Chapter 261: Intelligence Division

Jiraiya moved quickly. The wedding took place less than a month after the relocation.

Although it wasn't as grand as the one held for Kawakaze and Tsunade, it was still a rare and joyous event in Konoha. The Clan Heads and Jōnin of the village were all in attendance.

Jiraiya was admired not only for his strength but also for his reputation. Without the backing of a clan or entangling alliances, he had no conflicts of interest with most people. This made him someone everyone was willing to befriend.

It was clear to anyone paying attention that Jiraiya would soon be re-employed by Tsunade. Their lifelong friendship was unmatched in trust.

Kawakaze and Tsunade presented a large red envelope as a gift. It was both a gesture of goodwill and a way for Kawakaze to support the less fortunate. Jiraiya accepted it with a smile and handed it to Maki. He had no intention of refusing free money from two wealthy individuals.

After the wedding, the gifts further lifted Jiraiya's spirits. His previously empty wallet was full once again.

Jiraiya and Orochimaru's weddings happened just a week apart. However, in stark contrast, Orochimaru's wedding was much quieter. Due to Pakura's unique status, the guest list was far smaller, with invitations extended only to close friends.

The wedding arrangements were modest, out of step with Orochimaru's rank and reputation. Yet, neither he nor Pakura minded. She was simply happy to have a formal wedding with him.

With the blessings of those closest to them, Orochimaru and Pakura embarked on this new chapter in their lives.

Thus, all three members of Hiruzen Sarutobi's team had moved past singlehood, each starting a new and significant phase of their journey.

...

"Lady Hokage, we have recently suffered heavy losses among our spies in other villages."

"Here is the list; please take a look."

After becoming Tsunade's right-hand man, Hayato Yamanaka had successfully taken control of all Konoha's intelligence operations. The previous intelligence chief, a direct descendant of Hiruzen Sarutobi, had now been sidelined—an inevitable outcome of political struggles.

"It's because Lord Kawakaze makes everyone feel threatened," Shōta said with a frown, offering a logical analysis.

There was no clear explanation for why Konoha's spies had been caught one after another. Taking Takigakure as an example, other villages dared not send assassins to target Kawakaze directly, so they resorted to tightening their internal security. This made Konoha's spies particularly vulnerable.

"So many?" Tsunade's expression shifted as she looked at the roster. To her, it wasn't just a list of names; it represented the lives of those who had sacrificed themselves for Konoha.

"There was nothing we could do," Hayato said, his voice heavy with guilt. The fate of spies was well-known—nine out of ten missions ended in death, and even that was considered optimistic.

"Pay the families according to the list. I was too careless," Tsunade said, setting the list down and rubbing her temples. Her self-reproach was evident. If she had been more cautious, this loss might have been prevented.

"It's not your fault; it's my responsibility," Hayato replied. His words weren't meant to flatter her. As the head of intelligence, he bore the weight of this failure.

"Don't try to shoulder it alone. First, we need to figure out how to resolve this problem."

"Without spies, we're like blind men," Shōta said grimly. "Even if it means more sacrifices, this issue must be addressed."

He wasn't heartless; the loss pained him deeply. But right now, he had to remain rational. If this crisis wasn't resolved effectively, the consequences for Konoha could be dire.

Being a spy was a perilous occupation, but this time, the scale of sacrifice had been far too great.

"First, withdraw the average intelligence personnel. It's too easy for them to be exposed," Tsunade said firmly.

"We need to step up training for spies in the future," she continued. "Raise the standards and training intensity. No one who doesn't meet the standards can be deployed. That would be irresponsible with their lives."

After a brief moment of thought, Tsunade issued her order. She would rather Konoha remain blind temporarily than lose more lives unnecessarily.

"That would take too long. We can't afford to wait," Hayato objected. He had his own standards and didn't agree with the decision.

"We can't afford to wait? This isn't up for discussion," Tsunade snapped. "This is an order!"

She abruptly stood up, slapping the table, startling both Hayato and Shōta. Neither of them had ever seen Tsunade so furious.

"It's really impossible," Hayato countered, undeterred. "The training of an intelligence officer already takes a long time. To meet your standards, it'll be ages before we can send out the next batch."

"Don't tell me it's impossible," Tsunade retorted, pointing her finger at Hayato, her anger boiling over. "If it's really impossible, then quit."

To her, human lives were more important than anything else. Even if it meant Konoha would be blind for a time, she wasn't afraid. The sky wouldn't fall, and there were still plenty of Kage-level ninjas capable of managing the situation.

The disagreement revealed a deep divide in their thinking. Neither was entirely wrong; they were simply doing what they thought was best for Konoha.

Hayato remained silent, holding his head high in defiance, clearly unconvinced. Shōta scratched his head, trying to think of a way to mediate the situation. For now, he leaned toward Hayato's side.

Knock, knock!

"It's pretty noisy in there. I could hear you shouting from outside," Jiraiya said as he knocked on the door before pushing it open. Considering his relationship with Tsunade, the act of knocking itself was already a show of respect.

"Lord Jiraiya, you're just in time. You must persuade Lady Hokage about this," Hayato said, looking at Jiraiya as if he were a savior. Being in the intelligence business, Hayato believed Jiraiya would side with him.

"What is it?" Jiraiya asked, glancing briefly at Hayato before turning his attention to Tsunade.

"You tell him," Tsunade said, her temper cooling slightly as she sat back down.

"It's like this…" Hayato began, explaining the entire situation in detail. While doing so, he couldn't resist subtly belittling Tsunade's approach. "Don't you think Lady Hokage's ideas are naive?"

"Who are you calling naive?" Tsunade snapped, her barely suppressed anger flaring once again. If she didn't know Hayato meant no harm, she might have already charged at him.

"Don't be angry. Let me explain," Jiraiya interjected, trying to mediate. Disagreements weren't necessarily a bad thing, after all.

"Go on," Tsunade said curtly, signaling for Jiraiya to continue.

"I came here today looking for work. This just happened to coincide," Jiraiya said with a grin. "I'm quite good at gathering intelligence. If you trust me, leave this matter to me. What do you say?"

Jiraiya didn't elaborate on what his plan was; he simply wanted to take charge of the issue. He needed something to do, and handling a task that suited his skills felt like a good fit.

"Fine, I'll leave it to you," Tsunade said without much hesitation.

Jiraiya's claim of being more experienced was modest at best. Among the shinobi, he was likely the one who had traveled the most extensively across the ninja world, returning time and again with critical information.

"Since Lady Hokage agrees, I have no objection," Hayato said calmly. He didn't feel that Jiraiya's involvement was an attempt to take power from him. As long as it benefited Konoha, he was willing to accept it. Compared to the fiery Tsunade, Jiraiya was much easier to work with.

"Since you all believe in me," Jiraiya said with a smile, "I won't let you down." He already had a solid plan forming in his mind.

"Jiraiya will lead a team to establish the Konoha Undercover Force," Tsunade announced, writing as she spoke. "It will report directly to the Hokage and will henceforth be called the Intelligence Division." She stamped the document to make it official.

"You can make any requests," she added, filing the document away. There was no need for public attention as long as everything was properly recorded.

"I want to pick people from every department," Jiraiya said, making a bold request.

"Okay, I'll allow it. But don't make me regret this," Tsunade replied, drafting a confidential letter as proof of his authority to select personnel.

"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing," Jiraiya reassured her.

With such a significant level of authority entrusted to him, Jiraiya understood the stakes. If he failed, Tsunade would undoubtedly face criticism for her decision to trust him.

"I will do my best to cooperate," Hayato said, the first to express his support for Jiraiya's work.

For him, managing intelligence was already a full workload, and Jiraiya taking over personnel arrangements significantly eased his responsibilities.

"Thank you," Jiraiya replied with a smile, patting Hayato on the shoulder.

"That's enough. Go do your work," Tsunade said, handing over the matter and deciding to let it rest. She trusted them to handle it.

"Let's go," Jiraiya said, turning around and waving as he took Tsunade's secret letter. With a confident stride, he left the office.

"Then I'll go too," Hayato said, giving Tsunade a brief nod before turning to leave.

"What do you think Lord Jiraiya will do to solve this matter?" Shōta asked, curious. He hadn't had much interaction with Jiraiya; during the Second Shinobi World War, he had been at the front lines, while Jiraiya had been elsewhere.

"I don't know, but he's a reliable guy," Tsunade replied seriously, her gaze fixed on Shōta.

Apart from Kawakaze, Jiraiya and Orochimaru were the people she trusted the most. "We'll just have to wait and see."