Tsunade's cheeks were flushed from the sake. She glanced at Jiraiya.
"What about you — are you still living out that prophecy?"
Jiraiya shook his head. "
The Great Toad Sage said the future is being covered by some force. He wants me to find the person responsible and correct the original history."
If the future has been altered, then Kairen isn't who he used to be.
Kairen was stunned for a moment, then took a sip of sake to calm the oddness on his face.
Who is the most mysterious figure in the ninja world?
It's not the Black Zetsu, nor the Sage of the Six Paths watching the ninja world from the Pure Land — it's the Great Toad Sage who can foresee everything.
It has never directly intervened, but its traces are everywhere.
A thousand years ago it guided Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo in cultivating the Sage Arts, gave him the Sage's seal, had Hagoromo and Hamura work together to seal Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, and even foretold the story of a thousand years later.
In other words, that toad is like someone holding the Eye of God, knowing the past and future of the ninja world.
Though it isn't part of the ninja world, its words and actions constantly influence it.
If the Great Toad Sage hadn't told Jiraiya to seek the Prophecy Child, then Nagato and the others' paths would have changed dramatically.
Its mystery can't be summed up with a single sentence.
Kairen even felt the Great Toad Sage had noticed him.
Question: if someone can see far into the distance and a leaf suddenly blocks his view, what will he do?
Of course he'll tear that leaf away — he won't let it obstruct his sight.
So, for Kairen, the factions of Mount Myōboku could be enemies, could be neutral, but they could never be friends.
Kairen looked up at Jiraiya. As Mount Myōboku's representative in the ninja world, Jiraiya might even one day become his enemy.
Kairen wouldn't hold back — at most he'd cripple the opponent and send them away from the ninja world's chaos.
But that was all for later. For now, he just wanted to think about how to take advantage of Tsunade after she got drunk.
…
Kairen released several alcohol-based ninjutsu; Tsunade's face grew red as she slowly sank deeper into drunkenness.
Partway through, Yūhi Kurenai and Shizune returned, but they didn't interrupt the three Sannin's drinking. They went back to their rooms to sleep.
The three Sannin talked again about the succession of the Hokage.
Tsunade turned her gaze to Orochimaru — at present, Orochimaru looked like the most likely candidate to become the Fourth Hokage.
Jiraiya scratched his head and laughed.
"Minato will also compete for the Fourth Hokage. Orochimaru, don't underestimate him — he's clashed many times with the A-B brothers from the Hidden Cloud and his contributions are no less than yours."
"Hmph!"
Orochimaru snorted. Lately he was obsessed with developing cursed seals; even when he was in charge of the battle at the Hidden Mist front he was half-hearted, not earning many great merits.
He wasn't interested in becoming Hokage. What interested him was immortality, mastering every ninjutsu, and — now — the body of Moku Kairen.
Of course, becoming Hokage wouldn't be bad either; many things could be handled more easily.
Tsunade glanced at Kairen, who was drinking alone, and her face flushed.
The war wasn't over; Kairen still had merits to earn and could be a contender for Hokage, but his age was a hard drawback — the Hokage wouldn't let a ten-year-old child take the post.
Tsunade said, "I think Sarutobi-sensei will certainly foster someone he can control. After all, those greedy ninja clans can't be trusted. Orochimaru's chance is slim."
Jiraiya's voice rose. "Tsunade, don't think Sarutobi-sensei is that hypocritical."
Tsunade snorted coldly.
"Isn't it? After he became Hokage, my Senju clan dwindled until we nearly vanished, while his Sarutobi family grew stronger!"
Tsunade turned to Orochimaru.
"Orochimaru, if you become Hokage, you must break the clans' monopolies over the village's ninjutsu resources, and let ordinary shinobi gain access to more techniques."
Orochimaru said nothing.
Kairen's head was dizzy. He looked at Tsunade.
"Tsunade, may I butt in?"
Tsunade, drunk and hazy-eyed, looked at Kairen. "Go on."
Kairen interjected, "It seems the ninja world hasn't had a retired Hokage yet. In the five great villages, the Kage are all successors chosen after the previous generation died in battle. Why didn't the Third go to the battlefield to die? Then the village could select a new Hokage."
Tsunade's drunken head nodded.
"Right. That old man should die on the battlefield; his heroic name carved on a tombstone — then the new Hokage would be chosen and power would pass on."
Jiraiya stared at Kairen and Tsunade with a helpless look.
"Is that the kind of thing people say? Send the previous Hokage off to die, then select a new Hokage — is that what we as the younger generation should do?"
"It's the Will of Fire! There has to be something special about it," Tsunade insisted.
Orochimaru sipped his sake lightly, considering Kairen's words.
There was reason in his words. If Orochimaru became Hokage, his teacher Sarutobi Hiruzen's political power wouldn't lessen one bit; every move would affect Orochimaru's governance, making everything troublesome.
It might be better for the other to die on the battlefield — gaining a hero's name while removing a political risk in the village's power transition.
Would Sarutobi Hiruzen simply grow old and die of old age?
That would be a joke — no one had ever heard of a great shinobi dying peacefully of old age.
The battlefield is where a warrior practices the shinobi way at its most glorious. Lying down on a bed and dying quietly would be an insult to the Hokage.
Orochimaru's seed of thought — to arrange Sarutobi Hiruzen's end — was planted by Kairen's words.
Jiraiya and Tsunade gloomily gulped down cup after cup of sake, both worried about the next Hokage's contest and the village's situation.
Kairen, Tsunade, and Jiraiya were drunk; only Orochimaru sat sipping carefully, watching the two getting rowdy from the sake.
Kairen and Jiraiya hooked arms, spouting lewd talk, sometimes cackling like crows.
Kairen, face flushed, said, "Miyako from Paradise is insanely smooth — I can easily slip in with her. But that's normal; the predecessors already paved the way for me."
Jiraiya slung an arm around Kairen's shoulder. Hearing Kairen, his drunken face broke into a big laugh.
"…Interesting, interesting. You talk exactly like me — no, your innuendo even surpasses mine. I should take you as my disciple."
"What disciple? We're brothers."
"…All right, all right…. From now on we're comrades on the same path."
"I'm no comrade of yours. My shinobi way is to walk my own path. Anyone trying to step into my way I'll cut their legs off."
"What… what do you mean by that?!"
Kairen leaned in to Jiraiya's ear.
"…You know… that pitch-black path!"
Jiraiya understood instantly, slapping his thigh and laughing uproariously.
"…Lewd, vulgar — you're a real talent. I'll put your words into my novel."
Orochimaru: "..."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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