"Become a literary master?"
"Konoha's leading pen?"
The moment Jiraiya heard those two phrases, his eyes lit up and he nodded repeatedly.
Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Hiruko had all chosen the scientific research path. There was simply no way he could compete with them in that field. They belonged to a completely different circle...
But when it came to literature and the humanities, he was the undisputed leader.
A literary giant versus scientists. Different fields, but equally prestigious...
That way, the next time they got together for drinks, he'd finally have something to brag about.
Still, Jiraiya's literary career hadn't gotten off to a smooth start.
At first, he'd wanted to become a writer of serious literature, moving readers through the determination and resilience of his protagonist.
That was how he'd written The Tale of the Persevering Ninja, starring "Naruto."
Unfortunately, sales had been abysmal. Aside from the young Minato, who had devoured it with enthusiasm, no one bought it. After Jiraiya paid to publish it himself, the copies sat untouched in bookstores until the owners eventually used them to prop up wobbly table legs.
"Sensei... do you really think I can do this?"
Jiraiya spoke awkwardly.
"Everyone else thinks I'm amazing, but I know the truth. Isn't it because you came up with the opening and the outline?"
"I just followed the plan and wrote it."
Hiruzen picked up Shinobi Battle Through the Heavens from the desk and casually flipped through a few pages, nodding to himself.
The prose flowed smoothly, and the emotional beats were handled well...
"Your writing ability has never been the problem."
"It's your choice of subject matter."
Hiruzen cleared his throat.
"I've read The Tale of the Persevering Ninja too. It's very detailed. It tells the story of an untalented ninja struggling to survive in the shinobi world, and even when facing death, he refuses to abandon his mission..."
Jiraiya stared at him in surprise.
Sensei had actually read his book?
Hiruzen really had.
After Shinobi Battle Through the Heavens became a smash hit, the Hokage began wondering whether Jiraiya's sudden popularity in the literary world could be put to greater use.
The royalties were only one consideration. More importantly, he wanted to evaluate Jiraiya's writing ability and see whether he could shoulder the responsibility of promoting the Will of Fire.
"Y-Yeah, that's what I wrote."
Jiraiya scratched his head.
"But nobody wanted to read it..."
"Have you ever stopped to think about why?"
Hiruzen exhaled a cloud of smoke.
"The story is realistic."
"But it isn't enjoyable."
"Pick a random ninja from almost any hidden village. Maybe not every single one, but at least eighty percent of them, bound by the Ninja Code, live lives almost identical to your protagonist's."
"By now, you should understand that ninja aren't tools. They're living, breathing people, each with perfectly reasonable hopes of living a better life."
"They already have exhausting lives in the shinobi world."
"When they finally get a precious moment to rest, do you really think they want to pick up your book just to relive another lifetime of being treated like a tool?"
Jiraiya froze.
Then he slowly nodded.
It felt like he'd finally grasped something.
"You're right..."
He fell into thought.
"I'd been wondering... Naruen's story really isn't that complicated. After his engagement is called off, he makes a three-year pact, awakens the spirit of an ancient Senju master within him, and marches on Arashigakure..."
"But after all that oppression comes an explosive comeback. At its core, it's really about fighting against injustice."
"So... does that mean it also resonates with the quiet dissatisfaction that ninja from other hidden villages keep buried deep inside?"
Hiruzen pointed at him and laughed.
"That's my boy. You're finally getting it!"
The fact that Jiraiya had figured out that ninja wanted books that would help them escape the crushing pressure in their lives made Hiruzen smile.
Even without any guidance from him, Jiraiya would probably achieve great things someday.
As for what genre he'd ultimately make his name in...
That was another matter entirely.
"Generally speaking, serious literature struggles to find an audience at first."
"Even if it has its strengths, the heavier, more depressing themes tend to drive readers away before they ever give it a chance."
"But you're different now, Jiraiya."
"You've already made a name for yourself through Shinobi Battle Through the Heavens. Your pen name alone is enough to convince people to buy your books."
"Once you have an established readership, as long as the content is good, they'll naturally spread the word for you."
Hiruzen spoke slowly.
"Didn't you say you wanted to write serious literature?"
"Well..."
"Your chance has arrived."
"But what about Shinobi Battle Through the Heavens?"
Jiraiya scratched his head again.
"I just finished the part where he escapes Arashigakure. It wouldn't be right to leave the story unfinished, would it? Sensei, why don't you give me another outline? I'll write ten thousand words a day and wrap it up as quickly as possible."
"I admire your dedication."
Hiruzen nodded.
"But here's the problem."
"I haven't thought that far ahead either. Back then, it was just a few ideas I came up with when I was younger."
He let out another puff of smoke.
"You can't expect me to put aside my work and my training just to come up with an outline for the next several million words."
"But you could always make a gentleman's agreement with your readers."
"Promise them that once peace comes to the shinobi world, you'll finish it."
"After all, everyone knows who you are and where you live. A monk may run away, but the temple can't."
Jiraiya's face immediately darkened.
He could already picture his most loyal readers mailing him razor blades...
Maybe not just razor blades.
Since Naruen specialized in Fire Release, plenty of Uchiha had become devoted fans too. One day, he might be walking home at night only to find a pair of glowing red eyes waiting to block his path...
"Sensei..."
"If something bad really happens..."
"You've got to protect me!"
Jiraiya suddenly felt genuinely frightened.
"If the day truly comes when the shinobi world is at peace, we can always work together on the sequel to Shinobi Battle Through the Heavens. Worst case, we'll publish Parts One, Two, Three, Four, and Five."
Hiruzen shrugged.
"But if peace comes and you still refuse to finish it..."
"Well, people paid to read your book, and you left it unfinished."
"They've earned the right to curse you out."
Jiraiya waved both hands frantically.
"I'll finish it! I definitely will!"
"See that you do, Jiraiya."
Hiruzen smiled and said slowly, "Now that you've decided to take on this responsibility, the first thing you need to understand is the importance of propaganda."
"The fundamental difference between the Will of Fire and the philosophies of the other hidden villages is that, for the overwhelming majority of our ninja, loyalty to the village has shifted from obedience enforced through violence to genuine identification with the village's ideals."
"And why were we able to achieve that? Because Konoha's systems and regulations are designed with the well-being of the majority of its ninja in mind."
"But here's the question..."
"Do the ninja from the other hidden villages know that?"
"They don't."
Hiruzen took a draw from his pipe, his expression turning reflective.
"Whether it's Sunagakure, Kirigakure, Iwagakure, or any other hidden village, layer after layer of barriers and ANBU stand between them and Konoha."
"In their minds, Konoha isn't necessarily a peace-loving village. Whatever image their Kage or leaders choose to promote is the image they'll believe."
"For example, in the past, Kirigakure's people might have viewed Konoha as a village that compromised too readily with unreasonable demands placed upon its ninja—a village that had sacrificed the resolve it should have possessed in its pursuit of peace."
Although Konoha had emerged victorious in the Second Shinobi World War, it had been so eager to end the conflict that it demanded no war reparations from either Sunagakure or Amegakure, settling everything through a hasty peace agreement instead.
At the time, that decision had sparked widespread criticism and had been one of the darker stains Hiruzen had later been forced to erase.
Now, however, that stain had all but disappeared.
Konoha's cooperation with Amegakure was even being interpreted by some ninja as an act of remarkable foresight.
It just went to show that as long as Konoha continued improving, even past mistakes would eventually be reinterpreted as deliberate long-term strategy.
Whenever he thought of Kirigakure, however, Hiruzen couldn't help but feel a sense of regret.
The Third Mizukage, who had created the infamous "Bloody Mist," lacked the ability to keep the situation under control. Internal conflicts within Kirigakure were bound to intensify until the village found some way to relieve the pressure.
War was, without question, the perfect outlet.
It also fit perfectly with both the Bloody Mist policy and Kirigakure's long-established character.
Hiruzen had no desire to start a war.
But if the enemy came knocking first, he certainly wouldn't show mercy, nor would he settle things with a few meaningless scraps of paper like before.
In Hiruzen's eyes, the nobles driven to the brink by the Third Mizukage and the countless Kirigakure ninja who longed for an ordinary life possessed even greater potential to follow the true path of the shinobi than the ninja of Amegakure.
Unfortunately...
Life rarely worked out so conveniently.
If Kirigakure's exchange students weren't allowed to come to Konoha and experience firsthand the superiority of both Konoha and the Will of Fire, there would be no way to create a crack within Kirigakure itself.
But once that crack existed, Kirigakure would inevitably learn Konoha's true strength.
After all, Kisame and Terumī Mei weren't like Snow and Nakamaro.
They still cared deeply about their village.
Once they returned home, they would certainly report everything truthfully to their superiors.
By then, any regrets would come far too late.
'...Forget it.'
'The road has to be walked one step at a time.'
'I can't expect Kirigakure to grow sympathetic toward Konoha while also hoping they'll still be willing to attack us. I need to keep reminding myself not to chase a quick victory. Advancing steadily, one step at a time—that's the only reliable path.'
Hiruzen silently reflected on his own thinking.
He had discussed this very topic with Danzō before.
The conversation had been amusing enough to make even the "Darkness of the Shinobi" laugh.
"Hiruzen, I've always thought Kirigakure's ninja weren't exactly the brightest bunch, and the Third Mizukage is even worse..."
"But the Land of Water still trades with the outside world. They aren't completely isolated. If you're asking me to make the Third Mizukage completely misunderstand Konoha's actual situation..."
"There's no way I can pull that off. You're asking the impossible."
Danzō had assumed Hiruzen wanted him to manipulate Kirigakure into completely blinding its own intelligence network.
The task was simply too difficult.
In fact, Danzō couldn't even imagine what kind of mastermind would be capable of trapping an entire village inside what amounted to a massive genjutsu-like illusion.
As far as he was concerned, not even if Tobirama-sensei came back from the dead would he possess that kind of influence.
After pondering for quite some time, Jiraiya slowly nodded.
"I understand what you're getting at, Sensei."
"It's just like Nagato and Yahiko. Back then, they believed the Second Shinobi World War had been started by Konoha. The information they received had been filtered by their leaders, so they only saw one side of the story."
Hiruzen nodded slightly.
Jiraiya might have acted like a zealot in the past, but he was anything but lazy.
Even after spending three whole years in Amegakure, he still completed far more missions for Konoha than either Orochimaru or Tsunade.
He had been a genuine mission machine.
His travels throughout the shinobi world had also exposed him to countless different cultures and customs, giving him plenty of life experience.
His only problem had been that he'd fallen victim to his own preconceived notions, allowing a single perspective to blind him to the bigger picture.
Jiraiya rubbed his chin and sighed.
"Still... although Konoha enjoys the First Hokage's reputation, I've heard plenty about the Second Hokage's reputation in other villages."
"I can see why outsiders would find it hard to believe Konoha has always been committed to peace."
Hiruzen's face immediately darkened.
Without the slightest hesitation, he smacked Jiraiya on the head.
"What are you saying about the Second Hokage?!"
"Tobirama-sensei loved peace more than anyone. His methods were simply different from Hashirama-sama's. Outsiders can say whatever they like, but you watch your mouth!"
Holding his head with teary eyes, Jiraiya protested,
"Ow! What was that for? There aren't even any outsiders here..."
Hiruzen shot him a glare.
Jiraiya shuddered.
"I got it, Sensei..."
"The Second Hokage only researched kinjutsu to protect the village."
"He loved peace even more than the First Hokage."
Only then did Hiruzen nod in satisfaction.
Watching him, Jiraiya couldn't help grumbling inwardly.
Sensei really is unbelievably protective of his own people.
It was just a private comment. It's not like anyone else could hear us...
To be fair, what Jiraiya had said reflected the common stereotype throughout the shinobi world.
Although Tobirama's reputation within Konoha was fairly positive...
From an outsider's perspective, he had invented Impure World Reincarnation, summoned people's dead relatives, and then blown up entire camps with Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags.
How was anyone supposed to believe a Hokage like that had inherited Hashirama's peaceful ideals?
His methods were simply too extreme.
"What you need to do is wait for the reputation of Shinobi Battle Through the Heavens to keep growing, then write your next novel. A book like that, without any obvious political messaging, won't face serious suppression from the other hidden villages."
"After that, those aren't the kinds of books you'll be writing anymore."
Hiruzen thought back to some of the literary works he had read in the past.
"For example, you could write a novel based on Yashiro called Saving Jōnin Yashiro. Tell the story from Yashiro's perspective, exploring the clash between the Ninja Code and the Will of Fire."
"You could faithfully depict, where appropriate, the older generation of ninja struggling to understand the changes, the younger generation's hesitation, and even the internal disputes within the village..."
Hiruzen chuckled.
"If you don't know much about that period, go ask Orochimaru. As Acting Hokage back then, he has plenty of firsthand experience."
"Or take Amegakure's perspective. In simple, straightforward language, describe how the lives of ordinary ninja changed after Amegakure began cooperating with Konoha."
"You could also write about Konoha's own ninja. Some of the war orphans, after receiving the village's support, have grown into outstanding shinobi and now use their own strength to contribute to Konoha."
"How the Will of Fire Was Forged—I think that would make an excellent title."
Hiruzen continued enthusiastically, "Actually, the most suitable subject would be Kirigakure."
"According to the intelligence reports submitted by the ANBU and Tenzō, Kirigakure's ninja have suffered terribly under the Bloody Mist."
"But ninja are simply too good at enduring hardship. And without anything to compare it to..."
"If someone wrote The Life of a Kirigakure Chūnin, telling the story through the eyes of an innocent ninja who was caught up in collective punishment, the impact would be tremendous."
Thinking of it, Hiruzen couldn't help feeling a little regretful.
Reputation and public image always restrained one another.
Now that Konoha had signed a peace treaty with Kirigakure, if another war broke out, they might even have to cooperate symbolically in certain areas.
He had no fewer than nine different ways to bring Kirigakure down.
Nine whole strategies...
Yet he simply couldn't clear that final hurdle.
There was nothing Hiruzen could do.
The Will of Fire was, after all, a double-edged sword.
You couldn't have it both ways.
Jiraiya was stunned.
Every single idea stirred his imagination, inspiration pouring into his mind like a flood.
His obsession with finding the "Child of the Prophecy" hadn't appeared overnight.
It had gradually taken root during his years of traveling across the shinobi world.
Because no matter which village he visited, the ninja all lived difficult lives.
Everyone was struggling.
Wasn't that exactly why they placed their hopes in the Great Toad Sage's prophecy?
At least believing in a prophecy gave people something to hold onto.
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