Shadows on the Waves - Jiraiya’s Revelation and Naruto’s Rescue

The air inside the hidden chamber was thick with tension, the flickering torchlight casting jagged shadows across the stone walls. Jiraiya stood over the lifeless body of the long-haired man, his broad shoulders hunched as if bearing an invisible weight. On his left shoulder perched Fukasaku Sennin, the tiny toad's eyes narrowed with concern, while Shima Sennin clung to his right, her voice trembling as she broke the silence.

"What's wrong, Jiraiya-boy?" she asked, her tone sharp with worry.

Fukasaku leaned forward, his webbed hands gripping Jiraiya's cloak. "Yeah, what's got you so spooked? Spill it!"

Jiraiya's gaze remained fixed on the corpse, his jaw tightening as he traced the faint scar across the man's forehead—a mark he'd left years ago in a brutal skirmish. "This isn't Yahiko," he said finally, his voice low and gravelly. "He's a Fuma clan shinobi I crossed paths with once. That scratch? I gave it to him. He's not Nagato either."

The realization hit him like a kunai to the chest, and his eyes widened as a bolder, more dangerous theory took root. "The ones outside… I've got a hunch, but I need to see them again to be sure."

Shima's head whipped toward him, her eyes bulging. "What? You're not serious!"

"No way, little Jiraiya," Fukasaku interjected, his voice rising with alarm. "You go out there again, and they'll kill you on sight! We've gotta slip away before they find this hideout."

Jiraiya's fists clenched, his mind racing. He glanced back at the body, its lifeless form a grim reminder of the stakes. "Maybe this is it—the 'difficult choice' the Great Toad Sage warned me about. If I don't go now, we'll never get this close to Pain again. He's shown his hand."

Shima's expression softened, though her tone remained firm. "Then what's the plan, you stubborn fool?"

"Take this body and everything we've learned back to Konoha," Jiraiya said, his voice steady despite the storm brewing within him. "Tell Tsunade. She needs to know."

Fukasaku exchanged a glance with Shima, then let out a dry chuckle. "Shima can handle that on her own. I'm staying with you, kid."

Jiraiya blinked, caught off guard. "But—"

"No buts," Shima cut in, her stern gaze softening as she looked at her husband. "Just… be back before dinner, you old toad."

Fukasaku grinned, his eyes glinting with defiance. "Once this mess is sorted, I'll be home with Jiraiya-chan for a proper meal. Promise."

Shima nodded, a faint smile tugging at her lips despite the gravity of the moment. Jiraiya's throat tightened, a swell of gratitude threatening to overwhelm him. At this crossroads of life and death, Fukasaku's loyalty was a lifeline he hadn't expected. "Thank you," he rasped, his voice thick with emotion. "I can't repay this."

The sea stretched endlessly before them, its surface a restless mirror reflecting the gray sky. Far above, the five Pains scoured the waves, their piercing gazes cutting through the mist. Bomb Pain stood at the forefront, his mechanical eyes scanning the horizon with ruthless precision.

Beneath the water, a lone frog glided silently through the depths. As it neared the surface, its mouth opened wide, disgorging Jiraiya and Fukasaku onto the slick stone of a ruined building half-submerged in the tide. They crouched low, the salty spray stinging their skin as they caught their breath.

Fukasaku's tiny hands moved in a blur, summoning a shuriken from thin air. With a flick of his wrist, he sent it whistling toward Bomb Pain. The projectile sliced through the air, a silver streak against the gloom, but Bomb Pain's shared vision with the other Pains alerted him instantly. He twisted aside, the shuriken embedding itself in a distant rock with a sharp crack.

The response was immediate. The remaining four Pains converged like specters, their black cloaks billowing as they surrounded Jiraiya in a deadly ring. He straightened, his white hair plastered to his face by the sea wind, and studied their faces. Recognition slammed into him like a tidal wave.

"It's true," he muttered, his voice barely audible over the crashing waves. "Every one of them… I've met them all before."

Before he could turn to Fukasaku with the revelation, the Pains struck. Four of them leaped skyward, black rods gleaming in their hands, while Bomb Pain's arm exploded from the water like a striking cobra, aiming for Jiraiya's throat. The intent was clear: silence him before he could speak the truth.

Time slowed. Jiraiya's muscles tensed, his mind racing for an escape, when a glint of steel flashed beside him. A kunai materialized from nowhere, and with it came a figure—blonde hair, blue eyes blazing with fury. Naruto.

"Rasengan!" The boy's voice roared over the wind as he spun, slamming a spiraling orb of chakra into Bomb Pain's chest. The impact sent the Pain spiraling downward, crashing into the sea with a thunderous splash.

The airborne Pains hesitated, Tendo Pain's brow furrowing. "Reinforcements? When?"

Before they could regroup, a deafening hum split the air. Above Jiraiya, a massive shuriken of wind chakra erupted into existence—Naruto's Sage Art: Spiral Shuriken. The sheer force of it churned the sea below, whipping the water into a frenzy.

Tendo Pain's eyes narrowed. Absorbing it would take too long, and Jiraiya would escape. Instead, he thrust out a hand. "Shinra Tensei!" The gravitational pulse slammed into the shuriken, redirecting its deadly arc downward—straight toward Jiraiya.

The wind howled, the attack's edges slicing through the stone around him. Jiraiya braced himself, knowing he couldn't outrun it, when a blur of motion swept him off his feet. Strong arms locked around him, and with a crackle of energy, he was gone—teleported away just as the shuriken detonated. The explosion roared across the water, a tornado of wind and foam tearing through the battlefield.

The four Pains landed atop the waves, their gazes sweeping the chaos. Tendo Pain's voice was a cold whisper. "That wind release… who dares interfere?"

A heartbeat later, Jiraiya found himself on solid ground, the sea's roar fading into the distance. He blinked up at his rescuer, still cradled in a princess carry, and his breath caught. "Naruto?!"

The boy's face was streaked with tears, his blue eyes glistening as he stared down at his mentor. For a moment, he seemed lost, unable to speak. Then, his lips trembled, and he choked out, "Now… if you buy popsicles for two from now on, there'll be someone to share them with."

Jiraiya's chest tightened, a flood of emotions—relief, pride, sorrow—crashing over him. He reached up, resting a hand on Naruto's shoulder, and managed a faint, weary smile. "You've grown, kid. More than I ever imagined."

Behind them, Fukasaku hopped onto a nearby rock, his small form silhouetted against the horizon. "We're not out of this yet, Jiraiya-chan. Pain's still out there—and he knows we're onto him."

Jiraiya nodded, his resolve hardening. The truth about Pain burned in his mind, a secret he'd nearly died to uncover. With Naruto and Fukasaku at his side, the fight was far from over—but for the first time that day, hope flickered in his heart.

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