Jiraiya mentioned Nawaki's name, causing a subtle ripple in Orochimaru's otherwise calm demeanour.
As his first disciple and one he held dear, Nawaki had always occupied a special place in Orochimaru's heart.
Jiraiya, oblivious to Orochimaru's change in expression, continued:
"Your skill in teaching disciples is as impressive as ever. I've heard about Sora's fight with Kuroiwa Tatsuji, the leader of Yugakure.
It's incredible. He's, what, 12 or 13 this year? About the same age as Minato. I didn't expect him to go toe-to-toe with an Elite Jōnin like that. Not only did he seriously injure Kuroiwa Tatsuji, but he walked away with only minor injuries himself. That kind of outcome really surprised me."
Orochimaru's lips curled into a faint smirk as he responded,
"Sora's talent is exceptional. Compared to standard training, battles like these push his potential to the surface."
Jiraiya grinned and said,
"But my disciple isn't bad either, Orochimaru. Let's make a bet—who do you think will progress faster and grow stronger during this war? Sora or Minato?"
Orochimaru glanced sideways at Jiraiya, his tone flat but laced with subtle dismissal:
"There's nothing to bet on. Your disciple is talented, I'll admit that much."
Unconvinced, Jiraiya pressed on:
"Orochimaru, I'm not letting this go. Minato's talent is no less remarkable than your disciple's. Since you're being so dismissive, let's settle this with a wager!"
Orochimaru crossed his arms and stared at Jiraiya, unamused.
"And what exactly would we be betting on?"
Jiraiya's smile widened mischievously.
"I'm working on a new book right now. When I finish it, I'll let you be the first to read it. How's that?"
"Hmph. Pointless." Orochimaru turned sharply, heading for the tent's entrance, clearly uninterested.
Jiraiya called out after him, "Orochimaru, what's your wager, then?"
Without looking back, Orochimaru replied curtly, "I won't lose," and disappeared into the night.
Jiraiya stood up, muttering under his breath, "Tsundere." He sighed and left the tent as well, exhaustion weighing on him after the gruelling battle.
As he approached his own tent, he noticed that Minato wasn't in the one next door.
Jiraiya let out another sigh.
"It seems my disciple is lost in thought again. Looks like he'll need his master's guidance."
He found Namikaze Minato sitting alone atop a hill, staring blankly into the distance.
"Let me guess—because Sora is so exceptional, you're doubting yourself?" Jiraiya said as he sat down beside his student.
Namikaze Minato replied with a heavy expression, "Master, sometimes I can't help but doubt whether my decisions are right or wrong."
Jiraiya raised an eyebrow and asked, "Oh? Why do you think that?"
Minato lowered his head, his voice subdued. "Sora is so rational—so rational it's terrifying.
He didn't hesitate to hand a detonating tag to a comrade who could no longer fight, ensuring both he and the Kumogakure shinobi perished together. He said it was to maximize the benefits of the mission.
But I think what he did was wrong. He shouldn't have treated the life of a comrade, someone fighting by his side, as a mere tool.
When I confronted him about it, his response left me speechless. It made me feel like he was right, and I was the one who was wrong."
Jiraiya frowned. He hadn't expected Sora to take such drastic actions during the skirmishes in Yugakure.
But after a moment, he sighed, understanding.
Orochimaru's disciple.
It was no surprise. If Orochimaru were in Sora's place, he'd likely make the same decision without hesitation.
Jiraiya was about to console Minato when his student continued,
"I watched the entire battle between Sora and the Yugakure leader. I couldn't compare to him at all.
I thought I'd closed the gap over the years, but I was wrong. It's only grown wider. Sora is the real genius, and I... I'm not a genius at all.
But what makes me feel the most guilty is that, during the battle, when Sora was in danger, I hesitated.
I remembered the scene where Sora handed the detonating tag to Daigo and told him to die with the Kumogakure shinobi. At that moment, I thought about not saving Sora.
I always believed I'd give everything to help my comrades... but in that moment, I went against my own heart."
Jiraiya sighed deeply. "It seems like Sora has really shaken you, Minato. But remember, you're human too. It's normal to have people you admire, just as it's natural to dislike or resent others. You and Sora are opposites—polar extremes. It's only natural that you'd clash.
But don't blame yourself for feeling that way. Everyone has selfish thoughts, and I'm no exception. There's no need to beat yourself up over it.
As for Sora's actions, what he did couldn't be easily judged as right or wrong. War is complicated, and decisions like this often fall into a moral grey area.
However, your desire to protect and help your comrades is always right. Don't doubt that.
And Minato, don't let Sora's talent make you question yourself. Once you start doubting yourself, you'll lose your chance to grow stronger.
If you don't believe in yourself, how can you ever surpass Sora?
Let me ask you something, Minato—do you think I'm a genius?"
Minato turned to Jiraiya, surprised. "Of course, Master Jiraiya! You're a disciple of the Hokage himself, one of the Sannin—you're obviously a genius."
Jiraiya chuckled and shook his head. "I'm not a genius. Back then, I was always trailing behind.
It's the truth. Orochimaru was the one recognized as a genius, not me. I was always chasing after him, trying to catch up.
But I refused to accept that I was inferior. I believed, deep down, that I wasn't any worse than Orochimaru. That belief fueled me. I followed his footsteps, and step by step, I grew stronger.
So, what if someone's a genius? What matters is that you believe you're no weaker than anyone else. If you put in the effort, you will grow stronger."
Minato took a deep breath, his eyes clearing of doubt. "I understand now, Master Jiraiya. I'll work harder—no matter what!"
Jiraiya smiled and patted Minato's head. "You're such a handful sometimes, you know that? I even made a bet with Orochimaru that you'll surpass Sora during this war."
Minato blinked in surprise. "What? You... you really did?"
Jiraiya smirked. "What's wrong? Don't have faith in yourself?"
Minato took a deep breath and exclaimed, "I do! I won't let you down!"
Jiraiya stood up, brushing the dirt off his robes. "Good. Now, head back and get some rest. Things will only get busier from here.
Oh, and there's good news—I've requested support from Konoha. I'll talk to the old man and make sure the Flying Thunder God Technique is sent over for you."
As Jiraiya walked off, Minato clenched his fists, determination burning in his eyes.
He silently vowed to himself: I'll train harder. Harder than ever. I won't let Master Jiraiya down—I'll prove his trust in me is well-placed!
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