Favour

After cleaning himself, Naruto changed his clothes and sighed. He felt... Bitter. He clenched his hands, frustrated.

'Damnit, I couldn't kill that bastard'

Even though he did fully expect to kill the beast, he still had some hope... However, that was shattered by the reality he had to face. He was weak, horribly so.

However, instead of drowning in despair, his desire to grow powerful only increased, his will burning like the sun itself. He looked at his palm and tightly clenched it.

'No more... I refuse to stay this weak!'

Jiraiya, who was collecting the wolf's fur by skinning it, took a quick glance to see Naruto's cerulean eyes, burning with unshakable determination. A small grin crept up his lips, but it quickly faded away.

'He realised... But, it would take more than to defeat the Akatsuki'

Jiraiya shook his head and called Naruto to depart, the latter nodded and they both made their way toward the Samurai village.

As they reached the entrance, two guards quickly halted them. But Jiraiya shortly handled them, giving his identity and purpose for the visit. The guards did a quick scan of Naruto and nodded.

"That easy?" Naruto asked as they moved toward the centre of the village, where a wooden mansion lay ahead.

"That easy"

Jiraiya replied with a sly grin, making Naruto shake his head with a soft chuckle. Soon, they were at the entrance, Jiraiya knocked on the door... and shortly after, the echo of footsteps could be heard from the other side.

The door slid open, revealing an old man. His face was hairless, adorned with scars. His eyes held discipline in them, unwavering and composed.

Naruto had never seen such eyes.,. They held power, a look he was vague too. And the way he carried himself spoke volumes of the past hurdles the man had gone through, his scars a story of their own.

"Jiraiya... Are you here for that?" The man asked, his voice crude

"Yeah... I'm here for that favour you owe me"

The man's face twisted as he glanced at Naruto, then a shy bit to his sword. Jiraiya nodded in return, and the man shook his head.

"You know I have abandoned the sword, old friend"

Jiraiya revealed a grim expression, then scoffed.

"I don't care, you still owe me the favour. Train the kid, I need him ready in a year... He has a lot to go through, and I really don't want him to die"

The man hesitated before nodding his head, and scanned Naruto.

"It seems you have high expectations of this kid, and I can see why. He has potential, but with the sword... I'm afraid a year won't be enough"

He spoke... And he wasn't wrong. Any expert could take a glance at Naruto and think the same, because his talents were still hidden underneath the veil of the past tales of Naruto, masking the skills of Boruto.

'Don't underestimate me, old man. You'll be surprised'

The blonde inwardly thought as he was set to prove himself, that he was only one of his kind... A year? Pftt! That is more than enough.

"Try him"

Jiraiya said in full confidence, surprising the veteran Samurai. Sighing, he gestured both of them to enter. Seconds later, they were sitting on the wooden floor, opposite a short table.

The man took a sip of the initially prepared tea and asked:

"Well, what situation has this young man brought himself to be this desperate?"

And like that, Jiraiya started to unfold Naruto's past. The discrimination he had to endure, the loss of a dead friend, the battles he had to endure, and the story of a group of dangerous men hunting him to the end of the world.

As the story progressed, the man's face had remained calm, as if tales like that were just everyday news.

Finishing his tea, the man looked at Naruto.

"I see why you are so hasty now..." He took a glance at Jiraiya and nodded. "Alright then, I will train your disciple to the best of my abilities. After all, I do owe you that favour"

Jiraiya laughed at his statement.

"That, you do"

Naruto stared blankly at the man, then bowed his head before asking:

"What may I refer to you as....?"

The man stood up and went inside a wardrobe, he brought a Dabok and threw it at Naruto, the latter swiftly caught the clothes and stared at it.

"Master... Just call me, Master"

Naruto nodded. Jiraiya bid his farewell and quickly went out, leaving Naruto and the old man alone. Naruto kept his sword on the ground and went toward the wardrobe to change his clothes.

After changing to the training clothes, he was brought to the backyard. "Master" stood apart from Naruto, on his hand... A real Katana... A real Katana?

"I would have preferred to train you with wooden swords for practice, but seeing as you have very short time... I'm afraid we must increase the danger levels...For better or worse"

Naruto grimaced... He felt danger just by glancing at the man's posture, he left no openings, and the Katana seemed very sharp... Enough to slice him apart like a hot knife through butter.

Naruto gripped his blade with both hands, making his Master raise his non-existent brows.

"You are holding it incorrect. It's a one-handed sword"

"Oh"

Sheepishly shaking his head, Naruto gripped the blade with his right hand, leaving his left hand empty.

Making the man sigh.

"Pick up that sheath and hold it in your empty hand... It will act as a secondary blade, and a shield"

Naruto nodded his head and picked up the sheath from the ground and held it in his left hand. The man sighed again.

'This boy... He does not even know the basics. I just hope he adapts quickly.

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Author Note: Sorry, I was sick for the past few days.