It could be Orochimaru. Since Orochimaru has a long - standing feud with Jiraiya and is always up to no good. If Naruto ditches Jiraiya, Orochimaru might see this as an opportunity to manipulate Naruto. He could try to convince Naruto that Jiraiya was holding him back and that he can offer Naruto more power, all while having his own evil plans for Naruto.
I'm not familiar with the specific 'the hero jiraiya novel' so I can't say for sure who the author is. It could be an independent author or part of a series written by a well - known writer in the genre of fantasy or adventure, but without further research, there's no way to know.
One possible reason could be that Naruto feels he has learned all he can from Jiraiya at that point. Maybe he wants to explore his own path independently and test his skills without Jiraiya's constant guidance.
Jiraiya's reaction might be complex. He might be in awe of Naruto's new power but also sad about his departure. He could see it as a natural progression in Naruto's journey, yet still feel a pang of loneliness. He might start to reflect on his own life and training methods, wondering if he could have done something differently to keep Naruto with him. At the same time, he would be eager to see what Naruto will achieve in the world with his newfound abilities.
They often make him seem irresponsible. For example, in normal Naruto story, Jiraiya is seen as a mentor to Naruto. But in bashing fanfiction, he may be shown as being more interested in his own adventures and leaving Naruto alone at crucial times.
Jiraiya is frequently shown as a very dedicated mentor. He is willing to sacrifice his own time and resources to train and guide his students. In some fanfictions, he goes to great lengths to protect his students from harm, even putting his own life on the line. This selfless aspect of his character is often emphasized.
It could be Kakashi. Even though in the original story he doesn't teach Naruto the Rasengan, in a fanfic he might have some hidden knowledge about the technique. Maybe he was secretly studying it himself and saw Naruto's eagerness to learn new jutsu, so he decided to share his knowledge and help Naruto learn the Rasengan earlier.
In this fanfiction, Jiraiya and Pain are the main characters in the fight. But from Konoha's side, Naruto is a very important one. His emotions for Jiraiya would be running high. Then there's Sakura, who is not only a skilled medic - ninja but also cares about the safety of the village. She would be worried about the outcome. And don't forget about the elders in Konoha. Their opinions and reactions to the fight would also play a part in the overall story of this fanfiction.
Pain is often one of the main antagonists. Since in the original story, Pain was the one who ultimately killed Jiraiya. So in fanfictions where Naruto saves Jiraiya, Pain is a natural choice to be the bad guy. Another common antagonist could be Orochimaru. He had his own vendetta against Jiraiya and the Hidden Leaf Village. He might be trying to use Jiraiya for some evil experiment or to gain access to the secrets of the Sage Mode.
Maybe the main antagonist could be an older version of Madara Uchiha who has somehow found a way to manipulate time as well. He might be trying to change the past in a way that benefits him and his grand plan for the ninja world, which would put him in direct conflict with Jiraiya.