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After officially becoming Hokage, Tsunade quickly became buried in work. Nearly every matter in the village, big or small, required her attention.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, aside from attending necessary meetings, spent most of his time making up for his past mistakes—repairing as many of the scrolls damaged in the fire as possible.
As for Tsunade, when she actually began implementing Midorima's plan, she realized it was far more difficult than she had initially imagined.
Simply extracting the capable members of the Uchiha clan from the Police Force was no easy task.
Due to years of being targeted, the Uchiha had grown extremely sensitive. The slightest provocation could set them off.
Fortunately, the sudden appearance of Orochimaru and Danzō diverted Fugaku Uchiha's attention. When Tsunade mentioned the need to dispatch Uchiha members to track down these two, Fugaku cooperatively provided support.
The next step was to reassign these Uchiha shinobi to other departments once they returned.
Return to the Police Force?
That wouldn't be possible for the time being.
Once these matters were on track, Tsunade finally turned to the most challenging task—reforming the Academy.
The principal submitted two revised proposals, both of which Tsunade rejected.
Truthfully, she didn't have a concrete plan for how to reform the Academy either. For now, she could only take things one step at a time.
A cup of tea was placed in front of her. The troubled Tsunade let out a long sigh.
"Thanks. By the way, could you go and fetch the principal aga—"
She looked up and saw Jiraiya standing before her.
"Sorry, I thought you were Shizune..."
"It's fine." Jiraiya smiled warmly—a rare sight that carried a comforting air. "Ever since I came back, you've been constantly busy. You should take some time to rest."
"The Uchiha situation is urgent. You've attended the recent meetings. Danzō targeted them, even going as far as transplanting their eyes. Yet, despite that, some people still refuse to ease their hostility toward the clan. Bridging the gap between both sides is no easy task."
"I know. I just think the person who proposed this plan to you must have understood its difficulty. He probably also had countermeasures in mind. If he were still here, maybe your burden wouldn't be so heavy?"
"And why should he?" Tsunade retorted. "Why should he keep helping me? Konoha has no ties to him, and he has his own matters to attend to."
Jiraiya felt a pang of frustration. If not for that guy, his novel would probably be published by now.
That book was the result of countless discussions with his editor.
Now, he didn't even have the chance to go out and gather material.
Not that he couldn't do it within the village—he just didn't want to risk getting caught by Tsunade.
Ah, life was hard.
Seeing Tsunade lower her head again, Jiraiya cleared his throat. "Well, I was just—"
Knock knock knock!
The door suddenly sounded, and both of them instinctively turned toward the entrance. Jiraiya's mood soured further.
He had been planning to bid farewell to Tsunade and was still figuring out the right words when the interruption came.
"Come in," Tsunade said.
Shizune entered, pausing briefly when she saw Jiraiya.
"What is it?" Tsunade asked.
"Um, the patrol team found a child who says he wants to see you," Shizune reported.
"Is it a prank? Kids love pulling those," Jiraiya remarked.
Shizune shook her head. "It doesn't seem like it. His clothes are tattered, and he looks exhausted—probably traveled a long way. He was found outside the village. We also found a letter on him addressed to you."
She placed the letter on the table.
Tsunade took it and saw the words "To Tsunade" scrawled on the envelope—the handwriting was messy. She pulled out the letter and quickly read its contents, her brow furrowing immediately.
After a few minutes of contemplation, she finally looked up. "First, let the child rest."
Once Shizune left, Jiraiya couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"
Tsunade handed him the letter.
"Big Sis,
I have a favor to ask. Hōzuki Mangetsu, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, is seriously ill. I can't leave right now, so I'm counting on your help. If it's poisoning, please treat him. If it's an incurable disease, do what you can. Bloodline-related illnesses aren't unique to him—Konoha will face the same problem eventually. Any breakthroughs could benefit the village as well. As payment, I'll give you a new lead: Itachi has made contact with the Akatsuki and will likely join them soon."
The letter was signed "Asachi Midorima."
"Midorima? Who's that?" Jiraiya asked immediately.
"That missing-nin from Kirigakure."
"His handwriting's terrible." Jiraiya compared it to his own and decided his was far superior.
"He's not a calligrapher. As long as the message is clear, it's fine."
"So… you're really going to help?" Jiraiya asked.
"Of course. Why wouldn't I? Kirigakure is in chaos now, but who knows what the future holds? Maybe this can help ease tensions between our villages. The 'Bloody Mist' era won't last forever—the Hōzuki clan might regain its standing. Besides, he's right. If someone in Konoha develops a bloodline-related illness, we'd have to treat them anyway. We might as well use this case as an opportunity to establish a research project and gather more medical-nin. If we find a cure, we can advance medical science and even boost Konoha's revenue. Jiraiya, this is far more profitable than writing books."
Cough cough. "I have no idea what you're talking about," Jiraiya muttered, turning his head away.
Tsunade knew he was embarrassed but didn't press further. "In any case, the last part of the letter can be considered payment for the treatment."
She rubbed her hands together, her earlier frustration completely gone.
"The Akatsuki? So they're the ones behind it… Should I investigate?" Jiraiya suggested.
"Huh? Investigate?" Tsunade blinked.
"Yeah. Such a strange organization, closely tied to Kirigakure's 'Bloody Mist' era. If they set their sights on Konoha and we know nothing about them, what then?" Jiraiya argued.
Tsunade nearly agreed immediately, but then she remembered Midorima's warning—"The Akatsuki is connected to Jiraiya."
If Jiraiya noticed something unusual, what then?
The Akatsuki had already subdued two Mizukages. If Jiraiya confronted them directly, he'd be in serious danger.
"Let's… wait for Itachi's intel first, alright?"
"And what if Itachi's in danger too?" Jiraiya countered. "If you want to mend the rift between the Uchiha and the village, shinobi like him—who still hold goodwill toward Konoha—are your most valuable assets. Not to mention, Fugaku can't afford to lose such an exceptional son."
Tsunade hesitated. She couldn't refute Jiraiya's logic. Moreover, like him, she knew very little about the Akatsuki.
"Then… you have to be careful."
"Who do you think you're talking to?" Jiraiya waved it off casually.
"No, I'm serious. Before you go, promise me two things. First, no matter how shocking the things you encounter are, stay calm and make sure you return. Second, whether you meet Midorima or Itachi, listen to them."
"They're just kids—" Jiraiya scratched his head, annoyed.
"If you don't agree, I won't approve your request," Tsunade said firmly. "To Konoha, you're irreplaceable."
Seeing her unwavering resolve, Jiraiya's smile faded. He nodded solemnly.