A few days later, after an investigation by Konoha's two other Hokage's Advisors, Danzo's crimes were determined, and he was given the maximum punishment!
The investigation process? Sorry, it involves village secrets and is not publicly disclosed.
The verdict? Didn't we tell you he received the maximum punishment?
Hey, why are you so obsessed with digging into the details? Say, are you a spy from another village!
Amid such rampant rumors, Konoha continued its peaceful daily life.
In the village center, at the Hokage Building.
Hiruzen puffed on his pipe and opened the window to breathe in some fresh air.
"When did you get back? You didn't even send a notice."
"Heh! Old man, that's rich. Weren't you the one sending people all over the world to look for me?"
A man with long white hair stood on the eaves of the Hokage Building, leaning against the outer wall.
Hiruzen smiled. This seemingly most absurd and unconventional disciple was actually the one who made him feel the most warmth among all his students.
"Recently, a young genius appeared in the village, and she caused quite a stir."
"With her talent, it would be a waste for her to stay in the Academy. Besides, Danzo is coveting her."
"So I thought..."
Putting down his pipe, Hiruzen sighed wearily and explained why he had sent people to search for Jiraiya.
After all… when there's trouble, it's the disciple's duty to serve.
"No, can't do it, not up for it."
The white-haired man instinctively rejected the request with a triple refusal.
For someone who wandered freely like him, there's no way he would agree traveling the Ninja World with a girl!
How would he ever write his new book or chat up those fair, curvaceous young ladies?
"Jiraiya, that child's talent is not inferior to mine... no, it far surpasses mine. I don't want to see her go down the wrong path!"
"Also, she has mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique, you know~"
A sharp glint shone in Hiruzen's turbid eyes. Even though his back was turned to this seemingly frail old man, anyone caught under such a gaze could feel his seriousness.
"Tch!" Hearing Hiruzen's words, Jiraiya clicked his tongue, "Fine, I'll go check her out myself. Whether I take her on or not will be my decision!"
"Good."
Hiruzen smiled again, relit his pipe, and blew out large clouds of smoke.
"Smoke less, old man. And if you're really tired, step down from the Hokage's position!"
"Sure, then you take over for me?"
"Not a chance! Whoever wants to be Hokage can have it!"
"Hahahaha!"
…
At the training ground on the west side of the village, Sakura shook her hair after finishing her practice.
Sweat had glued her strands to her skin and soaked her black Ninja attire.
"Sigh, better not trouble Mom. I'll just go to the village's bathhouse."
Looking at her muddy, sweat-drenched self and not wanting to face the 'how will you ever get married like this' interrogation at home, Sakura decided to wash up at the village's bathhouse.
After packing her ninja tools into a scroll, Sakura headed toward the southern street based on memory.
Crane Hall, the most famous hot spring inn in the southern part of Konoha, was beloved by villagers for its affordable prices and excellent service.
When Sakura dragged her tired body there, her Observation Haki unexpectedly detected a white-haired man lurking around the women's bath area.
"Oh?"
Sakura grinned, her presence unconsciously turning stealthy as she tiptoed toward the man.
"Hehehe, not bad at all!"
Crouching outside the bamboo-supported fence, the white-haired man peeked through the gaps in the boards into the women's bath, making slurping sounds while jotting things down in a small notebook with his brush.
Sakura sat down beside him and watched him record.
To be fair, aside from phrases like 'plump and full long legs', 'a waist so slender it could be spanned by one hand', 'a graceful and alluring figure', 'perfect soft mature curves'...
The portrayal of character arcs in this manuscript is quite clear.
'No wonder such a book could top the bestseller list in the entertainment-starved Ninja World.'
"Ah, you shouldn't include that mole on the plump part. It ruins the aesthetic."
The girl's clear voice startled the white-haired man.
He instinctively raised a finger, then suddenly remembered he was in the village and dispersed the gathered Chakra.
Turning around, he saw the very target he had intended to approach crouching beside him.
His mouth fell open, speechless for a long moment.
Never in his wildest dreams that he, one of the Legendary Sannin, would be approached by a child without even noticing.
Though he had let his guard down in the village and was too focused on his 'research' to pay attention to his surroundings, being outmatched was still a fact. If she were an enemy, he would likely be dead by now.
"You know your stuff, huh?"
Putting away his tools, Jiraiya began seriously examining the girl before him.
'Massive Chakra, excellent academic performance, traces of rigorous training, and the talent to master Flying Thunder God that the old man mentioned... A genius!'
The world always had such unreasonable existences… people whose very purpose was to push the limits of humanity.
But luckily, he, Jiraiya, was no slouch either!
"Well, I'm an expert!"
Sakura grinned mischievously and pointed her thumb toward the women's bath.
"Damn it, I'm so envious!"
Understanding her meaning, Jiraiya bit his knuckle, his expression full of longing.
"By the way, aren't you bothered by me peeking... ahem, conducting research?"
Jiraiya looked at Sakura suspiciously, 'Had the kids in the village become this open-minded?'
"Simple… I enjoy watching too. I'm not a hypocrite."
"If you have desires, shout them… if you have dreams, burn for them. Isn't such shining greed the best proof that we're alive?"
"But once you make a choice, you must take responsibility for it. Whether it's infamy or praise, I'll bear it all!"
The smile of a certain pirate was clear and pure as she spread her arms, an imposing aura faintly rising to cover the world.
Like many conquerors on the seas, she never bothered to hide her thoughts.
As kings, they inevitably harbored stronger desires than anyone, were more flamboyant than anyone, and were quicker to anger than anyone.
And because they lived more intensely than anyone, they captivated others… and from that, the power to overturn the world was born!
At this moment, Jiraiya truly saw in this girl a humanity more genuine than anyone else's, encompassing both clarity and turbidity.
"You..."
His throat tightened, a dry thirst rising within.
In the few short minutes since meeting Sakura, Jiraiya finally understood Hiruzen's concerns.
'If such a child wasn't properly guided, what if she turned into another Uchiha Madara for Konoha in a few years?'
'In that case...'
Jiraiya formed hand seals and swiftly summoned a giant toad beneath him, planting one foot on its back.
He tossed his head like a Kabuki actor, sending his two tail-like strands of long hair spinning through the air.
"Let me, the Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku, the charismatic sage… Jiraiya!"
"Guide you onto the path of a true, steadfast Ninja!"
Jiraiya spread his fingers and extended his hand toward Sakura.
"Kid, become my disciple!"
"No!"
"Ah?!"