[Amegakure · Top of the High Tower]
Nagato sat in a specially made wheelchair, his purple Rinnegan gazing silently at the Sky Screen.
When he saw the young image of Jiraiya, a flicker of emotion passed through his eyes.
Many years ago, that white-haired man had come to the Land of Rain, taken in three war orphans, taught them Ninjutsu, taught them to read, and taught them the principle that "people should understand one another."
Though it was only three years, those three years were one of the rare warm periods in his life.
"Jiraiya-sensei…"
Nagato said the name softly, his voice raspy.
Konan stood beside him, her purple hair gently swaying in the wind. She didn't speak, just looked at that young face on the Sky Screen, and a faint smile unconsciously appeared at the corner of her mouth.
She, too, remembered those days. Remembering Jiraiya's clumsy attempts at teaching them Shurikenjutsu, and the awkwardness when he was caught writing novels in the middle of the night.
Then, the smile slowly faded. Because she also remembered what happened next.
"Konan." Nagato suddenly spoke, interrupting her thoughts.
"What is it, Nagato?"
"Do you think…"
Nagato's Rinnegan was still looking at the Sky Screen, watching the image of the white-haired man.
"If Jiraiya-sensei knew what we're doing now… what would he think?"
Konan fell silent. She didn't know how to answer.
Nagato didn't need her to answer. He closed his eyes, looking a bit weary.
"Let's keep watching."
"The Sky Screen… will tell us more."
---
[A Certain Hot Spring Inn]
Jiraiya was soaking in the hot spring, holding a sake flask in his hand. When he heard the Sky Screen's evaluation, he was momentarily stunned, then burst into hearty laughter.
"The strongest? Hahaha! Did you hear that? This great sage is the strongest of the Sannin!"
He shouted at the sky, then took a big gulp of sake. But as he laughed, the smile gradually faded.
---
[Otogakure · Underground Base]
Orochimaru stood before his laboratory table, staring at the young image of himself on the Sky Screen, his face expressionless, as if looking at a stranger.
"Best at surviving…"
Orochimaru repeated the phrase in a low voice, then smiled.
"It seems my research ultimately succeeded after all."
He extended his long tongue and licked his lips.
"Immortality is the ultimate truth of Ninjutsu. Power fades, wisdom decays—but as long as you keep living, there will always be opportunities. You can always pursue higher realms."
"Orochimaru-sama, it seems you succeeded in the future."
Yakushi Kabuto walked out from the shadows, wearing his habitual smile.
Orochimaru glanced at him.
"Kabuto, do you think 'best at surviving' is a compliment?"
Kabuto thought for a moment.
"Orochimaru-sama, in the Shinobi World, simply staying alive is the greatest victory. Many geniuses die young, and many powerful people fall on the battlefield. But you survived, and will keep on living; that in itself is proof of your strength."
"However…"
Just as Kabuto thought the conversation was over, Orochimaru suddenly said.
"…That dead-last actually ended up as the strongest among us. How interesting."
---
[More critically, through the system of master-disciple succession, Sarutobi Hiruzen incorporated numerous geniuses into the Hokage lineage. He ensured that the position of Hokage was always passed down among the Hokage's own disciples, indirectly consolidating the dominance of the Hokage line and ensuring the stability of power transitions.]
In other hidden villages—especially Kirigakure—the Kage's eyes lit up.
'Master-disciple succession… ensuring the stability of the Kage position… That sounds good!'
---
[Konoha, Year 60· Hot Spring Inn]
Jiraiya had just finished his bath and was getting dressed, ready to leave, when the Sky Screen's final sentence made him stop in his tracks.
"The position of Hokage has always been passed down among the Hokage's own disciples…"
Jiraiya repeated the words, a dazed expression on his face.
He recalled the information the Sky Screen had revealed earlier: after the Third came the Fourth, Minato. And after the Fourth, according to the Sky Screen, the Fifth Hokage was also a disciple of the Hokage.
Which of the Hokage's disciples were still alive?
He himself counted as one. Tsunade counted as one. Orochimaru had already defected, so he was certainly out of question.
Minato's disciple, Kakashi, could also be considered part of the Hokage lineage, but he was too young.
"So the Fifth Hokage…"
Jiraiya stroked his chin.
"Is it me? Or Tsunade?"
The thought left him with mixed feelings. He had never wanted to be Hokage.
He cherished his freedom. He loved traveling around the world, writing novels, gathering material, searching for the Child of Prophecy… A place like the Hokage office would suffocate him.
But what if the village needed him?
What if Tsunade refused to come back?
"Tsunade… even though she seems completely disappointed with Konoha, deep down, she loves the village more than anyone. If the village truly needed her to be Hokage… she would probably come back, right?"
But he wasn't sure.
He remembered the last time he saw Tsunade—her resolute back as she walked away.
"Sigh…"
Jiraiya sighed and pushed open the inn door.
The gentle breeze outside carried the scent of grass and trees.
'The Fifth Hokage… who would it be?'
---
[Konoha, Year 60 · Hokage Office]
Danzō, who had been sitting across from Hiruzen, ready to continue enjoying the show, suddenly turned pale.
The cane slipped from his hand and clattered to the floor, but he didn't bother to pick it up. He just stared at the Sky Screen, his eyes filled with disbelief.
"Hiruzen!!"
Danzō squeezed out the name through gritted teeth, his voice hoarse with rage.
He wasn't a fool. The meaning of those words was clear enough. The Fifth Hokage would be one of the Hokage's disciples. And the category of "Hokage's disciples" most likely did not include him, Shimura Danzō—but rather Sarutobi Hiruzen's own students.
"Am I not the Fifth Hokage?"
Danzō muttered to himself, as if asking himself, or perhaps questioning the Sky Screen.
"Why… why isn't it me?"
His mind raced, arriving at the same conclusion as Jiraiya. The Fifth Hokage could only be Jiraiya or Tsunade.
'Could it be Jiraiya?'
A cold glint flashed in Danzō's single eye.
'No… I must also be wary of Tsunade.'
Just then, Danzō abruptly stood up, knocking over his chair and making a harsh scraping sound.
"Hiruzen! You're always going on to me about leaves and roots, but you never once considered making me Hokage! You've been lying to me this whole time!"
Hiruzen was startled by Danzō's sudden outburst.
"Danzō, calm down."
He tried to placate him.
"I would already dead by then. I didn't appoint the Fifth Hokage. Besides, the Sky Screen just said 'passed down among the Hokage's disciples'—it didn't say it wasn't you. You're also a Hokage disciple!"
"Then tell me!"
Danzō interrupted him, his voice almost a roar.
"Would you let me become Hokage?!"
Hiruzen fell silent, he couldn't answer that question.
That silence was more devastating than any words.
Seeing this, Danzō grew even more furious.
"Say something, Hiruzen!"