Naruto tilted his head, considering Kurama's outburst. "I see. Then... is there any way to get you out of here?"
Kurama sneered, his massive tails lashing against the bars. "Of course there is a way, but you are already the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki. Once I leave your body, there will only be one fate for you..."
That is death!
Naruto's eyes widened in alarm, and then fury bubbled up. "So you bastard, you can't give me any benefit, you'll only attract other people's resentment, and even if there's a way to get rid of you, I'll still die!"
"You're a complete jinx!"
Kurama didn't seem to care. "Hmph, so what?"
Naruto thought about it and realized that there really was nothing he could do...
"Then you'd better stay put!"
"I will not borrow your power. I am far stronger than you, you fox demon!"
Kurama was extremely frustrated.
His original plan was to gradually disrupt Naruto's chakra and will, and wait for the right opportunity to make Naruto go completely berserk so that he could take over his body and regain his freedom.
However, because the system was there, it shocked both Naruto and himself, forcing him to abandon his plan to disrupt Naruto's chakra.
That leaves only the option of getting Naruto to take control of the Nine-Tails' chakra.
In this process, he could take advantage of the situation and potentially take over his body...
But now, that brat Naruto is saying with absolute certainty that he doesn't need his power!
That's how people are, and that's how foxes are too...
Although I am sealed away by you, what you want is my power, which makes me very angry.
But you don't want my power, and even despise me, which makes me (the fox) furious!
I can choose not to give...
But you can't help not want it!
...
Naruto's will stimulated the Nine-Tailed Fox in the mental space.
The main body was still talking to Jiraiya.
Jiraiya sighed, running a hand through his wild white hair. "This is going to be difficult..."
He thought to himself, "The Nine-Tailed Fox is the greatest legacy that Minato deliberately left for Naruto. If we just give it up like this, not only will Minato not agree, but the entire Hidden Leaf Village probably won't agree either..."
But if Naruto doesn't want it, how can anyone force him?!
Jiraiya patiently persuaded him, leaning in with a serious gaze. "Naruto, if you don't want the Nine-Tailed Fox's power, can you really reach that level on your own?"
"Becoming Hokage is harder than climbing to heaven!"
Naruto chuckled, his eyes sparkling with determination. "I know! It's precisely because it's so difficult that it's worth achieving!"
What's the point of a dream that's too easy?
Jiraiya was taken aback.
Oh no, my one-track mind has become blocked at both ends!
He coughed and said, "Naruto, empty words are useless."
"Since you don't want to rely on any external forces, then let me see just how strong you really are!"
Naruto was worried about having no one to train with, but he immediately perked up when he heard what he said, jumping to his feet with a grin.
"Good!"
"Then let's give it a try!"
He instantly activated his signature ninjutsu.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!"
In an instant, hundreds and thousands of shadow clones appeared, densely packed, covering the sky and the entire field outside Konoha Village.
Jiraiya was taken aback, his eyes widening in genuine surprise. "How can someone possess such a massive amount of chakra without relying on the Nine-Tailed Fox's power?"
"Yes, that makes sense. After all, he still has Kushina's bloodline in him. The Uzumaki clan has a huge amount of chakra, and their vitality and recovery ability are strong..."
"However, this is definitely not a level that ordinary members of the Uzumaki clan can reach..."
"Naruto, that guy, is not only talented, but also incredibly hardworking..."
He laughed heartily, clapping his hands together. "Naruto, no wonder you dared to say such big things, it seems you do have some ability after all!"
"Okay, let me verify it then!"
Naruto didn't hesitate: "Let's go!"
In an instant, countless shadow clones surged towards Jiraiya like a tidal wave, punching and kicking, with shuriken flying everywhere, making it impossible for him to dodge or defend against them!
However...
This level of offensive is obviously not very meaningful to someone like Jiraiya, who is at the pinnacle of his abilities.
He fought against hundreds and thousands of shadow clones on equal terms, relying solely on his physical strength.
He easily destroyed the shadow clones one by one, and he was like a flower in a garden, not a single petal touching him, and he did not suffer any harm at all.
"Hahahaha, someone with this level of skill can't become Hokage!"
Naruto was also dumbfounded. The perverted sage in front of him was indeed not bragging. His strength was probably even above Kakashi-sensei!
"Damn it! How dare you look down on me!"
"Try this move of mine!"
"Wind Release! Great Breakthrough!"
"Wind Release! Wind Slice Technique!"
Knowing that this person was powerful, Naruto no longer concealed his strength. His main body and shadow clones simultaneously unleashed Wind Release: Great Breakthrough and Wind Release: Wind Cutting Technique!
In an instant, a raging gale swept across the heavens and the earth, and countless sharp wind blades swept across the sky, cutting and slicing everything in their path, turning the plains into a landscape of ravines!
Jiraiya was shocked: "What?!"
"He's mastered so many Wind Release ninjutsu, and he can even unleash them all at once?!"
"No wonder even a bastard like Orochimaru looks at this kid with new respect..."
Although shocked, Jiraiya remained calm.
He smiled slightly and clapped his hands on the ground.
"Earth Release! Earth Flow Wall!"
Suddenly, a tall earth-style wall burst forth from the ground, rising up in great size, breadth, and thickness, its scale and scope extraordinary, effectively blocking Naruto's Wind Release breakthrough.
Although the Wind-Cutting Technique shredded the Earth Flow Wall into pieces, it ultimately did not completely break through the defense.
Naruto's eyes widened: "It actually defended against my ultimate attack!"
Jiraiya was equally shocked, thinking to himself.
"I used up all my chakra and power to create the strongest and thickest earth wall, and it still got destroyed like this..."
"Naruto, you weren't exaggerating after all, you truly are a genius ninja!"
"As expected of Minato's son!"
***
At this moment, Jiraiya couldn't help but recall that incredibly talented young ninja.
That man, who always wore a gentle and confident smile, seemed to overlap with the figure of Naruto before his eyes.
Jiraiya's vision began to blur.
"Like father, like son..."
"Minato, Naruto inherited your and Kushina's talents..."
"However, it seems that this was achieved through unimaginable hard work and relentless effort..."
"Perhaps, he could really become Hokage without relying on the power of the Nine-Tails."
"In that case, he has surpassed your imagination..."
Jiraiya was filled with mixed emotions, but his hands were not idle.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball!"
In an instant, a huge, raging fire spewed from his mouth, covering an enormous area and engulfing the entire battlefield!
Naruto's multiple shadow clones were almost instantly engulfed and annihilated by the flames, turning into wisps of white smoke and disappearing with a series of soft sounds...
"Wow, that's amazing!"
Naruto stared in shock at this scene. Sasuke's fire-style ninjutsu was nothing compared to Jiraiya's. In terms of scale, range, and power, it was completely incomparable!
"Hahahaha, all your shadow clones disappeared, wasting a huge amount of chakra instead, didn't they?"
"Now that only the original body remains, how much power does it have left?"
Naruto, however, was filled with righteous indignation: "Don't underestimate me, the Pervy Sage!"
He roared and charged forward resolutely, facing the challenge head-on!
"Wind Release! Whirlwind Fist!"
A fist wrapped in wind-style chakra suddenly approached Jiraiya!
"Oh? You've mastered this move too?"
"This is truly a pleasant surprise..."
Jiraiya countered Naruto's moves, engaging him in a fierce battle with his highly experienced taijutsu.
Bang bang—
Bang bang bang!
"Konoha Whirlwind!"
Naruto suddenly kicked out, and Jiraiya quickly blocked it with his arm.
Although he wasn't hurt, he did feel a sharp pain in his arm.
"Naruto, you've even learned Might Guy's taijutsu?"
"Just how many teachers did he learn from..."
Naruto shouted as he fought, "Iruka-sensei, Thick-browed-hair-sensei, Asuma-sensei, Kakashi-sensei..."
"And... there's another teacher I can't mention..."
Jiraiya was dumbfounded.
"You really know how to draw on the strengths of many people..."
"These people are actually willing to teach you..."
Bang--
Bang! Bang!
"Konoha Power Cyclone!"
"Of course! That's what they call personal charisma!"
Naruto shouted as he fought.
Jiraiya scoffed, "Really? I didn't see much of that..."
He kicked Naruto away.
As soon as Naruto landed, he quickly formed hand seals and then slammed them together.
"Wind Release! Gale Palm!"