After leaving the Military Police Force, a bedraggled Jiraiya went straight to the Third Hokage.
"Old man, you really screwed me over this time."
Jiraiya gave him a resentful look and couldn't help complaining.
Only heaven knew how he had survived those three days.
After that miserable ordeal in solitary confinement, he had reached a new verdict on Shinichi: the man was a monster!
"Did I tell you to go peeping?"
The Third Hokage took a puff of his pipe and snapped, "Behave yourself in the village from now on. Don't give anyone something to use against you again."
He was just as frustrated about what had happened to Jiraiya.
He had thought Shinichi would show him some respect over such a minor matter and let Jiraiya go. Instead, Shinichi had followed the rules to the letter, leaving him no grounds to object.
Most importantly, he, the highly respected Hokage, had been humiliated in front of all those members of the Military Police Force!
"I wasn't peeping. I was gathering material!"
Jiraiya couldn't help muttering.
His complaints about the Third Hokage weren't entirely unjustified. Even if he had been in the wrong, it was still a minor matter. Nothing warranted that kind of treatment.
Simply put, he had accidentally become collateral damage in the struggle between the Third Hokage and Shinichi.
"Jiraiya, I'm getting old."
After some small talk, the Third Hokage got straight to the point. He sighed deeply. "I'm afraid Konoha's future will have to rest on your shoulders!"
At those words, Jiraiya sprang up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
"Old man, what are you trying to pull?"
Jiraiya was sharp enough to realize immediately that the old geezer was up to no good. He was trying to trick him into becoming Hokage again.