บท 76: 76. Second Level

(A/n- we are barely in the top 200, Give me your Powerstones to keep me motivated to continue the story)

The mention of the Akatsuki sobered the group. The memory of their encounter with Itachi and Kisame was still fresh in their minds, a stark reminder of the gap between their current abilities and their formidable foes.

Jiraiya, sensing the shift in mood, decided to lighten the atmosphere. "Well, consider tonight's little adventure as part of your training. A shinobi must be ready for anything, after all. Now, how about we head back and get some rest? We've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow."

As they settled into their rooms at the inn, each lost in their own thoughts about the day's events, Sora found himself unable to sleep. He slipped out onto the small balcony attached to their room, gazing up at the star-filled sky.

Naruto, noticing his friend's absence, joined him outside. "Can't sleep either, huh?"

Sora shook his head. "Just thinking about everything. The Rasengan, the Akatsuki, this whole mission... it's a lot to take in."

Naruto leaned on the railing beside him. "Yeah, I know what you mean. But hey, we're getting stronger every day, right? And we've got each other's backs."

Sora smiled at his friend's optimism. "You're right, Naruto-nichan. We've come a long way since our academy days."

As they stood there in companionable silence, Sasuke's voice drifted out from inside the room. "If you two are done with your heart-to-heart, some of us are trying to sleep."

Naruto and Sora exchanged grins before heading back inside. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, but for now, they could rest easy knowing they were growing stronger together.

The next morning dawned bright and early, with Jiraiya rousing the boys from their slumber with all the gentleness of a rampaging bull.

"Rise and shine, lazy bones!" he bellowed, throwing open the curtains. "We've got a Sannin to find and jutsus to master!"

Naruto groaned, pulling his pillow over his head. "Five more minutes, Pervy Sage..."

Sasuke, already up and dressed, rolled his eyes at his teammate's antics. "Get up, dobe. We're burning daylight."

Sora, ever the early riser, was already going through his morning stretches. "Come on, Naruto-nichan. I'll race you to breakfast!"

The mention of food was enough to get Naruto moving, and soon the quartet was seated at a local cafe, discussing their plans for the day over steaming bowls of miso soup and grilled fish.

"Alright, listen up," Jiraiya said, his voice low to avoid eavesdroppers. "I've got a lead on Tsunade's whereabouts. Word is, she was seen in a town about a day's journey from here."

"Finally!" Naruto exclaimed, pumping his fist. "Let's go get her and bring her back to the village!"

Jiraiya chuckled at the boy's enthusiasm. "It's not going to be that simple, kid. Tsunade's... well, let's just say she's not exactly eager to return to Konoha. We'll need to approach this carefully."

Sasuke, ever practical, asked, "What's our plan once we find her? How do we convince her to come back?"

Jiraiya stroked his chin thoughtfully. "That's the tricky part. Tsunade's got her reasons for staying away. We'll need to appeal to her sense of duty, remind her of what's at stake."

Sora, who had been quietly listening, spoke up. "Jiraiya-sensei, you mentioned yesterday that the Rasengan was created by the Fourth Hokage. Did Tsunade-sama know him?"

Jiraiya's eyes softened at the mention of his former student. "She did. In fact, Tsunade was quite fond of Minato. He had a way of inspiring people, of making them believe in the Will of Fire."

Naruto's eyes widened at this new information about the Fourth Hokage. "Hey, hey! Tell us more about him! What was he like?"

As Jiraiya regaled them with tales of the Fourth Hokage's exploits, Sora couldn't help but notice the wistful look in Sannin's eyes. There was clearly more to the story than he was letting on, but Sora knew better than to pry.

After breakfast, they set out on the road once more. As they travelled, Jiraiya continued their Rasengan training, having the boys practice their chakra control by balancing leaves on various parts of their bodies while walking.

"The key to the Rasengan," Jiraiya explained as they walked, "is not just power, but precise control. You need to be able to maintain multiple chakra rotations simultaneously, all while keeping the jutsu stable."

Naruto, his face scrunched up in concentration as he tried to keep a leaf balanced on his forehead, grumbled, "Easy for you to say, Pervy Sage. You've had years to practice!"

Sasuke, who was managing to keep three leaves balanced on different parts of his body, smirked. "Maybe you should spend less time complaining and more time practising, dobe."

Before Naruto could retort, Sora intervened. "Hey, Naruto-nichan, I've got an idea. Why don't we make this into a game? The first one to drop their leaf buys lunch for everyone."

The prospect of a challenge (and the threat to his precious Gama-chan) was enough to motivate Naruto, and soon all three boys were fully engrossed in their leaf-balancing competition.

As they continued their journey, Jiraiya couldn't help but smile at their antics. Despite the gravity of their mission and the looming threats they faced, these boys still found ways to enjoy themselves and push each other to improve.

By midday, they had made good progress, both in their travel and their training. As they stopped for a brief rest near a small stream, Jiraiya decided it was time to up the ante.

"Alright, you three," he said, pulling out three rubber balls from his pack. "Time for the next stage of your Rasengan training."

The boys gathered around eagerly as Jiraiya explained the exercise. "Your goal is to make this rubber ball explode using only your chakra. It's a hundred times harder than popping the water balloon."

Naruto, ever confident, grinned widely. "Ha! This will be a piece of cake. I'll have it done in no time!"

Sasuke, more cautious, examined the ball closely. "The density of the rubber will require a significant increase in chakra output and rotation speed."

Sora, already experimenting with his ball, nodded in agreement. "Not just that, but we'll need to maintain the chakra's shape within the ball. It's like... creating a Rasengan inside a confined space."

Jiraiya beamed at their observations. "Exactly right. This exercise will push your chakra control to its limits. Now, get to it!"

As the boys began their attempts, the peaceful forest clearing was soon filled with the sounds of their efforts - Naruto's frustrated grunts, Sasuke's controlled breathing, and Sora's quiet mutterings as he thought through different approaches.

Hours passed, and despite their best efforts, none of the boys had managed to make their ball explode. Naruto's was slightly deformed, Sasuke's had a few small bulges, and Sora's was vibrating slightly, but all remained intact.

As the sun began to set, Jiraiya called an end to their training for the day. "Alright, that's enough for now. We'll make camp here for the night and continue in the morning."

As they set up camp and prepared dinner, the boys couldn't help but feel a mix of frustration and determination. The Rasengan was proving to be far more challenging than they had anticipated, but that only made them more eager to master it.

Over their campfire meal, Jiraiya regaled them with more tales of his travels and adventures. As the night wore on and the stars came out, Sora found himself lost in thought, staring into the flickering flames.

Naruto, noticing his friend's pensive mood, nudged him gently. "Hey, Sora, what's on your mind?"

Sora blinked, coming back to the present. "Oh, just thinking about everything we've learned so far. You know, about the Rasengan"

As they settled into their sleeping bags for the night, each lost in their own thoughts about the day's events and the challenges that lay ahead, none of them could have predicted the surprises and revelations that awaited them in their search for Tsunade.

The next morning dawned crisp and clear, the forest around them coming alive with the sounds of chirping birds and rustling leaves. As the group packed up their camp and prepared to continue their journey, there was a palpable sense of determination in the air.

Naruto, ever the ball of energy, was already bouncing on his toes, eager to get back to their Rasengan training. "Come on, guys! We've got rubber balls to explode!"