Master and Disciple at Odds

"Uchiha's movements?"

For a moment, Jiraiya did not understand what Hiruzen Sarutobi meant.

What was there to investigate? He had wandered the streets that afternoon and heard quite a bit, along with the information the Izakaya owner had shared.

Over the past two months, the Uchiha Clan had completely changed their image. Once hated and feared by everyone, they had now become people countless villagers wanted to grow close to.

Quite a few young people even regarded the current Uchiha as the standard when seeking a partner.

At first, Jiraiya found it unbelievable, but after looking into it, he realized that while the Uchiha were somewhat aloof toward strangers, once they got to know someone, they were willing to treat them with genuine sincerity.

If they became lovers, they were simply the envy of onlookers. Uchiha men and women alike were exceptionally attractive, and they remained devoted to one partner in a relationship. Their other half hardly needed to worry about anything—if anything, they might find that passionate love too much to bear.

Most importantly, the Uchiha were a clan with the Sharingan bloodline! Unlike the Hyuga, who did not allow marriage with outsiders so easily, any man or woman could marry into the Uchiha Clan as long as their partner was an Uchiha.

As long as their future children displayed talent as shinobi, the clan would spend money and effort to train them.

What was more, whether they were shinobi or civilians, nearly every Uchiha could achieve something in their respective fields. Their prowess as shinobi was common knowledge—the Sharingan was the best proof.

Any shinobi who awakened the Sharingan would almost never find an opponent of the same rank.

As for civilian Uchiha, ordinary people might not know, but any chunin or even somewhat experienced genin knew that Uchiha Explosive Tags and shuriken-type ninja tools were welcomed throughout the entire shinobi world. The Ninja Cat Clan even secretly sold their ninja tools in other villages and countries.

With so many advantages combined, the initial difficulty of getting along with the Uchiha was hardly a flaw to the people of the village now. Instead, it had become an advantage.

Furthermore, the Uchiha's recent decision to relinquish authority over the Police Force had directly caused the villagers and shinobi's favor toward them to surge.

Every sign showed that the Uchiha absolutely wanted to ease their relationship with the village.

Jiraiya only felt that the old man was worrying too much in his old age. Still, as the Hokage, it was understandable for him to remain vigilant even in peaceful times. He might as well listen to the old man and investigate further.

"Alright, old man. Tomorrow, I'll head out and look into the Uchiha's current internal situation."

Seeing that Jiraiya did not refuse too much, Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded in satisfaction.

"Good. With you agreeing to this, the burden in my heart has eased considerably."

"Is there anything else you want to ask? If not, go back and rest early. You reek of alcohol, so I imagine you just returned to the village today and have already had quite a bit to drink."

With that, Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up his pipe and walked toward the office door, preparing to leave.

"Wait, old man."

Jiraiya suddenly called out to stop Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Hiruzen Sarutobi turned around. His heart suddenly trembled, and he lowered his head slightly as he looked at Jiraiya.

"What is it, Jiraiya? Is there something else you want to ask?"

Jiraiya slowly turned around. His gaze had become far sharper than before, and anger was written all over his face.

"Don't you intend to tell me about Naruto?"

Suddenly, it felt as though a needle had pierced Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart. The reason he had wanted to leave so quickly was precisely because he did not want to bring up Naruto with Jiraiya.

"Since you asked that, you must have already visited Naruto, right? Don't worry. He is living safely in the village, and I visit him from time to time as well."

Though he felt guilty, sacrificing Naruto's childhood for the sake of the village was something he had no choice but to do. He could only hope that Minato and Kushina, in the afterlife, could forgive him.

Hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi say that, Jiraiya's fist clenched unconsciously, and the armor in his hand creaked.

His eyes fixed fiercely on Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Safe? He certainly is safe. Several Anbu shinobi are shadowing him day and night—how could he not be safe?!"

"You know that isn't what I mean! I want to know why! Why is Naruto, the orphaned son of the Fourth Hokage, so unwelcome in the village? Why is he even regarded as an omen of misfortune? As the Nine-Tails Fox?!"

"Minato and Kushina sacrificed their lives and even gambled Naruto's life, only for the village to treat him like this?! Can you face the two of them in the afterlife?!"

Perhaps it was the alcohol, or perhaps it was Jiraiya's guilt toward his disciple, but he erupted at that moment and voiced the questions in his heart.

Faced with his disciple's accusations, Hiruzen Sarutobi wanted to avoid the issue. But at this point, there was no avoiding it. He could only carry through with the choices he had made in the past. His expression hardened, his bearing changed instantly, and his eyes turned cold and emotionless.

"Jiraiya, those rumors were spread by Danzo back then in order to bring Naruto into Root. What has happened cannot be undone, and I have already punished Danzo."

"Protecting Naruto and preventing him from growing up in Root was already the utmost I could do..."

"Shut up! Ridiculous!"

Jiraiya directly cut off Hiruzen Sarutobi before he could continue.

He walked step by step toward his former teacher, feeling only that the Third Hokage before him was no longer the man he remembered, no longer the kind and amiable teacher of his memories.

"Is this 'utmost effort' of yours making him live alone in a rundown little apartment?"

"Is it making him go hungry every day, until even having a bowl of ramen becomes a luxury?"

"Is it occasionally showing up to offer a few scraps of concern and encouragement, enough to make Naruto happy for an entire day? Is that the kind of care you give when training a disposable soldier?"

"As Hokage, can't you even meet his most basic needs? Is this what you call your utmost effort?!"

Jiraiya used nearly all the strength in his body to force out those words one by one. His eyes were bloodshot, and blood even seeped from his gums, trickling from the corners of his mouth.

Seeing Jiraiya like this, Hiruzen Sarutobi did not know what to do for a moment, and regret rose in his heart.

Yes, I could have done all of that...

But after a second thought, he hardened his heart.

"Jiraiya, letting Orochimaru go back then because of my soft heart led to a terrible mistake."

Hearing that, Jiraiya gradually calmed down. He did not interrupt again, choosing instead to listen and hear him out.

"Now, I cannot let Naruto, this Jinchuriki, become filled with unstable factors because of my soft heart."

"Konoha's former talents—White Fang took his own life, Tsunade left on her travels, Orochimaru defected, and you have been wandering outside the village all this time. I have to keep the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Naruto, firmly under control! Everything is for the village!"

After Hiruzen Sarutobi finished speaking, master and disciple fell into brief silence.

After a long while, Jiraiya finally raised his head and looked at the old man before him. Though barely past fifty, his hair had already turned completely white. His body was no longer as upright as it had been in Jiraiya's memories. Heavy burdens had long bent his spine, and he could only rely on smoking every day to ease the pressure in his heart.

Thinking back on what he himself had done over the years, he had spent all his time outside the village searching for the "Child of Prophecy" spoken of by the Toad Sage. Later, because of his obsession with Orochimaru, he had left the village to pursue him, leaving this lonely old man to guard Konoha by himself. Had he not been at fault as well?

Jiraiya could understand what Hiruzen Sarutobi had done to Naruto, but he would never agree with it. He could not stand by and watch the orphaned son of his beloved disciple endure such a miserable life, as though he were living in a prison.

"Old man, I understand. From now on, I'll take care of Naruto. I'm not leaving this time."

With that, he leaped out the window and departed, leaving Hiruzen Sarutobi standing there alone, lost in thought.