Chapter 180: Chapter 180: Jiraiya
Inside the Hokage’s office, the window was half-open, but the thick scent of tobacco still lingered in the air.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk, pipe clenched between his fingers, with a top-secret intelligence scroll spread out before him.
After reading the final line, Homura Mitokado pushed the scroll back across the desk, his gaze behind his glasses growing cold.
"Iwa has mobilized a significant number of troops along the border of the Land of Earth."
Koharu took the scroll and scanned the route markings, her brow furrowing.
"To mobilize this much force without putting direct pressure on us... their target isn’t Konoha."
"Kumogakure," Danzo added, his voice low. "The Third Raikage."
Silence fell over the office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi didn’t speak; he simply took a long drag from his pipe.
Homura pondered for a moment, his finger tapping the edge of the scroll.
"Iwa has set up several diversionary routes. If the Third Raikage is drawn into an ambush while trying to cover the retreat of the Kumogakure forces, Kumogakure will suffer a devastating blow."
Koharu looked up.
"What Konoha lacks most right now is time."
"Minato is tied down by A and B, and the Iwa front could increase pressure at any moment. Although Sunagakure has retreated, we can’t fully relax. If Kumogakure and Iwa exhaust each other now, it plays in Konoha’s favor."
Homura nodded.
"Once the Third Raikage is dead, Kumogakure will inevitably undergo an internal restructuring. A and B won’t be able to keep all their energy focused on the border of the Land of Fire."
"But waiting for them to fight it out on their own is too slow."
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked toward Danzo.
"Since Iwa wants to kill the Third Raikage, then let them succeed."
Koharu glanced at him. "You mean...?"
"Have Minato continue to keep A and B occupied," Danzo replied flatly. "Then, leak a few well-placed pieces of information to nudge Kumogakure’s judgment toward Iwa. As long as the Kumogakure main force fails to arrive in time for the rescue, Iwa will bleed for us."
Homura remained silent for a while. "The risk is significant."
Danzo shot him a glance. "There are no clean choices in war."
He looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi, his expression grim. "Years ago, Kumogakure dared to infiltrate Konoha to kidnap Kushina. Now, Iwa dares to press our borders while our forces are spread thin. Since they dared to reach for us, they should pay the price."
Hiruzen’s hand, holding the pipe, paused in mid-air. Smoke drifted in front of him.
He didn’t answer immediately. After a moment, he set the pipe down.
"Outwardly, we remain inactive. Secretly, we fan the flames."
Koharu did not object. Homura pushed up his glasses and remained silent.
The corners of Danzo’s mouth dipped slightly, a hint of satisfaction appearing in his eyes.
Hiruzen closed the scroll. "Call a high-level meeting. We need to redeploy the front lines."
Danzo stood and left. As he reached the door, he tossed a final comment over his shoulder.
"That is the kind of decision a Hokage should make."
***
Konoha Hospital, inside Tsunade’s office.
Kitahara Kaede sat on the sofa, a thermal food container placed beside him.
The sound of constant footsteps echoed in the hallway. So many wounded had been brought into the hospital over the last few days that the medical teams had barely had a moment’s rest.
Kaede glanced at the clock on the wall.
It was even later than yesterday. Whenever Tsunade got busy, she often forgot to eat. That was why he had made a point of coming to the hospital lately.
The door pushed open.
Tsunade walked in, looking exhausted. Her white lab coat sleeves were rolled up to her elbows, and her blonde hair was slightly disheveled.
She saw Kaede on the sofa and the food container on the desk, and her pace slowed. Soon, a small smile curved her lips.
"You don’t have to bring me food every day. It’s too much trouble for you."
Kaede opened the container and began plating the food one dish at a time.
"It’s no trouble to do it for you."
Tsunade walked over and sat down, looking at the small table now filled with food. Though she said it wasn’t necessary, her hand had already reached for the chopsticks Kaede offered.
Kaede sat opposite her, resting his chin on one hand as he watched her eat.
There wasn’t much sound in the room. The distant chaos of the hospital filtered through the door, which only served to make this brief moment feel more peaceful.
Once she had finished eating, Tsunade relaxed visibly. She leaned back in her chair, pressing a hand against her stomach with a long sigh of relief.
"I’m full."
Kaede looked at her, a smile in his eyes.
Feeling a bit uneasy under his gaze, Tsunade was about to speak when Kaede suddenly stood up. He leaned in close.
"Don’t move."
Tsunade froze. As his face drew nearer, she instinctively tried to recoil, but her back was already pressed against the chair.
Kaede produced a handkerchief and naturally wiped the corner of her mouth, removing a stray grain of rice.
Tsunade stiffened for a moment. The tips of her ears slowly turned red.
Kaede retracted the handkerchief and folded it neatly, saying nothing more.
Tsunade looked away, her voice softening. "You could have just told me."
Kaede looked at her and gave a light, soft laugh, offering no answer.
Tsunade felt a twinge of frustration. This guy was getting far too good at manipulating her emotions.
Suddenly, there was a sharp knock at the door. The relaxation on Tsunade’s face vanished instantly.
"Enter."
An ANBU member pushed the door open.
"Lady Tsunade, Jonin Kitahara, the Hokage has called an emergency high-level meeting. You are both requested to proceed to the Hokage Building immediately."
Tsunade and Kitahara Kaede exchanged a glance. In the next instant, they both stood up.
***
In the meeting room of the Hokage Building, high-ranking officials from various departments were taking their seats.
As Kitahara Kaede entered following Tsunade, several gazes landed on them. Tsunade remained composed, walking straight to one side and sitting down. Kaede took his place beside her.
Hiruzen Sarutobi tapped the table.
"Let’s begin."
The room fell silent. Hiruzen presented the intelligence regarding the imminent large-scale conflict between Iwa and Kumogakure.
"Consequently, Konoha needs to adjust its defensive lines."
He looked toward Minato. "Minato, you will remain on the Kumogakure front. Maintain high-frequency harassment to keep A and B pinned down."
Minato Namikaze nodded. "Understood."
Hiruzen then looked at Tsunade. "Tsunade, prepare to depart for the Iwa front immediately. You will coordinate medical and logistics to stabilize the line."
Tsunade frowned slightly. "When do I leave?"
"As soon as possible."
Kaede’s gaze fell on the map on the table—Iwa, Kumogakure, and the border of the Land of Earth.
This specific juncture.
He remembered that the Third Raikage would be besieged by ten thousand Iwa shinobi and eventually die from exhaustion. Although it wasn’t explicitly stated, the plot was shifting back toward a familiar path.
Koharu spoke up then. "The pressure on the Iwa front is immense; our current forces cannot hold it alone."
She looked at Hiruzen, her tone laced with dissatisfaction. "What about Jiraiya? Is he still wandering around out there at a time like this?"
Just as she spoke, the meeting room doors were shoved open with a loud bang.
A tall, white-haired man strode inside.
"Who missed me?"
A grin plastered on Jiraiya’s face as he scanned the room, his gaze finally landing on Koharu.
"Senior Koharu, it’s not nice to talk about me behind my back."
Koharu’s expression instantly soured. "Jiraiya!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at his disciple, who remained as irreverent as ever even after years apart, and his voice dropped.
"So, you actually remember how to come home?"
Jiraiya pulled out a chair and sat down with complete indifference.
"Old man, I haven’t been slacking off out there. I’ve sent plenty of intel scrolls back to the village. To come back and immediately hear people badmouthing me... that’s just cold."
Hiruzen Sarutobi gave him a sideways glance. "Sit down and listen to your orders."
Jiraiya shrugged and fell silent. His gaze swept across the long table, pausing when it landed on Tsunade. It had been a while, but she hadn’t changed a bit.
Then, Jiraiya noticed the person beside her—a boy who looked far too young.
Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. ’Who is this kid?’
Sensing the gaze, Kitahara Kaede looked up. Their eyes met across the long table. Jiraiya’s gaze became scrutinizing, but Kaede’s expression remained neutral.
The meeting proceeded. Hiruzen Sarutobi soon issued orders for Jiraiya to head to the Iwa front to assist Tsunade in stabilizing the situation. Despite a few complaints about the hassle, Jiraiya ultimately accepted the mission.
Once the meeting adjourned, the attendees began to disperse. Tsunade picked up her documents and turned to Kitahara Kaede.
"Let’s go."
Kaede nodded and stood up to follow her. The two walked out of the meeting room side by side. As they reached the corridor, the sound of footsteps echoed behind them. Jiraiya had hurried out of the meeting room.
"Tsunade!"
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