From a master–disciple lineage standpoint… saying it that way actually wasn't wrong.
Minato had been his disciple, and Naruto had now also become his disciple—so technically, Minato and Naruto were martial brothers.
But once Jiraiya factored in the real blood relationship between Minato and Naruto, and then heard Naruto cheerfully calling Minato his "senior brother," an indescribable sense of absurdity crept over him.
Something about it just felt… off.
Jiraiya's mouth twitched. He looked at Naruto's eyes, sparkling with anticipation as he waited for confirmation. In the end, Jiraiya gave a vague, somewhat helpless nod.
"Well… if you really want to put it that way… theoretically… yeah, I guess that's right."
"Yay! That's awesome!"
With his answer confirmed, Naruto let out a cheer, feeling as though he'd taken another step closer to his dream of becoming Hokage. Even the leftover meat on his plate somehow tasted better.
He had a Hokage as a senior brother!
Even though he'd never met him, it already sounded incredible!
If that was the case, then becoming Hokage himself felt practically inevitable.
Watching Naruto's innocent, radiant happiness, the strange discomfort in Jiraiya's heart faded, replaced by a gentle warmth—and a heavy sense of responsibility.
He reached out and ruffled Naruto's hair, silently making a promise to himself.
Minato. Kushina. Rest assured. This time, I will guide this kid properly. I won't let him walk the lonely path shown in that vision.
Smoke from the grill drifted lazily upward, framing the newly forged bond between master and disciple—one brimming with excitement, the other filled with quiet resolve.
The next morning, sunlight bathed the streets of Konoha.
Yawning heavily, Jiraiya walked toward the Ninja Academy, leading Naruto along. Naruto looked just as sleepy.
Unlike yesterday, Naruto no longer walked with his head lowered. Though still a little stiff, his back straightened unconsciously as he walked beside Jiraiya.
"Good morning, Lord Jiraiya!"
"You're back in the village, Lord Jiraiya?"
"It's an honor to see you!"
Along the way, ninjas and even elderly villagers who recognized him stopped to greet Jiraiya respectfully, their eyes filled with reverence for one of the Legendary Sannin.
Jiraiya waved casually in response.
Then, noticing Naruto's uneasy expression, he suddenly did something no one expected.
He stopped walking, placed a large hand naturally on Naruto's shoulder, and nudged him half a step forward. Facing a bowing chūnin, Jiraiya spoke in a tone that sounded casual—but allowed no argument.
"Oh, it's you. Perfect timing. Let me introduce him—this is Naruto Uzumaki. My newly accepted disciple."
He then turned to a stunned shop owner nearby.
"Boss, remember this kid. He's my student. Take good care of him in the future."
"…!"
For a split second, it was as if someone had muted the world.
Everyone who heard those words froze, faces filled with shock and disbelief as their gazes snapped toward Naruto.
Naruto Uzumaki?
That demon fox brat?
Lord Jiraiya's… disciple?!
The revelation was even more shocking than the appearance of the mysterious sky projection.
One of the Legendary Sannin—Konoha's top-tier combat power—had taken in the child everyone avoided like a walking calamity?
Confusion, doubt, fear, and even faint traces of questioning Jiraiya's judgment flickered across their faces.
But the moment they met Jiraiya's gaze—lazy on the surface, yet sharp and warning beneath—all of those emotions were forcibly suppressed.
"Y-Yes, Lord Jiraiya!"
"Understood… we'll make sure to look after him."
No one dared question him openly.
That was the authority of a top-level shinobi.
Standing beside Jiraiya, Naruto witnessed everything.
He felt the shift in people's gazes—pure reverence when they looked at Jiraiya, shock and complicated emotions when they looked at him, and finally, reluctant restraint forced by Jiraiya's stance.
For the first time, Naruto truly understood just how much influence his new master held in Konoha.
A sensation he had never known before—being protected—slowly wrapped around his long-frozen heart like a warm current.
He stole a glance at Jiraiya's seemingly carefree yet utterly reliable profile, and unconsciously tightened his grip on the hem of Jiraiya's clothes.
This time… things might really be different.
By the time Jiraiya finished his not-so-subtle "announcement tour" and dropped Naruto off at the academy gate, the news—
"The demon fox Naruto Uzumaki has become Jiraiya's disciple"
—had already swept through Konoha like a storm.
Everyone understood one thing clearly:
From this day forward, their attitude toward Naruto Uzumaki had to change.
And Naruto himself, for the first time in his life, clearly touched something called reliance—and the faint hope of being accepted.
Entering the classroom, Naruto immediately felt that the atmosphere was different today.
He straightened his back and walked to his seat.
The moment he sat down, a cold voice spoke beside him.
"Hey. Dead last."
Naruto didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
He snorted and replied smugly, "What do you want, you arrogant jerk, Sasuke?"
Sasuke didn't snap back immediately. After a brief pause, he asked with faint curiosity,
"That white-haired man who brought you here this morning… who is he?"
At the mention of Jiraiya, Naruto instantly perked up. He turned around, pride impossible to hide, his voice rising several notches.
"That's my master! Awesome, right?! He's a legendary ninja—Jiraiya of the Three Legendary Sannin!"
"Jiraiya…?"
Sasuke repeated the name quietly. His black pupils contracted, unmistakable shock flashing across his face.
Naruto might not grasp the weight of that name—but Sasuke, raised in the Uchiha clan, had heard of Konoha's greatest warriors since childhood.
The Three Legendary Sannin.
The name was thunderous.
He never imagined that Naruto—the useless dead last—would be taken in by a figure of that caliber.
No wonder…
A realization struck Sasuke like lightning, instantly clearing his previous confusion.
No wonder the "future" shown in the sky—no wonder the current dead last could grow so strong, strong enough to defeat him.
So that was it.
Naruto had received guidance from a monster-level mentor.
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