A New Path

The streets of Konoha were bathed in the warm glow of midday sunlight, a stark contrast to the tired expressions on Team 7’s faces. The day after the preliminary matches had done little to soothe the aches of battle, and now, they were trudging toward their designated meeting spot with Kakashi.

The air was thick with the scent of grilled food and fresh bread from nearby vendors, but before they could even begin to think about stopping for a snack, an unsettling sight made all four of them freeze.

There, peering into the women’s bathhouse like a particularly brazen cockroach, was a man. Not just any man—one with long, spiky white hair, a strange, red-painted outfit, and an even weirder forehead protector that didn’t have the symbol of Konoha but something else entirely. He giggled to himself, hands forming a spyglass over his eyes as he peeked through a small crack in the wooden fence.

There was a long silence.

Then, as one, Team 7 grimaced in utter disgust.

"Ugh," Sakura groaned, wrinkling her nose. "Pervert."

Sasuke just clicked his tongue in irritation. "Unbelievable."

Naruto actually recoiled, physically leaning away from the man. "What the hell, old man!?"

Harry just exhaled sharply and turned on his heel. "Let’s go. I don’t want to be anywhere near this guy."

Team 7 nodded in agreement, already stepping away. Maybe if they moved quickly and quietly, they could leave before he—

"AH-HAH!"

The strange man suddenly whipped around, pointing directly at them, grinning from ear to ear.

Team 7 collectively flinched.

"You there! Young shinobi! You stand in the presence of the legendary Toad Sage, the gallant Jiraiya!" He struck an overly dramatic pose, one hand held up in a half-seal while the other extended outward like he was waiting for applause. "One of the Legendary Sannins! Famed author! Master shinobi! Handsome devil of the battlefield!"

A heavy, suffocating silence followed.

Team 7 simply stared.

Sakura's eye twitched. "Who?"

Jiraiya physically stumbled, as if struck. "Wha—!? Hold on, don’t tell me you’ve never heard of me! I’m Jiraiya! The Jiraiya!"

Naruto, unimpressed, folded his arms. "Yeah? And?"

Harry tilted his head. "Should we be impressed?"

Sasuke scoffed. "We’ve already fought Orochimaru."

The moment the name left Sasuke’s mouth, Jiraiya’s demeanor shifted just slightly. The playful, dramatic persona was still present, but there was a sharp glint in his eyes now—one that spoke of experience, of knowledge that Team 7 couldn’t yet grasp. But, just as quickly as it came, it was gone. He let out an exaggerated sigh, scratching the back of his head. "Wow, tough crowd," he muttered under his breath before his sharp gaze flickered back toward them.

His eyes immediately zeroed in on something that Team 7 had yet to comment on—the faint, creeping black markings on Sakura’s shoulder and the dark, ink-like seal wrapped around Sasuke’s neck.

His easy-going smirk twitched. "Well, well… Looks like you kids ran into more than just Orochimaru."

Team 7’s expressions darkened slightly, but before Jiraiya could push further—

"Yo."

Kakashi appeared behind Jiraiya out of nowhere, hands in his pockets, posture relaxed. Relieved, Team 7 immediately moved past Jiraiya and gathered around their sensei like he was a lifeline.

"Kakashi-sensei," Naruto sighed dramatically as if he had just survived something life-threatening.

Sakura exhaled through her nose. "Thank The Sages…"

Harry glanced over his shoulder. "Can we leave now?"

Sasuke, quiet as ever, merely turned away from Jiraiya entirely, as if he had already deemed him irrelevant.

Kakashi’s single visible eye crinkled in amusement as he glanced toward his old mentor. "It’s been a while, Jiraiya."

Jiraiya scoffed, but there was the briefest twitch of something almost fond in his expression. "Yeah, yeah, I guess it has."

Kakashi’s posture didn’t shift, but there was an unspoken authority in his next words. "The Third Hokage wants to see you."

Jiraiya made an exasperated sound. "Tch, I’ll see that old man later."

Naruto, who had been quiet, suddenly perked up at that, turning toward the Toad Sage with mild interest. "Finally, someone else who doesn’t kiss up to the old geezer."

Kakashi didn’t react, but the look he gave Jiraiya clearly said, ‘Really?’

Jiraiya, ignoring the unspoken reprimand, turned back to Team 7. "Anyway, forget that. I think I’ll join your training session instead!"

Four voices groaned simultaneously.

Jiraiya sweatdropped. "H-Hey! What’s with that reaction!?"

Naruto jabbed a thumb toward him. "Why would we want some pervy old man at our training session!?"

Sakura scoffed. "You were literally spying on women a few minutes ago."

Sasuke, still facing away, muttered, "No thanks."

Harry sighed, rubbing his temple. "I already don’t like where this is going."

Jiraiya's eyebrow twitched. What was with these brats!?

Kakashi, ever the neutral party, simply shrugged. "Well, if you're going to join us, try to keep your hands out of trouble."

Jiraiya shot him a look. "Geez, even you, Kakashi?"

Kakashi just eye-smiled. "Come on, let’s get going."

With a collective sense of reluctance, Team 7 followed after their sensei, keeping a healthy distance from Jiraiya as they walked.

Jiraiya, watching them all move ahead, exhaled through his nose before his gaze unintentionally flickered back to the Cursed Seals on Sakura and Sasuke.

His expression sobered slightly.

Orochimaru… What the hell are you up to now?

Shoving his hands into his sleeves, he followed after them, already scheming how to get these kids to loosen up—because seriously, what kind of genin didn’t know how to appreciate the presence of a legend?

The sound of fists slamming into training dummies, kunai clashing against steel, and chakra surging through the air filled the training ground. Team 7 was training viciously, sweat dripping down their faces as they pushed themselves past their limits.

Sasuke moved like a phantom, his newly acquired chokutō flashing in sharp arcs as he weaved between the battered targets. His strikes were precise and relentless—each swing faster than the last.

Naruto was a blur of white and blue, Water-style jutsu bursting from his palms as he attempted to improve his elemental control, sealing tags occasionally sparking to life around him.

Sakura's chakra-infused iron fans were absent, forcing her to rely on taijutsu and precise chakra control as she moved in tandem with Harry, who wielded his katana, lightning flickering along the edge of the blade.

Kakashi, leaning against a tree, observed silently. His visible eye was half-lidded, but he was carefully analyzing every movement, every sign of progress.

A few feet away, Jiraiya watched as well, though his gaze wasn’t on their training—it was fixated on Sakura and Sasuke.

Or, more specifically, the Curse Seals on their bodies.

The difference between them was stark.

Sasuke’s Curse Seal of Heaven, positioned on his neck, was fully merged. Black markings remained dormant, resting against his skin like ink that had soaked into parchment. It was eerily calm, showing no signs of resistance or struggle.

Sakura’s, however, was… different.

Hers, placed on her shoulder, was still faint, but it was slowly darkening over time. It wasn't static like Sasuke’s. Instead, her chakra was actively consuming it, feeding on it, absorbing it piece by piece.

Jiraiya’s brows furrowed.

“…That’s unusual,” he muttered, breaking the silence.

Kakashi sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Tell me about it."

Jiraiya’s gaze flickered toward him. "The Curse Seal of Heaven doesn’t integrate this quickly. Even Orochimaru’s best subjects take weeks, sometimes months, to fully merge with it—and that’s after enduring excruciating pain, chakra depletion, and severe mental strain.” His voice lowered. “Sasuke’s should’ve taken much longer. But it looks like his chakra accepted it without resistance."

Kakashi’s lips pressed into a thin line. "I noticed the same thing."

Jiraiya frowned, his sharp gaze lingering on Sasuke’s form as the boy continued training, unaware of the scrutiny. "Orochimaru handpicks his targets for these seals. They’re designed to forcefully enhance the host’s power by acting as a secondary chakra source—like a battery. But the catch is that the seal’s chakra is supposed to be incompatible at first. That’s why it causes so much agony. The body and mind are meant to reject it, forcing the host to endure a brutal process of breaking past their own limits before it settles." His expression darkened. "But Sasuke… didn’t resist it at all. His chakra welcomed it."

Kakashi exhaled. "Orochimaru must have chosen him for a reason."

Jiraiya's silence was telling. Orochimaru never did anything without a reason.

After a pause, Jiraiya’s attention shifted to Sakura. He crossed his arms, eyes narrowing. "And her?"

Kakashi followed his gaze to where Sakura was practicing her footwork, chakra pulsing subtly through her body.

"Sakura’s case is the opposite," Kakashi murmured. "Her chakra isn’t passively accepting the seal like Sasuke’s—it’s breaking it down and integrating it into itself."

Jiraiya raised a brow. "That shouldn’t be possible."

Kakashi gave a small shrug, but his expression was grim. "And yet, it’s happening."

Jiraiya observed her more closely, watching the faint but noticeable darkening of the mark on her shoulder.

Sakura’s chakra was treating the Curse Seal like a foreign invader. Instead of letting it take over, it was breaking it down, consuming it, and weaving it into her own chakra network—like a predatory organism assimilating something into itself.

“…That’s a completely different reaction," Jiraiya muttered, rubbing his chin. "Orochimaru designed these seals to take control, not be absorbed."

Kakashi hummed in agreement. "Her chakra isn’t rejecting it, but it’s also not letting it control her. It's merging with it on her own terms. That’s why it’s taking longer for hers to darken."

Jiraiya was silent for a moment. Then, he let out a low whistle. "Damn. That's something else."

Kakashi didn’t respond, but his expression remained distant.

Jiraiya’s mind raced. Orochimaru would be very interested in this.

His gaze flickered between the two cursed members of Team 7—one whose chakra had accepted the Curse Seal like a missing puzzle piece, and one whose chakra was overpowering and repurposing it.

This was going to be a problem.

His fists clenched slightly.

“…Have they shown any signs of activating it?” he asked after a long moment.

Kakashi’s visible eye darkened. "No. Not yet."

Jiraiya exhaled. "Then we need to make sure it stays that way."

Silence stretched between them as Team 7 continued training, unaware of the troubling realization their teachers had just come to.

Kakashi clapped his hands together, drawing the attention of his team. “Alright, that’s enough individual training. Let’s mix things up a little.”

Team 7 paused mid-movement, panting lightly from exertion. They turned toward their sensei, brows raised in curiosity.

Kakashi’s lone eye curved into a telltale crescent, signaling something… unfortunate. “How about a quick spar?”

Naruto perked up immediately. “A spar? Hell yeah! Who are we fighting?”

Sasuke tilted his head slightly. “Each other?”

Sakura wiped the sweat from her brow. “Or do you want us to go up against you, sensei?”

Harry rolled his shoulders, already stretching. “I don’t mind either way.”

Kakashi hummed. “Not quite.” He casually gestured to the white-haired man standing off to the side. “Your opponent will be Jiraiya.”

A long, weighted silence followed.

Team 7 turned their heads in eerie synchronization toward Jiraiya, blinking blankly.

Jiraiya, who had been observing their training with relative detachment, suddenly stiffened. “…Wait, what?”

Team 7 exchanged glances. Then, as if silently coming to a collective agreement, they nodded.

Jiraiya deadpanned.

"Hey now, hold on a second," he huffed, jabbing a thumb at himself. "Did I say I agreed to this?!"

Kakashi merely gave a lazy wave of his hand. “You’re a legendary Sannin. You can handle a bunch of kids, right?”

Jiraiya twitched. “That’s—! That’s not the point!”

Naruto crossed his arms. “What, you scared?”

Jiraiya scoffed, crossing his own arms. “Of you? Please.”

Sakura sighed, stretching her arms behind her head. “Then what’s the problem?”

Harry unsheathed his katana, sparks of Lightning Release dancing along the blade’s edge. “You don’t have to hold back on us if that’s your concern.”

Sasuke merely adjusted his grip on his chokutō, eyes narrowing slightly. “This will be a good test of where we stand.”

Jiraiya’s eyebrow twitched. He turned an accusing stare to Kakashi. “This is a setup, isn’t it?”

Kakashi blinked, feigning innocence. “What makes you think that?”

Jiraiya exhaled sharply through his nose. "Tch. Fine. But don’t cry if you kids end up eating dirt.”

Naruto grinned. “Right back atcha, old man.”

Jiraiya grumbled under his breath before stepping into the sparring area, rolling his shoulders. “Alright, brats. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

Kakashi raised his hand. “Rules are simple. No maiming, no killing, and try not to destroy the training ground.”

Naruto cackled. “No promises!”

Sasuke scoffed.

Harry adjusted his stance.

Sakura cracked her knuckles.

Jiraiya pinched the bridge of his nose. Why do I feel like this is going to be a headache…?

Kakashi lazily dropped his hand.

“Begin.”

The moment Kakashi gave the signal, Naruto blurred into motion.

“Shadow Clone Jutsu!”

POOF!

A thick cloud of smoke erupted, and suddenly, dozens of identical Narutos filled the training ground.

Jiraiya’s eyes widened slightly. Well, well…

“Not bad,” he admitted, watching the sheer volume of clones spread out in an instant. That’s the Forbidden Jutsu, and he’s using it like it’s second nature… Not surprising, though. He’s an Uzumaki, after all.

But what caught his eye even more? The glint of a very familiar three-pronged kunai.

Jiraiya’s sharp gaze locked onto it. Minato’s kunai.

A pang of nostalgia hit him, but he had no time to dwell—Naruto lunged. The clones rushed in first, moving in unpredictable patterns, not just mindlessly attacking. Some darted ahead, some hung back, others feinted attacks—a strategy.

Jiraiya swiftly moved, his reflexes sharp despite his relaxed demeanor. His hands blurred through seals—

“Earth Release: Earth Shore Return!”

The ground beneath him rose up, forming a thick earthen wall to shield him from the initial assault.

CRACK!

The impact of multiple clones slamming into the wall sent dust and debris scattering. But Jiraiya wasn’t fooled—Naruto wasn’t the type to attack head-on without something extra up his sleeve.

And he was right.

A blur of movement.

Jiraiya barely had time to react before—

A blade came at him from thin air.

Harry.

Jiraiya’s sharp eyes flicked to the boy mid-motion, his katana gleamed with lightning, his movements fluid yet sharp, light yet deadly. He fought like a bird, feet barely touching the ground, shifting unpredictably—quick and precise, yet effortless.

Jiraiya had to adjust quickly—Naruto’s brute force, combined with Harry’s agility, was a dangerous combination.

Harry’s katana sliced through the air, aiming for Jiraiya’s exposed side.

Fast. Too fast.

Jiraiya twisted at the last moment, narrowly avoiding the strike—but the electricity crackling off the blade grazed his sleeve, making his skin prickle.

“Tch—” Jiraiya flipped back, avoiding another kunai swipe from a Naruto clone that had closed the gap. They’re working together in sync?

Jiraiya’s curiosity deepened.

Naruto, wild and unrelenting, was an aggressive storm, his clones rushing forward with pure offensive pressure—attacks fast, powerful, and relentless.

But Harry?

Harry was controlled precision.

Where Naruto attacked with brute force, Harry redirected. His katana didn’t waste movements—his stance constantly shifted, and his footwork flowed. His speed and reaction time weren’t normal.

Jiraiya’s eyes narrowed.

Minato and Kushina… didn’t have another kid, did they?

The thought was absurd, but Harry’s fighting style—his movements—something about him felt eerily familiar.

Jiraiya had no time to dwell on that.

Because Naruto’s real body was suddenly on him.

Hiraishin Kunai in hand, aiming straight for Jiraiya’s ribs. The moment Naruto’s kunai was about to strike, Jiraiya’s body vanished in a puff of smoke—

POOF!

A wooden log replaced him, the sound of metal clashing against it echoing through the training ground.

Substitution Jutsu.

Naruto clicked his tongue. "Damn it, he dodged!"

Jiraiya reappeared a few meters away, standing casually on a tree branch, arms crossed. He exhaled sharply, the intensity of Team 7’s teamwork already forcing him to take them seriously.

But he barely had a moment to catch his breath—

A sharp whooshing sound.

Jiraiya’s head snapped toward the source—just in time to see two figures racing toward him.

Sasuke and Sakura.

Both were moving in sync, hands flashing through signs at the exact same moment—

“Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!”

A massive sphere of fire erupted from their mouths, the flames merging into a combined inferno. The heat was suffocating, the fire roaring forward like an unchecked blaze.

Jiraiya arched a brow. Not bad.

But not good enough.

The Sannin twisted mid-air, flipping off the branch just before the fireball incinerated the spot he had been standing on.

Smart. Jiraiya thought, already anticipating their next move. 

A shadow blurred through the fire’s smokescreen.

Jiraiya’s eyes narrowed sharply.

Sasuke rushed forward from within the smoke, his chokutō gleaming.

Jiraiya barely had time to react—

CLANG!

Sasuke’s blade collided against Jiraiya’s forearm, the Sannin having blocked it with a reinforced arm guard. Sparks flew from the impact.

That Sharingan…

Jiraiya caught the glint of Sasuke’s two-tomoe Sharingan, the red eyes spinning as they analyzed his every move.

Sasuke wasn’t just attacking blindly—he was reading Jiraiya.

Jiraiya smirked. Not bad, kid.

Sasuke pivoted, switching angles in a sharp, sudden maneuver, his blade slicing toward Jiraiya’s side—

Jiraiya dodged, stepping back, but Sasuke was already following up, engaging him in close-quarters combat.

The moment turned into a rapid exchange of blows—

Sasuke’s chokutō slashed—Jiraiya sidestepped.

A high kick from Sasuke—Jiraiya blocked with his forearm.

A sweeping leg attack—Jiraiya hopped over it, countering with a palm strike.

Sasuke gritted his teeth as Jiraiya’s palm nearly connected with his chest. He barely twisted out of the way, feeling the rush of wind from the missed hit.

He’s good—no, he’s insane! Sasuke thought, eyes spinning rapidly, but Jiraiya wasn’t giving him a chance to adjust.

With a sudden burst of speed, Jiraiya stepped forward, grabbing Sasuke’s wrist.

“Gotcha.”

Sasuke’s eyes widened—before he was launched.

Jiraiya twisted, flipping Sasuke over his shoulder, and slamming him toward the ground.

THUD!

Sasuke grunted, but before he could recover, he heard the subtle shift in the air—

A punch.

A powerful one.

Jiraiya’s eyes snapped up—

Sakura was there.

Her fist glowed with chakra, aimed directly at his exposed back.

Jiraiya barely had time to curse. Damn, this team is relentless!

CRACK!

Sakura’s fist connected.

Jiraiya winced as the force sent him hurtling forward, but the moment he impacted the ground—

POOF!

He vanished in a cloud of smoke.

"A clone!?" Sakura gasped, landing on her feet, fist still clenched.

Jiraiya's real form appeared on a higher tree branch, arms now crossed, his smirk wiped clean.

Team 7 gathered themselves, standing together in a defensive stance, watching him closely.

Jiraiya cracked his neck.

“Well… I wasn’t expecting this.” He admitted, rubbing the back of his head. “You brats are really something else.”

Kakashi chuckled from the sidelines, eye-smiling. “They’ve got potential, don’t they?”

Jiraiya exhaled, his sharp gaze lingering on them, his previous amusement fading. This time, he wasn’t holding back.

“Well,” he said, flexing his fingers, “Let’s see if you can handle a real fight.”

Jiraiya clasped his hands together, fingers forming precise seals in a blur of motion. His chakra surged—

“Fire Release: Flame Bombs!”

A wave of scorching fireballs shot from his mouth, racing toward Team 7 in rapid succession. The moment the fireballs left his lips, he stomped the ground with a sharp pulse of chakra.

"Earth Release: Earth Flow Wave!"

The ground rumbled, then suddenly morphed, shifting and twisting into a rising wave of earth that merged seamlessly with the flames—

Turning the attack into a rolling inferno, a surging wall of molten rock and fire tore through the training ground.

Team 7 reacted instantly.

"Move!" Naruto yelled, already pushing off the ground.

They leaped high into the trees, scattering into the shadows of the dense canopy. The massive flaming rock wave crashed against the ground beneath them, scorching everything in its path.

Jiraiya huffed, crossing his arms. "Not bad. They react fast."

But he wasn’t done.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu."

POOF!

Four identical clones manifested beside him, each mirroring his stance. They spread out, eyes scanning the treetops.

Jiraiya smirked. Now, let’s see who makes the first move.

Naruto, hidden behind thick foliage, grinned.

Gotcha.

He leaped out first—just as Jiraiya expected.

The Sannin raised a brow. Predictable.

Jiraiya readied himself, preparing to dodge whatever reckless attack Naruto would throw at him—

Only to feel something press against his chest.

A slip of paper.

His eyes widened.

Seal!?

BOOM!

The paper tag exploded—not with fire, but with a powerful burst of water, blasting Jiraiya directly in the face.

"—GAH!" Jiraiya stumbled back, soaked from head to toe.

Naruto landed a few feet away, grinning ear to ear. "Hah! Gotcha, ya pervy old sage!"

Jiraiya wiped the water from his eyes, blinking in mild disbelief. “You—” He scoffed. “You seriously just used an exploding water seal on me?”

Naruto cackled. “Heh, worked, didn’t it?”

Jiraiya opened his mouth to respond—

Only for his clones to suddenly dispel.

Harry and Sasuke had already struck.

The moment Naruto had distracted Jiraiya, they had moved in the shadows, targeting the four shadow clones.

Harry, silent and swift, descended from above, his katana flashing.

One of Jiraiya’s clones barely turned before—

SLASH!

A precise strike dispersed it into smoke.

At the same time, Sasuke dashed forward, his chokutō gleaming with chakra, easily cutting down another clone before it could react.

Within seconds—all of Jiraiya’s clones were gone.

The real Jiraiya clicked his tongue. “Tch. These brats…”

He barely had time to process before Naruto and Sakura closed in.

Naruto moved first.

He reached into his pouch, fingers gripping several storage seals. With a sharp flick of his wrist—

POOF!

A dozen weapons appeared mid-air—kunai, shuriken, even a pair of short swords.

Naruto kicked them one by one, launching each toward Jiraiya at rapid speed.

Jiraiya’s hands moved in a blur, deflecting the kunai with his forearm guards, twisting to dodge a few shuriken—

But he barely had time to react when a sudden heatwave flared behind him.

"Fire Release: Phoenix Fire Jutsu!"

Sakura. She had slipped in behind Naruto’s assault, quickly forming hand seals. A series of small but fast fireballs erupted from her mouth, streaking toward Jiraiya.

Jiraiya’s eyes sharpened.

They’re using teamwork.

The weapons had been nothing more than a distraction, allowing Sakura to get into position for an actual attack.

Jiraiya gritted his teeth.

Alright, brats—let’s see how far you can really push me.

Jiraiya exhaled sharply, then moved.

A single pulse of chakra into his legs—

BOOM!

The ground cracked beneath his feet as he vanished, his sheer speed displacing the air.

Naruto barely had time to widen his eyes—

“Oh, c’mon—AGH!”

A blur of white snatched him up by the collar, hurling him backward like he weighed nothing.

“Tch—!” Harry’s instincts screamed at him. He twisted, katana slicing through the air—

But Jiraiya was already behind him.

A firm grip yanked Harry’s wrist, forcing his weapon aside before a precise tap to his back sent him stumbling forward.

Jiraiya didn’t stop there.

Sasuke lunged from the side, his Sharingan spinning, his chokutō aiming for Jiraiya’s ribs.

But just as the blade neared its mark—

Jiraiya’s hand shot out.

A crushing grip clamped onto Sasuke’s wrist, twisting it just enough to loosen his grip on the sword.

“Tch—!” Sasuke hissed in frustration—

And then Jiraiya simply kicked his legs out from under him, sending him crashing to the ground.

Sakura was the last one standing.

Her eyes twitched in irritation as her teammates were effortlessly taken down within seconds.

Jiraiya turned to her with an amused smirk. “Well? You gonna make a move, or do you wanna join your friends?”

Sakura’s fist clenched. Oh, screw this.

She shot forward, chakra surging into her fist—

POOF!

A cloud of smoke exploded in front of her—Jiraiya had swapped himself with a log.

“Oh, for the love of—”

Before she could finish, an arm wrapped around her waist, lifting her right off the ground.

Sakura yelped. “HEY—”

And then Jiraiya casually tossed her over his shoulder like a sack of rice.

She landed in an undignified heap right next to Naruto, who was still groaning on the ground.

For a moment—silence.

Then—

Groans of pure annoyance.

"Again?!" Naruto snapped, glaring at the sky. "Why does this always happen?!"

Sasuke, still lying flat, scowled. "This is just like the forest…"

Sakura sat up, brushing dust from her uniform with an irritated sigh. “What is it with powerful people and toying with us?”

Harry, his katana still clutched in his grip, simply exhaled deeply, gathering himself before shooting Jiraiya a blank stare.

Jiraiya grinned, hands on his hips. “Gotta say, you kids actually put up a decent fight. Better teamwork than I expected.”

Naruto grumbled. "Doesn’t feel like it."

Jiraiya laughed, stretching his arms. “Heh, you brats ain’t half bad. But if this is all you got, then the finals are gonna eat you alive.”

Team 7 collectively deadpanned.

Sakura pinched the bridge of her nose. “I hate strong people.”

Jiraiya grinned. “Heh. You’ll learn to love me.”

Kakashi suddenly appeared behind Jiraiya, his eye curving into a smile. "Enjoying yourself, Sensei?"

Jiraiya turned, smirking. "You always let your kids get beat up, or is this just a special occasion?"

Kakashi shrugged. "Character development."

Team 7, still lying on the ground, groaned in unison.

Jiraiya crossed his arms, looking far too pleased with himself as he stood before the thoroughly exhausted Team 7. His grin stretched wide, brimming with confidence.

“Well, that settles it! I’ve decided—” he announced dramatically, planting his fists on his hips. “I’ll be teaching all four of you my skills!”

Silence.

Team 7 blinked blankly.

Sasuke slowly sat up, his expression unimpressed as he dusted off his sleeves. “...Excuse me?”

Naruto squinted suspiciously, his lips twisting into a scowl. “Why?”

Harry raised an eyebrow, sheathing his katana. “Didn’t you get your butt handed to you by a bunch of kids just now?”

Sakura crossed her arms, her tone dry. “You sure you’re qualified?”

Jiraiya’s grin twitched.

Kakashi chuckled quietly.

“Tough crowd,” Jiraiya muttered under his breath before clearing his throat. “Look, brats, you should be honored. It’s not every day a Legendary Sannin decides to personally train a bunch of snot-nosed genin.”

Team 7 remained silent.

Jiraiya sweatdropped. “Oh, come on, at least pretend to be excited!”

Naruto made a face. “Yeah, see, I would, but you were literally just caught being a perv outside the women’s bathhouse.”

Sakura deadpanned. “Yeah. Hard to take you seriously after that.”

Jiraiya grimaced. “A man has his hobbies!”

Sasuke sighed sharply. “We just fought Orochimaru, a literal war criminal. Forgive us if we’re not all that impressed.”

Harry nodded, expression flat. “Yeah, it’s kind of hard to top that.”

Jiraiya twitched. “Oh, come on! I’m not just some washed-up hermit—I trained the Fourth Hokage!”

Naruto perked up. "Wait, for real?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Minato Namikaze was your student?"

Jiraiya smirked. "Damn right. Trained him myself. And now, his son gets the privilege of learning from me!"

Naruto blinked. His shoulders stiffened for a moment before he crossed his arms and huffed. "Tch. You better not suck at teaching, old man."

Jiraiya laughed. "You got guts, kid. I like that!"

Sakura sighed, rubbing her temples. "I can't believe this is happening."

Harry exhaled through his nose. "Great. Another mentor who doesn’t shut up."

Kakashi, observing all of this, eye-smiled. “Well, Sensei, it looks like you’ll have your hands full.”

Jiraiya glanced at Team 7—each of them watching him with varying degrees of skepticism and exasperation.

He sweatdropped.

What the hell did he just sign up for?