Traveling through Naruto, I am Uchiha Obito?

He touched the slightly warm mark on Sasuke's lower abdomen.

"Pour your chakra here. There will be a 'surprise'."

He deliberately dragged out the tone, adding a touch of mystery.

Sasuke looked down at the faintly glowing mark on his lower abdomen that was slowly fading away, then looked up at the clansman who had helped him time and time again and given him hope.

An indescribable warmth and profound gratitude welled up in my heart, overwhelming all other complex emotions.

He didn't say anything more, but straightened his back again, bowed deeply and heavily to the Rubik's Cube, and performed a respectful and grateful bow in the most solemn manner.

"Thank you!"

……

Soon after, news of Sasuke's defection spread throughout the village.

The news of Sasuke's defection was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating a massive upheaval in Konoha. Every corner was filled with shock, incomprehension, and malicious gossip.

Upon learning this, Naruto rushed out almost instinctively! He couldn't accept Sasuke's departure without saying goodbye, and he couldn't accept that his best friend had completely entrusted him to a crazy guy like Orochimaru.

Filled with pain, anger, and resentment, he pursued Sasuke relentlessly until they finally engaged in a fierce battle at the Valley of the End, a place symbolizing destiny.

The outcome of the battle remained unchanged, seemingly following some cruel twist of fate, with the scales of victory tipping in Sasuke's favor. When everything finally settled, Naruto was already exhausted and unconscious.

The Rubik's Cube, which had been silently observing from the shadows, emerged without a sound. It walked to Naruto's side and skillfully treated his wounds with medical ninjutsu. Then, it carried the battered and unconscious blond boy on its back, embarking on the long journey back to Konoha.

Throughout the journey, Naruto, perched on Rubik's Cube's back, remained unusually quiet, only his weak and painful breathing audible. The heaviness he felt didn't stem from his physical injuries, but from his own weakness and the pain of loss. Rubik's Cube could clearly sense this silent grief.

Back in Konoha, the Magic Cube placed Naruto in a hospital bed. Although his external injuries had mostly healed, his broken heart could only be left to time, or perhaps to Naruto himself.

"Take good care of yourself,"

The Rubik's Cube whispered a gentle instruction.

"do not think too much."

Kakashi arrived quickly. He stood by the bedside, his eyes beneath his silver hair filled with a complex and unfathomable expression. He offered only a few words of comfort, carefully avoiding the most somber and painful name—Sasuke.

He offered no lectures or words of comfort, but simply stayed quietly by my side for a while before leaving. That silence, too, carried the weight of a mentor's powerlessness.

Sakura came too. When she saw that only Naruto was lying alone in the hospital bed, the last glimmer of hope in her heart was completely shattered. Overwhelmed by immense loss and sorrow.

She tried to say a few words of comfort to Naruto, but before she could speak, tears streamed down her face. She covered her face, and her suppressed sobs sounded particularly desolate in the quiet hospital room.

Jiraiya also arrived. Looking at his disciple, so distraught on the sickbed, he felt a pang of pity and tried to offer advice, speaking from experience:

"Naruto... perhaps... it's time to learn to let go."

However, in response, Naruto abruptly raised his head, his deep blue eyes, though dim, burning with an almost obsessive flame:

"Put it down?!" "How can someone who can't even save a single comrade become Hokage?!"

His voice was hoarse yet exceptionally firm, crashing to the ground like a vow.

"If not knowing when to give up makes you a fool..."

He looked directly at Jiraiya, speaking slowly and deliberately:

"Then I'd rather be a fool for the rest of my life!"

Seeing the unwavering resolve in his disciple's eyes, Jiraiya's words of comfort stuck in his throat. In the end, he said nothing, only patted Naruto's shoulder heavily, and turned to leave the room. His retreating figure carried a deep sense of helplessness, and also a barely perceptible hint of…envy.

Time slipped away quietly in the oppressive atmosphere. Naruto was finally discharged from the hospital. Regaining his strength, he was almost impatient to find Jiraiya and begin even more arduous training.

He did it both to bring Sasuke back and for his dream of becoming Hokage. He pushed open the door to the hospital room; the sunlight was a little blinding.

However, the moment he stepped out of the hospital, a piece of news, like a bolt from the blue, swept through every corner of Konoha Village like a storm, filling the discussions on every street:

"Announcement: The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, will officially abdicate in the coming days!"

"By unanimous decision of the Daimyo of the Land of Fire and the high-ranking officials of Konoha, the position of Hokage will be inherited by the Third Hokage's personal disciple, one of the legendary 'Sannin'—Lord Jiraiya!"

"At the same time, Lady Tsunade, who is also one of the 'Legendary Sannin,' is appointed as the assistant to the Fifth Hokage!"

A huge notice was posted at the village entrance, and villagers gathered, discussing it animatedly, their faces filled with shock and disbelief. Jiraiya, the wandering hero who wrote erotic novels… was actually going to become their Fifth Hokage?!

Naruto stood at the hospital entrance, listening to the noisy discussions around him and looking at the crowd of people gathered in front of the bulletin board in the distance. He felt as if he had been frozen in place.

His newly ignited eagerness to immediately devote himself to cultivation was instantly shattered by this sudden, momentous news that was enough to change the course of the village.

Jiraiya-sensei... is going to become Hokage?

Chapter 59 The storm is coming

Chapter 59 The storm is coming

A large crowd gathered in front of the huge notice board, their faces a mixture of shock, curiosity, and even some doubt about whether the "lustful immortal" could shoulder such an important task.

The news, like an invisible shockwave, shattered Naruto's initial impulse to urgently seek out his teacher for training when he was discharged from the hospital. He stood there dumbfounded, his bright blue eyes wide open, his mind a complete mess.

"Naruto!"

A familiar voice came through, tinged with anxiety. Sakura came running up, breathless, her face still wet with tears, but her expression was now one of deep concern for Naruto.

"Are you...are you alright? That news..."

Naruto snapped back to reality, his gaze fixed on Sakura's face, where that familiar stubbornness and confusion intertwined:

"Sakura, is that perverted sage really going to become Hokage?"

"Um……"

Sakura nodded, her feelings equally complicated.

"The announcement has been posted. Lady Tsunade will also serve as the Hokage's assistant. The Third Hokage... is about to abdicate."

Naruto fell silent. If the perverted sage became Hokage, would he still have time to train with him?

He shook his head, temporarily suppressing his chaotic thoughts.

"Where is the lecherous immortal now?"

"It should be in the Hokage Building,"

Sakura guessed.

"They must be incredibly busy right now."

Naruto clenched his fist, his eyes hardening once more: "I'm going to find him!"

The Hokage's office is located on the top floor of the Hokage Building.

The documents piled up like a mountain, and Tsunade was frowning, looking somewhat overwhelmed as she handled the complicated handover tasks, occasionally muttering a complaint under her breath.

Jiraiya, unusually, was not smiling. He stood in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at Konoha Village, which was bathed in sunlight but had undercurrents.

The iconic red coat was gone, replaced by a relatively simple dark casual outfit, less flamboyant and more composed.

His face did not show the high spirits of someone about to become Hokage; instead, it carried a heavy, almost solemn contemplation.

"Hey! Jiraiya!"

Tsunade tossed a stack of documents at her in an annoyed manner.

"Stop pretending to be profound! These are preliminary reports on the reorganization of the Anbu and the receipt of the Root's legacy, along with 'greeting letters' from various clans to the new Hokage. Get rid of them right now! I'm exhausted!"

Jiraiya turned around and took the document with a wry smile:

"Thank you for your hard work, Tsunade. These things... are definitely not my forte."

"It's good to know!"

Tsunade glared at him.

"Now that you've taken this position, don't expect to be as carefree as before. Remember what you promised this old man!"

"I know……"

Jiraiya's gaze deepened, his fingers unconsciously tracing the rough edges of the document.

Just then, the office door was pushed open with a bang.

"Lustful fairy!"

Naruto burst in, followed by Sakura with a helpless expression.

Jiraiya and Tsunade looked over at the same time.

"Naruto?"

Tsunade raised an eyebrow.

"You're out of the hospital? You look pretty energetic."

Jiraiya looked into his disciple's blue eyes, which were still unwavering but seemed to hold a different meaning, and a familiar, slightly teasing smile appeared on his face:

"Oh, you silly disciple, you can run and jump now? Looks like you've recovered quite well."

Naruto rushed up to Jiraiya, tilted his head back, stared intently at him, and asked loudly:

"Perverted Sage! Is the announcement true? You're really going to become the Fifth Hokage?"

"what."

Jiraiya scratched his signature long white hair, a hint of complexity in his smile.

"It seems that's the case. The old man has given up, and I'm the only one left to clean up this mess."

"But……"

Naruto opened his mouth, seemingly hesitant, but ultimately just asked in a muffled voice:

"Then...then...can you still take me out to train in the future? Can you still teach me new ninjutsu?"

Tsunade snorted from the side:

"Kid, what do you think the Hokage is? Is he a babysitter who plays ninja games with you all day long?"

Jiraiya raised his hand to stop Tsunade. He squatted down, looked Naruto in the eye, and vigorously ruffled Naruto's blond hair with his large hand. His voice was unusually gentle and serious:

“Listen, Naruto. Becoming Hokage doesn’t mean I’ll abandon you. You’re still my disciple, Jiraiya! Whether it’s training or ninjutsu, as long as you want to learn, as long as I have time… no, even if I don’t have time, I’ll make time to teach you! That’s my promise as your master!”

He paused, his expression turning very serious:

"But Naruto! You must understand one thing! I am not only your teacher now, but also the Hokage of the entire Hidden Leaf Village! This means that when the village needs me, when the villagers need protection, I must be there!"

This is my responsibility! Just like your determination to save Sasuke, protecting Konoha is my top priority right now! Do you understand?

Naruto stared blankly at Jiraiya, at those familiar yet unfamiliar eyes. He felt that heavy responsibility.

The awkwardness and unease he felt seemed to have been somewhat alleviated by this force. He nodded vigorously, his eyes rekindling their fire.

"I understand! Perverted Sage! I will become stronger! Stronger! Strong enough to catch up with Sasuke, strong enough to protect all my comrades!"

"Hahahaha!"

Jiraiya stood up and laughed heartily, as if some of his heroic spirit had returned.

"This is the Naruto Uzumaki I know! Go on, you stupid disciple! Get yourself fully healed first! The training days are yet to come!"

"And don't forget, you still have that senior brother from Rubik's Cube. That kid's strength is no less than mine! Moreover, he also has the same vortex bloodline as you. Perhaps he would be more suitable for you than me."

"Ok!"

Watching Naruto leave with Sakura, his fighting spirit rekindled, Jiraiya's smile slowly faded as he looked out the window again.

Not far away, on a large tree on the side of the Fire Shadow Rock.

The Rubik's Cube leaned against the tree trunk, its crimson Sharingan clearly capturing everything that happened in the top-floor office of the Hokage Building. It saw Naruto's eagerness as he rushed in, the exchange of glances between master and disciple during their conversation, and Jiraiya's final, composed gaze.

He had a blade of grass between his teeth, and a cryptic smile played on his lips.

"The Fifth Hokage... huh."

He muttered to himself, his voice fading into the wind.

"Master... this move you made was truly... well thought out."

He certainly understood the deeper intentions of the third generation, but he was not disgusted by them; in fact, he found them somewhat interesting.

"Although I feel a bit guilty towards Master, this will make it much easier to take Naruto out for training and complete the plan. I guess you'll have to suffer for now, you old pervert..."

I'll take the benefits first. Don't worry, I won't make you work hard for years.