"Ahem!"
Kimimaro coughed violently, covering his mouth as blood seeped between his fingers.
"As expected of one of Konoha's Twelve Guardian Ninja… he's really strong."
His brown-black skin gradually faded to its usual pale tone as the power of the Cursed Seal receded.
Ahead of him, Sarutobi Asuma stood frozen, eyes wide in shock. Kimimaro's whip-like spine had pierced clean through his chest.
Blood dripped down as Asuma staggered and collapsed to the ground.
Kimimaro exhaled, his body trembling slightly. He hadn't expected Konoha's Jōnin to be this troublesome. The battle had dragged on longer than he anticipated.
Finally, he had secured victory—but at a cost.
"Hm?"
Kimimaro's sharp senses tingled. In an instant, he leaped back several times, landing atop a towering tree.
His gaze shifted toward Konoha. Thick plumes of brown-black smoke billowed into the sky.
"What…? Orochimaru-sama was defeated?!"
His expression darkened. He could hardly believe it, but there was no denying it—the signal to retreat had been given.
"What happened in Konoha Village?"
If only he had been able to finish off this opponent sooner… perhaps he could have joined forces with Orochimaru-sama to turn the tide.
No matter. He couldn't hesitate now.
Ignoring his own injuries, Kimimaro sprinted toward Konoha.
---
With the arrival of Jiraiya and the sealing of Orochimaru's arms, the tide of battle had turned drastically. The enemy forces were thrown into disarray, and Konoha's morale surged.
Many of the invading ninjas were either eliminated or captured. The remaining forces fled in a panic.
Within a few days, peace returned to Konoha.
A grand memorial service was held, honoring Sarutobi Hiruzen, the village elders, Asuma, and all the shinobi who had perished.
They were all declared heroes—sacrifices made in the battle against the invasion.
No one suspected the truth.
Sasuke's vengeance had been swift and silent. Danzo and the two remaining elders had fallen, and thanks to his careful use of the Transformation Jutsu, no one had connected their deaths to him.
His revenge had been completed without a trace.
---
A few days later, Konoha's leadership gathered for an urgent meeting.
Among those present were Nara Shikaku, Yamanaka Hiashi, Hyuga Hiashi, and the heads of various clans. Additionally, prominent Jōnin such as Might Guy, Kakashi, and Kurenai Yuhi were in attendance.
Sasuke, due to his significant role in repelling Sunagakure's attack and defeating Gaara, was also invited.
A large screen displayed the Fire Daimyo and his advisors.
Shikaku stepped forward. "Lord Daimyo, as you can see, Konoha is currently without a Hokage. We must appoint a new leader as soon as possible."
The Fire Daimyo nodded thoughtfully. "Understood. Do you have any candidates in mind?"
Shikaku exchanged glances with the other clan heads before speaking.
"We recommend Lord Jiraiya to assume the position."
Murmurs of agreement spread throughout the room.
Jiraiya's strength was undeniable. He had single-handedly shifted the course of the battle with his overwhelming power.
More than that, he was a student of the Third Hokage and a teacher to the Fourth. His reputation was known far and wide.
Even the Fire Daimyo seemed pleased. "Ah, Jiraiya. Yes, I've heard of him. He was the Fourth Hokage's master, wasn't he?"
"It seems fitting for him to take charge. Let's proceed—"
"Wait!"
A sudden voice interrupted the discussion.
The doors swung open, and Jiraiya himself strode in. He swept his gaze across the room, then sighed.
"Hokage, huh? Sounds nice and all, but…" He scratched the back of his head. "I'm not really suited for this kind of responsibility."
Everyone was stunned.
Jiraiya sighed again. He had been keeping tabs on the meeting from the shadows, but once he heard them unanimously nominate him, he couldn't stay silent.
Becoming Hokage meant being stuck in an office, buried in paperwork day after day.
How could that compare to traveling the world, researching… ahem… gathering inspiration, and enjoying life?
Especially when the Fire Daimyo was already finalizing the decision without even consulting him!
"This is a pain," he muttered.
The Fire Daimyo frowned. "Jiraiya is the best candidate, but if he refuses…"
His gaze swept across the room. However, none of the other candidates seemed suitable.
The clan leaders and elite Jōnin exchanged glances, but no one spoke. It was clear that the Daimyo did not see them as viable choices.
That was when Jiraiya smirked.
"I do have a suggestion," he said, breaking the awkward silence. "What do you all think about Tsunade becoming the Fifth Hokage?"
A murmur of surprise ran through the room.
Tsunade—one of the legendary Sannin. A medical expert renowned across the ninja world. And, more importantly, the granddaughter of the First Hokage.
In terms of both lineage and ability, she was a perfect candidate.
"But… Lord Tsunade isn't in Konoha," Kakashi pointed out.
"She's always moving around. It won't be easy to find her," another Jōnin added.
The Fire Daimyo turned to Jiraiya. "Do you know where she is?"
Jiraiya crossed his arms. "I don't have an exact location, but I can narrow down her movements."
The Daimyo nodded. "Good. Then it's up to you to bring her back."
Jiraiya frowned slightly. He had other matters to attend to—Orochimaru, the Akatsuki's movements…
"Tsk. This is a hassle."
Just then, another voice spoke up.
"Lord Daimyo, allow me to find Tsunade-sama."
Everyone turned toward the speaker.
Uchiha Sasuke.
The Fire Daimyo raised an eyebrow. "You're… Sasuke? I heard you performed well in the Chūnin Exams."
"And," another advisor added, "you also repelled the One-Tail Jinchūriki, didn't you?"
Sasuke nodded calmly. "That's correct."
The Daimyo studied him for a moment before nodding. "Very well. If you're capable of driving away a Jinchūriki, then I will entrust this task to you."
Jiraiya observed Sasuke with interest.
"So this is Orochimaru's target, huh?"
The Uchiha clan had produced some of the most powerful shinobi in history—Madara, Itachi…
And now, Sasuke was proving to be just as formidable.
"Sasuke," Jiraiya said, "come see me after this meeting."
---
That night, Sasuke met with Jiraiya.
"You're something else, kid," Jiraiya said. "Not only did you survive Orochimaru's attack, but you even forced back a Jinchūriki…"
Sasuke didn't respond.
Jiraiya sighed, shaking his head. "You remind me of Orochimaru—a genius, through and through. Let's just hope you don't go down the same path."
He tossed Sasuke a scroll.
"This contains Tsunade's last known locations," he explained. "And some intel. Consider it a gift."
"Intel?" Sasuke asked.
"On Uchiha Itachi and the Akatsuki."
Sasuke's eyes darkened.
Jiraiya continued, "It details their movements, as well as some of Itachi's known abilities."
Sasuke took the scroll without a word.
Jiraiya smirked. "He's cold… but I can't blame him."
That same night, Konoha's officials fulfilled Sasuke's request.
A scroll containing the Fourth Hokage's legendary jutsu—Flying Thunder God Technique—was delivered into his hands.