The Regression Of Jiraiya

"Kengo, get out from your hiding spot and face him directly," 

Madara's voice boomed through the clearing.

Kengo, concealed himself behind a dense bush, felt a shiver run down his spine. 

His plan to launch a surprise attack on Jiraiya failed miserably.

"Did you honestly believe I wouldn't detect such a futile attempt?" 

Madara continued, his Mangekyou Sharingan glowing ominously. 

Kengo felt a wave of dread wash over him as he realized what he had done but he couldn't accept it.

"Madara-sama, allow me to explain," 

Kengo stammered, desperation creeping into his voice. He stood up from the bush.

"Your explanations are unnecessary," 

Madara retorted dismissively. 

"I commanded you to fight, so fight. Do not squander my valuable time."

Kengo's face flushed with shame. He had underestimated Jiraiya's abilities, assuming that without the Sharingan would be oblivious to his presence. 

However, Jiraiya had effortlessly deflected Kengo's Kunai with a flick of his wrist, without even glancing in his direction.

Jiraiya's relaxed posture and nonchalant demeanor spoke volumes. 

He viewed Kengo as nothing more than a minor inconvenience, a distraction from his training. 

His boredom was shown clearly as he waited for Kengo to make his move.

"Can you stop wasting time?" 

Jiraiya yawned, stretching his arms. 

"The sun is setting, and I still need to practice my ninjutsu."

Madara nodded in satisfaction. 

Jiraiya's prodigious talent with hard work.

"Perhaps in a decade," 

Madara mused to himself, 

"He might stand a chance against me."

This was the highest praise one could get from him.

Kengo, his face etched with grim, began weaving the intricate patterns of hand seals. 

Rat → Tiger → Dog → Ox → Rabbit → Tiger → Monkey

He gathered chakra and then.

"Fire Style—Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" 

He roared, his voice echoing through the training ground.

A surge of fiery chakra erupted from his mouth, coalescing into a swirling vortex of flames. 

The heat was intense, the air shimmering with the raw power of the impending attack. 

From the inferno, a majestic phoenix began to take shape, its fiery plumage glowing with an ethereal radiance.

But Jiraiya was not one to be caught off guard. 

His eyes, sharp and alert, followed Kengo's every move. With a speed that defied belief, he vanished from his spot, leaving behind only a faint afterimage.

Before Kengo could control his fire phoenix to attack him, Jiraiya appeared before him like a ghost.

Kengo's eyes widened in surprise, his focus momentarily shattered by the unexpected appearance of his opponent.

With a swift, powerful kick, Jiraiya slammed his foot into Kengo's stomach. 

The impact was devastating. Kengo's breath whooshed out of his lungs, his concentration broken, the fiery phoenix dissipating into nothingness. 

He doubled over, pain lancing through his abdomen.

"You shouldn't have used a complicated ninjutsu when your enemy is in front of you."

There was no way that the enemy would let him finish his ninjutsu.

Jiraiya looked at Madara and bowed to him. He didn't want to admit it but Madara had become his mentor. He had to at least show him respect.

"I will go home now. I will come back again after I master what you teach me today, Madara-sama."

Kengo saw that Jiraiya was about to leave. He tried to stop him and wanted to say that Jiraiya was cheating but before he could 

Madara was in front of him. His eyes were sharp and cold.

"Losing is nothing but acting pathetic is not acceptable in my clan. Go and reflect on what mistake you made."

Kengo went silent after that. 

He could only accept defeat. He didn't want to make Madara angry anymore than this.

Jiraiya breathed a sigh of relief as he reached Senju compound safely. 

Today's taijutsu training task had been successful, but his thoughts were already turning towards his next task, ninjutsu training. 

However, there was one important stop he had to make before he could immerse himself in ninjutsu practice.

He made his way to Tsunade's residence. 

He knew that she would be furious if he didn't check in on her at least once a day. The image of an enraged Tsunade flashed through his mind, and he shuddered involuntarily.

"I can't ignore her," 

He muttered to himself, 

"Otherwise, she'll make my life a living hell."

As if on cue, Tsunade appeared as soon as Jiraiya arrived. Her face lit up. Despite her tough exterior, Tsunade was a lonely girl at heart. 

Earlier that day, Tsunade had pleaded with her grandmother to allow her to accompany Jiraiya to the Uchiha clan. 

However, her grandmother had firmly denied her request, citing the potential dangers and the fact that Tsunade, unlike Jiraiya, didn't have explicit permission from Madara Uchiha himself.

Jiraiya had been granted access to the Uchiha clan due to Madara wanting to teach him personally. 

But for Tsunade, venturing into the territory of their rival without proper authorization could have dire consequences. 

"You are finally back, Jiraiya. Let's go and play with me in the garden!"

Jiraiya heard that and he knew today ninjutsu training had to be canceled. He couldn't bring himself to deny her when she was very excited like that.

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