Jiraiya looked at Nagi's completely unyielding expression and sighed.
"I was hoping to resolve this peacefully… but you, kid… sigh."
The moment he finished speaking, he vanished and reappeared behind Nagi, reaching directly for the telescope and notebook in his hands.
But Nagi seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. With a slight shift of his body, he avoided Jiraiya's grab.
"Oh? Interesting."
Jiraiya switched hands and lunged again—
Nagi sidestepped once more.
"Hmm?"
Jiraiya tried again. Nagi dodged again.
Several exchanges passed in a stalemate.
"You troublesome brat… Hmph. Looks like I'll have to get serious."
Jiraiya suddenly widened his eyes and looked over Nagi's shoulder.
"Ahhh! There's a beautiful woman behind you wearing nothing but a towel!"
"Heh. Ninety percent of men fall for that diversion tactic."
As Jiraiya bent down to snatch the items—
He found Nagi completely unmoved.
Jiraiya's hand froze midair.
After a long pause, he withdrew it and sighed.
"Fine. You win. I won't peep anymore, okay?"
Turning around, he saw Naruto watching the entire scene.
Instant embarrassment washed over him.
"Naruto! What are you staring at? Get back to training!"
[Orochimaru: Hahaha. Jiraiya, you really haven't changed when it comes to being humbled.]
[Jiraiya: Hmph. Don't get cocky, Orochimaru. Your turn will come.]
[Orochimaru: I look forward to it.]
Afterward, Nagi accompanied Jiraiya and Naruto to their usual training spot.
However…
"Hahaha! So you're Naruto's friend. A misunderstanding earlier—just a misunderstanding.
Didn't expect Naruto to have such an upright friend. Hmm, excellent! This grilled meat is fantastic!"
Jiraiya said between bites of Nagi's specially seasoned barbecue.
"That's right! Nagi's cooking and Old Man Teuchi's ramen are the best in Konoha! So good!" Naruto chimed in.
"Slow down, both of you. There's more."
Nagi flipped the meat carefully, adding seasoning.
Earlier, they had spotted a wild boar drinking by a stream. Since it was already dinnertime and they were hungry, the boar had become their meal.
Before long, only bones remained.
Naruto and Jiraiya leaned back with full bellies, licking their lips, still unsatisfied.
Jiraiya nodded approvingly.
"Nagi, was it? Your cooking surpasses most chefs in the Shinobi World.
As the Great Toad Sage, I've tasted delicacies everywhere—trust my judgment."
He waved grandly.
"As thanks for the meal, is there any jutsu you'd like to learn? I, Jiraiya of the Sannin, might consider teaching you."
"Yeah! Pervy Sage is super strong!" Naruto added.
Nagi thought briefly.
"Then could you demonstrate your oil-based Fire Release technique?"
"Oh?"
Jiraiya raised a brow.
"So you've heard of it. Fine—watch closely."
He walked toward a nearby waterfall.
Forming hand seals, he inhaled deeply.
"Fire Release: Flame Bullet!"
A strange, massive fireball shot from his mouth, colliding with the waterfall.
Steam exploded outward.
When it cleared, flames roared across the waterfall's surface.
Because of the oil mixed within the technique, the flames did not extinguish—they continued burning, forming a blazing curtain of fire over flowing water.
"Hmph. Impressive, right?"
"So cool! I wanna learn that!" Naruto shouted.
"Very powerful," Nagi acknowledged.
Jiraiya explained the principle: refining chakra into oil, expelling it, and igniting it simultaneously with Fire Release to sustain combustion.
Nagi nodded thoughtfully.
Naruto, meanwhile, understood none of it.
To make it clearer, Jiraiya produced specially processed oil, then demonstrated converting chakra into oil in his palm.
Nagi dipped a finger into Jiraiya's oil, then tried forming oil from chakra himself.
Jiraiya laughed.
"Hahaha! Failing the first time is normal. Even the Great Toad Sage once—wait… what?!"
His eyes widened.
Nagi had succeeded.
"…Th-This…"
Nagi's oil was different. It was formed from Yin–Yang Release chakra, though predominantly Yin.
He stepped toward the waterfall.
Instead of holding oil in his mouth, he concentrated chakra oil at the tips of his index and middle fingers.
"Fire Release: Flame Bullet."
A massive, dark-hued fireball burst forth.
When it collided with the flaming waterfall, the black flames consumed the existing fire entirely.
Soon, the entire waterfall burned in eerie black fire, radiating a chilling aura.
"Whoa—! That black flame is awesome!" Naruto exclaimed.
Jiraiya, however, stared blankly, like an elderly man bewildered by modern technology.
"D-Did I teach it like that? He succeeded on the first try?
And what is that black flame? A change in nature transformation?"
Years ago, Minato's genius had shaken his confidence.
Today, it suffered another heavy blow.
Naruto's friend is extraordinary… I should ask the old man about him later, Jiraiya thought.
[Shisui Uchiha: That flame resembles Itachi's Amaterasu.]
[Izuna Uchiha: Black flames that burn the target to nothing…]
[Orochimaru: Similar, yes—but Itachi's Amaterasu is pure Yin-based manifestation.
Nagi's contains both Yin and Yang Release, though Yin predominates.]
[Screen Fades to Black]
After training a while longer, the three returned to the Sunrise Inn for a soak in the hot springs.
Jiraiya relaxed in the water, sipping sake.
"Ahh… this is living."
Nagi and Naruto, wrapped in towels, joined him.
Time passed pleasantly.
Eventually, Naruto and Nagi rose first, preparing to leave.
Suddenly, Jiraiya grinned mischievously and lunged forward—
Yanking away their towels in one swift motion.
"Hahaha! Hot springs are best enjoyed freely—
Hmm? But… Nagi, since when did you have such long arms?"
The steam was thick; Jiraiya couldn't see clearly.
Nagi replied calmly,
"Jiraiya-sama… that isn't my arm."
"…Huh? …Huh?! HUH?!"
◇ BONUS & SUPPORT ◇
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 10 reviews — drop a comment!
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 70 chapters ahead on P@treon → patreon.com/Chakraflow789