Konoha.
The invincible Minato has been carried back on someone's back yet again.
The Third Hokage, along with the Village Advisors, came to visit Minato in a state of anxiety.
Minato's injuries this time were not to be underestimated.
Having lost an arm used for weaving signs, Minato was practically half-crippled.
The Third Hokage's greatest concern was still Jiraiya, because Jiraiya hadn't returned with him.
Fortunately, Minato told the Third Hokage that Jiraiya had been reverse-summoned back to Mount Myōboku, which finally allowed the Third Hokage's terrible mood to settle.
Utatane Koharu frowned and said, "Jiraiya is far too outrageous. He was told not to go save Tsunade, yet he still went in violation of the regulations."
"And it cost Minato an arm. That fellow Jiraiya!"
Danzo immediately seized the opportunity to harshly criticize the Third Hokage: "Hiruzen, this is the soldier you trained! You've always been far too indulgent with Jiraiya."
"Intelligence regarding the Rinnegan was not reported to the Village. The fact that Uchiha Madara was able to reclaim the Rinnegan is entirely due to Jiraiya's selfishness."
"And this time, if not for Minato's quick reactions, would he even have been able to return?"
"Tsunade lacks resolve, Jiraiya is too willful, and Orochimaru..."
Orochimaru's ambition was too great; even the First Hokage and Second Hokage were under his control.
If not for the threat of Madara, Konoha would have already become Orochimaru's prize.
The Third Hokage fell silent for a moment, took a puff of his pipe, and said, "I apologize. I did not teach these disciples of mine well."
Minato spoke up for his teacher: "Hokage-sama, I believe my teacher was not wrong."
"If Kushina were captured by the enemy, I would absolutely go to save her regardless of the cost."
Even if it meant violating Village regulations, he would go, because there are some things one must do even knowing they are technically wrong.
Ninjas are not tools.
Minato could somewhat understand Sakumo's mindset back then now.
People like the Third Hokage could understand Minato and Jiraiya's feelings, but they could not understand this course of action.
If the Village's Ninjas all followed the example of Jiraiya and Minato, would Ninjas still be able to carry out their missions?
The essence of a Ninja is a cold-blooded tool, meant to spread slaughter and death.
"Well said, Minato."
Jiraiya's voice came from outside the door. Upon hearing news of Minato's injury, Jiraiya had rushed back from Mount Myōboku in a panic.
"Jiraiya, you still have the nerve to come back?"
Utatane Koharu, Homura Mitokado, and Danzo—the three high-ranking officials—immediately began berating Jiraiya, their spittle flying in his face.
It looked as if they were just short of calling for executioners to drag Jiraiya out and behead him.
Jiraiya only offered a sheepish grin, not daring to argue back.
It was still the Third Hokage who was more considerate, checking Jiraiya's bones and muscles to see if he was injured.
Seeing the three high-ranking officials arguing more and more intensely, the Third Hokage hurried to stop his three old friends: "Koharu, Homura, that's enough!"
"This Jiraiya, even if you talk until your mouth is dry, he will still be the same as always."
Utatane Koharu sighed. "Jiraiya, when exactly are you going to grow up?"
"Forget it, we're busy contacting other Ninja Villages to form the Shinobi Allied Forces."
Homura Mitokado nodded. "Jiraiya, our breath is meant for guiding elites, not for wasting words on you."
Utatane Koharu and Homura Mitokado left one by one.
Danzo said to the Third Hokage, "Hiruzen, let me take Jiraiya for a while. I will use the will of Root to make him understand what it truly means to be a Ninja."
Before the Third Hokage could speak, Jiraiya got anxious: "Elder Danzo, I admit I'm a bit willful, but you can't harm me like that!"
"Jiraiya, what are you saying? I'm harming you? Are the people of Root not Ninjas of the Village?"
"No, no, it's just that your methods are too cold and heartless. Ordinary people simply can't handle it."
Seeing that Danzo and Jiraiya were about to start arguing again, the Third Hokage quickly persuaded Danzo to leave.
After Danzo left, the Third Hokage, Jiraiya, and Minato—three generations of master and disciples—could finally have some peace.
Jiraiya approached Minato's bedside, looking at Minato's only remaining arm, feeling extremely guilty.
Minato... was now disabled.
This kind of disability wasn't just an injury; it was a lifelong loss. Even if Tsunade were here, she couldn't heal it back.
"Minato, I..."
Minato cut off what Jiraiya was about to say: "Jiraiya-sensei, there's no need to say it. Actually, I'm quite content just to have escaped with my life from Uchiha Madara."
Minato then told the Third Hokage and Jiraiya about Madara's invisible shadow.
The Third Hokage and Jiraiya were extremely shocked to hear that even someone like Minato could not perceive Madara's shadow.
"This is likely a Dojutsu of the Rinnegan!"
"Damn it, Uchiha Madara and the First Hokage were already at the pinnacle of Ninjas. Now with the Rinnegan's empowerment, who could possibly be his match?"
The Third Hokage sighed. "At this point, we can only see how the Shinobi Allied Forces turns out."
Minato nodded. "Though Uchiha Madara is invincible, he can still be injured and bleed. He is not yet a god."
The Third Hokage looked at Jiraiya and asked, "Jiraiya, does Ryou really have power that surpasses your Sage Mode?"
Jiraiya nodded, a lingering fear on his face. "Though I'm a bit unwilling to admit it, Ryou has already inherited the First Hokage's power and learned Wood Release."
"Against the First Hokage's Wood Release, even with the help of the Two Great Sages, I was no match at all."
"..."
The Third Hokage took a puff of smoke, his brows tightly furrowed.
Minato's expression wasn't very good either.
Jiraiya found a sofa to sit on and glanced at the darkening sky.
Right now, Ryou might be in the bridal chamber with Tsunade.
Jiraiya couldn't control his imagination as he pictured how Ryou was handling Tsunade.
Jiraiya sighed, then took out his notebook and continued his previous NTR story.
The woman he loved most had become someone else's wife; Jiraiya's love was dead.
The several men remained silent, all feeling pessimistic about the upcoming situation.
Setting aside Madara, what about Ryou?
Who could break his Wood Release?
After a long silence, Jiraiya broke the quiet and said, "Minato, The old man, actually... Ryou had a chance to kill me."
Even though it was because of Tsunade's pleading, Ryou's ears couldn't hear anything clearly at the time.7
Jiraiya felt that Ryou hadn't been completely deluded by Madara yet.
The Third Hokage's eyes lit up. "Jiraiya, how likely do you think it is that Ryou will betray Uchiha Madara?"
"One hundred percent!"
"How can it be so high?"
Jiraiya smiled. "No one knows that kid better than I do. If we hadn't pushed him so hard back then, he wouldn't have resurrected Uchiha Madara at all."
"Furthermore, regarding the Eye of the Moon Plan, he will definitely be even more resistant to it than we are."
The Third Hokage nodded, and just as he was about to say something, the door to Minato's ward was kicked open.
An anxious figure in red entered.
"Minato—!"
Kushina threw herself onto Minato's hospital bed, her eyes full of worry.
Behind her were Kakashi, Obito, and the others, as well as Mikoto holding the white cat and Itachi.
Kushina had been studying how to use Sealing Jutsu to control the power of White Zetsu with Mikoto earlier; it was Obito and the others who came to tell Kushina about Minato losing an arm.
Upon hearing of Minato's disability, Kushina ignored the fact that she was pregnant and rushed to Konoha Hospital in a whirlwind.
In that state, even a dozen Jonin couldn't have held her back.