Painfully Aware with So Much to Learn

Chapter Fitfteen: Goodbye for Now

"With the Akatsuki on your tails, you'll need training." The white haired pervert explained. "I'm willing to take you training, but we'll need to stay moving. You're making a lot of enemies, Uzumaki." The man said in a fond tone.

"Kurama said that I need to work on my fuinjutsu and senjutsu, can you help with that?" The blonde asked, picking bandages of his healed limbs.

"Well they don't call me Toad Sage for nothing! I can take you to mount Myoboku to lea--" the man was cut off.

Naruto stared blankly at a wall before speaking. "Kura wants me to learn fox sage, he says foxes are the only animal compatible with my chakra." Jiraiya seemed insulted by this, and he said as much.

"Frogs would be much less fickle, I can't believe you trust that demon more than your godfather." Jiraiya said with confidence.

The moment was interrupted by a disheveled Iruka bursting into the room, once he locked eyes with the healthy Naruto he let out a breath.

"I came back from my mission just to hear that you were impaled! I thought it might be an exaggeration but I still needed to check." Iruka sighed.

Naruto looked away and chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Well I wouldn't say exaggeration but Kura's healed me most of the way."

"I swear to Kami if you're saying what I think you're saying I'll castrate that emo with my bare hands." Iruka said in the most threatening momma bear tone he could manage, making everyone in the room shudder.

"A-Actually, Iruka-sensei, that won't be needed." Iruka looked at the half-mummified blonde with interest.
"Pervy Sage here is taking me out of the village to train me for the next two years." Said Pervy Sage raised an eyebrow at this while Shikamaru and Iruka gasped.

"Why so long?!?!" The Nara spoke up.

"Well, Pervy Sage would be the best fit to teach me to be a sage and he's a fuinjutsu master, he travels a lot so I'll  need to tag along so he can teach me while still doing his work. Kurama said it would take a decade but I think two years is generous." Shikamaru was quiet, and so was Iruka. How could they not be? Naruto had become the center of both the ponytailed chunin's hearts.

Jiraiya was the first to speak up. "You know Naruto, they're no doubt going to celebrate your departure." The man said a bit sadly.

Naruto just shrugged. "It's my birthday, course they'd celebrate, only difference is this time I won't be the pinata." He joked grimly, Iruka snorted but covered his mouth, terrified he laughed at that. Naruto chuckled at his father-figure.

"When I get back I'll be able to protect all of Konoha, dattebayo!" The blonde said, raising his fist with a huge smile that radiated confidence that everyone in the room couldn't help but acknowledge.

But the hard part was yet to come,
saying goodbye.

Once Naruto was released from the hospital with Shikamaru in tow, the first person he saw was Sakura on her way in, beautiful flowers in hand.

"Naruto? Where's Sasuke-kun?" Naruto's face shifted to that of disappointment. Shikamaru glared her down.

"I'm sorry Sakura-chan, I'm going to train so I can get him back but I-" he was cut off when she bumped his shoulder walking away, the flowers she held wilting in her iron grip. Shikamaru was about to do something when Naruto grabbed his hand, earning a blush from the Nara. "C'mon, we've got more people to visit." Naruto said, dragging the Nara away from the pink haired girl.

The next people the two ran into were the Konohamaru gang.

"Nii-chan!" The honorable grandson shouted, running up and hugging him. Naruto couldn't help but flinch at the sudden contact with his still healing chest wound. Naruto gently pushed Konohamaru away, resting his hands on the other's small shoulders.
"Oi, didn't anyone teach you not to jump on a wounded man?" He mocked, Konohamaru though, gave a look of concern. The three academy students crowded in front of Naruto, looking at him expectantly.