"Oh?" Minato Namikaze sneered. "If Lord Tobirama knew what kind of person you've become, he'd probably crawl out of the Pure Land just to personally clean house."
That alone was enough.
Just the way the Third Hokage had treated his own grandson had already erased any remaining gratitude Minato once held.
"Dad."
Within his consciousness, Naruto had learned the truth of the past over the last few days—from the Nine-Tails and from Minato himself. The respect he once had for the Third Hokage had long since turned into hatred.
"Minato, you're still too young. You don't understand," Hiruzen Sarutobi said coldly. "I'll give you one last chance. Step down. Otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless."
He raised his right hand.
"Enma!"
A black iron staff appeared in his palm as he assumed a combat stance.
"Ruthless?" Minato's voice turned icy. "What—are you planning to kill me and my son together?"
Anger surged through him as he controlled Naruto's body and drew upon the Nine-Tails' chakra.
The Nine-Tails curled its lips in amusement. Watching humans slaughter each other was its favorite thing. There was no reason not to lend its power.
In the next instant, Naruto's body was enveloped in golden light as the Nine-Tails' chakra poured out relentlessly.
A Flying Thunder God kunai appeared in Minato's hand. He gripped it and held it before his chest.
Jiraiya froze.
That stance—he had seen it countless times before. Only now did he truly believe that Minato's soul was residing inside Naruto's body.
"Heh," Orochimaru's voice echoed in Jiraiya's mind. "A disciple killing his master, a grand-disciple striking his grand-master. Truly a proud tradition of the Hokage line. Still, Hiruzen Sarutobi really deserves to die."
"Shut up," Jiraiya replied through chakra, his expression tense.
"Arrogant!" the Third Hokage shouted.
He hurled the iron staff forward. Midair, it transformed into a cage, snapping shut around Minato.
Without pause, Hiruzen rapidly formed hand seals.
"Fire Release: Dragon Flame Bomb!"
A dragon-shaped torrent of fire erupted and slammed straight toward the cage.
Jiraiya's pupils contracted.
A cage followed by fire—he was going for the kill.
Jiraiya was about to intervene when a kunai suddenly shot out from inside the cage.
In a flash, Naruto appeared outside it, already throwing two more kunai—one aimed directly at Hiruzen, the other thrown above him.
Hiruzen narrowed his eyes. Flying Thunder God?
Although he had never mastered the technique, he understood its principles well enough. Chakra surged as he prepared a counter.
At the moment Naruto reappeared, Hiruzen struck, his palm wrapped in violent airflow.
Naruto vanished.
He reappeared directly above Hiruzen.
"This is Flying Thunder God: Second Step," Naruto said coldly. "I comprehended it during the Nine-Tails' attack. Prepare yourself, Hiruzen Sarutobi."
A Rasengan rapidly formed in his hand—crimson, infused with the Nine-Tails' chakra.
Crimson Rasengan.
It came crashing down toward Hiruzen's neck.
At that instant, Jiraiya flashed forward. His white hair exploded outward, wrapping tightly around the Third Hokage.
The Rasengan struck.
Jiraiya took the blow head-on.
Naruto's eyes widened. He hadn't expected Jiraiya to interfere.
The damage was limited, but the attack was stopped.
"I'm sorry, Minato," Jiraiya said quietly. "No matter how much you hate him, I can't let you kill the Third Hokage in Konoha."
He withdrew his hair and let out a long sigh.
"You're still a shinobi of Konoha. And he is Konoha's Third Hokage."
Naruto landed, stunned. Then he let out a bitter smile.
"So that's your answer… Jiraiya-sensei. This will be the last time I call you that."
He turned toward the exit, his steps heavy.
Time was running out. If Naruto was to grow up safely, the Third Hokage could not be allowed to remain in power.
As things stood, there was only one person left he could turn to.
Uchiha Ran.
Parents never wish for greatness. They only wish for their children to live safely.
Now Minato finally understood—so long as Hiruzen Sarutobi lived and held power, Naruto would never truly be safe.
He had originally hoped to keep Jiraiya out of this.
But Jiraiya had chosen old bonds.
That left Minato with only one path: kill Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Yet Jiraiya's Needle Jizō had blocked the Crimson Rasengan, costing him his best chance.
He could no longer finish it here.
"Everyone, withdraw," Naruto said calmly.
He cast one last cold glance at Hiruzen Sarutobi before turning away.
Hiruzen curled his lips into a faint smile.
Jiraiya watched Minato leave, his heart heavy with conflict.
Then Hiruzen spoke.
"Jiraiya, you did well. You truly are my proudest disciple."
Jiraiya froze.
Proudest disciple?
He remembered clearly—first it was Orochimaru, then Tsunade. He himself had always been the dead last.
If not for his inheritance from Mount Myōboku, he would have remained insignificant.
Now that two of the Sannin had left, he had suddenly become the "proudest."
The irony was suffocating.
Still, he showed none of it.
Later, he and Hiruzen spoke at length, the conversation revolving around a single goal—having Jiraiya take the position of Fifth Hokage.
Jiraiya refused, claiming he had no talent for governing.
Hiruzen's eyes lit up. "Anything you don't understand, you can ask me. I'll teach you everything I know."
In the end, after a strange and exhausting exchange, Jiraiya agreed.
Hiruzen was overjoyed and personally poured wine for him. Utatane Koharu joined in, smiling and toasting, while Jiraiya cooperated.
After the gathering ended, Jiraiya returned home alone.
The moment he stepped inside, an oppressive chill washed over him.
He turned on the light, changed into casual clothes, and walked back into the living room.
Then he froze.
At some point, three young men had appeared inside.
One sat calmly on the sofa. One guarded the door. One stood beside him.
Three pairs of Sharingan turned toward him simultaneously.
"Good evening, Jiraiya-senpai," the young man on the sofa said as he stood up with a polite smile. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Uchiha Ran."
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