Inside the Hokage Office.
Yeyu felt no emotional stir over Jiraiya and Naruto's return.
To him, this was already a trivial matter.
Whether Naruto, the Jinchuriki, could master the Nine-Tails or not—
He did not care much anymore.
Even if the Nine-Tails truly broke free from its seal, Yeyu only needed to send Sasuke and Neji out to capture it again.
He would not even need to act personally.
One possessed the Rinnegan, while the other possessed the Tenseigan. Before them, the current Nine-Tails was merely a somewhat stronger pet.
Nothing more.
Even Hiruzen had forgotten about Jiraiya and Naruto.
In the past, the two returning to Konoha would indeed have been a major event.
After all, Naruto was Konoha's Jinchuriki, while Jiraiya was one of Konoha's greatest sources of strength.
Still, their return made Kakashi and Sakura rather happy.
Even setting aside their identities, their relationship alone was enough to make them happy.
On the way to the Hokage Building, Naruto's face remained red as he walked beside Sakura.
Walking at Sakura's side, he felt awkward yet excited. That feeling made him realize once more that he still had deep feelings for Sakura.
Especially since Sakura had changed so much. He could clearly feel the gap between them growing wider.
Yet the more it was like this, the more he wanted to fight for Sakura again.
Back then, Sakura had been the white moonlight of his youth. Now, she was a stunning beauty he wanted to pursue, a stunning beauty with an air of refinement.
The greater the difference, the more unattainable she seemed, the more he wanted to have her.
Yet when he stood beside her, he felt inferior, always feeling as though they were not even from the same world.
Even so, he still wanted to stand