Jiraiya noticed that Hiruzen Sarutobi looked rather complicated.
To be honest, Jiraiya had strongly opposed what Hiruzen did concerning Naruto Uzumaki in the past. He believed Hiruzen had acted too harshly.
Especially when Hiruzen actually considered allowing Naruto to join Root, letting Danzo erase Naruto's sense of self so he'd become a controllable weapon for Konoha. That was unforgivable for Jiraiya.
Minato had made such tremendous contributions and sacrifices for the village; his son shouldn't have been treated like this.
Later on, thanks to Chinya's intervention, Hiruzen decided to hide Naruto's parentage, allowing him to live in Konoha as an orphan.
But how would a jinchuriki like Naruto live in Konoha? Just look at the jinchuriki from other Ninja Villages to understand.
Jiraiya objected but it was useless. Once Hiruzen made a decision, there was no changing it.
Compared with erasing someone's sense of self completely, this outcome was much better.
Still, Jiraiya didn't know how to face Naruto, nor how to face Minato while he lay unconscious, so he chose to leave Konoha.
In his heart, Jiraiya also felt that his teacher, Hiruzen, was no longer suitable to be Hokage.
With age, Hiruzen had become more and more conservative. When faced with oppression from enemy villages, he always preferred to settle things peacefully by conceding, losing all sense of spirit or determination.
But now that Minato had awakened, perhaps Konoha would regain vitality under Minato's leadership.
Jiraiya's gaze shifted toward Naruto. He couldn't help but sigh inwardly; how fast time had flown—Minato's kid was already twelve.
But it seemed like Naruto had quite a different personality from his father.
Minato appeared very gentle and easygoing, whereas Naruto seemed somewhat difficult to get along with.
Must've been the environment shaping him.
Smiling, Jiraiya said, "Seeing Minato awaken and reunite with Naruto, I couldn't be more pleased as their master. But you've got your work cut out for you, Hokage-sama. You've got a lot waiting for you ahead, Minato."
Minato also smiled in reply, "Yes, right now I'm learning about the current situation in the shinobi world and Konoha's affairs under the Third. Later on, I'll help take some burdens off his shoulders."
Hiruzen added with a smile, "Indeed, I'm really hoping Minato can get up to speed quickly and start taking things off my plate."
Looking at Jiraiya with curiosity, Naruto thought to himself: This man is actually Minato's master?
Jiraiya... one of the Konoha Sannin...
Jiraiya asked, "Minato, how's your recovery going?"
Minato shook his right hand slightly, "Very good. I've recovered about eighty percent already."
Hearing that Minato was recovering well, Jiraiya was delighted, "That's great news then!"
Hiruzen spoke to Jiraiya, "Alright, Jiraiya. Naruto will be participating in the second round of the Chunin Exams shortly, and Minato is giving him special training. Let's not disturb them. We'll come back and find Minato after they finish. We, teacher and student, should really catch up properly later."
Jiraiya nodded. "Minato Namikaze, I'll be off then. Come find me once you're done."
"Sure thing. Take care, Jiraiya-sensei."
After Jiraiya and Hiruzen Sarutobi had left, Minato Namikaze turned to Naruto Uzumaki and said, "Naruto, the closer you get to the final stage, the less room there is for impatience. Your problem has nothing to do with anything else—it's that you rush into things. If you can overcome this one weakness, mastering the Rasengan will naturally follow.
Alright, let's continue. I believe you'll definitely master the Rasengan before the second exam. Don't give up now!"
Naruto got back to work on forming the Rasengan.
...
Inside the Hokage Tower office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in his chair, asking, "How have you been all these years abroad?"
Jiraiya took a sweeping glance around the office's décor and sighed, "Nothing's changed at all. Life out there was nothing special—mostly gathering inspiration, writing books. Peaceful, but simple... and actually pretty relaxing."
Hiruzen paused mid-puff on his pipe, saying helplessly, "So you're still upset with me."
Jiraiya looked directly at Hiruzen, "How could I possibly blame you, old man? As Hokage, your decisions were only natural. I just couldn't wrap my head around them myself."
Hiruzen took a puff from his pipe before asking, "Have we found any trace of Orochimaru yet?"
Jiraiya shook his head, "Not a single clue. Orochimaru's vanished without a trace, like he disappeared into thin air."
Hiruzen grew serious as he said to Jiraiya, "Now that you're back, please don't leave again. Lately I've had a very bad feeling—like something big is about to happen."
Jiraiya locked eyes with Hiruzen, speaking earnestly, "Old man, you know my personality—I can't stay put in one place for long. Now that Minato's awake, why not hand everything over to him? It's time you slowed down and relaxed. Let me take you out and show you a good time. How does that sound?"
"No way!"
Hiruzen immediately and without hesitation rejected the suggestion.
Jiraiya frowned, "Why not? You're already this age—you'll have to pass it all to Minato eventually. Didn't Minato do a pretty decent job back then?"
Hiruzen fell silent.
Jiraiya's frown deepened, "Old man... Do you distrust Minato? Or are you simply unwilling to let go?"
Hiruzen puffed repeatedly on his pipe before replying, "Jiraiya, do you really think I'm the kind of person who clings to this position?"
For a moment, Jiraiya looked like he might say exactly that—but held back.
Because if Hiruzen truly didn't mind stepping down, he should've started preparing The Fifth's succession twelve years ago—yet even now, no candidate for The Fifth Hokage had emerged.
Hiruzen continued, "As for distrusting Minato—that's completely out of the question. I was the one who recommended him as Fourth Hokage in the first place. I trust Minato completely. But...you understand what I mean, Jiraiya.
You know just as well as I do—there are others who know the truth too. If Minato ever discovered those things, can you guarantee he'd remain unchanged?"
Jiraiya gave Hiruzen an odd look.
Isn't this all because you still don't trust Minato Namikaze?
But Jiraiya really couldn't promise anything.
Jiraiya sighed and said, "Back then, you should've listened to me and let me adopt Naruto — none of this mess would've ever gone down. Come on, old man, you never even picked a Fifth Hokage, and now you're worried Minato might've changed because of what happened back then. Then what're you gonna do? You're getting older now — how many more years can you keep being Hokage anyway?
If you'd just listened to me and told Minato the whole truth when you had the chance, I believe despite his anger, he would've understood and moved past it if you'd truly apologized."
Yet again, Hiruzen Sarutobi shot down Jiraiya's suggestion.
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