Chapter 12
+ Jiraiya +
Jiraiya dropped lightly from the rooftops and slipped through the open window into the Hokage's office, landing with the casual grace of someone who had done it a thousand times before. Just like always, his old teacher was buried under a mountain of paperwork, the desk lamp casting long shadows across stacks of reports and scrolls.
Hiruzen didn't even look up at first. He just kept scratching away with his brush.
"So, Jiraiya, you've finally decided to show your face and stop procrastinating, have you?" The sarcasm was thick enough to cut. "Waiting three whole weeks before bothering to inform me of your arrival, I have to say, that's quite progressive compared to your usual standards."
Jiraiya gave an awkward laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. "Haha, you know me, Sensei. You know me. Besides, you should've already heard about my arrival ages ago. No need for me to go out of my way and bother you with a personal visit."
He tried to brush it off lightly, even though he was perfectly aware that Hiruzen had specifically told him to report in before he went off on his 'research' trip. Fault or not, Jiraiya wasn't about to take full responsibility if he could help it.
"Yes, I'm quite aware of that fact," Hiruzen said dryly. "It's not every day one of my shinobi comes sprinting back to the tower with a shocked expression, babbling about running into you on the road." He finally set the brush down and lifted his head, eyes sharp behind the smoke curling from his pipe. "So. How are things going with Naruto? Still a walking firecracker, is he?"
Jiraiya straightened a little at the genuine concern that slipped into the old man's voice. Relief flickered through him, followed quickly by guilt. He did his best to keep his expression neutral, hoping his teacher wouldn't notice the way his shadow clone was currently babysitting Naruto… and how said clone would probably be escorting the kid straight to the hospital in a few hours.
Summoning Gamabunta and getting the boss toad's approval hadn't exactly been gentle.
Hiruzen's eyes narrowed, pinning him in place like a butterfly on a board. "Tell me, Jiraiya… is Naruto okay? I really hope that even at your age you're not doing something stupid that will put that child in danger."
"You know me, Sensei," Jiraiya said, forcing another grin. "I only know how to train geniuses. Naruto's… different. I didn't really know what else to do except give him a bit of an 'extra push'."
Hiruzen snorted. "Yes, yes, I know exactly how good a teacher you are. I still remember how you used to toss scrolls at Minato and tell him to figure it out while you disappeared for weeks on your so-called 'research'." His tone was bone-dry. "Now answer the question. What happened to Naruto, and where is he right now?"
Jiraiya shifted uncomfortably. "That's a bit harsh, Sensei. You should know I'm one of the Sannin, and a great teacher, thank you very much. I do know how to handle my students."
"And don't forget," he added quickly, "you're one of the few people who actually appreciates my research and my… contributions to the village's knowledge base."
Hiruzen cleared his throat pointedly, cheeks tinting just slightly under his beard. He refused to be derailed. "Where. Is. Naruto?"
The office fell silent for several long seconds. Jiraiya seriously considered bolting for the window.
"He's… kinda… er… on his way to the hospital," Jiraiya finally admitted, wincing as Hiruzen's glare could have melted steel.
"And pray tell," Hiruzen said, voice dangerously calm, "why exactly is he on his way to be admitted? What kind of idiotic training plan did you come up with this time?"
Jiraiya sighed and decided it was time to come clean, at least mostly. He launched into the story: handing Naruto the summoning scroll, the endless failed attempts that had tested even his patience, the growing frustration on both sides.
He tried to skim over the part where he'd dropped Naruto down a deep pit to force him to draw on the Nine-Tails' chakra in desperation.
Unfortunately, Hiruzen was far too perceptive. The old man's stare didn't waver, and Jiraiya could practically feel the lecture building behind those eyes. There was no escaping it.
"—and right now Naruto's busy getting Gamabunta's approval," Jiraiya finished, watching as Hiruzen puffed furiously on his pipe. Thick clouds of tobacco smoke filled the room, the scent overpowering.
Hiruzen looked utterly speechless for a moment. "…Is this really the best way you can think of to train a student?"
He shook his head slowly. "Forget it. At least your insane plan seems to have worked. Just promise me you won't pull anything that drastic again."
"I promise," Jiraiya said, sounding as serious as he could manage.
Deep down, though, a traitorous little voice whispered that the promise probably wouldn't last long.
Hiruzen let out another long, weary sigh, the latest in a long line since the conversation began.
Just then, Jiraiya felt several sharp spikes of chakra, coded ANBU signals. He glanced at Hiruzen, silently asking if he should leave.
"Stay," Hiruzen said quietly. "It's not that important." He flared his own chakra once in permission.
The door opened, and an ANBU slipped inside. Jiraiya had to catch himself before his eyes wandered too far. Cat mask, long violet hair, and a figure that, well, it was hard not to notice. He forced his gaze back to the desk just in time to catch Hiruzen's brief, warning glare.
"Lord Hokage." She knelt smoothly.
"You may report."
"We've been doing everything we can to track down the killer of Special Jonin Gekko Hayate," she began. Her voice trembled just slightly now and then. "But so far… no clues. We only discovered his body more than ten hours after death…"
Jiraiya shoved aside any lingering lewd thoughts. The name hit hard. He knew Hayate and had worked with the lad a few times, as he was quite a good information-gathering ninja. The mood in the room shifted instantly; the air felt heavier.
When the ANBU finished her report and vanished in a swirl of leaves, Jiraiya opened his mouth to speak.
"If you don't have anything else to add, you can leave," Hiruzen said. His voice was calm again, but the earlier warmth had drained away completely. "I already have more than enough to deal with. And since you're apparently allergic to helping with any of it, just focus on what you came here to do."
Jiraiya understood immediately. The death of Hayate is almost certainly tied back to Orochimaru. Hiruzen felt guilty, guilty that one of his own had slipped through the cracks again, guilty that he hadn't stopped it sooner. And Jiraiya's presence only reminded him of the old wound that still hadn't healed.
He had only returned to the village because of fresh rumours about Orochimaru. As for taking responsibility for the hat? Jiraiya wasn't stupid enough to ever dream of that burden. Only a fool would want it.
"Come on, Sensei, lighten up a bit," he said, forcing a grin. "At least while I'm around, the snake bastard won't dare cause too much trouble."
He wasn't entirely sure he believed it himself.
"Besides," he added quickly, seizing the chance to shift topics, "I'm pretty curious about that Uchiha brat. Seems my troublesome blonde student is dead set on surpassing him."
Hiruzen's mouth curved into a small, genuine smile. "Sasuke Uchiha… I have to admit, young Sasuke has been exceeding even my expectations."
"With the pace of his progress, his hard work, his sheer tenacity, I'd say it's only a matter of time before he becomes the strongest genin in the upcoming Chunin Exams." Hiruzen paused. "No… to be more accurate, he's probably already there. And pushing beyond it."
Jiraiya felt a flicker of genuine surprise. Hearing his old teacher praise an Uchiha so openly, without any hidden barbs or double meanings, was rare. He'd grown used to the careful, guarded way Hiruzen always spoke about that clan.
"That's high praise coming from you," Jiraiya said carefully. "You sure he's not secretly your student? You're talking about him the way you used to talk about—"
He cut himself off before Orochimaru's name could slip out.
Hiruzen didn't seem to mind. "It's simply the truth. No sugar-coating. His work ethic is genuinely admirable. Up at dawn, training taijutsu, sparring with Kakashi, refining the new jutsu he's learned, drilling his foundation and even the basic techniques to make them sharper, practising with and without the Sharingan, all of it, right through till evening. Then he heals his body with medical ninjutsu before moving on to fuinjutsu, trying to break that curse seal on his own."
Jiraiya froze. "You sure that's healthy for him, Sensei? Kid's going to burn himself out before he even gets his revenge."
There was an unspoken question hanging between them: Was it wise to let an Uchiha grow that strong, that fast?
"You don't need to worry," Hiruzen said gently, clearly understanding the concern. "I trust Kakashi's judgement completely. Under his supervision, Sasuke has shown none of the tendencies we might fear."
For a moment, Jiraiya wasn't sure what to feel. Was he the paranoid one now? All these years, he'd watched Hiruzen hide suspicion behind kind smiles and careful words when it came to the Uchiha. And here the old man was, sounding almost… optimistic.
"If you say so," Jiraiya muttered. He had no intention of digging deeper into clan politics. That headache was never going to be his.
He already suspected more than most about what had really happened during the massacre. No matter how prodigious a thirteen-year-old genius might be, wiping out an entire clan without the village noticing anything until it was too late? That wasn't possible without help, or at least silence, from inside.
It was just one more reason he'd never touch the Hokage hat with a ten-foot pole.
"Right then," he said, pushing off the windowsill. "I'll take my leave. Got things to do."
He slipped out the way he came, mind already turning over everything he'd heard, and everything he hadn't said.
As for the reason for hurried escape, he simply didn't want to say no to his sensei again, as he was not willing to take the Hat of the Hokage. It would've become even more awkward.
…..
[A/N: One thing after another piled up, taking all the motivation away from writing. Here I am continuing. And sorry for the wait.]
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