Looking at the figures of Senju Haruto and Sarutobi Hiruzen standing before him, Jiraiya felt the last of his inner resistance crumble.
Even so, he didn't yield completely.
"I'll give you only one chance, Haruto," Jiraiya said at last. He had been sitting on the ground for a while, catching his breath, before he finally stood up and addressed him.
This meant that someone would have to tell Naruto the truth — that he was the vessel sealing the Nine-Tails, the jinchūriki of the Hidden Leaf Village.
"Leave that to me," Haruto replied after a deliberate pause.
In truth, he knew he was the best choice for this.
Because of certain… complicated circumstances, Naruto had never known who his parents were. That meant his relationship with Jiraiya wasn't as clear-cut as it might have been.
Sure, in the original story Jiraiya eventually became Naruto's master — but that wouldn't happen for a long time yet.
Besides, Haruto's true reason for stirring this matter up wasn't to help Naruto gain control over the Nine-Tails.
His goal was to travel to Mount Myōboku to complete a special "check-in."
That meant he would have to accompany Naruto there to obtain the key.
"There's actually another reason I chose Mount Myōboku," Haruto began slowly.
"Oh? And what's that?" Sarutobi and Jiraiya both turned toward him.
"Everyone in the village knows Naruto carries the Nine-Tails. After last night's rampage, their hostility and rejection toward him are at their peak," Haruto said, pausing briefly. "So why not take this chance to get him out of the village?"
"Besides… Mount Myōboku would be a perfect place to hide him."
Sarutobi's eyes narrowed slightly, realizing there was a deeper meaning behind those words.
After an investigation, he had determined that Naruto's rampage hadn't been part of the Uchiha clan's plan. They had intended to lure him to an uninhabited area outside the village and release the Nine-Tails there.
Whatever else could be said, the Uchiha's intent had been to stage a coup, not to destroy the entire village.
"Jiraiya… I'm counting on you for this," Sarutobi said, his voice filled with earnest sincerity as he looked at his former student — the same man who was now one of the village's Legendary Sannin.
Jiraiya looked back at his old teacher, the Third Hokage, and nodded heavily, signaling his agreement to take Naruto — and Haruto — to Mount Myōboku.
The moment Jiraiya agreed, Haruto felt a deep sense of relief.
After all, this was a time-limited mission. He had only three days.
After confirming a rough departure time with Jiraiya, Haruto headed straight to the hospital where Naruto was staying, ready to tell him the truth.
But before he even reached Naruto's ward, Haruto sensed something… off.
Almost every medical staff member avoided this entire floor.
At the stairwell, even Anbu operatives stood guard.
That alone showed just how much fear Naruto inspired in them.
And these were ninja — trained medical personnel, no less — whose ability to overcome fear far surpassed that of ordinary villagers.
If it had been civilians, Haruto thought grimly, their reactions would have been even worse — full of contempt, rejection, and perhaps outright cruelty.
He could understand their fear, but that didn't stop him from feeling sympathy for Naruto.
In yesterday's Nine-Tails incident, Naruto had been a victim just like everyone else.
No…
From the very first night of the Nine-Tails' attack, Naruto had been the biggest victim.
Knock, knock.
Haruto came to Naruto's hospital room and rapped on the door. The sound wasn't loud, but it was firm.
No answer came from inside.
Frowning slightly, Haruto decided to simply push the door open and step in.
Naruto, thanks to the Nine-Tails' chakra, had already recovered fully and regained consciousness.
But his eyes were hollow, staring blankly at the bedsheet as he sat there like a lifeless doll.
On the cabinet to his left — nothing. Completely bare.
"No one's visited him," Haruto thought, sighing inwardly.
The rampage had been severe — Naruto had even sprouted the eighth tail. There was no way he hadn't sensed something was wrong.
From the way people had reacted earlier, Haruto knew what kind of cold, distant stares Naruto must have faced upon waking.
Some people assumed children didn't think much or understand such things.
But in reality, their hearts could be far sharper than an adult's — especially when faced with that kind of icy gaze.
"It's been a while, Naruto," Haruto said, taking a deep breath as he stepped inside.
Hearing his name, Naruto instinctively looked up — and saw Haruto.
In an instant, the dull light in his eyes brightened.
But it didn't last. After only a couple of breaths, the light faded again, replaced by that same emptiness.
Once, Naruto had believed Haruto was his best friend.
But they had only spent one day together before Haruto seemed to vanish from the world, never returning to the academy.
Naruto had searched the village for him, but never found a trace.
"You didn't come…" Naruto muttered, lowering his head again, as if complaining in a small, quiet voice.
He wanted to be strong — he knew he had to be strong — but right now, it felt impossible.
Haruto could see the weight Naruto was carrying and understood just how much pressure he was under.
So he stepped forward slowly, reached out, and pressed two fingers against Naruto's forehead, a small smile tugging at his lips.
"Sorry I'm late, Naruto. But… aren't you curious what I've been doing all this time?"
Naruto tilted his head up, his heart pounding faster.
He dreaded seeing that same cold, distant look in Haruto's eyes.
But when their gazes met… it wasn't there.
There was no distance, no fear — only warmth, light, and a hint of sunlight in Haruto's expression.
"I…" Naruto's heart was full of things he wanted to say, but they stuck in his throat. It took him a long time before he finally whispered:
"I'm… the demon fox…"
It was the truth he had learned just yesterday — why the villagers looked at him with such coldness, why they rejected and avoided him.
Because he was the Nine-Tails.
Because he had killed the Fourth Hokage.
Because he was a murderer…
Pfft.
Haruto couldn't help but chuckle softly, moving his hand up to rest on Naruto's head.
In that moment, he felt he understood why Naruto had lost control the night before.
"I don't see any demon fox here," Haruto said. "What I see is Uzumaki Naruto — the boy who wants to become Hokage."
"Isn't that the coolest dream there is?"
Naruto's eyes went wide, disbelief written all over his face.
"You… you're not afraid of the Nine-Tails?"
"Hm? Why should I be afraid?"