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"I've just escorted the Suna envoys to the inn and instructed the Anbu to monitor their movements."
After Kurenai finished speaking, she noticed that Yōichi's desk was somewhat messy, so she offered, "Yōichi-sensei, should I tidy up your desk for you?"
"No need, Kurenai. I'll have to continue working on it tomorrow morning anyway."
"But... tidying it up will make it look better, right? If someone else sees it, they might think I'm not diligent..."
"Kurenai, you are certainly diligent. It's just that I prefer things to be left as they are when I leave so that it's easier for me to get back into the flow of work the next day."
As Yōichi spoke, he placed a hand on Kurenai's shoulder and gently guided her towards the door.
"Kurenai, make sure to get some rest when you get home. There's more work waiting for you tomorrow."
"Alright, Yōichi-sensei."
Kurenai felt a bit puzzled but was also pleased by Yōichi's concern. After walking with him to the outside of the Hokage Tower, she waved goodbye and headed home.
After Yōichi and Kurenai had left the office for a while, someone slowly emerged from under the desk.
Rin had an unusual blush on her face, her lips slightly swollen. She swallowed hard and then let out a deep breath, patting her chest, "Phew, that was close... Yōichi-sensei really caught me off guard."
However, thinking back on what had just happened, Rin didn't feel any discomfort. Instead, she was rather happy, "Yōichi-sensei wasn't lying last time; he really accepted me... But doing this in the office is so risky. I'm glad Kurenai didn't come over."
Having barely dared to breathe under the desk, Rin waited in the room for a while. Once her face had calmed down, she carefully left Yōichi's office.
The next day, when Yōichi arrived at his office, he noticed that the desk had been tidied up, which led him to suspect that Rin had done it.
Without thinking much of it, he started working.
The Suna envoys, still unwilling to give up, went to find Mikoto again, hoping she could sell some supplies to Sunagakure at a lower price.
Pakura did not involve herself in these matters. Although she was well-known in the village, she had no real authority, so she spent the next day continuing her tour of Konoha.
She couldn't visit the ninja clan compounds, but she did explore the newly built residential areas, completed and under-construction factories, and the commercial and entertainment streets above the Hokage Rock.
The more Pakura saw, the more she realized Konoha's strength, evident in every aspect.
In comparison, Sunagakure seemed like a sinking ship, barely holding together despite continuous patchwork, with more and more leaks appearing.
Yōichi was steadily bringing Konoha's infrastructure into the future, anticipating what the village would become by the time of Boruto's generation. In five years, this place would be the most prosperous city in the ninja world.
——————————————
In Kirigakure, a few months ago, the oppressive reign of the Third Mizukage had been overthrown.
At that time, many in the village were dissatisfied with the Mizukage, leading to a series of uprisings. The Kaguya and Yuki clans attempted successive coups to overthrow the Mizukage.
However, these two clans' rebellions were weak, and despite having the same goal, they failed to coordinate their efforts.
Had they joined forces, they could have overwhelmed the Mizukage, possibly leading to a prolonged stalemate.
But after suppressing the rebellions of the two clans, dissatisfaction with the Mizukage in Kirigakure reached a peak, resulting in a third coup that ousted the Mizukage and installed Yagura as the Fourth Mizukage.
Now, only a few months after the coup, Kirigakure had just begun to settle down.
"Bring all the information about the Three-Tails immediately, whether current or past."
This command was issued from the Mizukage's office, and the Kirigakure shinobi promptly delivered all relevant intelligence to the office.
After the Kirigakure shinobi left, Obito emerged from the Kamui dimension.
As he reviewed the information on the Three-Tails, Obito's thoughts turned to Rin, the kind, understanding, and almost perfect girl he had once known.
"Releasing the Three-Tails in Konoha to destroy the village using a tailed beast... So that's how it was. Rin must have realized Kirigakure's plan and chose to run into that blade herself."
Bam!
The chakra exploded, shredding the secret documents in his hands. Obito then cast a genjutsu on the Fourth Mizukage, before hiding in the shadows.
"Since this place is called the Village of the Bloody Mist, let's take that name to its fullest extent!"
Obito thought darkly. He wasn't worried about Yagura being overthrown. Even Kirigakure, one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, couldn't endure the overthrow of two consecutive Mizukages.
Now, if the current Kirigakure leadership followed through with his plans, the village would likely collapse, with many shinobi fleeing, leading to its complete destruction.
So Obito could issue orders in Yagura's name without hesitation.
"Let's start by having only one graduate per year in each class. Then, we'll initiate a war with Konoha using an elite force. That way, we can weaken two villages at once."
This world, filled with war and without Rin, didn't need to exist! Under his mask, Obito's Sharingan gleamed with hatred and violence.
...
In Konoha, on the third day, the Suna envoys finalized all the details of the Chūnin Exam.
The Chūnin Exam would be held in two months, with several villages, including Amegakure, Kusagakure, and Takigakure, participating alongside Sunagakure. Inviting Kusagakure and Takigakure was also a means of intimidating them.
Small villages like these tend to forget their place, so they need to be reminded from time to time to keep them in check.
Although the Suna envoys finalized the Chūnin Exam details, they didn't plan to leave yet, as there was still another important matter to discuss—one that was crucial for the survival of Sunagakure.
It wasn't that the issue couldn't be negotiated, but Yōichi was waiting for Pakura to agree. Since expressing his intentions to her, Pakura had been wandering around Konoha, visiting various places, and spending an entire day at the Ninja Park.
Only when Pakura agreed to side with him would Yōichi relent, allowing her to return to Sunagakure as a hero, bringing back affordable supplies to save the village.
Otherwise, Sunagakure would have to choose between starvation and war, and they'd need the courage to fight without their Jinchūriki.
Yōichi didn't pressure Pakura. With a strong-willed woman like her, it was best to let her make the decision on her own.
However, he had another matter to address urgently.
Mina had no leads regarding the clones, especially ones that required genetic fusion. She had tried for a long time but had not yet succeeded.
Mina had told Yōichi about her difficulties in a dejected tone, admitting that her medical knowledge was still lacking. Although she had managed to improve the Edo Tensei control seal and integrate Hashirama's cells, it was only after many experiments.
In the dream space, at least a thousand experimental subjects had died. For each one that perished, she had conjured another until she achieved two successes.
In the real world, Mina didn't have nearly as many test subjects available, and she also had to care for Karin and teach students medical ninjutsu.
After handling some matters, Yōichi went to see Tsunade.
"You troublesome brat, you really know how to keep me busy. Just when the Extremis Virus was starting to show progress, you bring me another big problem."
Tsunade emerged from the lab, her eyes narrowed as she glared at Yōichi.
She still had to research the genetic potential as well, and at this rate, she'd have no time to rest.
"Tsunade-sama, you're the only one who can help me with this."
Yōichi lowered his stance, pleading with her as he embraced her after she removed her lab coat, revealing her shapely figure.
"After much thought, I realized only Tsunade-sama could accomplish this."
"No matter how sweet you talk, it won't work, you troublesome brat. I haven't even had time to drink lately."
"I'll have someone buy the best sake from all over the ninja world."
As Yōichi spoke, he started massaging Tsunade. Though his technique was rough, Tsunade closed her eyes and enjoyed it.
Because it was the troublesome brat who was doing it.
However, after a short while, Tsunade felt his warm hands start to roam all over her body.
"You troublesome brat, what are you doing~"
"Tsunade-sama has had a tiring day, so you need a massage inside too. Can't neglect one part over the other."
"You're just making excuses, hmm."
The room soon echoed with unusual sounds, growing more intense. If anyone had passed by, they would have certainly heard what was going on inside.
Yōichi made sure Tsunade reached her peak and, while she rested and regained her strength, finally got her to agree to help. She even promised to use her Shadow Clones to expedite the research.
Satisfied, Yōichi left, though he had planned to leave with Tsunade. But she still had some 'loose' ends to tie up; besides, with Nawaki and Shizune away on missions, she didn't need to return home early, so she sent Yōichi off.
As he left the hospital, Yōichi was suddenly stopped by Rin, who had just come out of a room.
"Yōichi-sensei, you came to see Tsunade-sama again today?"
"Yes, I had some matters to discuss. Rin, you haven't gone home yet?"
Rin shook her head, "Lately, I've been going home late. I'm now Mina-sensei's assistant, responsible for teaching the medical ninjutsu course to the upcoming students at the Academy. Yōichi-sensei, come inside."
Although it sounded like an invitation, Rin directly pulled Yōichi inside.
This was the office that Rin and Mina shared, although Mina only visited once a week, leaving the office mostly to Rin. However, Rin made sure Mina's desk was cleaned daily.
After locking the door, Rin flashed a sweet smile, but Yōichi felt something was off and asked, "Rin, what's wrong?"
"Yōichi-sensei, are you also involved with Tsunade-sama? You were doing that, weren't you?"
"..."
Yōichi fell silent, but Rin immediately knelt in front of him, reaching to undo his pants.
"Rin, wait."
"No, Yōichi-sensei clearly enjoyed it last time. Please don't refuse me."
"Another time, Rin. It's getting late."
"No... If Yōichi-sensei goes home like this, you'll be found out. I'm helping you."
Yōichi, who initially wanted to stop Rin, slowly rested his hand on her reddish-brown hair, gently stroking it as he had in the underground lab before.
——————————
On the seventh day after the Suna envoys arrived in Konoha, Pakura once again visited the Hokage Tower.
Over the past week, she had almost entirely explored Konoha, visiting everywhere except the restricted areas. The place she spent the most time in during the last few days was the notice board at the Konoha Police Force headquarters, where she stood for hours each day.
"Well, have you made up your mind?"
When Yōichi saw Pakura again, he directly asked. He noticed that her spirit had changed significantly in just a few days.
Pakura took a deep breath and then asked, "If... If I lead the villagers of Sunagakure to join Konoha, how would you treat us?"
"Just like any other Konoha villagers. Once you join, you're part of the family. If you contribute, you'll be rewarded; if you make mistakes, you'll be punished. If anyone discriminates against you because of your surrender, the police force will punish them according to the rules."
Yōichi spoke calmly, "I have no reason to target the shinobi and civilians of Sunagakure. The ninja world is vast, and you're the first to join. There will definitely be more opportunities to prove yourselves in the future."
Upon hearing Yōichi's words, Pakura realized that his goal wasn't just Sunagakure; the other major villages would likely follow the same fate.
Reflecting on the strong stance of Konoha's Thunder Fang and his military achievements, Pakura began to believe it was possible.
"I've decided."
Pakura took a deep breath and spoke. After saying those words, she felt a weight lift off her shoulders, her entire body telling her that she had made the best decision.
"What should I do?"
"Take the signed agreement back with you and continue being the hero of Sunagakure. From now on, you'll be the one supplying the village with resources. Whoever you decide to feed will get to eat!"
"With Konoha's support behind you, all you need to do is win over the hearts of the people. When you have the support of over half the village, lead them to join Konoha."
This was the method with the fewest casualties. If Pakura managed to lead half of Sunagakure's population away, with Konoha's army waiting outside, those who remained would only have the option to fight or surrender.
Yōichi then discussed some details with Pakura, primarily teaching her how to use supplies to win people's loyalty or control other shinobi.
In this situation, even if Rasa could extract gold, it wouldn't help. Gold couldn't be eaten, and now they couldn't even buy supplies with money.
The Uchiha Merchant Alliance would soon purchase supplies from the Land of Tea, the Land of Bears, and the Land of Demons, completely isolating the Land of Wind.
Unless Rasa turned into a bandit and raided for supplies, there was no way for him to procure anything.
After the discussion, Yōichi called the Suna envoys and Sakumo to sign a new agreement.
Sakumo arrived, glanced at the agreement, and signed it in the name of the Fourth Hokage, then left. The whole process took less than two minutes.
However, the Suna representative was very unhappy. Even though they had agreed to lower the requirements for purchasing supplies, the negotiations should have been with the Fourth Kazekage. What did Pakura have besides the title of Jonin?
"Yōichi-sama, this isn't right. Why should Pakura handle this?"
"We've heard some rumors about your village. To be honest, I don't trust the Fourth Kazekage. But for the sake of peace and the innocent villagers of Sunagakure, the Fourth Hokage and I agreed to your requests despite our reservations."
Yōichi interrupted the representative with a calm tone, "If you can't accept these conditions, then think of something else. Remember, Konoha isn't begging you; you're the ones begging Konoha!"
"But..."
The representative wanted to argue but, seeing Yōichi's expression, swallowed his words.
He knew he had no room to negotiate and could only return to the village to report the situation to the Kazekage.
"...I understand."
As he left Yōichi's office, the representative suddenly thought, "This must be Pakura's scheme. No wonder she volunteered to come to Konoha, seeking external support."
Pakura noticed the representative's gaze but didn't care. Everyone in Sunagakure knew about her conflict with Rasa; it was no secret.
Besides, she was the one who brought back the supplies, not Rasa. So what if she sought external support? Rasa wouldn't have any proof, and what could he do against a hero who secured the village's resources?
The new agreement between Suna and Konoha was signed, including provisions for the Chūnin Exam, material aid, and more. Once this news spread, Amegakure would likely be the first to panic.
Hanzō had always believed that Amegakure's assistance helped Konoha defeat Sunagakure, which was true. But Hanzō's attitude had grown increasingly arrogant. Although he had gained benefits from the war, he still wanted to be recognized as Konoha's "benefactor."
Amegakure was also part of Konoha's plan for domination. Once the Lands of Fire, Wind, Rivers, and Rain were united, the first great nation of the ninja world would be born.
——————————————
Boom!
A puff of smoke from a Summoning Jutsu appeared but quickly dispersed.
A tall figure emerged from the smoke.
"Jiraiya, it's been a while since you've come to Mount Myōboku. What brings you here this time?"
Gamabunta asked, as it was Jiraiya who had asked Gamatatsu to summon him.
"No battles lately?"
"None. This time, I'm here to see the boss and big sister. If there's a fight, I'll call you."
After greeting Gamabunta, Jiraiya headed deeper into Mount Myōboku; he had been there many times and knew where Fukasaku and Shima lived.
After Jiraiya left, Gamabunta shook his massive head, "Jiraiya, it seems the death of Minato hit you hard. You still haven't recovered."
Gamabunta hadn't participated in the last battle, as large summon creatures weren't much help against the Rinnegan.
After walking for a while, Jiraiya arrived at the home of the two Great Sages.
"Boss, big sister."
"Jiraiya? It's rare for you to come on your own. What's the matter?"
"Jiraiya, you're just in time. I just made a big lunch. Join us."
Jiraiya, looking downcast, waved his hand, "No need, big sister. Can I see the Great Toad Sage?"
"Why do you want to see that old toad? If it's sleeping, no one can wake it up."
Shima said, explaining that the Great Toad Sage usually called them when it had dreams, as it often saw the future in its sleep, making it impossible to wake.
"I have some questions..."
Fukasaku thought for a moment and then said, "Come with me, but my wife is right. If the Great Sage is asleep, there's no point in seeing it."
Still, Fukasaku led Jiraiya to the Great Toad Sage's chamber. He could see that Jiraiya was lost, but unlike the Great Sage, Fukasaku couldn't see the future to guide him.
However, to their surprise, as soon as they arrived, the Great Toad Sage woke up before they could call out.
"Fukasaku, is this the new summoner?"
The Great Toad Sage seemed confused as soon as it awoke, prompting Fukasaku to speak up loudly, "Great Sage, this is Jiraiya. He's come to see you."
"Jiraiya?"
The Great Toad Sage paused, trying to recall, and then slowly asked, "Who's Jiraiya?"
After several reminders from Fukasaku, the Great Toad Sage finally remembered, "Oh, right, Jiraiya. I was just about to find you."
Jiraiya was surprised and asked, "What do you need from me, Great Sage?"
"Jiraiya, I saw Hagoromo in my dream just now. He said the Six Paths' chakra had stirred again, and there might be another pair of Rinnegan soon."
"Great Sage, I already know about this. The Rinnegan belongs to my student, Nagato. He's currently..."
Jiraiya stopped mid-sentence as he realized what the Great Toad Sage had just said. He quickly asked, "Great Sage, did you say another pair of Rinnegan? A new Rinnegan? And who is this Hagoromo?"
"Hagoromo... is the one you call the Sage of Six Paths. The Rinnegan is his ability."
The Great Toad Sage spoke slowly, as if trying to remember.
"As for the Rinnegan, that's what Hagoromo told me. He wouldn't be wrong."
(End of Chapter)
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"The Sage of Six Paths... Great Toad Sage, how are you communicating with the Sage of Six Paths?"
Jiraiya was stunned after hearing this, even glancing at Fukasaku, wondering if the Great Toad Sage was confused, mistaking a dream for a prophecy.
How could anyone talk to someone who died over a thousand years ago? Surely, the body of the Sage of Six Paths would have decayed by now.
Fukasaku was also skeptical because the Great Toad Sage had never mentioned anything about the Sage of Six Paths before, so he asked loudly, "Great Sage, how did you meet the Sage of Six Paths?"
"Dreams are a mysterious thing; there's no need to delve too deeply into it. In short, Hagoromo is still out there somewhere, watching over the ninja world."
The Great Toad Sage smacked its lips before continuing, "He asked me to keep an eye out, but Mount Myōboku is a summoning sanctuary, and we rarely venture outside. Jiraiya, can I entrust this task to you?"
"I'll keep an ear out while I'm on missions. But, Great Toad Sage, what are the signs of this other pair of Rinnegan besides Nagato?"
Jiraiya agreed, though he was beginning to doubt the Great Toad Sage. After all, how could the Sage of Six Paths, who had died over a thousand years ago, still be alive? And even if he was, why wouldn't he intervene directly?
The Great Toad Sage thought for a moment before responding slowly, "With the ultimate power of Yin Release and the ultimate power of Yang Release, one can acquire Hagoromo's eyes."
Jiraiya was puzzled and asked, "What does that mean?"
Fukasaku, who had been pondering the words, finally spoke, "Jiraiya, if we're talking about the ultimate powers of Yin and Yang Release, the most representative would be the Senju and Uchiha clans. While other ninja also possess Yin-Yang Release techniques, none are as renowned as those two clans."
Hearing this, Jiraiya immediately thought of Yōichi, who had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan and could use Wood Release. The power that once ended the Warring States period was embodied in him alone.
While many in Konoha could now use Wood Release, Jiraiya felt that Yōichi was the only one who fit the Great Toad Sage's description.
Jiraiya said, "Fukasaku, Great Toad Sage, there's a ninja in Konoha who might fit what you're describing. Not only has he awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, but he also uses Wood Release. Most importantly, he's a summoner of Ryūchi Cave."
Hearing this, Fukasaku recalled the Great Toad Sage's earlier prophecy about a potential threat to Mount Myōboku, linked to a summoner of Ryūchi Cave.
Jiraiya had searched the ninja world for a long time, but aside from Orochimaru and Yōichi, he hadn't found any other Ryūchi Cave summoners. After persistent questioning, he learned from Orochimaru that there were only two summoners—Orochimaru and Yōichi.
One prophecy might not mean much, but two pointing to the same person made Jiraiya start to believe that the Great Toad Sage's predictions were accurate.
"Jiraiya, if that's the case, the person you're talking about is highly suspicious. But he's Konoha's advisor."
Fukasaku sighed. Not only was Yōichi Konoha's advisor, but he was also the head of the Uchiha clan and a summoner of Ryūchi Cave. They couldn't handle him as they would an ordinary person, or it could lead to serious consequences.
If it were any other matter, Fukasaku wouldn't want to get involved in the ninja world unless a summoner requested it. But this was different, as it concerned the survival of Mount Myōboku.
The Great Toad Sage's prophecies had never been wrong, and Fukasaku, who had lived in Mount Myōboku for centuries, would not allow it to be destroyed by anyone.
"Don't worry, Fukasaku, I won't let him harm Mount Myōboku."
Although Jiraiya said this, he wasn't entirely confident. He planned to return to Konoha and discuss the matter with the old man. While he wasn't sure what Hiruzen was up to lately, Hiruzen was one of the few people Jiraiya could rely on.
Just as Jiraiya was about to ask the Great Toad Sage more questions, the sage had already fallen asleep.
Seeing this, Fukasaku advised, "It's time to go back, Jiraiya. Once the Great Sage falls asleep, nothing can wake it."
Jiraiya, unwilling to believe it, shouted a few times, but the Great Toad Sage remained motionless, showing no response.
With no other choice, Jiraiya left with Fukasaku. He had originally planned to ask about the Child of Prophecy. Once, he believed that two people had the potential to be the Child of Prophecy, but one now resented Konoha and had strayed from the path.
The other had died, and as a mentor, he hadn't even been able to retrieve his student's body.
Lately, he had been gathering intelligence on Nagato and looking for clues about Ryūchi Cave, but he had found nothing. Jiraiya felt exhausted, so he wanted to ask the Great Toad Sage about the Child of Prophecy.
If he could find someone to solve all these problems, he could rest easy knowing that the future was in good hands.
After leaving Mount Myōboku, Jiraiya returned to Konoha and went straight to the Sarutobi clan to find the old man.
"Old man, I've got a gift for you. You can use this for tea from now on."
Jiraiya greeted him as he entered, feeling a bit more relaxed in Hiruzen's presence.
"A teacup? You might as well bring me some good tobacco."
Hiruzen accepted the gift, sounding a bit dismissive but still carefully examining it before placing it on a nearby tray, indicating that he intended to use it in the future.
After Jiraiya sat down, Hiruzen lit his pipe and said, "It's rare for you to visit. What's on your mind?"
"I'm having some trouble in the village, so I wanted to ask for your help."
Jiraiya took a sip of tea and slowly began, "Today, I went to Mount Myōboku and heard something rather unbelievable from the Great Toad Sage."
He then explained in detail the second pair of Rinnegan and the possibility of the Great Toad Sage communicating with the Sage of Six Paths, including his own analysis.
After listening, Hiruzen found it all quite surreal and said with a twitch of his mouth, "Jiraiya, you can't seriously believe this, can you? The Sage of Six Paths is already a pretty mystical figure."
"Moreover, the Rinnegan is the fusion of Wood Release and the Sharingan. If what the Great Toad Sage said is true, then Yōichi should already have the Rinnegan."
Jiraiya's expression became serious as he said, "Speaking of which, old man, I've been meaning to ask you. Do you know what Yōichi's Mangekyō abilities are?"
After awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan, a user would gain two unique abilities, one in each eye. The Second Hokage had faced Uchiha who had awakened the Mangekyō, and he had studied the Sharingan extensively, understanding that the Mangekyō had two unique abilities and Susano'o.
"Do you know about Nawaki's resurrection? Could that be one of the Mangekyō abilities or a power of the Rinnegan?"
Hiruzen asked, "Your student has the Rinnegan, doesn't he? Has he shown any ability to resurrect the dead?"
Jiraiya shook his head, "No, even though I've fought him twice, I still haven't fully grasped the extent of the Rinnegan's abilities. I have a feeling that the next time I face Nagato, he'll have even more new powers."
"As for Yōichi's abilities... to be honest, I don't know."
Hiruzen sighed, "The only people who might know are those who've fought him. Fugaku might know, or perhaps the Fourth Raikage, but as for others, it's hard to say. After all, his power is..."
Too strong! To Hiruzen, Yōichi seemed like someone even more talented than Minato. Hardly anyone could force him to use his Mangekyō abilities in battle, making it difficult to gather intelligence.
"Old man, could you help me gather some information? I'll also ask Orochimaru. This is very important to me."
"Jiraiya, this won't benefit you at all. If Yōichi finds out that you're gathering intelligence on him and planning to..."
Hiruzen didn't finish the sentence, but the consequences were clear.
Mount Myōboku had always remained neutral in the ninja world. If they were to align with Konoha, wear Konoha's headbands, and become Konoha's summon creatures, Hiruzen would consider taking the risk for Jiraiya. But now, risking his plans for those toads wasn't worth it.
"Please, old man, this is a very important request from me. Do it for your student's sake."
Jiraiya clasped his hands together, pleading. After some persuasion, he finally got Hiruzen to reluctantly agree.
But even then, Hiruzen wasn't sure he could fulfill the request. Sakumo was on the verge of handing over the role of the next Hokage to Yōichi, and although Yōichi wasn't Hokage yet, gathering intelligence on a Hokage's advisor made Hiruzen's head ache just thinking about it.
"Jiraiya, I'll do this for you, but you have to agree to one condition."
"What condition? Just tell me, old man. If I can do it, I will."
Hiruzen exhaled a puff of smoke, then solemnly said to Jiraiya, "Stay in the village and try to become the Fifth Hokage!"
"What!?"
Jiraiya was stunned and immediately shook his head, "Old man, I can't..."
"It's time to stop running away."
Hiruzen, frustrated with Jiraiya's avoidance, said, "It's no longer about what you want. You have to take responsibility. Stop looking for some Child of Prophecy. Minato is gone now. You keep circling around Minato's home whenever you return. It's time to take on Minato's dreams and responsibilities."
At the mention of Minato, Jiraiya lowered his head. He always believed Minato's death could have been avoided, but Minato had died to save him.
"But, old man, I'm really not suitable for..."
"You have the strength, reputation, and connections to be Hokage. If you take on this responsibility, you have a good chance of becoming the Fifth Hokage. Even if you're not as strong as Yōichi, it doesn't matter. Being Hokage isn't about who's the strongest."
Seeing that Jiraiya was wavering, Hiruzen continued, "Starting tomorrow, focus on completing missions, gaining fame and connections. I'll help you with the rest because I'm your teacher."
"Old man..."
"If you truly don't want to, I won't force you. You can continue as you were."
After saying this, Hiruzen stopped persuading Jiraiya and silently replaced the tobacco in his pipe.
Jiraiya remained silent for a while, then finally said, "Alright, I'll do my best to become the Fifth Hokage. And then, I'll take on Minato's son as my student and train him to be the Sixth Hokage!"
Hearing this, Hiruzen smiled, "That's the spirit, Jiraiya. I'll support you all the way."
Aside from Jiraiya, Hiruzen didn't have a better candidate in mind. His eldest son, despite having Wood Release, hadn't become significantly stronger because of it. After much consideration, Jiraiya was the most suitable.
——————————
In the afternoon, Yōichi was suddenly called to the hospital by Tsunade, who took a sample of his flesh.
Then she sent Yōichi away without even giving him a chance for a warm moment.
However, Yōichi understood that Tsunade's research might have made a breakthrough, so he left after providing the sample without disturbing her.
From what Tsunade had said, it seemed she had discovered traces of the Ōtsutsuki clan. The integration of Byakugan and Shikotsumyaku was going smoothly, and there was a tendency for the Senju and Sharingan genes to complement each other.
After discovering this, Tsunade had asked Yōichi if he knew anything about it, but he had only mentioned that it was a hypothesis based on some ancient records.
After all, the Hyūga clan had close ties with the Taketori clan, and the Taketori clan had split from the Kaguya clan long ago.
As for the Senju and Uchiha, there was the Uchiha clan's ancestral stone tablet, which, although altered, was enough to satisfy Tsunade.
He couldn't exactly tell her he was a time traveler.
Tsunade hadn't pressed further and just informed him that the progress on the clone was going well. They had successfully extracted the genes and were in the initial stages of fusion. The next step was to attempt to create the embryo.
Artificial clones wouldn't need the lengthy natural growth time, and within a year, they could resemble a three- or four-year-old child.
With this good news, Yōichi left. However, as he returned to the clan compound, he thought about White Zetsu clones and decided that if he had the chance, he would definitely capture a few for Tsunade to study.
"I'm back."
After leaving the hospital, Yōichi knew that Yugito had just returned from a mission, so he headed home to extract some more tailed beast chakra.
With three tailed beasts at his disposal, Yōichi was rather extravagant in his usage.
"Yugito, are you home?"
No sooner had Yōichi finished speaking than a girl with a single ponytail stepped out of the house. Compared to two years ago, Yugito had grown significantly, her figure now graceful and mature, her white socks emphasizing the elegance of her feet.
But her expression was the same as before. When she saw Yōichi, she huffed lightly and asked, "What do you want?"
(End of Chapter)
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