I became Hokage in Tokyo

Chapters 330 and 331: Rising to Prominence

Toads, snakes, slugs?

These three animals are the summoned beasts of Jiraiya and Tsunade, the male and female protagonists of "Jiraiya Gouketsudan", and Orochimaru, the villain.

Also, what does it mean to hope to become that kind of person?

Jiraiya's words left the Uchiha Sage Sect somewhat bewildered.

"Whatever, it doesn't matter which one you like. If you try to cultivate to become a sage at Mount Myōboku, you'll most likely turn into a toad."

The Uchiha Immortal Sect had a sudden inspiration.

He immediately recalled watching the battle from afar, when Jiraiya suddenly transformed into a frog, his appearance changed drastically, and his power and magic increased greatly, temporarily suppressing Tobi.

Is Jiraiya going to teach me this kind of magic called Sage Transformation?

The usually composed Uchiha Senmon looked up in surprise and delight, his eyes burning with passion.

"However, becoming an immortal is not so easy to learn. Even a genius like myself had to exert a great deal of effort to master it."

Jiraiya gave himself a thumbs-up, boasting smugly before reminding himself:

"Whether you can learn it or not is another matter. If you fail, you'll turn into a toad, and eventually into a stone. So, kid, have you thought it through?"

Uchiha Senmon immediately recalled the report about the countless toad statues scattered throughout the mountains and valleys of the Toad Oil Waterfall, which he believed represented the doom of the losers.

But after a moment's thought, he still said decisively:

"Please enlighten me, Jiraiya-sama!"

"Is Mr. Jiraiya going to take his senior as a disciple as well?"

Mineko Yuki clenched her fists, her heart brimming with joy. She forcibly suppressed her happiness, but the corners of her mouth turned up in a smile.

Great!

Now she and her Uchiha-senpai are fellow disciples.

Wait, I started learning the art earlier than Uchiha-senpai, so I should be Uchiha-senpai's senior.

Wouldn't that mess up the relationship between seniors and juniors?

"I didn't say that. I only gave you some pointers out of respect for Princess Konohana. This kid can't be considered my disciple."

The toad sage, who had a complete double standard with men and women, waved his hand dismissively, saying...

"This kid can use Wood Release, so he can be considered a promising talent. I, an immortal, have not been able to descend to the mortal realm for the past three years due to the Separation of Heaven and Earth, but even in the mortal world, we need capable laborers."

Although Jiraiya's words were blunt, Uchiha Senmon didn't take them to heart and respectfully asked:

"I wonder what Jiraiya-sama wants me to do?"

"Intelligence is of utmost importance. Afei only fell into my hands this time because he leaked information beforehand. I need you to gather intelligence, since the Nine-Tails is most likely sealed in the real world."

Jiraiya didn't dislike intelligent and sensible people like Uchiha Senmon.

"Afei's last words really bothered me. I originally thought the Akatsuki was just coveting the Nine-Tails' power, but it seems there's more to it than meets the eye. It would be best if we could find out the Nine-Tails' whereabouts within the three years of the Sekiji Tenchō."

Kaguya, the former Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails, has fallen into Jiraiya's hands, which means he has already seized the Nine-Tails' fox tail.

Jiraiya pulled out a huge scroll, more than half a person's height, from his waist and said to Mineko Yuuki:

"Mineko, sign your name on this summoning scroll, and you will officially enter the gates of Mount Myōboku. Through the bond established by leaving your name, this immortal can also summon you to Mount Myōboku."

笔！

Mineko Yuki frantically rummaged through her pockets.

"Bite your finger, dip it in blood, write your name on it, and then leave the blood-stained fingerprints of the five fingers of that hand. That's all."

Looking at the enormous summoning contract for the toads of Mount Myōboku, Mineko Yuuki secretly glanced at Senmon Uchiha, feeling somewhat troubled.

Biting your finger must hurt a lot, but it's nothing. It's just that doing something so barbaric in front of the Uchiha senior might make you look bad.

"Girls are such a hassle."

Jiraiya scratched his head, took out a senbon from his sleeve, and casually handed it to Mineko Yuuki.

It's definitely easier to prick your finger with a sage stick than to bite it yourself.

Uchiha Senmon looked at the senbon needles and felt something was off.

Then it dawned on him that Jiraiya-sama was one of the legendary Sannin, so it was only natural that he carried ninja tools.

Just then, more and more golden light spots dissipated from Jiraiya's body, and his body became increasingly illusory, clearly indicating that he didn't have much time left to stay in the mortal world.

"Boy, leave your name here too. When we get to Mount Myōboku, I'll teach you how to become a sage. But don't bother leaving your fingerprint here; I don't intend to take you as my disciple."

While the two were signing the summoning scroll while lying on the ground, Jiraiya beckoned to the deputy prime minister and others standing to the side, signaling them to come over.

"Lord Jiraiya. I greatly admire you. Could I learn from you as well...?"

The elderly deputy prime minister rubbed his hands together, his face beaming with smiles, and bowed obsequiously.

"Me too! Me too! I'm very eager to learn!"

"I hope the immortal can give me a chance, even if it's just to be a sweeping servant under the immortal's command, I would be happy to do it."

As soon as the Deputy Prime Minister spoke, others hurriedly chimed in, afraid of missing out on this auspicious opportunity.

A group of middle-aged men stared longingly at the Toad Sage, their faces crinkling with such obsequious smiles that flies could be trapped in the wrinkles.

We are all young talents with an average age of just over fifty, still very young.

Our filial piety will certainly not disappoint you, Jiraiya.

"Is it that this immortal hasn't woken up yet, or that you all haven't woken up yet?"

Jiraiya glanced sideways at the group of middle-aged and elderly men, raised an eyebrow, and his expression became increasingly strange. Instead of being angry, he smiled and said:

"Throughout history, those in power have always been equally shameless. They never even take a piss and look at their own faces in the mirror; they're just delusional, dreaming big!"

After being harshly reprimanded by Jiraiya, the deputy prime minister and the others smiled sheepishly, not too disappointed.

From the beginning, they knew that the chances of being accepted as Jiraiya's apprentices were extremely slim, but they were willing to take any chances, and if they succeeded, it would be like a windfall.

"Don't think that you can rest easy after you've severed the connection between heaven and earth. Before I leave, I'll give you a few more words of advice," Jiraiya said solemnly.

"Please enlighten me, immortal."

The deputy prime minister and other bureaucrats, like schoolchildren, stood with their hands at their sides, listening attentively.

"After the separation of heaven and earth, even shadow-level powerhouses and gods can no longer project their power and knowledge into the lower realms as crudely as before, but they can still barely project a small portion of their power and knowledge."

Jiraiya said in a nonchalant tone:

"The Akatsuki organization can't just lie low and waste three years. They'll definitely try something crooked, like spreading unrest, inciting people, or even turning ordinary people into their puppets to achieve their ulterior motives."

The deputy prime minister and others were shocked and began to have all sorts of wild speculations.

Even though a Kage-level powerhouse cannot directly intervene in the battle, they can still interfere with reality from behind the scenes.

Jiraiya-sama sent Yuki and the Uchiha to Mount Myōboku for training, surely as a precaution.

It sounds somewhat like a proxy war where Kage-level powerhouses are vying for supremacy.

"There's one more thing to be aware of. The spirits that appear after the spiritual energy has recovered are not a threat to you with your current weapons and equipment."

Jiraiya said calmly:

"But if there are transcendent beings who were sealed away and left to eke out a living in the mortal world after the end of the Age of Gods, they might be awakened by the rising tide of spiritual energy, which could be troublesome."

The Superintendent of Police's expression suddenly turned serious.

He recalled the ghost of Minamoto no Yorimitsu residing in the armor in the dossier, and the Arakawa water god who disappeared after wiping out the Sei-no-gumi. Both of these cases could be supernatural beings left behind in Japan after the Age of Gods.

"What if a second powerful being, sealed away like Princess Kaguya, were to reappear in the world, Lord Jiraiya?"

"Kaguya-hime, who consumed the elixir of immortality, is an exception. Even if a Kage-level powerhouse were sealed for a thousand years in a near-magic-free environment, even if he miraculously survived, he would still be a corpse with lingering life force. It's impossible for him to cause such a commotion as Kaguya-hime, but the fact that it has accumulated power is still a considerable problem."

Jiraiya's words hung like the Sword of Damocles over everyone's heads, causing them to feel extremely confused.

Although the Akatsuki organization, a major threat, has been temporarily eliminated, there is still no peace of mind.

The Superintendent of Police secretly thought that the next step was to thoroughly investigate all places across the country with ancient supernatural legends, just to be on the safe side.

However, the Fourth Investigation Division and the Fifth Public Security Division have been separated from the police system and formed the Supernatural Countermeasures Headquarters.

Can a Supernatural Countermeasures Headquarters in its initial planning stages handle such tedious work? Just thinking about it puts immense pressure on me.

"Alright, this immortal should be leaving now. The rest of you are on your own."

A golden light enveloped Jiraiya's entire body, making him appear like wisps of smoke, as if he might vanish into thin air at any moment.

He turned his back to everyone and addressed Yuuki Mineko and Uchiha Senmon:

"After you've signed your names, return the scroll. I'll summon you to Mount Myōboku for training whenever I have time."

"Yes."

The Uchiha Sage Sect members respectfully returned the summoning scroll to its original owner with both hands.

"Speaking of which, kid who uses Wood Release, I don't even know your name yet. Let me see..."

Jiraiya casually spread the scroll on his arm, glanced at it casually, and then his expression suddenly changed.

"Uchiha?! Masaga..."

Before he finished speaking, he transformed into countless specks of light and vanished without a trace.

After Jiraiya, the Toad Sage, left, everyone immediately turned their attention to Mineko Yuuki and Senmon Uchiha.

It's utterly absurd that such extraordinary and mysterious power, the possibility of prolonging life, or even immortality, was obtained by a mere young girl and a tiny, insignificant vigilante!

They were just some young, handsome men and beautiful women; I didn't see anything particularly special about them.

Some people experience acid reflux.

Some were even driven mad with jealousy.

That old lecherous Toad Immortal is blind and doesn't recognize a gem like me!

The one who should become an immortal and an ancestor is me!

The intense, envious, jealous, and resentful gazes made the younger Mineko Yuki feel like she was sitting on pins and needles.

He immediately wanted to glare back, but remembering the identities and positions of these people, he could only give up and timidly hid behind the Uchiha Senmon.

But those malicious gazes vanished in just a few breaths, replaced by warm and friendly faces.

"Inspector Uchiha is a handsome and talented man, and Miss Yuki is gentle and virtuous. No wonder Lord Jiraiya favors you both!"

"Yes, it is because outstanding young people like you step forward that Japan has a future."

"I wonder if Inspector Uchiha is married? Oh dear, I'm getting senile. And what about Miss Yuki?"

Several high-ranking citizens gathered around, and like friendly old neighbors, they inquired about each other's well-being.

Since they couldn't get close to the Toad Sage, they had to settle for second best and try to win over Jiraiya's disciples.

When one attains enlightenment, even his chickens and dogs ascend to heaven. Yuki and the Uchiha have latched onto the Toad Sage's coattails, and they're sure to rise to prominence... Bah! At this point, what are worldly political power and wealth worth?

It's always good to establish positive relationships early on.

Moreover, Mount Myoboku still has elixirs of immortality. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could obtain a few?

The Superintendent General of Police looked at Uchiha Senmon, who was calm and composed amidst the crowd, and took a few steps forward to get closer, but was pulled aside by the Deputy Prime Minister by his sleeve.

"That Uchiha is one of yours, isn't he?"

The deputy prime minister, who used to fawn over Jiraiya, now has a dignified appearance, a protruding belly, and a rather imposing air about him.

The Superintendent of Police hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

"I've seen this Inspector Uchiha's resume. He's a graduate of Tokyo University, has worked in the Fourth Investigation Division for over ten years, is highly experienced, and has made many contributions. He also has good relationships with people like Tosu, Yuki, and Kanbara."

The Deputy Prime Minister spoke eloquently, clearly having given it much thought.

"Now they've risen to the top in one fell swoop, gaining the favor of Princess Konohana Sakura and the Toad Sage, becoming extraordinary beings. How can we, the local faction, not play such a powerful card?"

"Deputy Prime Minister, what do you mean..." The Superintendent of Police looked thoughtful.

"It would be better to replace the head of the Supernatural Countermeasures Headquarters with one of our own."

Although the Supernatural Countermeasures Headquarters is still just a makeshift organization, the head of it is a candidate put forward by the US.

Although the crisis that Tokyo faced has only just passed, the local faction is already eager to seize power and regain control.

"Yokota Base won't give in so easily." The Superintendent General of Police pondered for a while before slowly saying, "It would be best to get the Imperial Palace's approval."

As a local figure, the Superintendent General of Police naturally had no objection and actively offered suggestions.

Although the Japanese Imperial Family is merely a figurehead, it still holds a significant position in the political arena.

"However, the Imperial Palace should be on our side."

"Oh, Director, what makes you say that? Is it because Inspector Uchiha saved Prince Akishino?"

The Deputy Prime Minister smiled knowingly and said with interest, "He is merely a prince, not His Majesty. Besides, in the eyes of the Cloud Lord, it is only natural for public servants to risk their lives for them. The concept of a life-saving grace is completely foreign to them."

The person in the clouds, also known as the person in the palace.

Originating in the Heian period, this term referred to the court nobles who were qualified to pay homage to the Emperor at the Seiryoden Hall. Generally, there were three of them (third rank). Lower-ranking officials who did not have this qualification were called "underground people."

On the Japanese internet, the term "cloud person" is also used to sarcastically refer to those aloof and detached powerful figures who seem to have no connection with the real world.

A strange light flashed in the eyes of the Superintendent General of Police.

Officials of his rank and the Deputy Prime Minister's rank can naturally be considered high-ranking officials.

It is only natural for public servants to risk their lives and not expect anything in return; this is probably the true view of the Deputy Prime Minister himself.

"Not only that."

The Superintendent General spoke with certainty and confidence.

"The person standing behind Inspector Uchiha is none other than Konohana Sakuya-hime!"

(End of this chapter)