On this day, another heavyweight figure arrived at the gates of Konoha.
He was tall and broad-shouldered, with a mane of wild white hair left unbound. Two distinct streaks of red ran down his face, making him instantly recognizable.
The moment the gate guards spotted him, they blurted out in surprise.
Jiraiya gave them a casual nod and a smile, though there was a trace of unease in his eyes.
He had been out investigating the Akatsuki, but his findings so far were frustratingly scarce. He hadn't planned to return to the village so soon—until news reached him that Konoha had a new Hokage. More astonishing still, the new Hokage was none other than the supposedly "dead" Uchiha Chiga.
Jiraiya knew Chiga well enough. Because of his connection to Minato, he had spent a fair amount of time with him in the past. In Jiraiya's mind, Chiga was a gifted shinobi with unwavering loyalty to the village and immense strength. But being an Uchiha had made him a target of distrust among certain Konoha elders.
He still remembered how, back when Minato wanted Chiga to serve as an Anbu captain, the idea had been shot down by the higher-ups. And now, that same man was Hokage? Something about it felt… off.
So, without delay, Jiraiya had cut his investigation short and hurried back to Konoha overnight.
After exchanging a few words with the gatekeepers, he walked through the familiar streets, quietly observing. He expected signs of unrest or at least noticeable change after the shift in leadership. Yet, as he wandered, he found life in the village remarkably unchanged. People went about their business without much concern for who sat in the Hokage's chair.
Reaching the base of the Hokage Tower, Jiraiya's gaze shifted to the faces carved into the Hokage Rock. His eyes lingered on Chiga's likeness before a familiar voice called out.
He turned to find Uchiha Itachi standing before him. The sight made Jiraiya instinctively tense.
"Itachi?! Why are you here?"
Itachi, prepared for that reaction, bowed his head respectfully.
"My mission has been completed. Hokage-sama permitted my return and appointed me as Anbu Captain."
"What? What mission are you talking about?"
"It's a long story, Jiraiya-sama. You should see Hokage-sama first."
Reluctantly, Jiraiya agreed and followed Itachi up to Chiga's office.
When they entered, Jiraiya froze. He rubbed his eyes as if to clear them, but the scene remained—standing there was not only Chiga but also Minato.
His mouth fell open. "Minato!? Is that really you?"
Minato's expression lit up. "Jiraiya-sensei, it's been a long time."
Jiraiya stepped closer, still half expecting the image to vanish like smoke. "No… this is impossible… you're supposed to be—"
"Dead?" Minato finished with a faint smile. "As you can see, I've been resurrected."
Jiraiya reached out and pinched Minato's cheek. Minato didn't resist. The skin beneath his fingers felt real—warm, alive.
"You… you're really back. How?!"
"All thanks to Chiga," Minato said, glancing toward the Hokage. "Not just me—Kushina has been revived too."
"Kushina as well…" Jiraiya turned to Chiga, eyes narrowing.
"It's been a while," Chiga said calmly.
"Wait… you died too, didn't you?"
Chiga's lips curved slightly. "I was never dead. So how could I come back from the dead?"
He snapped his fingers. A ripple of chakra shimmered through the room, and in the next moment, Tsunade and Orochimaru appeared, both wearing puzzled expressions.
"Orochimaru!?" Jiraiya exclaimed.
Orochimaru's eyes widened slightly. "Jiraiya?" He then moved to stand beside Chiga without hesitation.
Tsunade, however, walked straight toward Jiraiya. "You're finally back."
"I heard Konoha had a new Hokage," Jiraiya said, "so I came straight here."
A faint, wry smile crossed Tsunade's face. "Yes, and what could we do about it?" She remembered vividly the overwhelming power Chiga had displayed that day. In the face of such strength, resistance had been meaningless.
Even with Jiraiya here, she knew it wouldn't tip the balance. In her mind, Chiga's might rivaled even Uchiha Madara's. Back then, the First Hokage had been around to counter Madara—but now?
So, she had abandoned the thought of opposition entirely, choosing instead to focus on leading the medical corps.
"Did you give up the position willingly?" Jiraiya asked.
"Yes. Chiga is more suited to it than I am," she said plainly. And she meant it. The resurrection of Minato alone was proof enough of Chiga's capability.
Jiraiya turned to Minato. "How's Naruto?"
Minato's expression softened. "He's doing well. And I'm grateful to you for looking after him."
"No need to thank me," Jiraiya said. "It's my duty—and besides, I believe he's the Child of Prophecy the Great Toad Sage spoke of."
"Child of Prophecy?" Minato asked.
"Yes. The one who will change the entire shinobi world."
A quiet chuckle escaped Chiga. "Fate again. First Joy Boy, now the Child of Prophecy—it never ends."
Jiraiya frowned. "What do you mean?"
Chiga rose from his seat and walked toward him. Though his eyes were a calm black, an invisible weight pressed against Jiraiya's senses. New ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄhapters are published on 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝•𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾•𝘯𝘦𝘵
"Why put your hopes in some vague prophecy?" Chiga said evenly. "Changing the shinobi world doesn't require such nonsense."
A sudden wave of overwhelming Haki burst from him, shaking the air itself. Jiraiya stiffened, beads of sweat forming on his brow.
From the side, Tsunade grimaced. "Again with this… What is this pressure?"