Chapter 454 — A Reliable Shinobi
Since Jiraiya insisted on hearing the truth, Kei gave it some thought and began explaining—carefully trimming away certain sensitive details. As always, he set up a soundproof barrier before speaking.
Most of what he said wasn't strictly secret—much of it was information he had already intended to share with Kakashi.
But some parts?
If they ever leaked out, the consequences would be… unimaginable.
And unlike Kakashi, Jiraiya didn't already have a clear picture. He would definitely have more questions.
Kei was fairly certain of one thing—
Kakashi had already pieced together a great deal.
From the way he acted, he clearly belonged to the type who understood everything but chose not to say a word.
For example, during a previous meeting, Minato had casually remarked that the end of the war with Kumogakure was, in fact, an "uncontrolled accident."
Add to that Kakashi's intelligence—
Kimimaro, the rumors Kei had spread, the timing of reforms, the coordination with the Cloud war—
there was no way Kakashi would believe it was all coincidence.
And more importantly—
he knew Minato was aware of it all.
Kakashi had even assisted Shikaku Nara in secretly transporting supplies to the port, which eventually made their way into Kirigakure… and into the hands of the Kaguya clan.
There were layers upon layers of secrets.
Kakashi could see them.
He understood them.
And yet—
he chose silence.
Still, he had already drawn certain conclusions.
The Kirigakure incident likely involved Kei—because it coincided with the genin–chūnin reforms.
The Cloud war? Same story—aligned with the jōnin reforms.
And now—
Uchiha Rin, the undercover agent within that mysterious organization, had returned.
With everything combined—
if Kakashi still couldn't connect the dots, he wouldn't deserve his position as ANBU commander.
And indeed—
Kakashi showed no shock.
He understood Orochimaru's role, the exchange of intelligence, the mutual exploitation.
But for Jiraiya—
this was far harder to process.
"…Head Kei," Jiraiya finally spoke after a long pause, choosing his words carefully. "From what you've said… both you and the Hokage seem to trust Orochimaru quite a bit. But…"
He took a deep breath, his voice lowering.
"Don't you think his actions are too coincidental?"
"You mean his presence in both the Kirigakure incident and the Cloud war—alongside that mysterious Uchiha?" Kei sighed. "You do realize you're asking about Konoha's highest-level classified information."
"I've heard Konoha is undergoing reforms," Jiraiya said suddenly. "This time, I'll return with you. I'll help ensure the reforms succeed."
"I also promise—once back in Konoha, I won't side with any faction. After the reforms are complete, I'll resume investigating that organization."
Kei rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
Jiraiya returning to Konoha…
That could cause trouble.
A lot of trouble.
His identity was too sensitive.
Konoha was currently divided into two major factions—
One led by Hiruzen Sarutobi and his supporters. Though weakened, they still held their ground.
The other led by Minato, along with Kei and those aligned with him.
This faction held the upper hand—but not complete control.
And Jiraiya?
He stood right between them.
One leader was his teacher.
The other—his student.
If he returned, both sides would undoubtedly try to win him over.
With his reputation and strength, he'd easily be offered a minister-level position.
A powerful asset.
But his statement made things clear—
he wouldn't join either side.
Perhaps out of sentiment.
Perhaps because he no longer felt at home in Konoha.
Still—
his willingness to support the reforms was already a form of alignment.
Even if subtle.
Even if indirect.
And that—
was enough to interest Kei.
As for him leaving afterward?
Not a big issue.
The real question was—
he intended to investigate that organization?
Kei couldn't help but glance at Obito.
…Is this guy going to beat up Jiraiya next, just like he did Orochimaru?
Shaking off the thought, Kei spoke calmly.
"…Fine. Also, all expenses for this mission—"
"I'll cover them," Jiraiya cut in immediately with a grin. "That's nothing."
The smile didn't last long.
"I want to know everything about Orochimaru. His connection to that organization—and his relationship with Konoha."
"As I said earlier, his relationship with Konoha is simple," Kei tapped the table lightly. "He's a tool. A blade. Someone under our protection."
"As for my relationship with him… and his connection to that organization—that will take some explaining."
He paused briefly, organizing his thoughts.
"My connection with Orochimaru… goes back to the first time Kenta and I discovered one of his bases."
And then—
Kei laid it all out.
From his first raid on Orochimaru's base…
To the second time, when Orochimaru left behind a "gift" before disappearing…
To Kei's investigation in Kirigakure…
To their more recent encounters, where Orochimaru provided intelligence…
He explained everything in detail.
Except—
his private dealings with Orochimaru.
Those were things neither of them would ever admit.
When he finished—
Jiraiya looked completely stunned.
It took him a long moment before he finally spoke, his voice shaky.
"…Kirigakure… that was your doing?"
"I told you already," Kei shrugged. "Mission went sideways, nearly got exposed. So I pinned it on that organization."
"And Kumogakure… this time too?" Jiraiya swallowed hard.
"…Were you not listening?" Kei gave him a look. "Of course it was."
"…Then what about the Nine-Tails?"
Kei's expression turned flat.
"Careful. We may be acquainted, but slander still has consequences."
"And we're not that close. Keep talking like that, and I might have you thrown into Konoha's prison."
"…You brat…"
Jiraiya stared at him, half in disbelief.
"…What are you? Some kind of monster?"
Then, after a brief pause, he muttered—
"…Or are all Uchiha like this?"
"Monsters?"
Whether the Uchiha clan could truly be called "monsters" was hard to say—after all, people couldn't be judged by a single standard.
Take Indra Ōtsutsuki, the clan's progenitor, and then Madara Uchiha. Could the present-day Uchiha really be compared to figures like them?
Even setting aside those near-mythical anomalies, Uchiha Kei himself was already an outlier among his clan—a monster in his own right.
He possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan.
He was on the verge of attaining the Eternal Mangekyō.
Perhaps his achievements still fell short of those legends of the past—but in this era, he was already overwhelming.
At least for now—
there was likely no one who could stand against him.
After all, this wasn't yet the age of monsters that the future would bring.
---
Jiraiya stood there, still reeling from everything he had just learned. For a moment, he couldn't even decide how he felt.
There was pride—
because Minato had grown. He was becoming more and more like a true Hokage—decisive, capable, and commanding.
There was relief—
because someone like Uchiha Kei—both brilliant and terrifyingly powerful—was standing beside him.
But there was also… disappointment.
Jiraiya had already confirmed that Minato hadn't abandoned his ideals.
And yet—
his methods had changed.
He no longer tried to encompass the entire shinobi world in his vision. Instead, he focused on reshaping Konoha itself.
That approach wasn't wrong.
Reform Konoha first, then let its influence spread outward—
it was a logical path.
But in the process—
to ensure success—
Minato had become willing to treat other lives as pieces on a board.
Cold.
Detached.
Unprecedentedly so.
If those lives were enemies, then fine—Jiraiya himself had never shown mercy in war.
But not everyone they used was truly an enemy.
Take Kirigakure—they had already made peace with Konoha.
And Kumogakure—
while hostile, their escalation had, in part, been allowed to happen.
If Konoha had displayed its full strength earlier, would things have unfolded the same way?
…Jiraiya couldn't even answer his own question.
In the end, all he could do was let out a long sigh.
---
"Still can't make sense of it?" Kei glanced at him and shook his head slightly. "You know… you look just like Minato did back then."
"He asked me more than once—whether your shared dream could ever truly be realized."
"Oh?" Jiraiya blinked, forcing a faint smile. "And how did you answer him?"
Kei looked at him calmly.
"I told him—true mutual understanding between people is impossible."
He continued evenly:
"Within Konoha alone, the conflict between civilian shinobi and clan shinobi—do you think it's easy to resolve?"
"Across the entire shinobi world, regions develop unevenly. Villages and nations pursue their own interests. War is simply one method of acquiring those interests."
"So tell me—if a village wages war for its own future… is that wrong?"
Jiraiya hesitated.
"…From the village's perspective, no. Without growth, its people have no future."
"But from the perspective of those being invaded… it is wrong. They did nothing, yet others seek to take what's theirs."
He stopped mid-sentence.
Because he realized—
there was no clean answer.
Without equality, there could be no true dialogue.
Without equal footing—
how could people ever truly understand one another?
---
Seeing Jiraiya fall silent, Kei lightly patted his shoulder.
"Go back to Konoha. Take a proper look. Talk to Minato."
"He's already a qualified Hokage… and I've already given him my answer."
With that, Kei turned and walked away, leaving Jiraiya behind.
He shot Kakashi a glance as he passed—wordlessly telling him to keep an eye on things.
---
Kenta watched Kei leave, then turned to Obito.
"Stay here," he muttered before heading after him.
There were still things he needed to understand.
If Jiraiya hadn't interrupted earlier, he might already have his answers.
---
On the rooftop, under the quiet night sky—
Kenta sat down beside Kei.
"You're really okay with telling him all that?" he asked. "That's one more person who knows your secrets."
Kei lay back, staring up at the stars.
"Even if I didn't say it, Minato would've hinted at it eventually. Jiraiya would figure it out."
"Don't underestimate him. And don't underestimate their bond."
He let out a quiet breath.
"Better to be straightforward. At least it shows some sincerity."
Kenta chuckled.
"You're not worried he'll blab?"
Then he shook his head.
"Yeah… never mind. Jiraiya's reliable when it counts."
"Yeah," Kei murmured.
Images flashed through his mind—
Jiraiya facing the Six Paths of Pain alone, gathering intelligence to his dying breath, and sending it back to Konoha.
"…He's a top-tier shinobi," Kei said softly. "Even if he doesn't look like it most of the time."
Kenta snorted.
"Perverted old man—that's what everyone calls him."
Then he waved it off.
"Forget him. What about Orochimaru? How's that situation?"
Kei's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Orochimaru…"
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
"…now that is interesting."