Naruto: The Abstract Strategist of the Akatsuki

"Konohamaru, calm down. I'm not the murderer you think I am. The murderer is someone else, a clone of me who escaped from Orochimaru's side!"

Jiraiya disregarded everything else and, suppressing his discomfort, quickly explained the situation in the simplest terms.

In case Konohamaru continues to struggle or does something else that might attract others.

Anyway, Jiraiya himself said that a ninja is someone who can endure everything, isn't that right?

However, Jiraiya said this famous quote to Naruto and passed it on to him, and Naruto also said it to Konohamaru and passed it on to him.

Therefore, Konohamaru seems to have been influenced by this statement as well, he...

"Konohamaru, what are you doing? Stop right now!!"

Jiraiya breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Konohamaru calm down and stop shouting, only to find that Konohamaru had resumed his Sage Mode training, and his vision went black.

What the hell is this?

He's still standing here!

It turns out that Konohamaru remembered a shortcut to mastering Sage Mode that his older brother Naruto had told him.

Konohamaru once asked Naruto how to alleviate the awkwardness of using Sage Mode shortcuts in actual combat, since it's inevitable that others will see it.

After all, if you feel awkward, you can't clear your mind and enter a state of bliss.

How did Naruto answer?

Based on his extensive experience in committing crimes, Naruto summarized a profound truth: if you stop, you'll be the one who's embarrassed; if you continue, others will be the ones who're embarrassed.

And as long as others start to feel awkward, you won't feel awkward.

So, when Konohamaru learned that Jiraiya wasn't the culprit, he felt embarrassed and used this method.

After noticing Jiraiya's awkwardness, Konohamaru's admiration for Naruto reached a new level.

Naruto's older brother hadn't lied to him after all.

As long as he continued, it was others who would feel awkward. Sure enough, his inner embarrassment disappeared, replaced by a mysterious confidence.

Konohamaru dared not stop. This feeling was too mysterious. He had to seize it. Maybe he could use it to break free from the summoning beast's restraint and successfully enter Sage Mode on his own!

"No, I want to cultivate!"

Konohamaru rejected Jiraiya's call to stop without hesitation.

"..."

Jiraiya had no choice but to continue talking about serious matters, as Konohamaru wouldn't stop. He could only withstand the pressure and keep talking about serious business.

"Konohamaru, tell me, have you summoned any toads from Mount Myōboku during this time?"

"A toad? No, there isn't one."

"Sure?"

"Um."

"Then it's confirmed. The clone does indeed share the same blood as me. He summoned two toads from Mount Myōboku. What is he trying to do? Is he trying to learn Sage Mode...?"

Jiraiya's expression was solemn.

Since Konohamaru isn't here, he must be with the clone.

Moreover, seeing Konohamaru's insistence on getting rid of the summoning beast's assistance and learning Naruto's original shortcut, Jiraiya suddenly remembered that Sage Mode wasn't like this at the beginning.

When he used it, he only needed the assistance of the two hermits, Shima and Fukasaku, to enter; he didn't need to fly.

However, that kind of entry is difficult, time-consuming, and imperfect.

Working with the toad was also the method he originally planned to teach Naruto.

What was unexpected was that Naruto, as the ninja with the greatest unpredictability, actually developed a shortcut to Sage Mode that was enough to change the landscape of the ninja world.

So, could the two toads that the clone summoned be the clone's way of practicing immortal arts using the true primal immortal method?

Jiraiya couldn't have imagined it.

There was no need for intelligence; before the surgery, Orochimaru had said that the newly cultivated organs would be optimized, and he indeed found them to be better than the original ones at their peak.

However, he had been busy helping the ladies in the red-light district in the past few days and had not yet tried to cultivate immortal arts, so Jiraiya was still unsure.

With that in mind, Jiraiya decided to give it a try first.

"Konohamaru, don't mention my affairs to anyone else. Tell them to stay vigilant against me. A clone could appear in my identity at any time, so don't hold back when that happens."

The clone is exactly like me, except that the memories are not shared. Do not use smell or chakra to identify me unless I give you a code.

As for the code, it will be the last sentence of the last chapter of my latest novel.

After giving Konohamaru some instructions, Jiraiya prepared to leave.

Konohamaru never stopped practicing Sage Mode from beginning to end.

Jiraiya felt that if he didn't leave soon, he would be attacked a second time.

Konohamaru was the same; after realizing Jiraiya's awkwardness, he didn't leave as Naruto had suggested, causing his brief moment of confidence to turn into embarrassment again.

Fortunately, Naruto has a follow-up plan.

—If others don't leave, you'll continue to feel awkward, but as long as you continue, others will still feel awkward.

At this point, the competition is about who can persevere to the end.

The one who gives up first is the one who feels awkward.

Now that Jiraiya is leaving, it's clear that he is the ultimate victor.

Konohamaru, once again savoring the feeling of victory, resumed his training.

Jiraiya checked out the situation on the beach.

Next to it is a resort area, while the area where Konohamaru is located is an undeveloped area.

This place is sparsely populated, with only Konoha people who came to spread Sage Mode, Kirigakure ninja who came to learn, and a few Sand ninja who came along.

Besides Konohamaru, many others also built walls out of sand or set up tents to practice Sage Mode.

This is indeed a good place.

Jiraiya sighed.

Normally, he would definitely go to the resort next door to enjoy himself.

But he's not in the mood for it at all right now.

What Jiraiya found most intolerable was that his clones used his money to patronize his old flames in the red-light district.

unacceptable!

They're even more powerful than minotaurs!

He was drunk and confused before, and he paid for the clone.

Now that he's sober, he naturally won't do that anymore.

But what if the clone needs money in the future and just goes to collect his royalties?

Jiraiya found a natural boulder on the beach and began practicing Sage Mode.

Soon, Jiraiya was shocked to discover that his efficiency and stability in absorbing natural energy during his cultivation far exceeded that of ordinary people.

The transplanted organ acted like an adapter, transmitting perfect Sage Chakra throughout his body!

Jiraiya never expected that what he received was not only a combat organ, but also a combat organ!

The problem then arises: given this situation, his clone is very likely to be like Orochimaru's son Mitsuki in that photo, born with the potential to achieve perfect Sage Mode!