Jiraiya leaned forward, his voice dropping to a serious murmur. "Alright, smartest guy in the room. What's her play? Why call us back? She's clearly got everything under a frightening amount of control."
Tsunade nodded, her arms still crossed tightly. "Yeah. She doesn't seem like the type to want backup. So what does she want with us?"
Shikaku steepled his fingers, his gaze drifting to the steam rising from his tea as he assembled his thoughts.
"Two reasons," he said, his voice low and precise. "One is practical. The other is political."
"First, the practical. She told the entire village she was sending for you. It was a stabilizing move—a signal that Konoha was calling on its legends in a time of crisis. To not have you return would make her look weak and would create unanswered questions. She needed you to physically be here to validate her new order."
He took a slow breath. "More specifically, she has already publicly stated her intention for you, Jiraiya."
Jiraiya's eyebrow shot up. "Oh?"
"She intends for you to take guardianship of the Fourth's son, Naruto. Her reasoning is sound, if brutally pragmatic. We have no master of sealing of your caliber in the village. With the Kyuubi's seal, that is an unacceptable risk. She is not asking. She is assigning you the duty of protecting the Jinchuriki and ensuring the seal's integrity."
Jiraiya was silent for a moment, a storm of emotions crossing his face—surprise, reluctance, and a deep, old pain at the mention of his student's son. Finally, he let out a grunt. "She doesn't mince words, does she?"
"No," Shikaku said dryly. "She does not."
"And me?" Tsunade asked, her tone wary.
"Tsunade-sama, you are the greatest medic-nin in the world," Shikaku stated. "The official reason for your summons is to examine the four corpses. To determine the cause of a death that has no cause. If anyone can find a clue, it is you."
He paused, letting the obvious hang in the air.
"And the unofficial reason?" Tsunade pressed, her eyes narrowing.
"The political reason," Shikaku said. "She is offering you a seat. Specifically, the advisory position left vacant by Koharu. She told the council that you are 'not suitable as Hokage' due to your... habits." A faint, almost imperceptible smile touched his lips. "But she values your strength, your medical expertise, and your legendary status. Having a Senju on her council, supporting an Uchiha Hokage... it is a powerful symbol of unity. It legitimizes her rule in a way nothing else could. It tells the village that the old rivalries are truly dead and gone."
He looked between them. "She is not asking for your permission to lead. She is already leading. She is offering you a place within the structure she has built. She is giving you both a purpose that serves the village's needs, as she defines them."
Shikaku leaned back. "So, your choices are fairly clear. You can reject her offers. You can leave. But know that if you do, you will be walking away from a Konoha that has already accepted her. Or... you can step into the roles she has outlined for you."
The reactions were immediate and telling.
Jiraiya looked... thoughtful, and strangely relieved. The burden of the Hokage hat was something he had always feared. But the burden of protecting his godson? That was a duty he could not, in his heart, refuse. It was a specific, tangible task from a leader who understood assets and risks. "Hmph. Guard duty for the kid, huh?" he muttered, but there was no real heat in it.
Tsunade, however, looked like she'd been handed a live explosive tag. Her face flushed with anger at the blunt assessment of her being 'unsuitable'. Yet, beneath the anger, Shikaku's words about unity and purpose struck a chord. The offer of a council seat, a real position of influence without the crushing weight of the top job, was... intriguing. It was a offer made not out of flattery, but out of cold, strategic sense. And she respected that, even as it infuriated her.
"They're not really choices at all, are they?" Tsunade finally said, her voice tight.
Shikaku gave a slow, single shake of his head. "No. They are not. They are the most logical next moves in a game she is already winning."