Just as Kagami, Uchiha Rinne, and the others were enjoying their meal, a man with long white hair, a large scroll strapped to his back, arrived at the gates of Konoha. It was Jiraiya, who had raced back after learning of the crisis that had engulfed his home.
"Jiraiya-sama, you've returned!" The village's veteran gatekeepers, Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki, shouted, their faces alight with a mixture of shock and excitement.
Looking at the familiar village before him, Jiraiya's eyes held a complex, heavy expression. He gave the two a brief nod and hurried into Konoha, his mind a storm of troubled thoughts. The news of Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura's deaths had been a constant, grim companion on his journey. He had come not only to help Konoha in its time of need but also to avenge his fallen teacher.
He made his way directly to the Hokage Building, his steps heavy with purpose. By coincidence, Nara Shikaku was also arriving, about to head into a meeting.
Seeing the legendary Sannin, Shikaku's eyes widened in surprise. "Jiraiya-sama, I didn't expect you to return so soon!" In his estimation, Jiraiya's arrival was a welcome boon. Though his strength was likely no match for Kagami's, his presence alone was a considerable asset for Konoha's shattered morale.
Jiraiya managed a faint smile. "I heard Konoha was in trouble, so I came as fast as I could." His expression quickly turned serious, his voice tinged with a deep sadness. "Shikaku, tell me. Who killed my teacher?"
"Uh..." Shikaku's face froze, and he found himself in a difficult position. He hesitated, weighing his words carefully. If he told Jiraiya the truth, the hot-headed Sannin would almost certainly seek revenge on Kagami and be effortlessly killed for his trouble. Knowing Kagami's character, that outcome was all but guaranteed. But even if he stayed silent, Jiraiya would find out the truth eventually. It would only delay the inevitable. He truly did not want to see Jiraiya die, especially not for a man like Hiruzen Sarutobi.
With a helpless sigh, Shikaku decided on the truth. "Jiraiya-sama, the one who killed the Third Hokage was Uchiha Kagami. However, I strongly advise you against seeking revenge."
"An Uchiha..." A flash of murderous intent ignited in Jiraiya's eyes at the name, but Shikaku's warning gave him pause.
"Why?" Jiraiya demanded. "Are you worried I can't defeat him?" Though he knew Kagami must be powerful to have killed Hiruzen, he couldn't believe he would be outmatched. He was Jiraiya, one of the Legendary Sannin, a master of Sage Mode, and a warrior whose power far surpassed that of a typical Kage.
"HAaaa~" Shikaku sighed again, his expression weary. "This was the Third's own doing. No one else is to blame."
Under Jiraiya's confused gaze, Shikaku slowly explained the dark truth. "The incident began when the Third Hokage ordered Itachi Uchiha to carry out the Uchiha clan massacre. Unexpectedly, Uchiha Kagami appeared and repelled Itachi. But the Third then indiscriminately slandered Kagami, framing him for the massacre. He was then killed by Kagami, along with Danzo and the entirety of Root and the Anbu Black Ops."
"So, you see," Shikaku finished, his voice heavy, "you can't truly blame Kagami-sama. If anyone is to blame, it is the Third Hokage, for being too greedy, too fearful of losing his power."
Shikaku's words struck Jiraiya like a physical blow. His face went pale, and he murmured in disbelief, "I don't believe it... The teacher would never do such a thing." Though he had long suspected a darker side to Konoha's politics, he had never been willing to believe his teacher was capable of such atrocities. Jiraiya's hands began to shake, and he staggered back, collapsing against a wall, his face a mask of utter devastation.
Seeing his friend so broken, Shikaku shook his head helplessly. "Jiraiya-sama, the evidence of the Third's crimes has been made public. It doesn't matter if you believe it or not; it is the truth." He paused, then added with a grim, wry smile, "Besides, Kagami-sama is now the Fifth Hokage, and his strength is far beyond yours. Even if you wanted revenge, it is impossible."
Hearing this, Jiraiya's eyes widened, and he stared at Shikaku, a deep, soul-crushing doubt taking root within him. After a long, heavy silence, he stood up, his movements dejected, and slowly walked away from the Hokage Building. Shikaku could only watch him go, sighing helplessly. He could not help Jiraiya; he could not stand with him. The blame for this tragedy lay squarely at Hiruzen's feet, and now, Konoha needed the protection of a powerful man like Kagami. It would be foolish to oppose him. If Jiraiya were stronger than Kagami, things might be different, but unfortunately...
"Well," Shikaku sighed one last time, then turned and walked into the Hokage Building to attend to his duties.
Jiraiya walked aimlessly through the streets, the familiar village now feeling strangely alien. Unconsciously, his feet led him to the old Senju clan territory. He sat before Tsunade's abandoned home for a long time, an idea slowly forming in his shattered mind. He felt that the Uchiha were too impulsive, too radical, to be suitable for the role of Hokage. So, he decided, he would find Tsunade. He would bring her back and convince her to become the Hokage, to lead Konoha in place of the man who had killed his teacher. He had no prejudice against the Uchiha, he told himself. He was doing this for the good of the village. At least, that's what he chose to believe.
With a new goal in mind, Jiraiya's spirit lifted slightly. The thought of seeing Tsunade again made his steps a little lighter as he headed for the village gate.
On the other side of the village, Kagami and his three ladies finished their meal and were walking back to their residence. As they rounded a corner, he saw Jiraiya walking out of the village. Kagami gave him a single, passing glance and then dismissed him from his thoughts. Jiraiya was powerful, yes, but he was not worthy of his attention.
After returning to his residence, Kagami found Naruto sitting on the floor, his eyes awake but completely empty. He frowned. He hadn't expected that shattering the boy's "Will of Fire" would send him into such a depressing state. If left like this, Naruto would be completely broken.
After a moment of thought, he turned to Sasuke, who was practicing ninjutsu nearby. "Sasuke, this one is your responsibility now. Do whatever you can to help him recover." He planned to let Sasuke try to awaken Naruto. After all, the two were the reincarnations of Indra and Ashura. Perhaps their unique bond could help Naruto recover. But if it couldn't, that was fine too. It was, after all, just an experiment.