The last time Itachi activated Susanoo and flattened the Shimura clan's territory, and now, with the arrival of the Cloud Shinobi delegation, the Third Hokage could feel the pressure closing in on all sides.
Konoha's high-end combat power was severely lacking. Outside of himself, few within the village could confidently face the emerging threats.
Left with no other option, the Third Hokage made a difficult decision—he recalled his former student, the Legendary Toad Sage, Jiraiya.
Between Tsunade and Jiraiya, the latter was the more likely to return without resistance. Tsunade's grievances with the village ran deep, and her past was entangled with too many painful memories. The Hokage couldn't even face her without guilt.
But Jiraiya… Jiraiya still held some connection to the village, even if from afar.
Upon returning to Konoha, Jiraiya did not immediately head to the Hokage's office. Nor did he seek out Naruto, his godson. Instead, he wandered quietly toward the ruins of what had once been the Shimura clan compound.
The ground was cracked and torn as if a great beast had raged through. Buildings were reduced to rubble. Debris littered the walkways. The entire area was a silent testament to the wrath of two young Uchiha.
"Damn... the destruction is horrifying," Jiraiya muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "And this was just... two kids?"
Despite having fought in the Great Ninja Wars, having faced monstrous beasts and fearsome foes, Jiraiya was still stunned. He had witnessed large-scale destruction before, but those were typically caused by renowned powerhouses or multiple elite squads working together.
But here... it was just two teenage Uchiha.
"Old man... why did you let it come to this?" he whispered under his breath, his gaze sweeping over the devastation.
Though Jiraiya had been away from the village for some time, he had maintained a steady flow of intelligence from informants and allies. He knew Uchiha's actions were not without cause. The village leadership had driven them to the brink.
At that same time, in the Konoha conference hall, Andrew was playing the role of a silent observer.
He sat near the top-ranking officials with his hands folded, contributing nothing to the diplomatic chatter. Instead, his gaze subtly drifted again and again toward one of the female Cloud Shinobi present.
She looked composed and confident, but Andrew saw through the surface.
He recognized her instantly—by her appearance, demeanor, and chakra. She was Yugito Nii, the Two-Tails Jinchūriki from Kumogakure.
"That's a surprise," Andrew thought. "Cloud didn't send a Jinchūriki in the original timeline… Did my actions really cause that big a butterfly effect?"
From across the room, Yugito could feel his gaze. Her instincts screamed that this Uchiha had seen through her identity. But how?
She had only become a Jinchūriki recently, and very few in Kumogakure even knew her status. Her appearance in public had been minimal. Even within the village, her identity was heavily guarded.
Could it be a bluff? A hunch? Or did he really know?
The truth was, her mission was meant to be a backup plan. If negotiations with Konoha soured, the presence of a tailed beast was to act as deterrence—a show of force that would dissuade rash retaliation.
But now, the entire situation felt off. Uchiha was sitting side-by-side with Konoha's leadership. That alone defied every report they had gathered about Konoha's internal conflict.
Even stranger—Andrew never once spoke during the entire meeting, despite clearly knowing her secret. No confrontation, no veiled threats, no exposed truths. Just... quiet observation.
"What is Uchiha's real relationship with Konoha?" Yugito wondered.
After the meeting concluded, Andrew left the room without sparing a word to anyone. Yugito released a slow breath, feeling the tension in her shoulders relax slightly.
"At least I wasn't exposed," she told herself.
Still, something didn't sit right.
Cloud's advisor, Tutai, was just as puzzled after hearing her report. "So Uchiha knows you're a Jinchūriki but didn't act on it? That confirms it—the gap between Uchiha and Konoha's central command is huge. Big enough that they don't even care about a tailed beast walking through their gates."
They couldn't risk making assumptions, but they would definitely need to report this to the Fourth Raikage.
Back at the Hokage's office, Jiraiya finally arrived.
He stood at the window, arms crossed, watching the bustle of Konoha below. Behind him, Hiruzen looked older than ever.
"Old man," Jiraiya said quietly, "you're not what you used to be."
"In chaotic times like these... Hokage or not, I've aged beyond my years," the Third replied with a sigh.
But seeing Jiraiya again brought some peace of mind. With so many threats lurking in the shadows, having one of the Sannin back was like recovering a lost weapon.
"Don't get too happy," Jiraiya warned. "I'm not taking the Hokage seat. Ever. Don't even think about it."
Hiruzen chuckled faintly. "I know you too well to bother trying."
They moved on to the more serious topic.
"You've heard what happened with Uchiha?"
Jiraiya nodded grimly. "Yeah. The village can't even control them anymore, can it?"
"They're too strong," Hiruzen admitted. "And now Cloud Shinobi is sniffing around. That's why I called you back."
"Let Cloud Shinobi wait. I've fought in the Third War. I know how they operate. They're not eager to pick another fight."
"But Uchiha… now that's a fire that could spread at any time."
Jiraiya frowned. He'd heard the rumors—about Danzo's obsession with the Sharingan, about the Council's discrimination, about the surveillance and manipulation. And now the village wanted to rebuild the relationship they'd helped destroy?
"Old man," he said, "you really think they'll trust me? I'm one of the Sannin, sure, but I've got no special connection with Uchiha."
"But that's exactly it!" Hiruzen insisted. "They distrust everyone in leadership, but you've never been involved in any of that. You're neutral. You might be the only person who can speak to them without being shut down."
Jiraiya hesitated, then finally nodded.
"Fine. I'll try. But don't expect miracles."
He turned toward the window again, ready to leave. "I'll check on Naruto once school's out. For now, I'll look around. Haven't walked these streets in a while."
Of course, "looking around" was code for something else.
Moments later, Jiraiya strolled toward the old commercial street with a glint of excitement in his eye.
Research. For his next book, of course.
But when he arrived, he was dismayed. The bathhouse was shuttered, the street quiet.
It wasn't just the closure that was surprising—it was the atmosphere. The commercial street felt like a ghost town.
That's when it hit him.
Root might be gone, but the new enforcers—Uchiha's police force—were very much alive and active. With that kind of presence looming over the area, it was no wonder civilians avoided it.
Still determined, Jiraiya asked around. Soon, someone pointed him to a new bathhouse under Uchiha's private industry branch, nestled in a cleaner, more secure district.
"Uchiha Industry Street, huh? Can't say I'm not curious…"
He made his way there and stealthily crept toward the back of the bathhouse, eyes gleaming.
But just as he prepared for "research," a shadow loomed over him.
"Caught you," Andrew said coldly, flipping open a scroll. "You're under arrest. Peeping in a civilian establishment. Article 6, Paragraph 14. Congratulations."
Jiraiya froze. Then scratched his head with a sheepish grin.
"Guess I'm busted…"
To Andrew's surprise, the famous Toad Sage didn't resist. He followed along, chuckling to himself.
"Man, things really have changed around here…"
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