There was no helping it—Jiraiya was far too famous in Konoha. His appearance couldn't possibly escape the ANBU's notice.
When the ANBU reported that Jiraiya had entered a gambling hall, Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately knew it was Konosuke in disguise.
If it were the real Jiraiya, the first place he would've gone would be the women's bathhouse.
And just moments ago, he had sent Kakashi to summon Konosuke—only to find him missing.
Put those two facts together, and the identity of the "Jiraiya" in the gambling hall was obvious.
Just as Konosuke was sweeping the tables clean, White-Fanged Kakashi appeared behind him.
"Konosuke. The Hokage wants to see you. Immediately."
Knowing he couldn't continue, Konosuke grabbed his winnings and bolted.
If he didn't run now, the gambling hall staff would surround him.
And sure enough, the moment Kakashi called him Konosuke, the staff began closing in.
Outside the gambling hall, Konosuke reluctantly returned the money before following Kakashi toward the Hokage Tower.
He had no choice.
The gambling hall's rule was simple—anyone on the blacklist could never leave with their winnings.
And in Konoha, he couldn't exactly throw a fit.
So what if I bankrupted a few gambling halls? Was that really such a big deal?
On the way, he grumbled.
"Kakashi, couldn't you have come a little later? I was about to stop. And do you really need to shadow me? It's not like I'm refusing to go."
"The Hokage ordered me to keep an eye on you," Kakashi replied lazily. "He's worried you might pull something on the way. You do have a history."
"History? I just walk slowly. What's the rush? The Hokage isn't dying, is he?"
They arrived at the Hokage's office.
Hiruzen was, as always, buried in paperwork.
Seeing Konosuke enter at a leisurely pace, he didn't get angry. Instead, he set down his pen and casually tossed over a pack of cigarettes.
"Smoke. Got these from Asuma. He says you prefer this brand."
Konosuke blinked.
He'd expected to be called out for impersonating Jiraiya.
But this? This didn't look like that kind of conversation.
He lit one, unease creeping into his chest.
After two puffs, Hiruzen finally spoke.
"What is your bloodline limit? Show it to me."
Konosuke's hand paused slightly.
So he knew.
It didn't take long to connect the dots—Itachi must've mentioned something.
Still, he wasn't particularly worried.
Compared to other reincarnators, he was fortunate. He didn't need to fear Danzo targeting him.
Raising a finger, he let brilliant light gather at its tip.
"I call it Light Release. I can fire high-powered laser beams and significantly increase my speed. Other applications are still under development. That's what I know so far."
He dispelled the glow.
"It awakened about two years ago. I didn't mention it because… well… I didn't want to complicate my teaching schedule."
Hiruzen shot him a look.
"You were going to say slacking off, weren't you?"
Konosuke coughed.
Hiruzen continued calmly.
"If its power is as great as you claim, demonstrate it. I need to evaluate you properly. A talent like that shouldn't be wasted."
Konosuke's heart skipped.
Reassigning my duties? That's exactly what I didn't want.
"Hokage-sama, I—"
"Call me Old Man. Sounds friendlier. You call me that when you're with Asuma, don't you?"
"...Fine. Old Man."
He scratched his head.
"The power's… a bit strong. Are you sure you want me to demonstrate it here? You might need to rebuild the Hokage Tower afterward."
Hiruzen's brows lifted.
That wasn't what he'd expected.
After a brief pause, he stood.
"Follow me. We'll go to the training grounds."
They headed to a secluded ANBU training field.
Hiruzen cleared the entire area, dismissing everyone.
Light Release was a never-before-seen bloodline. Best not expose it prematurely.
Once alone, Hiruzen pointed toward distant wooden targets.
"Begin."
A sharp hum filled the air.
Blinding light condensed at Konosuke's fingertip.
With a resonant vibration, a beam of searing, destructive radiance shot forward.
The moment it left his finger, it seemed to break free of restraint, tearing across the field at terrifying speed.
In less than a blink—
BOOM!!!
The explosion roared across the grounds.
Even Hiruzen felt the earth tremble beneath his feet.
Smoke and fire rose in the distance.
For a moment, he was speechless.
He had tried to estimate the power—
He had still underestimated it.
It was comparable to a Tailed Beast Bomb.
The blast was so loud that many in the village assumed the Hokage Tower had been attacked.
Clan shinobi rushed toward the tower at full speed.
Hiruzen reacted instantly.
"Organize fire suppression immediately. Inform the incoming shinobi that a storage crate of explosive tags detonated. No casualties. Calm the civilians as quickly as possible."
His mind was razor-sharp, issuing orders with practiced efficiency.
Once everything was arranged, he turned to Konosuke.
"Come with me."
Then he addressed the ANBU who had witnessed the blast.
"What happened here is classified. If word spreads outside authorized channels, it will be treated as treason."