Third Hokage: I'm most optimistic about you!

Bang!

The door to the Hokage's office was shoved open violently.

Third Hokage Hiruzen, sitting at his desk and focused on approving documents, felt a flicker of inexplicable annoyance at the sudden interruption and reflexively began to question:

"Danzo, you..."

"Oh, it's you, Jiraiya."

Mid-sentence, Third Hokage realized it wasn't Danzo, but Jiraiya.

"Old Man, was it you who approved the early release application for Setsuna Uchiha?!"

"You lived through that era; you should know exactly how dangerous that guy is!"

"Right now is the best time to resolve the Uchiha issue. Uchiha Shingen has been training day and night for this; I'm even worried his body won't hold up!"

"And you're backstabbing him here?!"

Mentioning Uchiha Shingen only stoked Jiraiya's temper further.

During this period.

He had watched his own student, upon learning there was a possibility of reconciliation between the Konoha leadership and the Uchiha, transform from a slacker who cared about nothing into a man reborn.

The intensity of his training made even him, as a teacher, feel ashamed.

But what had Third Hokage done?!

He had released the most dangerous hawk of the Uchiha early—didn't this mean everything Uchiha Shingen had worked for would go to waste?!

Even Jiraiya could foresee that the only thing currently suppressing the conflict between Konoha and the Uchiha was the impending war.

Once that pressure was removed, it was only a matter of time before the conflict between the two sides erupted completely.

Releasing Setsuna Uchiha at a time like this would only cause the situation to spiral entirely out of control!

"Are you questioning your own teacher for the sake of your student?!"

Third Hokage chuckled and retorted:

"It seems Shingen-kun is very much to your liking~"

"Don't change the subject, Old Man!"

Jiraiya slammed his hands onto the desk, staring straight into Third Hokage's eyes, but he saw only a calm, unruffled expression on the latter's face.

"Teacher Sarutobi, what exactly are you thinking?!"

"Jiraiya~"

Third Hokage sat up and leaned back in his chair.

He raised his pipe to his lips, took a puff, and exhaled a few rings of smoke before looking at Jiraiya:

"If you ask which of the three of you is most likely to inherit the position of Hokage, I have the most faith in you."

"You have the sense of responsibility and the will required to be Hokage; what you lack is the ruthlessness."

Jiraiya was taken aback, his expression softening slightly as a touch of apology surfaced in his heart. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Third Hokage slide a document toward him.

"This is... a sentence reduction application?"

"Correct."

Third Hokage nodded:

"Homura submitted the report, but the one who truly made the call must have been Danzo."

"Then it should be blocked even more!"

Jiraiya's expression turned grave.

Over the years, although many scandals within the village had been suppressed by the Konoha leadership, as a direct disciple of Third Hokage, Jiraiya naturally knew the inner workings.

The vast majority of these scandals were the handiwork of Danzo.

Furthermore, just over a month ago, Danzo had made a move against Uchiha Shingen, clearly showing he did not want to see the relationship between the Uchiha and Konoha ease.

With another Hokage advisor involved, the matter had become increasingly complex.

"Teacher Sarutobi, you've lost your mind!"

Third Hokage shook his head:

"This application must be approved, and even if Danzo hadn't acted, I would have found someone else to do it."

Jiraiya froze, a flash of insight crossing his mind. He felt as if he were on the verge of understanding, yet it remained shrouded in a layer of fog:

"Old Man, what do you mean?!"

"Konoha does not need a united, cohesive Uchiha."

Third Hokage set down his pipe and turned to look out the window.

Despite his advanced age, his eyesight remained exceptionally sharp.

From his vantage point, he could even clearly discern the crimson fan crest within the Uchiha compound.

Jiraiya understood in an instant:

"Fugaku Uchiha proved his stance with his actions some time ago."

"He wants peace; he wants to ease the conflict between Konoha and the Uchiha, and he wants a better life for his clansmen."

"In other words, he is on our side."

"Setsuna Uchiha is different. He is a typical Uchiha hawk, and his understanding of Konoha remains stuck in the state it was decades ago."

"The discord between these two will actually accelerate Fugaku Uchiha's shift toward Konoha."

"Exactly."

Third Hokage nodded slightly, his gaze profound:

"Danzo likely wants to use Setsuna Uchiha to disrupt our plans, and I, too, intend to use his hand to push this step forward."

Jiraiya's brows furrowed tightly, as if he were seeing Teacher Sarutobi for the first time:

"Aren't you afraid that Setsuna Uchiha will lose control?!"

Third Hokage offered no commitment, his gaze resting on Jiraiya's face.

For the first time, he realized deeply that this disciple, who had grown up under his guidance, already bore the marks of time.

"Jiraiya, you're nearly forty now, aren't you?"

Jiraiya was stunned, answering truthfully:

"Ah, just about."

"Exactly."

Third Hokage took a puff of his pipe and continued:

"By the time I was born, the name of Setsuna Uchiha had already spread throughout the ninja world. How much time do you think he has left?!"

"How many of his old subordinates remain today? And how many of the new generation of Uchiha are willing to follow him?"

Jiraiya fell silent for a moment.

His gaze remained fixed on his teacher, as if he were seeing him for the first time.

This level of calculation made him instinctively uncomfortable.

If these were the means one had to employ to become Hokage, he would rather go off and write books with his own disciples.

A few minutes later.

Jiraiya left the Hokage building.

What Jiraiya did not know was that the moment he stepped out, the door to the office of the Third Hokage was violently kicked open once again.

Bang!

"Old Man, what on earth are you doing!"

A bold, irritable female voice rang out, nearly shattering the eardrums of the Third Hokage.

He looked helplessly at the documents in his hand, and upon seeing who had arrived, his old face instantly crumpled like a bitter melon:

"Tsunade, it's you?!"

"Old Man, what are you thinking? That guy Setsuna Uchiha was the most dangerous prisoner of the Uchiha during the reign of the Second Grandfather!"

"To release him at a time like this..."

Tsunade slammed both hands onto the desk of the Third Hokage.

Although she was nearing forty, thanks to the Yin Seal, Tsunade's appearance remained no different from that of a young girl.

If there was any difference, it was perhaps the heavy, swaying fruit that moved differently from a young girl's when she walked.

Even though Tsunade did not use any ninjutsu, that exaggerated monstrous strength still left two deep indentations on the desk.

The sight made the corner of the Third Hokage's mouth twitch, but he held his temper and said:

"If I had to say which of the three of you is most likely to inherit the position of Hokage, I would favor you the most."

"..."

Tsunade's breath hitched slightly, and the anger in her eyes dissipated significantly.

Yet, when she looked at her own hands, the only thing that appeared before her eyes was the scene of her lover dying in her arms all those years ago.

Since then, blood had become a taboo for her.

"Teacher Sarutobi, it is too late to say such things now; I no longer have the qualifications to become Hokage."

"But regarding the matter of Setsuna Uchiha, I want to know what exactly you are planning."

"After all, you summoned us back at this time to deal with the coming war. If the Uchiha cause any trouble now, the consequences are easy to imagine."

"That is a long story..."