An abandoned training ground.
Takayama Haru saw two figures ahead and quickened his pace.
Under the shade of a tree, Jiraiya and Minato Namikaze had been waiting for some time.
"Haru, you're late this time."
Minato waved him over, still wearing his usual white tracksuit with green edges. The biggest change was in his demeanor—more composed than before. It seemed his strength had improved quite a bit over the past four months.
"Yo, Haru. Long time no see."
Jiraiya greeted him with a sunny smile, dressed not in his usual casual attire but in gray armor with a properly tied forehead protector. He looked like a soldier ready for battle.
But seeing the similar smiles on their faces...
"Spending too much time together really does make people alike. I thought that was just a rumor," Haru said, shaking his head in mock disappointment.
"Didn't think stupidity could be contagious too."
Jiraiya's smile froze. He didn't know whether to laugh or not.
Who had a stupid smile? That was clearly a charming, handsome grin!
This brat better be careful or Jiraiya might sue him for slander!
"Haru, Jiraiya-sensei's smile isn't stupid at all—it's the smile of a hero!"
Minato gave a thumbs up, and for a moment Haru could see the spirit of Might Duy in him. It was like pouring fuel on a fire.
"Show me some respect first, will you?!"
Jiraiya smacked Minato on the head with a loud thump.
A lump quickly formed on Minato's forehead. Rubbing it, he looked at Jiraiya in confusion.
"But I really respect you, Jiraiya-sensei..."
Why'd he get hit?
Minato's innocent face made Jiraiya sigh deeply. This student might seem like a naive airhead, but if you cut him open, he'd probably be pitch black inside.
Then Jiraiya turned to Haru, who was grinning like a fox that had stolen a chicken. That smug expression really ticked him off.
"You're the culprit behind all this!"
In an instant, Jiraiya appeared beside Haru, raising his fist above Haru's head but not bringing it down. He hesitated, recalling certain promises from the past.
Haru smiled even wider, showing all his teeth—like he was expecting the hit.
Jiraiya pulled his hand back with a scowl. He really was afraid Haru had hidden poison needles in his hair again.
He still remembered Haru's warning from last time.
This was a guy who would actually put poisoned needles on his own scalp. Even if Orochimaru wasn't a top-tier poison master, he was still pretty damn skilled—one of the best in the village.
Teaching Haru how to mix poisons and set traps wouldn't have been hard for him at all.
"Scared, aren't you!" Haru taunted when he saw Jiraiya hesitate.
"Scared? Me?!" Jiraiya gritted his teeth and brought his fist down—only to hit empty air.
Haru had already disappeared.
Turning around, he saw Haru with his back turned, flashing a peace sign with a smug smile.
Jiraiya was speechless. Was this kid playing games with him?
Still, the speed... it was impressive.
"So fast..."
Jiraiya hadn't even seen when Haru moved. It was almost like space-time ninjutsu.
To his praise, Haru just tilted his head and casually said, "Rokushiki—Soru—Shunpo."
An upgraded version of Soru. Haru hadn't spent the last four months idly—every skill of his had leveled up. He wasn't the same as before.
Once his power limiter was lifted, Haru's strength had skyrocketed.
So really, all his past weakness was the fault of the power limiter!
"Don't get cocky, brat!"
Jiraiya's hair suddenly grew longer, lashing toward Haru.
Facing the incoming attack, Haru just smiled calmly. His hand was already on his sword.
In the blink of an eye, the blade was drawn.
Silver hair scattered through the air.
Jiraiya only saw the flash of steel—he couldn't even get a good look at the sword itself.
Such high-speed Iaijutsu was comparable to Sakumo Hatake.
And even now, Jiraiya wouldn't dare face Sakumo's blade head-on.
Especially that one infamous technique of his—it still made him wince in phantom pain.
"You didn't waste your training."
Jiraiya looked seriously at Haru.
With his movement and sword-drawing speed, Haru wasn't someone Jiraiya could easily defeat anymore.
At the very least, he could last a few rounds now.
"But it's not like I didn't improve, either."
In a flash, Jiraiya was beside Haru again. Haru had just sheathed his sword and didn't react in time.
With no chance to dodge, Jiraiya's punch landed clean.
Wham!
Haru crouched down, clutching his head.
"That hurt!"
This time, he hadn't hidden anything in his hair. And that movement Jiraiya used—
Haru glared at Minato with suspicion.
Jiraiya had used Soru!
Minato turned his head awkwardly.
It wasn't exactly something he taught. Jiraiya had picked it up on his own—along with a few other techniques.
Honestly, Minato hadn't learned much ninjutsu from Haru. It was more like the other way around.
"Ha ha ha!" Jiraiya laughed heartily. "Don't underestimate Lord Jiraiya, kid!"
His strength had improved dramatically, especially thanks to a foundational internal energy technique that boosted his growth rate significantly.
Just then, the three of them looked up into the sky.
A figure was falling rapidly from above.
"That's... Kushina, isn't it?"
Haru squinted. The red hair was unmistakable.
"What's she doing falling from the sky?" Minato asked, worried. From that height, she could die!
As Kushina hit the ground—
Boom!
The earth cracked under the force. Dirt and stones flew in all directions as a cloud of dust rose.
Out of the dust, a figure flipped and landed in front of them.
"Uzumaki Kushina, reporting in!"
She crouched on the ground, then slowly stood up, adjusting her forehead protector.
Haru's face twitched. If you knew she was coming, okay—but if you didn't, you'd think it was an enemy attack.
Jiraiya and Minato had stars in their eyes. "So cool!"
"Enough already!!" Haru shouted.
He felt like he was the only one not acting like an idiot.
Their reactions only made Kushina more smug. She had begged Tsunade for that flashy entrance.
Jiraiya and Minato eagerly crowded around to ask how she did it.
"Alright, enough, you two!!" Haru yelled. "This is a team meeting, not a fan club!"
"Oh, Haru," Kushina finally noticed him, lifting her chin arrogantly. "It's been a while. How much have you improved?"
She looked like a boss addressing a junior.
Haru hesitated. "Probably not as much as you—after all, I still can't look down on people through my nostrils."
That was one skill he hadn't learned.
"Why you—!"
Kushina swung a punch at him, but Haru blurred away. The punch smashed a training post to dust.
Boom! The post exploded into splinters.
"Monster strength," Jiraiya muttered, nostalgic. It had been a while since he'd taken one of those hits himself.
Watching the chase unfold, he noted the difference—at least Orochimaru didn't mock Tsunade with sharp words.
As for him, he usually got one-shotted before there was even a chase.
Ahem.
Jiraiya cleared his throat, and the two finally returned to the group.
"Hmph," Kushina snorted and turned her head.
Jiraiya explained the mission: "We're heading to the border of the Land of Grass and the Land of Fire. Mostly reconnaissance, to watch for sudden attacks from Iwagakure."
"Any questions?"
"Nope," all three replied in unison.
They had no complaints—this was their first mission abroad, after all.
"Then Team 7 is assembled! Let's go!"
The cold winter winds hadn't fully faded, and the air was still brisk.
The melting snow revealed barren earth, and the runoff left the ground muddy.
Team 7 walked a desolate path. The Hidden Leaf was already far behind them.
"Minato, Haru—I've contracted the same summoning beast as the First Hokage!" Kushina said proudly, walking in front.
Jiraiya smiled knowingly as he led the way.
Minato hesitated. "I've got a good summon too…"
It was the same type as Jiraiya's.
"Then let's compare. Summon them!"
Without waiting for Minato to respond, Kushina finished her hand seals.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Poof!
A two-meter-tall slug appeared beneath her.
"Little Kushina, need help?" it asked.
"No, just showing off to my teammates!" she said proudly.
Slug: ????
Minato scratched his head and performed his own summoning.
Poof!
A large toad appeared under his feet.
Still a head shorter than them due to his age, Haru looked up at the massive summons expressionlessly.
"Hey, Haru—doesn't Orochimaru have powerful summons too? Don't tell me you didn't make a contract?"
Kushina never missed a chance to tease him.
"I did."
Haru stepped past them without giving her a chance to keep mocking.
A puff of smoke behind him signaled the dismissal of the two summons. Kushina and Minato hurried to catch up.
"If you didn't, just admit it—I'd mock you properly."
Suddenly, Haru stopped, and Kushina almost walked into him.
Before she could ask—
"Whitey, bite her!"
A white blur shot out from Haru's collar and bit Kushina's nose.
"Aaah! My nose! It's gonna fall off!"
Kushina clutched the creature and ran around in a panic, until she smashed into a tree headfirst.
"Humph," Haru smirked.
"This is my summoning beast!"