The Lustful Hermit of Incapacity

Meanwhile, Kakashi, who had just abandoned his comrades and become a "missing-nin" in Red Heart, was walking alone on his way to Konoha Hospital.

The night breeze swept through the street, causing his disheveled, silvery-white hair to sway slightly.

"There shouldn't be any problems on the Red side, right?"

Recalling Anko's earlier loss of composure, Kakashi couldn't help but sigh regretfully.

Although as a companion, I really wanted to stay and help Kurenai comfort Anko, I had an important mission to carry on, so I had to leave with a heavy heart!

(Kakashi: A guy who abandons his comrades for a mission is worse than trash!!)

"Well, I hope everything goes well on Hong's side!"

Kakashi silently offered a prayer for Kurenai, whom he had left on the "battlefield," and then stepped into the gates of Konoha Hospital without hesitation.

In the hospital corridor, a few medical-nin on night shift occasionally hurried by.

Kakashi navigated the corridors with practiced ease and was about to turn onto the stairs leading to Jiraiya's ward when he ran into the Third Hokage Hokage and Tsunade, who had come up earlier, near the ward.

"The Lord Third Hokage, Lady Tsunade?"

Kakashi stopped and waved to the two people in front of him, somewhat surprised.

"Oh, Kakashi? Have you settled those guys from Mist Village yet?"

Tsunade smiled heartily at Kakashi behind her:

"What a coincidence! My Old Man and I just finished our official business and rushed over!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed helplessly behind Tsunade:

"I did most of the work, didn't I?"

"Shut up, Old Man! I did help out, you know!"

Tsunade muttered to herself, then looked away somewhat guiltily.

"Hahaha..."

Kakashi stood between the two, gave an awkward laugh, and quickly changed the subject:

"Well, let's discuss the alliance with Mist Village with Lord Jiraiya -sama and Minato-sensei as soon as possible."

With that, Kakashi walked to Jiraiya's hospital room door first, preparing to knock.

However, just before his knuckles were about to strike the door, a commotion erupted from inside the ward.

"Aaaaaah!! Why do I have to take care of this Pervy Sage?! I'm only seven years old!!"

This is child labor! I protest! I protest!

"Shut up, you stupid brat! I haven't even complained about you changing your meals to cup noodles Tenten!"

Who feeds a sick person three different bowls of instant noodles a day?!

"Besides, do you think this immortal wants this?!"

If it weren't for you brat causing trouble in the village all day long, and now being such a crucial time for foreign guests' visits, would I, this immortal, have kept you by my side?

People also want a cute nurse to take care of them, okay?

Damn it! This is a critical moment when I'm defending my position as the leader of the righteous Icha Icha Paradise in the entire Ninja World, and yet I, the immortal, am stuck lying in a hospital bed...

It's just as helpless as that number one best-selling doujinshi collection from Kumogakure, "The Incompetent Husband"!

"Hmm? The number one best-selling collection? That sounds amazing."

"Of course! A work that can surpass my masterpiece and achieve a precipitous first place in just one week, how could it be ordinary!"

"Wow! I'm getting more and more curious, Pervy Sage! Tell me, tell me! What kind of story is ' The Incompetent Husband '?"

The story is about...

"Don't tell my little Naruto that filthy nonsense! You bastard!!"

"Bang--!"

"Pfft--!!"

With a dull thud and a scream of pain echoing from the ward, Kakashi, Sarutobi Hiruzen, and Tsunade instinctively and in perfect unison took a half-step back, moving away from the door whose lifespan was already counting down.

(Hokage's office door: Now I have company on my journey to the underworld. Konoha Hospital door: How could you be so selfish!!)

"Boom--!!"

The next instant, a white-haired figure in a hospital gown crashed through the door, tracing a poignant parabola in the air before collapsing heavily onto the corridor floor.

A clearly visible fist mark remained on Jiraiya's face.

Those eyes, weary from foreseeing the impending replacement of "Icha Icha Paradise," clearly lost their focus at that moment.

Even though his whole body was twitching slightly and uncontrollably, the hand that was gripping the pen was still stubbornly raised high in the air, demonstrating his unwavering commitment as a creator until his death.

"I... will not give up! The most important thing for a ninja is not talent, but... the unwavering spirit to never give up!!"

(Lao Kou: I'm not interested, you're not talented!)

With his last ounce of strength, Jiraiya uttered this resounding declaration, then his raised hand fell limply, and he succumbed to unconsciousness.

"Lord Jiraiya!!"

As a devoted reader of the Icha Icha Paradise series, Kakashi looked at the white-haired sage on the ground, who was unwilling to be abandoned by the times and still upheld the creator's resolve until the very last moment, and couldn't help but shed tears.

Sarutobi Hiruzen and Tsunade looked down at Jiraiya, who was lying at their feet, still twitching slightly. Then they looked up at Jiraiya, who was standing on the hospital bed in the ward. His blond hair stood up like a Saiyan's, and his Naruto were full of anger. He had obviously been replaced by Kushina. They couldn't help but sigh in unison.

Clearly, they were already numb to what was happening before them.

--

"I'm so sorry, Jiraiya- Teacher!!"

Inside the hospital room, Naruto, possessed by Minato Jiraiya apologized to Jiraiya, who was lying on the hospital bed and whose injuries had worsened once again.

He was bent over, his chubby little face filled with genuine guilt and self-reproach.

"Kushina, you should also come out and Teacher to Jiraiya."

Kushina:...(*￣rǒ￣) Picking her nose

He whispered his wife's name into his body, but only silence answered him.

Minato waited a few moments, and finally could only look at Jiraiya again with that gentle gaze full of apology.

Tsunade looked coldly at Jiraiya and said disdainfully:

"No need to apologize to this guy! Minato, you're too easygoing. You talked that kind of thing to a kid, and in front of his parents no less... I think you didn't hit him hard enough!"

If we don't beat him up badly, he'll never learn his lesson!

"Hey, Tsunade, you're exaggerating! I already know I was wrong..."

Jiraiya, seeing Tsunade's clenched fists cracking, instinctively pulled the blanket tighter around himself, cowering in fear on the hospital bed.

Sarutobi Hiruzen stood to the side, watching Jiraiya tremble under the threat of Tsunade's iron fist, a deep respect appearing in his aged eyes.

He couldn't help but recall the righteous and selfless look on Jiraiya's face when Jiraiya proposed the plan to "leave Tsunade in Konoha temporarily."

He finished his business, ended up in the hospital, and kept his achievements hidden!

In order to keep Tsunade, he risked his life to carry out this self-inflicted injury scheme...

Good disciple, you're ruthless!

I acknowledge you as my Teacher, Jiraiya. You will definitely become Hokage even better than me in the future!

Sensing Tsunade's increasingly dangerous gaze fixed on Jiraiya, Sarutobi Hiruzen reacted quickly and coughed heavily.

"Ahem! Alright, alright, we'll talk about the rest later."

Now... let's get down to business!

Hearing the Third Hokage's earnest words, Jiraiya, who was about to cry from regret, and Minato, who was possessing Naruto, instantly suppressed all their extraneous expressions.

His usual ordinary demeanor was instantly replaced by the seriousness and solemnity befitting a "Hokage"!