed to exist purely for this moment. His hair shimmered like polished silver under an inexplicable spotlight, and the kabuki music surged to a crescendo, the rhythm pounding in Naruto's ears.

Then Jiraiya spoke.

"I AM THE GALLANT JIRAIYA!" he bellowed, his voice booming as if amplified by unseen forces. "SAGE OF LEGENDS! TOWERING WARRIOR OF THE TOADS! THE NAME THAT STRIKES FEAR INTO MY ENEMIES AND LIGHTS THE FIRES OF PASSION IN THE HEARTS OF WOMEN EVERYWHERE!"

Naruto's jaw dropped, his eyes impossibly wide as he stumbled backward. His hands shot to his head as if to keep his brain from exploding. He tried to form words, but his mouth only managed a series of disjointed gasps. What... What is this?! his mind screamed.

Jiraiya wasn't done. He flung an arm toward the sky, his voice rising to an even more ridiculous pitch. "I AM THE FLAME THAT BURNS IN THE DARKEST NIGHT! THE HERO OF SONGS SUNG ACROSS THE AGES! AND THE VERY SYMBOL OF VIRTUE, COURAGE, AND STYLE!"

The toad let out a deep, rumbling croak, perfectly timed to punctuate the speech. It sent a tremor through the ground, vibrating beneath Naruto's feet. Jiraiya leapt from the toad's back, landing with a crouch that sent another puff of smoke swirling dramatically around him. The kabuki music swelled again, then abruptly stopped, leaving the boy standing in stunned silence.

Naruto's face was frozen in awe, his hands twitching slightly. His heart raced, his brain scrambling to process what he'd just seen. No words came to him—only the overwhelming thought that this was the coolest thing in the entire world. Then, his breath caught in his throat as Jiraiya pointed dramatically at him, the older man's voice echoing like a thunderclap in the still air.

"AND YOU, LUCKY GUY, ARE GOING TO BE TAUGHT BY THE GALLANT JIRAIYA!" The proclamation was punctuated by an imaginary drumroll in Naruto's mind, his entire world narrowing down to this one incredible moment.

Naruto's mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for air. His brain stuttered, trying to process what had just been said. Finally, he managed to choke out, "M-ME?!" His voice cracked, and he jabbed a finger at his own chest in disbelief, eyes so wide they could have fallen out of his head.

"Yes, YOU!" Jiraiya bellowed, striding forward with the exaggerated flair of a kabuki actor taking center stage. His robes swirled around him as though they had a life of their own, catching the wind in perfect sync with his commanding presence. "You, Uzumaki Naruto, have been chosen for the honor of a lifetime—to be trained by none other than the Legendary Toad Sage, the Gallant Jiraiya himself! Do you have any idea what a privilege this is, boy?!"

Naruto's knees practically buckled from the sheer weight of those words. He nodded so fast it felt like his head might fly off. "YEAH! I GET IT! I GET IT!" he screamed, throwing his hands into the air, practically vibrating with energy.

"I GET I…Wait. How do you know my name? I never told you!".

The old man froze.

"Eerrrr….BECAUSE I AM THE GALLANT JIRAIYA", and the Kabuki started again.

"HELL YEAH!"