It wasn't that Naruto hadn't mastered the Rasengan, nor was it an issue with Jiraiya's teaching method.
The problem was the Nine-Tails.
The chakra interference from the Nine-Tails made it incredibly difficult for Naruto to gather chakra properly.
That interference was also why, the moment he managed to form the Rasengan, it would instantly collapse.
Realizing this, Jiraiya fell silent.
He had identified the issue, but he couldn't fix it.
"…Wait."
A thought struck him, and Jiraiya's eyes lit up.
"Naruto, come here."
Naruto looked confused but obediently walked over.
Jiraiya didn't explain, instead simply instructing,
"Try using the Rasengan again."
Naruto nodded, extending his hand to gather chakra once more.
This time, just as Naruto started forming the Rasengan, Jiraiya placed his hand over Naruto's, channeling his own chakra to stabilize it.
With Jiraiya's assistance, the Rasengan finally formed in Naruto's palm.
Seeing the glowing sphere of spinning chakra, Jiraiya withdrew his hand and gave a satisfied nod.
Naruto, on the other hand, was ecstatic.
"I actually did it?!"
But then, curiosity overtook his excitement.
"Pervy Sage, why did that work?"
Jiraiya explained,
"Because of the Nine-Tails, gathering chakra is much harder for you than for a regular ninja. You need assistance to properly stabilize it."
Naruto's expression fell.
"Wait… doesn't that mean I still can't use it by myself?"
Jiraiya smirked.
"Who says you can't?"
Naruto rolled his eyes.
"What, am I supposed to call someone to help me every time I want to use it?"
Jiraiya's eye twitched, and he smacked Naruto on the head.
"Use Shadow Clones, idiot! They can help you stabilize the chakra!"
Naruto's eyes lit up.
"Right! That could work!"
Excited, he immediately summoned a Shadow Clone to test it out.
However, after several tries, he still couldn't form the Rasengan properly. His expression fell again.
Jiraiya shook his head.
"Naruto, no one masters something overnight. You don't get fat from eating one meal, either."
Naruto took a deep breath, his eyes filled with determination.
"I got it, Pervy Sage! I won't give up!"
Seeing that, Jiraiya nodded in satisfaction.
Nearby, Ivysaur and Zweilous exchanged a glance before dozing off again.
Meanwhile – Amegakure's Underground Base
In the dimly lit underground chamber of Amegakure, a spiraling vortex appeared, and a masked figure stepped out.
Obito's gaze locked onto Nagato, who sat with his eyes closed.
"Nagato, it was a failure."
"The ones you sent… were captured."
Boom!
A terrifying wave of chakra burst out as Nagato snapped his eyes open, his gaze filled with rage.
"What did you just say?"
Obito sighed.
"Our intel was incorrect. The Pokémon in that area… one of them has reached Super-Kage level. Your subordinates were no match."
A sharp cracking sound echoed.
Nagato clenched his teeth so hard they nearly shattered. His fury was barely contained.
"…You're telling me our intel was wrong?"
"A Super-Kage level enemy appeared, and you just call it a miscalculation?!"
Obito, still wearing his mask, looked awkward for a moment.
He was just as angry as Nagato.
After all, Akatsuki was his organization, and losing people was not in his plans.
"Now's not the time to dwell on that. The real question is… are we going to attempt a rescue?"
Nagato's expression darkened.
"Rescue?"
"Against a Super-Kage level opponent? With what?"
At that moment, Konan descended from above, her face grim and her eyes filled with killing intent.
She had heard everything.
And she knew why Obito was here.
He wanted Nagato to fight personally.
But if Nagato made a move, his lifespan would shrink.
Even controlling the Six Paths of Pain put an enormous strain on him.
If he were to fight a Super-Kage head-on, he might not survive the battle.
Her hatred for Obito grew.
"You expect Nagato to risk his life because of your intel failure?"
Her voice was sharp, her intent clear—she wanted to kill Obito right there.
"Enough, Konan."
Nagato raised a hand, stopping her.
He turned back to Obito.
"What do you propose?"
"Nagato!"
Konan immediately objected, stepping closer in concern.
Nagato stopped her again with a raised hand, keeping his gaze on Obito.
"The enemy has Super-Kage level strength, but only one."
Nagato's eyes narrowed.
"Oh? And what about you, so-called Madara?"
"Are you not at Super-Kage level yourself?"
Obito's eyes flashed under his mask.
Then he scoffed coldly.
"I can't get involved."
"If I do, the enemy's focus will shift, and then the situation will become far worse."
Nagato laughed mockingly.
"How convenient."
His voice dripped with sarcasm—he didn't believe a word Obito was saying.
Obito, however, ignored it.
It didn't matter if Nagato believed him or not.
All that mattered was achieving his goals.
A tense silence settled over the room.
Finally, Nagato spoke.
"Fine. I'll consider it."
"But for now, leave."
Obito didn't reply.
He had gotten what he came for.
A new swirling vortex formed, and he vanished into the darkness.
After Obito Left
"Nagato, you can't do this!"
Konan's voice was filled with worry.
But before she could finish, Nagato raised a hand again, stopping her.
"I know."
"But we have no choice."
"This isn't just about rescuing our people."
"It's about our plan."
If a Super-Kage level enemy had truly emerged, their entire strategy might need to be revised.
Previously, he had only considered Pokémon to be a potential threat.
But now, they were an active danger.
Even if Itachi and the others hadn't been captured, the existence of a Super-Kage enemy meant they needed to act immediately.
Konan sighed heavily.
Nagato wasn't wrong.
But that didn't make it any easier.
"Even if they're at Super-Kage level, my Rinnegan will still be enough."
Nagato's eyes glowed ominously.
Even in the face of a powerful enemy, he refused to back down.
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