After roughly addressing Naruto's situation, Jiraiya pulled Kakashi aside for a private conversation.
Although Kakashi was a trusted figure within the Hokage's faction, he didn't have the qualifications to attend either the elder meetings or the high-level meetings of Konoha's leadership.
He could only participate in the Jonin Meetings.
The main reason was Kakashi's lack of political seniority.
In terms of strength, during this period where the older generation of talents was declining and the new generation hadn't yet fully matured, Kakashi was undoubtedly the most outstanding among his peers.
But Konoha was, after all, a village dominated by great clans, and Kakashi's political experience was too shallow. At most, he had only risen to the position of a captain within the Anbu.
Needless to say, Konoha's elder meetings were attended by the Hokage and the elders from the era of Hiruzen.
Jiraiya, due to his special status, could sneak in as an observer.
As for the high-level meetings of Konoha... these were gatherings of the heads of various departments.
Kakashi, as an Anbu's captain, was somewhat overshadowed by the Anbu Commander, so he didn't have the opportunity to attend those meetings either.
But Kakashi was unique.
Although he was excluded from political circles, as Naruto's Jonin Instructor and one of Konoha's top combatants, someone had to keep him informed about these matters.
And that someone was Jiraiya.
In fact, during the afternoon's Jonin Meeting, Jiraiya had already discussed quite a bit with Kakashi.
---
Kakashi, who was pulled out by Jiraiya, asked in a low voice, "What is Hokage-sama's stance on this?"
Jiraiya replied, "Tsunade is naturally determined to protect Naruto and wants to eliminate any obstacles that might hinder his growth."
"To be honest, Tsunade sees Naruto as incredibly important, almost like a younger brother. In fact, many unavoidable obstacles could actually become stepping stones for Naruto's growth rather than hindrances."
Hearing Jiraiya's answer, Kakashi breathed a sigh of relief.
'At least Hokage-sama is on Naruto's side.'
Kakashi's concerns stemmed from Danzo's untimely appearance during the afternoon's Jonin Meeting...
As a Konoha's elder, Danzo shouldn't have spoken at such an occasion and should have merely observed from the sidelines.
But Danzo did exactly that, and not only that, he also stationed several Root's members at the scene, giving off an air of intimidation.
However, to the current Jiraiya and Kakashi, these Root's members were nothing special.
Even the young Naruto might be able to take them on.
The content of Danzo's speech was simple, repeating the same old rhetoric he had used for years… the threat of Tailed Beasts and weaponizing them.
Danzo's intent was clear: he wanted to control Naruto, indoctrinate him with Root's ideology, and once Naruto grew to the level seen in the story, use him as a weapon of war, ensuring Naruto would become a docile 'ultimate weapon.'
The room was divided into three factions.
One faction opposed Danzo, believing his methods were too brutal and that he was persecuting a future hero of the Ninja World!
Moreover, there is no sign that Danzo appearing in future plots, so they assumed he had hidden away in the shadows.
Another faction consisted of Danzo's Shimura Clan, a few allied clans, and Root's members who supported him.
The final faction... was the Hokage's faction.
But unlike before, this Hokage faction was led by the Third Hokage, not the current Fifth Hokage.
After hearing Danzo's speech, Hiruzen didn't voice opposition, but he didn't offer support either.
Seeing that the former Hokage remained silent, the Ninja of the Hokage faction also chose to stay neutral, avoiding taking a stance.
During the meeting, Kakashi was technically part of the Third Hokage's faction.
But in his heart, Kakashi was undoubtedly on Naruto's side.
This wasn't just because Naruto was his student, but also because Naruto was the only child left behind by his late teacher.
Moreover... Naruto's strength gave him a glimmer of hope.
And this hope...
In the first twenty-plus years of his life, Kakashi had never considered what the meaning of life was or what a Ninja's dream should be.
For him, the release of a new Icha-Icha book was his dream, and the meaning of life... was the missions assigned to him by the Anbu or Konoha, tasks he needed to complete one by one.
Status, money, fame… All the things Ninja chased after, he realized he didn't really care about any of them.
This was why, despite his exceptional skills, he remained just a captain in the Anbu.
But so what? He didn't care.
The turning point came during this year's Academy graduation.
At that time, he happened to pass by a strange 'ninja tool shop.' The owner was a friendly young man, about the same age as him.
At his recommendation, Kakashi tried out these 'scientific ninja tools' for the first time, and from then on, he was hooked.
First, there was the ability to provide spoilers, which offered immense convenience to him and Konoha.
Then, there were the powerful medicines that could be exchanged for points, which had a significant effect on enhancing a Ninja's abilities.
Later, with Yuto's help, he awakened the Mangekyp Sharingan, and even gained a second Mangekyp.
This was undoubtedly a divine power that only the legendary Sage of Six Paths could possess.
Although the earlier spoilers and enhancement medicines were also feats that only the Sage of Six Paths could achieve, what came next was enough to shatter his worldview.
Players could gain the abilities of in-game characters by playing the game, completely bypassing the limitations of Kekkei Genkai... This was something that couldn't simply be explained as 'the power of the Sage'...
This was the work of a god!
But even at this point, Kakashi still didn't understand what dreams were.
The only thing that had changed was that the meaning of his life now included playing games.
It wasn't until he saw Naruto's storyline, the undeniable 'Golden Hope,' that Kakashi realized...
'Perhaps this child truly could bring an end to the wars of the Ninja World.'
'A world without war, without sacrifice… perhaps it could truly be achieved in Naruto's hands!'
From that moment on, Kakashi's focus shifted entirely to Naruto.
And Naruto's significance to him grew even deeper.
His student, his teacher's child, and... the hope of the Ninja World.
But now, Hiruzen's silence made Kakashi feel uneasy.
Seeing Kakashi's unease, Jiraiya also fell silent.
He could tell that Kakashi truly cared for Naruto.
So he reassured him, "Don't worry. Even if the old man allows Danzo to capture Naruto, both Tsunade and I will absolutely stand by Naruto's side."
Kakashi nodded, still worried. After all, with just the few of them, it would be difficult to oppose the Third Hokage's faction.
Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage, while nominally the current Hokage, didn't actually hold much real power.
It made sense, after all, someone who had been wandering outside the village for decades suddenly returning to become Hokage would definitely face some resistance.
Moreover, Tsunade's political influence in Konoha... was largely based on the prestige of her grandfather and granduncle.
How could she compare to Danzo and Hiruzen, who had been 'working hard' in Konoha for most of their lives?
So Kakashi's concerns weren't unfounded.
Konoha, though no longer the powerhouse it once was in external affairs, was top-tier when it came to internal strife!
A village large enough to accommodate dozens, even hundreds, of clans, yet it couldn't tolerate the existence of the Uchiha?
A hero of the Ninja World War, yet he died due to internal politics?
This showed that Konoha's ability for internal conflict was unmatched by any other village.
Just as Kakashi and Jiraiya were pondering their next move…
Suddenly, Jiraiya had an idea, and a piece of intel popped into his mind.
"Right... whoever raised the problem should be the one to solve it."
Seeing Jiraiya's excited expression, Kakashi immediately understood.
"You mean... the Manager?!"