Chapter 35

In the courtyard of the Senju patriarch's residence, a casserole rested upon a stone table, its boiling sukiyaki releasing a tantalizing aroma of meat.

Tatsuya, Tsunade, and Nawaki found themselves in a triangular arrangement, seated at the stone table, each facing a different direction.

Tsunade's once lovely visage was now flushed due to both the heat of food and the effects of alcohol.

"Aniki you are truly something else. Not only did you eliminate Sarutobi Shinnosuke, but also managed to erase any trace of your involvement. Sarutobi Hiruzen must be fuming at home, probably punching walls. Haha~"

Nawaki picked up the jug and filled Tatsuya's and his elder sister's cups once more, a smug expression on his face.

"The one who revels in power games the most has stumbled upon when the very thing he held dear was killed."

"However, the most impressive aspect is your strategy Aniki. The Land of Rain has been in continuous conflict with the Fire, Wind, and Earth countries. The ground is littered with bodies, and Sarutobi Shinnosuke is now beyond reach. The matter is indisputable."

Nawaki's face grew redder with every word, not from alcohol like Tsunade, but from excessive excitement.

"No, you see, it just so happened that my involvement in the Land of Rain revealed an oversight I hadn't even considered."

Tatsuya lifted the wine glass to his lips, taking a sip. His gaze, however, shifted towards the door, his smile holding a hint of amusement.

"And that very oversight has just walked in."

"Jiraiya, care to join us?"

As Tatsuya spoke, Nawaki and Tsunade, already somewhat inebriated, found themselves suddenly more alert.

All eyes turned towards the entrance, where Jiraiya strode into the courtyard, his face a medley of shock, panic, anger, and sorrow.

"Tatsuya, it seems you've truly done it."

Jiraiya finally managed to force out the words through clenched teeth.

Tatsuya had reported to Sarutobi Hiruzen that he and Sarutobi Shinnosuke had ventured to the Land of Rivers and had crossed paths with Jiraiya in the Land of Rain.

This led to their clandestine mission to assassinate the Second Kazekage in Sunagakure, resulting in Sarutobi Shinnosuke's demise at the hands of the Kazekage.

However, Jiraiya's firsthand experience contradicted this account. Sarutobi Shinnosuke hadn't participated in the assassination of the Second Kazekage at all. Jiraiya hadn't even seen him at the beginning of the mission in the land of rain.

Jiraiya had harbored these suspicions before, and now, hearing Nawaki's words, the truth became irrefutable.

"Ah, truth be told, it's a twist of fate to have encountered you in the Land of Rain. Who could have predicted such a coincidence?"

Tatsuya chuckled lightly, producing a pair of bowls and chopsticks from the side.

"Let's talk over a meal."

Jiraiya hardly felt like eating and drinking now. And he wasn't alone; even Tsunade and Nawaki had, at the sight of each other, instinctively set aside their wine glasses.

Confronted with the palpable tension emanating from the Senju siblings, Jiraiya's brows furrowed as he inquired, somewhat bewildered:

"Tsunade, Nawaki, did you two… know all along?"

"I had a hunch when he suggested teaming up with Shinnosuke to eliminate Kazekage."

Tsunade, her expression uneasy, raised her glass again, took a sip, and spoke with a nonchalant tone, "But it's true; the encounter with you was entirely coincidental."

"Jiraiya-senpai, are you planning to inform Hiruzen?"

Nawaki's politeness was overshadowed by a blatant hostility etched on his face. Since the misfortune that befell the Senju clan the previous year, he had refrained from addressing Sarutobi Hiruzen as "Hokage," at least not behind closed doors.

In his eyes, Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't deserve the same title as his two grandfathers. "Nawaki, I…" Jiraiya struggled to find the right words.

"You've been here to the Senju clan before; you must have seen the current state of the Senju clan," Nawaki's disdain was more pronounced as he continued, "That man is practically a walking corpse. Sooner or later he will die. As for being the Hokage, there's no comparison between him and Grandfathers at being Hokage!"

Jiraiya was rendered speechless.

The previous year, the Senju clan had fallen into an enemy trap due to faulty intelligence from the Intelligence Department, leading to their annihilation, including Tsunade and Nawaki's parents. The department was headed by the Shimura family.

Even then, while Jiraiya was instructing the future Akatsuki trio in the Rainy Country, he had a nagging sense that the situation was more intricate than it appeared.

Nawaki was even more candid, spelling out the truth—it was the directive of the high-level decision-making body!

Both the Senju and Uchiha clans held deep reservations about Sarutobi Hiruzen's leadership as Hokage, particularly since two Hokages had emerged from the Senju lineage.

Their opposition was palpable.

And following the catastrophe of the past year, as Nawaki's gaze burned with resentment, he had no qualms asserting—

This was the decree of the higher-ups!

The Senju and Uchiha harbored the strongest animosity towards Sarutobi Hiruzen's rule. And now, faced with Nawaki's eyes brimming with enmity, Jiraiya was reminded of the words of the Great Toad Sage from long ago.

The Child of Prophecy would break the cycle of hatred in this world, ushering in true peace and understanding among people.

He would lead the progeny of prophecy.

With this realization firm in his mind, Jiraiya's expression grew resolute.

As if solidifying his resolve, he declared, "I'm leaving now," and turned to depart.

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