I'M NARUTO UZUMAKI

Jiraiya's Confusion

"Jiraiya, I need an explanation."

After hearing the Third Hokage's words, Jiraiya sighed inwardly, a little disappointed in his former teacher.

It was certainly against Konoha's interests for Naruto to leave the village and establish a new shinobi faction in Uzushiogakure, but the root cause was the Third Hokage's failure to protect Naruto from the hatred of the villagers. For years, Sarutobi Hiruzen had turned a blind eye to their malice, allowing them to ostracize Naruto despite Minato's dying wish for his son to be seen as a hero. That negligence had pushed Naruto toward defection.

Naruto's act of creating a ninja village wasn't an act of rebellion but rather an attempt to build a sanctuary—an ideal home where no child would suffer as he had.

Wasn't this a direct consequence of his disillusionment with the Hokage? Yet, even now, the old man seemed unaware of the weight of his failures.

After another sigh, Jiraiya explained, "I tried to persuade Naruto, but he was resolute. He even threatened to fight me if I tried to stop him. Compared to being a mere jinchūriki in Konoha, he seems far more determined to lead Uzushio."

He hesitated before continuing, "Old man, maybe you should go there yourself. Some things can't be settled through a messenger."

Leave the village?

The Third Hokage hesitated, then shook his head slightly.

He couldn't abandon Konoha—not until he had secured a successor. If he perished outside, the village would descend into chaos, just as it had after the Uchiha massacre.

Seeing this, Jiraiya abandoned the idea of convincing him and instead brought up the Uchiha refugees in Uzushiogakure, suggesting that Konoha cease its pursuit of them.

On this, the Third Hokage neither agreed nor disagreed.

His ambiguous stance frustrated Jiraiya. It seemed he could do nothing to fulfill his promises to Naruto. The Third had always hesitated on critical matters, unable to make swift, decisive choices.

Shifting the subject, Jiraiya mentioned Orochimaru, as well as reports of a puppet resembling the Third Kazekage. Given his expertise in espionage, he suspected that the puppeteer behind it was none other than Sasori of the Red Sand, the Suna prodigy who had vanished years ago.

The mention of Orochimaru and Sasori seemed to reignite something in the Third Hokage. He finally displayed his old sharpness, pressing Jiraiya for more details. Upon learning that Orochimaru had likely joined a larger, hidden organization, Hiruzen sighed deeply.

…

The debriefing lasted half an hour. When Jiraiya finally left the Hokage's office, his emotions were tangled.

In his previous visits, he had thought the Third Hokage simply looked tired but still retained his sharp instincts. But this time, he seemed truly old—powerless, hesitant, even delusional.

Could such a man still lead Konoha?

Could he truly guide this village through the coming storm?

Perhaps Konoha needed a new Hokage.

Even Naruto, a mere teenager, had dared to defy him and carve his own path. Yet the Third wouldn't even leave the village, drowning in excuses and inertia.

Walking out of the Hokage Building, Jiraiya felt lost. Should he continue fulfilling the Third's orders, or should he abandon it all and search for the Child of Prophecy?

The missions from Hiruzen would never end. No matter how many he completed, the Third would not regain his youth, nor would his leadership miraculously improve.

And yet, Jiraiya had already found the Child of Prophecy—Naruto.

But Naruto neither needed nor wanted his guidance.

And worse, Naruto's path seemed to diverge from Konoha's.

Would Konoha itself become an obstacle to the Child of Prophecy?

A shiver ran down Jiraiya's spine. For the first time, he felt fear—not of an enemy, but of the future. He suddenly wanted to retreat to Mount Myōboku, to seek guidance from the Great Toad Sage. Only that ancient being could provide a glimpse into the uncertain future.

At that moment, Danzo Shimura appeared before him, his body wrapped in bandages, his lone eye sharp and unreadable.

Danzo halted, looking Jiraiya in the eye. "You failed to retrieve the Nine-Tails jinchūriki?"

Jiraiya met his gaze, then gave a slow nod.

Danzo snorted, unsurprised. "It's not your failure—it's Sarutobi's. He coddled the boy too much. Had Naruto been raised under Root's discipline, he would already be the village's most formidable weapon."

Jiraiya felt his stomach churn. He had always despised Danzo, the shadow lurking beneath Konoha's foundations.

The things Danzo did in the name of the village often contradicted the Will of Fire. Yet the Third Hokage continued to tolerate Root's existence. If Danzo's actions weren't somehow benefiting Konoha, Jiraiya would have fought to dismantle the organization long ago.

He walked past without another word.

Danzo continued toward the Hokage's office, pushing open the door.

The thick scent of tobacco filled the air, making Danzo frown. He spoke, his tone grim. "I hear Jiraiya found the Uchiha exiles. They've not only built a village in Uzushiogakure but are also following a new leader—an Uzumaki shinobi."

The Third Hokage met Danzo's gaze, his expression unreadable. "Did Jiraiya tell you this?"

Danzo scoffed. "Of course not. My agents obtained intelligence from the black market. Even in hiding, the Uchiha need supplies—it wasn't hard to track them."

After a pause, he added, "I ran into Jiraiya just now. He seemed troubled. Did he fail to retrieve the jinchūriki?"

The Third Hokage observed Danzo carefully. "Did your informants uncover the identity of Uzushio's leader? Or did your information come from someone other than the black market?"

Danzo frowned. "Is this person's identity significant? Who is he?"

For a moment, Hiruzen seemed relieved. Danzo truly had no idea.

"You don't need to know," the Third Hokage said. "And we will not act against the Uchiha in Uzushiogakure—for now. Anbu and Root have more pressing matters."

Danzo's expression darkened. "You want to ignore them?"

"The village lacks the resources for such a mission," Hiruzen replied.

Danzo's lips curled into a sneer, but he knew the truth—Konoha couldn't afford another large-scale conflict.

Hiruzen then handed Danzo a report containing Jiraiya's findings on Orochimaru and Sasori.

Danzo's face stiffened when he saw the details. "Orochimaru and Sasori… You suspect they've allied with the masked man's organization?"

"It's not a suspicion," the Third Hokage corrected. "It's a near certainty."

His gaze sharpened. "So, compared to chasing shadows, we must focus on uncovering this organization's true nature. You will prioritize this above all else."

Danzo's reply was measured but firm. "Root is undermanned. I'll need additional funding."

"I will increase Root's budget," Hiruzen conceded. "You may also recruit from the Chūnin ranks—but you will cease interfering in the village's internal matters. Your handling of the Uchiha was reckless."

For once, Danzo did not argue. He simply nodded, already formulating his next move.

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