The Second Shinobi World War was about to erupt, and Hiruzen Sarutobi clearly remembered the horrors of the last one.
Thousands upon thousands of living people fought like mad, and even his teacher, the Second Hokage of Konoha, Tobirama Senju, had died in that war.
In the face of war, every life became utterly cheap. Even among the mighty Kage, only Shamon, the Second Kazekage, who hadn't taken part in the war, had survived.
The Second Tsuchikage of Iwagakure, Mu; the Second Mizukage, Hozuki Gengetsu; the Second Raikage, A; and the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, had all died in that war.
Now, with the Second Shinobi World War liable to break out at any moment, Jiraiya actually wanted to leave the village at a time when Konoha's very survival was at stake.
This wasn't just reckless. What else could it be?
If he weren't afraid of souring relations with Mount Myōboku, he would have forcibly used the Contract Seal to break the Summoning Contract between Jiraiya and Mount Myōboku right then and there.
After all, Jiraiya was his student, whom he had watched grow up.
Jiraiya looked at the resolve on Hiruzen Sarutobi's face and felt a sorrow unlike anything he had ever known.
"Teacher Sarutobi, why won't you believe me? You, Tsunade, Orochimaru—why won't any of you believe me?"
All these years, he had always been the least remarkable of the four disciples. Tsunade was a master of Medical Ninjutsu, while Orochimaru had an extraordinary talent for ninjutsu.
He alone was the most mediocre. The toads of Mount Myōboku had taught him Senjutsu. Though he still hadn't fully mastered it, at least he'd gained the right to hold his head high and speak to the other three as an equal.
But now, they had gone back to the way