Naruto's blank stare was enough for Jiraiya to fall silent. Upon second thought, if he carried out his plan, there was a 98% chance that Tsunade would find out, and she held some appreciation for the young ninja, so it wouldn't be a good idea to take him to those kinds of places. Still...

"Well... since we're here, we might as well do something better than training. I'm going to share my great wisdom with you!" With a peculiar pose, the Sage of Toads smiled brightly. "Hey, where are you going?" he exclaimed, only to watch his student walk away from him.

"Don't be offended, Ero-sennin, but I don't see you as someone of great wisdom," Naruto remarked with his arms behind his head. He was already thinking about grabbing a big bowl of ramen. It's a shame a gigantic toad tongue might snatch him away again.

"Brat! I remind you that you are in the presence of the great Jiraiya-sama, the Sage of the Mountain of Toads! I am not just a great ninja! I am a sage! You got it!" Several minutes later, after everything had calmed down, we find both ninjas on the outskirts of the village, more precisely at a small temple next to a river.

Naruto sat at the entrance of the temple, gazing at the flowing river that was teeming with fish. He didn't know there was such a beautiful place near the village.

"Ah, how relaxing," Jiraiya sighed with satisfaction as he exited the temple and sat down beside his student to gaze at the river. "What do you think of this place? I discovered it when I was a brat like you, and ever since, I come here from time to time when I'm stressed." Naruto regarded the older man strangely. It was odd to see him being so mature. "...Or to look at my porn magazines. I think I still have some hidden around here."

Naruto's respect for Jiraiya quickly dwindled. "Hey, Ero-sennin... can I ask you a question?"

"You already did, but go ahead and ask another one," Jiraiya replied with an amused smile as he leaned against a pillar next to the door.

"Do you think that without the fox... I would still be strong?" Naruto's question wiped the smile from Jiraiya's face. He saw his student staring into space, watching the river's flow with a serious expression. "I'm not stupid. I know that without him, I wouldn't have come this far. His power saved me when I was almost killed by Haku. It allowed me to at least face Orochimaru, to win against Neji and Gaara just because I used his power..." Naruto clenched his fists and looked at his reflection in the river. "How can I be strong when I depend on a power that isn't mine?" He asked quietly, a touch of sadness in his eyes.

"Are you done whining?" Naruto looked up to see a look on Jiraiya's face he had never seen before - a mix of disappointment and anger. "Is that what you think? That you're just dead weight without the Biju inside you? Don't say stupid things, brat. Because if that's how you truly feel, you're not worth my time." Jiraiya kept silent for a moment and stared ahead, ignoring Naruto's angry expression. "Tell me, who defeated Kabuto?"

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Naruto sat back down, contemplating the river, after hearing Jiraiya's question.

"Who but Tsunade's ass? Who had the guts to stand up and fight someone who's easily as strong and skilled as Kakashi, one of the best Jounin in the village? Tell me, brat, who did it?"

Naruto remained silent.

"Never underestimate yourself, kid. Leave that for your opponents," Jiraiya smiled and patted Naruto on the back. "You know what I see when I look at you."

"What?" Naruto asked, intrigued.

"A horrible orange color that makes my eyes hurt," Jiraiya laughed at Naruto's expression before continuing. "But that's good. Do you know what orange means?"

Naruto shook his head, his curiosity piqued.

"Orange is one of the seven colors of life, and it means bravery," Jiraiya explained. "You have the courage to face everything and not fear what comes, even if you always fight alone. You stand up to even the greatest beasts and armies, always ready to give your heart in battles and never back down." Jiraiya didn't hesitate to grab Naruto's shoulder tightly and bring him closer, a gesture akin to a hug.

Naruto remained silent, his gaze downcast.

"When I see you, I can't help but think... That orange looks good on you," Jiraiya said with a warm smile as he patted his student on the back. Naruto continued to look down, hiding the tears that threatened to well up in his eyes.

It was the nicest thing anyone had said to him in many years….

…..

Everyone present was in shock – the earthbenders, the civilians, Miho, Suni, the old man, and even the firebenders attempting to approach Naruto stepped back in disbelief.

Naruto had just caught the whip and was now firmly gripping it in his hand.

Hanzuke felt his entire body tremble under the brat's gaze. Naruto seemed unfazed by the fire that burned his hand, and Hanzuke couldn't help but notice the intensity in the boy's blue eyes, which shone with both fury and power. What kind of child was this?

"Everyone... are fools!" Naruto's cry echoed throughout the fortress, sending shockwaves through every soldier and prisoner present. "Do you think this is it?! That we should just let them treat us like dirt and accept it?" Naruto's voice wavered slightly as he remembered the harsh treatment they all endured every day. "If this is the life they want, they had better be dead! How can they just stand by and do nothing?"

The great old earthbender felt as if a mountain had fallen on him.

"What if the next person to die is your friend, sister, father, or mother? Would you just accept it?" Naruto's fists clenched as he turned his attention to the commander. He yanked the whip, pulling the commander towards him, and grabbed the collar of his armor. "I'm not willing to stand idly by and watch this! If you won't fight for yourselves, then do it for the person beside you!"

"Archers! Archers!" Hanzuke snapped out of his state of shock as he noticed his armor cracking under the brat's monstrous strength. In a panic, he ordered all the archers on the walls to aim at his captor. "You better let me go, or you'll see the consequences!" Fear was evident in his voice as he raised his hand, and all the archers quickly took aim.

Naruto responded by gripping the commander's neck so tightly that it felt like he was trying to snap it like a branch.

"If you don't let me go... they'll target the children!" Hanzuke managed to gasp out, staring into Naruto's determined eyes. Gritting his teeth in frustration, Naruto reluctantly released the firebender. "You! Tomorrow at noon, you will be executed for this insolence!"

All eyes remained fixed on Naruto as he was escorted by the guards to the dungeon for his impending execution. It didn't take long for the prisoners to disperse, each lost in their own thoughts.

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