"Okay, fine, you have a point. But Naruto and Sasuke are different."
"If you're so worried about this and that, then why even bother making him stronger?
Why not just let him live a normal life?
I think you're contradicting yourself and wasting my time."
Naruto is special?
Alright, fair enough—he really is!
Asura's chakra is constantly influencing him.
Even if Naruto wanted to fall into darkness, it'd be pretty hard for him.
In other words, he's already shaped by Asura's will—or rather, he's becoming the very person the Sage of Six Paths hoped for.
Even if you forced him down a dark path, he just wouldn't go.
"If you're really that worried, I can only tell you—it's unnecessary.
Sorry, but I don't see Minato in Naruto at all.
What I do see is you, Jiraiya.
If you think you yourself are just some loser who can't handle a little pressure, then forget I said anything."
"*Cough, cough!!*"
Jiraiya's eyes widened.
"My shadow? Are you sure you're not mistaken?"
Yan couldn't be bothered to argue, so he just started listing examples:
"You used to love peeking into women's bathhouses when you were a kid—Naruto loves doing that too.
You used to sneak into bookstores to check out the stuff kids aren't supposed to see—Naruto still does that."
"You never took studying seriously as a kid. You were always falling behind, Naruto..."
"Alright, alright! Stop it! I get it, I get it!"
Jiraiya groaned, covering his face in frustration.
But Yan didn't let up. Instead, he added another jab:
"All these bad habits? Minato never had them."
"You say you see Minato in Naruto... How exactly?
Because of the blond hair?"
Jiraiya: "......"
*Please, I'm begging you—just pretend I never said that, alright?*
*I get it, I was wrong. Just stop talking already.*
Jiraiya finally quieted down. Only then did Yan drop the subject. He stood up, walked to the window, and looked out at the village.
"Jiraiya, the ninja world is a lot more dangerous than we think. If you really care about Naruto, then help him grow stronger as soon as possible.
Who knows? A new war could be brewing as we speak."
Waiting until he's twelve or thirteen to start training seriously?
Is that really necessary?
Why not start earlier?
Yan couldn't interfere too much with Naruto's training. But Sasuke? There was no way he was going to let Sasuke stay a weak Genin until he was twelve or thirteen.
He wouldn't allow that to happen.
No matter what happened with Naruto, Sasuke's training had to continue.
Yan needed him to grow stronger ahead of time.
"I understand. I'll do my best to teach him."
The ninja world seemed peaceful, but beneath the surface, chaos was brewing. If that surface ever cracked, war could break out at any moment.
Yan wasn't joking—recently, the village had received a lot of unusual intel.
Jiraiya had seen it all.
"Still, shouldn't we give our neighbors a little warning?"
Ever since the Akatsuki attacked Yagura, things had been tense in Kirigakure.
Some of the biggest incidents involved entire ninja clans being wiped out in Kirigakure.
But that was their own internal issue. It had nothing to do with Konohagakure, and outsiders had no right to interfere.
Lately, though, Kirigakure's long-dormant fleet had been spotted moving again across the seas.
That wasn't good news—for anyone.
"It's pointless. We should just focus on ourselves.
Even if we warn them, they won't take it seriously. Worse, they might even take offense. Why bother?"
Warn Sunagakure?
Forget it.
Not only has Sunagakure always had its eyes on Konohagakure, but why should we warn them?
Just because of some so-called alliance on paper?
Give me a break.
Sunagakure has broken treaties and stabbed Konohagakure in the back more than once.
Yan considered himself a cold-hearted person. He couldn't be like the Third Hokage, who tried to warm a venomous snake like Sunagakure—only to get bitten in return.
"Well, well, I didn't expect you guys to know how to enjoy yourselves."
At that moment, the office door swung open.
Tsunade walked in with two scrolls, glanced at the things on the table, then casually tossed the scrolls to Yan. She grabbed a bottle of sake, twisted it open, and took a drink.
Sis, my dear sis!!
It's work hours right now. As the Hokage, is it really okay for you to be drinking on the job?
Jiraiya raised his hand, about to say something to Tsunade, but she was already gulping down her drink.
Yan, on the other hand, acted like he didn't see anything and had already started reading the scroll.
Forget it. I'll just pretend I'm invisible.
After hesitating for a moment, Jiraiya decided not to remind Tsunade. Better that than getting a face full of spit—or worse, a punch.
"Well, this is interesting. Kusagakure really has some nerve."
Yan couldn't help but laugh as he read the contents of the scroll.
"You're laughing? This is all your doing. By the way, that mother and daughter you brought back from Kusagakure, are you sure it's a good idea to keep them with Orochimaru?"
A few years ago, Kusagakure came to Konoha, hoping to take advantage of them. But Yan decisively kicked them out.
Not only that, but he even sent a team to Kusagakure and wiped out their logistics division.
That's how Karin and her mother ended up being taken away as well.
Kusagakure suffered a huge loss, but they had no idea who was responsible.
Now, after all these years, they finally pinned it on Konoha.
They even went to Iwagakure, hoping Oonoki would step in and help them get justice.
"What's wrong with it?"
Yan tossed the scroll to Jiraiya, looking completely unconcerned.
"They're just two people with Uzumaki blood.
Back then, it wasn't Konoha—it was the Third Hokage and his people who betrayed the Uzumaki clan. That's why they ended up like this.
It's no surprise that those who survived don't want to use their original surname. Besides, Orochimaru isn't going to eat them."
"...."
That's ancient history. Why are you bringing it up again?
Tsunade was speechless, while Jiraiya could only give an awkward laugh.
Under the so-called 'wise leadership' of the Third Hokage, Konoha had done plenty of messed-up things—including turning on the Uzumaki clan when they needed help the most.
Danzo may have been the one who took action, but without the Third Hokage's approval, there was no way he could've led people to do it.
And in the end? Well, Danzo 'helped' Konoha's allies by taking over the Uzumaki clan's legacy and bringing back Kushina as the new Jinchuriki.
As for the rest of the Uzumaki clan… they were lucky if they weren't killed.
That's exactly why the surviving Uzumaki chose to abandon their surname and wander the world rather than seek refuge in Konoha.
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