Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Observation
After leaving the Ninja Academy, Minato swiftly wove through several streets as usual, heading towards the mountains behind Konoha.
However, at that moment, he was unaware that someone was secretly following him. Even with Minato's current strength, he had no way of detecting the pursuer's presence.
It was none other than Jiraiya.
Originally, Jiraiya had intended to intercept Minato in front of the Ninja Academy's gates, but before he could, he saw Minato hurriedly rush out of the Academy.
The direction Minato was heading, however, was not towards Konoha's residential area but rather away from it.
Curious to find out what his future disciple was up to, Jiraiya followed Minato, unexpectedly trailing him to the mountains behind Konoha Village.
Jiraiya concealed himself in a massive tree, employing techniques that allowed him to observe Minato's every move without being detected.
Minato set down his backpack in a clearing before the forest and stood there, seemingly contemplating something as he fell silent for a moment.
At that instant, Minato was reflecting on his battle with Uchiha Homura earlier that day. Had it not been for the significant increase in his speed over the past week, he would have been unable to escape Uchiha Homura's Great Fireball Technique unscathed.
Moreover, although Minato had diligently practiced his kunai techniques, compared to the Uchiha-born Uchiha Homura, his self-taught skills were still lacking.
His only advantage was the speed that even Uchiha Homura did not possess.
Simultaneously, Minato stared absentmindedly at his palms, recalling how his lack of combat experience, which he had initially thought to be his biggest weakness, had rapidly improved during his battle with Uchiha Homura.
However, the reason behind this remained a mystery to him.
"There have been too many things I can't make sense of lately," Minato sighed, feeling that some inexplicable change had occurred within him since he had awoken from his training that day. Additionally, the red-haired woman and Kushina who frequently appeared in his consciousness puzzled him.
All of this lacked clues, leaving him perplexed as he tried to unravel the mysteries surrounding himself.
While Minato was striving to solve the enigmas, Jiraiya, observing from the shadows, scanned the surroundings. He noticed the marks on the clearing's ground and the damaged tree trunks.
Evidently, this was Minato's training ground, and judging from the signs, he had been practicing here for at least half a year.
This surprised Jiraiya, though he also found it understandable.
What astonished him was that the newly enrolled Minato could maintain the discipline to train here voluntarily, without anyone's supervision.
For a child of his age, such perseverance was truly commendable.
Recalling Minato's performance at the Ninja Academy that day, Jiraiya realized it was only natural, considering that even with Minato's exceptional talent, he could not have attained his current level without private, rigorous training.
In this world, nothing could be achieved effortlessly.
A ninja's strength was the result of years of unwavering dedication and training, a fact that someone of Jiraiya's caliber deeply understood.
Under Jiraiya's watchful gaze, Minato set aside all his doubts and began his training for the day.
In the dim twilight, a seven-year-old child poured his sweat into relentlessly repeating the most fundamental ninja exercises.
Perhaps due to his encounter with Uchiha Homura, Minato focused his training on kunai techniques, using only a few crude wooden tools as practice weapons.
Nevertheless, his progress was remarkably apparent, and he began attempting to throw kunai from various angles and directions. After battling Uchiha Homura, the techniques seemed to have been imprinted in Minato's mind.
Minato's rapid improvement genuinely astonished Jiraiya.
Although aware of Minato's exceptional talent, he never expected that a single encounter with Uchiha Homura would enable him to accurately grasp the technical nuances of the kunai techniques.
Such ability was akin to a natural-born ninja.
As night fell, Minato temporarily paused his training and retrieved a rice ball from his backpack, taking a large bite and chewing it.
The rice ball was from home, brought along when he left that morning. Having been stored for nearly a day, it had cooled and hardened slightly, though not to the point of spoiling.
However, Minato remained unconcerned, having grown accustomed to it.
Observing this scene from the shadows, Jiraiya felt a pang of sorrow. At Minato's age, children should be sitting in a warm home with their parents, enjoying a hot dinner.
Minato was an orphan, although he received village support, and his late parents, who were merchants, had left behind a considerable amount of money.
Yet, Jiraiya could discern that the peculiar-looking rice ball in Minato's hand was likely prepared by him.
Without his parents' companionship, living alone, Minato presented a warm and captivating demeanor to others, but his current situation was heartbreaking.
After hastily finishing his dinner and resting briefly, Minato resumed his training.
As night fell, Minato did not practice kunai techniques but continued honing his greatest strength – speed.
Recalling Minato's battle with Uchiha Homura that day and observing his training methods, Jiraiya finally understood.
Through such prolonged training, Minato's reflexes, reaction speed, and perceptiveness had reached an astonishingly high level.
This allowed him to accurately gauge the distance of Uchiha Homura's kunai and deflect them with his wooden ones.
Unwilling to disturb Minato's focused state, Jiraiya quietly departed.
The following day, as Minato entered his classroom, a figure who seemed to have been waiting for him appeared.
It was Akasaka.
At that moment, his expression carried a hint of timidity and remorse in his eyes.
"Minato, I'm sorry, it was my fault!" Before Minato's astonished gaze, Akasaka deeply bowed and apologized.
Akasaka's nature was not inherently bad, merely mischievous and naughty at times.
The recent chain of events was caused by him, nearly inflicting irreparable harm on his classmates.
Seeing this, Minato patted his shoulder reassuringly and replied with a warm smile, "It's not entirely your fault; I handled it too extremely."
Minato did not blame Akasaka, considering it a family dispute, which could be resolved through open communication.
Touched by Minato's words, tears welled up in Akasaka's eyes.
However, at that moment, two figures entered his sight, and upon recognizing one of them, Akasaka's expression turned evasive as he hurried out of the classroom.
Minato was slightly puzzled but soon noticed the two approaching figures.
They were Kushina and Mikoto.
Naturally, they had also noticed Akasaka fleeing.
Later, Minato learned that after he had left the previous day, Mikoto had actually taken action against Akasaka.
Minato found it hard to believe, as Mikoto had always been so gentle.
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(End of chapter)
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