For Jiraiya, rather than expending the village's vast resources to protect Naruto, it was far better to train him into a perfect Jinchuriki, like Kirabi of the Hidden Cloud.
This would not only save manpower but also transform Naruto into a vital asset for the village.
However, compared to other Tailed Beasts, the Nine-Tails was exceptionally unique.
Even the powerful Jinchuriki of the Uzumaki clan in the past could only suppress the Nine-Tails, never reaching an understanding with it to become a perfect Jinchuriki who retained their own will.
The 'Nine-Tails Incident' later deepened the fear of the Nine-Tails among the village's leadership and its people.
This was also why the higher-ups were relatively lenient with Sasuke.
Despite lingering doubts about his role in subduing a rampaging Naruto, and despite being an Uchiha—distrusted and feared by the leadership—his potential to suppress the Nine-Tails made him a necessity for the village.
And now, Uchiha Shinji wielded 'Wood Release'! It was well-known that the First Hokage not only quelled the Warring States era but also traveled the world, sealing the scattered Tailed Beasts across the shinobi world.
The suppressive power of 'Wood Release' over Tailed Beasts was beyond question! With 'Wood Release,' Uchiha Shinji was a safeguard—a failsafe capable of suppressing a rampaging Naruto at any moment.
It was precisely because of this safeguard that Jiraiya had the idea of enlisting Uchiha Shinji's help to train Naruto into a perfect Jinchuriki.
Tsunade didn't immediately respond to Jiraiya.
Uchiha Shinji was her student, after all. The thought of letting an eight-year-old face a rampaging Tailed Beast made her, as a teacher, hesitate.
But she also understood that Jiraiya's proposal was in the village's best interest.
Seeing her hesitation, Jiraiya said, "Think it over carefully."
Tsunade replied gravely, "Uchiha Shinji's control over 'Wood Release' isn't fully refined yet. It's risky to have her face a rampaging Tailed Beast."
"Ha!" Jiraiya sighed. "Yeah, it's our failure as adults to put kids in such tough situations."
Tsunade said, "I'll give it serious thought."
Over the next week, the upcoming squad test kept the academy students bustling with activity.
Jikibi was no exception.
Besides studying Tsunade's fusion and suppression formulas to prepare for the upcoming First Hokage cell transplant, he also had to occasionally join Sasuke and Neji for combat drills.
One evening, in a small grove.
Clang.Clang.Clang. As piercing sounds of metal clashing echoed from the grove, the few standing outside wore tense expressions.
Sakura murmured, "I wonder how it's going in there?"
Naruto grumbled, "Why won't they let us in? Sasuke and the others are underestimating us!"
Tenten said, "Their sparring is on another level. Even if we went in, we'd just hold them back."
Undoubtedly.
The ones clashing in the grove were none other than Jikibi, Sasuke, and Neji.
Their teammates—Naruto, Sakura, Tenten, Rock Lee, Haku, and Karin—waited outside.
Gazing at the grove, Rock Lee said reluctantly, "But I really want to fight alongside them!"
Tenten shook her head: "They're practicing tactics against Uchiha Shinji and Kimimaro. We'd be useless in there."
The thought of facing Uchiha Shinji in the test made Sakura nervous: "Tenten, has Neji shared any tactics with you?"
Tenten replied, "Not yet! What about you? Has Sasuke said anything?"
Sakura's face fell: "Sasuke hasn't told us anything either." Tenten turned to Haku and Karin: "What about Jikibi? Has he mentioned anything about the test?"
"No," Haku shook his head. "I'm afraid even Jikibi himself hasn't fully figured out a strategy yet. After all, they're up against the legendary 'Wood Release'!"
Karin stayed silent, maintaining her low-profile persona.
But no one knew that her eyes were pulsating again.
After a week of nourishment, the recovery of the fully damaged Mangekyo Sharingan in her eye sockets, as Jikibi predicted, had accelerated.
Now, the pulsations occurred twice a day.
With each pulsation, her vision improved slightly, so Karin had regained partial eyesight. Her eyes were no longer mere decorations.
In the grove.
Perched on a tree branch, Jikibi scanned his surroundings.
At that moment, from a blind spot in his vision, swish, swish—two kunai with gleaming tips shot toward him! He tilted his body slightly, effortlessly dodging the kunai.
However, the two kunai that passed him were tied to nearly invisible steel wires, which pulled along a string of ignited explosive tags.
Boom, boom, boom. Instantly, a series of explosions erupted in the grove.
Nearby.
Kakashi, secretly observing from atop another tree, saw this and his pupils contracted.
"Trouble!"
Shizune, also watching covertly, gasped and moved to rush in and help.
Such a deadly move was rarely used even in Chunin-level sparring, as a single misstep could cause serious accidents.
Kakashi stopped Shizune, shaking his head.
Puzzled, Shizune followed Kakashi's gaze back to the battlefield.
From the smoke and dust of the explosion, Jikibi leaped out, landing steadily on the ground, unscathed.
"This…" Stunned, Shizune asked Kakashi, "Is this how they usually spar?"
Kakashi sighed helplessly: "These kids are just like that. You'll get used to it!"
On the field.
As Jikibi emerged from the explosion's smoke, Sasuke, who had been lying in wait, burst from the bushes. Seizing the moment when Jikibi was mid-landing, he lunged from behind.
But Jikibi, as if he had eyes in the back of his head, reacted instantly. With a light tap of his foot, he spun around, meeting attack with attack, and closed in on Sasuke, catching him off guard.
Thud, thud, thud. In an instant, the two engaged in fierce close-quarters taijutsu, the grove echoing with rapid strikes.
Sasuke, with his Sharingan activated, quickly found himself at a disadvantage.
Even pushing his three-tomoe Sharingan to its limits, he couldn't keep up with Jikibi's movements, his heart a mix of shock and frustration: "Damn it, how is this possible!?"