After Jiraiya saw the Third Hokage and the others fall silent, he could not help asking, "Old man, is that all? Nothing else?"
The Third Hokage took a puff from his pipe. Through the curling smoke, his eyes looked somewhat grim. "There is. I asked you to persuade Minato, so why did it have no effect at all?"
Jiraiya scratched his head helplessly. "Uh, that's mainly because of Kushina. Old man, I have to say this about you people: you knew Minato would side with Kushina, yet you still went that far. Of course Kushina wouldn't forgive you so easily! Still, because of my persuasion, he doesn't dislike you any more than before."
Danzo snorted coldly, his sinister gaze sweeping over Jiraiya. "Hiruzen, I told you we could not place all our hopes on Kushina. I still hold the same view. There must be surviving members of the Uzumaki Clan wandering the Shinobi World. We can use Kushina to draw them in and keep them as backup Jinchuriki!"
"Leader Danzo, don't you think that's too cruel?" Jiraiya was both shocked and enraged, his fists clenching unconsciously.
"Cruel? Hmph, letting Kushina betray us with the Nine-Tails would be truly cruel! I am merely preparing for the unexpected. If Kushina truly loves the village, then we would be helping her find her relatives. Isn't that a good thing?"
Jiraiya opened his mouth wide, but eventually closed it in silence.
His heart turned cold.
So this was what the Konoha Leadership truly thought?
The Third Hokage's failure to object immediately meant the proposal was within his considerations. He was merely concerned about the repercussions.
Jiraiya suddenly understood why the Uchiha and Minato had used the word "oppression."
But for Konoha's sake, there were things he had no choice but to say.
"Old man,