Chapter Twenty-Five: The Lustful Immortal Makes His Entrance

Chapter Twenty-Five: The Lustful Sage Makes His Entrance

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Now, on to the main story.

After a month-long break, the three of them resumed their training.

“You’re here, Sasuke.” Shuster and Kakashi were waiting at their usual spot, with Sasuke arriving first. Shuster stood up to greet him.

“Teacher Hatake, how should I begin my training?” Although Sasuke had given up on revenge, his desire for power had not diminished in the slightest.

“Your swordsmanship can only be honed on the brink between life and death, do you understand, Sasuke?” Shuster said, his expression grave.

“Hm?... I understand, Teacher Hatake.” Sasuke pondered for a moment before replying.

“Then, your task is to fight against my three shadow clones using only the basic transformation techniques—no ninjutsu allowed. Here’s my special potion: it will heal any wounds, even fatal ones, as long as you’re not killed instantly. You’ll survive.” Shuster created three clones and addressed Sasuke.

“Well then, please take care of me, Teacher Hatake.” Sasuke drew the Kusanagi sword and faced Shuster’s clones.

“Be careful, Sasuke. We’ll gradually increase our swordsmanship in response to your progress—don’t expect us to hold back!” ×3

“Understood! Here I come!” Sasuke declared, charging forward.

“Idiot, a swordsman never charges head-on,” the lead clone said, sending Sasuke flying with a single slash.

“A ninja who wields a sword should rely on ambushes, not rush in like a samurai,” the lead clone continued his lesson.

Watching the bout, Kakashi grumbled, “Shuster, why did you ask me to come here?”

“Well, I’d like you to teach Sasuke about chakra conduction and the properties of lightning release. I was born with an affinity for lightning, so I don’t even know the nature of it myself,” Shuster admitted.

“Good grief, what a hassle… Shadow Clone Technique!” Kakashi sighed, splitting off a clone to instruct Sasuke.

“Aren’t you going to teach Sakura?” Kakashi asked, scratching his face as he watched the relaxed Shuster.

“My clone’s already with her. I’m here to discuss with you how we should coordinate for this upcoming mission.” Shuster’s face suddenly turned serious.

“Oh? What do you have in mind?” Kakashi inquired.

And so, Shuster began his discussion with Kakashi, while Sasuke continued his sword training nearby.

—Scene shifts to Naruto—

“Ah, it’s you! You big… pervert!” Naruto yelled, pointing at the temporary teacher Shuster’s clone had found for him.

“How rude!” The man, a jonin with a black headscarf and sunglasses, adjusted his glasses in annoyance.

“Why is someone like this my temporary teacher? He’s even worse than me!” Naruto protested, pointing at him.

“What? Is that so?” Shuster’s clone feigned surprise.

“Of course! At the time, my Harem Technique—mmph!” Naruto began to explain to the clone, but the jonin, recalling how Naruto had humiliated him with that very technique, quickly covered Naruto’s mouth. (For the full story, check out episode two of the anime. Don’t say I’m padding the word count; maybe I’ll run a poll to see how many people want these kinds of scenes written out.)

“Kid, don’t say another word! I’ll agree to anything, just keep quiet!” the jonin whispered in Naruto’s ear.

“Huh, didn’t expect you two to know each other, Ebisu,” Shuster said with feigned curiosity.

“We do, but it’s a cursed fate, that’s all,” Ebisu replied, ruffling Naruto’s spiky hair, all the while thinking this was the most humiliating moment of his life.

“But why him? I don’t want him!” Naruto complained.

“Hey, if Thunder hadn’t asked me as a favor, do you think I’d want to teach you?” Ebisu snapped.

“Come on, you two. Naruto, Ebisu-sensei is a private tutor for elite students, a special jonin. He’s much more skilled at teaching than I am. You have to study hard, Naruto. I have a special S-rank mission, so I can’t help you right now. Don’t worry, you’re not worse than Sasuke at all—your fundamentals just need work! That’s it, Ebisu-sensei, I’ll take my leave.” Shuster knelt before Naruto, said his piece, then stood, nodded to Ebisu, and released the clone, which vanished in a puff of white smoke.

“Let’s get going, Naruto,” Ebisu said, adjusting his glasses.

“…I still can’t accept this,” Naruto muttered sullenly.

“Huh?” Ebisu was clearly feeling the pressure.

“I mean, yeah, fundamentals are important, but how am I supposed to get stronger with a teacher weaker than me?” Naruto said, giving Ebisu a disdainful look.

“Are you saying I’m weak?” Ebisu asked, puzzled.

“Of course! Who else would I say?” Naruto replied, his voice rising with excitement.

“Hmph… I’ll admit your shameless technique caught me off guard, but if you think you can judge someone’s strength based on that alone, you’re being far too simplistic,” Ebisu said, exasperated.

“One hit and you passed out—you’re all talk,” Naruto mumbled, dejected.

“Tell you what, Naruto, let’s make a bet. If you can escape from me, I’ll leave and even beg Thunder or Kakashi to teach you, how about that?” Ebisu crouched down, a sly smile on his face.

“Really? You’re not lying?” Naruto perked up immediately.

“Ebisu-sensei never lies—but that’s only if you manage to escape first,” Ebisu said, standing and adjusting his glasses.

“Easy! I’m outta here!” Naruto shouted and dashed off.

“Heh heh heh,” Ebisu chuckled, a hint of malice in his voice.

—Scene shifts to the hot spring street—

“Sigh, nothing beats a good bath after reading a book!” Shuster emerged from a private bath, a towel wrapped around his waist. His appearance was so striking that the men’s bath was problematic, and the women’s was out of the question.

“Hm? Whoa! Incredible! That figure is pure inspiration for my writing—I must use this for reference!” An older man with long white hair and no forehead protector, his face lecherous, gawked at Shuster’s graceful form, utterly entranced. From behind, he couldn’t discern the gender.

“Why are you following me?” Sensing someone tailing him, Shuster instantly used the Body Flicker Technique to reach the rooftop at a corner, preparing to strike as the man rounded the corner.

“Ah, you noticed! In that case, I’ll just turn around openly!” The old man spun around grandly—and was stunned by what he saw. So beautiful!

“Old man, the way you’re looking at me makes me want to tear you to pieces,” Shuster said with a dangerous smile, a red cross throbbing on his forehead.

“Huh?” The old man’s gaze drifted down: first, he noticed the subtle Adam’s apple, nearly invisible unless you looked for it, then skin so fair most women would envy it, and then a chest as flat as a board… What a waste—a perfect figure, yet not a hint of a bust, and that Adam’s apple… Wait, an Adam’s apple? A man!?

“Now I really want to hit you, old man,” Shuster said, sensing the man’s thoughts were clearly rude, his expression darkening.

“What did you say?” The old man, only just recovering, looked up in confusion, not having heard the first threat.

With a “bam,” Shuster, furious, sent the white-haired old man flying with a punch. The man crashed through a wall, startling Naruto and Ebisu outside, who were in the middle of training.

“Huh? Now that I get a closer look, isn’t that Jiraiya of the Legendary Three?” Shuster, donning a bathrobe, appeared at the hole and looked at the ‘oil’ kanji on the man’s forehead.

PS: I’m genuinely baffled by what some people just said. Don’t you understand subtlety? My focus is on character development; should I just have a Kage-level ninja fighting a genin right away? Is it you who’s being unreasonable, or am I out of touch?