The training ground was filled with marks of intense practice.
Just by looking at it, you could tell a lot had happened here.
Leaning against a training post, Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki had been waiting since morning — and now it was noon.
"Grrrr..." Kushina clutched her stomach — she hadn't eaten anything all morning.
"Where the hell are those two idiots?"
Minato also rubbed his belly. He was starving too, but he could still tough it out.
Yet neither Jiraiya nor Uchiha Gin had shown up.
While Kushina was venting her frustration by punching and kicking a wooden training post—
With a sudden POOF of smoke, a giant toad appeared in front of them.
And standing atop it was a figure striking a dramatic pose.
"From the legendary Mount Myoboku, the Sage Toad Spirit Jiraiya-sama has arrived!"
Jiraiya swung his arms dramatically, shaking his head and speaking in an exaggerated theatrical tone.
"Get down here, you idiot!"
Kushina suddenly appeared behind Jiraiya and threw a vicious kick.
Jiraiya glanced sideways and easily dodged by leaning to the left, then casually gave Kushina a little push on her back, sending her tumbling off.
But Kushina twisted midair and landed steadily on the ground.
Jiraiya chuckled to himself — these little brats really had impressive taijutsu.
POOF!
The giant toad vanished in a puff of smoke.
Jiraiya landed lightly next to Kushina.
"Don't underestimate me, you know. Last time, I was holding back."
Last time, he had just been testing the three brats — and got his ass kicked in the process.
There was no one he could even complain to about it.
"But where's Gin, that little punk?"
He glanced around but saw no sign of Uchiha Gin. Was that kid seriously ditching today?
Jiraiya's face darkened. If Gin didn't show up, he had every right to send him back to the Ninja Academy.
Even Orochimaru wouldn't object — just having talent didn't mean you could do whatever you wanted.
"I'm right here."
A pile of dead yellow leaves was suddenly kicked up, and Gin yawned as he sat up from underneath.
He had been lying in a pit covered by leaves.
If you didn't step right over it, you'd never notice someone was hiding there.
Neither Jiraiya, Minato, nor Kushina had expected that move.
"Ahem," Jiraiya coughed twice. "Using your surroundings is an essential skill for a ninja."
"You totally didn't see that coming!" Kushina exposed him without hesitation.
She had caught the look of shock on his face.
Seeing he couldn't deny it, Jiraiya quickly changed the subject.
"Alright, time for your real ninja test."
"But didn't we already pass?" Minato couldn't help asking.
He really cared about this.
Jiraiya explained with a smile.
"Passing the Academy test only means you qualify to become a ninja. My test decides whether you can actually become Genin."
"If you fail, I have the authority to send you back to repeat the Academy."
Minato hesitated, wanting to ask about the other students, but decided against it.
"Come on! Don't scare the kids like that," Gin interrupted Jiraiya's spooky atmosphere, urging him to just get on with it.
"Who's scared?!" Kushina roared, her face pale with anger.
"Heh," Gin snickered coldly.
Kushina immediately exploded with rage.
"Fight me, you bastard Uchiha!!"
"Hey! Hold it!" Jiraiya quickly stepped between them to stop the upcoming bloodbath.
He hadn't even started the test yet — why were they already trying to kill each other?
Couldn't these brats see that he, Jiraiya-sama, was supposed to be the star here?
"Whatever beef you have, settle it after the test."
Jiraiya pulled out two small bells tied to his waist and jingled them.
"Your task is to take these two bells. One bell means one person becomes a Genin."
Kushina pointed out, "But you only have two bells."
Jiraiya's smile faded, replaced by a stern expression.
"Which means — only two of you will pass."
Before Kushina could argue—
"START!!"
At Jiraiya's shout—
In a flash, Kushina and Minato vanished, leaving Gin casually leaning against a wooden post, tilting his head at Jiraiya.
He asked a seemingly unrelated question:
"Jiraiya-sensei, besides us, is anyone else here?"
His sharp senses told him that after Jiraiya arrived, all hidden Anbu operatives had withdrawn.
Jiraiya wasn't sure why Gin was asking, but he nodded.
With Jiraiya here, even the Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, had pulled back his surveillance.
In short, apart from them, no one was watching.
"Good to know," Gin clapped his hands and stepped closer.
He had thought things through last night: if he became Jiraiya's student, it would be safe to reveal some real skills. After all, both Jiraiya and Orochimaru seemed to favor him.
Plus, teaming up with Kushina boosted his personal safety.
He had decided — it was time to show his true strength.
He'd been called a "loser" for too long.
And now, it was time to prove them wrong.
If Jiraiya chose not to spread the word, great — more hidden cards for Gin.
"Jiraiya-sensei, I'm going all out."
Gin lowered his body into a fighting stance.
"Don't get yourself killed, kid," Jiraiya laughed. He was a top-tier Jonin — no Academy graduate could possibly threaten him.
Even a genius wouldn't stand a chance.
Jiraiya clasped his hands.
"Let me show you what real power looks like."
In the next instant, Gin vanished, appearing right behind Jiraiya.
Soru!
"Needle Jizo!"
Silver hair hardened and wrapped around Jiraiya's body like armor, sealing off every gap.
Gin immediately leaped back with Soru again, retreating quickly.
But Jiraiya's next jutsu was already ready—
"Wild Lion's Mane Technique!"
His hair lengthened, surging toward Gin like a living net.
Gin dodged again and again using Soru, moving like a blur.
Jiraiya squinted — because he saw Gin rapidly forming hand seals.
Wasn't this kid supposed to be unable to use ninjutsu?
"Fire Style! Phoenix Fire Jutsu!"
Gin exhaled intense fireballs, spraying flames in every direction and setting Jiraiya's hair ablaze.
As Jiraiya withdrew his hair—
Minato appeared behind him!
"Now's my chance!"
Minato's finger reached for the bells on Jiraiya's belt.
Jiraiya grabbed Minato's hand — but his eyes widened.
Minato's grip strength was outrageous — Jiraiya couldn't hold on!
Before Minato could touch the bells, Jiraiya poofed into smoke, reappearing behind Minato and reaching out to grab him.
But a furious roar came from above—
"Die a hundred deaths, you bastard!!"
A golden chain-wrapped fist came crashing down.
Jiraiya twisted sideways, caught Kushina's wrist, and smashed her into Minato — sending them both rolling across the ground.
Just as Jiraiya was about to move—
A barrage of shuriken clashed mid-air, ricocheting toward him from every angle.
He had to abandon the two kids and leap away to avoid getting shredded.
By the time he looked around again—
Minato, Kushina, and Gin had all vanished.
"Finally getting it, huh? Ninja battles aren't about fair fights."
Something was wrong.
Jiraiya suddenly sensed a tiny disturbance behind him.
He spun around.
Gin was right there.
His arms blurred into a mass of black shadows, striking like snakes.
"Self-Propulsion Technique: Snake Strike!"
Jiraiya quickly defended, but the black shadows wrapped around him like venomous serpents, sending sharp pain through his body.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a shadow reaching for the bells on his waist.
"Shed Skin Technique!"
Jiraiya's body instantly shriveled up — a decoy.
Gin leaped high into the air, dodging just as a hand burst from the ground where he'd been standing.
Emerging from the ground, Jiraiya didn't look relieved — he jumped too.
Three golden chains shot up from the ground, wrapping around Jiraiya's legs.
Minato sprinted forward along the chains, hurling a kunai.
Jiraiya tilted his head to dodge the kunai and quickly weaved signs.
"Fire Style! Flame Bomb!"
His face puffed up like a toad's before he spat out a massive stream of fire.
Minato exploded into smoke — a shadow clone!
From behind—
Minato jumped out from the ground.
But wait — Gin appeared in front of Jiraiya too!
Soru! x2
Two blurring shadows crossed paths at Jiraiya's center.
"You little monsters..."
Jiraiya glanced down at the chains binding his legs and the wounds crisscrossing his body.
Today's Academy graduates... were way too strong!
POOF!
Jiraiya turned into smoke again.
Minato's hand grasped at empty air — the bell dissolved into dust.
Suddenly, silver hair burst from the ground like a trap!
Before they could react, Minato and Kushina were caught by the Wild Lion's Mane.
Only Gin, moving at lightning speed, managed to escape.
Jiraiya's real body rose from underground.
"This is over!"
"Not yet!"
Gin clasped his hands into a gun shape, aiming at Jiraiya.
A blue energy sphere spun at the tip of his fingers.
"What the hell is that?"
"This— is Spirit Shot!!"
A blinding blue beam pierced straight through Jiraiya.
(End of Chapter)