Naruto: With Favorabiltity System

Chapter 257: Jiraiya Returns to the Village

"What are you doing, Kakashi?"

Haneda had several important things to explain, but Kakashi had teleported him away in an instant.

"Should I take you back?" Kakashi gestured to Tsunade and Jiraiya, who were drinking together at a table.

"No need."

Haneda waved his hand. The matter of Itachi and Shisui's ocular power and the transplantation of the First Hokage's cells could be postponed.

After all, Itachi and Shisui hadn't had their Mangekyō Sharingan for very long and hadn't yet fully developed their ocular abilities.

Haneda was about to say something to Tsunade and Jiraiya when Shikaku walked in, his eyes slightly red as he glared at Tsunade.

"Lady Tsunade! Drinking is not allowed in the Hokage's office! The Hokage himself is right here watching!"

"So what? The old man used to smoke in the office all the time. Why can't I have a drink?"

Tsunade retorted dismissively.

But to avoid offending Shikaku, who was in charge of the village finances, she promptly punched Jiraiya on the head.

"You let me drink with you, and now we've been caught!"

"Wait, you're the one who dragged me into drinking!"

"And you still dare to talk back?"

"Ahhhh!"

Shikaku watched the miserable Jiraiya and wondered where he'd gotten the courage to speak to Tsunade like that.

The woman in front of him was far scarier than his own wife!

"Ahem… Lady Tsunade, I actually have something to discuss with Lord Jiraiya," Haneda coughed a few times and quietly reminded her.

"I'll heal him, don't worry."

After speaking, Tsunade turned and instantly healed Jiraiya's bruised and swollen face.

Haneda, Kakashi, and Shikaku all swallowed nervously. They couldn't help but think how terrifying Tsunade was as a medical ninja.

Once Jiraiya had returned to his usual self, Haneda extended an invitation:

"Are you interested in becoming an elder?"

"Nope." Jiraiya rejected him without hesitation.

Agreeing to return to the village with Tsunade and assist on the Cloud Village front didn't mean he was willing to work for Haneda long-term.

Although Haneda had a good relationship with his disciples, Jiraiya was used to his carefree lifestyle and had no interest in being tied down.

Haneda wasn't surprised by the rejection. He took out something even Jiraiya would have a hard time refusing—a scroll containing the secrets of the Telescope Technique!

Haneda opened the scroll slightly, revealing only the name of the technique. The moment Jiraiya saw it, his expression changed.

Haneda teased, "So, what do you think? The Telescope Technique—able to spy on beautiful women from a distance without being noticed."

Jiraiya resisted his desire and refused again:

"No, I can't.

"Even though I've wanted this jutsu for a long time, I enjoy the thrill of peeping and the risk of being caught. That's what sparks my creative inspiration! Yes, that's it!"

"You even admit to peeping into women's bathhouses?"

Tsunade raised her fist, as big as a boulder, and glared at Jiraiya with a sinister smile.

"I'll give you three seconds to decide—will you become an elder of Konoha or not?"

"Tsunade, this is…"

"Three."

"This really isn't for me! I don't want to work in an office!"

"Two."

"I, Jiraiya, am a man of principle! I won't let a woman bully me!"

"Zero!"

"You skipped one! Where's one?! Where's one?!"

"Yamerooo! Ahhhh!"

In front of Haneda, Kakashi, and Shikaku, Tsunade once again pummeled Jiraiya mercilessly.

In an attempt to save the poor man, Shikaku spoke up:

"Actually, you can delegate most of the work to me, like the others do…"

Jiraiya flipped over, pointing at Tsunade as he warned:

"Let me make this clear—I'm not afraid of you, Tsunade! I, Jiraiya, just don't want to work in an office!"

"Fine, I'll take the position of elder!"

Tsunade smiled knowingly and calmly healed Jiraiya again.

Watching this unfold, Haneda couldn't help but think: First love really is something else.

No matter what Tsunade asked, Jiraiya was always willing to make sacrifices.

In the office, Haneda, Kakashi, and Jiraiya discussed Konoha's ongoing conflict with the Hidden Cloud.

Haneda's strategy was to stall for time.

By delaying the war, Zabuza and Pakura could gather enough evidence, and Haneda could prepare for a personal intervention.

Of course, during the discussion, Haneda did not reveal anything about the Akatsuki.

In a way, the Akatsuki was his "black glove," meant to handle matters Konoha couldn't address openly.

After the tactical discussions ended, Haneda brought up Naruto.

Regardless of their teacher-student relationship in the original timeline, Naruto's father, Minato, had been Jiraiya's student.

"Naruto's staying at my house. Do you want to visit him?" Haneda asked.

Jiraiya naturally knew who Naruto was.

After all, Minato had named his son after the protagonist in Jiraiya's novel.

Jiraiya replied, "I'll go check on the kid. Let's see if he's even half as outstanding as Minato was."

"You can't expect too much from a child," Haneda said, placing a hand on Jiraiya's shoulder.

In an instant, using the Flying Thunder God Technique, they teleported near Naruto's location.

Haneda didn't teleport directly to Naruto's side; he didn't want to deal with Sasuke's accusatory stares.

"Well, well, looks like Naruto's made himself a good friend," Jiraiya remarked, hiding in the bushes and watching Sasuke teach Naruto how to refine chakra.

Sasuke's tsundere demeanor and the caring look in his eyes were completely transparent to the Sannin.

It was immediately clear to Jiraiya that the relationship between the two boys went far beyond mere friendship.

"Ever since Haneda returned, Naruto's made plenty of friends," Kakashi commented nearby.

"Really? He didn't have any before?" Jiraiya asked curiously.

Kakashi and Haneda exchanged a glance, sighed, and explained:

"Naruto… had a rough life.

"Up until last year, he lived as a demon fox in the eyes of the villagers. There were rumors blaming him for the death of Lord Fourth, Minato-sensei.

"Everyone hated him, resented him. Even shopkeepers wouldn't let him in. The milk in his fridge was always expired, and he often had to eat instant ramen…"

Jiraiya couldn't listen anymore. His eyes reddened as he asked angrily:

"What about the old man? What was Hiruzen doing? How could he let Minato's child be treated like this?"

"It's all in the past now," Haneda said. "Suffering isn't worth dwelling on.

"Naruto is doing well now, and his future will be even better."

Kakashi added, "That's right. Haneda has adopted Naruto. He has many friends now, and Haneda has put a stop to the rumors."

Jiraiya's expression softened slightly, though he resolved to confront the Third Hokage about this.

He understood why Haneda and Kakashi had been absent—one had left in anger, disappointed with the village, while the other had been preoccupied with war.

But he, Jiraiya, had no such excuse.

Unlike Haneda, the village hadn't done anything to warrant his leaving.

Unlike Kakashi, he hadn't even visited the village in all these years to check on Naruto.

"Thank you, Haneda.

"Not just for Naruto, but for Konoha as a whole.

"You've helped Naruto make friends, and you've led Konoha to greatness once more."

Jiraiya sincerely expressed his gratitude.

Through Tsunade, he had learned much about the current state of Konoha and knew full well what Haneda had accomplished.