"Stop whoever comes!"
With a powerful sound, a figure flashed out. It was a tall samurai standing in the center of the corridor. He stretched out his hand and intercepted Jiraiya who was walking forward.
The samurai's aura was quite strong. Judging from his flawless stance and the firmness in his eyes, he was probably already calculating the angle from which to strike.
When Jiraiya saw the samurai blocking the road, he was also slightly stunned.
Although the country of ghosts is a very unique country, the only people with power, apart from ninjas, are mikos. What happened to the samurai blocking the road?
I have never heard that the Kingdom of Ghosts has trained samurai troops.
"Why are the samurai here?"
Jiraiya asked with a frown.
"This is the Kingdom of Iron, so of course samurai will be here."
The samurai answered meticulously.
"No, what I'm asking is, why do the samurai from the Kingdom of Iron mix with the people from the Kingdom of Ghosts?"
After hearing Jiraiya's words, the samurai still replied coldly:
"My name is Satokaku, and in compliance with the orders of Admiral Mifune, I will protect the personal safety of the Minister of Military Affairs of the Kingdom of Demons in the Kingdom of Iron during his stay in the Kingdom of Iron. Are you Jiraiya-dono, one of the Sannin of Konoha? Please leave here, otherwise, you will be treated as an attacker and killed!"
"..."
Jiraiya was slightly annoyed.
He actually forgot that he and others entered the Iron Kingdom and did not report to the Iron Kingdom.
However, as an important minister of a country, Shiraishi is very thoughtful. Even if it is a private visit, he will probably report it to the Daming Prefecture of the country.
In this way, in order to ensure the safety of Shiraishi in the Iron Kingdom, the Iron Kingdom will naturally send samurai here to prevent Shiraishi from having any accidents in the Iron Kingdom and causing trouble to the Iron Kingdom.
By forcefully breaking in like this, Jiraiya knew without even thinking that he would directly arouse the hostility of the Iron Kingdom samurai and even be expelled from the Iron Kingdom.
The Iron Kingdom's military strength is second to none among the major powers.
Its general, Mifune, can be said to be one of the top sword masters in the ninja world today. He has killed dozens of ninjas with one sword, and his strength is extraordinary.
Therefore, it was impossible to break in and talk to Shiraishi like this.
If the three-fleet admiral was lured over, things would be quite difficult.
"Then, please tell me that I have something to come to visit."
Since forcing his way through didn't work, Jiraiya decided to take the regular path.
Samurai Rikkaku thought for a moment and replied:
"Okay, Sir Jiraiya, please wait here."
The samurai Satokaku agreed to Jiraiya's request and was about to walk inside to ask Shiraishi for instructions.
However, just as he turned around, a figure came towards him.
She is a miko who is about seventeen or eighteen years old. She has long black hair, an indifferent face, and her whole body is full of inhumanity.
"No need, Mr. Shiraishi is taking a rest and will not see any guests now."
The miko walked up to the samurai Urakaku and said to him coldly.
The samurai Rikkaku didn't know whether it was true or not, but since the miko said so, she came with Shiraishi's order, so she immediately turned around and said to Jiraiya:
"Jiraiya-dono must have heard it too, so please come back now."
His job is to monitor and protect Shiraishi's safety within the Kingdom of Iron to prevent unsighted guys from disturbing him and causing diplomatic conflicts between the Kingdom of Iron and the Kingdom of Ghosts.
Therefore, under a clear order, even the title of Sannin could not shake his belief.
"Is it really not possible? I really have something important to discuss with your leader."
Jiraiya took a step forward unwillingly.
Seeing Jiraiya's movements, the samurai Rikkaku pulled out the katana in his hand with a clang, a cold light flashing on the blade.
Jiraiya has already entered a dangerous restricted area. If the opponent suddenly attacks, he may not be able to react at that time, so he must draw out his katana immediately to prevent the opponent from sneak attack.
However, Jiraiya did not pay attention to the samurai Satokaku, but instead focused his attention on the young miko.
The miko didn't respond. Like the samurai Rikkaku, she stared at Jiraiya's body with vigilant eyes to prevent him from making a surprise attack.
Jiraiya saw this and let out a cry.
Although it was not difficult for him to defeat the samurai and wandering witches, that would definitely make him guilty of attacking the Minister of Military Affairs of the Demon Country.
By then, it would not only be him who would be in trouble, but Konoha and the Land of Fire. At the same time, in order to give an explanation to the Kingdom of Ghosts, the Kingdom of Iron will inevitably join the Kingdom of Ghosts and stand in the same camp.
Therefore, even though he was very angry and helpless, Jiraiya still forced himself to calm down and finally left unwillingly.
…
"Master Shiraishi, Jiraiya has left."
After Jiraiya left, the miko immediately turned back and came to the room to report to Shiraishi.
After hearing the news, Bai Shi breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Have you finally left? He is really a troublesome guy."
The miko tilted her head in confusion.
"Trouble? I think with Shiraishi-sama's strength, you don't need to be afraid of the so-called Sannin."
Although the Sannin of Konoha are very famous and have considerable strength, with the current power of the Demon Country, they will not have any fear of the Sannin.
What's more, Jiraiya was once a prisoner of the Kingdom of Demons, so he would not have any fear.
"Well, to a certain extent, he is indeed a difficult guy. Especially since he is incompetent, even I can't deal with his type of person at all."
Shiraishi smiled helplessly.
Should I say that I am stubborn, or that I am holding on to a futile prophecy?
In short, if it were a real battle, he was confident that he could defeat Jiraiya again without any burden.
But if we just engage in a verbal battle, it will probably be a half-baked contest, and in the end no one will be able to win over the other.
In a sense, Jiraiya is also a person who sticks to his own path.
Stay firm on the savior’s path to save the world.
Different road non-phase plan.
A person like Jiraiya, no matter how many times he says it, will never agree with his own ideas.
Then, continuing to talk to him would be a meaningless waste of time.
Since it was a waste of time, there was no need to argue with Jiraiya anymore.
If you want to make someone like Jiraiya succumb to your own ideals, you can only make him disappear from this world and let him go to another world with his own beliefs...
Apart from this, Shiraishi could not find any other solution.
◎
"...By the way, are you the one who the lustful immortal said you want to become the Fifth Hokage?"
At the dinner table, Naruto finally worked up the courage to ask this question.
Maybe it was because the aura Tsunade gave him was too strong, or maybe he was shocked by the aura on Tsunade's chest. He didn't speak slowly until Jiraiya left.
"The Fifth Hokage? I haven't agreed to that kind of thing yet. Don't talk nonsense, kid."
Tsunade snorted.
"Why? Don't you want to become Hokage?"
Naruto asked in confusion.
"It's not easy to sit in a position like that of Hokage. Even if you sit in it, it's full of helplessness and compromise. It's better to be free and easy now."
Tsunade said her own opinion.
"how come?"
"What about you? Why do you care about this kind of thing? You should be just a genin in the village now. No matter how you look at it, this has nothing to do with you."
The most important thing about Konoha's Hokage election system is the Jonin vote.
As long as enough Jonin votes can be obtained, even if the people lose the election, there is a high probability of turning defeat into victory.
Therefore, genin like Naruto were not qualified to participate. The changes in the Hokage have nothing to do with the genin.
"That's because my goal is to become Hokage!"
When Naruto said this firmly, Tsunade and Shizune both looked slightly sideways and gave Naruto a surprised look.
Immediately, Tsunade burst out laughing, as if she had heard some extremely funny joke.
"Tsunade-sama!"
Shizune kept a straight face.
Although she also knew that for a genin to say such words, it was a bit overestimating one's abilities.
But to laugh directly in front of the younger generation is really disrespectful.
"Ahem, don't worry, Shizune, I didn't mean to laugh. I just found it interesting."
Tsunade waved her hand.
"interesting?"
Shizune tilted her head.
"Yes." Tsunade sighed and put her hands on the table. Tsunade stood up, leaned forward slightly, and stared at Naruto's face with serious eyes.
"Do, do what?"
Naruto was bewildered by Tsunade's actions.
"You seem to be interested. After the farce in the village, you should know your life experience, right? Although the person who initially framed you was Danzo, it was my teacher Sandai who acquiesced in his actions and chose not to act. Naruto... Strictly speaking, he is also an accomplice. In this case, do you still believe in Naruto? The game between adults is quite dirty. "
"..."
After hearing this, Naruto also fell silent.
"Tsunade-sama, you are going too far. He is just a child!"
Shizune stepped forward to stop him.
"No, Shizune, after going through so many twists and turns, we can no longer treat him as a simple child. The kid named Naruto, are you complaining about the Third Hokage in your heart now?"
"This kind of thing...I have indeed thought about it. But I think Grandpa Hokage really wants to be good to me, and you also said that he has difficulties in doing so. So I thought...no, it is I want to become Hokage even more!"
Naruto stared into Tsunade's eyes, which this time showed no tension and became determined.
"why?"
Tsunade's eyes fluctuated.
"I'm stupid. I've been told that since I was a child. After I became a genin, I was often lectured by Kakashi-sensei, saying that my foundation was very poor and I didn't know anything. Actually, thinking about it, I also think about Sasuke's mood when he left Konoha. I don’t know. Maybe I am really short-sighted and don’t know how to deal with many things. I only know how to act recklessly in everything... Therefore, I wonder if I will understand this if I become Hokage? "
"...Really? You are really an idiot, but being an idiot is not a bad thing."
Tsunade seemed to be aware of Naruto's inner thoughts, so she sat down again and refilled her drink.
The atmosphere at the table became deserted again and seemed very quiet.
Just when Naruto was a little restless, Jiraiya walked in from outside and walked towards this side.
His gloomy face showed that his trip was not going well.
After he sat down, Tsunade laughed and said: "Why, are you being lectured again? That guy is not someone who can be easily swayed. No matter how many times you talk to him, the result will not change." . Let’s take a hard look at this cruel reality.”
"No, I didn't see him in person. He was intercepted by the warriors of the Iron Country."
Jiraiya shook his head and said with a wry smile.
"Um?"
This ending was a bit beyond Tsunade's expectations.
However, she also instantly understood the key.
"Yes, he is already the ruler of a country. It is indeed a bit difficult to meet him. If you force your way in, you will be charged with assault... I didn't expect that you would consider such a realistic issue. I I thought you would force your way in."
Tsunade glanced at Jiraiya in surprise.
"What kind of words are these? In your eyes, do I lose my cool so easily?"
"I don't know about normal times, but you always act on your own initiative at critical moments."
Tsunade had something to say.
"I was worried about your safety, and so were you. Stop interacting with him. He is Konoha's enemy. If you continue to tangle with him, there will be no good results."
Jiraiya said seriously.
Tsunade just drank and didn't answer, as if she was remembering something from the past, and the look on her face looked even more lonely.
◎
After coming out of the izakaya, Tsunade and Jiraiya did not return directly to the hotel, but took a walk on the streets of the town.
Because there were no interruptions from Shizune and Naruto, the two of them could talk candidly without being secretive.
"I haven't seen you for such a long time, Tsunade, you are still as beautiful as before, as if time cannot leave traces on your face."
Walking on the snow-covered road, Jiraiya's eyes focused on Tsunade's smooth skin as white as a girl, showing admiration.
"It's just that I use ninjutsu to cover up my aging. Even I feel sad sometimes."
"Having said that, now is not the time to do such a thing. As I said before, the village urgently needs you to return and succeed the Hokage. Both I and the other senior officials hope that you can take charge."
"What's the point even if I go back? You can do this, right? Anyway, the Nara clan has the brains behind it, no matter who becomes the Hokage."
Tsunade was unmoved.
"Again, you are shirking responsibility. You were not like this in the past. Especially when you proposed the medical reform, your confidence and momentum scared many people, even Mr. Sarutobi. Same."
Jiraiya sighed in a nostalgic tone.
"Idiot, how can an old woman in her fifties still retain the passion of a young person? Moreover, there must have been more people saying that I ignored the overall situation. If it hadn't been for the defeat on the frontline battlefield, I don't know when I would have received attention."
Tsunade snorted and glanced at Jiraiya dissatisfied.
Jiraiya was embarrassed and speechless.
Because when Tsunade proposed the medical reform, there were very few people who agreed with it. Most of the jounin, including the senior officials, were worried about something and delayed implementation for a long time.
Even he did not join the minority camp that supported Tsunade at the beginning, but stood on a neutral perspective, neither supporting nor opposing.
"What's wrong? Are you speechless?"
"No. I was just thinking that if I spared no effort to support you at that time, could I replace that guy and stand by your side, getting closer to you."
Jiraiya said regretfully.
"Even if you chose to support me at that time, I wouldn't have taken a liking to a pervert like you. I am undoubtedly a better ninja than you."
Tsunade spoke without hesitation, and there was a touch of tenderness and nostalgia in her words.
In that era, although the Sannin were the role models for ninjas in the village, there were still a few elite jounin who could be compared with the Sannin in Konoha.
Konoha's White Fang Hatake Sakumoge, the Jounin Kato Dan who mastered the art of spiritual transformation... these were the outstanding figures of Konoha's generation at that time, and compared to the Sannin, these Konoha Jounin were not inferior.
It can be called the golden age of Konoha.
"I know that he is your favorite person, just like Noshu. Because of this, you should return to Konoha, succeed the position of Hokage, and complete the legacy of the two of them. You don't want their legacy to be dusted. Bar?"
Jiraiya said intentionally or unintentionally.
"I wonder if you are an idiot or a cunning old man. Do you plan to use the emotional card against me? That genin brat who said he wanted to become Hokage was brought here on purpose by you, right?"
Tsunade seemed to see through Jiraiya's intentions and saw Jiraiya's cunningness.
Jiraiya pretended not to know and scratched his head and said with a smile: "How is it possible? You know, I have always been a big fool. I can't think of such a smart way. The reason why I brought him here is because It’s not very safe in the village now, and I also want him to see the world and come out to relax.”
"It's okay to use this kind of words to deceive ghosts. I'm not a child, so I can't even see this conspiracy."
Tsunade looked up at the falling snowflakes and exhaled a white breath.
"So, what's your answer now, Tsunade?"
Jiraiya stopped, the smile on his face disappeared, and he became serious.
"Both Dan and Nezuki sacrificed their lives for the prosperity of the village at an age when their ambitions were still unfulfilled... They are both excellent ninjas who inherited the will of the first generation, just like you in the past. They are not afraid of the death of their ancestors, colleagues and friends. Ninjas who feel sad and even blaspheme and betray their will are just cruel and cold-blooded thugs. Just like Orochimaru who betrayed the will of the village, and Chiba Shiraishi."
Jiraiya walked up to Tsunade, grabbed Tsunade's shoulders with both hands, and looked directly into Tsunade's eyes with serious eyes.
He could see himself reflected in Tsunade's eyes.
"I believe you are not this kind of person, Tsunade. Now, it's time for you to make up your mind!"
As if she couldn't stand Jiraiya's attitude, Tsunade directly pushed Jiraiya away to keep him away from her.
"...Give me a little more time to think about it, I need to verify some things."
Tsunade took a breath, tried her best to suppress her inner irritation, and said to Jiraiya.
"What else can be verified? Are you really bewitched by Chiba Shiraishi and want to meet him again? He is just a traitor who betrayed Konoha. Even if he is cleared of the crime of treason, this fact cannot be changed. . You are a proud Konoha ninja who has inherited the will of fire, don’t be misled by the rhetoric of the traitorous ninja!"
"Stop talking, Jiraiya, I also have my own judgment. Give me...a little more time to prepare."
After saying that, Tsunade kept her face silent and passed by Jiraiya.
"Tsunade……"
Jiraiya watched Tsunade's retreating figure, feeling mixed emotions in his heart.
He didn't know what Tsunade was thinking in her heart, and he didn't know what there was to worry about becoming Hokage.
◎
"Tsunade-sama, you are back."
In the hotel room, Shizune was sorting out the clutter in the room. When she saw Tsunade pushing the door open, she stood up and saluted.
"Ah, I'm back."
Tsunade walked aside and fell directly to the floor, choosing to empty her mind and make herself more relaxed.
"Why do you look tired?"
Shizune blinked.
"It's not like Jiraiya is that idiot. He keeps nagging in my ears. He's almost annoying me to death."
Tsunade was lying on the floor, still not getting up, just complaining about Jiraiya's troublesome personality.
"Jiraiya-sama is also out of concern for you. After all, you are both Sannin."
Shizune had no choice but to explain it this way.
"This kind of reputation has fallen apart after Orochimaru left. Where is that genin brat?"
Tsunade turned around and asked.
"Are you talking about Naruto-kun? He is training in the next room. He said that in this way, he will be one step closer to becoming the Hokage."
Thinking of Naruto's vow, Shizune couldn't help but smile.
"Do you like him very much?"
Tsunade asked.
"Well, how should I put it? Although he is a little naive, he has dreams to pursue. From this point of view, it is a bit annoying. Maybe he will become a great ninja in the future."
Shizune expressed her opinion.
Although it was only the first time she met Naruto, based on her impressions after the meeting, she did not dislike Naruto's stubborn pursuit of his dream.
"Then your evaluation is quite high. However, as a Jinchuuriki, it is not easy to become Hokage. Since the establishment of the one-country-one-village system, only the fourth generation of Mizukage of Kirigakure has truly achieved this. That’s it.”
Because it is a Jinchuuriki and the most important deterrent weapon in the Ninja Village, the road ahead is bound to be bumpy.
Tsunade could imagine the resistance she would encounter if she wanted to get rid of the fate of weapons and become the ruler herself.
"That's why it's a bit unbelievable that the Jinchuuriki wants to become Hokage or something..."
"Just a simple idiot daydreaming."
"So, what about Tsunade-sama? I think it's almost time for you to make up your mind."
Shizune noticed something and said with a smile.
Tsunade hummed slightly, her eyes calm, making it impossible to tell what she was thinking in her heart.
"Let me ask you a question, Shizune, what would you do if I left Konoha?"
"..." Shizune thought for a moment, shook her head and replied: "Sorry, Tsunade-sama, I don't know either. But since it is Tsunade-sama's decision, she must have her own ideas. Tsunade-sama also said that everyone Everyone has independent thoughts and cannot blindly cater to others... But in my impression, after Tsunade-sama left Konoha, she catered to the village's practices more than once and chose to remain silent and ignore it."
Speaking of this, Shizune also sighed with a sigh in her eyes.
Because she is the closest person to Tsunade, she has traveled with Tsunade all these years. During her travels, she not only visited casinos in various countries, but also visited many places.
She is the one who can best detect Tsunade's inner thoughts, and also knows what she is worried about when she has not returned to Konoha for a long time.
"As expected, you are the best assistant, Shizune. It's great to have you by my side."
A rare sincere smile appeared on Tsunade's face, and she sat up from the floor.
"Please don't praise me too much, Tsunade-sama. Even I still have a lot to learn."
"In that case, I have something I need your help with now. Is that okay?"
"Yes, please leave it to me, Tsunade-sama."
Without hesitation, Shizune nodded and agreed.
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