I became Hokage in Tokyo

Chapters 314 & 315: The Divine Tree and the Nine-Tailed Fox

"There are still two problems left."

Jiraiya's words left everyone speechless, their expressions incredibly varied.

That's considered a problem?!

"That counts..."

Before the Tokyo governor, who was looking incredulous, could utter more than a few words, Uchiha Senmon swiftly covered his mouth.

"Inspector Uchiha, well done!"

The Superintendent General immediately gave him an approving look, and the other bigwigs belatedly realized what was happening and glared angrily at the Governor of Tokyo.

"Hey, Ide, stop doing something stupid."

"Governor, please shut up!"

If the Governor of Tokyo were to finish asking "That counts as a question," and Jiraiya were to say, "That's right, there's one last question left," then things would get really interesting.

Faced with the reprimands from his colleagues, the Tokyo governor's face turned pale and then red, and he shrank back, not daring to say another word.

The first question asked by the Governor of Tokyo without authorization, "Are all members of the Akatsuki Kage-level shikigami?", had some value, but it was not worth using up three of his precious question slots.

If the second question is used in such a ridiculous way again, everyone will surely tear the Governor of Tokyo apart on the spot!

The remaining two questions were of paramount importance and could very well determine Japan's fate for the next century, so no one present dared to make decisions on their own.

Meanwhile, the members of parliament and the governors of various prefectures who were working overtime in the National Diet building to monitor the situation were also filled with righteous indignation and anger.

"Can't you just stay silent? You have to get him fired!"

"Who promoted that idiot Tokyo governor to this position?"

"The cabinet must take responsibility for this."

In his words, the Governor of Tokyo was portrayed as a great sinner against the Yamato people.

The prime minister and several cabinet ministers present also looked rather grim.

The governor of Tokyo was naturally one of their people, but the mistake he made was so elementary that the opposition parties and local forces attacked him, leaving them speechless.

"Now is not the time to investigate the Tokyo governor's inappropriate remarks. Let's first consider what to ask the remaining two questions! If we drag this out for too long and displease Jiraiya-sama, the remaining two questions will be wasted, which would be a loss and irresponsible to the country."

At the Prime Minister's instruction, the Minister of Justice stood up and spoke loudly.

The Minister of Justice's words are not without merit.

Because of the shock caused by the supernatural event, Japan is currently in turmoil, with people feeling anxious and society in chaos. Even the opposition parties are unwilling to take responsibility, and the condemnation has temporarily subsided.

"Only two questions are far too few; many mysteries remain unsolved. Can't you ask a few more?"

The councilors began to rack their brains, weighing the pros and cons, and for a moment they didn't know what question would be most advantageous.

If possible, the Japanese leadership would certainly prefer to hold a press conference, where Jiraiya would answer all the questions in great detail.

However, they also knew how to assess the situation. Right now, the Japanese high command needed Jiraiya's help, and the fact that Jiraiya allowed them to ask questions was already a great favor.

Making further demands is just taking advantage of someone's kindness and being unreasonable.

"Could we use a honey trap? Pick out the most beautiful and busty actresses, gravure idols, and female celebrities, and make the immortal feel comfortable. He'll definitely be able to reveal more information about the underworld."

Some people had wild ideas, but many councilors nodded repeatedly, as if they thought the suggestion was quite reliable.

"Wonderful! Absolutely brilliant! You're a genius!"

"Our party's Representative Morishita is a well-known beauty in the political world. Having her as the Governor of Tokyo would definitely be better than that idiot Ide!"

"Oh ho ho, it's that beautiful assassin from the girl group."

In Japan over the past decade or so, beauty pageants have become incredibly popular, especially in major cities like Tokyo, Yokohama, and Osaka.

The initial goal of fielding a female candidate was to win over female voters, but the response was unexpectedly enthusiastic, and she even won over many male voters.

One reason is that voters are tired of the same old faces of men being voted for repeatedly. Since it doesn't matter who they vote for, they might as well vote for a political newcomer. If it is a good-looking, young and beautiful female candidate, then she will get even more votes.

Moreover, even if the female candidate is not elected, she can still draw votes from other parties.

As a result, various political parties put forward their own beautiful female candidates to run in other parties' strongholds and ruthlessly betray them.

Those female candidates, often referred to as "beautiful assassins" by the media, were thus dubbed "flower vase candidates."

"Member Morishita is old and has lost her looks, while our party's Member Takiguchi Riko is a professor at Ochanomizu University, an intellectual beauty!"

Since everyone is vying for the title of beautiful female assassin, the competition is naturally getting fiercer. Being young and pretty is not enough; adding other attributes makes them even more sought after.

"Enough! This arguing is unbecoming."

The Prime Minister's face darkened, and he rebuked him.

However, he was also planning to select the most attractive female civil servants in Tokyo as a backup.

Unfortunately, there's simply not enough time now.

After a brief and urgent consultation inside the National Diet Building, the second issue was assigned to the Ginza Club.

"Inspector Uchiha, it's your turn to ask the questions."

Jiraiya-sama doesn't give men a friendly look and seems to dislike them, but he's relatively kind to the Uchiha Senmon, making him the most suitable person to represent the Japanese leadership in asking questions.

Even though it's just a small detail, it should still be done to perfection, because there are no small matters when it comes to extraordinary things.

"Lord Jiraiya, may I ask why the Akatsuki is searching for the Nine-Tailed Fox in Japan?" Uchiha Senmon asked respectfully.

"Hey, that's a good question."

Jiraiya looked up and said with an unsurprised expression.

This question not only inquires about the Akatsuki's purpose, but also touches upon the origin of the Nine-Tails.

"The Nine-Tails has been a great calamity since ancient times. Even the gods are terrified of it, and countless countries have been destroyed by it. The Nine-Tails possesses the power to destroy the world, and no one would not want to obtain this power."

Upon hearing this, Uchiha Senmon frowned.

If Jiraiya's answer is just a perfunctory one, then the question has been wasted.

"Of course, Akatsuki's desire to obtain the Nine-Tails is not that simple. The Nine-Tails may very well be the root cause of the Age of Gods' destruction, which is why Akatsuki wants to get their hands on it."

Jiraiya toyed with the sake cup in his hand and uttered a startling statement.

Everyone in the private room stared wide-eyed, their faces filled with disbelief.

The Age of Gods was an ancient era in which gods strode across the earth and resided in the clouds. Even from just a few words spoken by Jiraiya, one can imagine what a magnificent and turbulent time it was!

Was it the nine-tailed fox that brought such a glorious era of gods to an end?!

Uchiha Senmon's eyes flashed, and he became somewhat suspicious.

While Tamamo-no-Mae, with her golden hair and white face, is one of the three great yokai of Japan, she cannot be compared with Yamata no Orochi in terms of fame and influence.

Moreover, the end of the Age of Gods was not limited to Japan; it ended much earlier in other parts of the world.

Could the nine-tailed fox really be powerful enough to bring an end to the age of gods in other civilizations?

"I mentioned to you before that the destruction of the Age of Gods originated from a 'seed' of destruction."

Everyone couldn't help but nod in agreement.

Although the Japanese leadership is curious about the demise of the Age of Gods, they are unaware that this event occurred thousands of years ago and is unrelated to the crises Japan has faced since the 19th year of the Heisei era. There is no need to delve into the details.

"An ancient stele preserved at Mount Myōboku records that what led the Age of Gods to its demise was a 'seed' from beyond the universe!"

Jiraiya held his sake cup, his usually carefree expression now filled with seriousness.

"It is said that the 'seed' took root and sprouted in the mountains, absorbing the magma and the ocean, and its canopy could cover an entire continent, growing into a divine tree tens of thousands of feet tall. The divine tree exhausted the spiritual energy of the entire planet, which led to the decline of the Age of Gods."

Uchiha Senmon's pupils suddenly contracted to their maximum.

As Jiraiya previously stated, the "seeds" of destruction "fell from the sky," "took root and sprouted," ultimately leading to the demise of the Age of Gods.

Is it not merely a metaphorical device, but a true description...?

"However, some ancient books also contain contradictory records, saying that the 'seed' is actually a beast egg. It hatches into a divine beast with nine heads and forty-five tails, which devours all the various divine civilizations on the continent before self-destructing and dying."

Everyone was so shocked they were speechless.

"Lord Jiraiya, even a sage like you..."

The Tokyo governor couldn't help but try to interject, but was immediately glared at by the Superintendent General of Police, which snapped him out of his daze.

I almost used up my last chance to ask a question.

"How old do you think I am this year?" Jiraiya asked in return.

The Superintendent General of Police and Uchiha Senmon both showed thoughtful expressions.

Based on the "Tales of Jiraiya the Hero," Jiraiya's birth date must have been before the Edo period, but his exact age is unknown.

Jiraiya is not mentioned in older mythological texts such as the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, so he should not be a figure from before the Heian period.

"Even extraordinary beings cannot all live forever, otherwise the elixir of immortality wouldn't be such a treasure in the inner world. This immortal is not even a thousand years old yet, still very young."

Apart from the Uchiha Senmon, all the high-ranking officials present were over fifty years old with gray hair; Jiraiya, on the other hand, was practically at Versailles.

"The 'seed' descended to the earth during the age of gods five thousand years ago. How could I, an immortal, possibly know all the details? I can only glimpse a small part of the truth from the fragmented ancient books that have been passed down."

Everyone's thoughts immediately began to wander, each with their own ideas.

Five thousand years ago?

"This is even older than the history of civilization in East Asia; the ancient civilization next door is only four thousand years old," the Defense Minister muttered to himself.

In Japanese parlance, the history of civilization of the great nation of China has always been referred to as four thousand years.

Compared to Western countries, Japan is relatively polite. Western countries only recognize the Shang Dynasty, while Japanese civilization originated in the Central Plains and therefore recognizes the Xia Dynasty, which was established in 2070 BC. Rounding up, that's four thousand years of civilization history.

After all, it's only natural for descendants to feel proud of their ancestors' past wealth.

While the great secret that led to the demise of the Age of Gods is undoubtedly invaluable intelligence, it is not of great value to the current Japanese government.

"Besides the most likely divine tree and the nine-headed divine beast, the ancient texts record many more names, such as outer gods, alien gods, the eye of the moon..."

A gray toad silently jumped onto the table.

"I dare not speak definitively about the specific truth, but the latter version is more widely circulated in the Inner World. And the Nine-Tailed Fox is a great demon born from the corpse of a divine beast, inheriting the power of the era that annihilated the gods!"

Jiraiya reached into the toad's mouth, and a large amber bottle, more than half a person's height, appeared in the center of the private room.

Everyone's eyes widened in surprise.

The Uchiha Sage Sect's report mentioned that this was the Sage Artifact that Jiraiya used to seal Kaguya.

"There are countless ambitious people who covet the power of the Nine-Tails, but after the end of the Age of Gods in Japan and the death of the last Jinchūriki, Tamamo-no-Mae, the Nine-Tails completely disappeared. The Akatsuki organization also coveted this power that could destroy the Age of Gods, and followed the clues to find the previous Jinchūriki, Kaguya-hime, who was sealed in Mount Fuji, hoping to use her as a springboard to find the Nine-Tails."

Jiraiya downed another bottle of Junmai Daiginjo sake, slightly tipsy, and slurred his words, laughing carefree.

"It's been a while since I've been to the mortal world for research. I've had a bit too much to drink and almost forgot about this... The Akatsuki are determined to get the Nine-Tails, they definitely won't let this opportunity slip by. That masked guy who hides his face will probably be coming to take back Kaguya soon!"

Whether it was the bureaucrats present or the bigwigs in the National Diet Building and the Imperial Palace, they were all stunned by the bombshell that Jiraiya had dropped, and they all jumped up and down as if their eyebrows were on fire.

Why didn't his grandma say anything about something so crucial before?!

This isn't just an amber vase; it's a ticking time bomb, the kind of super bomb that could blow up the entire city of Tokyo.

If the Akatsuki were to be drawn to Tokyo, and a major catastrophe such as the Battle of Sapporo or the eruption of Mount Fuji were to occur, Japan would truly face annihilation!

"Now you have one last question. Do you have anything to ask?"

Jiraiya picked up his wine cup again and took a sip, a hint of schadenfreude in his expression.

Although everyone was very unhappy that Jiraiya had brought trouble to Tokyo, they dared not retaliate.

In the end, he could only swallow his pride and, after receiving instructions from the Prime Minister, the Defense Minister stepped forward, lowered his head, and said humbly:

"Lord Jiraiya, is there anything we can do to help? Please feel free to ask us for anything; we will do it even at the cost of our lives!"

(End of this chapter)