How Jiraiya, one of the legendary Sannin, ended up falling victim to ordinary Konoha villagers the moment he stepped back into the village is a truth largely buried in the shifting sands of history.
However, according to a certain witness who claimed to have seen the whole ordeal but refused to give their name, Lord Jiraiya seemed... strangely willing to be pummeled by a group of indignant, disheveled women. This led to a long-running rumor among a small, malicious circle that Jiraiya might actually be a masochist.
In truth, Jiraiya had been recalled for serious business—matters of state that concerned the very livelihood of Konoha.
Ui's guess was partially correct: it started with Tsunade's departure, but the ultimate goal had evolved beyond her. Her exit had dealt a heavy blow to the Third Hokage. Though he was loath to see her go, he found himself powerless to stop her.
This reluctance wasn't just about her military value. More importantly, she was his prized student. To Hiruzen Sarutobi, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade were far more than just subordinates. Yet, even ninjas—ordered to discard emotion—cannot fully sever the ties of the heart. (The Hokage would later prove this by letting an unforgivable Orochimaru walk free).
Tsunade's departure felt like a finality, a "farewell" that carried the weight of "goodbye forever." It left the Hokage with a profound sense of psychological exhaustion. For the first time, Hiruzen felt... old. He was over fifty, after all.
Naturally, his thoughts turned to succession. He needed to entrust the village to someone he could rely on. While he had considered this before, the urge had never been as visceral as it was now.
And so, he thought of Jiraiya.
In the Hokage's mind, Jiraiya was the prime candidate for the Fourth Hokage. Of the three Sannin, Tsunade—the granddaughter of the First and Second—had the most "royal" lineage, but she was gone.
That left the other two. Between them, Jiraiya stood firm on issues of principle, even if his daily personality was a bit flighty. Orochimaru, conversely, was somber and obsessed with ninjutsu, possessing a temperament prone to extremes.
The Hokage favored Jiraiya because he believed Jiraiya truly inherited his "Will of Fire." Of course, in terms of personality, talent, and contribution, Jiraiya's student, Namikaze Minato, was perhaps even more fitting. But Hiruzen viewed the generations in tiers: he was the first, the Sannin were the second, and Minato was the third. Minato was a lock for the hat eventually, but in Hiruzen's eyes, he was the Fifth Hokage.
Minato was brilliant and powerful, but he was still too young to command the absolute respect of the village elders and advisors. Jiraiya wouldn't have that problem. As for his "minor" flaws? Those could be corrected.
(One must admit, the Hokage was being quite naive. "Lechery" is written into the DNA; you don't just "correct" it. If Jiraiya ever stopped climbing trees to peep, it would be because pigs had learned to fly.)
A Collision of Interests
Ui, blissfully unaware of these high-level political machinations, strolled toward Kushina's house, fueled by the satisfaction of his "good deed."
When he pushed open the door, he found three people inside. He immediately sensed something unusual. Not only was Jiraiya back, but Minato was here too. Was something big brewing in the village?
He kept the thought to himself. He might indulge in wild internal speculation, but he knew better than to ask questions above his pay grade.
Jiraiya was currently sporting a spectacular black eye and several fresh scratches across his face. Kushina was "cleaning" his wounds with a level of brutality that bordered on assault.
Ui had been slow getting here, while Jiraiya moved like the wind, but the Sage had made a series of poor life choices:
1. He could have cleaned the wounds himself.
2. He could have let his student, Minato, do it.
3. Under no circumstances should he have let Kushina near him with medical supplies.
The expression on Jiraiya's face made it hard to tell if he was being healed or systematically dismantled. He was miserable—partly from being "handled" by Kushina, and partly from being pranked by a mysterious stranger earlier that evening.
But mostly, he was miserable because of the domestic vibe between Kushina and Minato. For a man who had been single for thirty years and was rapidly approaching forty, their casual affection was a continuous series of emotional critical hits.
"Kushina-sensei, Minato-senpai," Ui greeted.
"Ui! You're back?" Kushina replied without looking up, focused on the final step of her "treatment." Minato and Jiraiya both turned toward him.
As she spoke, Kushina slammed a thick, black, paste-like substance onto Jiraiya's face. The slap was audible. It looked agonizing. Jiraiya's injuries from the "angry mob" had been superficial scratches, but after Kushina's intervention, he looked like he might actually need a hospital.
She observed her handiwork with a satisfied nod. Task complete.
"Kushina-sensei, this old man..." Ui started, feigning ignorance about Jiraiya's identity. He was all set to play the "clueless student" card, but before he could finish his act, Jiraiya bolted upright.
It turns out Ui was still a bit green. He had assumed that because Jiraiya hadn't seen his face in the tree, he was safe.
He had forgotten one thing: when you scream at 120 decibels, people tend to remember the voice.
Good deeds require caution, Ui. Sometimes, karma comes for you faster than a Flying Raijin.