After Hiruzen finally finished his long-winded speech on the podium, the entrance ceremony officially ended.
The new students who had just enrolled this year, like Konan and Hikari, entered the teaching building according to the previously announced class assignments to find their respective classrooms.
Jin turned around and prepared to leave.
However, at that moment, Hiruzen suddenly spoke up:
"Jin, wait a moment~"
As soon as he said this, many parents also stopped and looked over.
Among them were members of Ninja Clans like the Inuzuka, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, and the Aburame.
"Can we talk? I enjoy chatting with young people like you," Hiruzen asked with his signature kindly old man smile.
"...Maybe next time, Hokage-sama. I have an appointment with Mito-sama."
Although Hiruzen wasn't as deranged as he would become in the future, Jin still chose not to force himself.
Just being in the same room as these old foxes of the Konoha Council made him feel sick to his stomach.
The corner of Hiruzen's smiling mouth twitched violently. He clearly hadn't expected Jin to be so dismissive, but he couldn't find a reason to refute, especially since Jin had invoked Mito's name.
Even after being Hokage for nearly twenty years, Hiruzen didn't dare to compete with Mito for someone's time!
"Then I'll take my leave, Hokage-sama." Jin left without looking back.
Hiruzen secretly clenched his fist behind him, inwardly reminding himself: 'Endure it, just endure it. After all, Uzumaki Mito only has a few years left to live. Won't the world be mine alone then?'
Hiashi silently watched this scene, wondering if he should keep his distance from Jin.
'Wasn't that too disrespectful to the Hokage? Even if Jin has Uzumaki Mito's backing now, how many years does that old lady have left? Won't the Hokage hold power for decades to come?'
However, what Hiashi couldn't possibly imagine was that Jin planned to use the few years Mito had left to raise his strength to a level where the Konoha Council wouldn't dare to act recklessly against him.
…
Of course, Mito hadn't actually made an appointment with Jin. He had just said that because he didn't want to look at Hiruzen's monkey face any longer.
Nevertheless, he went to a fruit shop, bought a basket of fruit, and headed towards the Senju Clan's compound, intending to pay a visit.
Normally, it would be nearly impossible for an Uchiha to enter the Senju Clan's compound.
But now, the entire clan knew that Jin had avenged their deceased young master, so no one tactlessly tried to stop him.
Upon entering the Senju Clan's compound, Jin found the atmosphere throughout the clan to be lifeless.
But this was understandable.
After all, in the battle where Nawaki died, not only did the young master perish, but over half of the Senju Clan's young and middle-aged members also lost their lives.
The damage to their clan was so severe that it would undoubtedly take twenty or thirty years to recover.
This also led to Tsunade's relationship with Hiruzen almost completely breaking down. What kind of idiotic command was that, falling right into the enemy's trap!
[Izuna: @Hashirama @Tobirama: Tell me, was your precious disciple doing it on purpose?]
'Damn, the ancestor was starting to stir the pot again.'
As expected, before Hashirama could even reply, Tobirama started arguing with him.
Every time Jin entered the chat, these two were largely responsible for the 99+ messages.
However, Jin personally believed that Hiruzen probably hadn't done it on purpose.
After all, Mito was still alive. Even if Konoha Council disliked the Senju Clan, they wouldn't have the guts to do anything.
It was likely purely due to their terrible command skills. Based on the original work, among that group, only Hiruzen had any real combat power. Aside from being experts at internal strife, their talents in other areas were utterly worthless.
Who knows how Tobirama managed to be so blind back then, choosing them as his successors?
…
"Grandma, have a peach~"
At Mito's home, Jin handed a peeled peach to the now over-seventy-year-old, wrinkled Mito.
"Hehe~ Thank you, Jin-kun." True to being husband and wife, Mito's address for Jin-kun was identical to Hashirama's.
Seeing his (his brother's) wife now aged and frail, both Hashirama and Tobirama in the chat room felt a surge of emotions. Even Izuna couldn't help but sighed.
"What about mine?" A red-haired, large-faced loli sitting beside Mito blinked her eyes at Jin.
She was Jin's classmate, the future Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails, Uzumaki Kushina.
She's currently staying with Mito to prepare for becoming the next Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki.
"In your dreams, 'Large-Face'. You're not my grandma-in-law," Jin said with a look of disdain.
"Jin! I'll fight you!" Kushina hated being called [Tomato] at school the most. Many male students teased her like that, so she had beaten them all up, earning the nickname [Red Hot Habenero]. And [Large-Face] was the name Jin had given her. She hated that too.
"Alright, stop fooling around," Mito intervened promptly.
Kushina didn't dare to misbehave and sat back down sheepishly.
"Jin-kun, do you really like Tsuna that much?" Mito set aside her previous kindly smile and asked seriously.
"Yes," Jin also straightened his expression and nodded.
Kushina inwardly scoffed, 'This utterly un-serious guy actually wants to pursue Tsunade-senpai?'
"..."
After a long silence, Mito slowly spoke: "Then, how about I betroth Tsuna to you?"
Even before Jin's visit, Mito had considered this.
The Senju Clan was now severely weakened and needed support. She herself didn't have many years left and had to find a new pillar of reliance.
Jin, who had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan before turning ten, was undoubtedly a good choice.
His Uchiha background was a bit troublesome, but what about a marriage alliance?
Wouldn't that perfectly solve the problem?
Moreover, from Tsunade's attitude, Mito could tell that her granddaughter also had some feeling for this little guy. At least he was more reliable than Jiraiya, right?
"Ah, well..." Unexpectedly, Jin showed a troubled expression and spread his hands, "Grandma, dating is fine, but marriage isn't really suitable. Unless Tsunade-nee would allow me to take mistresses."
Uzumaki Mito: "…"
Kushina: "…"
Everyone in the Chat Group of the Dead: "…"
'Damn, just laying it all out clearly, huh?!'