The Boss accepts the deal!

Gama-Bunta spotted Jiraiya who tried to sneak away.

He sneered, as he jumped towards Jiraiya, sending the nearby trees to fall… just from his jumping power.

Naruto thought back to how Gama-Bunta eventually retired from his position of being a chief summoning toad after his son Gama-Kichi took over.

In this timeline, Gama-Kichi would probably be only a few months old at most Naruto thought while he watched Gama-Bunta chase Jiraiya like a cat chasing a mouse.

Meanwhile, Jiraiya used every trick in his book to jump and dodge while he ran for his life.

Naruto liked how Jiraiya ran for his life.

"Ahem."

"Chief Toad!" Naruto called out as he ran towards the direction of the duo.

"I am the one who summoned you." He shouted.

"Hmm….?" Gama-Bunta turned back to see a puny figure in orange tracksuit chase after him.

"It is I, who summoned you!" Naruto shouted.

Gama-Bunta became angrier.

"There is no way a little squirt like you could summon a guy like me."

"So, stop getting in my way like a pesky fly," Gama-Bunta said as he turned towards Jiraiya.

"Where do you think you are running off to?" He said, upon which Gama-Bunta increased his speed…

Naruto knew that there was only one way to end this cat and mouse game.

That was to make Gama-Bunta accept him as the person who summoned him.

Naruto smiled as he vanished from his spot, instantly appearing behind Gama-Bunta's back.

Gama-Bunta stopped for a second to notice that Naruto had climbed on his back to which he said…

"Interesting!"

"You have the ability to climb up my back so easily, while I am busy chasing someone."

"Hahaha"

"Here's a challenge. If you get off my back easily, then I won't accept your summoning contract."

"I was thinking of kicking back for a while since it has been over a decade that I have been summoned again to this world."

"But if you are intent on challenging me..."

"Then, I'll go on a rampage for a while to my heart's desire."

"Let's see how you handle that."

Naruto ran towards the top of Gama-Bunta's head and sat on it while concentrating chakra over the region of contact between his body and Gama-Bunta's.

"Hmm???" Gama-Bunta became mad, as he started moving his head around in clockwise and anticlockwise manners very quickly in an unpredictable way, but Naruto's body refused to budge.

Meanwhile, Jiraiya had disappeared while running, as he took advantage of the moment Gama-Bunta had dropped his guard down.

("That's one trouble off my back…") Jiraiya sighed after choosing a perfect hiding spot.

…

Gama-Bunta jumped towards a nearby waterfall, that had a stream that continued along the plains.

("Let's see how you handle this..") Gama-Bunta thought as he turned his body mid-air to make his back face the water.

Naruto saw the water below…

He quickly rushed into the Kimono that has holding onto Gama-Bunta.

"Tsk."

"Wasted effort," Gama-Bunta commented as he dropped into the water, causing a miniature tsunami over the forest nearby the banks.

Naruto jumped from the Kimono cheerfully, while being all dry as he faced Gama-Bunta.

"The water didn't do a thing."

Gama-Bunta was pissed off.

"You little squirt!" Gama-Bunta called out as he sent his tongue like a whip towards Naruto.

Naruto jumped, making the tongue miss him completely, but his expression froze at this moment while in mid-air.

"See ya later, little squirt," Gama-Bunta said as he was already in a position higher in the air than Naruto after jumping.

("Chief-Toad, that was an excellent plan…") Naruto thought as he smiled towards Gama-Bunta who was flying away.

Gama-Bunta turned back, and smirked, as though he had won the battle.

Naruto reached into his pocket and sent forth a Kunai towards Gama-Bunta's back.

"Humph!" Gama-Bunta snorted as he turned to the front, not bothering to avoid a puny Kunai.

The Kunai was almost near the target area.

Just when it was about to pierce.

< Flying Thunder God - Stage 2 >

Naruto teleported, arriving on Gama-Bunta's back once again.

"Ehhhhh????" Gama-Bunta stared at his back, only to find Naruto again.

"I did not touch the ground at all!"

"So the thing that happened back there will not be considered a fall." Naruto declared as he sat down on Gama-Bunta's back again.

Meanwhile, Jiraiya who was hiding in the bush was surprised.

("What Anko told the Third was the truth.")

("Looks like Naruto has already met his father…") Jiraiya thought as he watched the battle between Gama-Bunta and Naruto continue.

…..

…..

Back in the training field…

Kakashi was surprised at the speed, Sasuke was improving at.

("This boy is very close to mastering the basic chakra manipulation, in just half a day of training.") Kakashi thought as stared at all the burnt leaves on the ground, which were fried to crisp from the passage of thunder nature chakra through them.

Sasuke lifted his burnt hands as he stared into them.

("If this is the price of training faster, then I don't care.")

("I will surpass you!")

("Naruto!")

Kakashi also saw Sasuke staring into his burnt hands.

"Sasuke!"

"Let's stop here."

"I have work to take care of…" Kakashi said as he turned back.

"WAIT!" Sasuke shouted.

Kakashi frowned as he turned back only to see a crazed look on Sasuke's face.

"I want to learn more," Sasuke said in a calm voice, with his crazed look disappearing away.

"Sasuke!"

"We will continue the training tomorrow. If we do any more training your hands will become numb and fried, Not to mention the strain you would be placing on your chakra network." Kakashi said slowly while tried to observe Sasuke's change in expressions.

Sasuke looked up in anger but managed to calm himself down.

"I will wait for you here tomorrow, early in the morning," Sasuke said as he started walking away.

….

Kakashi was on his way to the Hokage's office during which he thought back to Sasuke's crazed looks.

("Is it because of Itachi or Naruto?")

("Hope, I am not making a mistake….") Kakashi thought.

….

Soon Kakashi had reached the office.

(Knock!)

(Knock!)

(Knock!)

"come in," Hiruzen said.

"You had summoned me, Hokage-sama?" Kakashi asked.

"Yes."

"I wanted to talk about the girl on Naruto's team."

"Haruno Sakura?" Kakashi mentioned her name.

"Yes, that one and another one he had saved in the forest earlier."

"That girl, Karin?" Kakashi asked, trying to remember back to the Chuunin Exam that took place earlier.

"Yes, both of them."

"But more importantly Sakura."

"I would like to recommend the both of them for basic medical ninjutsu classes."

"I wanted to inform you since Sakura was under your care."

"Medical ninjutsu for Sakura?" Kakashi asked.

"Yes, Naruto had suggested her to learn it," Hiruzen replied.

"Naruto?"

"But Sakura is a genjutsu type," Kakashi replied.

"Naruto insisted, despite me warning him that not all ninjas were compatible with it," Hiruzen said.

Kakashi was speechless.

"Kakashi, I feel Naruto is right, a medical ninja on a team is beneficial, after all, I am sure you'd understand this part better than anyone else," Hiruzen said.

"…" Kakashi thought back to the time Rin, was on his team.

"Okay!" Kakashi accepted and left the office.

….

….

Back in the forest on the outskirts of the village…

Gama-Bunta went wild, stomping the land flat while trying to get Naruto off his back.

"Chief Toad!" Naruto called.

Hah!

Hah!

Hah!

Gama-Bunta panted heavily.

"Kid, you win!" Gama-Bunta said after he stopped.

("I can't believe it, he handles that short-tempered frog all by himself.") Jiraiya stared at the scene that was taking place.

(Poof!) Gama-Bunta disappeared.

Naruto safely landed on the ground to see Jiraiya waiting for him.

"Are you ready to go?" Jiraiya asked.

"Mm," Naruto nodded as they walked towards the path in front of them.

Soon….

"Here we are Ō-tafuku Town!" Jiraiya announced as the duo crossed the Town border.

The duo proceeded until…

"Naruto!"

"Let's stop here."

Naruto turned to see 'Four seasons Hot-Spring Inn.' written on a signboard outside the Inn.

Soon a young lady greeted them at the door.

"Welcome!" She said as she directed them towards the reception.

"One night for two," Jiraiya said as he tapped the bell on the table.

"That'll be about 6000 ryo," The woman said at the reception.

Naruto and Jiraiya settled their stuff in their rooms and entered the hot bath.

….

….

The Next Morning…

Hinata woke up.

"Get up slowly," The man beside her said.

Hinata nodded as she followed his instructions.

The man then placed a small bowl of peeled and cut fruits on the tray above her lap.

Hinata took the bowl and consumed the fruits.

Soon, after she was done with her bowl, the man took the bowl from her and stood up as he arrived at the table beside her.

Hinata opened her mouth to say something before which the man presented a paper in front of her.

Hinata read the contents on the paper, after which she froze.