The Third Hokage remained silent.
Would Jiraiya taking on a disciple be the same as Tsunade taking one on? From the Third Hokage's perspective, it made no difference. However, he had to consider Mito's opinion on the matter.
Tsunade was Mito's own granddaughter. If she were to take a disciple, Mito would have no objections; it was a self-contained arrangement. Moreover, Mito would likely be happy to personally guide the boy. To be blunt, the Third Hokage didn't expect Tsunade to teach him very much. The appointment was merely to give Kyuushin the official status of being in the direct Hokage lineage. This would help Kyuushin integrate more easily into Konoha in the future. Should he grow into a powerful shinobi, he would also be a great asset to Tsunade, a development Mito would be pleased to see.
But who was Jiraiya at this point? He was simply a Jonin of Konoha who happened to be the Hokage's student. These thoughts were difficult to voice, so the Hokage simply held his tongue.
Orochimaru, however, understood the underlying politics. He couldn't help but ask with genuine curiosity, "Is this Uzumaki boy really such a prodigy?"
"When I saw him, it was like seeing you all those years ago," the Third Hokage replied. "And in terms of pure combat sense, he has more raw talent than you did."
A flicker of interest crossed Orochimaru's face, and he unconsciously licked the corner of his mouth.
"I don't know what the old man is talking about," Tsunade interjected, "but my grandmother does think very highly of him. His physical condition is already better than Nawaki's." She recounted the events of that morning.
"Then it seems he's quite suitable to inherit your monstrous strength," the Third Hokage said with a knowing smile.
Tsunade was indeed tempted. If she had to choose a disciple, Kyuushin was an excellent candidate. At the very least, she wouldn't have to worry about his fundamental training.
"But this matter still depends on my grandmother's wishes," Tsunade said, shaking her head.
Orochimaru's hoarse voice cut in. "The most important factor is that the two Uzumaki children came to Konoha with a special mission. With the primary candidate still unconfirmed, is it truly wise for Tsunade to take on a disciple right now?"
"So, there's no rush," the Third Hokage decided. "Tsunade, you can first gauge Lady Mito's feelings on the subject before making a decision."
"Ah! I finally found him!" Jiraiya suddenly exclaimed, pulling a single sheet from the thick stack of documents.
"Let me see. The name is Minato Namikaze. Both parents are deceased. Excellent grades. The teacher's evaluation states he has a heartwarming smile and a kind, gentle personality. Not bad, not bad at all." The Third Hokage took the document and read its contents with approval.
"I just saw this child," Orochimaru commented, looking at the photo on the file. "He was with Nawaki and those two from the Uzumaki clan."
"Ah? Was that real? I thought I was dreaming," Tsunade muttered softly under her breath.
"Ugh! My glorious and great image is completely ruined!" Jiraiya covered his face, realizing his drunken state had likely been witnessed by his prospective disciple.
"Oh? He's also in Class 2-1, the same as the Uzumaki children. It seems his aptitude is indeed quite good." Although there were no explicit rules, Class 1 was effectively the elite class, filled with children from prominent families or those whose parents were active shinobi. For an orphan like Minato to be placed in Class 1, his innate talent must have been truly top-notch.
"Hahaha, this great sage's eye for talent is naturally first-rate," Jiraiya couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Good. It seems I'm going to have grand-disciples soon," the Third Hokage smiled. He stood up and walked to the window, gazing at the towering Hokage Rock outside. "The Second Hokage entrusted the Will of Fire to me. In the future, I will entrust it to you. You must also continue to pass on this will, letting it illuminate the entire village."
...
At the Third Training Ground, Nawaki and the others were diligently practicing their tree climbing. Kyuushin was not idle either. Having grown proficient with the Shadow Clone Jutsu, he now wanted to attempt casting it without hand seals. The concept was simple: one only needed to make the chakra within the body flow according to the specific method required to release the jutsu.
However, it was far easier said than done. Many ninjutsu involved a dozen or even dozens of hand seals. To concentrate on flowing chakra correctly during a battle without making a single mistake was like trying to embroider while dancing on the edge of a knife; the difficulty was extraordinary.
The Shadow Clone Jutsu was different. It required only a single hand seal, and the chakra flow was relatively simple, making the difficulty of casting it without seals much lower than that of other ninjutsu.
Without forming any seals, Kyuushin found that mobilizing his chakra was indeed more strenuous. It took several seconds to release the jutsu, but it worked. He nodded in satisfaction. As long as it succeeded, it was a good start. The long casting time was simply due to a lack of familiarity. With diligent practice, he was confident he could eventually cast it successfully with just a thought.
As they trained with focused enthusiasm, they were unaware that someone had been observing them for quite some time.
At noon, after the Third Hokage dismissed them, Jiraiya, eager to see Minato, had come to the training ground after being reminded of the location by Orochimaru. Upon arriving, he saw them deep in their training. Minato, Nawaki, and the other Uzumaki girl were climbing trees, while the boy who had been the center of discussion, Kyuushin, appeared to be practicing ninjutsu.
Jiraiya didn't notice it at first, only seeing his Shadow Clone appear and then disappear. But when he realized the boy hadn't formed any hand seals the entire time, he couldn't help but feel a jolt of shock. He knew that he himself had only started learning how to simplify hand seals and cast without them after becoming a Jonin, under the guidance of the Third Hokage. Even now, he could only perform two or three of his most-used ninjutsu without seals.
"Hey! You really are more of a genius than that snake!" He leaped from his hiding spot and appeared in front of Kyuushin.
Kyuushin was startled. Seeing who it was, he was somewhat surprised. "Lord Jiraiya?"
"Don't call me 'Lord,' just call me Jiraiya! Or 'Big Brother' is fine too!" Jiraiya laughed heartily, his personality straightforward and boisterous. "You were just practicing casting without hand seals, weren't you?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.
Seeing Kyuushin nod, he sighed dramatically. "The rest of us were at least in our teens when we learned that technique, but you actually taught yourself. The academy's evaluation was far too low. Seeing you, this great sage is too embarrassed to call himself a genius."
It was the first time Kyuushin had received such direct and effusive praise, and it made him quite embarrassed.
The others who were climbing trees nearby also noticed Jiraiya's arrival. Minato ran over and called out respectfully, "Lord Jiraiya!"
Jiraiya felt quite pleased seeing Minato. When he had first spotted the boy, he felt a connection, which was why he had offered a few pointers during a training session.
"When you graduate, you can train with me." He had already decided. Minato would be his disciple.
Minato was still bewildered, not quite understanding the implication of Jiraiya's words. Kyuushin, however, understood perfectly and couldn't help but give him a hint. "Big Brother Jiraiya wants to take you as his disciple."
"Huh?" Minato's eyes widened as he finally understood. He quickly bowed low. "Sensei Jiraiya!"
Jiraiya quickly helped him up. "You can call me that after you graduate. I didn't even bring a proper gift today."