151-155

*Chapter 151: The Third Hokage Wants to Retire Early*

"Who knows? The most important thing right now is to find that member of the Anbu," Jiraiya said, looking around the room and mentally noting everyone's faces. His expression grew cold as he continued, half-threatening, "Also, this is a serious matter. No one here, including myself, can speak a word of what happened today.

"Otherwise, don’t blame me, Jiraiya, for not showing any mercy."

"Understood, Lord Jiraiya," the group murmured nervously, swallowing hard as they exchanged glances, feeling the chill in Jiraiya's eyes.

With their promise in place, Jiraiya finally felt a bit of relief. After the others dispersed, he glanced at the entrance to the Hokage's office and thought to himself, Old man, this is as far as I can help you.

It wasn’t long before, under Shikaku's direction, the Anbu tracked down the masked Anbu operative they had been looking for. However, it wasn’t the actual Aizen. Instead, they found Naiken, who was unconscious, as Hiruzen Sarutobi had mentioned.

"He's been unconscious for over an hour. It’s clearly not him," Jiraiya said, crouching down to inspect him before standing up and asking the nearby Anbu, "Where did you find him?"

"In a storage locker at the Anbu base!" the Anbu ninja respectfully replied.

"Lord Jiraiya, what should we do now?" Shikaku cautiously asked.

Hearing this, Jiraiya rolled his eyes. "You’re supposed to be the brains of Konoha. Since when did you become so indecisive?"

"Apologies, Lord Jiraiya," Shikaku replied with a wry smile. The situation involved the top leadership of Konoha, which made it extremely sensitive. He had to be careful with every step, considering what had happened to the Uchiha clan. Danzo's arm full of Sharingan eyes was a constant reminder of that.

"Alright, I get what you’re worried about. Just go back for now. I’ll handle the rest," Jiraiya waved him off impatiently.

"Thank you, Lord Jiraiya," Shikaku replied, relieved, before quickly disappearing from sight.

At this point, the Hokage's office felt like a powder keg, ready to explode, and Shikaku wasn’t about to stick around to find out how many people would get caught in the blast.

"Smart guy, knows when to look out for himself," Jiraiya muttered, glancing at the spot where Shikaku had disappeared. He turned to the Anbu and said, "Find a way to wake him up and see if he knows anything."

"Yes, Lord Jiraiya," the Anbu responded, picking up Naiken and disappearing from the doorway.

Meanwhile, inside the Hokage's office, the third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, finally spoke.

"Jiraiya should still be outside. Come in."

Perhaps because of exhaustion or the humiliation he had just endured, Hiruzen’s voice sounded weak and old, devoid of energy, like someone at death’s door.

Hearing him, Jiraiya hesitated for a moment before pushing the door open and stepping inside.

Inside, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado had already tidied themselves up. The office was spotless, and the lingering scent of osmanthus flowers had been cleared away.

The only noticeable difference was that Koharu’s outer robe was missing, hastily taken by Danzo in the chaos. The three elders looked somber, their old, clouded eyes bloodshot.

Clearly, while Jiraiya was busy calming the clan leaders, these three had not had an easy time themselves.

"Jiraiya, I’ve decided that you will succeed me as the Fifth Hokage," Hiruzen said, his first words after Jiraiya entered the room.

"No, I’m not interested," Jiraiya replied, his expression hardening as he turned to grab the door handle, ready to leave.

"Jiraiya, you know as well as I do that after what just happened, I can no longer continue as Hokage, no matter who’s responsible."

Before Jiraiya could open the door, Hiruzen's voice sounded again.

"I know that, but the truth is, I’m not the right person for the job," Jiraiya replied without turning around.

"This decision was made by all three of us," Homura said sternly. "If a ninja like you, one of the Legendary Sannin, can’t do it, then who else can?"

Koharu added, "Jiraiya, you understand what just happened. Especially with Danzo’s arm, this situation has crossed the line for all the major clans. If handled poorly, Konoha could face a disaster worse than Orochimaru or even Aizen."

"Then what do you plan to do about Danzo?" Jiraiya finally turned around, his gaze sweeping over Hiruzen and the two advisors.

"I will give the people an explanation," Hiruzen said, standing up.

"That again? If it weren’t for your indulgence, Konoha wouldn’t be dealing with this mess in the first place. You’ve even dragged your own Sarutobi clan into ruin. Maybe this is karma," Jiraiya shrugged, his words dripping with sarcasm.

"What’s your answer?" Hiruzen ignored the mockery and returned to the topic at hand.

"Don’t bring it up again," Jiraiya shook his head. Before Hiruzen could respond, he raised his hand, making a 'pause' gesture. "Besides, there’s still another Sannin—Tsunade."

Hearing this, Hiruzen, Koharu, and Homura exchanged glances, Tsunade’s image flashing in their minds. They all nodded.

Homura hesitated for a moment before saying, "That girl certainly has the skill, but no one knows where she is."

"I’ll find her. Simple as that," Jiraiya replied, raising his fist and giving a thumbs-up.

"No, with Orochimaru lurking in the village, as one of the Sannin, you have to stay and protect Konoha. And then there’s Aizen, who’s aligned himself with some unknown organization. His threat is greater than Orochimaru’s. In fact, he might be behind what just happened today. He has the motive," Koharu firmly rejected the idea.

Jiraiya smiled confidently. "Don’t worry. I’ll be back before the Chunin Exams begin."

"I know Orochimaru well. If he plans to act, it’ll be during the finals, in front of all the daimyos and foreign leaders. He’d want to fight the old man in a dramatic, public death match."

"As for Aizen, the young man you pushed into defection, he certainly has a motive. In fact, I’m fairly certain today’s events were his doing."

"But his goal was just revenge on you three, and he’s achieved it. Looking at the state you're in, I almost feel sorry for you."

"Besides, I’ve found out that the organization Aizen joined once had Orochimaru as a member. The two of them are likely connected, maybe even in agreement. Which means Konoha is safe until the Chunin Exams begin."

*Chapter 152: Goodbye, Hinata*

"That’s not possible. This is just your wishful thinking."

After listening to Jiraiya's words, Koharu Utatane didn’t hesitate at all and refused once again.

"Okay."

However, before she could finish her sentence, Hiruzen Sarutobi interrupted her.

"Hiruzen, have you started following Jiraiya's reckless ways too?"

Koharu Utatane looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi with discontent, recalling their earlier celebration. Her old face flushed subtly.

"It’s not reckless. If Jiraiya doesn’t want to, we can’t force him."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression was uncertain. No one knew what he was thinking.

"It seems like the old man knows me best." Jiraiya raised a fist, giving a thumbs-up, his usual lecherous smile returning to his face. "Compared to me, who lacks any motivation, Tsunade—who is both capable and strong—is more suited for this role."

"When are you planning to leave?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked Jiraiya.

"Time waits for no one." Jiraiya sighed softly. "I'll leave tomorrow morning."

Mitokado Homura, who had been listening on the side, saw that the two had come to a decision and reluctantly agreed. However, to prevent Jiraiya from escaping, he quickly added, "Given the situation, we have no other choice. But as a precaution, we'll send three Anbu members to accompany you on the mission to find Tsunade."

Jiraiya, seemingly reading Mitokado Homura’s mind, smiled and said, "Don’t worry, I won’t run away this time. But I do want to bring someone with me."

"Who do you want to bring?" Mitokado Homura asked, confused.

"The Fourth Hokage’s orphan, Naruto Uzumaki."

Thinking of Naruto reminded Jiraiya of Tsunade’s younger brother, Nawaki. In Naruto, Jiraiya saw Nawaki's shadow.

Both of them always loudly proclaimed that they wanted to become Hokage.

If Naruto were there, the chances of convincing Tsunade to return to the village would increase dramatically.

Of course, if Jiraiya knew that Tsunade was already married and a mother, he might not be thinking this way.

"It seems Hiruzen Sarutobi is truly backed into a corner, to the point where he's considering stepping down early. I wonder what Jiraiya will think when he sees Tsunade pregnant with my child. That reaction will surely be priceless."

After messing with Hiruzen Sarutobi, Aizen didn’t return directly to the hot spring inn. Instead, he made his way to the Konoha Hospital, where Hinata's room was, listening in on the conversation at the Hokage office with his heightened senses.

By now, night had fully set in.

The moon hung like a silver plate in the sky, surrounded by countless stars.

Due to her battle with Neji Hyuga in the Chunin Exam preliminaries, Hinata had overused her Byakugan in an intense fight, resulting in temporary blindness.

As her team leader, Kurenai Yuhi, stayed by her side at the hospital, watching over her throughout the night.

Hinata, with bandages covering her eyes, wore a light pink hospital gown, her bare, fair feet touching the ground.

She carefully walked along the wall to the desk, her delicate hand reaching out, feeling around.

"Are you thirsty?" Seeing the cup and teapot on the desk, Aizen pushed them toward her, at the same time retrieving a senzu bean from his system's inventory. Crushing it into powder, he mixed it into the water cup.

Unaware, Hinata cautiously poured herself some water. Sensing someone nearby, she hesitated, asking, "Is someone there? Kurenai-sensei?"

Her clear, ethereal voice was pleasant, giving off a soothing feeling.

Aizen didn’t respond, simply sitting across the desk, quietly observing the cute girl.

"I guess it was just my imagination." Hinata sighed softly, raising the cup to her lips and slowly drinking.

In the next instant, a wave of warmth surged through her body, from her eyes to every corner of her being.

Hinata felt an unprecedented comfort as her body relaxed, her condition better than ever.

Even the slight pain in her eyes, caused by the temporary blindness, faded away, and the chakra flow in her Byakugan returned to normal.

Just then, Kurenai Yuhi, who had come to check if Aizen had returned to her place, walked in.

Seeing Aizen there startled her. Fearing she might disturb Hinata or expose Aizen’s presence, she quickly covered her mouth.

But Aizen, not following the usual script, casually greeted her, "Yo, Kurenai-sensei."

Hearing the familiar voice, Hinata instinctively untied her bandages. When she saw the familiar face in front of her, she was utterly frozen.

Kurenai, assuming that Hinata was scared of Aizen, quickly tried to explain, "Hinata, don't misunderstand. Aizen is not a bad person."

However, Hinata seemed not to hear Kurenai’s words at all. She slowly approached Aizen.

"Big brother, is it really you? Am I not dreaming?"

Her ethereal voice quivered as she asked twice, her usually melodious tone now trembling violently. Tears streamed uncontrollably down her pale, youthful cheeks, and her entire body shook with overwhelming emotion.

In Kurenai's astonished gaze, Hinata suddenly threw herself into Aizen’s arms, crying uncontrollably, saying through her sobs, "I’m so glad, big brother, you’re not dead. You’re not dead..."

Aizen was slightly surprised. Even with his usual calm demeanor, he hadn’t expected this. The girl, who he remembered blushing and fainting when talking to boys she liked, would act so boldly.

Of course, Aizen couldn't blame her for her confusion.

After all, when he faked his death, even Kurenai and Kakashi believed he was truly dead.

Hinata was no exception.

Because of her injuries from the preliminaries, no one had told her yet about what had happened in the Forest of Death.

Until just moments ago, she had still thought Aizen was dead.

Faced with this mix of grief and joy, how could she not be overwhelmed? How could she not cry tears of relief?

Aizen gently patted Hinata’s head. "Aren’t you afraid of me, Hinata? I’m an S-ranked rogue ninja."

Hinata, tears in her eyes, shook her head forcefully. "I’m not afraid. I’ve always believed that you’re a good person, big brother."

"A good person, huh? I’m really not." Aizen gave a self-deprecating smile, thinking to himself how innocent this girl truly was. If even he was considered a good person, then there would be no bad people in the world.

Beside them, Kurenai's voice carried a mixture of confusion, shock, and a hint of jealousy. "Hinata... What is going on between you two?"

From their conversation, Kurenai deduced that Aizen and Hinata knew each other.

But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t figure out how they had met without her knowing.

Hearing Kurenai, Hinata finally snapped back to reality.

Realizing she was still in Aizen’s arms, holding him tightly, her face turned beet red at a speed visible to the naked eye.

In the next instant, steam seemed to rise from her head, and she fainted, falling backward. Aizen quickly caught her before she hit the ground.

"It seems she’s still the same—such a shy little girl." Watching her reaction, Aizen chuckled softly. He lifted her gently, princess-style, and carefully placed her back on the bed.

Chapter 153: Hinata and Kurenai, a Major Car Accident

“Aizen, no explanation?”
Kurenai Yuhi appeared behind Aizen like a ghost, her delicate hand resting on his shoulder, jealousy practically written all over her face.

Aizen pulled Kurenai to sit next to him on the nearby bed. “It’s really nothing,” he said.

As he spoke, he recounted the two times he had met Hinata — no, encountered her.

“Is that really all?” Suspicion flashed across Kurenai's eyes.

She knew exactly what kind of person Aizen was. Just after graduating from the ninja academy at the age of eleven, he had dared to flirt with her, his teacher, who was nearly ten years older than him.

Not long ago, he had even succeeded.

With Hinata’s current adorable and demure appearance, she didn’t believe for a second that Aizen wouldn’t be interested.

“Of course,” Aizen said with a mischievous look in his eyes.

“Don’t get any ideas. This is a hospital,” Kurenai was startled and quickly became flustered.

Aizen smiled. “Relax. I’m not that desperate. The only reason I came here was to heal the girl’s injuries. Nothing else.”

“Hinata’s injuries are already healed?” Kurenai looked incredulous.

Aizen slowly nodded. “Go check for yourself.”

Hearing this, Kurenai quickly went to Hinata’s bedside and examined her. She was shocked to find that Hinata's wounds were indeed completely healed. Her eyes widened in disbelief.

She turned to Aizen. “How did you do it?”

As a former medical ninja, Kurenai knew all too well how serious Hinata’s injuries had been. From her perspective, even with the fastest recovery possible, it should have taken at least a month.

Yet here she was, after a round trip home, no more than half an hour later, and Aizen had healed her. It was utterly baffling.

“I just treated her, simple as that,” Aizen teased.

“I really don’t know what you’ve been learning out there these past few years.” Kurenai’s mind wandered, and she glanced toward Lee’s room, hesitating. “Aizen, can I ask you for a favor?”

“You want me to check on Lee’s injuries, don’t you?” Aizen smiled. “If it’s him, there’s no need. Soon, someone more suitable than me will heal him. You know this person — she’s one of the legendary Sannin, the Slug Princess, Tsunade.”

While healing Lee’s crushed hands and feet, caused by Gaara’s sand, would have been as easy as giving him a Senzu bean for Aizen, he didn’t plan to do that. Since his other woman was about to become the next Hokage, she needed to earn Konoha’s trust with her deeds.

At most, he’d give her a Senzu bean during the surgery to ensure everything went smoothly.

“Tsunade?” Kurenai was stunned. “But hasn’t she been away from Konoha for many years?”

“That was the past. Soon, Tsunade will return to Konoha to assume the position of Fifth Hokage,” Aizen replied.

“The Fifth Hokage? What’s going on?” Kurenai was more confused than ever.

Aizen didn’t hold back and gestured for her to come closer. Leaning in, he whispered what he had been up to that night.

Kurenai’s shock turned to a flush of embarrassment as her face turned visibly red. She glared at Aizen, embarrassed, and teased, “You’re so bad! Who does that?”

“Well, which do you think is worse? What I did or what those four old geezers are up to?” Aizen’s hand mischievously wandered toward Kurenai’s backside.

“Neither of you are any good!” Kurenai angrily pushed away his wandering hand.

At that moment, Hinata slowly woke up. “Kurenai-sensei?”

“Hinata, you’re awake?” Kurenai quickly sat beside Hinata, as if trying to keep Aizen away, and helped her sit up.

“Mm.” Hinata nodded, glancing at Aizen on the other bed, then back at Kurenai. Swallowing her shyness, she performed a respectful bow from her bed. “Kurenai-sensei, big brother isn’t a bad person. Please, don’t report him to the Hokage.”

Seeing Hinata bowing like that, Kurenai, having been in similar situations herself, couldn’t help but smile wryly. She could easily guess what was going on in the girl’s heart.

She looked at Aizen with a hint of exasperation.

“Don’t worry. This guy is my student. I know exactly what kind of person he is,” Kurenai reassured Hinata as she helped her up. “But, Hinata, you should understand who Aizen is now. I hope none of us say anything about him being here tonight.”

Hinata let out a breath of relief and shyly said, “That’s wonderful, big brother.”

“Yeah, all thanks to you. Otherwise, Kurenai-sensei might not have let me off so easily,” Aizen said with a soft smile. He instinctively reached out to pat Hinata’s head, but Kurenai’s sharp look stopped him.

She was worried Aizen might go too far, so she quickly told him, “Alright, now that Hinata’s healed, it’s time for you to go. The hospital staff makes rounds often, and you don’t want to get caught by the Anbu.”

“Well then, Hinata, I’ll visit you again later. And Kurenai-sensei, we’ll meet again… ‘later.’” Aizen put extra emphasis on the word "later" before vanishing from the hospital, leaving Kurenai flustered and Hinata looking a bit sad.

The night passed without further incident.

The next morning, as the first light of dawn broke, Aizen and Pakura began their morning training.

At the same time, Jiraiya found Naruto.

With some sweet-talking, Jiraiya managed to convince Naruto to leave Konoha with him to begin their journey to find Tsunade.

Three days later...

In a large building on a high hill in Konoha, Kabuto approached Orochimaru.

“Orochimaru-sama, I’ve just received some very interesting news.” These were Kabuto’s first words upon meeting Orochimaru.

“What is it? Did Sasuke do something that surprised you?” Orochimaru asked curiously.

“No, it’s not about Uchiha Sasuke. Due to the influence of your curse mark, he was just discharged from the hospital this morning. Kakashi took him outside the village for training. What I wanted to mention is something else.”

Kabuto adjusted his glasses. “Three days ago, Jiraiya, one of the legendary Sannin like yourself, left Konoha. He also took Uzumaki Naruto with him. Right now, they’re searching for another Sannin, Tsunade.”

*Chapter 154: Orochimaru Wants to Give Hiruzen Sarutobi a Dignified End*

“Heh. Looks like the old man was scared by Aizen not too long ago. He sent Jiraiya out to find help, but if he thinks that’s enough to stop me, then he’s way too naive.” Orochimaru’s sinister face twisted into a disdainful smile.

“Orochimaru-sama, things might not be as simple as you think,” Kabuto shook his head and chuckled. “From what I’ve heard, this likely has something to do with Lord Aizen.”

“Aizen?” Orochimaru was taken aback, clearly interested. His eyes gleamed with curiosity. “Now, this is interesting. Aizen’s never been one to play by the rules. So tell me, what has he done this time?”

When Kabuto mentioned Aizen, his eyes sparkled with admiration. Aizen had done something that Kabuto had never even dared to dream of.

He replied, “The night before Jiraiya left the village, the Third Hokage summoned advisors Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, and even Danzo, the Root leader who had been grounded for years, was called to the Hokage Tower. It seemed to be because Aizen was recklessly spreading scandals about Konoha’s leadership.”

“But strangely, not long after Danzo entered the Hokage Tower, an Anbu ninja, without receiving orders from the Third Hokage, was sent to notify Jiraiya and the heads of Konoha’s major clans to gather at the Hokage Tower.”

“And what’s even more unbelievable is that the clan heads stood outside the Hokage office for nearly half an hour without daring to knock until Jiraiya arrived. Do you want to guess what they saw?”

Orochimaru furrowed his brow, “Were those four old geezers killed?”

“No, if that were the case, it would’ve already caused a huge stir in all of Konoha, maybe even the entire shinobi world.”

Kabuto’s smile grew wilder, until he could no longer hold back and burst into laughter, “Hahaha, Orochimaru-sama, you might not believe this, but out of curiosity, I secretly abducted a small clan head and forced them to reveal what happened that night.”

“Haha... Those four old geezers had been drugged with aphrodisiacs, and were caught in a wild orgy in the Hokage’s office—right in front of Jiraiya and the clan heads of Konoha.”

“And especially Danzo. The First Hokage’s cells and Sharingan that you implanted in his right arm were exposed to everyone.”

“At this point, those four high-ranking Konoha officials will never be able to live down the shame. They’ll never show their faces again.”

Even Orochimaru, usually composed, couldn’t help but twitch at the corner of his mouth. “That kind of stunt, only Aizen could pull off. Looks like my old teacher, Sarutobi, really can’t keep his position as Hokage anymore. He’s probably planning to bring Tsunade back to take over as the Fifth Hokage.”

“Yes, rumors are already spreading in Konoha about the Third Hokage’s imminent retirement. So what’s your next move? Should we stop Jiraiya from finding Tsunade?” Kabuto’s laughter faded as he asked.

“There’s no need to go to such lengths. We’ll simply propose, as the Kazekage, that the final round of the Chunin Exams be moved up.” Orochimaru flashed a mysterious smile.

“Move it up?” Kabuto was taken aback and hesitated, “But, Orochimaru-sama, if we do that, we won’t have enough time to prepare.”

Orochimaru shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. I never planned to completely destroy Konoha. My real goal is just to kill that old man. Besides, Aizen has already seriously wounded Konoha’s top Jonin. With them weakened, it won’t disrupt our plans too much.”

Kabuto added, “But isn’t this too suspicious? Will Konoha agree? And what about Sunagakure? They might get suspicious about your identity.”

“Konoha will agree, or at least the old man will.” Orochimaru wore a confident smile.

The truth was, Orochimaru’s real intention was to give his teacher a dignified end.

Thanks to Aizen’s antics, Hiruzen Sarutobi had lost all his credibility.

At the same time, Danzo’s implanting of the First Hokage’s cells and a Sharingan had been exposed to everyone.

This crossed a line for the various clans of Konoha.

At this point, even a fool could see that the Uchiha massacre was connected to Konoha’s leadership.

If the situation was allowed to continue escalating...

Once Tsunade takes power...

Even if Hiruzen were to die in a final battle with Orochimaru ‘to protect Konoha,’ no one would see him as a hero anymore.

And there would be no hope of leaving behind a legacy like the previous Hokage.

On this point, Orochimaru was sure Hiruzen understood better than anyone.

So Hiruzen would definitely agree.

As long as he was still Hokage.

As long as he died in defense of Konoha, while still holding that title.

And the sooner he died...

The more valuable his death would be in the eyes of Konoha’s people.

By then, all the darkness Hiruzen carried would be buried with him.

No one would question a dead man’s mistakes.

“I understand now, Orochimaru-sama,” Kabuto took a deep breath. He didn’t know what Orochimaru was truly thinking, but he assumed that Orochimaru was afraid of Jiraiya and Tsunade teaming up, so he asked, “When do you think we should move it up to?”

“The Konoha Crush Plan won’t be as fun without Jiraiya and Tsunade as an audience. Keep an eye on Jiraiya’s movements, and once he finds Tsunade, inform me. That’s when we’ll start the plan.”

Orochimaru thought for a moment, giving an answer that reassured both Kabuto and himself.

As Aizen had said, Orochimaru hadn’t completely severed his ties to Konoha.

His true goal wasn’t to destroy the village, but to get the windmill, which had stopped because of Hiruzen Sarutobi, to spin again.

At the Hokage Tower...

Three days had passed since Konoha’s F4 scandal.

Since Danzo’s implanting of the First Hokage’s cells and Sharingan had been exposed, he had gone into hiding, not daring to show his face.

Koharu and Homura, after the scandal, had also returned to their hideouts, shutting themselves away from the world.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was left to deal with everything alone.

There was no other choice.

The scandal had grown too big.

Even Konoha’s most skilled internal politician couldn’t stabilize the situation.

It wasn’t until Orochimaru, acting as the Kazekage, sent a letter requesting to move up the date of the final round of the Chunin Exams that Hiruzen finally showed a relieved smile.

For the first time, Hiruzen made a decision—one that could plunge Konoha into disaster—without any hesitation or consultation with advisors Koharu and Homura.

He agreed to Sunagakure’s request to move up the Chunin Exams.

Chapter 155: Jiraiya Finally Meets Tsunade

Outside the Leaf Village, on a steep and desolate mountain peak.

This was the training ground Kakashi had agreed upon with Sasuke, and also the place where Kakashi had previously taught Aizen the Chidori and the Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall technique.

Kakashi had his left hand behind his back, his legs dangling in the air as he climbed upwards with one hand.

The strain on his body, combined with the exhaustion from reading "Make-Out Paradise," left him on the verge of collapse. His body trembled violently, drenched in sweat.

“I didn’t expect climbing training to be so difficult. My body has slowed down…”

Just as Kakashi’s strength was about to give out and his fingers began slipping from the rock, he closed his eyes, and the image of the human chakra network appeared in his mind. His brain pulsed as if it were a heart.

The first gate of the Eight Gates released, causing his chakra and power to surge. In one swift motion, he leaped up and clutched the edge of the cliff.

Meanwhile, Sasuke, eager to grow stronger, had already arrived at the top, looking down at Kakashi from above. He greeted him with a casual “Yo.”

“Looks like you finally made it,” Kakashi said as he squinted, his eyes narrowing against the blinding sunlight.

“I should be the one saying that, Kakashi. You’re late again,” Sasuke replied with a cold expression.

“You’re really not cute, you know that?” Kakashi muttered as he pursed his lips, then used a bit more strength to leap to the top of the cliff with ease.

But then, he froze in place. “Th-this…”

The once rocky cliff was now riddled with large craters, broken rocks sliced cleanly in half, and shards of debris from explosions. Some stones had thick, finger-sized holes covered in moss, making the scene look completely different from the cliff he remembered.

It was beyond just a mess. It was as if the entire top of the cliff had been shaved off.

What was even more shocking was that Kakashi was sure no one had been here since he brought Aizen to the Hokage Tower all those years ago.

In other words, Aizen had been hiding his abilities since then.

“What’s surprising you? Wasn’t this the place where you trained Fujiwara Aizen?” Sasuke asked, standing next to Kakashi with confidence in his eyes. He was certain that, as long as he worked hard with Kakashi to learn the Chidori, he would soon be capable of such destruction.

“No, it’s nothing. Let’s get started.”

Kakashi knew how competitive Sasuke was, so to avoid hurting his pride, he kept the truth to himself. He turned his gaze towards the outskirts of the village and thought to himself, *Aizen, just how strong are you?*

A gentle breeze rustled the roadside trees.

Under the midday sun, the streets were quiet and spotless, with everything neat and orderly. Even the trash bins looked clean.

It was noon, and the scorching sun bore down on the small town of Tanzaku Street, known for its historical significance in the world of the Hokage. The streets were empty.

The only two figures moving about were an older man and a young boy.

The man was tall, wearing a headband with the kanji for "Oil." His long white hair flowed down to his waist, and beneath his eyes were red markings that extended to his jawline. He wore a red coat over a tan outfit, wooden sandals on his feet, and protective gear on his arms.

The boy had short blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and whisker-like marks on his cheeks. He wore an orange jacket with blue shoulder guards and a white collar. The back of the jacket and his left arm bore the symbol of the Uzumaki clan. A kunai pouch was strapped to his right leg, and he wore blue ninja sandals with a Leaf headband tied around his forehead.

These two were none other than Jiraiya and Naruto, who, after half a month of searching, had finally arrived at Tanzaku Street. Since Tsunade had settled here, they didn’t have to wander any further, arriving earlier than expected.

At this moment, Jiraiya was holding a picture of Tsunade, walking and observing his surroundings.

Naruto followed behind, holding a rubber ball, focusing intently on using chakra to crush it.

Suddenly, Jiraiya stopped in front of a luxurious mansion.

Naruto, too focused on his ball, bumped straight into Jiraiya and fell on his rear, bursting the ball in the process.

“Pervy Sage, what’s the big idea?!” Naruto grumbled, rubbing his sore behind. But when he saw the burst ball, his frustration turned into excitement. “Haha, I did it! I did it, Pervy Sage!”

But Jiraiya wasn’t paying attention to Naruto. His eyes were locked on the mansion's gate.

A young woman with short black hair, holding a pet pig, had walked out.

Behind her was a young girl with blonde pigtails, brown eyes, and a striking resemblance to Tsunade.

Seeing them, a mischievous smile spread across Jiraiya’s face as he called out, “Yo, Shizune!”

Shizune turned at the sound of the voice and froze. “Jiraiya... Sensei?”

“It’s been a while! You’re looking more and more beautiful. And Tsunade—still pretending to be young, huh? I see she’s still tying her hair up in those cute pigtails. Let me guess, she’s in debt from gambling again?”

Jiraiya squatted down and reached out to pat the head of the little girl who resembled Tsunade.

But before he could, Shizune interrupted, “Jiraiya-sensei, please stop.”

“Mom! Help, there’s a bad guy here!” the little girl cried.

But it was too late—Chika had already started crying.

“What? She’s not Tsunade?” Jiraiya finally realized his mistake and looked at Shizune.

“Good luck with that, Sensei.” Shizune scooped up Chika and quickly retreated inside, slamming the gate behind her.

The next second, a dark shadow flew from the mansion into the air, plummeting straight down. The ground cracked upon impact, collapsing nearby buildings and burying Naruto and Jiraiya under the rubble.

“Hey, hey! Tsunade, stop, it’s me!” Jiraiya called out, crawling out of the debris, looking rather worse for wear.

“Jiraiya?” Tsunade’s eyes widened in surprise. What was he doing here? Could it be, as Aizen had predicted, that he was here to ask her to become Hokage?

“It’s been a while, old friend. But you didn’t need to greet me like this,” Jiraiya said with a wry smile.

“Well, that’s what you get for picking on my daughter,” Tsunade said, folding her arms.

“Daughter?” Jiraiya was stunned. That’s when he noticed the golden ring on Tsunade’s left hand. His eyes widened even further. “Wait... you’re married?”