Winning Over Jiraiya, the Game Was Already Decided!

At this moment, Jiraiya finally realized that Konoha's greatest concern was not the Uchiha clan, but Danzo—the rat hiding in the shadows. Like a parasite clinging to the roots of Konoha's great tree, he constantly drained nourishment from the entire tree.

"Senya, since you already know all this, what do you plan to lead the Uchiha in doing?"

Jiraiya no longer cared about Hiruzen Sarutobi's assignment.

Only after learning all this did he realize that the Uchiha clan had spent so many years bearing baseless accusations.

Senya directly unleashed a Great Fireball.

The dead tree began to burn.

"If we want to change the village and keep it moving forward, then the outdated people and outdated practices need to go. Those who should step down must step down, and those who should disappear must be uprooted completely. That's what I intend to lead the Uchiha clan to do."

"Hiruzen Sarutobi has been back in office for six years. It's time to find a new Hokage to take charge, and it's time to get rid of Danzo, that scourge."

Jiraiya frowned deeply.

It was not because he disagreed. On the contrary, he supported the idea.

It was simply that Senya's goal was still far too difficult for the Uchiha clan in its current state.

"Senya, I support your idea, but I'm afraid it'll be difficult for the Uchiha clan to accomplish this with your current situation."

"Even though your relationship with the villagers has improved greatly compared to before, there are still other obstacles."

The flames on the dead tree beside them had already burned out.

Only then did Senya rise to his feet and extend his right hand toward Jiraiya.

"I knew that from the very beginning."

Looking at Senya's outstretched hand, Jiraiya paused to think for a moment before reaching out, clasping it, and standing up.

"Don't tell me you were prepared already?"

When Jiraiya stood, the two released each other's hands.

"That's right. Root has done plenty of things that have stirred up resentment while using the Hokage's name. Many clans were already dissatisfied with them, and Root only added fuel to the fire some time ago."

"By now, quite a few clans have already reached a consensus with the Uchiha."

Hearing Senya say that, Jiraiya became curious about which clans had already joined forces with the Uchiha for Senya to be so confident.

"Which clans have already formed an alliance with the Uchiha?"

"The Hyuga and the Ino-Shika-Cho. Is that enough?"

Jiraiya's jaw dropped, his face filled with shock.

"What exactly did Danzo do to make both the Hyuga and the Ino-Shika-Cho form an alliance with you?"

"The Hyuga have never involved themselves in politics, and the Ino-Shika-Cho are Old Man's most trusted shinobi clans. How could this happen? It shouldn't be possible..."

Jiraiya's shocked reaction was within Senya's expectations. After all, Jiraiya did not know that, in order to keep expanding Root's strength, Danzo had become so utterly deranged that he had directly forged Hokage orders and gone to several major clans to forcibly abduct children from within them.

So Senya spent some time roughly explaining the reasons behind it to Senya.

After hearing it, Jiraiya was even more furious. Children were the village's hope for the future, yet Danzo had gone this far for his own selfish desires.

"Then I'll join you as well. As one of Konoha's Sannin, I can't ignore the village's affairs."

"Just promise me one condition."

Senya nodded.

"Go ahead."

"When Old Man steps down, let him do so with dignity. That is the only request I have as his student."

Senya merely rolled his eyes at Jiraiya.

"Come on. Hiruzen Sarutobi never directly persecuted the Uchiha clan. If we set aside the matter of Danzo, he was still a qualified Hokage. Naturally, I'll let him leave with some dignity."

Only after Senya agreed to his request did Jiraiya finally let go of the last lingering concern in his heart.

"Then do you have any plans for what comes next? When do you intend to act? I'm sure you've already arranged everything, Senya."

Senya spread both hands, making it clear that it had nothing to do with him.

"Nope. There's no plan. It's all done. From here on, just do whatever you're supposed to do. It's getting late—I'm going back inside to sleep with my girlfriend in my arms. You decide for yourself whether to stay in my yard and drink the northwest wind or go home. Your choice."

Senya turned around and headed toward the house.

Leaving Jiraiya alone, a complete mess in the wind.

Jiraiya only felt as though his thoughts had become a complete mess. Senya's reply was like pouring an entire lake into his once fairly clever head and stirring it violently. His brain was a chaotic blur, with nothing left but water.

Still, Jiraiya reached out, trying to stop Senya.

"Really? There isn't some secret plan? Tell me! I won't tell Old Man!"

He truly wanted to know what came next. After learning so many truths, they could not possibly do nothing, could they? That would drive him mad with anxiety.

Only then did Senya stop and turn around.

He looked at Jiraiya as though he were looking at an idiot, his gaze filled with contempt and speechlessness.

Jiraiya felt deeply offended by Senya's stare.

"Even if we want to act, we have to wait for that old thief Danzo to make the first move. Otherwise, how will we convince the villagers to believe us? How will we get the other shinobi clans to stand on the same front as us?"

"Idiot."

With that, Senya turned and continued walking toward the house.

Bang!

The door shut with a dull thud.

Listening to the sound of the door closing, Jiraiya felt as though the water in his head had frozen into blocks and collided with one another.

Fortunately, Senya's final words made him understand. At present, they had already won over every important force they could. Other than waiting, there truly seemed to be nothing else left to do.

So he leaped over the wall and left.

Senya returned to the room, removed his combat uniform, slipped beneath the covers, and wrapped an arm around Shizune's slender waist.

"You're back. Who came looking for you so late that you made me wait this long?"

Shizune twisted her body and nestled closer into Senya's embrace, her back pressed tightly against his chest.

"It was nothing. Just Jiraiya."

Shizune turned around, her light brown eyes looking at Senya in confusion.

"Jiraiya? What did he come for?"

"Him? He was running an errand for Lord Hokage. What else could it be for? He just can't stop worrying about our Uchiha clan."

"By the way, Shizune, what do you think of Orochimaru?"

"Don't mention that traitor to the village to me!"

Shizune turned her back to him again, her emotions visibly stirred.

After a long silence, Shizune finally pressed her face against Senya's chest.

"Actually, I don't know either. Teacher Orochimaru used to treat me very well, but... I still don't understand why he betrayed the village."

"At first, I wasn't even willing to believe it. I didn't understand why he let me go back then..."

Senya pulled Shizune tightly into his arms and comforted her softly.

"It's all right. Go to sleep. We'll have the Answer to all this someday."

"Mm..."