53. I am...

(300B6, Guys, We are near the Top 10, Don't let the momentum vanish, It would be hard later otherwise, So Give me your Powerstones)

Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office...

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, sat at his desk, puffing contentedly on his pipe as he gazed out over the village. It was a peaceful morning, the kind that made him forget about the mountains of paperwork awaiting his attention. Just as he was considering taking an early lunch break (and possibly a nap), a gust of wind rustled the papers on his desk.

"You know," Hiruzen said without turning around, "most people use the door, Jiraiya."

The window creaked open fully, and the imposing figure of Jiraiya, the Toad Sage, climbed into the office. "Doors are for people who don't know how to make an entrance, sensei," he said with a grin.

Hiruzen turned, eyeing his former student with a mix of fondness and exasperation. "I take it you have news?"

Jiraiya nodded, his expression turning serious. "Akatsuki is on the move. They're gathering intel on all the jinchuriki, including Naruto. We need to step up his training."

Hiruzen nodded gravely. "I see. And what of our other... concerns?"

"Orochimaru's been quiet, but that's never a good sign with him," Jiraiya reported. "And there are whispers of unrest in some of the smaller nations. Nothing concrete yet, but we should keep our eyes open."

"Agreed," Hiruzen said. Then, a mischievous glint appeared in his eye. "But before we delve too deeply into doom and gloom, there's something I'd like your opinion on."

Reaching into his desk drawer, Hiruzen pulled out a scroll and unrolled it on his desk. Jiraiya leaned in, his eyes widening as he studied the intricate seal design.

"This is... incredible," Jiraiya muttered, tracing the lines with his finger. "The complexity, the efficiency... who designed this? Kakashi? No, even he's not this good with seals. Did you pull some dusty old Uzumaki scroll out of the archives?"

Hiruzen's smile widened. "Not quite. This seal, along with a rather ingenious shape-shifting jutsu, was created by a six-year-old."

Jiraiya's head snapped up so fast that Hiruzen worried he might have given himself whiplash. "A six-year-old? Sensei, have you finally gone senile? I know you like your jokes, but-"

"I assure you, Jiraiya, I'm quite serious," Hiruzen said, pushing another scroll towards his student. "Take a look at this."

Jiraiya unrolled the second scroll, his eyes growing wider with each line he read. "This... this is a complete breakdown of a shape-shifting jutsu. The theory, the chakra manipulation... it's years beyond what most jonin could come up with." He looked up at Hiruzen, his expression a mix of disbelief and awe. "You're really not joking, are you?"

Hiruzen shook his head, chuckling. "I understand your scepticism. I hardly believed it myself when I first saw what young Sora was capable of. But I assure you, that boy is something special."

"Sora?" Jiraiya repeated. "Never heard of him. What clan is he from?"

"That's the interesting part," Hiruzen said, leaning back in his chair. "He's not from any clan. As far as we know, he's an orphan who just... appeared in the village one day. No records, no family, just an incredible aptitude for ninjutsu and an even more incredible talent for causing chaos."

Jiraiya whistled low. "A prodigy with no clan backing? That's rare. And potentially dangerous if the wrong people find out about him."

Hiruzen nodded solemnly. "Which is why I've kept his abilities relatively quiet. Only a few people know the full extent of what he can do." He fixed Jiraiya with a pointed look. "I think it's time you met him. Perhaps you could... assess his abilities for yourself?"

A slow grin spread across Jiraiya's face. "Are you asking me to spy on a six-year-old, sensei? Because that sounds like it could be the most entertaining mission I've had in years."

"Not spy," Hiruzen corrected. "Observe. Evaluate. And possibly... teach. If he's as good as I think he is, he could benefit from your expertise in sealing."

Jiraiya stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Alright, you've piqued my interest. Where can I find this wonder child?"

Hiruzen smiled, a twinkle in his eye. "Try Training Ground 96. And Jiraiya?" He waited until his former student was halfway out the window before continuing. "Try not to underestimate him. He has a habit of surprising people."

As Jiraiya leapt from the window, Hiruzen turned back to his paperwork, chuckling to himself. He had a feeling the next few days were going to be very fascinating indeed.

At Training Ground 96...

Jiraiya approached the training ground with uncharacteristic caution. He'd faced S-rank missing-nin, battled giant summons, and gone toe-to-toe with his traitorous former teammate, but somehow, the prospect of meeting this mysterious six-year-old prodigy had him on edge.

As he neared the clearing, he heard the sounds of combat – the clash of metal, the thud of impacts, and... was that giggling? Concealing his chakra, Jiraiya crept closer, peering through the foliage.

What he saw made him do a double-take.

In the centre of the clearing stood a small, red-headed boy – Sora, he presumed. But it wasn't just one Sora. There were at least a dozen of him, all engaged in what could only be described as the world's most ridiculous sparring session.

One Sora was attempting to perform a complex taijutsu kata while balancing on a large rubber ball. Another was juggling kunai while reciting what sounded like advanced chakra theory. A third was painting elaborate seals on the ground with his feet while doing a handstand.

But what really caught Jiraiya's attention was the group in the centre. Five Soras had formed a circle, each blindfolded, and were engaged in a fast-paced game of what looked like ninja tag. Every few seconds, one of the Soras would transform – sometimes into objects like trees or rocks, sometimes into other people. Jiraiya watched in amazement as one Sora transformed into a perfect replica of Hottie, complete with, er, assets, only to be tackled by another Sora who had turned into a giant racoon.

"Well, I'll be damned," Jiraiya muttered to himself. "The old man wasn't exaggerating."

'That amount of chakra and the red-head, He is definitely an Uzumaki, He's good with seals too, that only cements the fact, If I didn't know better I would have thought it was Minato's and Kushina's child"

Deciding it was time to make his presence known, Jiraiya stepped into the clearing, releasing his chakra suppression. The effect was immediate. All the Soras froze, then turned to face him in perfect unison. It was, Jiraiya had to admit, a little creepy.

The blindfolds disappeared in puffs of smoke, and the transformed Soras reverted to their original form. In a series of coordinated pops, all but one of the clones dispelled, leaving a single, grinning red-headed boy standing before him.

"Well, well," Sora said, his voice filled with amusement. "To what do I owe the honour of having such an esteemed guest in my humble training ground? I don't often get visits from old men, especially ones who try to sneak up on me."

Jiraiya's eye twitched at the "old man" comment, but he didn't rise to the bait. Instead, he struck a dramatic pose, balancing on one foot atop a conveniently placed rock.

"You should feel honoured, brat! For you stand in the presence of the great Jiraiya! The Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku! The most gallant of the Sannin!"

Sora just stared at the old man and the old man stared back at him for a few seconds.

Sora's eyes lit up with mischief and he smirked.

With that, Sora bit his thumb and slammed his hand on the ground. "Summoning Jutsu: Party Animal Squadron!"

In a puff of smoke, three creatures appeared. A squirrel wearing a party hat, a parrot with a disco ball hanging from its beak, and a raccoon holding what looked suspiciously like a tiny saxophone.

Jiraiya blinked, momentarily stunned. He'd seen a lot of summons in his time, but never anything quite like this.

Sora, along with his three summons, struck a ridiculous pose. "I am Sora - The Crimson Prankster!"

There was a moment of silence as Jiraiya stared intensely at the boy and his unusual summons. Then, to Sora's surprise, the Toad Sage threw his head back and laughed.

"Kid, you've got style, I'll give you that," Jiraiya said, wiping a tear from his eye. "I like it!"

Sora bowed with a flourish. "I aim to please."

With that, his summons disappeared in puffs of smoke, as did Jiraiya's toad. A silence fell over the clearing, broken only by the rustling of leaves in the wind.

"Wait are you the Author of those orange books?" Sora broke the silence, his eyes widening in recognition.

Jiraiya grinned, pleased to be recognized. "Ah, so my fame precedes me! Though I must say, aren't you a bit young to be reading such mature literature?"

Sora shook his head. "Oh, I haven't read them. But I've seen a guy reading them in public. A tall guy, with silver hair, who always wears a mask. He giggles a lot."

Jiraiya's grin widened. "Ah, Kakashi. One of my most devoted fans. But enough about that. I hear you're quite the prodigy yourself, kid. Care to tell me how you learned Shadow Clone Jutsu?"

Sora inched closer and started telling his tale in a conspiratory tone