"Do you want to bring Orochimaru back, Perverted Hermit?" Sakura threw out a condition Jiraiya couldn't easily refuse.
"Of course I do, but making him change his mind is practically impossible," Jiraiya replied naturally. She definitely wanted to go after Orochimaru, but knowing his personality, it'd be surprising if he ever came back.
"Don't worry, Perverted Hermit. Stick to our plan, and bringing Orochimaru back is 100% guaranteed!" Sakura said mysteriously. "However, for now, don't tell the Third Lord!"
"Hmm..." Jiraiya hesitated slightly. If they kept things from the Third and something happened to him, what then?
"Sensei Jiraiya, don't worry so much. The Third Lord's safety won't be an issue, and Konoha won't suffer significant damage either. You can rest assured about that!" Minato Namikaze stepped forward to guarantee their words.
"But..." Jiraiya was still somewhat conflicted. He felt like this whole situation wasn't quite reliable.
"Cough cough, the photos," Sakura reminded Jiraiya. Some photos were still sitting in her ninja artifact pouch.
"Well... Alright, I'll agree then," Jiraiya quickly lost all resistance. He had no idea where those photos came from, but one thing was certain—he couldn't let them see the light of day. Otherwise, forget everything else, Orochimaru alone would come at him with the Sword of Kusanagi ready for a fight to the death.
"Just tell me what you need me to do!"
"There isn't anything for you to do right now. We'll call on you when the time comes!"
Having such a powerful helper without using him would be a total waste. But being a fair boss, Sakura wasn't about to make Jiraiya work for nothing. As for payment, she'd already planned it out beforehand.
"As compensation for collaborating—ahem, I mean sharing both happiness and hardship—with us, when we eventually confront Nagato, I'll help you resurrect Yahiko!"
"Resurrect Yahiko?" Jiraiya lifted his head in shock. Losing Yahiko had dealt him a heavy blow. Now, suddenly hearing about the possibility of reviving Yahiko, the astonishment in Jiraiya's heart was beyond words.
"That's right! And it's not just Yahiko; I can also help you revive Nawaki Senju if you faithfully work for our company."
Like a demon tempting mortals into sin, Sakura offered Jiraiya an irresistible deal. "Just think about it—if Tsunade finds out you made such a huge sacrifice just to help her little brother come back to life, wouldn't that really move her? And if Nawaki put in a good word or two, wouldn't everything just fall right into place for the two of you?"
"Marry me, Tsunade..."
Jiraiya's previously gloomy mood began to brighten. Imagining marrying Tsunade, he started wondering what name he should give their future child!
"That's exactly right! Think about it—Tsunade dotes on her younger brother, and you've sacrificed so much to bring Nawaki back. Wouldn't that really move her? Then with Nawaki putting in a good word or two, wouldn't everything just fall right into place for you two?!"
Chapter 254: Dragging Jiraiya Into It [Part 3]
Sakura's words struck a chord with Jiraiya. Chasing after Orochimaru and finally confessing to Tsunade were his deepest dreams. He'd spent years chasing the first one without making a single step of progress. As for the second, he'd only ever dared dream about it—he simply didn't have the guts to act on it.
"Wait… seriously? This could actually work?" Jiraiya, usually so calm, flushed with rare excitement. His middle-aged heart was pounding hard.
"Believe me, I'm right. As a girl, I totally get how girls think!"
Despite never having experienced romance in either her past or current life, Sakura spoke with absolute confidence.
"Let me ask you honestly, Perverted Hermit—do you know why, after doing so much for Tsunade all these years, she still hasn't fallen for you?"
"Why?" Jiraiya asked, puzzled. He had secretly followed Tsunade for years, paying off her debts and solving her problems. He did everything he could, but Tsunade never responded to any of it.
"It's simple—you've never made your efforts public!" Sakura began explaining, while those around them sat down, listening intently.
"You've done everything secretly behind Tsunade's back, haven't you?"
"Yeah…" Jiraiya nodded. Middle-aged men are easy to embarrass—he never dared get close, always keeping his distance so Tsunade never even knew he was there.
"That's exactly the problem!" Sakura clapped her hands together. "Even though you've done so many things for her, she doesn't know anything about them. If you keep doing good deeds anonymously, who will recognize your effort? No matter how much you sacrifice, if Tsunade herself never notices, what's the point?"
"So… then what should I do?" Jiraiya thought carefully and realized something—he really had always silently protected Tsunade from behind, never considering that no matter how hard he tried, if she couldn't see it, she'd never feel moved.
"It's simple," Sakura continued. "From now on, let her see your efforts. Make sure she knows everything you've done for her. Water dripping constantly wears through stone—even small acts accumulate over time. Even someone as cold-hearted as her will eventually be moved. Besides, we still have a trump card hidden up our sleeve."
With a dramatic flick of her fingers, Sakura clicked them together like a conductor cueing an orchestra. "Remember Nawaki Senju? Back in the day, after both Dan Kato and Nawaki Senju died one after another, Tsunade lost all hope and left Konoha. Now imagine—if she found out that you sacrificed your own freedom just to bring Nawaki Senju back to life, don't you think she'd be deeply touched? And if Nawaki himself quietly added a few supportive words at the right moment, well… your chances with Tsunade would basically be sealed."
"Oh, and whatever you do—don't tell Tsunade I can casually bring people back to life! She must believe you paid an enormous price to resurrect Nawaki Senju!"
"Why not?" Jiraiya asked stupidly.
"Perverted Hermit, have you gone mad? People never value things that come too easily — you've heard that saying before, haven't you? If she knows that bringing someone back doesn't come with any real cost, will she still be deeply moved inside? And besides, have you forgotten? Dan Kato was Tsunade's first love."
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