"Hey, come on now—you're really going to send me to the Hidden Rain by myself?" Jiraiya sighed, throwing up his hands. "I swear, if I run into danger, my first move will be to retreat! I'm not stupid enough to get cocky, alright? Can't we just leave it at that?"
He looked completely exasperated.
It was just an infiltration mission.
Why was everyone acting like it was a suicide run?
He was one of the Legendary Sannin!
If Jiraiya wanted to run, who could stop him?
He had powerful Sage Mode and several reverse summoning escape techniques.
Getting away in one piece was just a matter of course.
There's no way he'd die—unless the heavens themselves had it out for him.
"And you want me to become Hokage?" Yoruha said, giving Tsunade a look of pure distaste. "Come on, be serious."
"Sure, being Hokage sounds cool and all… but you can't drink when you want, can't gamble, can't go where you please, and you've got to deal with a mountain of rules and paperwork every single day."
He gestured at Tsunade.
"Just look at yourself. Is that the kind of life you think I want?"
No thanks.
In Yoruha's eyes, it was clear: Jiraiya knew how to live.
"Damn it, brat!" Tsunade snapped. "You think I've spent all these years training you for fun? I've been grooming you to take over as Hokage at a critical moment like this! Don't just brush it off!"
She was already used to his personality by now, but even so—his attitude still pissed her off sometimes.
"You've been training me to become Hokage?" Yoruha chuckled. "Then tell me this—do Hokage candidates get sent out on missions every week?"
Naruto was supposed to lead from behind.
Not be a glorified errand boy.
Was she joking?
"I'm not doing it. I don't care what kind of speech you give," Yoruha said flatly. "Hokage is too small-scale. If I'm going to aim for something, it's going to be the ruler of the ninja world. One day I'll even reach for the stars—push back the Ōtsutsuki Clan itself."
That was Yoruha's dream.
"You see, Lady Hokage?" Yamanaka Inoichi smiled awkwardly, relieved. "Yoruha doesn't want to be Hokage at all. Like the saying goes: If the fruit isn't ripe, don't force the harvest. Best to give up for now."
He himself had always hoped Yoruha would succeed Tsunade eventually.
But now wasn't the time.
Konoha's current stability was thanks in large part to Tsunade.
She had earned her place.
And Yoruha was still young.
Besides, the storm clouds gathering in the ninja world hadn't yet passed.
Letting someone as unpredictable as Yoruha take over now?
That could lead to serious instability.
"Fine, fine," Jiraiya said, laughing. "Just let me go on the mission, alright? You don't trust me yet? Don't worry. I'll come back and let you admire the goods sometime—deal?"
He gave Tsunade a cheeky wink, his gaze dropping briefly to her "assets."
"You damn pervert!" she hissed, face flushed.
But before she could say more—
"I never said I was going to let you go alone."
Yoruha's voice rang out casually from the side.
"Going to the Hidden Rain for some covert recon? I'll tag along."
He gave a lazy shrug, like it was nothing.
Tsunade froze.
What?
"Wait… you're willing to go with Jiraiya?" she asked, genuinely surprised.
She knew how much Yoruha hated missions.
Especially annoying, complicated ones.
And yet here he was, volunteering?
"Yeah. I've heard the Land of Rain is actually quite scenic," Yoruha replied. "Always wanted to visit. Rainy all year round—very atmospheric."
"If only they'd embraced tourism, they might've climbed out of poverty already," he added with a smirk.
"Yoruha… you don't even know the details of this mission. Why agree so quickly?" Inoichi asked in a low voice, clearly worried.
He knew how capable his son was.
But still—
It was his son.
How could a father not worry?
"Relax, Dad," Yoruha said lightly. "If Tsunade's trying to back out of her Hokage duties just to accompany Jiraiya on a mission, it must be Akatsuki-related."
"…You're right. It is about Akatsuki," Jiraiya admitted with a bitter smile. "But really, I can handle it alone. I am one of the Sannin."
If I'd known this would snowball, I would've gone in secret.
People were used to him disappearing for 'research' anyway.
"Yes, Yoruha. Listen to Jiraiya," Inoichi tried again. "Let the grown-ups handle it."
But Tsunade immediately stood up and scoffed.
"Wait a second! You just said earlier that forcing it doesn't make it sweet. Now that he's volunteered, you're trying to stop him?"
She looked to Yoruha, full of faith in his strength.
If he and Jiraiya went to the Hidden Rain together…
Nothing would go wrong.
"I'm telling you, Dad—there's no need to worry," Yoruha said, grinning. "I've got Flying Thunder God. Unless I want to stay, no one in this world can stop me."
He raised his chin with confidence.
"Even if I'm inside the Hokage's office—I can leave whenever I want."
He proved it right then and there.
In a flash—
Whoosh!
He vanished.
And reappeared a moment later—
Dragging a confused Naruto in with him.
"Huh? Wait—why am I here?" Naruto blinked. "This is the Hokage's office. What's going on?"
Yoruha smiled, patted his head—
Then teleported Naruto right back out.
"See?" he said, brushing off his hands. "You're the Sannin and village heads, but none of you can stop me."
That's what it meant to master a space-time technique.
He remembered something from an old manga.
A demon queen who could warp through wormholes fought off an angel army for ten thousand years—using just that power.
It wasn't just for show.
"Damn it…" Tsunade muttered, shaking her head. "I hate that you come and go as you please… but I can't deny how useful it is."
She gave him a smile—half annoyed, half proud.
With that technique…
Yoruha and Jiraiya really would be safe.
Still, she was a reserved person at heart.
She just couldn't help thinking:
Can't you knock first, just once?
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