Chapter 369: Fifth Hokage
"Starting today! Konoha Village will be governed by me! The great Jiraiya! Listen up! I—am Konohagakure's Fifth Hokage!!"
That resounding, bold voice clearly carried throughout the entire plaza before the Hokage building.
"Ohhhh——!!!!!"
Responding to him were deafening cheers and applause from the sea of people below! Sound waves surged toward the elevated platform like tides.
On the rooftop terrace of the Hokage building's top floor, Jiraiya stood in full regalia—the Hokage's symbolic hat placed properly atop his head, the white ceremonial robe draped behind him.
Jiraiya laughed heartily, vigorously waving his arms toward the crowd below. Behind him stood the Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen, finally recovered from his injuries, his face wearing a relieved smile.
Although Jiraiya usually presented a carefree, perverted, and unserious appearance, his popularity and prestige within Konoha were undeniable.
Whether his title as one of the "Legendary Sannin," his formidable strength, or his contributions during successive great wars—all had earned many people's respect and trust.
At this moment, with him becoming Hokage, for most villagers and ordinary shinobi, a reliable and familiar "one of their own" had ascended to the Hokage position, naturally stirring passionate enthusiasm.
Naruto also stood within the crowd. He looked up at Jiraiya on the terrace, but his face showed complete bewilderment and confusion as he tried to understand this scene that had completely deviated from the "script."
Where was Tsunade? What had gone wrong? Had he, this "butterfly," flapped his wings again?
What exactly had he done? Naruto quickly backtracked. Could it be because he'd recruited some members of the Akatsuki organization? Leading to the Akatsuki not being as frequently active as originally?
So Jiraiya didn't need to leave the village to investigate the Akatsuki like before, but instead remained in Konoha?
But even if Jiraiya stayed in Konoha, given his habitually carefree personality that hated constraints, would he really be willing to accept the "Hokage" position—a job requiring being buried daily in stacks of documents, sitting in an office handling endless administrative affairs?
Naruto couldn't figure it out no matter how hard he thought. Yet the facts before him were undeniably laid out—
Jiraiya currently wore the Hokage's hat, draped in the ceremonial robe, basking in the cheers of tens of thousands. Although the next second he revealed his true colors, once again striking handsome poses toward certain areas below where female villagers seemed to be gathered...
---
"Jiraiya-san... or should I call you 'Hokage-sama' now? The succession ceremony just ended—shouldn't there still be a pile of matters outside waiting for you to handle?"
Inside Naruto's small apartment, Jiraiya—who had just sworn his oath as Fifth Hokage under the gaze of tens of thousands—still hadn't even removed the white ceremonial robe symbolizing supreme authority. The moment the ceremony ended, he'd followed Naruto here with practiced familiarity, boldly seating himself across the dining table.
"Really now, you've been acting weird since earlier!" Jiraiya reverted to his usual carefree manner, showing not a trace of Hokage bearing. He stroked his chin, examining Naruto.
"What? Is it really so unbelievable that I—the Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku, one of the legendary Sannin, the great Jiraiya—became Konoha's Hokage?"
Without waiting for Naruto's answer, he immediately cleared his throat, his expression struggling to become somewhat more proper. "Ahem! Of course, the Hokage's work... setting it aside temporarily shouldn't be a problem. I came to find you not just for a simple visit."
He leaned forward slightly, his tone suddenly becoming formal, though the setting really wasn't very formal at all.
"Uzumaki Naruto! I, in the name of Konoha Village's Fifth Hokage, officially announce—your shinobi rank is being exceptionally promoted to 'Jonin'!"
Before his words even finished, as if performing magic, he produced a brand new green jonin vest from behind him, identical in style to what Kakashi wore.
"...Jonin?" Naruto felt somewhat surprised, but not overly shocked.
"That's right!" Jiraiya placed the vest on the table. "Although you didn't participate in the regular jonin selection exam process, you recently became the 'Hero of Konoha' who saved the village during that crisis. This merit and strength already far exceeds ordinary jonin assessment standards. Of course..."
He changed direction. "The theoretical exam procedures still can't be completely omitted—those are the rules, after all."
"...This kind of thing," Naruto looked at the vest on the table, then at the ceremonial robe Jiraiya was still wearing, unable to resist commenting, "shouldn't it be announced in the Hokage's office instead?"
"Hey hey! You brat!" Jiraiya feigned displeasure. "The Hokage personally came to your door to present your promotion order and uniform—isn't this treatment prestigious enough? Don't be so rigid. Although several from this batch are being promoted to chunin, you're the only one being exceptionally promoted to jonin."
"Then," without warning, Jiraiya pulled a test paper from inside his clothing and slapped it on the table. "The promotion theoretical exam starts now! No cheating! Otherwise your promotion qualification will be immediately revoked!"
"...Now? At home?" Naruto looked at the suddenly appearing test paper, and at this teacher wearing the Hokage's robe yet proctoring an exam in his apartment, feeling a strong sense of absurdity.
"It's just going through the motions anyway."
Jiraiya shrugged. "If it weren't for those old guys' rigid rules, I think this exam is completely unnecessary. Do you know? With your current popularity and prestige in the village, once you're a bit older and have accumulated more experience, you could directly take my place as Sixth Hokage without any problems!"
"You only took office on your first day! Isn't it way too early to be thinking about retirement?!" Naruto accepted the test paper while once again unable to resist commenting.
The questions weren't particularly difficult for the current Naruto. He calmed himself, quickly scanning, calculating, and answering. About ten minutes later, he handed the completed test paper back to Jiraiya.
Jiraiya accepted the paper, pretentiously adjusting non-existent glasses, brow furrowed tightly as if seriously reviewing. His gaze fell on one particular question.
[Question excerpt from Second Hokage's New Concept Theoretical Textbook]
[Enemy sensory-type shinobi moves in uniform circular motion at 3 meters/second around the center of a lake with 50-meter radius, while simultaneously throwing three explosive shuriken at you, initial velocity 15 meters/second, launch interval 0.5 seconds.]
[You can only throw two kunai from a fixed point on the shore for interception, kunai initial velocity 20 meters/second.]
[Known: Explosive shuriken detonate on water contact (kill radius 2 meters). Kunai and shuriken can mutually cancel if they collide mid-air. You must complete interception before shuriken reach the 30-meter line from your position.]
[Question: Calculate the optimal launch angle and timing for the two kunai through trajectory equations to ensure all three shuriken are intercepted, and explain the strategy modification when lake surface wind speed suddenly becomes 2 meters/second counterclockwise.]
Naruto's answer was: [Kunai designation: A. Launch timing (relative to 1st shuriken launch moment): 0.1s. Launch angle (counterclockwise relative to P→O): 12.5°. Interception targets: 1st and 2nd shuriken]
[Kunai designation: B. Launch timing (relative to 1st shuriken launch moment): 1.2s. Launch angle (counterclockwise relative to P→O): 21.3°. Interception target: 3rd shuriken]
Jiraiya: "...(eyes vacant)"
Why couldn't he, the examiner, even understand the answer?
If he encountered this situation, he'd either directly charge over and punch that circling bastard flying, or use a wide-range jutsu to flip the entire lake surface along with the shuriken! Who has time to calculate this?!
But he couldn't lose face. Jiraiya forced himself to remain composed, brow alternately furrowing and relaxing, finger pointing vaguely at the answer. After a full half minute, he finally spoke in a steady tone with seeming authority.
"Mm... clear solution process, calculations... look quite neat. Though some details could still be optimized... but, you pass."
"Then, let's discuss some other matters."
Jiraiya put away that headache-inducing test paper, his expression rarely shedding its joking quality for seriousness. "Naruto, would you... be willing to become my student?"
The moment those words left his mouth, as if worried about rejection, he immediately added, "Don't decide right away! I still have ultimate techniques at the bottom of my box I haven't taught! Those are my trump cards! Even for you, learning them would definitely let you leap up another major level! How about it? Absolutely guaranteed profit with no loss!"
Naruto paused. He instinctively thought of the etiquette surrounding formal succession he'd heard about. "...Don't I need to prepare something? Like a formal apprenticeship ceremony or something..."
"Oh? Hahaha!" Hearing this, Jiraiya immediately beamed. "So you're agreeing then? Good! From this moment on, you're the Fifth Hokage Jiraiya's direct student! As for all that ceremonial formality..."
He waved his hand casually. "Forget it—I hate those constraining formalities most."
Just then, Uzumaki Kushina noticed their teacups were nearly empty. She immediately refilled both cups with warm tea.
Then she turned toward Jiraiya, hands gently folded before her, revealing an incredibly gentle smile. "Jiraiya-sensei, this child Naruto... from now on, I'll have to trouble you to take good care of him."
Jiraiya met her gaze, the playfulness on his face receding. He solemnly nodded. "Yeah, leave it to me." His voice carried unusual firmness. "This time... I absolutely won't let what happened before repeat itself."
This was the third. After Nagato, after Minato... this was the third student taken under his wing. As long as he still had breath in his body, he absolutely wouldn't allow tragedy to replay, absolutely wouldn't witness another student die before him.
"...By the way," Kushina's tone remained as gentle as water, "regarding teaching Naruto the shinobi path, I naturally have complete faith and won't interfere. However..."
Within those blue eyes resembling Naruto's, ripples of utterly cloudless smile spread, yet deep within her words seeped undisguised "reminder."
"You should be very clear about Naruto's current age, right? Regarding matters like the 'Three Shinobi Prohibitions'..."
"Th-that goes without saying! Don't worry, Kushina!" Fine beads of cold sweat instantly appeared on Jiraiya's forehead. "I absolutely won't corrupt him! I'll strictly supervise this aspect!"
Sensing that invisible "pressure" ease slightly, Jiraiya secretly breathed a sigh of relief, hurriedly taking advantage of the momentum to stand. "Alright alright, since everything's settled, I should get going too. If I'm away too long those old guys will start nagging again."
He flashed Naruto a hearty smile. "We'll plan the specific training arrangements in detail later."
Regarding matters concerning Naruto, the promotion to jonin and accepting a student—these two major tasks were now settled.
Now only one thing remained, also his duty as the new Hokage—an official order from the Fifth Hokage.
To publicly announce throughout all of Konoha, Uzumaki Naruto's identity as "son of the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato."