The Hatake Sakumo incident passed just like that.
Seeing that they could not force Hatake Sakumo to death, Danzo could only come out and pretend to be the good guy. Afterward, he symbolically punished a few reporters.
He accused them of false reporting, twisting facts, and slandering a hero.
The reporters were dumbfounded.
'Wasn't it you, Danzo, who told us to do this?'
'How did we end up getting punished?'
———
[Inside A Konoha Barbecue Restaurant]
Jiraiya grinned as he put an arm around Hatake Sakumo.
"Brother Sakumo, I heard you went through some trouble recently?"
Hatake Sakumo took a drink and nodded, "Yeah. Luckily Arisu stopped me in time. Otherwise... I really might have done something that foolish..."
A lingering fear remained on Sakumo's face.
Even now, he could not understand why he had wanted to kill himself that day.
After calming down, all he felt was gratitude toward Arisu for stopping him.
If no one had stopped him and he had died, what would happen to Kakashi and his wife?
Jiraiya scratched the back of his head and laughed loudly. His gaze fell on the two people leaning against each other across from him, and he spoke in a teasing tone familiar between old friends.
"Arisu, Tsunade, it's been so many years, yet neither of you seems to have aged at all. Looks like life has really been treating you well."
"Of course Arisu and I are happy. What, are you jealous?"
Tsunade leaned further into Arisu's arms, resting her chin on his shoulder, looking completely spoiled.
Arisu did not respond. He only looked down at the person in his arms and gently wrapped an arm around her waist.
The smile on Jiraiya's face faded for a moment.
It felt as though a tiny needle had pricked his heart, bringing a faint sourness.
After wandering around for so many years, he had gradually realized that he probably could never catch up to Tsunade in this lifetime.
Because of their personalities, they were not suitable for each other.
He was lustful and liked peeping and visiting prostitutes.
There was no way Tsunade would tolerate her boyfriend doing those things.
So Jiraiya's feelings for Tsunade had gradually faded.
But seeing her with his own eyes, wearing a simple kimono and peacefully resting in another man's arms as his rightful wife...
The regret buried deep in his heart for so many years still rose uncontrollably.
He still remembered the day he received the news of their marriage.
At the time, he was teaching Nagato and the other two how to form hand seals inside a leaking house in Amegakure.
The rain that day had been heavy and relentless, rattling loudly against the roof.
With his back turned to the three innocent children, he could not help crying.
What fell in Amegakure that day was not rain, but his tears.
An image of Tsunade and Arisu on their wedding night suddenly appeared in Jiraiya's mind, making his chest feel even more blocked.
Jiraiya quickly shook his head hard, driving those messy thoughts away and forcing himself to think positively.
'It's fine, it's fine... Maybe, just maybe, they're in a platonic relationship?'
"How are your students doing?", Arisu asked first.
"Them? They said they want to save Amegakure. I don't know how they're doing now. I just hope they're safe.", Jiraiya took a drink as he spoke.
He could not help thinking of Nagato.
The child who possessed the Rinnegan.
He truly hoped Nagato could be like the protagonist in his novels and have the power to change this troubled world.
"You shouldn't have stayed there back then. Now Arisu, Sakumo, and Orochimaru all hold very high positions in Konoha. If you had come back, you'd definitely be the same.", Tsunade said to Jiraiya.
Jiraiya gave a bitter smile and shook his head.
"Even if I had really come back, I wouldn't have accepted those positions. By nature, I'm free-spirited. I like drinking a little, writing novels, and occasionally visiting..."
Halfway through, Jiraiya realized he had let something slip.
Tsunade looked at him with disgust.
"Ugh, Jiraiya, you're getting more and more depraved."
Arisu did not care.
Wasn't it perfectly normal for Jiraiya to visit prostitutes? If someone said Jiraiya was still a virgin, that would be strange.
"What are you planning to do this time now that you're back?"
Arisu took a sip of milk.
Jiraiya shook his head.
"Nothing. I just came to see you all, see Sensei, and see Orochimaru. Besides, Danzo is actually in power now. I don't think we'd get along. I'll leave again in a few days."
"Speaking of which, I never expected Sensei to hand over power to Danzo without even putting up a fight.", Jiraiya spoke in disbelief.
At the neighboring table, a Root member in plain clothes suddenly paused while eating.
The moment he heard someone discussing politics at the next table, he immediately caught the keywords and walked over.
"Hey, little ninja, what are you talking about?"
A Root member in plain clothes approached.
But when he saw who was sitting at the table, he froze.
'This is bad. Why is it these people?'
'I thought they were ordinary villagers.'
"Get lost! We'll talk about whatever we want!"
Tsunade immediately recognized him as a lackey and shouted at him in disgust.
Jiraiya's expression stiffened.
Hatake Sakumo smiled without saying anything. He was already used to situations like this.
Arisu chuckled and joked, "Nothing much. Jiraiya was saying he wants to try running for Hokage next year."
Jiraiya laughed and cursed, "Asshole! Arisu, don't get me killed!"
"Hahahaha!"
"Hahaha..."
Tsunade and Hatake Sakumo laughed.
As soon as Arisu said that, the atmosphere immediately became much lighter.
Seeing this, the Root ninja in plain clothes quickly forced a smile, "My apologies, my lords. Please enjoy your food and drinks. I'll pay the bill for all of you!"
After speaking, he hurried away.
Jiraiya took a drink and could not help asking, "Has Danzo really become this insane? He's even planted undercover ninja among the crowds?"
Arisu shook his head.
"Danzo wants to start a war. He wants to know what public opinion is like."
Tsunade crossed her arms unhappily.
"That old man is way too controlling."
A trace of coldness flashed through Hatake Sakumo's eyes.
"Hmph. That old dog Danzo."
Jiraiya sighed lightly.
"Looks like Konoha isn't the Konoha it used to be..."
"Everyone, keep eating. I'll be leaving first."
With that, Jiraiya stood up.
"I want to see Orochimaru. Where is he now?", Jiraiya asked.
After all these years, he still cared about Orochimaru.
The two had grown up together since childhood and had been raised by Shopkeeper Arisu and Uncle Kakuzu.
Even after spending these years away, Jiraiya still often remembered those good old days.
Speaking of Shopkeeper Arisu, his adoptive father...
Jiraiya had always felt that Arisu looked somewhat like his adoptive father.
'Arisu's name was also the same. Could it be that these two...'
Arisu said, "He's with Danzo now. It's difficult to find him."
Jiraiya nodded.
"Alright."
He remembered that Orochimaru had left him a summoning technique. When he needed to find him, he could contact Orochimaru through a messenger toad.