"Minato… I knew it. If anyone was going to visit me, it'd be you. Not like a certain heartless guy, ever since I was hospitalized, he hasn't even shown his shadow."
Inside Konoha Hospital, in a private ward, Jiraiya lay on the bed wrapped in bandages.
When he saw Minato walk in holding a bouquet of flowers and a fruit basket, his expression was a little gloomy at first, but instantly turned cheerful.
"Don't say that. I'm sure Lord Orochimaru has his reasons for not visiting you.
After all, Iwa-nin and Kumo-nin have quieted down, but Kirigakure suddenly seems a bit restless.
I heard that Lord Orochimaru had barely returned for half a day before the Third sent him to the Land of Water to support the Uchiha."
Minato smiled as he offered an explanation for Orochimaru.
"Forget him. Didn't you just come yesterday… wait, don't tell me you're heading out on a mission too?"
Jiraiya suddenly realized something and shot upright in his bed.
"To the Land of Wind. I'm departing soon."
Minato hesitated for a moment, but still said it.
"The Kazekage?"
Jiraiya's tone dropped low.
"No, the One-Tails."
Minato didn't spell it out, but Jiraiya already understood.
The Jinchuriki of the One-Tails in Sunagakure was old. Not only was he losing control of Shukaku, but incidents of the One-Tails going berserk had become frequent.
It was obvious the Konoha leadership planned to make a move regarding the Jinchuriki.
"Do you really have to go?"
Jiraiya sounded worried.
If Konoha could think of targeting the One-Tails' Jinchuriki, then surely so could Suna. Even with just his toes, he could imagine how many Suna-nin were lurking near the One-Tails' host.
"Lord Third said that if I accomplish this mission, he'll recommend me as a candidate for the Fourth Hokage."
Minato nodded.
"Hah. My student actually got himself competing with Orochimaru. Once you become a Hokage candidate, that guy's expression is going to be priceless."
Jiraiya burst into loud laughter, but then suddenly locked his gaze onto Minato, his tone turning heavy.
"Minato, make sure you come back alive."
"Don't worry, Jiraiya-sensei. It's not like you don't know I can use the Flying Thunder God Technique."
Minato tried to reassure him.
"Minato, don't get careless. And don't rely too much on the Flying Thunder God. It's powerful, but it's not invincible.
As far as I know, the Second Hokage's Flying Thunder God Slash was once caught between two fingers by the Iron Fist."
Seeing how confident Minato was in Flying Thunder God, Jiraiya's expression darkened as he reminded him.
Ever since he was hospitalized, he had been bored, so he read many records. One incident related to the Flying Thunder God had caught his attention.
After creating the technique, the Second Hokage once challenged the Iron Fist using it, and suffered a crushing defeat.
Facing the Flying Thunder God Slash, Garp had stopped it using just two fingers.
When Jiraiya learned this, he broke out into cold sweat on the spot.
"Jiraiya-sensei, I won't be careless. Please just focus on resting. When I return from the mission, I'll visit you again.
Though knowing your abilities, you'll probably be discharged and fully recovered by then."
Hearing this, Minato's expression tightened slightly. He silently engraved the warning in his heart.
He had heard of the title "Hero of the Shinobi World" plenty of times.
He originally thought that even if he wasn't a match for that man, with Flying Thunder God he could always escape. But now… he wasn't so sure.
"Hokage-sama has ordered, the mission is canceled."
Just as the somewhat preoccupied Minato was preparing to leave for his assignment, an Anbu suddenly appeared on the windowsill of the ward.
"May I ask why?"
Minato froze.
Given what the mission meant for the Hokage candidacy, he couldn't stop himself from asking.
"Kazekage Rasa, Elder Chiyo, and Ebizo were killed by the Hero of the Shinobi World. Two thousand Suna-nin have routed back to their village."
The Anbu looked around the ward. Aside from Minato, only Jiraiya was present. So he didn't hide it.
Not to mention their ties to Hiruzen, the Third Hokage had never intended to keep this information secret from them anyway.
"Counting Sunagakure, that makes the third village… For someone to subdue three shinobi villages alone, only that monster of a man could pull it off."
"The Hero of the Shinobi World, huh?"
Jiraiya and Minato exchanged a look. Realization dawned, followed by shock.
"Both of you, the message has been delivered. I'll return to report to Hokage-sama."
With that said, the Anbu disappeared from the window.
"Don't be discouraged. You're my student, after all. So what if it's just a Hokage candidate? With me backing you, are you really afraid you won't have another chance?"
After the Anbu left, seeing Minato still stunned, Jiraiya patted his shoulder.
"I'm fine, Jiraiya-sensei. Actually, this isn't bad. Not only do I not have to take on that mission, but the village no longer has to worry about a threat from Sunagakure.
Now we can focus entirely on Kirigakure and possibly Amegakure, who might join the war at any moment."
Minato's smile was a bit forced.
He wasn't exactly devastated but watching a Hokage candidacy slip right past him… he was definitely a little disappointed.
"As long as you think that way."
Jiraiya nodded, relieved inside.
Despite how happy he had looked when he heard Minato might become a Hokage candidate, he was still worried about Minato competing with Orochimaru.
After Nawaki's death, Orochimaru's personality had grown colder, more unpredictable.
He truly feared that one day, his student and his best friend might end up fighting to the death over the position of Hokage.
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