Inside the Hokage's office, Shimura Danzo was engaged in a tense conversation with the Third.
"Hiruzen, those taijutsu techniques that boy displayed are of colossal value. I believe we need to summon Shiki and have a serious talk with him."
Danzo and Hiruzen's eyes were far sharper than those of ordinary shinobi. It only took one glance for them to grasp the full significance of the "Soru" and "Shigan" techniques Shiki had used in battle. If these skills proved suitable for mass instruction, the average combat power of Konoha's ninja could skyrocket to an entirely new level.
The Third Hokage took a deep drag from his pipe, exhaling a thick cloud of smoke. After a long pause, he finally spoke.
"I will assign people to look into this matter."
Realizing that his old friend had already made his decision, Danzo didn't press the issue.
"In that case, I shall take my leave."
As soon as Danzo left the office, the Third turned his head slightly toward the window.
"Since you're already here, you might as well come in, Jiraiya."
"Hehehe..." an awkward chuckle drifted in from outside the window.
First, a mop of unruly white hair appeared in the frame, followed by Jiraiya's face, bearing a slightly guilty smile.
"Well, I saw you were having a chat with Danzo, so I figured I shouldn't interrupt..."
At that time, Jiraiya was still young, and the red lines beneath his eyes weren't as long as they would be in the future. The Third looked at his beloved student with a heavy sigh.
"You've already become an important figure, hailed as one of the Three Legendary Sannin of Konoha, yet you still act so frivolous and irresponsible."
Jiraiya, however, didn't take the slightest offense at the criticism. He had heard such lectures from his teacher so many times over his life that he had long since lost count. He quickly changed the subject.
"Sensei, did you summon me for some S-Rank Mission?"
For shinobi of Jiraiya or Orochimaru's caliber, ordinary assignments were a waste of time. They were only called upon in cases of extreme necessity, when missions of the highest difficulty were involved.
The Third shook his head and slid a folder of documents toward him.
"I summoned you to take charge of a Genin team."
"A Genin team?" Jiraiya scratched his nose in bewilderment. "Sensei, you know my personality perfectly well. I'm completely unfit to be a mentor."
He really shouldn't have said that. The Third's face instantly darkened.
"So, you can teach orphans in the Land of Rain, but you can't take on students in your own home of Konoha?!" he snapped coldly.
Jiraiya immediately quieted down, awkwardly scratching the back of his head. The students the Third had mentioned were Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan from the Land of Rain.
During the Second Shinobi World War, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade had decimated countless enemies on the territory of the Land of Rain. In their final battle, they earned the acknowledgment of Hanzo of the Salamander himself, receiving the title of the "Three Legendary Sannin of Konoha" from him. But Jiraiya, whether out of guilt toward the citizens of the ravaged country or for some other reason, decided to take three orphans he met on his way back under his wing. He didn't just give them shelter; he became their teacher, dedicating several years to their training.
And this was at a time when the war had just ended, and Konoha needed strong shinobi more than ever! Yet this blockhead had spent years loitering in the Land of Rain! It was no wonder the Third was furious with him.
In Hiruzen's eyes, although Jiraiya possessed outstanding combat skills and shared his outlook on life, he had one major flaw: he was too easily swayed by his emotions. And excessive emotionality had always been a shinobi's greatest enemy. To become a truly great ninja, one had to turn themselves into a soulless weapon, casting aside all unnecessary feelings. Otherwise, a moment of weakness and pity for the enemy could spell disaster for their home village.
If Shiki had been here right now, he would have undoubtedly applauded. You're absolutely right, Third-sama! If it weren't for Jiraiya's kindness, Konoha wouldn't have found itself on the brink of total annihilation decades later!
Jiraiya, in a rare moment of silence, couldn't find a single word to say in response.
"Since you put it that way, Sensei, I have no choice but to accept," he sighed, picking up the folder containing the files of his future students from the desk.
To his credit, despite his perpetual image of a carefree wanderer, when Jiraiya took something on, he approached it with absolute seriousness. And studying the information on his future charges was the direct responsibility of any reliable mentor.
"Uzumaki Kushina, Namikaze Minato... and Hanao Shiki?" Jiraiya frowned, scratching his head vigorously. "Sensei, if memory serves, this girl, Kushina—she's the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?"
The Third nodded and added, "And Hanao Shiki and Namikaze Minato are the two most outstanding students from the current graduation exam."
Jiraiya felt an unbearable weight of responsibility settle onto his shoulders.
"But why this specific lineup?"
The Third slowly tapped the ashes out of his pipe. Jiraiya's question was perfectly logical. Since all three were geniuses, and one of them was a Jinchuriki to boot, wouldn't it be wiser to place them on different teams so that, in the event of unforeseen circumstances, they wouldn't lose all of them at once? Why group them together and risk everything?
"I want to create a team that will surpass even Hatake Sakumo's squad in effectiveness," Hiruzen replied seriously. "If we succeed, they will become Konoha's sharpest blade, capable of piercing the heart of any enemy. And if not... New leaves cannot grow in the shadow of an old tree forever, can they? Besides... I believe in your abilities, Jiraiya."