In the distance, Jiraiya slammed his hands onto the ground, transforming the entire corridor into fleshy walls and floors, as if everyone had been swallowed into a massive intestine. Sasuke, pinned to the wall by Itachi, was quickly engulfed by the fleshy surroundings, while Itachi and Kisame found their feet sinking into the strange surface.
Jiraiya smirked confidently and declared, "This is the stomach of the Great Toad of Mount Myōboku! You've entered its realm. Since you're both wanted criminals, you'll make a fine meal for the Iwajuku Toad!"
Naruto watched the scene with awe, determination blazing in his eyes. He resolved to learn the unique techniques of the toads from Mount Myōboku during his training with Jiraiya.
However, Itachi remained calm and instructed Kisame, "Follow me." Kisame obediently carried Samehada and rushed alongside Itachi toward the other end of the corridor.
Jiraiya chuckled confidently, manipulating the fleshy walls to constrict and create moving barriers that attempted to crush them. But he underestimated the power of Itachi's Mangekyō Sharingan. Without hesitation, Itachi unleashed Amaterasu, the black flames burning a massive hole in the fleshy stomach, creating an escape route for him and Kisame.
Seeing his technique thwarted, Jiraiya frowned and reluctantly sealed away the lingering Amaterasu flames. Meanwhile, Naruto observed the black fire with fascination, feeling an odd pull within him. For a brief moment, he entertained the thought of activating his own Mangekyō Sharingan and challenging Itachi directly, but he quickly suppressed the impulse.
He reminded himself, Itachi's strength isn't just about the Mangekyō Sharingan. He's a genius in genjutsu, ninjutsu, taijutsu, and shurikenjutsu. I still have a long way to go before I can defeat him.
Yet, his determination only grew stronger as he vowed to make Itachi fall like a dog when the time came.
Jiraiya restored the corridor to its original state, only to be unexpectedly kicked aside by Might Guy, who had arrived late and misread the situation. Naruto sighed and muttered, "Might Guy... he really is Konoha's wild beast."
The battle left Sasuke severely injured, both physically and mentally. His beliefs began to crumble, and despair seeped into his heart. The seed of defection had been planted, and when Orochimaru extended a tempting offer for power, Sasuke accepted without hesitation.
Meanwhile, Sasuke was returned to Konoha by Might Guy for medical treatment, where he found himself recovering alongside his teacher, Kakashi, both laid up after Tsukuyomi's effects. Naruto, on the other hand, continued his journey with Jiraiya to locate Tsunade, all while undergoing intense training.
One evening, Jiraiya suddenly stopped and looked at Naruto. "Aren't you curious why they were trying to capture you?"
Naruto paused, thought for a moment, and confidently replied, "I'll find out once I'm strong enough to defeat them next time!"
Jiraiya chuckled. "Good answer, kid. Now, I'll teach you something powerful." He extended his right hand, forming a pale blue, rapidly spinning ball of chakra in his palm.
"Rasengan!" Naruto's eyes lit up with recognition.
Jiraiya explained the principles of the technique. "Climbing trees taught you focus. Walking on water taught you control. But Rasengan requires something more—rotation. You have to spin your chakra in a specific direction and maintain it."
Naruto nodded enthusiastically and began his training. Despite initial struggles, his determination never wavered.
The training progressed through three stages. The first was to burst a water balloon. Naruto quickly spun his chakra inside the balloon and caused it to explode within minutes.
The second stage involved increasing power. Using a rubber ball, Naruto focused on strengthening the rotation of his chakra. His use of Shadow Clones significantly accelerated his progress.
The third and final stage was to maintain the shape. The ultimate challenge was to stabilize the Rasengan and compress the chakra into a perfect sphere. Through relentless effort and the assistance of 51 Shadow Clones, Naruto mastered all three stages within a single day, leaving Jiraiya astonished.
The sage muttered in disbelief, "This kid... he's incredible."
Meanwhile, Orochimaru confronted Tsunade, offering to resurrect her loved ones, Dan and Nawaki, in exchange for healing his hands. Tsunade cautiously asked, "If I heal your hands, what will you do next?"
Orochimaru smiled coldly and replied, "Naturally, I'll destroy Konoha."
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