After finishing the treatment, the three of them headed to Konoha Hospital.
As soon as they entered the ward, they saw Jiraiya and Guy already there.
Akira paused slightly upon seeing Jiraiya, then greeted him politely.
Jiraiya looked him over and asked about the situation.
Akira stepped forward to examine Kakashi, then shook his head. "He was hit by Tsukuyomi. His mind has suffered severe damage. I can't treat this level of genjutsu trauma."
With that, he withdrew the chakra from his hands.
Watching Akira's skilled movements, Jiraiya's eyes nearly popped out. "You know medical ninjutsu too?!"
Asuma chimed in from the side, "Akira's medical ninjutsu is extremely advanced. He's even mastered the Healing Jutsu"
Guy cut in at that moment, revealing a shocking truth:
"Even before graduating, his medical ninjutsu had already surpassed the director of Konoha Hospital."
Only a handful of people—Guy, Kakashi, and a few others—knew this, since Akira had deliberately kept it hidden to avoid trouble.
Jiraiya stared at him as if he were an alien, marveling. "This is unbelievable… 'all-round genius' isn't even enough to describe you."
Asuma and Kurenai were equally stunned. Medical ninjutsu was notoriously difficult to learn—what kind of being was this kid?
Akira replied calmly, "Just an extra skill to keep myself alive. If I can't even treat Kakashi-sensei's condition, then it's not worth much."
Jiraiya sighed. "If you weren't so young, I'd really want to push you into the Hokage position."
Akira's mouth twitched. He quickly waved his hands. "Please don't. I'm not interested in that seat—that's Naruto's dream."
He truly had no desire to become Hokage. A job that worked you to death with no freedom? Whoever wanted it could have it.
Jiraiya suddenly changed the topic. "I have a way to find Tsunade—if you're willing to come with me."
Everyone's attention immediately shifted.
Akira knew the plot was moving forward—but he hadn't expected Jiraiya to rope him in as well.
Like a smooth-talking recruiter, Jiraiya began persuading him, saying he could teach him a few powerful jutsu along the way. After all, as one of the Sannin, he had plenty of jutsu in stock.
Akira looked at the old rogue, seeing straight through him.
"So the higher-ups forced you to take the Hokage position, you pushed it onto Tsunade, and now you're going to drag her back as a substitute, right?"
Jiraiya burst out laughing. "Kid, you're too smart. So? You coming or not?"
Akira glanced at the unconscious Kakashi.
Jiraiya added, "As long as we bring Tsunade back, Kakashi can be saved."
Akira sighed. The higher-ups probably want me along to keep an eye on this old rascal too.
He nodded, agreeing to the trip.
Jiraiya's grin stretched from ear to ear as he teased, "A brain that's too sharp can be a burden. Even though you've seen right through me, I'm not planning to run off."
Akira glanced at the unconscious Kakashi and said with a hint of responsibility in his tone,
"In that case, Guy-senpai, Asuma-senpai, Kurenai-senpai… I'll leave these injured patients in your care."
In truth, Akira knew his own medical abilities clearly—he was still far from reaching the pinnacle.
Thanks to his powerful physique, his own body was practically indestructible—ordinary blades couldn't deal him fatal damage.
But when it came to treating others, especially bizarre or complex conditions, his current methods still fell short.
Take Kakashi, for example. He had taken a full hit from Tsukuyomi—his mental world should have collapsed completely.
It was likely that Itachi had deliberately held back, stopping precisely at the threshold of mental collapse instead of destroying him entirely.
Even Kisame had found it strange—how could someone like Itachi, who killed without hesitation, show mercy?
The answer was simple—
Itachi had "held back an entire ocean." Within the blood-red world of Tsukuyomi, he hadn't gone all out.
Though it cost him a great deal of ocular power, if he had truly intended to kill Kakashi, it would have been effortless.
Of course, Itachi's loyalties were complicated—he would never actually kill Kakashi.
The people present all wore grave expressions and nodded in understanding.
Jiraiya dusted himself off and stood up, that signature mischievous grin returning to his face.
"Alright, kid—stick with me from now on. I'll teach you the Fourth Hokage's signature jutsu."
He paused, a glint flashing in his eyes.
"You know just how ridiculously strong the Fourth Hokage was, right? Kakashi told me you've already mastered the Flying Raijin Jutsu?"
"The jutsu I'm going to teach you—it's practically a perfect match for Flying Raijin."
Kakashi and Jiraiya were close, so he had naturally revealed quite a bit about Akira—except for the fact that the boy had already reached Kage-level strength.
What he didn't know was that Jiraiya, sly as he was, had already gauged Akira's strength back in the mountains.
Akira nodded slightly, a hint of curiosity in his eyes.
"I'd really like to see what kind of jutsu could pair with Flying Raijin better than my Chidori."
In Akira's understanding, Chidori's concentrated piercing power made it even more effective in combat than the Rasengan.
While Rasengan had a larger destructive radius, Akira already had plenty of jutsu focused purely on destructive force.
For instantaneous thrusts and precision kills, Flying Raijin combined with Chidori was his ideal combo.
After all, his current Chidori could be cast instantly—no hand seals required.
With just a thought, lightning would answer his call.
He could not only cast it without seals but also freely adjust the current output—making it incredibly versatile.
As for Rasengan—
With his current mastery and knowledge, he had already fully grasped both chakra shape transformation and nature transformation. The principles and training methods were second nature to him—forming one would take only minutes.
But he didn't feel particularly attached to it.
Compared to that spinning sphere, he preferred the sharp, piercing thunder of Chidori.
Moreover, he had already developed an entire arsenal of devastating Lightning Style jutsus based on it—there was no real motivation to obsess over Rasengan.
Agreeing to travel with Jiraiya was simply an excuse for a "publicly funded vacation"—and to learn medical ninjutsu from the legendary Tsunade along the way.
Konoha was comfortable, but staying too long could make one grow moss.
Hearing Akira's casually boastful remarks, Jiraiya raised a finger mysteriously.
"Don't worry—it's a super jutsu that completely surpasses Chidori in power, and it also doesn't require hand seals."
Akira opened his mouth to argue that his Chidori didn't need hand seals either—but swallowed the words.
After all, even Kakashi, the original creator, still needed hand seals.
Better not flaunt his abnormal talent too openly.
No need to reveal every truth.
Without further delay, Akira composed himself and set off on the journey with Jiraiya.
The two strolled to Konoha's main gate, where Jiraiya leaned against a pillar and grinned.
"Let's rest here for a bit—we're waiting for Naruto. I'm bringing that idiot along too."
"Since Itachi dared to return to Konoha, his target is Naruto. I need to keep him tied to my side to feel at ease."
Leaning against the cold wooden gate, Akira gazed at the distant sky and said calmly,
"They're after the Nine-Tails inside him, right?"
Jiraiya laughed heartily, eyes filled with admiration. "Kid, how is your brain wired? You figured that out too?"
Akira replied flatly, "Is there even anything to guess? Aside from the Nine-Tails, there's nothing about Naruto worth someone like Itachi targeting."
"What I'm curious about is—what are they planning by going through so much effort to capture the Nine-Tails?"
"Two people daring to barge into Konoha at a time like this… that's some serious nerve."
Standing beside him, Jiraiya sighed.
"Itachi has joined a dangerous organization called the Akatsuki."
He then patiently explained the background of the organization and the S-rank rogue ninja within it.
After listening, Akira frowned slightly, tapping his arm thoughtfully.
"So everyone in that organization is a top-tier threat… Gathering them all together definitely isn't for world peace."
Jiraiya nodded solemnly. "Current intel suggests they're collecting the tailed beasts. As for what they plan to do after gathering them all… we still have no idea."
Even someone like Jiraiya, a master of intelligence, couldn't yet see through the Akatsuki's ultimate goal.
But whatever it was—it definitely wasn't good.
Just as the two were chatting, an orange figure appeared in the distance, carrying a bundle bigger than himself, trudging toward the gate while panting heavily.
Looking at the "mountain" on Naruto's back, Jiraiya's mouth twitched uncontrollably.
"Y-You… did you pack your entire house?"
Naruto wiped his sweat and grinned foolishly.
"These are all my treasures! If I'm going on a long journey, of course I need to bring them with me—it makes me feel secure!"
Akira looked at the massive pile of clutter and smiled helplessly.
"There's no need to make it look like you're fleeing a disaster, you know."
Only then did Naruto notice him standing nearby. His eyes widened instantly.
"Ah! Akira? Why are you here too?!"
Jiraiya put on a stern face and scolded,
"He's coming with us. Now hurry up and dump all that junk—just bring a few changes of clothes and your ninja tools. Carrying that much, are you trying to collapse halfway down the road?"
Naruto tilted his head, thinking it over. It did seem to make some sense… but looking at that huge bundle, he was clearly reluctant to part with it. He tried lifting it again, struggling so much it was almost painful to watch.
Akira stepped behind him and patted the oversized pack.
"Be smart—ditch the useless stuff. If you keep carrying that, you won't even make it to the next town."
After a long internal struggle, Naruto finally gave in to reality. With a bitter expression, he emptied out all the snacks and toys from his bag.
Seeing Naruto's heartbroken look, Akira couldn't help but sigh. This kid really had a big heart.
Jiraiya, meanwhile, had a face full of black lines. Though he himself had been just as mischievous in his youth, he liked to think he was at least slightly more reliable than this idiot.
Once Naruto was finally traveling light, the trio—one old, two young—officially set off on their journey.
---
Along the way, Naruto was like a bird just freed from its cage, running around excitedly. Akira, on the other hand, remained much quieter—but breathing in the fresh air outside the village still lifted his mood.
Naruto dashed around ahead, while Akira and Jiraiya trailed behind at a leisurely pace.
Jiraiya leaned slightly closer and lowered his voice.
"Akira… that training at Ryūchi Cave—did you succeed in learning Sage Mode?"
There was unmistakable anticipation in his eyes.
If Akira had truly mastered the Sage Arts of Ryūchi Cave, his combat power would skyrocket. He might even rival Jiraiya himself.
And Jiraiya was extremely confident in his own strength—one of the top figures in the entire ninja world.
Yet Akira was only twelve. If he could already contend with him… that would make him an absolute monster surpassing even the Fourth Hokage.
Jiraiya often compared Akira to the Fourth simply because the two were eerily similar—as if carved from the same mold.
Aside from slight differences in personality, everything else aligned almost perfectly.
Terrifying talent. No prestigious background. Good-looking. Calm and composed.
The only real difference was that the Fourth Hokage had always aspired to become Hokage—while Akira seemed completely uninterested in the position.
That detached temperament was more like Kakashi's.
Because of this, the more Jiraiya looked at Akira, the more he liked him. Combined with his mastery of Flying Raijin, he was practically a living, breathing young Minato.
If he had also mastered Sage Mode…
Then he would truly surpass his predecessor.
The Fourth Hokage had some grasp of Sage Arts, but his chakra reserves weren't enough to sustain it. In real combat, it was more of a decorative ability.
But if Akira could maintain Sage Mode for extended periods—even reaching Jiraiya's level—that would already be unprecedented.
Akira weighed his answer for a moment, then nodded lightly.
"Yeah… you could say I've got the hang of it."
At that affirmation, a sharp gleam flashed in Jiraiya's eyes, and he struggled to suppress his excitement.
Even if Akira wasn't officially his student, the lineage still connected them—Akira was Kakashi's student, Kakashi was Minato's student, and Minato was his student.
That made Akira part of his direct legacy.
In the ninja world, such master-disciple bonds were often stronger than blood ties.
Among Kakashi's team, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were subordinates and students—
But Akira was the true inheritor of his teachings.
That much was obvious from the way Kakashi spoke about him.
And precisely because Naruto wasn't treated as Kakashi's true successor, Jiraiya had later taken him as his own student.
Before that, Naruto had mostly been under Kakashi's supervision due to the Third Hokage's orders regarding the jinchūriki.
Now that he had confirmation, Jiraiya's beard practically trembled with excitement.
Still, he forced himself to stay calm.
"How long can you maintain Sage Mode?"
Akira hesitated. He didn't want to reveal everything—but there was no need to hide too much either.
"Probably… over an hour."
In truth, that was a massive understatement.
If he went all out, he could maintain it for a full day and night without issue.
Even three days straight wouldn't be a problem.
That level of endurance was comparable to monsters like the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju.
But "over an hour" was already enough to avoid completely shocking people.
Even so, Jiraiya burst into laughter.
"An hour?! You can last an hour? That's unbelievable! Do you know—even a genius like the Fourth Hokage could only maintain it for about two minutes!"
Akira remained calm.
"Two minutes is actually enough. With Flying Raijin, that kind of instant-kill technique, two minutes is plenty for Lord Fourth to wipe out the enemy multiple times over."
He understood well—
For ordinary ninja, two minutes might just be a brief encounter.
But for someone like the Yellow Flash, it was the difference between life and death.
Still, for true top-tier opponents, Flying Raijin alone could sometimes fall short.
Against monsters like Uchiha Madara, for example, even the Second Hokage's Flying Raijin could become a liability.
Teleport in—and get your throat grabbed before you can act.
Their reaction speeds simply weren't on the same level.
So the real core of Flying Raijin wasn't the jutsu itself—but the user's reflexes and execution speed.
Otherwise, it was just delivering yourself to death.
In other words—
It was a technique made for those with extraordinary combat intelligence.
Jiraiya shook his head with a smile.
"No, no—two minutes is too short. Even with Flying Raijin, its practical value drops."
"But if you can really maintain it for over an hour… then it's flawless."
"Even I can't sustain Sage Mode for that long."
Akira wasn't surprised.
Although Jiraiya required the assistance of the two great toad sages to enter Sage Mode, his application of it was already highly refined.
Looking at the calm young boy before him, Jiraiya felt an increasing fondness.
If Kakashi hadn't gotten to him first, he would've seriously considered taking Akira as his final disciple.
Akira cut off Jiraiya's wandering thoughts and asked plainly,
"So… what jutsu are you planning to teach me?"
Jiraiya snapped back to reality and smiled mysteriously.
"Do you know the jutsu the Fourth Hokage created? The one specifically designed to work with Flying Raijin?"
Of course, Akira knew exactly what it was—but according to the "script," he should pretend not to.
So he shook his head.
Jiraiya grinned proudly.
"It's called the Rasengan. No hand seals, instant activation—perfectly compatible with Flying Raijin. The Fourth Hokage developed it with painstaking effort just for that purpose."
"It's an A-rank, no-seal jutsu with tremendous power."
Akira nodded, his expression still as calm as ever.
Jiraiya looked slightly deflated.
"Kid… aren't you even a little curious?"
Akira shrugged with a smile.
"What's there to be curious about? It's also an A-rank jutsu. My Chidori works just fine—and it pairs with Flying Raijin without any issues."
Jiraiya refused to back down.
"Rasengan represents a higher level of shape transformation. Even if they're ranked the same, its power definitely surpasses Chidori."
Akira neither agreed nor disagreed.
After all, Chidori in his hands and Chidori in Kakashi's hands were two completely different things.
Whether it was Chidori or Rasengan, their strength ultimately depended on the user.
But he didn't bother arguing.
"Alright then," he said casually. "I'll see if this 'ball' is really as amazing as you say."
In truth, Akira felt nothing at all.
If he wanted to develop Rasengan, it would take him mere minutes.
He simply had no need for it.
Based on Chidori alone, he had already created countless devastating Lightning Style jutsus—any one of them could rival, if not surpass, even the Wind Style: Rasenshuriken.
Some were even more lethal.
But those trump cards weren't things he casually revealed.
This trip with Jiraiya was, at its core, just a "publicly funded vacation"—and a chance to learn Tsunade's legendary medical ninjutsu.
Jiraiya poured some cold water on his enthusiasm.
"Don't get too confident. This jutsu is extremely difficult to learn—prepare for a long battle."
Akira simply smiled without responding.
I mastered Chidori at a glance—how hard could a pure shape-transformation jutsu like Rasengan be?
Rasengan was all about extreme chakra shape transformation.
Chidori, on the other hand, was a hybrid—combining both shape transformation and Lightning nature transformation.