Chapter 465: It's Time for Naruto to Get Stronger
Jiraiya's sharp instincts stopped him from doing something suicidal in time.
This matter definitely had to be handled, but the question was—who would take the lead?
Jiraiya didn't think for long before quickly locking onto a target.
"Naruto is the Child of Prophecy personally chosen by the Great Toad Sage. Who else could it be?"
Jiraiya happily settled on his choice.
He had completely forgotten that not long ago, he had thought very differently.
Back then, he believed that promoting the "Naruto shortcut" and letting everyone try to master Sage Mode would basically mean everyone became Jiraiya's disciple, giving everyone a chance to become the Child of Prophecy.
But less than a minute later, just to make Naruto take the blame, Jiraiya immediately changed his mind.
If he wanted Naruto to help with this, then he first had to find Sasuke.
Right now, Naruto is with Sasuke.
"I just hope Sasuke's satisfied by now and is willing to let him go."
Jiraiya shook his head worriedly.
If Sasuke refused to release Naruto, Jiraiya really had no way to force him, nor any convincing reason to persuade him.
After all, Jiraiya was researching Sage Mode to resist the Otsutsuki, while Sasuke strengthening himself and mastering the Rinnegan was also for resisting the Otsutsuki.
With a try-it-and-see attitude, Jiraiya once again arrived at Amegakure and came knocking.
What surprised him was that the Uchiha Sasuke he once viewed as cold and distant like Orochimaru had actually become much more cheerful now.
When alone, there was even a smile on his face. Only after seeing Jiraiya did he restrain it.
"Sasuke, you seem pretty happy. Looks like you've made huge progress?"
Jiraiya probed cautiously.
In his view, Sasuke being this happy definitely meant he had achieved some breakthrough in strength.
Just like Orochimaru—if Orochimaru smiled, it meant his research had advanced.
"Jiraiya, why are you here? You came for Naruto?"
Sasuke frowned slightly, but quickly guessed Jiraiya's purpose.
Boys who smile easily usually don't have terrible luck, because people with truly awful luck can't smile at all.
Just like now.
Among the "Four Great Laughing Uchiha", Sasuke and his brother were living comfortably, while Madara and Obito suffered endlessly—especially Obito.
"Yeah, Sasuke. You've already gained the power of the Rinnegan, but Naruto's strength has been stagnant this whole time. I'm taking him away for training."
Jiraiya nodded and "admitted" it.
"So that's how it is."
Sasuke nodded slightly.
He also felt it was about time for Naruto to improve his strength.
He couldn't be selfish and really keep Naruto trapped here forever, turning him into a dead-last loser.
Once the Otsutsuki descended, their priority targets would definitely be the jinchūriki. As the Nine-Tails jinchūriki, Naruto was the most obvious target.
Even if Naruto had Sasuke and everyone else protecting him, that didn't mean Naruto himself didn't need strength.
Besides, if Sasuke kept restricting Naruto like this forever, wouldn't that just mean he was afraid this dead-last loser might surpass him?
"Alright. Naruto's yours."
Sasuke raised a hand toward the house and used Universal Pull (Banshō Ten'in).
Naruto's body was suddenly grabbed by an invisible force and dragged over.
Bang.
Naruto was tossed into Jiraiya's arms by Universal Pull, and the genjutsu on him was released at the same time.
"Huh?"
Naruto woke up groggily.
Don't ask why Sasuke didn't just use Amenotejikara to teleport Naruto over instantly.
Because using Universal Pull to grab something had a process. It drew attention and looked cool.
Amenotejikara was better suited for combat. Simply moving something without any follow-up was too plain.
"Dead-last, I've already released the genjutsu. Jiraiya's here to take you away. Let's see when you'll finally catch up to me."
Sasuke was in an exceptionally good mood right now, acting as cool as possible.
Even in Tsunade's original Infinite Tsukuyomi dream, where Sasuke still had both parents and the Uchiha Clan was never massacred, he still felt deeply frustrated because Naruto was stronger than him.
Of course, that was actually due to Tsunade's bias against Sasuke.
The real Sasuke had shown "jealousy" after Naruto surpassed him in strength, but in reality, it was because he saw himself as an avenger obsessed with gaining power.
A Sasuke who still had his parents would never develop those feelings toward Naruto and defect because of them.
Just like now.
Sasuke awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, transplanted new eyes to obtain the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, then gained the Rinnegan after eating delicious food. The whole process happened almost seamlessly, leaving him little chance to actually experience and use each stage properly.
Unlike in the original story, where every advancement came before or after getting brutally beaten up.
And before awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan, Sasuke had actually been considerably weaker than Naruto.
Yet he never developed even the slightest resentment toward Naruto because of it.
So really, the plotline in Tsunade's Infinite Tsukuyomi from the original story was overflowing with the arrogance and prejudice of Konoha's Senju.
"Sasuke, what happened to your eyes? Were you hypnotized?!"
The moment Naruto regained his senses and stood on the ground, he saw Sasuke's eyes. His face immediately filled with shock and worry as he grabbed Sasuke's shoulders.
Ripple eyes.
Didn't those represent fainting and hypnosis?
"Hypnosis my ass. These are the Sage of Six Paths' Rinnegan! The leader of the Akatsuki has the same eyes. Didn't you see them when you came here?"
Speechless, Jiraiya smacked Naruto on the head.
How could a kid Naruto's age think like this so naturally? Why was his mind full of such nonsense? Who taught him this stuff?
"The Sage of Six Paths?!"
Naruto was stunned.
"Mm. Now you get it, right?"
Jiraiya nodded in satisfaction.
"..."
Naruto looked conflicted, but ultimately decided not to say what was on his mind. He turned to Jiraiya instead.
"Pervy Sage, how am I supposed to get stronger now? I feel like I've been asleep forever."
"We'll talk while we walk."
Jiraiya wrapped an arm around Naruto and headed outside.
The two traveled all the way to the Flying Thunder Formation squad's location and returned to Konoha.
With the emergence of the Flying Thunder Formation, the ninja world was starting to resemble the Three Kingdoms era more and more.
Not only did they have "Heaven's Will", but now they also had highways and teleportation gates.
Traveling eight hundred li (400 KM/248.54 Miles) in three days had become effortless.
After returning to Konoha, Jiraiya finally stopped rambling and seriously began analyzing ways for Naruto to grow stronger.
"Naruto, Nagato... the people in Amegakure genuinely care about you. Even after your future self betrayed them, they still believed you were just foolish, not a bad person."
Jiraiya spoke earnestly.
"...Pervy Sage, I don't understand what you're saying. Also, why does it feel like you're insulting me?"
Naruto scratched his head in confusion.
"Anyway, they already told me how you can grow stronger and catch up to Sasuke. The core of it lies in the power of the tailed beasts."
"Tailed beasts?"
"That's right. Not just the Nine-Tails, but the power of all nine tailed beasts. You can try using the Nine-Tails to communicate with them and see how many tailed beasts you can connect to from inside yourself."
Jiraiya looked at Naruto with great anticipation.
And don't ask why he wasn't making Naruto handle the "real business" yet.
Jiraiya needed to improve Naruto's strength first. Otherwise, what if Naruto actually got beaten to death?
(End of this chapter)