One month later, in the Hokage's office.
Learning that Jiraiya had regained his mobility and suffered no lasting aftereffects, Hiruzen breathed a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to use his crystal ball to check on the villagers' daily lives as usual, he heard footsteps outside.
Without knocking, the visitor pushed open the door and walked step by step directly to Hiruzen.
"Danzo, what brings you here?"
Grateful he hadn't yet cast the Telescope Technique, Hiruzen looked up at his old friend with curiosity.
"I have a plan here that requires your assistance."
Danzo's expression was impassive as he placed a scroll from his left hand onto Hiruzen's desk, his single eye boring into his old friend.
"A plan?"
Hiruzen picked up the scroll with puzzlement, and after reading it, immediately voiced his opposition: "Danzo, this plan is far too radical. I will not approve it!"
Staring at his old friend with shock, Hiruzen never imagined Danzo would be bold enough to attempt targeting other hidden villages' jinchūriki.
Danzo had anticipated Hiruzen's reaction, speaking at an unhurried pace: "Hiruzen, for Konoha's protection, you must agree."
"Danzo, you should understand how vital jinchūriki are to a village. If something goes wrong, it will instantly destabilize an already precarious situation—war will come early!"
Hiruzen gripped the scroll tightly, his mind already conjuring scenes of the great hidden villages besieging Konoha.
"But if we succeed, it could delay war for many years. Tailed Beasts need to be sealed within jinchūriki while they're young so they can grow together. Once a jinchūriki meets misfortune, you should know how much effort it takes to cultivate a replacement."
Ignoring Hiruzen's nearly blazing glare, Danzo half-closed his eye, his tone emotionless: "Besides, I'm not seeking to capture the Tailed Beasts—merely to cause their jinchūriki to suffer certain accidents, forcing replacements."
"During the period of cultivating new jinchūriki, no hidden village would actively provoke war, would they?"
Hearing Danzo's explanation, Hiruzen's stance softened from its previous intensity: "But the targets are jinchūriki—heavily protected jinchūriki at that. Even if you and I acted personally, I fear we might..."
"That's precisely why your students must act. I heard Jiraiya has returned to the village. Both he and Orochimaru are excellent infiltration specialists who could operate separately, suppressing the troublesome Iwagakure and Kumogakure."
Seeing Hiruzen waver, Danzo finally revealed his true purpose: "If my Root possessed such capabilities, I would have sent operatives long ago rather than waste words with you here."
"Jiraiya and Orochimaru... they are indeed outstanding infiltration specialists, but if they fail..." Thinking of his excellent students—Konoha's backbone—Hiruzen felt resistant.
Danzo's plan offered great rewards but carried even greater risks.
Should Jiraiya and Orochimaru perish abroad, Konoha's strength would suffer tremendous losses.
"A ninja's destiny is sacrifice. Other ninjas can be sacrificed—why should your students be exempt? If it's for Konoha, I would willingly sacrifice even my own son." Danzo pressed relentlessly, giving Hiruzen no space to think.
Hearing these words, Hiruzen found himself completely without rebuttal, his brow furrowing deeply as he contemplated.
After a long moment, Hiruzen spoke quietly: "Leave the scroll. I'll arrange for someone to handle it."
"My Root—" Danzo tried to say more but was cut off by Hiruzen: "There's no need for your subordinates' cooperation. I'll dispatch ANBU directly under the Hokage."
At these words, Danzo gave Hiruzen a penetrating look, opened his mouth as if to speak, but ultimately abandoned the attempt, turning to leave with slow, measured steps.
Reaching the door, Danzo couldn't resist turning back to Hiruzen: "You're too soft, Hiruzen."
This time, Danzo received no rebuttal. Slowly rising smoke obscured the view between the two men.
...
"Kid, your movements aren't bad, but your counterattacks carry too much killing intent."
In the hospital courtyard, the recently recovered Jiraiya sat on a bench, watching Feng Bai spar with Tsunade.
Compared to Shimura Ikku's whip-like fighting style and Aburame Ryōma's zero-frame attacks, Tsunade's moves could only be described as bold and sweeping.
For Feng Bai, who had developed formidable evasion skills through long-term "training" and beatings, sparring with Tsunade wasn't particularly difficult. Of course, this was because Tsunade wasn't using her full strength—otherwise, he might well become the second Jiraiya.
"I surrender!"
Having just dodged Tsunade's punch and preparing to counterattack from her blind spot, Feng Bai discovered Tsunade had somehow forcibly twisted her body around, a finger flick aimed at his forehead. He quickly raised his hands in surrender.
"Hmph, quick to surrender, aren't you, kid?"
Lightly flicking Feng Bai's forehead, Tsunade smiled as she watched him crouch on the ground clutching his head and crying out in pain, then strode over to Jiraiya.
"Alright, you play with this kid. I need to get back to work."
Due to caring for Jiraiya, the cash-strapped Tsunade had accepted the hospital's invitation to conduct professional training for the doctors during her free time.
Feng Bai's presence here wasn't a deliberate attempt to curry favor with Jiraiya, but because...
Obito had been caught in Tsunade's punch and was also hospitalized.
To prevent Obito from falling behind in his studies during his hospital stay, Makoto Ito had chosen Feng Bai—who appeared closest to Obito—to deliver notes after school.
"So where's Rin? Why didn't Rin come?"
Sitting at the other end of the bench with a bandage on his face, Obito complained upon seeing Feng Bai approach.
"Rin and the others are in class. What, do you feel wronged that I'm visiting you?"
Seeing Obito's ingratitude, Feng Bai lightly smacked his head.
Ouch, that stings!
If not for the opportunity to escape Shimura Ikku's cotton-picking-style training, he wouldn't have come at all.
"It's not that... I just don't want to sit next to that peeping pervert."
Obito sat there muttering, referring to the "peeping pervert."
The accused pervert's forehead bulged with veins: "Brat, if it weren't for you, how could I have nearly been beaten to death by Tsunade!"
Jiraiya had figured it out—this Uchiha brat was even more detestable than the Shimura kid. That one was slyly malicious; this one was just a blockhead!
"You think peeping is justified?!"
Obito's voice rose high, quickly attracting the nurses' attention.
Seeing the hospital's female staff about to drown him in hostile stares, Jiraiya hurriedly reached out to cover Obito's mouth, trying to stop him from blurting out such uncomfortable truths.
"Alright, you two. You'll both be discharged tomorrow anyway—don't look so sour. Smile a little."
Watching the pair tangle together, Feng Bai couldn't shake the feeling that these two were surprisingly well-matched.
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