After their little scuffle, the two continued their journey toward the Leaf. The sun had begun to dip low behind the hills, painting the sky in warm orange and purple hues. The air grew cooler as the wind brushed through the trees lining the dirt road.
After a full day of walking, they finally reached a small hot springs resort tucked between rocky slopes.
The faint scent of pine and steam drifted through the air, and the soft bubbling sound of the springs was enough to melt away their exhaustion.
Naruto stretched his arms, letting out a long yawn. "Man, I could live here," he muttered.
"Don't get too comfortable," Jiraiya said, waving lazily. "We're back on the road by sunrise."
Naruto rolled his eyes but didn't argue. He stripped down and stepped into the steaming water, slowly sinking in until only his head was above the surface. The warmth soaked into his muscles, easing the ache from the long day and their fight.
'That feels great,' he thought with a satisfied sigh, closing his eyes.
For a while, he just sat there, listening to the soft trickle of water and the distant chirping of night insects. But soon, his thoughts drifted back to the fight with Jiraiya.
He remembered every move — every hit he thought he could land, every counter that caught him off guard. He clenched his hand beneath the water, watching the ripples spread.
'I wonder how it would've gone if I took off my weights…' he thought, glancing down at the pair resting on the side of the pool. 'Jiraiya wasn't even using his full power, but he still won.'
He exhaled softly through his nose. 'If I took them off, he'd probably need to use at least sixty percent of his strength to beat me. Today… he used maybe thirty.'
A faint smile tugged at his lips. It wasn't frustration — it was motivation. He could feel himself improving, bit by bit.
When his body finally felt light again, Naruto climbed out of the hot spring, steam rolling off his skin. He dried himself off, slipped on his clothes, and made his way to the small room they'd rented for the night.
Jiraiya was already half-asleep, snoring softly on his futon. Naruto shook his head with a grin before lying down on his own.
Within minutes, his eyes grew heavy, and the day's exhaustion caught up to him.
....
Next day they were back on the road again. Jiraiya told him that they were near the Leaf now as they stood atop a hill, up ahead they could see a vast, dense treeline stretching for kilometers and more. The wind carried the faint scent of earth and pine, a familiar smell of home for Naruto.
"Guess we have a lot of tree-line jumping up ahead," Jiraiya said, adjusting his cloak with a lazy grin.
"Yeah, well, we better start moving. Don't wanna get caught in a forest while it's dark," Naruto replied, stretching his arms before walking ahead.
Jiraiya followed from behind, lighting his pipe, the faint smell of smoke trailing behind him. Soon they entered the forest — the shade swallowed them whole, and the cheerful warmth of the hill vanished.
It was quiet. Too quiet.
No crickets. No birds. Not even the rustle of leaves from small animals. Just a deep, unnatural silence that settled over everything like a blanket.
Naruto's expression tightened. He slowed his pace, breathing steadily as he extended his chakra sense through the area — every branch, every faint breeze. Then, a flicker — movement.
"There," he muttered.
In an instant, his body blurred, eyes narrowing toward a shadow shifting between the trees.
Suddenly, multiple figures dropped down from the branches and landed on the path ahead — five men dressed in rough travel gear, faces covered with worn masks. Their movements were too organized to be mere bandits.
"Didn't think anyone would find us," one said, smirking.
"Yeah, but it doesn't matter. This was supposed to happen anyway," another added, gripping his sword handle.
Their leader stepped forward — tall, with a scar across his cheek and eyes that glimmered with greed.
"Now, I'd advise you to clear your bags," he said coolly. "No need for any violence."
Jiraiya and Naruto exchanged a glance. Jiraiya exhaled a lazy puff of smoke, then kept walking. Naruto followed his lead, hands in his pockets.
They walked straight past the men.
The bandits stared, confused.
"Did they just ignore us?" one muttered.
"Yeah…" another replied, scratching his head.
The leader's face twisted in anger. "GET 'EM!"
The five rushed forward, blades and kunai flashing.
Naruto didn't even turn his head — he just muttered, "Tch," and flicked his wrist.
Fwip! Shnk!
In a blur, five kunai flew through the air, slicing cleanly through the space between trees.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
Before the bandits could even react, each was struck in a vital spot — weapons clattering to the ground before their bodies followed, collapsing with dull thuds against the dirt.
The forest fell silent again.
Jiraiya didn't slow his stride. "That's what happens when you pick the wrong travelers, kids," he said with a smirk.
Naruto sighed, scratching his head as he followed behind. "Man… that was easy."
Jiraiya glanced back with a grin, pipe still in hand. "You're really good at kunai throwing — might even rival the Uchihas with that."
Naruto smiled a little, rubbing the back of his neck. "Thanks, I worked really hard for it."
The fight — if it could even be called that — had ended before it began.
They continued down the forest path, the evening sun filtering through the canopy in streaks of gold and orange. The air was thick with the scent of pine and damp soil. Soon they began leaping from branch to branch again, their movements in perfect sync — teacher and student gliding effortlessly through the vast expanse of trees.
Hours passed in silence, the world around them fading into hues of red as the sun dipped below the horizon. By the time the sky turned dark purple, Jiraiya decided they'd gone far enough for the day.
"Alright, kid, we'll camp here," he said, landing on an open clearing beside a small stream.
Naruto nodded and got to work. He gathered dry branches while Jiraiya set up a small barrier seal, making sure no wild animals or unwanted guests disturbed them. Soon, the warm crackle of fire filled the night air.
Jiraiya sat cross-legged, roasting a piece of fish over the flames while Naruto leaned against a log, staring up at the stars. The night was calm — a soft breeze rustling through the leaves.
"You've grown a lot, you know," Jiraiya said after a while. "Not just stronger — smarter too."
Naruto grinned, eyes half-lidded from exhaustion. "Heh, guess I had a good teacher."
Jiraiya chuckled, the sound low and fond. "Flattery won't get you out of tomorrow's training."
They both laughed softly.
After finishing their meal, they let the fire burn low and rested. The forest was peaceful again, the only sounds being the gentle flow of water and the occasional hoot of an owl in the distance.
The next morning, they were on the move again before sunrise. The forest eventually began to thin, and the terrain opened into rolling hills.
Then Naruto saw it — the towering, stone walls of Konoha stretching across the horizon. The familiar symbol of the Leaf carved proudly into its gates.
His chest tightened with emotion.
'Man… to think I'm finally going to see the Leaf Village … everyone else…' he thought, a smile spreading across his face. 'Can't wait.'
A few minutes later, the two were standing before the massive gates. This was the real beginning of Naruto Uzumaki's Journey.
TO BE CONTINUED