"Well... uh... you see..."
Tatsuma scratched his "trendy grandma-style" explosive perm and said, "I heard that you, Lord Jiraiya, have created your own ninjutsu using your hair."
Jiraiya blinked, taking in Tatsuma's look of longing mixed with a hint of bashfulness. "I have. Why? You want to learn?"
" Cough... well, would it be okay?"
Tatsuma felt a bit shameless. After all, he'd only just met Jiraiya today. Asking for ninjutsu right out of the gate felt a bit over the line, even to him.
Jiraiya, however, didn't mind at all. He let out a boisterous laugh. His hair-based techniques had never really received much recognition; in fact, Orochimaru had spent years mocking them. Hearing someone actually want to learn them was a huge ego boost.
"Haha! Of course! It's not exactly forbidden or high-level stuff. But... I have to ask: why do you want to learn my hair techniques specifically?"
Jiraiya leaned in, his expression earnest. He was practically vibrating with the hope that he would hear words like "powerful," "cool," or "legendary."
Tatsuma scratched his temple. "Because I have a natural perm. I wanted to see if I could use hair ninjutsu to make my hair go straight."
Jiraiya's smile froze. He stared at the boy for a long moment before asking, "You want to learn my techniques... just for that?"
Jiraiya felt like his passion had been tossed into a cold puddle. Tatsuma, seeing the reaction, spoke up hurriedly.
"Lord Jiraiya, you don't understand how terrifying and troublesome a natural perm is! Take washing it, for example. If I don't wash it, it puffs up like an explosion the next day, exactly like it is now. But if I do wash it and don't dry it perfectly, it goes limp and greasy the next morning, like soggy seaweed in soup. And even if I use a blowdryer, if the air is too hot, these weird sharp angles pop out everywhere, like I've got shuriken hidden in my scalp. You have no idea how much I just want smooth, straight hair!"
As Tatsuma went on, his voice filled with such genuine sorrow that for a fleeting second, Jiraiya wondered if the boy was describing a terminal illness rather than a hair type.
However, Jiraiya quickly snapped out of it and shook his head. "Look, it doesn't matter why you want to learn. But I should warn you upfront: my techniques won't make your hair straight, and they certainly won't make it smooth. You still want to learn?"
Tatsuma thought about his Ninjutsu Development talent, which was currently at 15%. He could already manage some basic E-rank R&D. If he used Jiraiya's Needle Jizo and Wild Lion's Mane as a foundation, inventing a "Hair Straightening Jutsu" in the future seemed like a very real possibility.
He nodded firmly. "Yes, Lord Jiraiya. I want to learn."
Jiraiya nodded, then turned to Minato. "Minato, you should learn too!"
He had intended to test both boys anyway; seeing how they handled his specific techniques would be a great way to gauge their potential. Minato blinked, then asked excitedly, "Really? Thank you so much, Lord Jiraiya!"
Jiraiya was pleased with their reactions. He understood why Minato was so moved—for a commoner shinobi, any legitimate jutsu that wasn't a joke was worth its weight in gold.
"Aha! The ramen's here! Eat up first. Afterward, we'll head to the training ground and I'll give you a demonstration. As for the actual learning part, you'll have to put in the work yourselves. I'll leave you with some scrolls containing the theory and my own insights, but I don't have much time to stay and teach you personally."
Jiraiya took his bowl from the vendor and smiled. Tatsuma shook his head. "Just you being willing to teach us is more than we could ask for."
"Yeow! Hot! Hot, hot!"
Jiraiya's smile vanished as he immediately scalded his tongue on the broth. Seeing this, Tatsuma's eyes lit up.
"Lord Jiraiya! Can a ninja as powerful as you actually be defeated by a bowl of hot soup? Let's have a contest! Let's see who can finish their ramen first!"
Minato facepalmed. There it is. His weird competitive streak is flaring up again.
Jiraiya was taken aback for a moment, but before he could even process the challenge, Tatsuma had already grabbed his bowl and was slurping down noodles with a feral intensity.
"Hey, kid! Don't actually burn yourself!" Jiraiya shouted. He quickly snatched up his chopsticks. "And for the record, this Great One doesn't lose to anyone! Ninja Art: Ramen-Blowing Jutsu!"
Minato stared at Jiraiya in disbelief. Is this elite Jonin really that competitive too? He's using 'ninjutsu' just to win a ramen race?
A second later, Minato realized the "Ninja Art" was just Jiraiya blowing as hard as he could on his noodles to cool them down.
A few moments later, Tatsuma slammed his empty bowl down and let out a loud burp. He didn't even wipe his mouth before looking at Jiraiya. Seeing the man still eating, Tatsuma breathed a sigh of relief.
"As expected of you, Lord Jiraiya—practicing your 'ninjutsu' even while eating! But this round is my win!"
[Ding!]
[Attributes Acquired: NIN +10]
[Special Talent Acquired: Relationship Expert (Jiraiya Limited Edition) 100%]
Tatsuma felt a surge of excitement as the notifications popped up—especially since a 100% special talent had appeared. But as he read the description, his lip curled.
Discard the Special Talent. Collect the +10 Ninjutsu.
Jiraiya's romantic history was a disaster of epic proportions. The man was currently in the prime of his youth and likely didn't know yet that he would spend the next thirty-five years failing to win over Tsunade. And the one time he came closest... he sacrificed the chance to be with her for the sake of the village and his students.
Jiraiya was a tragic, beautiful soul, but Tatsuma had zero desire for his love life to mirror that particular brand of suffering. Even if it was a 100% "Limited Edition," he wasn't touching it.
Still, gaining ten points of raw Ninjutsu potential just for eating a bowl of ramen made him incredibly happy. Jiraiya was truly a generous teacher, even to kids who weren't officially his students.
"Pops, check please!"
Once Minato finished, Jiraiya magnanimously called for the bill. He pulled a few crumpled bills from his pocket, looking a bit pathetic. Fortunately, ramen was cheap—only about sixty ryo per person.
Jiraiya stood up and stretched his limbs. He looked at the two boys—both sporting dark circles under their eyes but vibrating with excitement—and grinned.
"Alright! Let's move! Time to show you some real ninjutsu!"