The Son of Two Heroes

Chapter 23

"Hey brat." The large white haired man said as he greeted his recently awakened student.

"Good morning Jiraiya-Sensei." The blond said groggily as he pulled out a carton of orange juice.

"Any progress with that jutsu?"

"No sir. Between the Itachi mission and the whole Danzo fiasco, I haven't had a day off in weeks."

"Ah, as is the life of skilled and important shinobi."

"Indeed." The blond replied, putting toast into the toaster before turning to face his sensei. "So what's up? What brought you here?"

"What, I can't just drop by and visit my favorite student?"

"If you were just coming by to see me you wouldn't have gotten here so early. So what's going on?"

"Well kid, in three weeks I'm leaving on a super secret and important stealth mission. I want to take you back to the training complex and train you more for these few weeks."

"Alright Sensei, I'm in."

"Good, meet me at the complex tomorrow, alright?"

"Understood."

Over the course of the next two weeks, the blond made excessive amounts of progress. He had completely deciphered the first three sealing formula, and now was stuck on the fourth. He was struggling to get past it.

"Kid, you're diving too deep into it. Take a break, and let your mind develop everything you've learned. Not everything you do needs to be finished right away, sometimes in life you have to sit on things for a while."

"Ah alright Sensei." Naruto said sliding his chair back from the desk. He turned to his teacher and smiled. "A spar then?"

"Sure."

At the end of Jiraiya's last week in Konoha before his mission, he found himself sitting with Naruto. The two sat back to back, sharing a popsicle, both of their large scrolls set to the side. They sat in a field atop the cliff side the complex was built into. They had just finished a spar, and had gone outside for fresh air. The Sannin found himself extremely proud of the guts his charge had.

Naruto had spent the last two days almost none stop in the "gauntlet". Which is what Naruto had taken to calling the massive complex maze of moving training posts. His reflexes seemed to be faster than ever, and Jiraiya had no doubt that when this young man finally cracked the Flying Raijin, he would have no trouble using it in combat.

The blond was battered and bruised, and his clothing slightly ripped up as well. A week's worth of taking on the dummies at faster and faster speeds, a long with multiple daily spars with a Sannin had taken its toll on his body and clothing. Jiraiya smiled fondly thinking about the student who currently leaned against his back. "I'll protect you no matter what Naruto." He thought to himself.

Finally the larger man spoke to his charge. "You've been working hard kid. Everyone has taken notice. The absolute will power you've shown is impressive. At this rate, that Hokage title might have your name on it. You're doing great, and you've stuck to your path."

"You mean people are finally acknowledging me?" Asked the younger man tiredly.

"Of course kiddo. Kakashi, Tsunade, Iruka, and even Sasuke, all acknowledge your power. But the power you possess that is more useful than any jutsu, is the will power you hold in your heart."

"You really think I've come that far Sensei? I'm still not at your level." The blond asked as his leaned further back against the massive Sannin.

"Naruto, you'll be at my level in no time, of that I have no doubt. Minato and Kushina would be beyond proud of you kiddo."