Documents were scattered all over the floor, with a few sheets drifting down near Naruto and Sakura's feet.
The office was a mess, leaving only Hiruzen Sarutobi's heavy breathing, Jiraiya's awkward silence, and Sakura's icy stare that seemed capable of freezing the air.
"I think you could speak up a little."
Naruto took the lead, his normally bright and cheerful face currently showing no emotion.
He twitched his mouth, his gaze fixed on Jiraiya like a nail.
"This Senior Jiraiya... doesn't he look quite proud and glorious?"
He deliberately emphasized the words "Senior" and "glorious," his tone dripping with sarcasm.
The Big Yellow in his arms seemed to sense the hostility in its owner's voice and let out a low "woof" at Jiraiya, as if agreeing.
Sakura glanced at Naruto, slightly surprised.
She rarely saw Naruto display such blatant and sustained disgust toward someone he had just met. It seemed that this time, even Naruto, who was usually big-hearted, optimistic, and held goodwill toward everyone, was genuinely angry.
"Lord Third."
Naruto turned to Hiruzen Sarutobi, his tone unusually serious and formal for when addressing the Third.
"How do you plan to punish him?"
He did not use milder terms like "handle" or "discipline," but directly used "punish," demonstrating his insistence on a severe response to the matter.
'It seems even Naruto, who usually has a good temper, is angry!'
Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed inwardly, his brow furrowed even deeper.
He looked at the disciple in front of him, who was bowing his head and, for once, seemed somewhat flustered and in the wrong, feeling extremely troubled and difficult to handle.
Punish Jiraiya?
Given his status and strength, ordinary punishments would be meaningless—detention, fines, mission restrictions... these had limited restraining power over a Ninja of his caliber, especially since he traveled abroad year-round, making Konoha's rules and regulations inherently lax for him.
What truly troubled the Sandaime went far beyond that.
His original intention was to have Jiraiya take on the important task of guiding Naruto upon his return to the Village.
As the teacher of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and simultaneously one of the Village's top powerhouses and most experienced Ninja, Jiraiya was undoubtedly the perfect candidate to teach Naruto, help him control the power within him, and guide his growth.
The Sandaime knew well that he was advanced in age, and Naruto's future path required a more suitable guide.
But who could have imagined that this first meeting would take place in such a ridiculous and disgraceful manner?
That old bastard Jiraiya, instead of reporting to his teacher first thing upon returning to the Village, actually sneaked off to peep.
Disgusting! I even use the crystal ball... *cough, cough, cough*... and he got caught red-handed by Naruto and Sakura!
What a terrible first impression this left on Naruto, who always admired heroes and possessed an upright and kind heart! (Naruto in the Third's eyes)
Pervert, lecher, shameless, old rogue... once these labels are attached, getting Naruto to wholeheartedly accept him as a teacher will likely be harder than ascending to heaven.
How am I supposed to arrange for Naruto to study under you now? Jiraiya, you good-for-nothing!
Looking at Naruto's undisguised contempt and his insistent demand for punishment, and then at Jiraiya's awkward appearance—knowing he was in the wrong yet trying to maintain a facade—Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a throbbing pain in his temples.
He took a deep drag from his pipe and slowly exhaled; the smoke curled in the pillar of sunset light, mirroring his current chaotic and helpless state of mind. How should he handle this to both slightly appease Naruto's anger and leave room for subsequent arrangements?
This troublesome disciple truly presented him with a huge problem.
"Regarding this matter... I will provide an explanation."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice carried obvious fatigue. He vigorously rubbed his throbbing temples, as if trying to massage the headache away.
"Naruto, Sakura, you've both worked hard today. Go home and rest first."
Naruto opened his mouth, intending to say something more, but seeing the exhaustion on the Third's face and glancing at Sakura beside him, he ultimately swallowed his words.
That old pervert Jiraiya is the Third's disciple, and lechery is a hobby they both share.
The Third punishing him would be a ghost's tale.
Sakura, polite but coldly, bowed slightly: "Then, Lord Third, we will take our leave."
Before leaving, she shot Jiraiya a fierce glare.
The heavy wooden door of the office gently closed behind the two of them, separating the inside from the outside.
Almost the instant the door closed—
Jiraiya, who had just been sullen and seemed deeply reflective, was instantly injected with vitality.
His back straightened immediately, and the awkwardness and discomfort on his face vanished without a trace.
In its place was an expression mixed with surprise, curiosity, and... intense gossipy interest.
He darted to the desk, leaning forward, his eyes shining astonishingly bright: "Hey! Old Man!"
He lowered his voice, but the excitement in his tone couldn't be suppressed.
"That kid just now... golden hair, blue eyes, and that expression... is he Naruto?"
Minato had previously told him that he intended to name his child after the main character of his Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Ninja.
Which means that blond kid who looks so much like Minato is indeed Minato's son!
Without waiting for Hiruzen Sarutobi to answer—or rather, he never intended to wait—Jiraiya's mind had already jumped to the next, more "crucial" question. He stroked his chin, a knowing, sneaky smile that all men understood appearing on his face:
"That pink-haired girl, she hits pretty hard and has a fiery temper... Is she Naruto's girlfriend?"
She's quite cute, and her personality is very much like Kushina's. It seems Naruto has the same taste as his father.
The Third Hokage looked at the disciple before him, who had instantly "fully recovered" and whose interests had completely drifted off to the horizon.
He felt that the melancholy and headache brought on by age and responsibility were instantly replaced by a much stronger urge to grab another stack of documents and throw them.
Why didn't this Jiraiya guy just die outside?
Outside the door, Naruto and Sakura, who were about to leave, froze simultaneously.
Naruto: "???"
Sakura: "???"
The two exchanged disbelieving glances, both seeing the same shock in the other's eyes.
Immediately afterward, Sakura's face flushed crimson at a visible speed.
Girlfriend, huh... Inside the room, the "whispered" discussion about "Naruto's Girlfriend Possibility and Personality Analysis" was still faintly audible... The sky had completely darkened.
It wasn't just the sky outside the window, but also Sakura's mood at that moment.
Where was the promised explanation?
Where was the promised severe handling?
Are they not even going to pretend anymore?