### Chapter 168: Naruto: Grandpa, Do You Not Have a Home Either?

“Let him in, but make sure to warn him properly not to cause any trouble in Konoha.”

Koharu Utatane frowned slightly, not expecting such a small matter to be reported to her.

However, upon hearing about the man’s large stature, she could understand the concern a little.

With a build like that, if he were to cause trouble in Konoha, it wouldn’t be easy for one or two people to stop him.

Konoha no longer has the Police Force, and the streets have become much more chaotic.

But who has the time to deal with such things right now?

“Yes!”

The gatekeeper ninja quickly turned and left the hospital!

He didn’t know what had happened in the hospital for there to be so many people here.

Even the advisors were present, so it seemed something confidential was being discussed.

After the gatekeeper ninja left, Koharu Utatane entered the hospital room.

The room was already crowded with people, and an ANBU member was recounting the events.

They always stay in the shadows, and no one understands what’s happening better than they do.

They briefly described the encounter between Jiraiya and Tsunade.

They also mentioned the fight between Jiraiya and Tsunade, as well as the people who appeared, etc.

They laid everything out in front of Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, with his pipe in his mouth, nodded slightly.

“You’ve worked hard. Go and rest now, but don’t resist if someone summons you later.”

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded, and with a pleased expression, patted the ANBU member on the shoulder.

The ANBU’s face lit up with excitement, as being part of the Third Hokage’s ANBU team was such an honor.

And the fact that the Third Hokage personally patted him on the shoulder!

If this news got out, others would probably be envious for days.

“Yes!”

The ANBU swiftly exited.

Immediately afterward, Hiruzen Sarutobi gave a signal to a ninja from the Yamanaka clan.

The Yamanaka clan ninja immediately understood Hiruzen Sarutobi’s intention.

He quickly followed after the ANBU, intending to check his mind for any missed details.

Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado felt a chill in their hearts, sensing that the Third Hokage was becoming more ruthless with age.

It was simply ruthless beyond reason, as if he didn’t consider his subordinates as people.

After all, this ANBU member was Hiruzen Sarutobi’s subordinate and should have been trustworthy.

Yet, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn’t relax at all and even planned to use the Yamanaka clan’s secret jutsu to probe his mind.

Did he not know that using this jutsu often leaves the person a fool?

But it’s because Hiruzen Sarutobi didn’t care about this ninja at all.

“Old man!”

At this moment, Jiraiya slightly opened his eyes and immediately saw a cloud of smoke filling the hospital room.

The entire room was completely transformed, filled with smoke to the point where it was hard to keep one’s eyes open.

Didn’t the doctors tell the old man that you can’t smoke in the hospital room?

He should know he’s a patient, and he’s suffered such serious injuries.

Jiraiya felt lucky to be alive in this place!

“Oh! Jiraiya, you’re awake? How are you feeling?”

Hiruzen Sarutobi snapped out of his thoughts and quickly walked over to Jiraiya.

“First, open a window for me. I can’t breathe.”

Jiraiya smiled wryly.

It felt like Hiruzen Sarutobi wasn’t concerned about him; he was just afraid he wouldn’t die.

“Click!”

The window was opened, and Jiraiya felt much better.

The others in the room had embarrassed expressions on their faces.

Didn’t they know you can’t smoke in the hospital?

But they didn’t dare say anything to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

If they did!

Hiruzen Sarutobi might think they were telling him how to do his job.

Feeling threatened by their words.

Given Hiruzen Sarutobi’s behavior now, everyone in Konoha was on edge.

Even if they had grievances, they didn’t dare say a word.

“Jiraiya, what exactly happened? How did you end up like this?”

Hiruzen Sarutobi acted as if he hadn’t just heard the ANBU’s report and began questioning Jiraiya.

The people in the room fell silent, watching Hiruzen Sarutobi put on a show.

Danzo Shimura sneered. Since the Uchiha clan’s rebellion, Hiruzen Sarutobi had completely changed.

He was no longer fit to stay in the position of Hokage, but...

Danzo’s eyes flickered with fear, realizing that Tsunade now possessed the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai.

Although he also had the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai, it wasn’t legitimate!

And it couldn’t be compared to the Wood Release of Hashirama Senju.

It could be said to be slightly stronger than what Yamato had back then.

But Tsunade’s Wood Release, as described by the ANBU, was reminiscent of Hashirama Senju’s.

With such a Wood Release, Danzo felt he had no ability to compete.

Damn it!

Danzo felt he needed to rethink his previous stance.

Tsunade posed a significant threat, one that could even jeopardize his position.

If it were the old Tsunade, he could have leveraged her capture by the Uchiha clan to smear her reputation.

That might have quickly dismantled Tsunade’s standing in Konoha, causing the people to abandon her.

After all, the damage the Uchiha clan inflicted on Konoha before they left was almost on par with the Nine-Tails’ attack.

Tsunade being captured by the Uchiha clan—what’s the point of her return if she couldn’t protect them?

But...

The current Tsunade is different; she now possesses Wood Release.

With power akin to Hashirama Senju, she’s reached the pinnacle of the ninja world.

Everyone in Konoha knows about Wood Release; a Senju with Wood Release is vastly different from one without it.

If Tsunade were willing to return, she could easily topple him, one of Konoha’s advisors, in an instant.

She could easily become the Hokage, the Fifth Hokage of Konoha.

But the position of the Fifth Hokage has long been reserved by Danzo, and he couldn’t let this happen.

So now Danzo was more urgent than ever!

He must ensure Tsunade is completely drowned.

So that from beginning to end, Tsunade has no chance of making a comeback.

While Danzo was contemplating, Jiraiya had already recounted everything that had happened.

He only omitted the events in the tavern—there were too many people, and he didn’t want to lose face.

After all, Jiraiya was one of the Legendary Sannin and had a significant reputation in Konoha.

If word got out, he wouldn’t be able to show his face in Konoha anymore.

After all, what would be the point of living then?

“Tsunade actually mastered Wood Release...”

Hiruzen Sarutobi showed a thoughtful expression.

“Since Tsunade has mastered Wood Release, I have a duty to bring her back to Konoha.”

“Moreover, the four major nations are eyeing Konoha now; we need someone to hold up the fort!”

“Old man, you should step down too. Konoha needs a new Hokage now.”

Jiraiya said, looking at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

He hadn’t missed hearing that ANBU’s report earlier.

He had only been asleep, vaguely hearing the voices outside.

That ninja had already reported to Hiruzen Sarutobi, but Hiruzen seemed somewhat distrustful.

Having been away from Konoha for so long, he didn’t know what the village had become.

“Sigh! Jiraiya, I think you should let go of Tsunade’s matter and stay in Konoha as the acting Hokage for now.”

Hiruzen Sarutobi’s eyes flickered for a moment before he finally spoke.

To be honest, Tsunade was now dispensable to Konoha.

Tsunade’s power had drastically changed, and if she really returned to Konoha, it would only weaken Hiruzen Sarutobi’s control over the village, possibly making him lose control completely.

But Hiruzen Sarutobi’s plan wasn’t finished yet; he couldn’t hand Konoha over to Tsunade.

This Konoha now appeared somewhat unsightly.

Moreover... whether Tsunade was friend or foe was still unclear.

It clearly seemed more like she was an enemy rather than an ally.

Since it couldn’t be determined, Hiruzen Sarutobi wouldn’t trust Tsunade.

“Old man, what are you talking about? How could I stay in Konoha?”

“There’s constant friction on the front lines, and I need to be there. Also, if Tsunade is back, I should be the one to find her.”

“Besides, I’m not interested in the Hokage position. Even if you want me to act as Hokage temporarily, I can’t do it.”

“Tsunade is the right person; no one else can do it.”

Jiraiya was stunned, not expecting Hiruzen Sarutobi to want him to stay in Konoha.

Doesn’t he know what state Konoha is in right now?

Enemies surround on all sides,

---

*"Even now, you're still saying such ridiculous things. Does Konoha even matter anymore? 'Besides, in your current state, you can't continue to the front lines.'*

Hiruzen Sarutobi pointed at Jiraiya's body.

It was only then that Jiraiya noticed something was off with his own body.

Looking at himself, he saw that he had lost a lot of weight, looking almost like skin and bones. He probably couldn’t even produce a single piece of fat if you put him in a pot.

Even a dog would shake its head at him.

No wonder he had been feeling so weak earlier.

He thought it was because he hadn’t fully recovered from his injuries, but now it seemed like it was a side effect from Tsunade's jutsu that hadn't worn off yet.

“Damn it!”

Jiraiya weakly hit the bed. He had finally found Tsunade, but to think he was in such a poor state.

If he had just activated Sage Mode right away, it might have been different.

Then he might not have had to deal with so many problems, and he would have definitely brought Tsunade back to Konoha.

“You should focus on recovering first. After that, the paperwork from Konoha will be sent to your hospital room for you to get used to.”

“I’m getting old too and can’t keep this up much longer. You’ll take over for me after this.”

Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled, the wrinkles on his face bunching up.

Jiraiya's expression softened a bit as well.

He couldn't believe so much time had already passed; even the old man had aged this much.

Konoha indeed needed a successor, but he didn't think he was suitable for the role.

He still had books to write and students to find in the shinobi world.

He hadn’t even found the Child of Prophecy yet.

Jiraiya felt a bit lost, like he hadn’t accomplished anything.

As Hiruzen patted him on the shoulder, Jiraiya came back to his senses and understood the situation a bit better.

In the end, he reluctantly agreed to temporarily take over the duties of the Hokage in Konoha for Hiruzen.

Hiruzen nodded with satisfaction, said a few encouraging words to Jiraiya, and then left.

Making Jiraiya the Hokage was just for one reason: like Minato Namikaze, he was easy to control.

This guy had a wild heart and wasn’t very sensitive to these matters.

Even if he tried to pull some tricks later, Jiraiya wouldn’t be able to do much.

Because the prestige once held by the Three Legendary Sannin in Konoha was now almost non-existent.

It had been almost completely overshadowed by Hiruzen's own prestige.

Even if Jiraiya wanted to find some people to use, he wouldn’t be able to do so right away.

The entire Konoha was under Hiruzen's control, and Jiraiya would even need to get approval from him for any paperwork.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had extended his influence throughout Konoha, creating an intricate web within it.

Jiraiya trying to escape this web of Konoha? It was almost impossible.

Unless Jiraiya had the power to break the rules.

*“Oh! I didn’t expect Lord Jiraiya to return.”*

*“Lord Jiraiya is temporarily acting as Hokage? Then the other four nations are of no concern.”*

*“If the other two Sannin were here as well, with Orochimaru and Tsunade, imagine what Konoha would be like.”*

*“Indeed, if we could bring back Lord Orochimaru, I could overlook past events as long as it means Konoha can continue in peace without being caught up in war.”*

*“Bring back Lord Orochimaru!”*

*“Bring back Lord Orochimaru!”*

Konoha was incredibly noisy, with countless people shouting in the middle of the streets.

Even some parents whose children had been taken by the Root and used in Orochimaru’s experiments reluctantly joined the crowd, shouting to welcome Orochimaru back.

A few parents who had lost children in Orochimaru’s experiments stood before the crowd, giving speeches about their experiences.

They talked about how different things would be if the other Sannin were still in Konoha, stirring up a fear of war in the crowd.

Konoha had already suffered from the Nine-Tails’ attack five or six years ago, another attack by the Nine-Tails a few months ago, and the Uchiha’s assault.

Now, the four great nations were eyeing Konoha hungrily, so the past few years had been nothing but torment for them.

People living in Konoha now didn’t feel safe. They would rather have Orochimaru return.

As long as it ensured that the Nine-Tails wouldn’t attack again, and that there wouldn’t be another Uchiha incident, that would be enough.

Standing on the roof of the Hokage building, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked a bit deep in thought. Without saying a word, he returned to the Hokage’s office.

This method of inciting the villagers could only be done by him, and he was the only one who could control Konoha to this extent.

Previously, canceling the bounty on Orochimaru in the black market was laying the groundwork for this.

The appearance of Tsunade now made Hiruzen restless, feeling like chaos was about to erupt in the shinobi world.

So, Hiruzen had no choice but to use these methods!

He needed to bolster Konoha’s strength for now.

Moreover, no one in Konoha could oppose his actions.

Even if he used these means, who would dare speak against him?

*“Hehehe, Hiruzen, it looks like you’re reaching your limit.”*

Danzo chuckled darkly.

Orochimaru? Orochimaru was easy to manipulate.

After all, he had countless pieces of dirt on Orochimaru.

If Orochimaru were to become Hokage, it would probably only be for a year or two.

Then, wouldn’t the position of Hokage fall to him?

As long as Hiruzen didn’t let Tsunade back into the village, that was enough.

Tsunade, why didn’t you die at the hands of Raijin Uchiha? Why are you still alive, causing trouble!

Whitebeard was in a bit of a bind; Konoha didn’t have a single house that suited him.

Even the best house couldn’t accommodate his seven-meter height.

Who would build a house specifically seven meters tall for him?

The two of them had money and thought they could find a big house in Konoha to relax in.

They just wanted to unwind a bit, especially since they had been through so much hardship these past few days.

They had been struggling just to eat and stay warm, facing physical and emotional hardships.

But who would have thought that even here, they would still have to sleep rough.

What’s the use of having all this money?

*“Dad, why don’t we just buy a yard here and stay for a while?”*

Marco looked at the shabby melon shed in front of them, feeling like he had failed as a son.

He couldn’t even provide the most basic comfort for his father.

*“No need, I’m not that picky. Before I went out to sea, I used to sleep under the sky and on the ground. It’s no big deal.”*

Whitebeard chuckled softly. He wasn’t that finicky!

This little discomfort was nothing; at most, he’d just enjoy the night breeze.

With his kind of physical strength, a little wind at night was nothing.

*“Alright, then I’ll go buy some ingredients!”*

Marco hesitated for a moment, then nodded and decided to go buy a few cows in the village.

To be honest, ever since they got here, they hadn’t had a proper meal.

The two of them had been starving for a good meal for a while now!

They just wanted to eat well; there were no other requirements.

*“This silly son!”*

Whitebeard looked in the direction Marco had gone and laughed.

He just hoped Marco wouldn’t run into any trouble in Konoha.

Whitebeard’s gaze turned toward the bustling market of Konoha, sensing the darkness everywhere.

His observation haki had picked up on a lot of darkness when he arrived here.

The entire sky seemed shrouded, making it a terrifying place.

No wonder Raijin Uchiha wanted to escape from here.

If he didn’t leave, he might eventually be driven mad.

This place wasn’t fit for people to live in!

Maybe it would be best to hang around for a couple of days and then leave.

He didn’t find who he was looking for here; everyone’s hearts seemed black.

Whitebeard closed his eyes and leaned against the wall of the melon shed, memories of his sons flashing through his mind.

In just a few days, he found himself missing that ship.

If it weren’t for Marco being here, he might die of loneliness in this place.

*“Hey, old man, are you homeless too? Aren’t you cold lying here without a shirt?”*

At that moment, a tuft of blond hair popped up next to Whitebeard.

It was leaning on the melon shed, looking at the old man and asking.

Naruto thought the old man seemed a bit pitiful, unable to afford even a shirt.

Today, Naruto had luckily worn a jacket and wanted to drape it over Whitebeard.

But he realized that even if he tried, his jacket couldn’t cover Whitebeard’s hand.

It was then that Naruto noticed the old man in front of him was