(Give me your Powerstones! Early Bonus really helps)
Sasuke, in contrast, was methodically checking his gear, his face set in its usual stoic expression. But those who knew him well could see the glint of competitive fire in his eyes.
Sora, always the early riser, had been up since dawn, alternating between his morning stretches and attempts at the rubber ball exercise. His brow was furrowed in concentration as he stared at the still-intact ball in his hand.
Jiraiya, observing his young charges with a mixture of amusement and pride, clapped his hands to get their attention. "Alright, listen up. We're about half a day's journey from the town where Tsunade was last seen. We'll continue your training as we travel, but stay alert. We don't know what kind of situation we might be walking into."
As they set off down the road, the boys resumed their Rasengan training, each approaching the challenge in their own unique way.
Naruto, true to form, was attacking the exercise with sheer determination and brute force. His face was scrunched up in concentration, chakra visibly swirling around his hands as he poured everything he had into the rubber ball.
Sasuke, ever the perfectionist, was taking a more measured approach. His Sharingan was active, analyzing every fluctuation of chakra as he methodically increased the power and rotation speed.
Sora, meanwhile, was experimenting with different hand positions and chakra flow patterns, his shape-shifting abilities allowing him to make subtle adjustments to his chakra pathways.
As they walked, Jiraiya kept a watchful eye on their progress, occasionally offering tips or corrections. "Remember," he called out, "it's not just about power. You need to maintain control and focus, even as you increase the chakra output."
Hours passed, and despite their best efforts, none of the boys had managed to make their ball explode. Frustration was starting to set in, particularly for Naruto.
"Argh!" he exclaimed, glaring at his slightly deformed but still intact rubber ball. "Why won't this stupid thing pop?"
Sasuke, though he'd never admit it, was equally frustrated. His ball had developed several pronounced bulges but refused to burst.
Sora, his usual calm demeanour slipping slightly, was muttering to himself as he tried yet another approach. "Maybe if I create multiple rotation points instead of just one..."
Jiraiya, sensing their growing frustration, called for a break. As they settled by a small stream to rest and refill their water bottles, he decided it was time for some words of encouragement.
"You know," he began, his voice taking on a nostalgic tone, "when the Fourth Hokage was developing the Rasengan, he faced similar challenges. There were times when he thought it was impossible, that he'd never manage to complete the jutsu."
This caught the boys' attention, particularly Naruto's. "Really? But he was such an amazing ninja! How did he overcome it?"
Jiraiya smiled, remembering his former student. "He persevered. He tried different approaches and thought outside the box. But most importantly, he never gave up. He believed in himself and in the potential of the jutsu."
As the sun began to dip towards the horizon, painting the sky in brilliant hues of orange and pink, they finally caught sight of their destination - a bustling town nestled in a valley, its lights just beginning to twinkle in the gathering dusk.
"There it is," Jiraiya announced, pointing towards the town. "If our information is correct, Tsunade should be somewhere down there."
Naruto, momentarily distracted from his Rasengan training, bounced with excitement. "Alright! Let's go find her and bring her back to the village!"
Sasuke, ever cautious, interjected, "We should be careful. If Tsunade is here, others might be looking for her too."
Sora nodded in agreement. "Sasuke's right. We don't know what kind of situation we might be walking into."
Jiraiya smiled approvingly at their caution. "Good thinking, all of you. We'll enter the town discreetly and start gathering information. Remember, Tsunade is a master of disguise and evasion. Finding her won't be easy."
As they entered the town, the bustling streets and lively atmosphere momentarily distracted the young ninja from their mission. The air was filled with the tantalizing aromas of street food, the chatter of locals and tourists alike, and the occasional burst of laughter from nearby taverns.
Jiraiya, ever the "responsible" adult, immediately honed in on the nearest gambling den. "Alright, you three," he said, his eyes gleaming with barely concealed excitement, "I'm going to... gather information. You kids scout around town, and see if you can pick up any leads on Tsunade. But stay together and stay alert."
Naruto opened his mouth to protest, but Sasuke beat him to it. "You're just going to gamble and flirt with women, aren't you?"
Jiraiya clutched his chest in mock offence. "Such accusations! I'll have you know that my methods of information gathering are highly sophisticated and effective."
Sora, always the diplomatic one, intervened before an argument could break out. "We understand, Jiraiya-sensei. We'll be careful and meet you back here in a couple of hours."
As Jiraiya disappeared into the gambling den, the three boys were left to their own devices. They wandered through the town, keeping their eyes and ears open for any mention of Tsunade or unusual gambling wins (given her notorious bad luck).
As they walked, Naruto couldn't help but continue his attempts at the Rasengan, his rubber ball clutched tightly in his hand. "I'm gonna master this jutsu," he muttered determinedly. "Just you wait!"
Sasuke, though he'd never admit it, was equally focused on the challenge. His Sharingan flicked on occasionally, analyzing the chakra flow in Naruto's attempts.
Sora, meanwhile, was lost in thought, his mind working through various theories on how to improve their approach to the jutsu. However, his musings were interrupted by a commotion up ahead.
They saw two drunk women having a 'fight', well it was more of a verbal fight but a group of passersby had made a group around them.
Sora brought his focus back to the task at hand, trying to unfurl the mystery called Rasengan.
Later on the same day:
The sun was setting over the bustling town, casting long shadows across the crowded streets. Jiraiya, the legendary Sannin, led his unusual group through the throng of people, his white mane of hair easily visible above the crowd.
As they approached a modest inn, Jiraiya's keen eyes scanned the area. Suddenly, he froze, causing Naruto to bump into him.
"Hey, Pervy Sage! What's the big idea?" Naruto grumbled, rubbing his nose.
Jiraiya didn't respond immediately. His gaze was fixed on a figure seated at a table near the window of the inn. A blonde woman with a youthful appearance was sipping sake, accompanied by a dark-haired woman holding a small pig.
"Well, well," Jiraiya murmured, a grin spreading across his face. "Looks like our search is over, boys."
Without further explanation, he strode into the inn, the three boys trailing behind him curiously. As they entered, the blonde woman's eyes widened in recognition, then narrowed suspiciously.
"Tsunade!" Jiraiya called out, his voice booming in the relatively quiet inn. "Fancy meeting you here!"
The woman, Tsunade, scowled. "Jiraiya," she said flatly. "What an... unexpected surprise."
Jiraiya chuckled, sliding into the seat opposite Tsunade. The three boys stood awkwardly for a moment before Jiraiya gestured for them to sit as well. Naruto and Sasuke took seats on either side of Jiraiya, while Sora, took the seat in the middle of both sides.
"I'm seeing a lot of familiar faces today," Tsunade commented, her eyes flicking between Jiraiya and the boys.
Jiraiya's expression turned serious. "Orochimaru," he said
At the mention of that name, Sasuke visibly stiffened. Sora, noticing this, raised an eyebrow in question, but Sasuke just shook his head slightly.
Meanwhile, Naruto and Sora were having an internal debate. They both stared at Tsunade, trying to reconcile the youthful-looking woman before them with the knowledge that she was supposed to be the same age as Jiraiya.
Unable to contain himself any longer, Sora blurted out, "It's a transformation jutsu!"
***
Funk It
How did Sora get an eye scar on his right eye?
I wonder how...
How can Sora use shadow clone jutsu with one hand, like crossing his index and middle finger? That seems to convenient...
Coz, I got this inspiration from Naruto himself, In one of Kakashi's novels, it's mentioned that after the war and before he could get his prosthetic, Naruto invented this method of creating shadow clones.
Why did Sora's one of the shadow clones lay an egg when he was learning that jutsu?
Tbh, I don't know even myself how that happened
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Thank you to Travis_Tharp, Pheathon, Kevon_Lewis, Kennchan, Tsniper, Kay_smiles101, Tsubaki12, J4F and monsterreader for being my top fans. It really means a lot to me.
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Okay, this week's stats are this: 245 Powerstones(It might change by 1 or 2), 39th Position in 31-90 day category, and in all time 200th Positon for this week... How mighty have fallen.
Well, to be honest, I am tired of this, asking for Powerstones, I will still ask, but with no expectations, I won't expect that growth of this fic would be linear, increasing week by week. The decline might be due to reducing the frequency of chapters, but it's fine.
From now on we are going to have 4 chapters per week.
Bonus Chapter= Every 400 Powerstones
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