"Reinforcements! The southern district needs urgent reinforcements!"
"Lord Hokage and the others are still trapped inside the barrier. Why hasn't the Barrier Team arrived yet?"
"Bad news! The Barrier Team has been attacked by the enemy..."
"The Hokage Building is under attack by unidentified enemies! We need reinforcements! We need reinforcements!"
"Lord Danzo, Jiraiya sent someone with orders from the Hokage, requesting that we mobilize some personnel to provide support."
"Jiraiya, heh. Ignore him. Continue monitoring the Chunin exam venue. Inform me as soon as the Hokage comes out."
"Yes, Lord Danzo."
Jiraiya looked grim. He had thought that with the Hokage's orders, Danzo would be willing to cooperate.
But reality proved he had been too optimistic. Since Danzo could repeatedly stand by and let Konoha endure everything just to preserve his own strength, he naturally would not pay any attention to a nobody like him.
The Hokage's student?
What the hell did that count for?
With no other choice, Jiraiya could only do his best to take charge of the overall situation, issuing orders in the Hokage's place.
Fortunately, Hiruzen Sarutobi had planned ahead and granted Jiraiya some authority in writing. Otherwise, he might not have been able to command even the others.
"Send out all the ANBU. Evacuate civilians as best you can and protect the villagers. Also, mobilize the remaining forces to escort the Barrier Team to the scene..."
Although he was not quite used to it, Jiraiya knew that at this critical juncture, he had to rely on himself.
His thinking was simple, too. Protecting the villagers' lives came first, rescuing the Hokage and the others came second. As for buildings like the Hokage Building, if they were destroyed, so be it. They could always rebuild them.
Compared with human lives, a little more