From the very beginning, the relationship between Jiraiya and Tsunade had grown unexpectedly close, which didn't escape Hiruzen Sarutobi's notice.
Sarutobi actually considered putting a stop to it. If Jiraiya became too closely tied to the Senju clan, it might create complications in the future. When Jiraiya eventually rose to prominence, his influence could make it difficult for them to suppress the Senju clan further.
For now, Jiraiya's opinions could be disregarded, but once he became a powerful figure in the village, those opinions would have to be taken seriously.
After careful deliberation, however, Sarutobi abandoned the idea of intervening. Instead, he resolved to fully support Jiraiya.
The reason was simple.
Jiraiya possessed extraordinary talent and an unwavering commitment to the Will of Fire. He held the village in the highest regard, prioritizing its well-being above all else.
Sarutobi believed that once Jiraiya matured, he would have the ability to keep the Senju clan in check. If the Senju were ever to stage a coup or destabilize the village, Jiraiya would undoubtedly stand with Konoha rather than with the Senju.
At present, they were suppressing the Senju and Uchiha clans because they feared the rise of another genius from these clans—someone they couldn't control. Such an individual could empower the clans' radicals to stage a rebellion, plunging the village into chaos.
But Jiraiya's talent was undeniable. Despite his young age, he was already approaching the level of an elite jōnin. Once he matured fully, his power would serve as a deterrent to the Senju clan.
Moreover, the Senju clearly valued Jiraiya highly. Once he reached his full potential, the clan would undoubtedly choose to support him wholeheartedly.
Though the Senju had been weakened significantly by their suppression, they still retained considerable hidden strength. If the clan could continue serving the village, Sarutobi had no intention of eradicating them entirely—it would only weaken Konoha as a whole.
'All that's left is to find a way to further weaken the Uchiha clan. Those eyes of theirs… they truly are a cause for concern.'
Sarutobi pondered silently, deep in thought.
Jiraiya, however, had already noticed Sarutobi's attitude. It was obvious to him that his teacher intended to use him as a means to control the Senju clan.
Otherwise, Hiruzen wouldn't have taken such a supportive stance.
In truth, even while suppressing the Senju and Uchiha clans, Sarutobi had set boundaries—he never intended to wipe them out completely.
The notion of clan eradication belonged to Danzo's radical ideology, not Hiruzen's.
Regardless, Jiraiya saw Hiruzen's lack of opposition to his closeness with the Senju as a favorable turn of events.
"Jiraiya," Hiruzen began, "the Lightning Release jutsu you used yesterday to obliterate the forces from the Land of Earth—according to the report from the Anbu, it seems to be an S-rank technique. Our village doesn't possess any Lightning Release jutsu of that caliber. Where did you learn it?"
Jiraiya chuckled inwardly. The technique Hiruzen referred to was none other than Myriad Thunder Prison, a jutsu he had acquired through the system. Yesterday marked the first time he had openly used it in front of others.
Previously, he had employed it against Isamu of the Senju clan, but the Senju weren't about to report such an incident to Sarutobi. However, the Anbu who accompanied him on this latest mission were loyal to Hiruzen and had naturally reported everything.
"Sensei, that Lightning Release technique wasn't something I learned from anyone. I developed it myself," Jiraiya replied calmly. "And today, I've already created another S-rank jutsu."
Hiruzen's eyes widened in disbelief. "You… created it yourself? And now you've developed yet another S-rank technique?"
"That's correct, Sensei. I've created two S-rank techniques so far, along with several B-rank and A-rank jutsu," Jiraiya confirmed with a nod.
There was no point in hiding it. His abilities would inevitably be revealed during the coming wars, so it was better to lay it all out now.
Hiruzen, hearing Jiraiya's nonchalant tone, found himself momentarily speechless.
Creating any new jutsu was an arduous process, requiring countless attempts to master chakra manipulation and transformation. For example, Hiruzen's own creation, the Shadow Shuriken Technique, had taken him years to perfect.
Developing an S-rank jutsu was an even greater challenge. Despite being the strongest village, Konoha's collection of S-rank techniques was extremely limited.
And yet, Jiraiya spoke of creating multiple high-level techniques as though it were nothing.
His talent was nothing short of terrifying.
It was fortunate, Sarutobi thought, that Jiraiya came from a civilian background. Had he been born into a prominent clan…
'Really now… getting all flustered over a few S-rank jutsu. Is it that shocking?' Jiraiya thought with a sigh as he observed Hiruzen's stunned expression.
"As expected of my student!" Hiruzen exclaimed, regaining his composure. "With such talent, your name—and mine, by extension—will surely be remembered throughout the ninja world."
Jiraiya's growing prowess only reflected well on his teacher, after all.
"Jiraiya, list out all the jutsu you've created, along with their names and effects. Bring it to me later so I can review them," Sarutobi instructed.
"I already planned to do that, Sensei," Jiraiya replied with a nod. "I'd like your feedback on any areas that could use improvement."
Hiruzen appreciated Jiraiya's dedication. He hadn't demanded the techniques themselves, merely a record of their details, so Jiraiya had no reason to refuse.
Had Hiruzen requested the actual training methods for those techniques, Jiraiya would've agreed only if given something of equal value in return.
As for freely offering up his techniques, he was willing to do so only for jutsu that no one but him could master—like the Shun-Goku Shadow Assassination Formation he had recently learned.
Even if he shared its training method, few would be able to use it, save for taijutsu prodigies like Might Duy and Might Guy.
After all, most ninja avoided focusing exclusively on taijutsu unless they lacked talent in ninjutsu. Taijutsu demanded grueling physical training and constant effort, far surpassing the ease of ninjutsu.
"Sensei, this is the S-rank jutsu I developed today. I've already detailed the training method within."
Jiraiya handed Hiruzen a prepared scroll.
Hiruzen's eyes gleamed with excitement as he accepted it. A deep sense of gratitude swelled within him.
'As expected of my student,' Hiruzen thought. 'Such unwavering dedication to the Will of Fire. To freely offer an S-rank technique like this… is there any ninja in the village with a greater sense of duty?'
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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