Danzo left.
He left satisfied and in high spirits.
He'd accomplished all his goals, so he had no reason to waste any more time. Instead, he hurried back to prepare for war.
As for Jiraiya?
It didn't matter whether he joined the fight.
Why should a wandering ninja who spent all his time traveling and had no real power base get to compete with him for the Hokage Position?
If Jiraiya returned to fight, it would show that Danzo had led well and united the village. It would only enhance his prestige.
If Jiraiya didn't return, it would mean he didn't care about the village and was even less qualified to inherit the Hokage Position.
Either way, Danzo had nothing to lose.
So he couldn't be bothered with Jiraiya at all.
"That guy's still the same as ever!"
Jiraiya muttered, pursing his lips. He had no respect for Danzo.
"Lord Danzo has always been like that..."
"Teacher Hiruzen has spoiled him too much. He even let him establish the secretive Root."
Neither of them was stupid.
How could Danzo's little schemes and petty tricks possibly escape their notice?
They'd simply never called him out, and it wasn't easy to openly fall out with him.
After all, fighting Danzo meant going up against Third Hokage Hiruzen in an all-out confrontation.
Back then, neither Jiraiya nor Minato had wanted things to come to that. One chose to spend years traveling abroad, while the other willingly served as a puppet Hokage.
But now...
With Madara's threat drawing closer by the day, Minato couldn't afford to worry about falling out with Danzo. That was why he'd agreed to this plan and pushed it forward.
What about the other option?
Just come clean to Danzo and the others.
Tell Danzo that Madara was still alive