That night, the Third Hokage was startled to see Jiraiya looking somewhat exhausted and worn out. He had never seen Jiraiya like this before; Jiraiya had always been full of energy since childhood.
"Jiraiya, what happened?" The Third Hokage's voice carried a hint of concern.
Jiraiya then began to lament, detailing how his new disciple, Natsuro, had been taxing him to the limit.
The Third Hokage couldn't help but find it amusing and said, "So now you understand the benefits of studying seriously. If you had been more diligent, maybe you wouldn't be struggling to teach your disciple."
"I would have been more than capable of teaching any other disciple, it's just that he is a special case." Jiraiya replied.
The Third Hokage didn't counter this, as he knew Jiraiya was speaking the truth. He hadn't anticipated that he would learn so quickly.
"Perhaps I should take over the teaching?" The Third Hokage suggested suddenly. With Natsuro learning so fast, it might be a good opportunity for him to pass on his own legacy. Though he was naturally inclined towards wind and lightning attributes, other attributes could still be cultivated later.
"It's not out of the question, but he is still my disciple." Jiraiya said, looking at the Third Hokage. Despite the strain, he was not about to give up a talented student.
The Third Hokage smiled and didn't push the issue further.
After a long pause, the Third Hokage finally spoke again.
"Jiraiya, when are you planning to leave?"
"Probably in the next few days. My schedule has already been delayed quite a bit." Jiraiya calculated.
"And what about Natsuro?" the Third Hokage inquired.
"Oh, he is still in the foundational stage of his training and isn't suited to travel with me." Jiraiya explained, understanding the Third Hokage's concern but sticking to his plan.
The Third Hokage took a puff of his cigarette, remained silent for a moment, and then exhaled, looking at Jiraiya. "Have you considered staying in the village?"
"Master, I've mentioned the prophecy of the Great Toad Sage before. To prepare for a potential world-destroying crisis, I must continue this journey. As for Natsuro, I've already made plans for his training." Jiraiya said earnestly.
The Third Hokage didn't respond, appearing a bit more worn out, as if he was contemplating something profound. Jiraiya felt a pang of sympathy but knew he couldn't agree to stay.
Though Jiraiya knew if he stayed, the Third Hokage would likely groom him as the next Hokage, Jiraiya wasn't interested in that position. If possible, he preferred a more carefree life.
"Master, there's one more thing I want to discuss." Jiraiya said after the prolonged silence.
"Go ahead." the Third Hokage said calmly, with no detectable disappointment in his tone.
"Natsuro's skills have already surpassed those of the ninja academy. If one day he applies for early graduation, I hope you'll approve it." Jiraiya requested.
"Alright." the Third Hokage nodded. Although he wanted him to build bonds with his classmates, he understood that his level made staying at the academy a waste of time.
With Jiraiya having accomplished his purpose for the visit, he spent some quiet time with the Third Hokage before leaving. As he walked down the street, Jiraiya glanced back at the Hokage's office and sighed in resignation.
Was Jiraiya really so out of touch with the village's internal affairs after all his years of gathering intelligence?
...
The next morning, Jiraiya saw Natsuro, who was brimming with energy and eager to ask questions, and suddenly felt a pang of dread.
"Stop, stop, stop. We're not doing sealing techniques today." Jiraiya hurriedly said.
"What are we going to learn then?" He asked, somewhat disappointed but not pressing the issue, waiting to hear what Jiraiya had in store.
"Today, let's discuss your future development, Natsuro." Jiraiya said seriously. "I'll be leaving in a few days."
"Can't you stay?" Natsuro asked. Although he had known this would happen, he was reluctant to part with his teacher before extracting all the knowledge he could.
"Sorry, Natsuro. I have very important matters to attend to and can't stay in Konoha forever." Jiraiya said, seeing his disappointed expression, and then added, "However, don't worry. I've arranged for a very capable person to teach you after I leave, and at that time, you'll also be able to use special medicine."
"Is it from the place where the toads live?" He nodded, hoping it might resolve his chakra issues.
"Yes, and also, Natsuro, do you want to graduate early?" Jiraiya asked. "With your current level, there's not much more the academy can offer you."
"Graduate? You mean becoming a Genin?" He inquired.
"Yes, I've already spoken with the old man. If you want to, you only need to tell him, and he will approve it," Jiraiya said, then left him to consider the decision.
To Jiraiya's surprise, he quickly gave his answer.
"Teacher, I don't want to graduate early." He said seriously.
"Oh? Can you explain why?" Jiraiya asked, curious.
"Well, because I'm still in the foundational stage. Every day is valuable to me, and once I become a Genin, I'll have to take on missions, which will take away from my training time," He explained.
"But even though you'd sacrifice some training time, you'd gain mission experience and combat experience, which might be just as valuable." Jiraiya countered.
Yet he shook his head, saying, "Mission experience can wait until my body reaches the next stage. As for combat experience, I don't think Genin-level missions offer much."
"Firstly, since it's not a time of war, Genin missions don't usually involve battlefields. They mainly involve mundane tasks, and even on missions that require travel, encountering enemy ninjas is rare. I don't think such conditions would provide valuable combat experience."
He then fixed his gaze on Jiraiya.
"So, I don't want to graduate early. I think I'll reach the next stage before I turn twelve. Graduating then would be just fine."
"Well then, whenever you feel ready to graduate, just let the Third Hokage know." Jiraiya said, admiring his determination. Although there were some issues, if he had already planned everything, Jiraiya wouldn't press further. He'd let Natsuro proceed as he wished.
"Teacher, is there anything else?" He asked.
"No, nothing else…" Jiraiya had a sinking feeling.
"Then let's continue learning sealing techniques!" His eyes lit up as he spoke.
That day, Jiraiya felt his remaining brain cells were once again drained dry!
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