After Jiraiya officially took the seat of the Hokage and spent a chaotic adaptation period, Naruto found a relatively free moment to go to the Hokage Building and bring up the matter of Tsunade to him.
Upon hearing this, Jiraiya rubbed his chin and fell into a brief contemplation. The mountain of documents on the desk almost blocked him from view.
"Tsunade, huh..."
He murmured, "Actually, even if you hadn't mentioned it, I had this intention. I do need to find someone to leave the Village and figure out a way to drag her back."
Jiraiya had even thought of the excuse. The Hidden Leaf Village had just experienced the attack of Orochimaru's 'Konoha Crush Plan'. Although order had been restored, the reserves of the medical system and the number of high-end medical Ninjas were ultimately a weak point.
"Using 'the Village urgently needs top-tier medical support' as a reason to invite her back is perfectly justified."
Pausing, Jiraiya's voice carried a hint of complaining and scheming that only his own people could understand.
"Besides, I really intend to let her come back to be a high-level official, preferably to take over some specific affairs directly... You've seen it too," Jiraiya smiled bitterly and pointed to the mountain of files surrounding him that threatened to drown him.
How many days had he been in office? Jiraiya had already started to regret it. Not only was there endless work, but even Jiraiya's most beloved 'research' couldn't continue because he had to maintain his image.
The more he thought about it, the more he felt his decision was absolutely correct, and Jiraiya became righteous.
Among the Sannin, apart from Orochimaru who went down a crooked path, Jiraiya and Tsunade had both been representatives of'slacking off' for many years. Now that Jiraiya was gritting his teeth to take on this burden, she was still outside drinking and gambling, having a good time everywhere?
"Is this appropriate? It's too inappropriate! I must drag her back to'share the hardships'!"
— — — — —
Another change that followed was that Naruto moved.
The new home was an independent two-story building. This was not an unfamiliar place, but the very house where Minato Namikaze and Kushina once lived.
Theoretically, after the couple sacrificed themselves back then, the legal heir to this property was their only son, Naruto.
However, imagine, just after the Fourth Hokage had sacrificed himself for the Village and his body was not yet cold, immediately letting a blond, blue-eyed toddler move into this residence?
This was almost equivalent to loudly announcing to all the spies and intelligence peddlers lurking in the entire Ninja World, "Look! The Fourth Hokage left behind a Bloodline! And it's the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki! Are you scared? When he grows up, he will use a Flying Thunder God to teleport to your hometown, casually throw a Tailed Beast Ball, and everyone can say goodbye forever! Just wait for death, you lot."
Therefore, back then, the Third Hokage used this as a reason, avoiding the beating from Kushina when the house was temporarily confiscated; he just got his head bumped full of lumps.
Nowadays, Naruto's strength and identity were no longer secrets. The new house was spacious, and Naruto had his own room. He didn't have to squeeze into a bed with Kushina anymore, although strictly speaking, the previous small apartment was entirely lived in by Naruto himself.
Even Zacian could have a separate room. Perhaps to make up for the decision back then, or simply out of fear of being beaten again, the Third Hokage not only did not take back the small apartment Naruto had lived in for many years, but also officially registered its property rights under Naruto's name, which could be considered an extra gift.
The moving process was surprisingly simple. Apart from essential clothes and some common furniture, Naruto found that he didn't have many personal items that needed packing.
A small cat doll, a somewhat old knitted scarf long enough to easily wrap around two people, an incubation device, and the comfortable, spacious big bed he was sleeping on now.
While packing, Naruto realized belatedly that the items of daily life visible everywhere around him seemed to almost all be labeled with "Gift from Satsuki"... Why did he feel like he was living off a woman?
Leaving the small apartment that carried almost all the memories of his childhood and youth, life did not calm down because of this.
Immediately following, the Fifth Hokage Jiraiya announced two decisions to the whole Village and even the outside world through both the announcement board in front of the Hokage Building and official documents.
The first item was about Naruto's background:
[Official announcement effective immediately: The Ninja who heroically guarded the Hidden Leaf Village during the One-Tails Shukaku attack incident — Naruto, his biological father's identity has been verified, and he is indeed the Fourth Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village, Minato Namikaze!]
Following closely was another declaration.
[In addition, Fifth Hokage Jiraiya personally announces that from this day forward, he accepts Naruto as his Personal Disciple, teaching him everything he knows, to inherit the Will of Fire!]
— — — — — —
"Welcome back, son of the hero —!"
"Lord Naruto! Thank you for your hard work!"
"The hero of the Hidden Leaf! The hope of the future!"
"As expected of Lord Jiraiya's Disciple! This mission must have been completed brilliantly, right?"
Having just completed a routine two-day escort mission, Team 7 had just approached the gate of the Hidden Leaf Village when what met their eyes was such a fanatical scene that could be called a festival.
A sea of people.
This term was no exaggeration. The dense crowd not only filled the wide square at the Village entrance but also spread into the internal streets like rising tide water, extending from the gate all the way to the corner at the end of the line of sight. Moving heads, waving arms, and faces brimming with excitement and enthusiasm built a thick and noisy "human wall".
Colorful ribbons and confetti were thrown from somewhere unknown, and several huge handwritten banners were held high by the crowd, looking particularly striking on the white cloth —
[Warmly welcome the son of the Fourth Hokage, Young Master Naruto, back from his mission!]
[The pride of the Hidden Leaf, the pillar of the Ninja World]
[Gratitude for the protection, generation of heroes]
The noise, cheers, shouts, and discussions mixed together, forming a hot current rushing towards them.
Naruto's pupils shook. The Fourth Great Ninja War hadn't started yet, right? Pain hadn't come to demolish the place yet, right? He just left the Village, escorted a certain little noble lady to visit relatives in a neighboring town, and casually cleaned up a few groups of incompetent bandits along the way...
What was going on with this situation?
Even the usually calm... or lazy Kakashi Hatake was a bit bewildered.
"... Son of the Hokage...?"
"... Lord Fourth's..."
Naruto shuddered. Jiraiya seemed to have mentioned before that he would officially announce his background... Could it be that in the two days he was out on a mission, the announcement had already been released?
However, this was clearly not the time to think carefully.
"Naruto," Kakashi's voice rang out in time. He quickly grabbed the arm of Sakura, who was standing nearby, equally dumbfounded, and hadn't figured out the situation yet. "It seems this scene is specially prepared for you. Good luck. We will... leave first. Goodbye."
Before he finished speaking, Kakashi skillfully used the Body Flicker Technique and disappeared from the spot with Sakura, who hadn't reacted yet.
Naruto, "..."
Satsuki, "..."
Almost the same instant Kakashi disappeared, the crowd that had just been gathering and cheering had their enthusiasm completely ignited. They began to surge towards Naruto and Satsuki who were still standing in place. Their steps became faster and faster, and the heat in their eyes almost turned into substance.
"Lord Naruto! Please give me an autograph!"
"Can, can I shake your hand? Just once!"
That surging crowd, those enthusiastic gazes that were almost about to drown people, made Naruto, who had beaten Tailed Beasts and beaten the Ōtsutsuki, feel a bit of social anxiety.
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