Jiraiya suggested to Hiruzen Sarutobi that they should tell the truth to Minato Namikaze and apologize, believing this matter might then simply pass.
But Hiruzen immediately refused.
Hiruzen said gravely, "We cannot tell Minato the truth. This is merely your speculation, Jiraiya. What if Minato decides to investigate further? Then not only us, but every villager would be dragged into it. Also, you clearly know that Uzumaki Miyuki defected from the Leaf, and she harbors intense hatred toward our village.
No one knows what will happen afterward, but once Minato learns the truth and chooses to pursue it, we can be certain Konoha will suffer greatly."
There was another point Hiruzen didn't voice: if Minato learned the truth and pursued justice, his reputation as Hokage would be ruined forever.
As he aged, Hiruzen's definition of success gradually changed.
When young, he had wished for Konoha to flourish and grow strong under his leadership.
But as he grew older, he began placing more value on recognition and respect from Konoha itself.
Hiruzen did not want criticism or condemnation later in life because of these matters.
He wished to become a Hokage like Hashirama and Tobirama—always revered by everyone.
Jiraiya felt heavy-hearted: "Then tell me, what are you going to do next? To put it bluntly, old man, you won't be Hokage much longer. It's time to let go. Konoha needs new vitality. I believe Minato can achieve that."
Hiruzen placed his pipe on the table and spoke solemnly, "I never said I wouldn't let go. Therefore, I'm currently observing Minato, and I'll definitely return the position of Hokage to him eventually—but not now. When I believe the time is right, I will do so naturally. I also have something to ask of you, Jiraiya."
Jiraiya figured, "You want me to make sure Minato never finds out about this?"
Hiruzen nodded, "This happened over a decade ago. Since it's been so long, there's no need to bring it up again."
Feeling mentally exhausted, Jiraiya asked with a slight headache, "So what if I observe Minato and find him unworthy?"
Hiruzen replied decisively, "Then... I shall divide the power of the Hokage. Koharu, Homura, you, and Tsunade will each hold part of the Hokage authority."
Jiraiya frowned tightly. He opened his mouth, yet ultimately could not utter a word.
In this matter, it was clear that Hiruzen had already made his decision; nothing Jiraiya said would change his mind.
After leaving the Hokage Tower, Jiraiya glanced back at the building behind him and suddenly felt strangely unfamiliar with it.
Jiraiya could hardly believe that Hiruzen had distrusted Minato Namikaze so deeply—he had already planned how to divide his Hokage power in advance.
If that were the case, wouldn't Minato's position as Hokage become little more than an empty shell?
Plus... Hiruzen Sarutobi's remarks about the observation were pretty vague. He never clearly stated under what conditions Minato could be considered to have passed it. Ultimately, it was all left to Hiruzen's own judgment.
There was also something that troubled Jiraiya deeply. The difference between telling Minato the truth directly and him discovering it on his own was massive.
If they told Minato outright, he would likely accept it more easily and forgive them.
But if Minato found out the truth himself—realizing they had been lying and keeping secrets from him—he wouldn't accept it so easily.
Jiraiya let out a helpless sigh. For now, all he could do was pray that Hiruzen would finally open his eyes and that Minato might forgive them if he ever did find out the truth.
...
The entire conversation between Hiruzen Sarutobi, Minato, and Jiraiya was observed by a snake.
And this snake's senses were shared simultaneously by Chinya and Orochimaru.
After watching everything unfold, Chinya sighed, "Suddenly, Minato seems kind of pitiful. Everyone is hiding things from him. Even Jiraiya, who might have been the one most willing to tell him the truth, now seems determined to keep it hidden too. Hiruzen is pretty ruthless—making Minato's mentor not only keep secrets from him but also spy on him afterward."
Orochimaru leaned against the wall, indifferent. "After all, when Minato originally became Hokage, it was nothing more than a last resort for Hiruzen. After winning The Third Great Ninja World War, he refused Iwagakure's war reparations and forced Sunagakure to pay only partial Gold Dust as compensation—an amount so small it was practically no compensation at all, like Konoha had lost the war.
He has to bear all the blame for that decision alone, needing to step down as Hokage to silence the village elders. But he doesn't want me to become Hokage, nor does he want you to. Because whoever among us becomes Hokage will bring change to Konoha and clean house completely among the higher-ups. So there was no other choice but to make Minato the Hokage.
So maybe Hiruzen trusted Minato at first, but once Minato started forming his own Hokage Guard Team and making changes within the Anbu, that trust probably vanished.
Hiruzen probably just wants Minato to act as a puppet Hokage while he pulls the strings behind the scenes. But Minato has his own ideas, which have stepped on Hiruzen's toes, wiping away whatever little trust remained.
That's why everything Hiruzen is doing now makes sense—he can't change the fact that Minato is the Fourth Hokage, so he's doing everything possible to control him instead."
Chinya scoffed coldly, "All the upper echelons are playing mind games with each other. The Hokage doesn't even trust himself anymore. How can a place like this have any future? Without even us interfering, internal conflict is inevitable in the future."
A light breeze blew past, carrying with it a single dry leaf drifting through the air.
Orochimaru reached out and caught the falling dried leaf. "The wind of Konoha carries a strong smell of rot. It seems lively, but it's already on the verge of collapse. Just a small spark will completely set this place ablaze. I wonder... could that spark come from us?"
Chinya smiled and said, "Perhaps. But even if we don't light it, Naruto will ignite it eventually."
Orochimaru slightly turned his head toward Chinya. "You seem to have high hopes for Naruto Uzumaki?"
"High hopes... yes, I do have high hopes for Naruto. Teacher, do you remember? You once told me you had expectations for me, wanting to see where my wind would blow. This time, I want to see which way Naruto's wind will blow."
Chinya walked in front of Orochimaru, picked up the dried leaf from his hand, and then let it go, watching as the leaf was lifted by the wind, blowing toward the distance.
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