Kaito Akaden (Kaito)

Kaito Chapter 23: Spar with Jiraiya

After Jiraiya was officially named Naruto's godfather, Minato lent a hand in serving the lunch that Kaito assisted Kushina in making. As they sat down to enjoy the meal, a conversation unfolded between Minato, Jiraiya, and Kushina, centering around Kushina's impending due date and all matters pertinent to the upcoming birth. Meanwhile, Kaito sat in contemplative silence, absorbed in profound consideration on how best to convey the urgency of the situation concerning Obito and devise a plan to ensure their safety.

As the days pressed on, Kaito found himself struggling to conceive a plan that would ensure their safety. Time was slipping away, with Naruto's arrival expected in less than two months. Letting out a heavy sigh, Kaito inwardly resolved, 'I'll concentrate on my training for now. There's no use in fretting and causing my kaa-chan unnecessary worry.'

It was almost uncanny how Kushina always seemed to sense when Kaito was troubled, sad, or burdened. Call it mother's intuition, but she had an innate ability to pick up on his emotions. Kaito was determined not to add to her worries, particularly during this crucial time in her pregnancy.

Lost in his own thoughts, Kaito absentmindedly continued eating, oblivious to the conversation swirling around him. The topic shifted, and Jiraiya directed his attention towards Kaito, inquiring, "Hmm, what about the squirt over here? Have you started his shinobi training yet... He's five, right? Then he'll be starting the academy next year."

Jolted from his reverie by Jiraiya's question, Kaito's mother, Kushina, beamed with pride. "Oh, my little baby is a prodigy in the shinobi arts, just like his father, you know," she exclaimed, her voice brimming with affection as she playfully ruffled Kaito's hair. This warm gesture brought him back into the present, away from the depths of his contemplations.

"Oh, oh! We've got another prodigy," Jiraiya exclaimed, his face lighting up with a wide grin as he looked at Kaito.

"Hmm, hai sensei," Minato chimed in, his pride-filled tone. "Like Kushina said, little Kaito is a true prodigy in the arts of ninjutsu and taijutsu. He's remarkably sharp-witted, possesses a strong will, and he's a quick learner. The dedication he puts into his training is commendable, and his skills are quite exceptional for his age."

Upon hearing these praises, Kaito's cheeks flushed, and he shyly lowered his head, prompting some laughter from the adults.

"Not only that, but he's also incredibly adept with seals. He picks up on my teachings with remarkable swiftness," Kushina boasted, her chest swelling with maternal pride.

"Already learning seals?" Jiraiya exclaimed, his surprise evident as he gazed at Kaito.

After a brief pause, Jiraiya turned to Minato, a wide grin on his face, and asked, "Mind if I spar with him a bit?"

"If it's alright with him," Minato replied.

Turning back to Kaito, Jiraiya proposed, "How about it, squirt? Spar with me, and if you manage to impress me, I'll teach you an awesome jutsu!" He punctuated his offer with an enthusiastic thumbs-up.

Internally, Kaito couldn't help but think, 'This is great... I've been wanting to learn something offensive, but Mom and Dad won't teach it to me just yet. They say I need to master the basics first.' With a wide grin, Kaito was about to eagerly agree.

Just as Kaito was on the verge of agreeing, a sudden chill swept through the air, causing both Kaito and Jiraiya to turn towards its source, their foreheads beaded with sweat.

In a sweet tone, Kushina chimed in, "I hope you won't be teaching my baby boy anything inappropriate, would you, Jiraiya sensei?"

Jiraiya, now sweating profusely, responded in a frantic tone, "Of course not, I would never do that."

"Well, if that's the case, then you can take him, ya know," Kushina retorted, her demeanor shifting back to her cheerful self in an instant.

This sudden change in mood left Kaito, Minato, and Jiraiya with sweatdrops, their brows furrowing in slight surprise.

After helping Kushina tidy up the table, Kaito and Jiraiya bid their farewells. Meanwhile, Minato opted to stay at home with Kushina, trusting Jiraiya and relishing the rare opportunity to unwind on his day off.

As they made their way towards the training ground, Jiraiya turned to Kaito and inquired, "So, kid, what have you learned so far?"

"Mostly the basics, you know," Kaito replied, listing them off, "physical training, taijutsu, shurikenjutsu, chakra control, and the basic ninjutsu."

Jiraiya's interest was piqued. "How far are you in chakra control, kid?" he asked.

Kaito answered with confidence, "Hmm, I can spar on the water."

"What! You can walk on water? That's usually taught after graduation," exclaimed Jiraiya, clearly impressed. "And what are these basic ninjutsus?" he inquired further.

"The academy three and the shunshin no jutsu," Kaito explained as they arrived at the training ground.

Hearing Kaito's list of skills, Jiraiya looked at him with a mix of surprise and doubt, thinking, 'He already knows the academy three and shunshin no jutsu?'

At the training ground, Jiraiya positioned himself a few feet away from Kaito. With a confident grin, he declared, "Okay, attack me with everything you have. And remember, if you manage to impress me, I'll teach you a jutsu."

Kaito sought clarification, asking, "Am I only allowed to use taijutsu, or can I use ninjutsu too?"

"Like I said, use everything you have, and that includes ninjutsu. You can start whenever you're ready," Jiraiya affirmed, setting the stage for their spar.

Hearing Jiraiya's confirmation, Kaito's expression shifted into one of determination. He swiftly closed the distance between them, launching himself at Jiraiya with incredible speed. His fist shot forward in a punch aimed at Jiraiya's face, but the experienced ninja effortlessly blocked it with his hand, still maintaining his confident grin.

Jiraiya couldn't help but be impressed. 'He's fast,' he thought, swiftly dodging a kick from Kaito that was aimed at his head. The spar continued, with Kaito relentlessly launching attacks and Jiraiya skillfully evading each one.

After a sustained exchange of blows, Jiraiya seized an opportunity. As he evaded a punch from Kaito, he countered with a swift kick, aiming to sweep Kaito's legs out from under him.

As Jiraiya's kick connected, it seemed to pass right through Kaito, leaving him momentarily stunned. To Jiraiya's surprise, Kaito reappeared behind him, catching him off guard. Swiftly, Kaito attempted to land a kick on Jiraiya, confident in his maneuver. In his mind, Kaito thought, 'Yes, it worked.'

However, Jiraiya's experience as a Sannin came into play. He swiftly ducked under the kick and leaped back, creating some distance between them. Internally, he pondered, 'How did he do that? My leg just phased through him, and he reappeared behind me... Was I fighting a clone just now? No, his punches were real.'

While Jiraiya grappled with this puzzle, Kaito took a moment to catch his breath, panting slightly. In his own thoughts, Kaito mused, 'Damn, he dodged... Well, he is a Sannin after all... Heh, at least it worked.' He couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment at having pulled off such a move, even if it didn't quite land as intended.

Intrigued by Kaito's unexpected move, Jiraiya couldn't help but ask, "What was it that you just did, kid?"

Hearing Jiraiya's inquiry, Kaito explained, "It's something I'm working on... It's a combination of the clone and replacement, along with the shunshin no jutsu... But that's the first time it worked." His voice held a note of pride in this achievement.

Kaito had been diligently working to replicate Shisui's Zanzō Bunshin technique. However, he had put his own spin on it, resulting in a variation that differed from Shisui's original.

Shisui's Zanzō Bunshin involved the creation of numerous afterimages. With his exceptional speed, Shisui could seamlessly move between these afterimages, executing potent attacks from each one. Each afterimage possessed substantial force, allowing him to strike with significant impact. When under attack, Shisui would skillfully evade, allowing the opponent's strike to pass through one of his afterimages.

Kaito's adaptation, on the other hand, resembled the replacement jutsu more closely. It left an afterimage only in response to an incoming attack, skillfully diverting the opponent's strike through the afterimage. This tactical move created a strategic opening for Kaito to counter and strike his opponent, as he successfully demonstrated against Jiraiya.

Listening to Kaito's explanation, Jiraiya couldn't help but be deeply impressed. His thoughts raced, 'Minato and Kushina weren't exaggerating. This kid is a monster... To create a technique at his age and without any hand signs. His chakra control must be really good... And his speed and agility are already nearing chunin level. His taijutsu is better than most genin's.' With newfound interest, Jiraiya continued the spar.

….

"Alright kid, you managed to impress me," Jiraiya declared, a pleased grin on his face as he observed the now exhausted Kaito, who was panting heavily on the ground.

"As promised, I'll teach you a jutsu," Jiraiya affirmed, producing a shuriken. "This technique is called Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. It was invented by the Third Hokage. Now, watch closely."

With precision, Jiraiya hurled the shuriken towards one of the wooden stumps in the training ground. He swiftly performed a series of hand signs and called out, "Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." In response, the thrown shuriken replicated itself into ten, striking the wooden stumps.

Turning back to Kaito, Jiraiya explained, "After throwing the shuriken, the user duplicates it with their chakra. I only made ten clones for the demonstration, but if you become proficient, you can make hundreds." He then handed Kaito a shuriken and added, "Now you try. The hand signs are Ox → Dog → Dragon → Rat → Dog → Boar → Snake → Tiger."

Taking the shuriken from Jiraiya, Kaito couldn't help but ponder, 'Hmm... I thought for sure he would teach me the summoning jutsu.'

Initially, Kaito had anticipated that Jiraiya would instruct him in the summoning jutsu, much like he did when he first met Naruto. However, upon further reflection, Kaito came to understand why Jiraiya hadn't chosen to teach him that particular technique.

'It's probably because I'm only five years old,' Kaito reasoned. 'The summoning jutsu did take Naruto a lot of chakra to use. It must be a technique that requires significant mastery and control, and at my age, it might be too much.'

As Kaito accepted the shuriken from Jiraiya, his mind wandered back to a vivid memory. He recalled the time he had witnessed Minato employing the Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu during the Naruto tower movie.

In that remarkable scene, Minato had executed the jutsu on his kunai, conjuring an astonishing number, likely surpassing a few thousand kunai. It was a spectacle of nearly ceaseless projectiles, a relentless stream of blades that had lasted for about ten seconds.

"Man, Dad is really OP," Kaito mused to himself, a mix of admiration and amazement filling his thoughts.

Taking a deep breath, Kaito focused his concentration. He propelled the shuriken toward the wooden stump and swiftly moved through the required hand signs: Ox → Dog → Dragon → Rat → Dog → Boar → Snake → Tiger. He called out, "Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."

To his satisfaction, the shuriken multiplied into five identical copies, each striking the stump with precision. Despite his success, Kaito couldn't help but feel the strain. He thought, 'Damn, that took a lot of chakra.'

Observing Kaito's achievement, Jiraiya couldn't help but be impressed 'He managed to get it on his first try,'.

-----------

If you wish to support this story, please join me at patreon.com/Tilct