Half an hour later, in the slightly shabby Japanese-style room of Tazuna's house.
Menma was carefully placed by Jiraiya onto the futon spread over the tatami mats. The air in the room was thick with a lingering gravity.
His eyes were tightly shut, his face pale, the black hair on his forehead damp with sweat. Even unconscious, his brows were furrowed, as if experiencing some terrible nightmare.
Naruto knelt beside the futon, his hands on his knees, clenched tightly into fists.
His eyes, unblinking, stared at Menma's pale face, filled with worry, self-blame, and a lingering trace of fear.
Menma is his best friend, always having a gentle smile, patiently guiding him in training. Yet today, he had almost died right before his eyes...
The impact of that golden figure, overlapping with the image of the fragile, unconscious Menma before him, left his mind in turmoil.
'If I were stronger, hadn't been caught by that fishhook... maybe Menma-nii wouldn't have...'
Hinata knelt quietly on the other side, her head slightly bowed, her expression unclear. Only her small hands, tightly holding Menma's cold left hand, trembled slightly.
Muffled, suppressed sobs came from her. Her shoulders shook gently, large tears falling, wetting Menma's hand and the sheets beneath him.
She had never hated her own powerlessness and cowardice so much. When she saw the unconscious Menma being carried back, her heart had almost stopped beating.
Kakashi crouched by the futon, carefully checking Menma's pulse and breathing. After confirming that it was only deep unconsciousness from excessive Chakra Depletion, and that there were no obvious fatal injuries, he gently pulled the blanket over him, tucking it in carefully.
He looked up, his exposed right eye fixed on Jiraiya, his voice serious: "Jiraiya-sama, could you please detail what exactly happened out there?"
Kakashi's gaze then swept over the three Anbu wearing animal masks outside the door.
As a former Anbu Commander himself, he naturally recognized them at a glance: the squad responsible for secretly protecting Naruto, consisting of Yugao, Young Sasuke, and Sai.
Finally, his gaze settled on Adult Sasuke and Boruto, observing them critically.
The earth-shattering explosion and the terrifying Chakra Fluctuations earlier had practically alarmed the entire Land of Waves.
Kakashi had rushed to the scene as quickly as possible, only to find a forest in chaos, Naruto looking lost while holding Menma, and Jiraiya and his group with varied expressions.
Without time to ask questions, he had escorted everyone quickly back to the relatively safe haven of Tazuna's house.
Jiraiya sat cross-legged in a corner of the room, unusually devoid of his usual playfulness. His rough face was full of gravity.
He was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke: "A... very troublesome enemy. Extremely strong, with strange abilities. His goal was clear... it was the Nine-Tails' Chakra inside Naruto."
"The Nine-Tails' Chakra?" Kakashi's right pupil contracted slightly as he looked at the silent Naruto nearby.
Although he had suspected as much, hearing it confirmed by Jiraiya still made his heart sink.
'An enemy that even Jiraiya-sama found troublesome had set its sights on Naruto?'
On the corridor outside the room, Young Sasuke, wearing a white cat mask, leaned back against the window frame facing the door, silently watching everything inside.
He saw Naruto's lost, grieving expression as he struggled to hold back his pain, saw the crowd's worried concern for Menma. A complex, indescribable emotion spread in his heart.
Also an orphan, also having lost important people, he understood better than anyone what Naruto was feeling at this moment.
That heart-wrenching pain and self-blame of watching someone close get hurt, powerless to do anything about it.
Beneath the mask, his lips pressed into a thin line.
Kakashi withdrew his gaze, looked at Jiraiya, and analyzed calmly: "Then, should we immediately request support from Konoha? Or, terminate this mission early and escort Naruto back to the village?"
Before Jiraiya could answer, Adult Sasuke, who had been silent beside him, spoke in a low voice: "Not necessary for now. That enemy was quite seriously injured. He shouldn't dare show himself again anytime soon. Besides..."
He paused.
"Even if you send Naruto back to Konoha, given the Space-Time abilities the other party has demonstrated, the village's barrier wouldn't be much of an obstacle for him."
Kakashi's brow furrowed slightly.
'This unfamiliar young man calling himself Samoyan seemed exceptionally familiar with Konoha's defense system?'
His gaze lingered for a moment on Adult Sasuke's single arm and that calm, somewhat familiar face. His suspicions grew stronger.
'But the other party had been brought by Jiraiya-sama and had saved Naruto, so he's clearly not an enemy...'
Kakashi looked up at the window. The sky was completely dark, and the sea breeze carried a salty smell into the room.
He stood up, patted his knees, and broke the heavy atmosphere in the room: "Regardless, everyone should get some rest first. Menma needs a quiet environment to recover."
Jiraiya walked over to Naruto, reached out his broad hand, and patted Naruto's shoulder heavily, trying to convey some strength: "Kid, don't worry too much. This boy just overused his Chakra. He'll be fine after a good sleep and proper recovery."
Naruto looked up, his tear-blurred eyes meeting Jiraiya's, his voice choked: "R-really, old man? Menma-nii... he'll really be okay?"
"Of course!" Jiraiya puffed out his chest, trying to make his smile look more reassuring.
Kakashi also walked over, gently pressed Naruto's head, and said in a rare, gentle tone: "Jiraiya-sama is right. Menma needs quiet rest. Hinata, don't be too sad either. Go get some sleep."
Naruto looked at the unconscious Menma, then at Kakashi and Jiraiya. Finally, he slowly unclenched his fists, nodded, and at Kakashi's signal, reluctantly stood up, preparing to leave the room.
Hinata also released Menma's hand, wiped her tears with her sleeve, and stood up silently.
Jiraiya signaled for Adult Sasuke and Boruto to follow, and they all walked out of the room together.
Young Sasuke and his two companions had already slipped away quietly, continuing their secret protection mission.
The atmosphere in the corridor was still somewhat depressing.
Boruto, hands behind his head, looked at the dejected, preoccupied Naruto ahead, then glanced at Adult Sasuke beside him with his grave expression. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but hesitated.
Just then…
Bang!!!
A dull, loud crash exploded without warning in the quiet corridor!
Everyone turned in shock. Hinata, walking at the end, had stopped at some point. Her head was lowered. Her small, fair fist was slammed viciously into the wooden wall on the side of the corridor!
The hard wooden plank, as if made of paper, was punched through, leaving a bowl-sized hole, wood chips flying!
Everyone was stunned by this sudden, violent act.
Even the normally calm Kakashi and Jiraiya showed a flicker of surprise in their eyes.
Hinata slowly raised her head.
Her usually shyly lowered eyes were now lifted. In those pure white eyes, there was no trace of their usual gentle timidity. Instead, there was an almost savage fierceness and anger!
Her small nostrils flared slightly. She bit her lower lip hard, almost drawing blood.
Hinata suddenly turned her head, her gaze stabbing at Jiraiya and Adult Sasuke like an ice pick. Her voice, though still carrying a girl's clarity, was cold enough to send a chill down one's spine: "Who... beat Menma... like this?! Tell me!!"
This murderous questioning, coupled with the terrifying aura erupting from her small body, and the hole still shedding wood chips in the wall, made Boruto nearby flinch in fear. Cold sweat instantly broke out on his forehead, and he trembled as he stepped back half a step.
At the same time, he frantically ranted in his heart: 'This is absolutely not my mom!!!'
Kakashi also looked somewhat troubled, scratching his silver hair. Looking at Hinata, who was clearly in her Big Sis mode, he sighed helplessly and tried to explain in a placating tone: "Hinata, calm down. Menma's body isn't injured. It really is just Chakra Depletion. He needs time to rest and recover. The enemy has already been driven off."
Hinata's Byakugan stared at Kakashi for a few seconds, the fierceness in her eyes slowly fading somewhat, but the coldness and persistence did not disappear.
She took a deep breath, turned around, no longer looking at anyone, her voice still stiff: "I'll take care of Menma."
With that, without waiting for Kakashi's response, she turned and walked back into the room where Menma was resting, gently sliding the door shut, shutting everyone out.
Kakashi looked at the closed door, then at the conspicuous hole in the wall, and the terrified Boruto beside it. He could only sigh helplessly again.
He had wanted to ask Naruto to stay and help watch over Menma or stand guard, but when he turned to look at Naruto, he saw the blonde-haired boy standing alone by the corridor window, head lowered, staring blankly at his own open hands, as if they were stained with some indelible filth.
Moonlight streamed through the window, casting a lonely shadow on him.
Clearly, he was still deeply trapped in remorse and self-blame over his own weakness.
Kakashi swallowed the words on his tongue, simply patted Naruto's shoulder silently, and signaled for Jiraiya and the others to go rest.
In a barely tidied guest room, simple futons were spread on the floor.
Jiraiya let out a big yawn and was about to crawl into bed when Adult Sasuke, who had been silent, suddenly spoke: "That child named Menma... in Konoha's records, is he really just an ordinary orphan?"
Jiraiya paused in his movement of lying down, turned his head, and looked at Adult Sasuke's blurred profile in the dim light: "Hmm? Why the sudden question?"
Adult Sasuke did not answer. He lay flat, staring at the worn ceiling. The Rinnegan beneath his bangs seemed to lose focus in the darkness.
In his mind, the image of Menma transforming into a golden light, a dragon horn growing from his forehead, the third golden eye on his forehead, and the final attack more terrifying than Shinra Tensei left a deep impression on him.
Even having fought numerous Otsutsuki Clan's members, Adult Sasuke had only ever seen such terrifying pressure from Kaguya's in her prime.
'If that mysterious Shura was the Space-Time anomaly point indicated by the Karasuki, then this Menma, who also displayed power transcending common sense, was undoubtedly also an anomaly point.'
'The form he displayed was not a complete Otsutsuki form, but more like a state triggered by external force, or 'temporarily occupied' by some entity.'
'Could it be another unknown Otsutsuki?'
'But if he were an Otsutsuki, why would he go for the kill against his own kinsman, Urashiki?'
'If not, then where did that terrifying power inside his body come from?'
'Was it related to the Kama?'
Too many questions, too many contradictions.
Adult Sasuke of this period still knew far too little about the so-called Otsutsuki Clan.
He slowly closed his eyes and simply said, "Nothing."
Jiraiya looked at him deeply, didn't pursue the question, just muttered, "Young people these days have such heavy thoughts," then rolled over and lay down. Soon, light snores were heard.
Boruto lay nearby, eyes open, looking at the palm of his right hand raised in the darkness, as if the strange burning sensation from last night still lingered, unable to fall asleep for a long time.
The next day, just as dawn broke and the horizon was tinged with the first light of morning.
Jiraiya was woken by his urge to pee. He groggily got up, stepped into his wooden clogs, and clattered towards the bathroom at the end of the hall.
After taking care of business, he walked out of the bathroom rubbing his sleepy eyes, about to go back for some more sleep, when his peripheral vision caught a small figure sitting on the edge of the eaves outside the window on the other side of the corridor.
It was Naruto.
The little guy was hugging his knees, curled up on the roof, facing the sea. His blonde hair swayed gently in the cool morning breeze. His back looked especially lonely and forlorn.
Jiraiya's drowsiness immediately dissipated considerably.
He walked over quietly, nimbly climbed out the window, stepped on the roof tiles with a slight sound, walked to Naruto's side, and plopped down.
"Wah!" Naruto was startled by the sudden appearance, whipping his head around. Seeing it was Jiraiya, he sighed in relief and patted his chest.
"What, it's you, old man... you scared me."
"Hahaha, kid, you're up early." Jiraiya laughed heartily, stretched, and faced the sea breeze, taking a deep breath of the morning air, slightly salty.
"What, couldn't sleep? Worried about Menma? Don't worry, I snuck a look earlier. His breathing is much steadier. He'll probably wake up after half a day's more sleep."
Naruto nodded, then shook his head, his gaze returning to the distant grey-blue sea. He said quietly, "Yeah... thanks, old man."
"Say, old man... are you a Konoha's Ninja too? But, why didn't I see you wearing a Konoha's forehead protector?"
He remembered Kakashi calling this somewhat unkempt-looking old man 'Jiraiya-sama' last night.
Jiraiya touched the 'Oil' character on his forehead protector and grinned: "Of course! A bona fide Konoha's Ninja! But well, my identity is a bit special. I often carry out... um, special missions outside, so it's not convenient to wear a forehead protector around ostentatiously."
"Oh..." Naruto nodded, half-understanding. Remembering Kakashi's respectful attitude towards him, he figured this must be a pretty impressive senior.
He didn't ask further, just fell silent again, his small face still shrouded in gloom.
Jiraiya looked at this blonde kid, usually as energetic as a little sun, now looking dejected. He understood that the enemy attack yesterday and Menma's sudden outburst of power had quite an impact on this twelve-year-old.
Especially that feeling of powerlessness in the face of absolute power.
He stroked his chin, then suddenly nudged Naruto with his elbow, deliberately using a light tone: "Hey, kid, seeing you so listless... are you thinking you were too useless yesterday, almost got your friend hurt, and couldn't protect anyone?"
Naruto's body stiffened, his lips pressed together. He didn't deny it.
Seeing this, a flash of understanding passed through Jiraiya's eyes. He put his hands behind his head, leaned back against the tiles, looked up at the brightening sky, and said in a seemingly casual tone: "If you feel useless, then become stronger. So, kid, how about... training with me to become stronger?"
"Eh?!" Naruto whipped his head around, his eyes instantly widening, a faint flame kindling within.
"B-become stronger? Old man... you can teach me to become stronger?!" His voice rose slightly with excitement.
"Of course!" Jiraiya sat up straight, puffed out his chest, and put on the air of a reclusive master, pointing his thumb at himself.
"Listen well! Standing before you is the Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku, Jiraiya! Teaching a kid like you is more than easy!"
"Toad Sage?" Naruto blinked, then muttered quietly, "Never heard of such thing... Are you that impressive?"
"Pfft—" Jiraiya nearly choked on his own saliva. The grand pose he had just struck instantly collapsed. He scratched his head awkwardly and muttered somewhat dejectedly.
"No way... Is my reputation already unknown in Konoha? Young people these days really have no respect for their elders..."
But he quickly rallied, flicking his long white hair, trying to look more reliable: "Cough! Anyway, you just need to know that I'm strong, strong enough to be your teacher! So, how about it, want to learn a few moves from me?"
A light shone in Naruto's eyes, but then suspicion surfaced again.
He looked Jiraiya up and down, taking in his somewhat disheveled appearance and that expression that always seemed a bit unreliable. He hesitated, but still asked, "Well... old man, compared to Grandpa Hokage, who's stronger?"
In his simple worldview, the Hokage was the strongest, the greatest Ninja, his goal and benchmark.
If the other party claimed to be stronger than the Hokage, he must be bragging.
"Hokage?" Jiraiya was first stunned, then as if hearing something funny, couldn't help but laugh loudly, his laughter echoing far across the morning shore.
"Hahaha! You mean the old man Third Hokage? He's indeed very strong, but well..." He stopped laughing, looked at Naruto, a hint of reminiscence and pride in his eyes, and said seriously, "He's my teacher!"
"Eh—?!!" Naruto was truly shocked this time, his mouth forming an 'O', his eyes wide.
"Old man, you're... Grandpa Hokage's disciple?! Really?!"
"Bona fide!" Jiraiya patted his chest. "If you don't believe me, ask Kakashi."
In that moment, all the doubt and gloom in Naruto's eyes were instantly replaced by ignited flames!
A disciple of the Third Hokage…
How strong must that be!
He immediately jumped up from the roof edge, excitedly grabbing Jiraiya's sleeve, his eyes shining as he shouted, "I want to learn! I want to learn! Old man! Please, teach me to become strong! I want to become really, really strong, strong enough to protect Menma-nii, to protect everyone, and never let anyone get hurt again!"
Watching the rejuvenated Naruto, a relieved smile appeared on Jiraiya's face. He ruffled Naruto's blonde hair, finding its texture unexpectedly nice: "Good! That's the spirit!"
"But, training isn't just talk. It'll be hard! And before that..."
His stomach chose that moment to let out a loud 'growl'. Jiraiya's face flushed slightly, and he grinned sheepishly, "We need to fill our bellies first! Let's go, kid, let's find something to eat. A full stomach gives you strength to start the special training!"
"Mm!" Naruto nodded emphatically, a bright smile again appearing on his face.
Although Menma was still unconscious and the enemy hadn't been dealt with, at least he had found a direction and hope for becoming stronger.
He would seize this opportunity. He would never again be as powerless as yesterday, watching helplessly as someone important to him got hurt protecting him!