After a good night's rest, Kitagawa Gen went to report at the Hokage's office early the next morning.
"Yo, you're here quite early today."
Kitagawa Gen had just reached the ground floor when he saw Jiraiya. He greeted him with a smile.
"I thought you'd be late again, like before."
"Tch, aren't you here early too, Pervy Sage?"
Kitagawa Gen smiled and waved, then asked curiously.
"But for you to come this early, could it be something's going on?"
"There is indeed something—I've been thinking about it for a while."
Facing Kitagawa Gen, Jiraiya was completely trusting, without the slightest intent to hide anything.
"Naruto's a fine kid, but I think he still needs to go one step further. I plan to discuss with the old man about the Nine-Tails inside him."
"Oh?"
Kitagawa Gen's eyes brightened—he had already been pondering how to let Naruto train in the "Nine-Tails Chakra Mode."
He hadn't expected Jiraiya to be thinking along the same lines.
"You plan to release the Nine-Tails seal? Did the Fourth Hokage and his wife inside him agree to that?"
"I've already discussed it with Minato and Kushina, and it's their idea as well."
Jiraiya smiled lightly as he spoke.
"Although with you around, Naruto probably won't have to endure too many troubles, he can't stay under your protection forever, can he?"
At that, he paused for a moment before smiling again.
"Besides, when Minato sealed the Nine-Tails inside him back then, it was because he hoped Naruto would learn to make good use of that power. I think the time has about come."
Namikaze Minato had sealed the Nine-Tails within Naruto precisely so he could deal with Uchiha Obito.
Only, no one had expected that Uchiha Obito would be struck down by Kitagawa Gen long in advance.
And Naruto couldn't remain stagnant either—becoming a perfect Jinchūriki was the dream of every great ninja village, and Naruto would have to work for it too.
"I absolutely support that. The kid may look foolish, but he definitely has the potential."
Kitagawa Gen stroked his chin and nodded, then asked with some curiosity.
"By the way, why didn't you talk to the Second Hokage about this? He'd definitely support it."
"Of course I know he would, but he's busy right now."
Jiraiya spread his hands helplessly and said.
"Don't forget, the relics of the Senju clan were stolen by Uchiha Obito. He's currently figuring out how to restore himself and retrieve them."
"I see. Looks like he really doesn't have time."
"Exactly, so you, the future Fifth Hokage, will have to give me a hand."
"Don't worry, I already said I'd support you. But how do you plan to do it? Controlling a Tailed Beast isn't that simple."
That was what Kitagawa Gen was most curious about—he remembered that originally, Naruto had gone to that waterfall on Turtle Island to solve the problem.
But now, the relationship between Kumogakure and Konoha could hardly be called cooperative; at the very least, they were practically mortal enemies!
Konoha could strong-arm Kumo into handing over the method or providing a site, but who knew what Kumo might be plotting in secret.
"I've heard that to control a Tailed Beast, you have to confront your true self—is that true?"
"It's true. Kushina also mentioned it, but constructing that kind of thing here in Konoha is a bit troublesome."
When Jiraiya said that, he looked somewhat troubled. He rubbed his head and spoke helplessly.
"The night of the Nine-Tails attack destroyed quite a lot—including the things left behind by the Uzumaki clan."
"These three years, Kushina had also been trying to find a solution, but rebuilding was too troublesome, and it required poring over ancient texts. Yet in her current condition…"
"I see."
Kitagawa Gen understood now—no wonder, in his memory, Naruto had needed Kumogakure's help.
So it turned out that Konohagakure's own "True Waterfall" had been destroyed, and rebuilding such a thing was indeed difficult.
Now, with Kushina barely able to consult old records herself, expecting Naruto to read through them instead…
Shaking his head, Kitagawa Gen simply asked.
"So what do you plan to do?"
"I plan to take Naruto on a trip to Iwagakure."
Jiraiya revealed a mischievous smile, and those words left Kitagawa Gen momentarily stunned.
"Iwagakure? They have one of those too?"
"Kidding? Back during the Third Great Ninja War, I was almost blasted to death by one of their Tailed Beasts' Bijūdama."
Recalling that, Jiraiya couldn't help shaking his head, but he quickly patted Kitagawa Gen on the shoulder.
"They definitely have one. They're our allies now—and you're especially close with that kid Deidara, who's also the future Tsuchikage, so…"
"So?"
"Staying in the village all the time is boring, isn't it? How about we go together?"
"…"
Kitagawa Gen fell silent. He felt as though he had finally discovered the true reason why he kept running into the Akatsuki all these years.
So that was it!
'Could it be because Pain was originally supposed to kill him, but now fate's shifted, and he's instead been constantly crossing paths with the Akatsuki?'
Kitagawa Gen stared silently at Jiraiya, while Jiraiya, thinking he was unwilling, immediately lowered his voice.
"I can take you to their best hot spring resort, you know."
"…"
"You always wanted to go before, didn't you? Now that you're an adult, you can enter—completely legitimate, of course~"
"…"
"If you don't want to be recognized, you can transform into an old man. Worst case, just turn into the Second Hokage—you two look alike anyway!"
"…"
While Jiraiya was trying to lure Kitagawa Gen into accompanying him to Iwagakure—
Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Obito had already arrived within the Land of Earth.
Standing atop a towering mountain range, they gazed down upon everything below.
"I heard you've made quite a bit of progress this time, even awakening the 'Power of All Creation'?"
Uchiha Madara tilted his head as he looked at the spirited Obito beside him, asking with curiosity.
"In that case, I'll leave this to you. Let me see your performance—how about it?"
"Naturally, no problem. I was hoping for your 'guidance' anyway."
Obito did not object; he only nodded calmly.
"Then watch closely—and see how I perform."
...
"Hey, hey, hey, why is it just the four of us this time?"
In a small town in the Land of Grass, Naruto looked at the team leader, Jiraiya, and the ever-indifferent Kitagawa Gen.
He couldn't help mumbling under his breath, while Sasuke beside him gave a light snort.
"The four of us are enough. What more do you want?"
"It's not that, really… It's just that going with Gen and that pervy sage—without Kakashi-sensei—it feels kind of unreliable."
Naruto pursed his lips and muttered softly to Sasuke beside him. Sasuke nodded slightly, then instinctively shook his head.
"Don't talk nonsense. You trying to get us killed? When has Gen-senpai ever been unreliable?"
"Tch, coward."
Naruto shot Sasuke a look of disdain, but seeing the idiot-like expression Sasuke gave him in return, he decided not to say anything more.
This time, there were only four of them on the mission—and he knew perfectly well what they were going to do.
That made him both expectant and uneasy. After all, that big fox had brought Konoha no small amount of trouble!
"Even though that bastard Gen said it's just to make him pay the rent, I still can't help but worry…"
Naruto murmured under his breath, and aside from worrying about the fox, he was also concerned about his parents' chakra.
After all, both of them existed within him only because of the Nine-Tails' chakra!
"Don't worry, Naruto."
At that moment, Kushina's voice sounded within him.
"Jiraiya-sensei might usually be unreliable, but when it comes to something like this, he definitely has every safeguard ready."
"That's right, Naruto."
Minato also smiled, his voice still gentle as ever.
"This is exactly why I sealed the Nine-Tails inside you in the first place. I believe you'll be fine."
"But speaking of which—Konoha still hasn't repaired the damage from back then, to the point that Naruto has to go study in Iwagakure. Honestly…"
Kushina's tone turned a little resentful, and Minato couldn't help but try to soothe her.
"Maybe the village just doesn't have that much data anymore. After all, we both…"
"Tch, I know, I'm not being unreasonable. But I heard those two Jinchūriki from Iwagakure once hit you with a Tailed Beast Bomb?"
"Uh, that was all in the past. Times have changed, Kushina."
"I know, I know. Still pisses me off. And what pisses me off even more is Jiraiya-sensei—that shameless old man! He actually made Naruto pay for everything on this trip!"
"…"
"And he even tricked Gen into going to that kind of place! That lecherous old fossil!"
"…"
"Why aren't you saying anything? Don't tell me you went along with him back in the day?"
"Of course not!"
Listening to the bickering of his parents in his mind, Naruto couldn't help but laugh.
Though they sometimes caused him trouble—and occasionally gave him quite the beating in his spiritual world—
Even so, this feeling was something he truly loved.
'I absolutely can't let them down.'
Naruto made up his mind silently—and couldn't help glancing toward Kitagawa Gen.
'Nor can I let that bastard down. If it weren't for him…'
Just as that thought crossed his mind, he suddenly saw Kitagawa Gen wave him over.
"Naruto, settle the bill for the stuff we bought, would you? Thanks."
"…"
Naruto clenched his fists. He really couldn't afford to learn any of this guy's "good" traits.
Just thinking about it—something was bound to go wrong!
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