"Just a rat from the gutter, meow!"
At this moment, Tachibana Jirō had clearly seen the lava-spewing giant in the distance advancing toward them. Coupled with Obito's behavior, it had already guessed that Obito had chickened out.
"If he's a rat, then sooner or later I'll catch him!"
Uchiha Izumi, panting, picked up Tachibana Jirō, her eyes filled with concern as she looked over the many wounds covering its body. If Tachibana Jirō hadn't held Obito back, Izumi knew she would have been no match for Uchiha Obito.
"Of course, meow!"
"I'm really good at catching rats!"
Curled up in Izumi's arms, Tachibana Jirō shifted into a more comfortable position. Even though it was injured, it refused to lose face.
While Izumi and Tachibana Jirō were talking, Uchiha Keizumi arrived at their side.
"Was it Obito who attacked you?"
Looking at the two of them injured, a rare flicker of killing intent flashed in Keizumi's eyes.
To put it in Tang San's words—Uchiha Obito had earned a death sentence!
Unfortunately, Konan and Nagato were rather disappointing. He had already told them about Obito, yet instead of dealing with him, they had turned around and targeted him instead!
"Yes, meow!"
"His space-time dōjutsu is just too unfair, meow!"
"If it weren't for that weird space-time dōjutsu, Obito's strength would be nothing special, meow!"
Tachibana Jirō kept nodding. It had managed to hold out against Obito for several minutes. Even though most of that time it had been getting beaten, surviving at all meant it had done an excellent job.
"Space-time dōjutsu…"
Keizumi nodded. He was very familiar with Obito's Kamui. Using brute-force methods to counter it wasn't too difficult.
But if he wanted to reliably catch Obito anytime, anywhere, the Flying Thunder God Technique would be far more suitable.
"Once we get back to Konoha, I'll apply to study the Flying Thunder God Technique scroll. If I master it, catching Obito should become much easier."
Keizumi spoke. Come to think of it, all these years he had never actually applied to learn any of Konoha's forbidden techniques.
He had already made a name for himself during the Third Shinobi World War. Back then, the Uchiha clan's techniques alone had been more than enough for him to learn, and since he mainly used Lava Release, he hadn't had much need for other jutsu.
But given his past achievements, applying for one or two forbidden techniques wouldn't be difficult.
"After we return to Konoha this time, Tsunade-sama will become Hokage, right?"
At the mention of Konoha, a glimmer of light appeared in Izumi's eyes. This trip to the Land of Water had been her first time away from the village for so long—she was starting to miss it.
"Tsunade-sama will definitely become Hokage!"
As Izumi summoned Katsuyu to heal Tachibana Jirō, the small slug also spoke.
And indeed, that was the case. Even in present-day Konoha, whether among jōnin or civilians, most people leaned toward supporting Tsunade as the next Hokage. Medical-nin had saved countless lives.
On top of that, Tsunade was the granddaughter of the First and Second Hokage, a disciple of the Third Hokage, and nominally a princess of the Land of Fire. The moment she declared she wanted the position, it would turn into—who the hell is Hiruzen supposed to be?
...
"Tsunade's support in the village is growing stronger and stronger…"
"Once Keizumi returns and the jōnin vote begins, Tsunade will become Hokage…"
At the Ninja Academy, Jiraiya looked at the students and let out a sigh.
He still remembered Tsunade once saying she would never become Hokage. Nawaki's death had always been a thorn in her heart.
But Jiraiya had never expected that, because of "absolute justice," Tsunade would actually step forward to compete for the position.
"The Hokage seat isn't important—the important thing is the Child of Prophecy."
"No matter what Keizumi or Tsunade do, they're nothing compared to the Child of Prophecy."
Standing on Jiraiya's shoulder, Shima spoke softly. As an elder of Mount Myōboku, she had absolute faith in the Great Toad Sage's prophecy.
"But the Child of Prophecy is too wary of Jiraiya!"
"Jiraiya, why don't you fix some of your bad habits?"
"Right now, the Child of Prophecy calls you 'Pervy Sage' all the time. If people don't know better, they'll think all of Mount Myōboku's contractors are like this!" Fukasaku said earnestly. He actually thought highly of Jiraiya as a contractor of Mount Myōboku.
The only problem was Jiraiya's reputation… which, unfortunately, dragged down Mount Myōboku's reputation as well.
"I've already changed…"
"And besides, all the bushes outside the women's bathhouse in Konoha have been cleared, and security has been tightened."
"Even if I wanted to do anything, I don't have the chance!"
Speaking of this, Jiraiya felt both aggrieved and annoyed.
He just couldn't understand it—why did the bathhouse have to renovate now of all times? Why not earlier or later, but precisely when he planned to stay in the village for a while?
Wasn't that just bullying an honest man?
And when he thought about how long it had been since he'd gone out to "gather material," his eyes grew lifeless.
He swore that once he set the Child of Prophecy on the right path, he would leave Konoha. The ninja world was vast—those bathhouses and taverns out there had to still love him!
...
Meanwhile, inside the Hokage Office building—
"You sent people to attack Uchiha Keizumi?"
Hiruzen looked at Koharu. Though phrased as a question, his tone was certain.
"How did you know…?"
Koharu instinctively asked, but when she saw Hiruzen's solemn gaze, for a moment she had the illusion that he was still the same "Professor" of old.
"Go back to prison."
"Keizumi is about to return."
Hiruzen closed his eyes. He was truly disappointed in Koharu. Though Keizumi's actions were extreme in his view, Keizumi was still a shinobi of Konoha—and a powerful one at that.
He had already been worried that Keizumi might stay in Kirigakure in the Land of Water. If Koharu's actions were discovered, Hiruzen feared Keizumi might truly refuse to return.
"Hiruzen, you've grown weaker and weaker!"
"Your Hokage seat is about to be taken by Tsunade. Even Homura has chosen to support her. And I, your most steadfast supporter—you want me to go back to prison?"