Super Ninja

The city of Otakuku welcomed us swiftly as we traveled along the upper paths. Jiraiya wasn’t particularly keen on talking, so I didn’t push it. Everything seemed straightforward enough: don’t impose, and you won’t be imposed upon. That’s how the saying goes… or maybe I’m confusing it with something else. Eh, whatever.

 

The city was home to a variety of people—shinobi, regular laborers, and others alike. Otakuku served a mixed role within its region, being part of an industrial cluster that produced various metal goods, ranging from weapons to farming tools. Of course, not everyone could afford such items. For most, they were priced beyond reach. For instance, a plow could cost an ordinary worker several months' wages.

 

The city was divided into several districts, separated by low walls. No one guarded the entrance, so we entered without much trouble. Jiraiya confidently walked in a direction only he seemed to know, and I followed.

 

We passed through streets lined with places to rent a room or stay at a hotel, continuing until we reached the intersection of several entertainment districts. The noise here seemed endless. On the corners, pleasure workers, with their sharp eyes, scanned for wealthy clients willing to part with their money. A few of them quickly began eyeing Jiraiya with interest—he stood out, even among other shinobi.

 

“Oh, darling! Hee-ya-ha, perhaps you’d like to spend a fun hour with me?”

 

“Heh-heh-heh,” Jiraiya chuckled. “Heh-heh.”

 

“Suzuki, go find yourself a room,” he said, gesturing toward a small tower where a few people stood talking.

 

“When?” I asked.

 

“In about three hours,” Jiraiya replied, turning his attention to three women who were also eyeing him with interest. “Yes… three hours.”

 

“Hai,” I nodded and walked away, leaving Jiraiya to be swiftly pulled inside a house where he would be spending some very “active” time “resting” with the busty and pouty pleasure workers.

 

I, on the other hand, needed to find a room to rent. I wondered… are there any cheap rooms or apartments around here? Or is everything controlled by the local entertainment moguls?

 

“Hey! Hey, you!” called out a high-pitched female voice.

 

Turning around, I saw a short girl who looked quite cute for her profession. It was obvious what she did for a living, though she stood out from the other workers in a slightly better way… but such relations didn’t interest me.

 

“Yes?” I replied politely. “How can I help you?”

 

“Don’t you want to spend an hour in paradise?” she asked, maintaining her cute demeanor. “An hour of perfect relaxation. With me.”

 

“I’ll pass,” I said calmly. She tried to look offended, but it didn’t faze me. “But you can help me find a room or apartment to rent in this area.”

 

“Sure, I can help with that,” she said quickly, sensing potential profit. “For a small fee, of course. And maybe, after that, we can try out your new bed.”

 

“And how much will your help cost?” I asked.

 

“Just a small commission from the price of the room or apartment,” she replied. “Ten percent.”

 

“Isn’t that a bit steep?” I was surprised by the high fee. “I could just look for one myself.”

 

“No, you can’t,” she smirked. “They’ll skin you like a lamb among hungry wolves. With me, you’ll get a fair price. I only ask for a small commission.”

 

“They’d even try to scam a shinobi, huh?” I asked, feigning a naive tone. Why naive? Because I knew perfectly well they’d try to squeeze more money out of me. I understood that clearly.

 

"Yes, even their own child if they could," she said, folding her arms to emphasize her point. "So, what do you say?"

 

"Alright," I relented. "Lead the way."

 

I had no desire to wander around searching for a place on my own. It could take some time, but it might also drag on forever. Would I mind paying that ten percent? Well… that all depended on how good the room or apartment turned out to be.

 

"Great, follow me," she said, and we started down the street together.

 

As I followed her, I took in my surroundings with interest. People were absorbed in their own affairs, paying little attention to passersby, aside from the occasional cautious or curious glance.

 

The building she led me to looked quite appealing—clean walls, a tidy courtyard, no broken windows covered with cloth or anything else. Not bad at all.

 

She knocked on the door, which slowly opened to reveal a mustached man with a shiny bald head.

 

"Oh… you're back already, Feifei?" the man said in surprise. "I thought you'd be working until midnight."

 

"Yes, it so happened that I found someone interested in renting a room or apartment," she replied. "I thought you might have something interesting available, Kazuku."

 

"Of course, of course," he said, stepping outside. He certainly didn’t look like a laborer. "I'm always happy to accommodate guests at a fair price."

 

The price turned out to be quite reasonable, even with Feifei’s commission. All in all, I got a nice room with a small bath where I could relax, and I only paid for the first night.

 

To kill some time before my meeting with Jiraiya, I meditated and practiced light chakra control exercises. When the time came, I headed to the meeting spot and waited.

 

The sannin was an hour late, looking extremely satisfied. So satisfied that I felt the urge to wipe that smug grin off his face. Too satisfied.

 

“Ahh, that was great,” Jiraiya sighed. “I always enjoy unwinding like that. You should try it too.”

 

“Thanks,” I replied. “But I think I’ll pass for now. I don’t have that kind of money for such relaxation.”

 

“Heh,” he chuckled. “Yeah, you’re just a little genin. But no matter. Let’s head to that roof.”

 

He pointed to a building’s roof that stood a little taller than the others. Strange. I wondered what kind of training we’d be doing. Sitting next to him on the roof, I waited for Jiraiya to explain what he had planned.

 

“So, here’s the deal,” he began slowly. “We’re going to train your sensitivity to natural energy in a very interesting way. I’ll light small torches of natural energy around the city. Your job will be to find them and head to the spot.”

 

“Understood,” I nodded. “When do we start?”

 

“A little theoretical prep before the practice,” Jiraiya said. “What is natural energy?”

 

“It’s the energy present in the environment around us,” I began. “As I understand it, this energy is everywhere.”

 

“Good,” the man nodded. “You’ve grasped the most important part. What happens if you take in more natural energy than your body can handle?”

 

“Something bad,” I shrugged. “Irreversible consequences and all that.”

 

"Most often, it leads to turning into stone," the sannin said calmly, nodding at my words. "I’ve seen statues of those who tried to master this art. That’s why it must be done carefully, under a master’s supervision. But somehow, you’ve managed to understand your limits on your own, and that’s great. Still, I urge you to be cautious, because I have no way of stopping you from turning into stone."

 

"I understand, Jiraiya-san," I nodded. "I’ll be extremely cautious."

 

The sannin nodded and fell silent for a moment. Then, he made a few hand signs and bit his thumb. Pressing his hand to the roof, small black inscriptions and several circles spread out in all directions. A puff of smoke followed as Jiraiya removed his hand.

 

A sudden puff of smoke obscured Jiraiya from view. When it cleared, I was met with an unusual sight—a small toad, barely a quarter-meter tall. At first glance, it looked like an ordinary toad, but upon closer inspection, it was clearly no ordinary creature. Gray hair, neatly arranged on its head, and a black cloak, like a mantle, gave it a regal appearance. Its large, piercing yellow eyes with dark lids studied me intently, and its gray beard added to its dignified look. But the most striking feature was the power emanating from the toad—despite its small size, it exuded strength comparable to a great chakra beast.

 

"So, little Jiraiya, why did you summon me?" the toad asked in a deep male voice. "And who is this interesting boy?"

 

"Fukasaku-san," the sannin addressed the toad respectfully, "this is the boy who has started to grasp Sage Art on his own."

 

"Really?" the toad said, surprised, looking at me. "Well then, show me."

 

"Um," I muttered in slight confusion and glanced at Jiraiya. He nodded. "Alright, Toad-san."

 

"Fukasaku," the toad corrected gently.

 

"Suzuki Grandvitara," I replied, giving a small bow. It was no big deal to me, but I figured it would please him.

 

"Well?" he said, somewhat impatiently, eager for my demonstration. "Show me how you gather natural energy."

 

"Right away, Fukasaku-san," I responded, calmly entering a meditative state and beginning to draw energy from the surrounding space. When I reached my limit, I relaxed a bit and opened my eyes. The toad was already holding a stick, seemingly about to hit me on the head. But when I opened my eyes, he set it aside as if nothing had happened and began circling around me.

 

"Well, boy… you’re not a little fry anymore, but almost a full-grown toad," Fukasaku said. "What do you want from me, Jiraiya?"

 

"I promised to train him a bit," the sannin said. "I was thinking of honing his sensitivity to natural energy and then moving on to the mode itself."

 

"Hm," the toad muttered. "I see what’s needed."

 

Fukasaku closed his eyes for a moment, and I felt the natural energy in the surrounding space shift slightly. The toad then raised his webbed hand and released a small, invisible fountain of energy. I immediately sensed it.

 

"Do you feel the energy coming from my hand?" the toad asked, opening his eyes. His gaze was not particularly kind—it was cold and somewhat cruel.

 

"Yes, Fukasaku-san," I answered. "I feel it."

 

"Excellent," he nodded, and the flow of energy stopped. "Has Jiraiya explained how this will work?"

 

"You’ll create flows of natural energy in different parts of the city, and I’ll have to find and reach them," I said, repeating what Jiraiya had told me.

 

"Correct," the toad nodded. "Kid, how long are you planning to stay here?"

 

"A week," Jiraiya answered calmly. "After that, we’ll move on to the second part of the training."

 

"Great, then let's not waste time," the toad said.

 

My training began immediately and lasted almost until evening. They kept creating these energy flows, making me chase after them constantly. At first, it was hard for me to sense these flows at medium distances, but once I figured it out, the distances they moved to were no longer a problem. By evening, I could easily sense all the "torches" they lit within the city, no matter where they were.

 

"Tsk," the toad grumbled when I found them for the last time. "You’re learning too quickly."

 

"Is that bad, Fukasaku-san?" I asked.

 

"No," the toad shrugged, then looked at Jiraiya. "Kid, I think you should start teaching him the mode right now and give him some techniques. If you want to, of course. Though... it doesn’t matter to me."

 

I fell silent, hoping for exactly that.

 

"Are you sure, Fukasaku?" Jiraiya asked.

 

"It’s up to you, kid," the old toad said. "In my eight hundred years, I’ve never seen such talent."

 

I was flattered by this praise. Even if it came from an old toad, I still appreciated it. Jiraiya pondered for a moment. It was clear his mind was swirling with thoughts, but he couldn’t quite settle on any one of them.

 

"Alright, you think it over, and I’ll be off," the old toad said. "Otherwise, Shima will eat me, larvae and all."

 

Jiraiya just nodded as the toad disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving us alone once more. The sannin continued thinking, then shook his head at something.

 

"Alright, Suzuki," he said to me. "Let's see how much of a... machine you are."

 

"What do you want me to do?" I asked.

 

"Until the end of our training session, I’ll be teaching you twenty-four-seven," he said calmly. "That’s why I suggest you rest today. Starting tomorrow, we’ll leave the city and begin training. Everything will depend on how quickly and well you absorb the material."

 

"Hai," I nodded. "I’m ready to learn."

 

"Good," Jiraiya exhaled. "Then go rest. Tomorrow at six in the morning, we move out."

 

After that, the sannin quickly disappeared, leaving me alone on one of the rooftops I had just arrived at. He’d probably go relax and entertain himself with the local pleasure workers. That kind of thing didn’t interest me at all, so I calmly returned to my room.

 

The building I had settled in was bustling with life—women working around the clock, and men eager to part with their money. I hadn’t realized what was going on when I first checked in. If I had, I would’ve looked for a different place. But oh well, it is what it is.

 

I needed to prepare myself for the intense training Jiraiya had planned. If he really intended to train me twenty-four-seven, I had to be ready to keep up with such a grueling pace.

 

Taking a deep breath, I pushed all thoughts of what was happening in the neighboring room—where a mix of male and female voices could be heard—out of my mind. I really should have found another place to stay... Tch.

 

Morning found me well-rested and clear-headed, ready for new challenges. I handed the room key to a large, stout woman. For a moment, I thought I saw a mustache under her nose. Not bothering to look any closer, I gathered my things and headed out. I noticed a man leaving another room whose clothes definitely needed some attention, but his expression was one of satisfaction. Upon closer inspection, he looked familiar... Wasn’t he the one from yesterday, greeting guests? Yeah, I think it was him.

 

"Take care, Kazuku-san," I waved to the man who had rented me the room. "I’ve got things to do."

 

"Oh, Suzuki-san," he replied. "I thought you’d stay with us for a whole week. I was even thinking of what kind of gift to give you."

 

"It’s fine," I waved it off. "I’ve had my rest, and that’s what’s important. But you might want to think about soundproofing. The moans and screams from other rooms are distracting."

 

"Of course, of course," he said. "I’ll pass that along to the owner. Anyway, Suzuki-san, if you ever feel like it, you’re always welcome to stay with us again. I think you’d enjoy it here."

 

"I’m sure I would if I stayed longer," I exhaled. "But... my business won’t wait. Gotta run. Take care."

 

"All the best to you too, Suzuki-san."

 

After that, I headed to the meeting place with Jiraiya. He was already waiting for me, and as I landed, he gave me a once-over. There was a smudge of lipstick on his cheek and a faint hickey on his neck. I had a pretty good idea of how he spent his night—probably hired a few more of the local girls for some nighttime fun. From what I gathered, he really enjoyed that kind of thing.

 

"Let’s go," was all he said.

 

We quickly left the city, where we had originally planned to stay a bit longer. Moving swiftly along the upper paths, we veered off into the wild, untouched nature. At one point, Jiraiya stopped and turned to me.

 

"This will be our training ground," he said in a calm tone.

 

The area was perfect for training. A wide clearing with rocky terrain, and somewhere in the distance, I could sense a bubbling pond. Not bad, not bad.

 

"Let’s get started," he said, summoning Fukasaku again.

 

I had no doubt the days ahead would be incredibly intense.