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Chapter 266 - Naruto:Immortality-Chapter 17: A Friendly Spar

The night was deep, and a bright full moon hung in the sky, casting its cold yet serene glow over the world. The air was crisp and refreshing, carrying with it the scent of autumn.

At the entrance of Jiraiya's small base, Haiichi, Shikaku, and Choza sat shoulder to shoulder, gazing up at the starry night sky.

"Hey, Shikaku, do you think sensei has forgotten about us here?" Choza asked, his voice carrying a hint of cluelessness.

"Shut up, Choza! Don't say the truth out loud! Let me hold onto a shred of hope, will you?" Haiichi immediately protested, his face twisting into a comical grimace before Shikaku could respond.

Lying on the grass with his hands behind his head, Shikaku lazily spat out a blade of grass he'd been chewing on and replied nonchalantly, "What's the rush to go back? Isn't it better to just enjoy the peace right now? Training's over, and we can lie here quietly, staring at the night sky. Isn't this nice?"

Hearing that, both Haiichi and Choza instinctively nodded. Indeed, compared to returning to the village and resuming the life of a ninja, or enduring the hellish training they'd just gone through, this moment of leisure felt like paradise.

Whether by design or by accident, they were still considered Rinjin's disciples. No one dared to criticize them for slacking off.

The cool autumn breeze swept across the grassland, bringing with it a refreshing chill. Without the buzzing of mosquitoes, the night felt particularly tranquil and pleasant.

Time passed quietly. Just as the three of them were about to drift off to sleep, a faint, almost imperceptible sound broke the silence.

In an instant, the three, who had been lying shoulder to shoulder on the grass, sprang to their feet. Back to back, kunai in hand, they scanned their surroundings with grave vigilance.

Not far away, hiding behind the building, Jiraiya quickly shrank back, clicking his tongue in amazement.

"These brats! No, these ninjas... their alertness is incredible!"

The sound they'd reacted to was merely Jiraiya brushing his hand lightly against the grass. Even if one listened closely, it would be nearly indistinguishable from the sound of the wind rustling through the grass.

Yet, these three not only heard it but also reacted instantly. Their movements were so practiced that it was clear they had developed this into an instinctive response.

As Jiraiya marveled at their abilities, Shikaku's sharp eyes darted toward the direction behind the house. Nudging Haiichi lightly with his elbow, he signaled without a word.

Haiichi immediately understood, passing the signal to Choza with a subtle nudge of his own elbow. Despite his larger frame, Choza's reaction was quick and discreet, returning the signal to Shikaku.

After confirming the signals, Shikaku nudged Haiichi once more. Only then did the three of them relax slightly.

Good. No enemy presence. All teammates accounted for. Crisis half-resolved.

They sheathed their kunai and sat back down, gazing at the full moon sinking toward the horizon in the east. Sleep was no longer an option.

Behind the house, Jiraiya had observed every one of their subtle movements with crystal clarity. As a ninja of his caliber, he could see through their small gestures without missing a beat.

It was precisely because of this that he realized how terrifyingly in sync these three kids were. Comparing them to himself at their age, Jiraiya admitted that while he might have been able to defeat one of them individually, his teamwork with his own squad back then was far inferior.

He couldn't help but acknowledge that Rinjin had a remarkable talent for teaching. He'd seen both Handa and Fugaku in action before, and while they were undoubtedly strong, they lacked this level of teamwork. In fact, according to the village's intelligence, they excelled in solo combat.

But these three? Their coordination was impeccable.

With that thought in mind, Jiraiya resolved that the next time he met Rinjin, he wouldn't just discuss literature and "research material" with him. He'd have to talk about teaching methods as well.

Time flew by, and dawn broke. After breakfast, Jiraiya led Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan into another day of training.

Having nothing better to do, Shikaku, Haiichi, and Choza decided to tag along. After all, there was nothing more enjoyable than watching others suffer through training while they themselves had already graduated. That mix of comfort, relaxation, and schadenfreude was like drinking a bellyful of chilled watermelon juice on a scorching summer day—pure bliss.

The weather was perfect, with clear skies and a crisp autumn breeze. The three found themselves some fishing rods from who-knows-where and squatted by the lakeside, grinning as they cast their lines. Their eyes, however, were glued to the intense sparring happening over the lake.

Not far away, Jiraiya was holding his ground against Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan without using any ninjutsu. With just his taijutsu and evasion techniques, he forced the three into a constant retreat.

On the lake, paper shuriken flew through the air, accompanied by bursts of Wind Release and Water Release. Watching the spectacle, Haiichi nudged Shikaku and whispered, "Hey, Shikaku, have you noticed? They don't seem to practice taijutsu at all."

Shikaku, his gaze still fixed on the lake, nodded slightly and replied nonchalantly, "Maybe Lord Jiraiya thinks ninjutsu is more lethal. To be fair, ninjutsu does have more destructive power compared to taijutsu or genjutsu."

As the two whispered, the battle on the lake came to an end. Jiraiya led Yahiko and the others back to the lakeside to rest.

At that moment, Yahiko, ever the bold one, suddenly approached Shikaku and his team.

"Hey, the three of us against the three of you. Let's see what Konoha ninjas are capable of," he said with a cocky grin.

Hearing this, Shikaku, Haiichi, and even Choza, who was busy stuffing his face with rice balls, all shook their heads in unison.

Absolutely not! They had no experience holding back in a fight. Whenever they faced an opponent, it was with the intent to kill. If they accidentally went too far, how would they explain themselves?

Seeing their refusal, Yahiko's brows furrowed. These guys were so arrogant! It was just a friendly spar—what was the big deal? Were they afraid he'd steal their jutsu?

"It's just a friendly spar! We just want to see the difference between us and Konoha genin!" Yahiko emphasized the words "Konoha genin" with a hint of provocation.

This only made Shikaku shake his head even harder. He hated trouble. Besides, their teacher had made it clear: they were the most mediocre special jonin, not some world-destroying Konoha genin.

Seeing Shikaku's continued refusal, Yahiko had nothing more to say. While he had his own pride, he wasn't the type to resort to excessive taunts against people who had done him no wrong. At the end of the day, he was just a straightforward kid.

Just as Yahiko was about to turn back to Nagato and Konan, Jiraiya spoke up.

"Shikaku, give it a try. Ninjas need pressure, but they also need interaction."

Truth be told, Jiraiya wanted to see Shikaku and the others in action. He also trusted that Shikaku, being the mature and level-headed one, would know how to hold back.

Hearing the request from his teacher's close friend, Shikaku sighed inwardly, pressed his lips together, and nodded reluctantly.

"I'll handle it," he said, standing up lazily and making his way to the center of the lake.

On the shore, Haiichi glanced at Yahiko and his companions, who were exchanging uncertain looks, and urged, "Hurry up. Shikaku's really lazy, you know."

"Alright then, I'll go first!" Yahiko declared, ready to face Shikaku one-on-one. However, Haiichi quickly interrupted him.

"No, all three of you should go at once. And, uh... no offense, really," Haiichi stammered, scratching his head. "It's just that, well... how do I put this? Choza and I are total weaklings, complete dead weight. All of our team's strength is concentrated in Shikaku."

As he spoke, Haiichi threw an arm around the plump Choza, who nodded vigorously without a second thought.

~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~ 

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