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As Menma released the jutsu, a sudden wave of dizziness hit him, making him stagger and nearly collapse.
"Ugh…" Menma grunted, barely catching himself before hitting the ground. He took a few unsteady steps forward and paused to regain his balance. "Still pushing myself too hard," he muttered, a wry smile tugging at his lips.
He glanced up at the setting sun, realizing how much longer he had trained today compared to previous days. Not only had he used more shadow clones than usual, but he'd also been relentless in his pursuit of improvement. The breakthroughs he had been making drove him to push harder. But now, the accumulated fatigue from his clones' feedback and his chakra expenditure were catching up with him.
But Menma was still in control—barely. He wouldn't allow himself to collapse from overtraining, not when so much was at stake.
"That's enough for today," he decided, exhaling deeply. He packed up his things and began the slow walk back home, his mind still buzzing with thoughts of how he could improve.
On his way, Menma passed by the familiar entrance of Ichiraku Ramen. He suddenly sensed two powerful chakra signatures approaching, one of which was all too familiar.
"Naruto," Menma recognized his half-brother's chakra immediately. The second presence, while less overwhelming than Naruto's, was still incredibly strong—far beyond that of most jonin like Kakashi, Asuma, or Guy. Even the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, hadn't possessed such raw power. Yet, it was a chakra Menma didn't recognize.
"Who could that be?" Menma wondered, momentarily confused. Then another possibility crossed his mind, bringing clarity. "Could it be… Jiraiya?"
As the thought formed, Menma spotted two figures turning the corner. One was Naruto, waving enthusiastically. The other was a tall man with long white hair, wearing a red cloak and a forehead protector with the kanji for "oil."
"That's definitely Jiraiya," Menma confirmed. Just as he recognized them, Naruto noticed him too.
"Hey, Menma! What a coincidence!" Naruto shouted, grinning broadly and waving energetically.
Beside him, Jiraiya raised an eyebrow at the sight of Menma. Seeing the familiar long hair and the resemblance to Naruto, recognition flickered in Jiraiya's eyes. For a brief moment, something like guilt flashed across his face before he masked it with his usual jovial demeanor.
"Oh? So, this is the top student you were telling me about, Naruto?" Jiraiya asked with a grin.
"Yeah! Grandpa Jiraiya, this is Uzumaki Menma! He's the best in our class," Naruto said, his voice full of pride. "Menma, this is—"
Before Naruto could finish, Menma stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "It's an honor to meet you, Jiraiya-sama."
"Eh? You know Jiraiya, Menma?" Naruto asked, surprised.
Menma chuckled lightly. "Every ninja in Konoha knows Jiraiya-sama, Naruto. He's one of the legendary Sannin, a student of the Third Hokage, and the sensei of the Fourth Hokage—your father."
"Oh, right!" Naruto said, his eyes widening as the facts clicked in his mind.
Jiraiya chuckled, ruffling Naruto's hair. "You've got a lot to learn, Naruto. Maybe you could pick up a thing or two from Menma here."
Naruto puffed out his chest. "I know, I know! But like I said, Menma's the best, so I'll definitely catch up with him!"
Jiraiya laughed heartily. "You've got a good friend here, Naruto. Menma, right? You seem sharp." He paused for a moment, eyeing Menma with more scrutiny than before. "Say, you haven't eaten yet, have you? How about joining us for some ramen?"
"It would be my honor, Jiraiya-sama," Menma replied, bowing slightly again.
Jiraiya waved his hand dismissively. "Honor? No need for all that formal stuff! Just call me Grandpa Jiraiya, like Naruto does. We're all friends here."
"I appreciate the offer, but I wouldn't want to be disrespectful," Menma said politely.
Jiraiya studied him for a moment, sensing the caution in Menma's voice, but he shrugged it off with a grin. "No need to worry about that. Come on, don't sweat the small stuff." He threw an arm around Menma's shoulders in a friendly manner. "Let's eat!"
"Yeah, Menma! Don't be so serious all the time. Besides, Jiraiya's the one paying!" Naruto teased, flashing a mischievous grin.
Menma laughed softly and nodded. "Alright then."
As they entered Ichiraku Ramen, Naruto eagerly called out, "Teuchi-san, three large miso chashu ramen, please!"
"Naruto! Always a pleasure to see you!" Teuchi greeted warmly from behind the counter. His eyes widened slightly when he saw Jiraiya. "Ah, Jiraiya-sama! It's an honor to have you here!"
Jiraiya waved off the formality with a chuckle. "No need for the 'sama,' Teuchi. I'll have the same as Naruto. What about you, Menma?"
"I'll have some barbecued pork noodles too," Menma said softly.
They were at Ichiraku Ramen, a familiar and comforting place for Menma. Despite the cold treatment he received from most of the village, Teuchi, the owner, had always been kind to him. He didn't hate or reject Menma like others did, which made the ramen shop one of the few places where Menma felt at ease.
For most of his life, Ichiraku had been the only spot Menma could eat out without feeling watched or judged. He made a habit of coming when the shop was empty, finishing his meal quickly before anyone else arrived. Teuchi's simple, normal treatment was something Menma appreciated more than he could express.
Teuchi, for his part, saw Menma as just another customer—though he was aware of the boy's complicated situation. The villagers' anger, rooted in their painful memories of the Nine-Tails' attack, was something Teuchi understood. But he also pitied Menma, seeing him as a child caught in a storm of emotions he had no control over.
So, in his quiet way, Teuchi showed care by adding extra noodles and toppings to Menma's bowl whenever he came by.
"Alright, two more servings of barbecued pork. Lord Jiraiya, please wait a moment," Teuchi said, bowing slightly before turning to prepare the ramen.
It didn't take long before three steaming bowls of ramen were set in front of them, each one larger than usual.
"Time to dig in!" Naruto exclaimed, barely able to contain his excitement. He immediately dove into his bowl, slurping down the noodles with a grin plastered on his face.
Menma, just as hungry from a full day of training, quietly began eating too. The warm broth and the familiar taste of the noodles helped ease the exhaustion that had been weighing on him.
Jiraiya, sitting beside the two boys, watched them with a mix of amusement and nostalgia. He couldn't help but be reminded of old memories. Naruto's blonde hair, Menma's red—the two boys sitting together brought back vivid flashes of his time with Minato and Kushina.
"Has it really been twelve years?" Jiraiya thought as he observed them.
The tragic events of that night still haunted him. Minato and Kushina's deaths, the Nine-Tails' rampage, and the sight of their orphaned sons. Jiraiya had considered staying in Konoha to help raise them, but destiny had pulled him away, whether by the prophecy from Mount Myoboku or by his own doubts.
In the end, he had left Konoha, and for twelve long years, he had checked in on Naruto from time to time, but not once had he reached out to Menma.
A familiar guilt crept over Jiraiya. He had failed Minato and Kushina by not being there for both their children. But Menma didn't seem to care. He had no use for apologies or regret. Guilt was meaningless to him.
In Menma's eyes, the world was divided into two groups: allies who stood beside him and enemies who stood in his way. Jiraiya, like Kakashi and so many others, was a stranger—someone who hadn't proven where he stood yet.
As they finished their meals and stepped outside, Naruto patted his stomach contentedly. "Man, that was great!"
"Menma, I saw you coming from the west side of the village. What were you doing up there?" Naruto asked curiously.
"Training," Menma answered with a small smile. "There's still some time before the final round of the Chunin Exams. I want to make sure I'm ready."
"Oh yeah! Sasuke went off with Kakashi-sensei for some special training too. I'm gonna train with Pervy Sage here!" Naruto grinned. Then, he suddenly brightened up. "Hey, Menma, why don't you join us? What do you say, Pervy Sage?"
Jiraiya raised an eyebrow, his eyes shifting from Naruto to Menma. "Hmm… I don't know," he said, rubbing his chin theatrically. "I usually don't take on extra students."
Naruto pouted. "Aw, come on! Menma's strong! He could totally keep up!"
Menma looked at Jiraiya with curiosity but remained silent, waiting to see how the legendary Sannin would respond.
After a moment, Jiraiya smiled. "Well, Naruto, if Menma can handle the training I'm going to put you through, then sure. But don't expect me to go easy on you just because we're all friends."
Menma nodded. "I appreciate the offer, Jiraiya-sama. I'll think about it."
Naruto's grin widened. "See? It'll be awesome, Menma! We'll both get way stronger!"
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