Naruto left the Tsuchikage's office with Jiraiya, disappointment written all over his face. "Damn it, what a stubborn old man," he fumed.
Jiraiya laughed. "I told you, didn't I? That old man is like a rock dug out of the ground-hard and foul. Persuading him is impossible. Impossible."
Naruto thought it over, but still couldn't accept it. "No, I can't just ignore this. That stubborn old man might be annoying, but those kids who've just become genin matter more. I can't give up on them like this."
Jiraiya was speechless. "You still want to try? It's impossible. You saw for yourself just now. There's no way to get that old fellow to agree."
Naruto smiled. "Of course it's impossible if we just go ask him like that. We need to come up with something."
"Do you have an idea, Naruto?" Jiraiya asked, puzzled.
"Not yet," Naruto said after a moment's thought. "But there's bound to be a way. Anyway, Pervy Sage, let's put that aside for now. I'm not giving up. I'll get that stubborn old man to agree." He spoke with such confidence that it seemed as though the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, would grant his request in the very next second.
"Where does this baffling confidence of yours even come from?" Jiraiya asked helplessly.
As Naruto and Jiraiya came out of the Tsuchikage's office building, they happened to run into Kurotsuchi. "Naruto!" she said happily. "What brings you here? When did you arrive? What are you here for? Did you come to see my grandfather?"
Naruto was just as happy to see her. "Kurotsuchi, long time no see! How have you been? I came to talk to Grandpa Third Tsuchikage about something."
"What about?" Kurotsuchi asked curiously.
Naruto told her what he had seen and heard on his journey,