Chapter 68: The Water's Surface and the Seal
"How to control chakra more precisely? Isn't that easy?" Naruto boasted, slapping his chest confidently.
Jiraiya ignored him and continued, "What you have to do is simple. Condense chakra on the soles of your feet and try to stand on the water."
"What?! Stand on water? That's impossible!" Naruto protested, convinced such a feat was beyond reach.
"Idiot," Jiraiya chided, rapping Naruto on the head. "Just because you can't do it doesn't mean it's impossible." Through this brief contact, he was already realizing how difficult Naruto's energetic personality would make the training.
Jiraiya then demonstrated, leaping lightly onto the water's surface. He stood there as steady as if he were on solid ground, his form as light as a feather.
Naruto was astonished, but Aizen remained utterly indifferent. To him, this was a trivial application of energy control, something he had mastered long ago.
On his very first day encountering chakra, Aizen had achieved precise control with his monstrous talent. After more than a month of practice, his proficiency was absolute.
"See? This is what I want you to accomplish today. Naruto, you try first," Jiraiya said, stepping off the water and instantly reappearing between the two boys. This display of supernatural speed made Aizen's eyes gleam with interest.
"It's just standing on water, no big deal," Naruto muttered, closing his eyes and focusing chakra into his feet. He stepped out boldly and, miraculously, found himself standing on the water.
"See? I can do it too!" he crowed.
But his triumph was short-lived. His expression shifted as the chakra on his soles destabilized and scattered.
Splash!
With a crisp sound, Naruto fell embarrassingly into the water, instantly drenched. The hot spring water was scalding, making him yelp in pain.
"Just as I expected," Jiraiya sighed, his exasperation clear. He had already assessed Naruto's shortcomings.
"Aizen, you try," Jiraiya said, turning his head.
"Yes, I will do my best, Senior," Aizen nodded and walked calmly to the pond's edge.
He rose onto the balls of his feet, made a light, effortless leap, and landed perfectly on the water's surface, as steady and unmoving as Mount Tai.
"Success on the first try? Impressive," Jiraiya remarked, a rare note of praise in his voice. Aizen's movements were fluid, his stance perfectly calm and balanced. The difference between his performance and Naruto's was like night and day, an almost insurmountable gap.
"See, Naruto? It seems the problem is with your fundamentals," Jiraiya said with a teasing smile, deliberately provoking Naruto's competitive spirit.
"I don't believe it! If Aizen can do it, why can't I?!" Naruto clenched his fists, his morale soaring as he prepared to try again.
Yet, the result was the same. He repeated his mistake, falling tragically back into the water, emerging looking like a drowned rat.
"Again!" Unwilling to give up, Naruto tried once more with undimmed enthusiasm. The ending remained tragic.
After several more failed attempts, a breathless and frustrated Naruto finally climbed out of the water, angrily peeling off his soaked shirt.
Suddenly, two distinct seal markings on his abdomen caught the sharp eyes of both Jiraiya and Aizen.
"The Four Symbols Seal?" Jiraiya muttered.
"This power...?" Aizen marveled inwardly at the same time, though their thoughts were worlds apart.
Jiraiya was recognizing the familiar, masterful work of the Fourth Hokage—a seal designed to slowly transmute the Kyuubi's leaked chakra into a usable form for its host.
Aizen, however, was sensing the immense, turbulent energy behind the seal. Though he could only perceive it vaguely, it was enough to make his blood surge with excitement. After his encounter with Gaara, he knew about the Nine Tailed Beasts and their Jinchuriki hosts. Seeing this seal now confirmed his suspicion: Naruto's body also housed one of the nine great Tailed Beasts.
How unexpected. Today's harvest is even more bountiful than I anticipated, Aizen thought, his internal glee masked by a placid, flawless exterior.
He decided to employ the same strategy he'd used on Gaara. He would plant a subtle spiritual seal upon this Four Symbols Seal, adding another powerful, controllable variable to the board for his future rebellion.