Politicians had never measured policy by pride—only by gains and losses.
If Konoha could simply swallow the Two-Tails jinchūriki whole by putting aside its pride… who, at a time like this, would step forward and say, "For the sake of mutual prosperity with Kumogakure, we should return the Two-Tails jinchūriki to show our sincerity"?
That would be nothing short of idiocy.
So when Homura Mitokado laid things out bluntly, the rest of Konoha's leadership naturally fell in line. The two nations had already torn ties apart—was Kumogakure seriously expecting to reclaim what they had effectively put up as collateral?
Still, Koharu Utatane frowned, a trace of unease surfacing on her face. "Taking the Two-Tails isn't difficult. The problem is what comes after… Do you really think Kumogakure will let this go?"
"They won't," Danzo replied coldly, his stance firm from the outset. "But what of it? Do we, Konoha, have any reason to fear them?"
If the situation were reversed—if Konoha had lost the Nine-Tails—would they simply let it go?
Of course not.
The current Konoha was not embroiled in any major conflict. It had been steadily recovering its strength, and if necessary, it had both the capacity and the resolve to launch a full-scale war.
Kumogakure, on the other hand, was in a very different position.
They had already been locked in a year-long struggle with Iwagakure without a decisive outcome, while Kirigakure lingered ominously along their borders, waiting for an opportunity.
If they now lost the Two-Tails as well, would they still have the strength to wage war against Konoha?
And even if they did—would Konoha fear them?
From both a diplomatic and military standpoint, Konoha held the absolute advantage.
It was precisely because of this that the rest of the leadership felt no psychological burden whatsoever in seizing the Two-Tails jinchūriki.
Koharu opened her mouth as if to argue further, but in the end, she said nothing.
She knew the decision had already been made.
Even so, she offered a final warning. "Things won't always go this smoothly… The Two-Tails is a hot potato."
"If Konoha finds itself in a difficult position in the future, and Kumogakure stabilizes its situation with the other villages, they may turn their full attention on us. At that point, the Two-Tails jinchūriki could become a bargaining chip."
"So whoever is entrusted with handling the Two-Tails must be someone absolutely reliable."
Her concerns were not without merit. The war was not yet over, and if they were to recklessly extract the tailed beast—killing the jinchūriki in the process—it would only complicate matters further.
Homura Mitokado turned to the others. "Do you have someone suitable in mind?"
Akimichi Torifu spoke up, "I think Jiraiya would be the most appropriate choice."
When it came to bearing responsibility, the Sannin were Konoha's pillars, while rising talents like Minato and Shimizu were still too young.
But Tsunade had already left the village, her whereabouts unknown.
As for Orochimaru… Torifu couldn't shake the growing sense of unease surrounding him, especially with how he spent most of his time hidden away in underground laboratories.
By comparison, Jiraiya was the most dependable option.
"Isn't Jiraiya frequently away on missions lately?" Danzo suddenly interjected. "And if I'm not mistaken, his current mission hasn't been completed yet. In that case, shouldn't the mission take priority? If so… he likely won't have the time."
Jiraiya's travels were, of course, tied to gathering intelligence on Madara and "Afei," often keeping him away for months at a time.
Without waiting for the Third Hokage to respond, Danzo continued, "In that case, the matter of handling the Two-Tails jinchūriki… should be entrusted to Orochimaru."
"Orochimaru has been idle ever since stepping down from his previous position, and his strength is more than enough to put us at ease."
Danzo's reasoning wasn't without merit. Compared to Jiraiya, who was constantly on the move and rarely in the village, Orochimaru—currently stationed in Konoha with no pressing duties—was indeed the more suitable choice.
After all, it wasn't as if they could have Jiraiya wandering the world with the Two-Tails jinchūriki in tow.
As soon as Danzo voiced his proposal, both Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane nodded in agreement.
"We can entrust this matter to Orochimaru," the Third Hokage said, seeing there was no longer any room for negotiation, "but the absolute safety of the Two-Tails jinchūriki must be guaranteed."
"Additionally, I will assign ANBU to monitor and track the jinchūriki around the clock. If there's any unusual activity, it must be reported to me immediately."
"No problem," Danzo replied smoothly, giving the Hokage a concession and agreeing without hesitation.
"Finally," the Third Hokage added in a grave tone, "we must begin mobilizing preparations for war with Kumogakure as soon as possible. This matter… will not end so easily."
…
Shimizu had been training at Training Ground 43, focusing entirely on refining his newly developed Storm Release technique. His goal was to push its control to the absolute limit.
In an instant, nine streaks of blue-white light shot out, each targeting a different dummy. When the light faded, eight of the targets had been completely pierced through, while only one beam had missed its mark.
"Your technique is becoming more and more refined, Shimizu," Jiraiya remarked, stroking his chin as he recalled what he had seen not long ago. "The last time I watched, you could only handle four targets at once."
Comparing that to now, the improvement was astonishing.
"It seems your chakra control has undergone a qualitative leap."
"That's the result of consistent training," Shimizu replied evenly, making no effort to downplay the praise. "Progress like this is only natural."
And it was true—his growth had been significant. Ever since discovering the unique properties of Samehada within his body, while his total chakra reserves hadn't increased much, his control over it had improved dramatically.
At this rate, it wouldn't be long before he fully mastered Storm Release: Aurora.
"Good," Jiraiya said with a satisfied nod. "A young man should have exactly that kind of confidence and perseverance."
Then, as if recalling something, he added with a hint of amazement, "To be honest, the first time I saw you use that technique, I could hardly believe it…"
"After all, it's a kekkei genkai."
And not just Jiraiya—anyone who heard that someone had developed a new kekkei genkai would be left utterly stunned.
"Do you know how the old man evaluated you?" Jiraiya asked.
Gifted beyond measure?
After a brief pause, Jiraiya answered his own question. "He said you remind him of his teacher—the Second Hokage."
In Shimizu's mind, the image of the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, surfaced—his tall figure, his striking white hair.
It was, in a way, curious. His elder brother, Senju Hashirama, had become legendary through Sage Arts and Wood Release, yet Tobirama had taken an entirely different path. Instead of relying on a bloodline limit like Wood Release, he had forged his own way, developing countless forbidden techniques and powerful Water Release jutsu, eventually earning the title of the fastest shinobi in the world.
But to compare himself—Shimizu Uzuki—to the Second Hokage?
That left him feeling more than a little uneasy.
Tobirama had possessed an almost cheat-like genius for creating jutsu.
As for Shimizu… he had merely taken a shortcut, thanks to the accidental acquisition of Samehada.
...
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