"It's a code" Shizune exclaimed
Lord Fukasaku explained, ''I believe he did this to stop the pain from spreading, and that's all I know about Jiraiya boy's efforts.''
Granny Tsunade pondered aloud,''I wonder what message he was trying to give us. Maybe we can figure it out, and then we'll understand everything.''
Flashbacks...
"What? Are you scared that he's stronger than you now?"
"Scared? Are you kidding? No way. I'm just curious, that's all!"
---
"Hold on, you mentioned you'd teach me Sage Mode and some other techniques. When are you planning to do that?"
"After my next mission. Once I'm back in the village, I'll start teaching you Sage Mode."
"Okay, I really hope that's soon!"
"Even if it takes a little longer, you'll find ways to learn on your own and become an even better shinobi," he replied. "But for now, let's just leave that for later."
---
I stood there quietly, lost in thought, as memories of Jiraiya, the Pervy Sage, flooded my mind. I didn't even realize I was clenching my fists so tightly, trying to keep my emotions in check.
While I was deep in my thoughts, I heard Sakura call my name, "Naruto...!" Her voice snapped me back to reality, and I finally looked up.
I asked, "Oh, Sorry, I zoned out for a bit" I said, turning towards lord Fukisaka"So, is Pain still in the Hidden Rain Village?"
Lord Fukasaku nodded, confirming, "Yes, that's where his base appears to be, just as I mentioned earlier."
I tried to stay calm as I said, "Then, we need to decode the message pervy sage left us. It's important to find out what he wanted to tell us."
Shizune agreed, "Yes, that's our goal for now."
I paused for a moment, looking down, and then asked, "Is there anything else you need to tell me, Lord Fukasaku?"
The wise toad sage replied, "Yes, there's another reason I'm here. I am here to take you to Mount Myōboku to teach you sage mode, as Jiraiya boy had planned. But you don't need to decide right away. Take some time to think about it."
"Alright, I'll consider it," I answered. "But for now, I'll leave then" With that, I headed towards the door and left the room, needing a moment to gather my thoughts.
In the Hokage's office...
"I didn't expect him to handle it so well," Sakura remarked after Naruto walked out.
"Yeah, he didn't look too upset," Shizune chimed in.
"Not really. Even though he didn't show his feelings, he's definitely not alright. He's just become more mature," Tsunade observed.
"He's really different now," Sakura agreed.
"People don't really change, Sakura. They just find better ways to hide their pain," Kakashi added thoughtfully, "Anyways, we need to talk about the code..." Their conversation continued
---
After some walk through the village I finally to my apartment, and as soon as I stepped in and closed the door, as I lean against the door and took a deep breath
The breath I was holding for Don't know how much long
I stood in the middle of the room, feeling the weight of loss pressing down on me.
For a moment, I let the façade slip. My confident gave way to all the emotions I was feeling currently. My fists clenched at my sides, and my eyes stung with unshed tears. Pervy sage had been more than just a mentor—he was like family, a guiding light in the darkest times.
I walked into my bedroom and sank onto the edge of my bed, allowing myself to feel the grief that I'd pushed aside earlier. "Damn it, Pervy Sage," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "Why did you have to go and leave me like this?"
Suddenly, without even realizing how much time had slipped by, my eyes slowly shut, and I drifted into sleep...
*Knock* *Knock*
I was gently awakened by a soft knock at the door. My eyes fluttered open, and I found myself sitting next to my bed. I stood up, feeling a bit disoriented, and made my way toward the front door.
As I opened it, there stood Shikamaru. "Hey, Shika, do you need anything?" I asked, noticing him standing outside.
He gave me a once-over and said, "What have you been up to? You look like a complete mess." I glanced down and realized I was still in yesterday's clothes, my hair sticking out in all directions.
"I just dozed off for a bit, that's all," I replied, trying to brush it off. "Sorry about that. Come on in," I added, stepping aside to let him enter. "So, is there something you need, Shika?"
"Well, not exactly. It's about the code..." he trailed off, handing me a picture of the code I'd seen before at the Hokage office—the one that Pervy Sage had left for Lord Fukasaku.
"Does this number mean anything to you?" Shikamaru asked, looking at me expectantly.
I focused on the paper and said, "It's not just numbers. Look at this first symbol. It looks like a 9, but it's not actually a 9."
"What do you mean by that?" Shikamaru asked, clearly puzzled.
"Well, Pervy Sage has this quirky habit of using symbols that sound like letters," I explained. "He often writes the sound 'ta' in a way that looks just like the number 9."
[A.N : I understand that the ending of this chapter might feel a little sudden, but I just don't feel like writing any more at the moment. I'm sorry about that. The next chapter will pick up right where this one left off. It's possible that I might change my mind and upload another chapter in the next 4 to 6 hours after this one comes out, but I'm not sure yet.
Thanks for reading, drop Powerstones that will help a lot and drop reviews if you like the story and add to your library]