A Senju Tale: Change of Fate

---Author's Note---

I have read all of your comments and will respond to some of them. I really appreciate all of the feedback and am glad you guys are enjoying it.

First, I will try to make the paragraphs shorter. It might be a bit challenging at times because it may affect the flow but I will make an effort. Second, Nawaki will learn other elements. He only just graduated from the academy and well before 10 years old. So don't worry. In addition, just because he is going to Mount Myoboku, that does not mean that he will get toads as his summoning, I feel like that would be a bit cliche. If you guys have any ideas on what animal you want to see him use, let me know. We could use foxes, dragons or something crazy that I can't even think of yet. Let me know! Here's the chapter.

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"So sensei, how are we gonna get there?" Nawaki looked to Jiraiya as he continued, "We will get summoned there using a reverse summoning right?" Jiraiya smiled and shook his head before saying, "Nope! We are going to take a secret route and journey there on foot." Minato seemed excited for a moment but then in a moment of hesitation he asked, "Sensei, how long will this journey take?" Jiraiya chuckled. At the same time Kensho chucked and said, "Oh wait till you hear this!" Nawaki scoffed and repeated Minato saying, "Yeah, how long is this journey?" Jiraiya smirked and then said, "Normally, it would take one month but depending on how fast you are, we could cut the journey down to a bit over a week at best."

"Uhhh, Nawaki… Where are you going?" Jiraiya asked. Without turning back Nawaki replied, "Home! Have fun!" Minato and Jiraiya looked at each other and laughed before running after Nawaki. Jiraiya then pleaded with, "Come on my dear student, accompany me on this journey. I swear that those toads will be able to help you progress your sage prowess. Just wait until you feel the overflowing amount of natural energy that exists in those lands. Ahhhh, my training was glorious." Hearing this, Nawaki's interest peaked as he said, "Hmmmmm, alright. I'll come on one condition. That condition being that we finish the journey in about two weeks."

Jiraiya scoffed before saying, "Don't kid yourself. I doubt you two kids could keep up that kind of pace." Minato and Nawaki turned to each other and grinned before Nawaki turned back to their sensei to say, "Try me bitch." As if they both accepted Jiraiya's challenge, the air around the group changed. The sensei turned to his students and smiled before saying, "Then, we're off!" As he said this, he flickered away and started hopping up the rock faces behind the Hokage mansion. Almost immediately, Minato and Nawaki made eye contact, smiling as they took off catching up to Jiraiya easily.

"Oho, you two are fast! Maybe we can pick up the pace a bit." Jiraiya then pulled ahead. Same as last time, the two genin smiled as they matched his pace after quickly catching up. After keeping up this high pace, they stopped to rest for the night. As Jiraiya set up a hammock, Minato and Nawaki looked at each other before grinning. Nawaki then spoke up saying, "Sensei, would you mind taking down your hammock and stepping back?" Looking confused, Jiraiya followed the request. As he did this, Kensho said "Oh man, I can not wait to see the look on his face." Weaving through a set of hand signs and then saying, "Mokuton: Shichuka no jutsu" (Four Pillar House) Nawaki raised up a small wooden cabin from the earth. Jiraiya's eyes widened as he then watched Minato pull 3 futons out of a sealing scroll.

Seeing all of this, he said, "Oh boy, you guys sure know how to spoil your sensei." However they were not done. Using his inventory, Nawaki pulled out some raw meat and fresh vegetables. They were just as fresh as the moment he bought them that morning. Then Minato removed a small brick stove from another sealing scroll. Setting it down, Nawaki got to work and cooked up a feast.

*Skill Leveled up! Cooking: Intermediate \u003e Advanced*

Seeing this, Nawaki grinned as he finished preparing their dinner. Placing the various ingredients onto skewers, he served them up hot and fresh to a hungry looking Jiraiya and Minato. All at once, they said, "Itadakimasu!" They all scarfed down the food. After his first skewer, Jiraiya turned to Nawaki and said, "Damn, who taught you to cook? And also, your sealing is quite impressive. The ingredients taste as if they were just picked up from the grocer. How do you do it?"

Hearing this question, Nawaki thought to himself as he heard Kensho whisper to him, "Spew some bullshit about the Uzumaki bloodline. I bet he is dumb enough to believe it!" Nawaki chuckled and then said, "Well, I learned this special seal from Mito. Apparently I am only able to use it because of the Uzumaki bloodline. Otherwise, I would definitely show it to you." Nawaki shrugged as Jiraiya rolled his eyes. He couldn't tell if this was some BS or if it was actually the truth. Regardless he concluded that he would not be able to learn this technique from Nawaki.

Turning back to Nawaki he asked, "Can you at least teach me how to cook?" Hearing this, Nawaki smiled and replied, "I'm sorry sensei, but that is a clan secret!" He grinned as he finished saying this. The three of them laughed as they packed up their things and went to sleep in the wooden cabin.

After ten days of about the same, they reached a clearing. Jiraiya signaled for them to stop and they did so. As they did, Minato asked, "Sensei why have we stopped?" Turning to his dear students, he replied, "I'm glad you asked!" He raised his hands and then continued, "Behold, the sage land of Mount Myoboku."

Minato and Nawaki looked past Jiraiya and they were speechless. In front of them was gargantuan stone arch with some kanji inscribed on it. At the base of each side of the arch, a huge stone statue of a toad could be seen with some kanji inscribed into the base. Above each statue stood two towering mountains. They were vastly steep and were made up of a very dark stone. The peak came to a point. Looking through the arch, a valley was visible. Huge lakes and rivers could be seen as well as tall jagged rock formations. Alien looking plant life was scattered and they were all as big as trees.

As the sight started to sink in, Nawaki suddenly felt something. As he walked forward towards the entrance to Mount Myoboku, he could feel an overwhelming amount of energy. He ran ahead as he heard Kensho say, "Took you long enough. Let's see how it feels!" Nawaki ran under the arch and sat under the shade of one of the alien looking trees. Entering the lotus position, he closed his eyes and began to meditate. Nawaki was shocked. As he felt the vast amount of nature energy that surrounded him, he was able to sense for miles. He could feel hundreds of thousands of chakra signatures. From the insects flying around, to the various toads, he could feel all of them. Suddenly, he felt a massive concentration of nature energy. It felt as if all of it was coming from one being.

Turning around, Nawaki said, "I felt something massive. Can we go check it out?" Minato looked to Jiraiya, who then said, "Hmmm, you probably sensed Gamamaru. Anyways, lead the way!" Nawaki smiled and turned as they all ran together through the valley. As they ran, Nawaki could feel a vast amount of natural energy entering his body and it felt amazing.

*Perk Leveled Up! Sage Mode: Intermediate \u003e Advanced*

Nawaki thought to Kensho, 'What does that mean?' Kensho made himself visible and smiled before saying, "I won't tell you just yet but it is quite amazing. You'll probably want to be sitting down for it so let's check it out later." Nawaki nodded and continued running.

Suddenly, a large toad that was approximately 8 feet tall jumped out in front of them and yelled, "Halt!" Suddenly his expression changed and he said, "Oh, my apologies Jiraiya dono. You have never taken this route so I did not realize it was you. Who are the two young ones?" Jiraiya smiled seeing a familiar face, "Oh, Gamabunta! It is great to see you my friend. These are my two students. The blond is Minato and the other one is Nawaki."

After analyzing Nawaki and Minato for a moment Gamabunta replied, "Hmmm, I see you guys are headed towards the Shrine of the Great Toad Sage. Gamamaru sama would definitely be interested in these two boys. Tell ma and pa I say hi, will ya?" Jiraiya smiled and replied, "Hmm, I'm sure he would like to meet them. I'll pass on the message, see you around my friend." The three of them carried on.

After a few more minutes of running, they approached the shrine. It was massive. Made entirely of stone, there were statues of many different toads. In the distance, two small toads could be seen at the entrance of the shrine. They smiled as they saw Jiraiya. Before making their way up the stairs, Minato and Nawaki looked at each other and nodded as they stashed one of each of their flying raijin kunai behind a tree.

As they topped the steps, one of the roads called out in an elderly voice, "Jiraiya chan, it is good to see you. Who are these fine young men you brought with you?" Jiraiya smiled as he bowed to them and said, "These are my students." Minato followed suit and bowed saying, "Greetings. My name is Namikaze Minato." Also bowing, Nawaki said, "And my name is Senju Nawaki." Smiling the two elder toads then said, "I am Fukasaku," "and I am Shima." Fukasaku then said, "Gamamaru sama has been expecting you. We will go and notify him that you have arrived."

Nawaki smirked when hearing this and then said, "I think he already knows that we are here." Shima turned to Nawaki and asked, "What makes you say that Nawaki chan?" As she said that an elderly voice bellowed from inside the shrine, "Would you two guide the children in?" Shima and Fukasaku turned to each other and nodded. Fukasaku said, "Follow us guys."

The interior of the shrine was immaculate. Sprawling stone designs lines the walls. Various depressions in the walls of the main hall contained additional toad statues. At the end of the main hall sat a huge toad. He looked ancient. He had wrinkles all over his body and squinted to see. He wore a scholars cap on his head and wore a chain necklace with a medallion that had the kanji for oil. In his elderly voice he called out, "Ah, Jiraiya chan, it is good to see you. Now, young ones, my name is Gamamaru. I am the Great Toad Sage. Who might you be?"

Minato bowed and said, "Greetings Gamamaru sama, my name is Namikaze Minato." When it was Nawaki's turn, he stayed silent. He was frozen in place. He had never felt such a large and powerul source of energy before. It was as if he could feel all of Mount Myoboku's natural energy converging on the giant toad in front of him. But it wasn't just him, it was also Fukasaku and Shima. They also had an extremely strong presence in terms of natural energy.

Trying to calm himself down, he suddenly felt a strange power rising within him. As this power grew and grew, he could feel a huge amount of natural energy flow within him. Fukasaku and Shima looked shocked. Gamamaru then said, "Very impressive young one. It turns out to be a good thing that you came here."