Hiruzen was reviewing documents when a sudden knock interrupted his work.
Without looking up, he said, "Come in."
Shinya entered, his face tense. "Lord Hokage, Jiraiya has disappeared during the graduation exam."
Hiruzen's eyes narrowed. He formed a quick hand seal, closed his eyes briefly, then reopened them. "He's not in Konoha anymore?" His tone was calm but sharp.
Without hesitation, he gathered his documents, put on his cloak and hat, and grabbed Shinya's arm. Closing the office door behind him, he leaped out, heading straight for the third training ground.
Jiraiya's disappearance had caused an uproar.
Sakumo, the examiner, immediately halted Orochimaru and Dan's assessments, ordering them to search for their missing classmate. Tsunade, realizing Jiraiya was gone, rushed to report it to the exam supervisors.
As luck would have it, Koharu, the Hokage's advisor overseeing education, was present.
Koharu frowned, "Did Jiraiya leave on his own? Perhaps he was afraid of failing the exam and ran home? Or maybe he just wandered off to play?"
Tsunade, already on edge, snapped, "Jiraiya may be an idiot, but he's still sensei's disciple! He wouldn't do something so disgraceful—"
Sakumo quickly stepped in, cutting her off. Turning to Koharu, he said firmly, "Regardless, he is the Hokage's disciple. This isn't a minor issue. I suggest we seal off the third training ground and, if necessary, lock down the village."
Some of the supervising instructors exchanged uneasy glances. To them, this felt like an overreaction. They had already started searching—was it really necessary to escalate things this far?
Koharu, however, made a swift decision. "Seal off the third training ground. Suspend all ongoing exams. Conduct a full sweep of the area." She hesitated before adding, "As for locking down the village, that's up to the Hokage."
The instructors quickly dispersed to begin the search.
Sakumo turned to Koharu with a slight bow. "I've already sent the word to Lord Hokage."
Koharu sighed. "I understand your concern, but I hope this level of urgency applies to all the village's children, not just your junior brother."
Sakumo nodded, "Of course." Then, without another word, he and Tsunade resumed their search.
After searching with no success, they returned to the exam site—just as Hiruzen and Shinya descended from the sky.
The moment he landed, all teachers, students, and exam supervisors turned their attention to him.
Koharu stepped forward to report. "Hiruzen, the third training ground is sealed off, but Jiraiya is nowhere to be found. Only you have the authority to lock down the village."
Hiruzen shook his head, "I already searched with my magnetic field detection before coming here—Jiraiya isn't in the village. There's no need for a lockdown."
Tsunade stepped up, "Sensei, Jiraiya was supposed to take the exam in the afternoon. He told me he was going to 'sharpen his spear before battle.'" She shot a glare at Orochimaru, who had just finished his own exam. "When I went to find him, he was gone."
Orochimaru and Dan, noticing the commotion, joined them.
Hiruzen's mind raced. 'Jiraiya went to train? Was this a coincidence, or was someone targeting him? Or perhaps… was someone targeting Konoha?'
'If Jiraiya wasn't within his detection range, that meant one of two things: either he had left the village, or he was hidden inside a barrier strong enough to block even his sensory abilities.'
Hiruzen took a breath. First, check the village. If Jiraiya had truly left, he would have sensed it when scanning the area.
"Tsunade, when exactly did you notice Jiraiya was gone? How long has it been?" he asked carefully.
Sakumo answered instead. "Tsunade noticed he was missing about 20 minutes ago, which is when we suspended the exam and reported it to Koharu-sama. But Jiraiya left to train 40 minutes ago. We found traces of his training at the usual spot—no signs of a fight."
That meant whatever happened to Jiraiya had occurred within a short window.
Hiruzen's thoughts narrowed. Only a few clans in the village possess barriers capable of blocking detection—the Senju, Uchiha, and Hyuga…
Hiruzen's mind was racing. The Senju, Uchiha, and Hyuga clans were the only ones with barriers strong enough to block his detection, but they were all in Konoha's core area. If someone inside the village had kidnapped Jiraiya, they wouldn't have chosen him—he wasn't politically valuable, neither do he hold any critical information, and wasn't a high-priority target. That meant whoever took him likely wasn't a villager.
Just in case, though, he needed confirmation.
"Sakumo," Hiruzen ordered, his tone sharp. "Go to the Barrier Team and deliver my command—every barrier in the village must be checked immediately. If someone was kidnapped inside Konoha, and we weren't even aware, then our patrols are clearly lacking." He gave Sakumo a pointed look.
Sakumo understood instantly. His sensei was asking his wife, Biwako, to personally inspect the barriers of the Senju, Uchiha, and Hyuga clans in his name.
"Yes, Lord Hokage." Without hesitation, Sakumo vanished.
Hiruzen turned to the students. "The graduation exams will continue." Then, glancing at Tsunade, he said, "Take me to where Jiraiya was training."
Tsunade led the way, Orochimaru immediately following. Dan hesitated before deciding to come along as well.
They arrived within minutes. Hiruzen crouched down, examining the ground closely. Chakra residues lingered, but what caught his attention was the faint trace of spatial fluctuation. His expression darkened.
Hiruzen's thoughts ran through the possibilities. There weren't many people in the world capable of using such techniques.
The Flying Thunder God technique came to mind, but only a select few had access to it, and Jiraiya wasn't one of them. It was recorded in the Scroll of Seals, which was heavily protected.
Another possibility… Uchiha Madara?
Hiruzen's heart clenched. According to history, Madara had awakened the Rinnegan late in life, summoned the Gedo Statue, and transplanted his eyes into Nagato but Nagato wasn't even born yet.
If this is Madara… has he awakened his Rinnegan earlier than he has expected?
He recalled the theories from his past life about Madara's hiding place—the Hill Cemetery. If those theories were correct, Madara was alive and in hiding, waiting for his moment.
Hiruzen exhaled slowly. If Madara was involved, this was beyond dangerous. Even at his current strength, facing Madara alone was reckless. The safest option would be to wait, to stall for time and let the old age take him.
But Jiraiya… Jiraiya had been taken and Hiruzen wasn't the kind of man to abandon his disciple.
Hiruzen's eyes sharpened with determination. If Uchiha Madara stood in his way, then he would face him—no matter what.
The name "Madara" carried weight in this world. It was a name that struck fear into the hearts of even the strongest shinobi. A legend, a ghost of the past who had once stood at the peak of power alongside the First Hokage but to Hiruzen, Madara was not some untouchable force. He was an obstacle that could be overcome.
He clenched his fists, feeling the chakra surge within him.
The Great Toad Sage's prophecy lingered in his mind—war, chaos, an unseen force. If Madara was part of that storm, then Hiruzen would stand against him. Not as the Third Hokage, but as himself. As a man who refused to be bound by fate.
A smirk tugged at his lips. Bring it on, Madara. Let's see if you're as unstoppable as history claims.
Returning to the Hokage Building, Hiruzen wasted no time.
"Shinya, get me a world map," he commanded as he sealed scrolls of ninja tools, jutsu, and important documents.
Shinya rushed back moments later with the map. Hiruzen quickly found the location of the Hill Cemetery, memorized it, and stored the map in a scroll.
Handing a sealed scroll to Shinya, he said, "I believe I know who took Jiraiya. I'm going after him. If I don't return in a week, open this and follow its instructions."
Shinya's eyes widened. "Lord Hokage! Who is the enemy? If it's that serious, shouldn't we mobilize the village? Why would you go alone?"
Hiruzen gave a small, weary smile. "This isn't a battle of numbers. But don't worry—I don't intend to lose. As a Hokage, I must protect the village."
Orochimaru and Tsunade, standing nearby, finally grasped the severity of the situation. Their master—their father figure—was preparing for a battle he might not return from.
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked down at his student, his expression softening for a moment. Orochimaru, the proud, brilliant shinobi who rarely showed vulnerability, was now clutching his leg like a desperate child.
"Orochimaru…" Hiruzen sighed, placing a firm but gentle hand on his shoulder.
Tears streamed down Orochimaru's pale cheeks, his fingers tightening as if holding on could stop the inevitable. "Jiraiya disappeared into the unknown, and now you're chasing after him… What if you never come back?!" His voice cracked, raw with emotion. "Konoha needs you! I—" He hesitated, then whispered, "I need you, sensei…"
Hiruzen knelt, leveling his gaze with Orochimaru's. "My duty is to protect this village and the people I love, including you. If there's a chance I can bring Jiraiya back, then I have to take it."
Orochimaru shook his head, his grip unrelenting. "Then let me come with you."
Hiruzen smiled sadly, "No, my student. Konoha still needs its future, and that future is you."
Orochimaru bit his lip, his mind racing. He had never feared anything before—not death, not pain—but the thought of losing his sensei, of being left alone in this world, was unbearable.
"Please," he choked out one last time.
Hiruzen's heart ached at the plea, but he had already made his decision. He gently pried Orochimaru's hands away, rising to his feet. "Trust me," he said, his voice full of quiet strength. "I will return."
Tsunade clenched her fists. "Yeah! That idiot Jiraiya isn't worth it. Let him rot, just don't go!"
Hiruzen sighed, feeling a mix of relief and amusement. He knelt, placing a hand on both their heads, pulling them close.
"I'm glad you care," he murmured, "but Jiraiya is my student—just like you. If any of you were in danger, I'd risk my life the same way as I did for him."
He pulled them up, his tone turning firm. "You must train harder. Strength is the only way to protect what you love. And besides…" He smiled. "Your sensei isn't weak."
Just then, the door burst open. Koharu and Homura entered, their gazes falling on Hiruzen—fully armored, ready for war.
Shinya quickly explained everything, hoping they could stop him.
Homura's face darkened, "Hiruzen! As Hokage, how can you be so irresponsible? We have an entire village of shinobi! Why must you personally go?"
Then, as if struck by a thought, he added, "Wait. We just received a report—Jiraiya may have vanished because he attempted a summoning contract without actually having one."
Hiruzen froze. His sharp mind connected the dots instantly. His eyes widened.
"Myoboku Mountain."