---
Looking at the place where the trio disappeared, Ye Dou's gaze turned distant and contemplative.
A while later—
Ye Dou, Jiraiya, Might Guy, Naruto Uzumaki, and Sasuke Uchiha relocated to a nearby hotel to rest.
As for the buildings they had destroyed during the earlier confrontation, Konoha's reconstruction teams would handle the aftermath. Damage from rogue attacks or battles involving high-level shinobi was nothing new to the village.
In a double room—
Might Guy and Jiraiya sat in serious discussion. What had occurred today was more than enough to raise their level of vigilance.
Naruto Uzumaki was not... simple.
To Konoha, he was an irreplaceable asset—the jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails, their ultimate deterrent, and hope.
To Jiraiya, Naruto was more than that. He was the only son of his beloved student, the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.
Now that Naruto was being targeted by an organization as dangerous as Akatsuki, they needed to plan carefully for his future protection.
Might Guy believed it best to return Naruto to Konoha immediately. With the village's elite guarding him, it would be the safest course of action.
Jiraiya, however, had other thoughts. He understood well that while the village could protect Naruto for a time, it could not shield him forever.
Therefore, after locating Tsunade, he intended to take Naruto with him and train him personally.
He knew the unimaginable potential hidden within Naruto—far exceeding even most kekkei genkai. The Nine-Tails sealed inside him wasn't just a burden; it was a treasure trove of power, waiting to be awakened.
Once Naruto could control the Nine-Tails' chakra at will, he would become a shinobi capable of standing at the very summit of the ninja world.
His future was brimming with endless possibilities.
---
[Jiraiya's Gamble]
Inside the hotel room, Naruto, Sasuke, and Ye Dou remained silent, each lost in thought.
The earlier battle had left a deep impression on them. Witnessing the peak of shinobi combat firsthand made them realize just how far they still had to go.
Sasuke, in particular, felt shaken. His lifelong goal had been to kill his brother, Uchiha Itachi. Hatred had been the fuel that pushed him forward all these years.
But after witnessing the sheer, overwhelming power Itachi wielded, Sasuke's desire for strength spiraled out of control. Orochimaru's temptation and cryptic words echoed in his mind, intensifying the storm within.
Ye Dou, meanwhile, had his thoughts stirred by the reappearance of Tobi—Uchiha Obito. His instincts screamed that something far greater was at play.
Akatsuki's ultimate goal was now clear: Whether through Nagato's twisted sense of justice using pain and fear, or Obito's "Eye of the Moon" plan, the endgame remained the same.
They sought to gather all nine tailed beasts and revive the Ten-Tails.
> "I can't wait any longer," Ye Dou thought, his eyes narrowing.
The Ten-Tails… and the Chakra Fruit it bore… These were his ultimate goals.
Now that the Akatsuki had begun moving in the shadows, time was no longer on his side.
According to intelligence from Nagato's phase-based operations, Akatsuki was still in its early stages—gathering funds and laying the groundwork for the first true mercenary organization in the ninja world.
But this phase wouldn't last long. In just a few years, they would be fully mobilized and capable of extracting the tailed beasts rapidly.
> "Only a few years left…"
This realization brought unease, but Ye Dou steeled himself. There was no room for hesitation. He needed to expand his influence—or risk being crushed.
---
"Anyway, Guy, take Sasuke back to the village for treatment first. His arm was broken during the fight," Jiraiya said as their conversation wound down.
"I understand. Master Jiraiya… aren't you going back to the village?" Might Guy asked.
"I'm not. Not until I bring her back," Jiraiya replied cryptically.
Suddenly, he turned to Ye Dou.
"Hey!!! You—Ye Dou, right? Want to come with us?"
Even Might Guy looked surprised at this unexpected offer.
From their earlier conversation, Guy had already gathered that Jiraiya's current mission was to find Tsunade—the "Legendary Sucker" and princess of Konoha—and persuade her to return as the Fifth Hokage.
Yet now, Jiraiya had extended an invitation to Ye Dou in this situation. It wasn't a casual gesture.
Could it be that Jiraiya was subtly signaling that Ye Dou had caught the attention of Konoha's top brass? That his strength and potential had been recognized?
Guy felt a ripple of excitement. As a staunch supporter of the Hokage faction, he had always hoped his disciples would be acknowledged and valued by the village.
In truth, Jiraiya had taken a liking to Ye Dou. He believed Ye Dou had the makings of a shinobi as powerful as Sakumo Hatake, the famed "White Fang of Konoha."
A prodigy like that should be brought into Tsunade's camp.
Konoha was far from unified. Shimura Danzo's ambitions loomed large, and powerful ninja clans often moved according to their own interests.
If the future Hokage didn't consolidate power quickly, those clans might shift loyalties—and Tsunade could find herself Hokage in name only.
Bringing Naruto on this journey wasn't just about training him. It was also a political move—ensuring the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki remained tied to the Hokage faction.
While Jiraiya was a wanderer by nature, and rarely interfered in politics, he understood the stakes.
Tsunade's succession was the will of the people, but after years away from the village, her connections to Konoha's major clans had faded. Her power base was weak.
Outwardly, the clans might show her respect, calling her "Princess Tsunade," but in truth, the Senju clan had long since faded from power.
Thus, Jiraiya was laying the groundwork—recruiting independent prodigies like Ye Dou who weren't tied to the major clans. The kind of ninjas who could become pillars of support.
She was the granddaughter of the First Hokage, and a disciple of the Third—her bloodline and legacy were impeccable. That, along with a solid support base of non-clan shinobi, would be enough to stabilize her reign.
And Jiraiya had full confidence in this strategy.
---
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