Chapter 1: The Two Month Acting Hokage.
Land of Fire. Konoha.
The village that had once stood as a monument to prosperity now lay broken. Shattered rooftops jutted against the sky like broken teeth. Scorch marks blackened the walls of buildings that still stood. Debris littered streets where children had played only weeks before.
The Konoha Collapse Plan had seen to that.
The Sand Shinobi and the traitor Orochimaru had struck without mercy. Though Konoha's defenders had responded swiftly enough to spare most civilians, the shinobi forces had paid dearly. Buildings could be rebuilt. Lives could not be restored.
And among those lives lost was the Third Hokage himself—Sarutobi Hiruzen, dead by Orochimaru's hand.
Without a Hokage, Konoha was adrift.
Inside the Hokage's office, Jiraiya stood with his arms crossed, studying the two elderly advisors before him. He'd known this was coming the moment they'd summoned him.
Mitokado Homura cleared his throat, exchanging a weighted glance with Utatane Koharu. "Jiraiya," he began carefully, "Konoha cannot remain without a Hokage. You are the most qualified person in this village to assume that responsibility."
"Yeah." Jiraiya's shoulders sagged. "I figured."
The timing felt wrong—sensei's body was barely cold. But he understood the urgency. A village without a leader was a village with a target painted on its back. Every nation with an army would be watching, waiting to see if Konoha would falter.
To become Hokage required two things: power and prestige. Jiraiya had both in abundance.
But he didn't want it.
Once, maybe. When he'd been young and hungry for recognition, the title had glittered like gold in his mind. But the Great Toad Sage's prophecy had changed everything. His destiny wasn't to rule from behind a desk—it was to find the Child of Prophecy, the student who would change the world.
"I don't want to be Hokage," he said quietly.
The words hung in the air for a moment before both advisors erupted.
"What time do you think this is?" Koharu's voice cracked like a whip. "This isn't about what you want, Jiraiya!"
"Are you truly going to abandon Konoha in its hour of need?" Homura added, his tone sharp with disappointment.
Jiraiya said nothing. What could he say? They were right to be angry. But being right didn't change the fact that he'd make a terrible Hokage. He was too restless, too undisciplined. He'd spend half his time sneaking away to gather intelligence—or research, depending on who was asking—and the other half drowning in paperwork he'd never wanted to touch.
An idea struck him.
"What about Tsunade?"
Both advisors paused.
"Bring her back," Jiraiya continued, warming to the idea. "She's got the strength, the bloodline, the reputation. She'd be a far better Hokage than I ever could."
Homura and Koharu exchanged another glance, this one longer. They'd considered Tsunade, of course. But she'd left the village years ago, cutting all ties. And then there was her hemophobia—the paralyzing fear of blood that had broken something vital inside her when Dan and Nawaki died.
Still... if she could overcome it, Tsunade would be ideal.
"And how long would this take?" Koharu asked slowly.
"Two months. Give me two months to find her and convince her to come back."
It was perfect. He could track down Tsunade, investigate Orochimaru's whereabouts, and take Naruto out for some real training—all without being chained to the Hokage's desk.
"Two months is a long time," Koharu said, frowning. "Konoha cannot be leaderless for that long. The other nations—"
"I know." Jiraiya held up a hand. "That's why I'll leave someone in charge while I'm gone. My student, Su Li. He can serve as acting Hokage until Tsunade arrives."
Both advisors froze.
"Your... student?" Homura said carefully.
"Su Li?" Koharu added, her tone uncertain.
Jiraiya grinned. "That's right."
They knew the name, of course. Jiraiya had mentioned his mysterious student often enough over the years. But neither advisor had ever met the man. Su Li didn't live in Konoha, didn't train with its shinobi, didn't appear in any records. If not for Jiraiya's repeated references, they might have thought him a fiction.
What kind of student was he? A prodigy? A hermit? A liability?
But then again... Jiraiya was one of the Legendary Sannin. If he trusted this Su Li enough to name him acting Hokage, there had to be substance behind the name.
And more importantly, having Su Li in the position meant Jiraiya's implicit backing remained with the village. It was a symbol more than anything—a figurehead to maintain stability while the real work continued around him.
No one would dare challenge the choice. Not publicly.
"Very well," Homura said after a long pause. "But he will need to—"
"He's already here," Jiraiya interrupted, his grin widening. He'd just sensed a familiar chakra signature approaching the building. "Perfect timing."
Both advisors straightened, sudden interest flickering in their aged eyes.
After all these years, they would finally meet the enigmatic Su Li.
What kind of person could Jiraiya trust with the weight of an entire village?