bookmarkrole Chapter 320 Arriving at Mount Myōboku, as usual, they slurped ramen.
Chapter 320 Arriving at Mount Myōboku, as usual, they slurped ramen.
Chapter 320 Arriving at Mount Myōboku, as usual, they slurped ramen.
The next morning, deep in the forest.
Jiraiya was awakened by a violent shaking and shouting.
The moment he opened his eyes, he was met with Naruto's anxious face, which was almost touching his nose.
"A lecherous immortal!"
"Get up!"
"The sun's already high in the sky!"
Normally, if Jiraiya were woken up like this, he would have given Naruto a few slaps on the head first.
Then they'll spout a bunch of fallacies, like how precious a peaceful morning is, and how disturbing an artist's sleep is a heinous crime.
However, today, Jiraiya simply sat up slowly, stretched, and even had a cheerful smile on his face.
He was in an unusually good mood, and even the impetuous disciple in front of him seemed much more pleasing to the eye.
Has the lecherous immortal taken the wrong medicine today?
Naruto looked Jiraiya up and down with a suspicious expression.
Jiraiya glanced at him, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Kid, do you even know what 'beauty comes from contrast' means?"
"Huh?" Naruto tilted his head, clearly not understanding.
Jiraiya stopped explaining and instead looked into the distance.
The image of Orochimaru from his dream last night still lingered vividly in his mind, impossible to shake off.
He couldn't help but think to himself, "If only the real Orochimaru could be as gentle as the one in my dream."
However, he quickly banished this absurd thought from his mind.
However, a strange sense of joy lingered in my heart, making the whole morning feel exceptionally refreshing.
After regaining his senses, Jiraiya decided to stop sleeping.
The two quickly tidied up the campsite from the previous night, extinguished the campfire, shouldered their packs, and set off again.
They hadn't walked far when Naruto couldn't help but complain, "When are we ever going to get to Mount Myōboku? Perverted Sage, don't you know that Reverse Summoning Jutsu? Why don't you just use it to send me there directly? Walking step by step like this, how long will it take? It's such a waste of time!"
Jiraiya smiled mysteriously upon hearing this: "What's the rush? Traveling is also a form of training. A ninja must not only know how to fight, but also how to maintain patience and vigilance on a long journey."
"But I just want to get stronger quickly!" Naruto muttered, his anxiety barely concealed.
"I want to learn new ninjutsu as soon as possible, and I want to get Sasuke—"
"Okay, okay."
Jiraiya waved his hand, interrupting the second half of his sentence.
Today, he unusually refrained from arguing with Naruto. Instead, he chuckled and reached out to ruffle Naruto's messy blond hair, his tone unusually gentle.
"Don't worry, we're almost there."
"Almost there?!"
Naruto was taken aback at first, then quickly looked around.
What came into view was still the same dense forest where we had camped the night before. There were only trees and nothing else. There was not a trace of Mount Myoboku.
Jiraiya smiled mysteriously again, and said nothing more: "Let's go, stay close."
After saying that, he continued to lead the way forward.
Jiraiya hummed a little tune and walked briskly the rest of the way.
Naruto, on the other hand, kept complaining the whole way.
Jiraiya just listened with a smile, not saying a word, and occasionally humming a few off-key tunes along with the beat.
This unusual behavior made Naruto even more suspicious.
The art style is off!
He scratched his head, thinking to himself, "Could it be that the lecherous immortal has been secretly switched out today?"
However, thinking about how he was about to arrive at the legendary holy land to begin his training, Naruto didn't care about these strange things and excitedly quickened his pace to catch up.
As we traveled, the surrounding scenery gradually changed.
The dense primeval forest was unknowingly replaced by a lush bamboo grove.
Jiraiya stopped in front of the bamboo grove, looked up at the lush green bamboo before him, and his gaze suddenly became distant.
Through those straight and tall bamboos, he seemed to see a scene from long ago.
The scene of his first visit to Mount Myōboku seemed to float before his eyes along with the bamboo shadows, causing Jiraiya to be slightly lost in thought.
"Perverted Sage—?" Seeing that Jiraiya hadn't moved for a while, Naruto called out cautiously, waking him from his reverie.
"Oh, let's go." Jiraiya came to his senses, smiled at Naruto, and then stepped into the bamboo forest first.
Naruto quickly followed behind.
Upon entering the bamboo forest, the surrounding light immediately becomes unusual.
Despite the bright sunshine outside, this place seemed to be covered by a light green filter, with the surrounding space enveloped in a serene emerald hue.
The air was filled with the faint scent of bamboo. There were no sounds of insects or birds; the only sound was the soft rustling of their footsteps on the thick bamboo leaves.
Not long after they left, Naruto sensed that something was wrong.
He frowned, feeling that all the bamboo around him looked exactly the same.
The two seemed to be spinning in place, with no change in the scenery around them.
"Perverted immortal, have we gotten lost?"
Before Naruto could finish speaking, Jiraiya, who was walking ahead, suddenly stopped.
Jiraiya raised his right hand and gently tapped the void.
Naruto didn't even see or sense any fluctuations in chakra.
The scene around them changed abruptly in the next instant!
The once dense green bamboo seemed to have been wiped away in an instant by an invisible hand, and the view suddenly opened up.
Caught off guard, Naruto instinctively took a half-step back, for less than a foot in front of his toes was a bottomless cliff!
Before us lay a vast basin stretching to the horizon.
A thin mist shrouded the bottom of the basin, and through the hazy fog, one could vaguely make out a large, disc-shaped behemoth.
Naruto looked closely and his eyes widened in surprise.
Lotus leaf?
Indeed, huge lotus leaves were unfolding in the basin.
The smallest piece is the size of a house, and the largest piece is almost like a small lake!
These lotus leaves are not laid flat on the ground, but grow from deep within the basin and are held high.
The lush, broad leaves gleamed in the sunlight.
Beneath those giant lotus leaves, one can vaguely see some peculiar buildings scattered among them, with rounded roofs and shapes resembling giant mushrooms.
Interspersed throughout are many strange plants that Naruto has never seen before, arranged at varying heights and in different shapes, creating a fairytale-like exotic landscape.
A gentle breeze blew from the basin, carrying an extremely refreshing scent, a mixture of water vapor and the fragrance of grass and trees, and brushed against Naruto's face.
Naruto turned around abruptly, only to find that the bamboo forest behind him had vanished without a trace.
"This, this is—?!" Naruto stammered, completely stunned by the incredible sight before him.
Jiraiya walked up to him, crossed his arms, and his face showed undisguised smugness: "Welcome to Mount Myōboku, kid."
Naruto was still in shock and just nodded blankly when he heard this.
Jiraiya tilted his head back, took a deep breath of the air filled with natural energy, and felt completely refreshed.
He then patted Naruto on the shoulder and smiled, "Let's go, kid. The toads don't like waiting."
"So this is the Holy Land—" Naruto murmured as he looked around, regaining his senses.
He clenched his fists, a burning flame igniting in his eyes.
No matter how many difficulties lie ahead, he must become stronger here, strong enough to bring Sasuke back, strong enough to protect everyone!
Jiraiya, without hesitation, leaped off the cliff with Naruto.
After the two landed safely, Naruto calmed himself down and then excitedly looked around.
The view from the bottom of the basin is even more breathtaking than when viewed from the cliff.
Those enormous lotus leaves are now right in front of me, each one towering like a small house.
The air was filled with a refreshing energy that invigorated the spirit.
"Natural energy." Jiraiya noticed the confusion in Naruto's eyes and explained with a smile, "Mount Myōboku is one of the three sacred lands, and the air here is filled with the purest natural energy. If you stay here long enough, you will naturally feel the difference from the outside world."
Naruto nodded as if he understood, but his attention was already drawn to the various wonders around him.
He excitedly jogged a few steps to a spot under a huge lotus leaf, then his eyes lit up as he waved frantically, as if he'd spotted a familiar face: "Hey! Hamakichi!"
A small orange toad was dozing on a small lotus leaf not far away.
Hearing Naruto's shout, it lazily opened one eye, then, recognizing the person, jumped up excitedly and exclaimed, "Oh! It's Naruto! And Jiraiya-sama too!"
Gamakichi hopped over to the two of them, waving his short forelimbs in greeting: "Long time no see! The last time you summoned me, your chakra control was a complete mess."
Naruto scratched his head sheepishly, "That was an accident—I've improved a lot since then!"
Jiraiya chuckled and patted Gamakichi's head: "We're here to find Fukasaku and Shima, are they here?"
"Yes, yes!" Gamakichi nodded vigorously. "Grandpa Fukasaku should be meditating by the waterfall right now, and Grandma Shima is probably preparing lunch at this time."
"Lunch?!" Naruto's eyes lit up. "Great! I'm starving!"
Upon hearing this, Jiraiya's smile faltered slightly, but he quickly recovered and nodded with a smile, "That's perfect."
"Gamakichi, you keep playing, let's go find them first," Jiraiya said, waving his hand.
After saying goodbye to Gamakichi, he led Naruto along a path paved with huge pebbles, heading deeper into the basin.
Along the way, Naruto looked around so much that he could hardly take it all in.
"You lecherous immortal," he couldn't help but ask as he walked, "Can you really become stronger by cultivating here?"
"Of course." Jiraiya strolled ahead with his hands behind his back, and gave a slight snort upon hearing this. "But it's not as simple as you think."
"Uh, how so?" Naruto quickened his pace and moved closer to him, asking with a curious expression.
"To train at Mount Myōboku, one must first pass the tests of the hermits Fukasaku and Shima," Jiraiya said meaningfully.
"A test?!" Naruto perked up, clenching his fists, his fighting spirit blazing. "What kind of test? A fight? Or a contest? Hmph, I can pass any test! I'm going to be the Hokage!"
Jiraiya looked at Naruto's spirited appearance and a meaningful smile appeared on his lips: "You'll see when the time comes."
After walking for about fifteen minutes, a small and exquisite wooden house appeared ahead.
The wooden house sits beneath a cluster of exceptionally lush giant lotus leaves, its roof covered with vines blooming with pale purple flowers, and wisps of smoke rise from its stone chimney.
"We're here." Jiraiya stopped in front of the cabin and knocked on the door.
The door opened quickly.
The person who opened the door was a short, purple toad-like old woman wearing reading glasses. She was wearing an apron and holding a spatula.
Upon seeing who it was, she immediately smiled kindly: "Oh, it's little Jiraiya! You've come at the perfect time, lunch is just ready."
She is none other than Shima, the hermit of Mount Myoboku.
Naruto then peeked out from behind Jiraiya, looking at the legendary Toad Sage with great curiosity.
Master Shima looks just like an ordinary old toad lady, except that she can talk, wear clothes, and use a spatula.
"This must be Naruto, right?" Shima, the sage, kindly pushed up her reading glasses and looked at Naruto with a smile. "Jiraiya has mentioned you many times!"
"Come in, come in, it's just in time for lunch," Shima-sensei greeted with a smile, stepping aside to make way for the doorway.
"Thank you, Grandma!" Naruto's eyes lit up as soon as he heard there was food, and he happily followed her inside.
He was completely unaware of the fleeting tragic expression on Jiraiya's face beside him.
The interior of the wooden house is much more spacious than it appears from the outside, and its simple furnishings create a uniquely warm atmosphere.
A round wooden dining table was placed in the center, with bowls and chopsticks already set on it, and the air was filled with the aroma of food.
The aroma was rather peculiar, a blend of earthy and grassy scents that made it difficult to distinguish whether it was the smell of food or some kind of herbal juice.
"Where is Lord Fukasaku?" Jiraiya asked casually as he looked around the room, subtly moving closer to the door.
"The old man is still meditating by the waterfall; he should be back soon," Shima replied, turning to walk towards the kitchen. "Please have a seat; I'll bring the dishes up right away. I made quite a lot of delicious food today; we can't let it go to waste."
Upon hearing this, Naruto, who was already impatient, excitedly sat down at the table, rubbing his flat stomach.
He rubbed his hands together, waiting patiently for the delicious food, and his stomach rumbled at just the right moment.
Jiraiya did not go over and sit down, but instead stood at the door, his expression suddenly becoming serious.
He cleared his throat and said respectfully to Shima, "Big Sister, I suddenly remembered that I have something important to report to the Great Toad Sage. I won't be eating lunch; let Naruto stay and have lunch with you and Fukasaku-sama."
"—" Shima-sensei poked her head out of the kitchen and said with a regretful look, "If I had known you were coming, I would have made a lot more—"
"It's alright, it's alright, Naruto has a big appetite, he'll definitely finish it!" Jiraiya quickly waved his hand and laughed.
Before Shima could answer, he rushed to Naruto's side and patted Naruto's shoulder heavily.
With a look of inexplicable encouragement in his eyes, Jiraiya earnestly instructed, "Naruto, have a good meal with the two sages, and remember, don't let them down."
"Don't worry, you perverted sage!" Naruto, completely oblivious to the hidden meaning, patted his chest confidently and assured him, "It's just eating, I can eat a lot!"
Seeing Naruto's innocent look, Jiraiya's lips twitched slightly, revealing an expression that was both funny and exasperating.
In the end, he didn't say anything more. With a flash, he slipped out of the wooden house at an astonishing speed that Naruto had never seen before, and closed the door behind him.
"He runs really fast—" Watching Jiraiya's retreating figure as if he were fleeing, Shima shook his head helplessly.
She quickly came out of the kitchen carrying a large bowl, and said to Naruto with a smile, "Alright, little Naruto, let's eat first!"
I cooked a lot of delicious food today!
As she spoke, she placed the large bowl in her hands steadily in front of Naruto.
Naruto's initially enthusiastic smile froze on his face the moment he saw what was in the bowl.
The bowl was brimming with a huge pile of insects!
It wasn't an ordinary little worm, but one that was fat and long, resembling a giant lizard worm!
They were cooked until translucent, limp and curled up in the brown broth, emitting an indescribable odor—
"This, this is—?!" Naruto's voice trembled slightly.
With a loving smile, Master Shima pushed the large bowl towards Naruto, saying, "I heard from Jiraiya that you love ramen! So I specially made this special longworm soup ramen! Look, these worms are cooked just right, so chewy!"
Naruto stiffly lowered his head and looked at the so-called soup noodles again.
The broth was cloudy and brown, with dozens of long worms, each about the thickness of a finger, floating in it.
The insects were tangled together, and at first glance, they really did look a bit like noodles.
The color drained from Naruto's face at a visible speed. His face, which had been flushed with excitement just moments before, turned deathly pale, and then gradually turned bluish.
He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but his stomach churned violently, and a wave of nausea rose in his throat, preventing him from uttering a single word.
"Eat it while it's hot!" Shima urged with a smile. "No need to wait for the baby's father, didn't you say you were hungry?"
Naruto looked at Shima's expectant expression, then looked down at the large bowl of noodles in front of him that seemed to be still slightly wriggling, and felt a chill run down his spine.
He finally understood why the lustful immortal had run so fast.
Just then, a furtive figure was crouching on a large lotus leaf not far from the wooden house.
Jiraiya crouched low, peering through the crack in the window at the movement inside the house.
When he saw Naruto's face, which was about to cry, he couldn't help but touch his chin and reveal a gloating smile.
Back when he first came to Mount Myōboku, he almost succumbed to the deliciousness of Shima's bowl of food.
"Go for it, Naruto! This is only the first hurdle!"
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