Hello, AMagicWriter here. I'm happy to publish the first Chapter of Better Late Than Never
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The following 7 chapters are already available to Patrons.
Chapter 5 (The Singing Seal), Chapter 6 (The Art of Connection), Chapter 7 (Veil of the Mother Tree), Chapter 8 (Her Wings, Their Chains), Chapter 9 (Seven Tails), Chapter 10 (Beyond the Tree's Embrace), and Chapter 11 (Uzumaki Currents) are already available for Patrons.
Naruto stood in the doorway of his apartment, taking one final look inside. The morning sunlight streamed through spotless windows, illuminating a space he barely recognized. Six hours of cleaning with Shadow Clones had transformed the usual chaos into something almost serene. His plants were watered, his few possessions organized, and even that stubborn stain in the kitchen corner – the one he'd been ignoring for months – had finally surrendered to determined scrubbing.
"Three years," he murmured, fingers trailing along the doorframe. "Wonder what kind of person I'll be when I come back here."
With a soft click, he locked the door and headed toward the village gates, his packed bag secure on his shoulders. The streets were quiet this early, though the bakeries were already filling the air with the scent of fresh bread.
Jiraiya was waiting by the gates, looking unusually serious as he studied a scroll. He rolled it up when Naruto approached, tucking it away in his vest.
"So, where to first, Ero-sennin?" Naruto asked, adjusting his headband.
"The Waterfall Village," Jiraiya replied, already starting down the path.
"Waterfall? Why there?"
"Because," Jiraiya glanced back with a knowing smirk, "you're going to cut a waterfall in half."
Naruto stopped mid-step. "I'm going to what?"
"Cut a waterfall. In half. With your wind chakra."
"That's... that's impossible!" Naruto jogged to catch up. "How can anyone cut water? It's water!"
"Questions later," Jiraiya waved him off. "First, we need to get you there in one piece. The road to Waterfall isn't exactly a peaceful stroll."
They approached the gate where Kotetsu and Izumo were manning their usual posts, looking barely awake.
"Heading out?" Kotetsu asked, reaching for the logbook.
"Three-year training journey," Naruto confirmed.
Izumo looked up from his paperwork. "Three years? That's a long time, kid. Try not to forget about us little people when you come back all powerful and impressive."
"As if he could get impressive," Kotetsu snorted, but his smile was genuine. "Just try not to break too many things out there, Naruto."
"Hey! I don't break—" Naruto's protest was cut short by the sound of running feet and shouting from behind.
"Oi! Naruto!"
He turned to see four familiar figures rushing toward the gate. Shikamaru led the group, looking annoyed at having to move so quickly. Behind him, Neji maintained his usual dignity despite clearly having hurried. Kiba was grinning widely, and bringing up the rear was Choji, noticeably thinner but moving well enough.
"What are you guys doing here?" Naruto demanded. "You're supposed to be in the hospital!"
"Troublesome," Shikamaru muttered, catching his breath. "You really think we'd let you sneak out without saying goodbye?"
"The nurses are probably looking for us right now," Kiba added with a laugh. "But some things are worth the lecture we'll get later."
Neji stepped forward, his usual stoic expression softened slightly. "We came to ensure you understand your obligation."
"Obligation?"
"To get stronger," Choji explained, munching on a chip despite his reduced frame. "No slacking off out there, Naruto. We'll all be training hard here, so you better come back ready for a real fight."
Naruto felt something catch in his throat. These were the same friends he'd led into danger, who'd nearly died because of his reckless choices. Yet here they were, supporting him still.
"I..." he started, then caught himself. No grand promises this time. "I'll work hard," he said simply. "Every day."
"You better," Kiba grinned. "Because next time we spar, I'm not holding back."
"As if you ever could," Naruto shot back, falling into their familiar banter.
"Your path won't be easy," Neji observed, his pale eyes serious. "But you've begun to see clearly now. Don't lose that clarity."
"What he means," Shikamaru translated with a lazy smile, "is don't go back to being an idiot."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Naruto deadpanned.
"Anytime," Shikamaru replied. Then, more seriously, "Watch yourself out there. The world's bigger than Konoha, and not everyone plays by the rules we do."
"Time to go, kid," Jiraiya called from the gate. "The road to Waterfall's long enough without a late start."
Naruto nodded, turning back to his friends. The morning sun cast long shadows behind them, stretching back toward the village he'd called home all his life. For a moment, he saw them as they'd been in the hospital – bandaged, broken, but unbowed. Now they stood strong again, ready to face their own challenges while he faced his.
"I'll see you all in three years," he said, backing toward the gate. "Try not to get too comfortable being the strongest ones around."
"Just go already," Kiba called, but his voice was warm. "Before the nurses catch us!"
"Stay safe, Naruto," Choji added.
"Grow strong," Neji nodded.
"Don't die," Shikamaru concluded with his typical bluntness.
Naruto turned and fell into step beside Jiraiya, feeling the weight of his friends' gazes as they passed through the massive gates. He didn't look back, but he could hear their voices calling out final goodbyes, mixing with the morning birds and the rustle of leaves.
"Good friends," Jiraiya commented once they were out of earshot.
"Yeah," Naruto agreed quietly. "The best."
They walked in silence for a while, the village slowly disappearing behind them. The path ahead stretched into the forest.
"So," Naruto said finally, his voice taking on a familiar skeptical tone, "about this waterfall-cutting thing..."
Jiraiya's laughter echoed through the trees. "Kid, by the time I'm done with you, cutting a waterfall will be the least impressive thing you can do."
"Is that a promise?" Naruto asked, then caught himself. "No, don't promise. Just show me."
Jiraiya glanced at his student, noting the change in his words. "Well, well," he murmured. "Maybe you really are growing up."
Two Days Later
The sun was setting when Jiraiya finally called for them to stop, choosing a clearing that offered a good view of the town below. Naruto dropped his pack with a grateful sigh – they'd been walking for almost two days now, and even his legendary stamina was feeling the strain.
"That's LittleRoad," Jiraiya said, gesturing to the settlement nestled in the valley. "We'll rest here tonight and resupply there tomorrow morning."
Naruto studied the town with interest. It was smaller than Konoha, but something about it seemed familiar. Then he realized what had caught his attention – a wall, not as tall or imposing as Konoha's, but definitely built for defense, encircled the entire settlement.
"Hey, Ero-sennin," Naruto called out, ignoring his teacher's annoyed grunt at the nickname. "Why does this place have a wall like Konoha? I thought civilian towns didn't need that kind of protection."
Jiraiya paused in setting up their campfire. "Take a closer look, kid. What else do you notice about the town?"
Naruto squinted in the fading light. He could see people moving about, mostly civilians going about their evening routines, but there was something else... There! Near what looked like the town center, a building with a familiar layout.
"Is that... a Ninja Academy?"
"Got it in one," Jiraiya nodded approvingly. "LittleRoad is one of several satellite ninja academies in the Land of Fire."
"What?" Naruto's jaw dropped. "But I thought only Konoha had a ninja academy! That's why everyone has to go there to become a shinobi, right?"
Jiraiya chuckled, settling down beside the now-crackling fire. "Kid, do you have any idea how big the Land of Fire is?"
When Naruto shook his head, Jiraiya picked up a stick and began drawing in the dirt. "From east to west, it's roughly a thousand kilometers. Even for experienced shinobi traveling light, that's a nine-day journey at best. For civilians or slower-moving groups? It could take two weeks or more."
He drew a rough map, marking Konoha's position and several other points. "Now imagine you're a civilian family living way out on the eastern border. Your kid shows promise as a shinobi, but you can't exactly pack up your entire life and move to Konoha, can you?"
"I... never thought about that," Naruto admitted, studying the crude map.
"Exactly. That's where places like LittleRoad come in. They provide basic ninja training to students from the surrounding regions. Not everyone can make the journey to Konoha, but they can make it here."
Naruto sat down across from his teacher, genuinely intrigued. "But if they graduate here, what happens then? Do they become LittleRoad ninja?"
"No such thing," Jiraiya corrected. "When they graduate, they receive a Konoha headband, just like you did. They're Konoha shinobi, just trained at a different location."
"Then who gives them missions? And who's in charge?"
"Each satellite town has a General, usually a former jōnin appointed by the Hokage. They handle day-to-day operations and distribute local missions. But make no mistake – they answer directly to the Hokage."
Naruto frowned, processing this new information. "So... how come I never met any ninja who trained at these other academies?"
"You probably have, you just didn't know it. Most satellite academy graduates either serve locally or transfer to Konoha for advanced training. The ones who show exceptional promise are usually sent to Konoha to complete their education."
"Is the training different?" Naruto asked, leaning forward with interest.
"The basics are the same – chakra control, basic jutsu, tactical theory. But each satellite academy tends to specialize based on their location and needs." Jiraiya gestured toward LittleRoad. "This one, for instance, is known for producing excellent scouts and reconnaissance specialists. Something about the local terrain makes it perfect for that kind of training."
A thought struck Naruto. "Wait, if there are other academies, why did Sasuke stay in Konoha after..." he trailed off, not wanting to complete the sentence.
Jiraiya's expression softened slightly. "The main Konoha Academy isn't just the largest – it's also the best equipped to handle special cases. Whether that's clan children with unique abilities, orphans needing full support, or... survivors of tragedy."
They sat in silence for a moment, watching the town's lights begin to twinkle in the growing darkness.
"Besides," Jiraiya continued, his tone lightening, "satellite academies might teach the basics well enough, but the real secrets of the village – the advanced techniques, the specialized training – that all stays in Konoha. You don't become an elite ninja at LittleRoad Academy."
"So it's like... ninja training with training wheels?" Naruto suggested.
Jiraiya barked out a laugh. "Don't let the General hear you say that. These places serve an important function. The Land of Fire is vast, and Konoha can't be everywhere at once. Places like LittleRoad help extend our reach, train potential talent we might otherwise miss, and provide basic protection to outlying regions."
"Is that why it has a wall?"
"Partially. The wall serves two purposes – protection and training. It's not as formidable as Konoha's defenses, but it gives students a realistic environment to practice patrol patterns and barrier techniques."
Naruto watched as the last rays of sunlight disappeared behind the horizon. In the town below, he could see people lighting lanterns, the warm glow creating pools of light along the streets.
"Tomorrow," Jiraiya said, pulling out their cooking supplies, "we'll stop in town for supplies. Maybe you'll get to see some of the students in training. It might give you a better appreciation for the education you received in Konoha."
"Was that a compliment to my academy teachers?" Naruto grinned. "Should I tell Iruka-sensei you said that?"
"What I'm saying," Jiraiya replied, rapping Naruto's head with a spoon, "is that you should be grateful for the opportunities you had. Not everyone gets to train in the village proper."
As they prepared their dinner, Naruto found his gaze repeatedly drawn to the town below. He tried to imagine what it would be like, growing up in a place like LittleRoad, dreaming of becoming a ninja while Konoha existed as some distant, legendary place. It made him appreciate his own journey in a new way.
"Hey, Ero-sennin?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you think... when I...become Hokage... could I visit places like this? Meet the students?"
Jiraiya paused in his cooking, studying his student's thoughtful expression, he could tell that Naruto didn't sound as convinced as he used to be when it came to becoming a Hokage, but he decided to ignore that for now. "That's actually not a bad idea. The satellite academies often feel overlooked by Konoha proper. A Hokage who took the time to visit might make a real difference."
"Then that's what I'll do," Naruto declared, but his voice was quiet, determined rather than boastful. "Every academy, every student. They should know they're part of something bigger."
"First," Jiraiya said, handing him a bowl of stew, "you need to become strong enough to make that happen. And that starts with eating your dinner and getting some rest. Tomorrow's training won't be easy."
Naruto accepted the bowl, but his mind was already racing with questions about the satellite academies, the students training there, and the complex network of shinobi that extended far beyond Konoha's walls.
Morning
The morning dew still clung to the grass when Jiraiya pulled several strips of paper from his vest. Naruto, still groggy from sleep, eyed them suspiciously.
"Training starts now," Jiraiya announced, holding up the papers. Each had intricate black symbols flowing across their surface, creating patterns that seemed to shift if Naruto looked at them too long.
"Paper?" Naruto raised an eyebrow. "What am I supposed to do, get paper cuts?"
"These," Jiraiya said, slapping one onto Naruto's right arm, "are Weight Seals."
Naruto squinted at the marking. "100 kg? Like what Bushy Brows uses?"
"Exactly. If it worked for Rock Lee, it'll work for you. Though these are a bit more... sophisticated than standard weights."
Before Naruto could protest, Jiraiya applied three more seals – one to his other arm and one to each leg. Then he formed a hand seal, and Naruto's world suddenly became very, very heavy.
"Gah!" Naruto's knees buckled, and he barely caught himself before faceplanting. "What the hell?!"
"Four hundred kilograms total," Jiraiya said cheerfully. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it."
Naruto struggled to stand straight, his muscles trembling. "These... these are just paper! How are they so heavy?"
"That's the beauty of sealing," Jiraiya explained, watching his student struggle with evident amusement. "These aren't just paper – they're complex weight formulas written in Chakraveil Ink. Watch."
He touched one of the seals and channeled a tiny bit of chakra. The weight on Naruto's right arm vanished instantly.
"Whoa," Naruto breathed, flexing his suddenly lightweight arm, he remembered Anko mentioning that the Cursed Mark was made of seals, so this was the perfect opportunity to learn more. "What exactly is a seal? I mean, I know about storage scrolls and explosive tags, but..."
"A seal," Jiraiya said, reactivating the weight, "is a language all its own. The most complex language in existence, actually. Each symbol, each stroke, each connection carries meaning. Get one thing wrong, and..."
"And what?"
"And boom." Jiraiya mimed an explosion. "Or worse."
Naruto gulped. "Worse than explosion?"
"Much worse. See this ink?" Jiraiya pulled out a small bottle filled with what looked like ordinary black ink. "This is Chakraveil Ink. It's what makes sealing possible, but it's also what makes it so dangerous."
"What's so special about the ink?"
"It eats chakra," Jiraiya said simply. "Constantly. Even master seal-makers can only work with it for about thirty minutes before needing a break. Most jōnin can handle maybe two minutes before their chakra reserves are drained."
Naruto's eyes widened. "But I have huge chakra reserves! I could—"
"No," Jiraiya cut him off sharply. "Large chakra reserves just mean you'd survive longer when things go wrong. And things always go wrong for beginners."
"How wrong are we talking about?"
Jiraiya's expression grew serious. "I once saw a seal collapse during creation. The maker survived... technically. Spent the rest of his life in a hospital, his chakra network completely shattered. And he was lucky – most seal failures are fatal."
Naruto stared at the weight seals on his arms with new respect. "So each of these could have..."
"Killed me if I made a mistake? Maybe. But I've been doing this for longer than you've been alive." Jiraiya grinned. "Now, enough chat. Start running laps around the clearing. And I mean run, not that pathetic shuffle you're doing."
"I'm carrying four hundred kilos!"
"Really? I hadn't noticed. Better get moving – we're not visiting LittleRoad until you can complete ten laps without falling."
Naruto gritted his teeth and forced his legs to move. Each step felt like pushing through concrete, his muscles screaming in protest.
"Hey, Ero-sennin?"
"What now?"
"Will you..." Naruto paused, choosing his words carefully. "Will you teach me about seals? Not now, but... when I'm ready?"
Jiraiya was quiet for a moment, watching his student struggle forward. "The Uzumaki clan were seal masters, you know. It's in your blood."
"Really?" Naruto's eyes lit up, despite his physical discomfort. He remembered Anko mentioning her name. Kushina Uzumaki. Naruto wondered who she was, and he wanted to know, but right now, he needed to complete this training.
"Really. But first..." Jiraiya's grin turned evil. "Ten laps. No stopping. No complaining."
"You're enjoying this way too much," Naruto grumbled.
"Immensely," Jiraiya agreed. "By the way, those seals adjust automatically. Every time you start getting used to the weight, they increase by ten percent."
"WHAT?!"
"Better pick up the pace, kid. We've got a long way to go before you're ready for sealing lessons."
As Naruto forced himself forward, cursing under his breath, he couldn't help but look at the seals with fascination between gasps for air. Such small things, just ink on paper, but capable of so much. Capable of killing, yes, but also capable of amazing feats like these weights that seemed to defy physics.
"Stop thinking and start running!" Jiraiya called out. "And stand up straight! You're not going to get faster by staring at your feet!"
"I hate you," Naruto managed between breaths.
"Good! Channel that hatred into speed! Maybe we'll make it to lunch before sunset!"
The morning wore on, marked by Naruto's increasingly creative curses and Jiraiya's equally creative encouragement. The weights were more than just training tools – they were Naruto's first real introduction to the art of sealing, an art that ran in his very blood.
If he survived the training, of course.
"Was that a stumble?" Jiraiya called out cheerfully. "Back to lap one!"
Definitely a big if.
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