Tsunade rolled her eyes at Jiraiya and said irritably, "What are you afraid of? With me here, could anything really go wrong?"
As someone who held the title of princess of the Land of Fire, Tsunade enjoyed extremely high standing in both Konoha and the Land of Fire.
What was more, she had also served as the Fifth Hokage.
That was why she was qualified to attend this meeting.
The other senior officials of Konoha were not even qualified to sit in.
Fortunately, with Tsunade there, they had managed to get through the meeting without a hitch.
"All right, you did pretty well."
Tsunade glanced around and said quietly, "The daimyo and nobles didn't notice anything wrong."
"So don't be so nervous."
A smile appeared on Jiraiya's face, but before he could react, Tsunade slapped him on the back.
"Stop grinning like an idiot. There are more meetings coming up."
"Get moving!" Before she had finished speaking, she strode out of the meeting room.
Jiraiya sighed and could only follow her.
He endured the entire morning through one meeting after another.
Jiraiya met with the daimyo of several countries, as well as no fewer than ten nobles and trade delegation representatives from various nations.
At every meeting, he worked hard to play Shihōin Naraku without giving himself away.
At lunchtime, he hid in the Hokage's Office, slumped into a chair, and let out a long breath.
"I'm alive again..."
Shikaku walked in carrying documents. "Lord Hokage, this afternoon you need to inspect the trial grounds and meet the Jonin leading the teams from each country."
"And..."
"All right, all right." Jiraiya raised both hands in surrender. "Let me catch my breath. Just five minutes."
Seeing Jiraiya's weary, indolent manner, Shikaku shook his head helplessly and turned to handle other official