Jiraiya

Kakashi and Kagami Uchiha had been summoned to the Hokage Office early.

Aside from those few times at the start of the school year, this was Kagami Uchiha's first time meeting the Third Hokage up close.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was a notorious chain-smoker. Even with two children before him, he still held a pipe between his teeth, exhaling curling Purple Smoke.

This increasingly hunched old man was difficult to reconcile with the Land of Fire's highest authority.

Yes, the highest authority.

Ever since the ninja village system had begun, the power to decide on war and ceasefires had rested with the Kage of each village.

When the Second Hokage went to Kumogakure to sign a peace treaty, did he need to summon the Daimyo?

When the Third Hokage mobilized his subordinates, did he need the Daimyo's approval?

It was simply that, compared to the hundreds of millions of ordinary people, the hundreds of thousands of ninja were too few. They needed a figure like a Daimyo to lead the common people.

The Land of Fire's Daimyo only possessed nominal appointment authority. In truth, every Hokage had been chosen by Konoha itself.

Even Danzo-sama, the five-and-a-halfth Hokage, had intimidated the Daimyo with a single look.

But what use was the Daimyo's recognition?

If he failed the village jonin's confidence vote, no one would consider Danzo to have ever been Hokage, even in death.

Only those carved into Hokage Rock counted as Hokage!

The later Third and Fourth Ninja World Wars had likewise been decided by the Kage of each village. The Daimyo merely needed to be penned up.

Even Sunagakure, the village most affected by economic troubles, later joined forces with Orochimaru, intending to flex its muscles before the Land of Wind's Daimyo with the Konoha Crush Plan.

The ending had just been rather clownish.

Coming back to himself, Kagami Uchiha nodded. "I've heard of Jiraiya-sama. He's a powerful ninja known as one of the Three Legendary Sannin."

Hiruzen Sarutobi wore a kindly smile. "Your abilities are outstanding. I want you to graduate early and train under Jiraiya."

"If you perform well, perhaps you may become his disciples."

"The youngest jonin today, Minato Namikaze, is his disciple too!"

Jiraiya... Minato Namikaze...

Kagami Uchiha's thoughts turned.

The old Third had handled the Uchiha Clan Massacre with cold indifference. From Kagami's perspective, that did not make him a good person.

But before it happened, Hiruzen Sarutobi had clearly wanted to reconcile with the Uchiha Clan.

His later decision to elevate Minato, who was close to the Uchiha, might have involved that consideration as well.

What kind of person was Minato Namikaze?

The Ninja World Succubus, with the Blonde Hair Attribute to boot.

The Uchiha Clan's thousand-year tradition—the ironclad rule that the Sharingan must never be passed outside the clan—had been brushed aside just for Minato's sake.

And he had not even become Hokage yet!

Joining Jiraiya's faction was, in truth, a signal the Third Hokage was sending.

In every ninja village, the position of Kage was generally passed down among masters, disciples, fathers, and sons.

The Third wanted to tell the Uchiha Clan that they had a chance—that they, too, were members of the village.

Originally, he had favored that Uchiha boy named Obito. That child was so loving he hardly seemed like an Uchiha.

But now, Kagami Uchiha and Kakashi had serious psychological issues. One was solitary by nature, while the other was devastated by his father's departure. Both needed a Little Sun to shine on them.

Hadn't the previous few Uchiha become more cheerful after interacting with Minato Namikaze?

Hiruzen Sarutobi had played his trump card against gloomy characters—Minato Namikaze!

Kakashi had yet to emerge from the enormous loss of his father leaving. Hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's words, he nodded indifferently.

If Kagami Uchiha had not stubbornly stayed at the Ninja Academy, Kakashi would have wanted to graduate long ago.

Kagami Uchiha had no reason to refuse.

For one thing, Jiraiya's teaching ability was absolutely beyond doubt.

Nagato, Minato, Naruto... ah, no, Naruto.

Every one of his disciples was at least Kage-level. Even Yahiko could operate the Deva Path.

Becoming Jiraiya's disciple would not be bad either.

I want to kill your teacher, but that doesn't stop me from becoming your disciple.

Besides... wasn't murdering one's master a tradition of Konoha's lineage?

Bang.

"Yo! You two must be Kakashi and young Kagami, right?"

A tall white-haired man was crouched on the windowsill of the Hokage Office.

His long white hair reached his waist, and striking red markings lay beneath his eyes.

"Idiot! Can't you use the front door?!"

Seeing the window teetering on the verge of collapse, Hiruzen Sarutobi cursed furiously.

Jiraiya landed with a thud, patted Hiruzen Sarutobi on the shoulder, and said nonchalantly, "You're already so old. Don't get too worked up—it's bad for your health."

"Hmph! If you know I'm old, then hurry up and take the burden off my hands!"

In Hiruzen Sarutobi's mind, Jiraiya was the most suitable candidate for Hokage.

He deeply loved the village, cherished his companions, was powerful, preferred peace, and even shared the same hobbies as Hiruzen.

"Hahaha, spare me. I couldn't possibly sit in your seat."

After laughing it off, Jiraiya turned his gaze to the two children.

"Let me introduce myself. I'm Jiraiya!"

That was it?

Kagami Uchiha had been prepared for him to spout lines about being the Toad Sage or something.

"Hatake Kakashi."

"Kagami Uchiha."

Their introductions were even simpler.

"Kagami-kun..." Jiraiya rubbed his chin and smiled. "The old man mentioned one of his companions who had the same name."

"That was my grandfather," Kagami Uchiha said bluntly.

Unlike other transmigrators, he genuinely acknowledged his own identity.

His grandmother was family, Shisui was family, and most of the clan members were family too.

People's hearts were made of flesh. They treated him well, and Kagami Uchiha remembered it all.

"Is that so? Then by that logic, you can call me uncle!"

"Kakashi too. Sakumo was like an older brother to me—he took care of me quite a bit back then."

As he spoke, Jiraiya pulled both of them into his arms, his prickly white hair scraping against their tender faces.

Kagami Uchiha nearly had a stress response and slashed at him.

After struggling a little, he realized he would have a hard time breaking free without using his real strength, so he let it go.

Wearing the same dead-fish eyes as Kakashi, Kagami Uchiha said impatiently, "Jiraiya-sama, you smell strongly of women's rouge."

"Hahaha, you smelled wrong. That's the scent of food. You'll get a taste of it someday too."

Jiraiya awkwardly released them. He exchanged a glance with Hiruzen Sarutobi, and the two old lechers knowingly looked away.

He leaped onto the windowsill and beckoned to them.

"Come on, you two."

"I don't take just anyone as my disciple. Catch up to me first—consider it your first test!"

Kakashi turned to look at Kagami Uchiha.

"Why are you looking at me? Are we that close?"

Watching the little white-haired boy chase after the big white-haired man, Kagami Uchiha shook his head helplessly.

Jiraiya is way too socially outgoing. A socially anxious person like me can barely handle it.

Hiruzen Sarutobi watched him with smiling eyes. "If you don't set off soon, you'll lose to Kakashi."

You really know how to provoke an Uchiha.

Kagami Uchiha curled his lip disdainfully. "Even if I gave him a three-minute head start, he'd still have to breathe my dust."

"Haha, Kagami-kun is very confident."

He jumped onto the windowsill and looked back at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Really... Kagami Uchiha could not see the slightest malice in those eyes.

What a complicated person...

Then again, people were complicated by nature.

Chakra gathered beneath Kagami Uchiha's feet, and he vanished in a Body Flicker.

Before long, he caught up with Kakashi. He could not even be bothered to leave behind a taunt, giving Kakashi only his retreating back.

Bastard... how dare he ignore me!

Kakashi gritted his teeth and sped up, but the distance between them only grew wider.

Gradually, Kagami Uchiha noticed something was wrong.

Jiraiya suddenly accelerated ahead, vanishing from sight at a speed far beyond that of an ordinary jonin.

It was as though something urgent had suddenly happened.

Kagami Uchiha's thoughts stirred, and crimson appeared in his eyes.

He saw it...

He sensed it...

That utterly violent chakra...

It was the Nine-Tails!!