[Dark Group Owner: Indeed, your situation is worse than Naruto's.]
Hattori frowned slightly, thinking.
'Jiraiya was utterly loyal to Konoha and would absolutely not rebel.'
'If he learned Sasuke's true intentions, he would most likely turn hostile and strike to kill.'
[Dark Group Owner: @Second Pillar Thinks He Can Do It, What is the Great Toad Sage's attitude towards you? Is he determined to protect you to the end?]
As one of the Three Great Sage Regions, Mount Myoboku's status was not to be underestimated.
If the Great Toad Sage insisted on keeping Sasuke at Mount Myoboku and not letting him return to Konoha, even Jiraiya would find it difficult to take coercive measures.
[Second Pillar Thinks He Can Do It: The Great Toad Sage's attitude towards me is very good. He seems convinced that I am the legendary Child of Prophecy. For now, at least until I learn most of Mount Myoboku's Senjutsu, he doesn't plan to let me return to Konoha.]
[Dark Group Owner: In that case, first stabilize the Great Toad Sage. At the same time, promise Jiraiya that once you learn the Senjutsu, you will definitely return to the village to explain. He will most likely trust you.]
Jiraiya was good in every way, except his judgment of people wasn't great.
In the original work, he took in that ungrateful disciple, Nagato, who almost destroyed Konoha.
'This time, switching the ungrateful disciple to Sasuke shouldn't be a problem, right?'
[Second Pillar Thinks He Can Do It: I understand, Group Owner.]
At this moment, at Mount Myoboku…
Sasuke sat under a waterfall, fine patterns appearing on his face.
His talent was extremely high.
In less than a month, he had mastered a small portion of the introductory Senjutsu.
If he continued training like this, within three years, he might even break Minato's record and become the youngest genius to master Sage Mode!
"Sasuke, there must be a misunderstanding about the village matter. Return to Konoha with me to meet the Sandaime Hokage. Everything can be resolved."
Seeing Sasuke finish his training, Jiraiya slowly emerged from the dense forest, sighing softly.
He knew about the Uchiha Clan's massacre.
Sasuke's identity was sensitive, and the village paid extra attention to him.
It was understandable that they would immediately label him a Missing-nin upon his escape.
But…
Sasuke hadn't gone elsewhere.
He had come to Mount Myoboku, right under Jiraiya's nose, to learn Senjutsu.
With Jiraiya monitoring him, he wouldn't do anything to harm the village.
"Jiraiya-sensei, it's not that I don't want to return. It's just that the Great Toad Sage said I'm very young now, which is the easiest time to perceive the Natural Energy of the world. If I miss this optimal training period, it will be much harder to learn Senjutsu later."
Sasuke spread his hands, pretending to be helpless.
"This..."
Jiraiya awkwardly scratched the back of his head, frozen for a moment.
From a training perspective, it was true.
If Sasuke really was the legendary Child of Prophecy, and he hindered his training, wouldn't he be ruining the future task of saving the world?
"Don't worry, Jiraiya-sensei. The village raised me, gave an orphan who lost his clan a chance to become a Shinobi. How could I possibly do anything to harm the village?"
Sasuke smiled slightly, his eyes curving like crescent moons.
His expression was brilliantly bright.
For a moment, Jiraiya thought he saw the Minato of years past.
"Ah, if that's the case, I won't insist. I'll explain it to Sandaime Hokage. But once your training reaches a stage, you must return to Konoha with me to explain clearly."
"I will follow your instruction, Jiraiya-sensei."
Sasuke bowed slightly, looking humble.
Seeing his attitude, Jiraiya nodded and slowly left.
The moment Jiraiya turned around, a cold glint flashed in Sasuke's eyes, and a curve lifted the corner of his mouth.
'Sorry, Teacher Jiraiya.'
'The Group Owner taught me:'
'True avengers are always composed, like a gentle breeze.'
'Exposed sharp claws aren't scary, the terrifying thing is the hidden venomous fangs.'
…
Leaning against the stone wall of Mount Myoboku, Jiraiya sighed softly, his face full of melancholy.
"Sasuke's situation is still manageable. Once explained clearly, it shouldn't be a big problem."
"But Naruto... why did he also..."
The son of Namikaze Minato, the Jinchuriki of the Kyubi.
The village owed Naruto far, far too much.
Jiraiya felt immensely guilty about this.
'If I had adopted Naruto from childhood, if I could have played the role of a father for him, given him more care...'
'Would he not have left the village?'
"But now that things had developed to this point…"
"There is almost no room for reconciliation between Konoha and Naruto."
Jiraiya said sorrowfully.
"The importance of Biju is strategic for all major Shinobi Villages. Even if Naruto admits his mistake and returns, he has lost the village's trust in him."
"Given the old man and that old shadowy bastard's personalities, they would most likely imprison Naruto forever, using him as a human weapon."
As a Konoha's Shinobi, with Minato as his student, Jiraiya was caught in a dilemma, torn between both sides.