Winds of change

[Wind Style : RasenShuriken]

Naruto throws his nuclear jutsu at a group of big stalagmites in Mount Myoboku, and it pierces through them, crashes into the small mountain behind and forms a huge crater.

"Good grief. You've surpassed me and the Fourth with this. Good job, Naruto".

"It's all thanks to Kakashi sensei. Asuma sensei helped too. But I couldn't do anything, even with RasenShuriken, that's why I learned to throw it."

"In that case, you might be good enough to learn new things."

"Like what ?"

"You'll see, let's spar."

Jiraiya and Naruto start hitting and parrying blows. After a little exchange, it was clear to Naruto that he won't go anywhere with Taijutsu, so he switches up.

[Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu]

He spawns numerous clones to try and overpower him by numbers.

[Ninja Art : Needle Hell (Ninpo : Hari Jigoku)]

Jiraiya assumes his hedgehog form and sends a myriad of hair needles while slightly rotating left and right, sweeping through 90% of the clones Naruto sent out. After ending his jutsu, Naruto attacks from up front and back

[Double Rasengan]

Jiraiya sidesteps at the last moment, and both intersect. Another triplet of Narutos comes from above, however.

[Wind style : Rasengan]

"Not the full RasenShuriken ? Since when does the student go easy on his master ?"

[Fire Style : Fireball Jutsu]

Jiraiya threathens to make the lesser version of RasenShuriken - Wind style : Rasengan - explode on Naruto.

"I learned my lesson" Naruto throws his rasengan which, upon contact with the Fireball Jutsu, explodes as intended. However, Jiraiya quickly dashes sideways and assumes his hedgehog position again, throwing this needles at a freefalling Naruto.

[Needle Hell]

"Ah shit, shit shit...."

[Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu]

Naruto summons a dozen shadow clones in front of him to take on the deadly needles coming his way.

"Ah! Pervy sage, are you trying to kill me ?"

"Huh ? I must be getting senile, my ears aren't what they used to be. Do I hear you complaining right now ?"

"Ugh... I'll get you back for this."

[Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu]

"It's getting tiring seeing this jutsu over and over again. "

"I haven't used this one since I fought with Gaara..." Naruto gets slightly emotional before regaining control and revealing the lethality of an old technique of his.

"Take this."

[All Directions Shuriken (Shihohappo Shuriken)]

All of Naruto's clones start throwing shurikens in Jiraiya's way.

"Moron. You should start using this more often... But ..."

[Ninja Art : Needle Jizo (Hari Jizo)]

Jiraiya hardens his hair and coils it around himself as an impregnable barrier, effectively stopping all incoming shurikens without sustaining damage.

"Argh! I hate this! I can't do any damage without risking killing you."

"Moron~! If the same one or two jutsu are your only options, then you'll never be a reliable shinobi."

"Ah! My ASS! And that hair wall of yours is unfair!"

"Why don't you try making one, then ? Supportive jutsus are just as important as offensive ones."

"Eh? I can stretch my hair like that ?" Naruto squints his eyes skeptically.

"You don't need to use the hair. Try throwing a shuriken."

Naruto complies.

[Earth Style : Mud wall (Doton:Doryuheki)] x [Water Style: Water wall (Suiton:Suijinheki)]

"You can make one from elements like this." Jiraiya erects two walls as an example.

"But these are earth and water natures." Naruto complains.

"That's true, but you mastered Rasengan - the highest form of chakra manipulation - and went up a notch by making your own S tier Jutsu out of it. Developing a wind barrier shouldn't be harder, don't you think ?"

"You're right. I'll try it now."

Naruto gathers chakra in his hand and releases it in a sudden burst, exploding in a spiral and flinging both him and Jiraiya away.

"You gigantic idiot~! You tried to release it like an earth nature. I just know you did."

"Hehe, sorry. You got me." Naruto, guilty as charged, apologizes with an ashamed smile.

"Didn't you learn that each element has its own property and needs to be handled differently ? Wind isn't as solid as earth or half-half like water. It's all in the movement."

"Movement... I'll think about it." Naruto readies a clone, which helps him make a version of his jutsu.

[Wind style : Rasengan]

Naruto stares at it with his dumbfounded eyes for a while.

"Eh. How do I make a barrier out of this."

"Morooooooooo~~n. Can't you see that it's already a barrier that way ?"

"Oh..." Naruto ponders the truth of that statement, then...

"OH !!" he remembers a thing of the past.

"It's just like Neji's rotating thing! I'll go ask him about this."

[Shadow Clone Jutsu]

"Ma! Mind reverse summoning to the Hidden Leaf? I need to ask a friend about something."

"Sure thing, Naruto-boy."

[Reverse Summoning Jutsu]

Ma & Naruto are sent to the Hidden leaf. Jiraiya and Fukasaku are left in Mount Myoboku, along wiht a couple of Naruto's clone training sage mode in stillness.

"Well then..." Jiraiya gets up from his sitting position.

"Kid's learning fast, ain' he, Jiraiya-boy." Fukasaku says.

"Right. He might be the child of prophecy bringing the winds of change to the shinobi world. But I can't fall behind my own student in sage mode now, right ?"

"Ya' already behind, tho'. Gotta catch up, especially since ye don't like fusing with us."

"Right, right... Let's get to it, then. It's been a while, and I don't get much free time like this anymore."

Jiraiya hops on the big stalagmite's tip and sits on the wooden plank.

"Heh. How nostalgic." He says this before becoming completely still. Under Fukasaku's watch, his training resumes; although years later.

Meanwhile, in the Hidden Leaf...

"Eh? Come on granny. I need him." Naruto was quick to start pestering Tsunade in her office for Neji's location.

"I said no. He's on an important mission right now. You must have forgotten, but unlike you - who's still a genin - Neji is a Jonin. And Jonins are busy."

Naruto thinks the idea through for a little while, silently.

"Besides, it doesn't just have to be him. Ask another Hyuga member. Hinata might be helpful." Tsunade gives him hope back.

"Oh, that's right. Thanks granny."

"Good grief." Tsunade sighs.

"Watta vivacious kid. 'ts amazing to think he's closer to mastering Sage mode than Jiraiya-boy."

"Huh? He is ?" Tsunade expresses her surprise.

"Sure is. But he's still not e'en close to half the Shinobi his master is. He may hafta be more shrewd about certain things."

"Poor boy had it rough lately, though. Both of his teammates died, just like Kakashi. And the Akatsuki is still looking for him."

"I feel fo' him. But he'll soon be strong 'nuff to change things. "

Naruto heads to the Hyuga's mansion as a starting point to search for Hinata.