Naruto 382

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Naruto
#382: The True Choice
[insert text: The secret... as Jiraiya finally works it out, Pain comes after him!!]
Jiraiya: (I get it now! I know who Pain really is!!)

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Jiraiya: (Pain's true identity... I have to let the old guy know...! // I can't do it... my throat's been all smashed up...)

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Jiraiya: (Damn it! // At this rate...!! // It's no use... // My consciousness is slipping away... // Am I... // ...dying? // Have I failed?)

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Jiraiya: (Being a shinobi is not so much a way of life as a way of death... // The value of a shinobi's life is not determined by how they have lived their life, but what they have accomplished before they died... // ...And if I cast my mind back, my tale's been full of nothing but failures...)

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Jiraiya: (Being rejected time and again by Tsunade... // Never being able to stop my own friend... // Unable to protect my student or my master... // If you compare what I've achieved to what the Hokage have done... // It just makes me look completely worthless...)

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Jiraiya: (I wanted to meet my end like one of the Hokage... // After all, a story is only as good as its conclusion... // Failure is just part of the weaving of the tale, each amusing exploit refining my own character - that's the thought that's always kept me going. // And in the end... // I would accomplish some great deed to make all that failure seem worthwhile! // I would die as a fine shinobi! // ...That's what I always planned... Hahah... // But it looks like... the real "conclusion"... is for me to just die like this...)

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Jiraiya: (The Great Toad Sennin foretold that I would lead a great revolutionary... // That I would make a great choice that could be the difference between peace and destruction for the shinobi world... // But even though I tried to defeat Pain, stop Akatsuki, and save the world of shinobi from destruction... // ...In the end, that choice too was just another failure... // It's just so pitiful... // ...To think that The Tale of the Gallant Jiraiya could end like this... // ...What a stupid story it was...)
Flashback!Minato: No, don't be so hard on yourself!
Flashback!Jiraiya: !

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Minato: This is a brilliant story! // Every chapter seems like one of your own personal legends... / It's almost like an autobiography...!
Jiraiya: But, you know... / I barely sold a single copy. // Maybe I should try for something with an erotic twist to it next time...
Minato: I thought it was really cool... the way the main character never gave up, right to the end... // I thought he was really just like you, sensei.

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Jiraiya: Heh... I wonder...
Minato: And then, that got me thinking.
Jiraiya: Hm?
Minato: I just started thinking about the kid I'm going to have... // ...and I was thinking, I really hope he grows up to be a main character like this! // So I was wondering... when it comes to a name for my kid... // Could I use your character's name?
Jiraiya: ...Wh - whoa there! Are you sure about that? // I just randomly came up with that name while I was eating ramen...

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Kushina: "Naruto". // I think it's a wonderful name!
Jiraiya: Kushina...

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Flashback!Jiraiya: Hahah... I don't know... / Wouldn't that make me, like, the godfather or something? // You sure you're okay with that?
Flashback!Minato: I wouldn't have anybody else! // After all, I can't think of anybody else in the world... / ...who's quite such a great and talented ninja as you!
Jiraiya: (That's right... // I gave that kid his name...)

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Flashback!Naruto: I'm gonna be the Hokage!! // I'm gonna be the best Hokage this village has ever seen!! // I never go back on my words... // ...That's my Way of the Ninja!

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Jiraiya: (Naruto... when I think about it, you're just like the hero of that story... // You really ended up becoming everything Minato and Kushina could have wanted... // But even so... As for me...)
Flashback!Minato: I wouldn't have anybody else! // After all, I can't think of anybody else in the world who's quite such a great and talented ninja as you!
Jiraiya: (...............)

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Flashback!Orochimaru: The only way that a ninja can call himself truly talented is to learn and master all the jutsu that exist in this world. // The characters that make up the word "ninja" say it all. / The word refers essentially to "one who uses ninjutsu".
Flashback!Jiraiya: No... that's not what makes a true ninja at all. // Do you still not understand...?!
Flashback!Orochimaru: ......!
Flashback!Jiraiya: Look at the characters in a different way. // A true ninja... is "one who endures".
Flashback!Orochimaru: I can't agree with you on that one.
Flashback!Jiraiya: Let me just tell you one thing... // What's really important to be a great ninja... / ...doesn't have anything to do with how many jutsu you can use...

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Flashback!Jiraiya: The truly important thing...
Flashback!Kabuto: !
Flashback!Jiraiya: ...is to have a will that will never fold.
Jiraiya: (Never to go back on one's own words... / And never to give up, no matter what... // If that's your Way of the Ninja... // Naruto... as your master, your teacher... // I can't possibly give up the ghost like this... // After all...)

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Jiraiya: Uuuuughhhh...!!
Father: Jiraiya-chan?!
Jiraiya: (The path of the student should also be the path of the master! // Don't you think that's right... Naruto?!!)
Pain: !
Father: He revived himself through sheer force of will?!
Pain: I was certain that your heart had stopped beating...
Father: All right!!

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Father: Ngh... // Okay! I understand what you're saying!!
Jiraiya: (Not to give up... That in and of itself was the true "choice" I had to make! // Naruto... the true "prophesied child" was definitely you... so take care of the rest for me!!)
[side text: The Tales of the Gallant Jiraiya... a tour de force of vigour. Right at the end, the hero makes his choice to "never give up"... and entrusts his hopes to Naruto!!]
[bottom text: Jiraiya's death... how will Konoha react tothe news? Next issue, "The Spreading Darkness"!!]