In terms of master-disciple lineage, saying it like this... it seems... there really isn't anything wrong with it.
Minato was his disciple, and now Naruto had also taken him as a master, so Minato and Naruto were indeed fellow disciples.
But thinking about the actual blood relation between Minato and Naruto, and then hearing Naruto call Minato "Senior Brother," Jiraiya couldn't help but feel something was off, a sense of indescribable absurdity.
Jiraiya's mouth twitched. Seeing Naruto's expectant eyes waiting for confirmation, he eventually gave a vague, somewhat helpless nod. "Well... if you put it that way... theoretically... it's not wrong..."
"Yay! Awesome!" Receiving confirmation, Naruto cheered. He felt one step closer to his dream of becoming Hokage, and even the remaining meat on his plate tasted better.
He had a Hokage for a Senior Brother!
Even though they had never met, it sounded super impressive!
Then wouldn't becoming Hokage himself be a matter of course?
Looking at Naruto's simple and happy expression, the strange feeling in Jiraiya's heart turned into a faint warmth and a heavy sense of responsibility.
He patted Naruto's head, secretly making a resolution:
'Minato, Kushina, rest assured. This time, I will definitely guide this kid well and never let him walk that lonely path shown on the heavenly screen.'
The smoke from the barbecue curled upward, reflecting the two who had just formed a master-disciple bond—one jubilant, the other filled with emotion.
The next morning, sunlight flooded the streets of Konoha Village.
Jiraiya yawned, looking half-asleep as he led a similarly drowsy Naruto toward the Ninja Academy.
Unlike yesterday, Naruto walked beside Jiraiya today, no longer a lonely figure with his head down. Though still somewhat reserved, his back had unconsciously straightened.
"Lord Jiraiya, good morning!"
"Lord Jiraiya, you've returned to the village?"
"It's truly an honor to see you!"
Along the way, Ninjas and even some elderly villagers who recognized Jiraiya stopped in their tracks and greeted him respectfully.
Their eyes were full of reverence for one of the "Sannin."
Jiraiya waved his hand casually in response.
However, when his gaze swept over the somewhat bewildered Naruto beside him, he did something that took everyone greeting him by surprise.
He stopped, rested his large hand naturally on Naruto's shoulder, pushed him forward half a step, and introduced him to a bowing Chunin in a seemingly casual but unquestionable tone:
"Ah, it's you. Just in time, let me introduce you. This is Uzumaki Naruto, my newly accepted disciple."
He then turned to a surprised shopkeeper on the other side. "Boss, remember this: this kid is my apprentice. Take care of him from now on."
"..."
In an instant, it was as if the surroundings had been muted.
Everyone who heard this showed expressions of extreme shock and disbelief, their gazes focusing on Naruto in unison.
Uzumaki Naruto? That Demon Fox?
Lord Jiraiya's... disciple?!
This was even more unbelievable than the descent of the heavenly screen!
How could the legendary Sannin, one of Konoha's top combatants, take that Demon Fox—whom everyone regarded as a calamity and avoided—as a disciple?
Various complex emotions intertwined on the adults' faces: confusion, doubt, fear, and even a faint, barely perceptible questioning of Jiraiya's decision.
But all these emotions were quickly suppressed upon meeting Jiraiya's gaze—one that, while carrying its usual laziness, held a hint of sharpness and warning.
"Yes... Yes! Lord Jiraiya!"
"Understood, we... we will take care of him."
No one dared to question Jiraiya's decision to his face.
This was the prestige of a top-tier Ninja.
Standing beside Jiraiya, Naruto saw all of this.
He clearly felt the change in the people's gazes: from pure awe of Jiraiya initially, to shock and complexity when looking at him, and finally to a forced restraint of their wariness due to Jiraiya's attitude.
He once again realized deeply just how much power and status his new master held within Konoha Village.
An unprecedented feeling of being "protected" quietly enveloped his long-frozen heart like a warm current.
He peeked up at Jiraiya's nonchalant yet incredibly reliable profile, his small hand unconsciously clutching the edge of Jiraiya's clothes.
This time, perhaps things really were different.
By the time Jiraiya had "promoted" Naruto all the way to the school gates, the news that "the Demon Fox Uzumaki Naruto had become Jiraiya's disciple" had already spread through every corner of Konoha like a whirlwind.
Everyone understood that from today onward, their attitude toward Uzumaki Naruto had to be reconsidered.
And Naruto himself, for the first time, truly and clearly touched a glimmer of what could be called "reliance" and "the possibility of being accepted."
Walking into the classroom, Naruto felt that the atmosphere today was exceptionally different.
He straightened his back and walked to his seat.
Just as he sat down, a cold voice came from beside him.
"Hey, dead last."
Naruto didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
He snorted and replied in a deliberately smug tone, "What is it, Arrogant Sasuke?"
Sasuke didn't immediately retort as usual. Instead, he fell silent for a moment before asking with a hint of subtle inquiry, "That white-haired man who just walked you to school... who was he?"
At the mention of Jiraiya, Naruto immediately perked up. He turned around, pride unmistakable on his face, his voice unconsciously rising an octave. "That's my master! Impressive, right? He's a legendary Ninja, one of the 'Sannin,' Jiraiya!"
"Jiraiya...?" Sasuke repeated the name in a low voice, his black pupils constricting slightly as a clear flash of shock crossed his face.
Naruto might not have known the weight of that name, but Sasuke, hailing from the Uchiha Clan, had been influenced by what he heard since childhood, listening to the clan elders mention Konoha's top combatants.
The title of the "Sannin" was like a thunderclap!
He never expected that Naruto, this good-for-nothing dead last, could actually become a disciple under someone of such legendary caliber!
No wonder... a thought flashed through Sasuke's mind like lightning, instantly illuminating his previous confusion.
No wonder in that "future" on the heavenly screen, this current dead last could become so powerful, even defeating him!
It was because he received the guidance of such a high-level powerhouse!