Konohagakure, Land of Fire, the Hokage Residence.
Today, Hiruzen was as diligent as ever in his role as Hokage, even as the unfavorable rumors circulating within the village continued to escalate. Despite the pressure, the man held fast to his love for Konoha, giving his heart and soul to its governance.
He had just finished reviewing a document regarding a cost-benefit analysis of the war; currently, the entire village was in a deficit. Although the fighting on the front lines had largely subsided into minor skirmishes, a significant military presence was still required. After all, if you use small nations as a buffer and trample over them, you have to offer some benefits as a "consolation prize," right?
That was yet another expense.
To Konoha, the Third Great Ninja War had been a defensive counterattack. They hadn't managed to seize much external profit, leaving them in a state where expenditures far outpaced income. They were pouring money in without getting anything back.
Consequently, Hiruzen loathed the war. He was equally infuriated by those other bastard "Kage" who refused to let go. They had clearly lost, yet they refused to admit defeat, acting like they wanted to drag everyone down with them in a mutual suicide pact of attrition.
At this stage, however, he had no choice but to endure and see who would crack first.
"Sigh..." Hiruzen let out a long breath, signed his name on the document, and stretched.
He happily picked up a new tobacco pipe from his desk, one he'd bought with three months' worth of salary. While it wasn't as flashy as the one Diarmuid carried, Hiruzen was quite satisfied with it.
He, the head of the Sarutobi clan and the Hokage of Konoha, should be a tycoon, an elite of the Shinobi world. Yet, buying a single pipe required three months of savings. It was frustrating. He blamed his wife, Biwako, for keeping such a tight grip on the family finances.
Though he complained, he and Biwako shared a life of mutual respect and deep affection. They were a steady, old couple. Perhaps he couldn't have imagined that in just a few years, he would lose her... During the Nine-Tails' attack, Biwako would be part of the team assisting Kushina with childbirth, only to be unfortunately killed by Obito.
Thinking about it, there was a strange irony to it. After the Nine-Tails incident, the Fourth Hokage, Minato, fell in battle. Hiruzen, the retired veteran, stepped back into power just as his wife passed away. It was almost like the dark proverb of "Promotion, wealth, and a dead wife."
Exhaling a cloud of smoke, Hiruzen turned to look out at the village behind him, a small trick he used to relax. Whenever he felt weary or tempted to throw in the towel, seeing the thriving village reminded him that it was all worth it. It gave him a sense of accomplishment, filling him with the motivation to keep working the grind without complaint.
His gaze drifted to the Hokage Rock, where his own face sat alongside the First Hokage and Tobirama. It felt a bit boastful, but every time he looked, a sense of pride welled up within him. I, Sarutobi Hiruzen, am also a Hokage of Konoha!
As these thoughts crossed his mind, a gratified smile touched his lips, then instantly froze. He rubbed his eyes vigorously and looked again.
Wait... is there someone sitting on my head?
No, someone was sitting on his stone head!
Diarmuid Rodriguez!!!
What was he playing at?
Just then, the office door was pushed open. The towering Jiraiya walked in boisterously. "Yo, old man! Taking a break? Perfect timing, I have something to tell you. I'm planning to head out..."
Jiraiya had been in Konoha for a while now. He was a restless soul by nature. Seeing that Diarmuid was behaving himself—eating, drinking, making friends, and even visiting the noble Hyuga clan—and considering Orochimaru was also around, Jiraiya felt there was no further danger. Staying here was becoming boring.
Besides, his presence was cramping Minato and Kushina's style. With a senior around, the young couple probably felt awkward about "nighttime activities." Since ninjas had such keen ears, any... unusual noises... would be terribly embarrassing.
Moreover, Minato had been keeping a close eye on him lately, making it impossible to "conduct research" for his writing. His restless heart couldn't take it anymore. He needed to leave Konoha and see the world. Furthermore, he had a historic mission: finding the Child of Prophecy. He couldn't waste time in Konoha forever.
"Leaving again!?" Hiruzen looked at his student with annoyance, though he knew better than to try and stop him. Jiraiya was like a bird; you couldn't cage him.
"Yeah," Jiraiya nodded.
Hiruzen didn't press the matter. Instead, he pointed out the window at the distant Hokage Rock, which faced the office directly. "What's the deal with that guy? What is he doing up there?"
Jiraiya glanced over. "Oh, that? He's clearing his mind to sense the power of nature. Says he's self-studying Sage Mode..."
Hiruzen: "???"
Self-studying Sage Mode? Was that even a thing?
As Jiraiya's teacher, Hiruzen didn't know Sage Mode himself, but he'd heard Jiraiya brag about it enough to know it required a quiet environment to harmonize with one's surroundings, perceive natural energy, and then draw it in. That was the only way to train it.
From that perspective, Diarmuid had chosen a decent spot. Konoha was a bustling village, making the Hokage Rock one of the few quiet heights. No one usually went up there, and the altitude kept the noise at bay. The air was fresh, and the view was vast, a perfect place to relax the mind. Hiruzen could understand why he chose it.
But... why the hell do you have to sit on my head!?
It grated on Hiruzen's nerves. Especially considering this guy wasn't even from Konoha; he was an outsider, an S-Class criminal who acted like he owned the place. Hiruzen wanted to deal with him, but he wasn't sure if he could win. Given the current war situation, why provoke a "tough customer" like Diarmuid?
Forget it... as Hokage, I must consider the big picture. I will endure.
Hiruzen forced himself to look away. He puffed his pipe and asked, "What do you mean, self-studying? Isn't that something only found in the Three Great Sage Regions?"
Jiraiya scratched his head. "I don't fully get it either. Apparently, it's some research he and Orochimaru cooked up. It hasn't quite succeeded yet. He didn't say much, and I didn't want to pry. When we met in the Land of Earth, he was very interested in Mount Myoboku. Since I wouldn't give him the location, I guess he decided to teach himself?"
"Orochimaru?" Hiruzen frowned slightly. You're a Konoha ninja and my disciple, why are you getting mixed up with someone like Diarmuid to research Sage Mode? Can't you do something productive? Look at this, because of you, he's literally riding on your teacher's head.
Hiruzen had a lot to say, but he knew Orochimaru's personality. Like Jiraiya, he was stubborn. He'd listen with one ear and let it out the other, or worse, just get annoyed.
"Do you think it's possible? His strength is already 'the greatest you've ever seen.' If he learns Sage Mode, won't he reach the level of the First Hokage?" Hiruzen asked, worried. He felt a pang of regret; such a powerful individual, yet not a man of Konoha.
Diarmuid was wild, unrestrained, and acted without regard for consequences. If he mastered Sage Mode, would anyone in the Shinobi world be able to keep him in check?
Jiraiya thought for a while, then shook his head. "It shouldn't be possible, right? In theory, if Sage Mode, the power of Senjutsu and Natural Energy, were that easy to master, the Three Great Sage Regions wouldn't have held a monopoly on it for thousands of years. Plenty of geniuses have tried throughout history. Besides, Orochimaru doesn't know Senjutsu... and neither does Diarmuid."
Jiraiya's logic was sound and perfectly reasonable. Hiruzen felt inclined to agree. He even began to suspect that Diarmuid was just sitting on his head to enjoy the view and had made up a random excuse.
However, neither he nor Jiraiya were scientists. And even among scientists, few could reach Orochimaru's heights. Orochimaru specialized in making the "impossible" possible. Even if I don't know Senjutsu, I can help Diarmuid become a self-taught genius! That was the level of his arrogance and his brilliance.
"In that case, let him be," Hiruzen said finally. He acted as if he could stop him if he wanted to, putting up a front.
Jiraiya nodded. "Just came to say goodbye. I'm off."
"Go, go. Looking at you just makes me annoyed," Hiruzen waved him off dismissively.
And so, after saying his goodbyes to friends, family, and even Diarmuid, Jiraiya left Konoha with flair, embarking on his journey to find his "Child of Prophecy" and gather material for his books.
Meanwhile, Diarmuid remained atop Hiruzen's head, sensing the power of nature and striving to master Sage Mode.
That day, he had asked Orochimaru for another "bite" to make the Cursed Seal's power more intense, but Orochimaru had refused. It wasn't that he wanted to hold Diarmuid back; it was simply that it would be meaningless.
In Orochimaru's words: the Cursed Seal was merely a key to open the "Gate of Natural Energy" and the power of Senjutsu. The door was now open. Whether or not you walked through it was up to you. Adding another key wouldn't turn one door into two.
From this point on, Diarmuid had to follow the "orthodox" path of training: calming his mind, meditating, sensing the "call" of nature, feeling it, merging with it, and finally, mastering the power!