Chapter 62: The Two Toads

After Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzō gained control of Konoha, they demanded the Senju clan hand over all the jutsu created by the Second Hokage under the guise of protecting the village. The Senju clan, with no choice, complied.

No one, not even Jiraiya, could guess how many secret techniques the Senju still held onto. But as long as they passed even one to him, his power would increase substantially.

"Right now, the village leadership doesn't favor the Senju clan," the Second Elder said gravely. "So you must avoid drawing attention. Keep your distance from Tsunade in public and don't let anyone see the feelings you have for each other. If you do, the higher-ups will target you. Your talent has already caught their eye."

"If you openly oppose the Will of Fire proclaimed by the Third Hokage, they might try to eliminate you."

"Remember, anyone or anything the higher-ups can't control is deemed a threat." The Second Elder's voice was dripping with sarcasm.

The Senju were betting on Jiraiya, and they couldn't afford for him to falter before he reached his potential.

"Don't worry, Elder," Jiraiya said confidently. "I promise it won't take long before Tsunade and I can be together openly. No one will dare threaten us."

With the help of the system, becoming a Kage-level ninja wasn't going to be difficult.

"Jiraiya, I admit that our clan's actions have been unfair to you and Tsunade, but we must consider the bigger picture. I hope you understand," Isamu said with an apologetic tone.

Jiraiya's loyalty to Tsunade and his willingness to side with the Senju clan came at great personal risk, and Isamu was aware of it.

"Jiraiya," the Elder said solemnly, "the Senju clan never mistreats its allies, let alone its own family. Once your chakra reserves are sufficient, we will open the gates to our forbidden techniques for you."

The forbidden techniques created by Senju Tobirama consumed immense amounts of chakra. Without sufficient reserves, one could die from overexertion. Techniques like the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu were classified as forbidden for this reason. A ninja with low chakra reserves could die simply from splitting their chakra too many times.

"Is your current strength really at the level of an elite jōnin?" Jiraiya asked, looking at Isamu.

"I am indeed an elite jōnin. I haven't hidden my abilities," Isamu said with a bitter smile and a shake of his head.

"You think the village would allow the Senju clan to produce another Kage-level ninja? I've already stopped refining chakra entirely."

Jiraiya nodded, now understanding why Isamu often spent his time chatting idly with women rather than training. Even so, Isamu's status as the pinnacle of elite jōnin spoke volumes about his restrained potential. Without the fear of Konoha's leadership, he could likely ascend to Kage-level strength at any time.

"Jiraiya, let me make this clear. The Senju clan has no intention of staging a coup or betraying the village. All we want is fair treatment," the Elder said.

"Konoha is as much a part of us as we are of it. We helped build this village from the ground up, and we've lived here since its inception. We don't want to see Konoha rot from the inside."

"That's all we wanted to say. When you're ready to train in our clan's forbidden techniques, we will invite you back."

With that, the Elder concluded the discussion. Jiraiya and Isamu stood and left the meeting hall.

"Here, this is a gift I prepared for you. I'm sure you'll like it," Jiraiya said as he handed over a sealed summoning scroll to Isamu.

"Well, aren't you thoughtful," Isamu said with a hint of excitement as he admired the scroll's elegant packaging. He left with a smile, clearly pleased with Jiraiya's gesture.

...

Later, Isamu returned to Jiraiya, brimming with enthusiasm.

"Do you have more of those… manga? Since you've already won over my sister, you won't need these at night. Why not give them all to me? If Tsunade ever gives you trouble, I can step in for you," he said, half-jokingly.

It turned out that Isamu had thoroughly enjoyed the gift—a limited-edition manga. The content had opened his eyes to "new techniques" and inspired fresh ideas for his encounters with married women. However, he felt there was still more to learn and wanted to expand his repertoire.

"These are all limited editions," Jiraiya replied with a wry smile. "I only have two copies, and honestly, if you weren't Tsunade's brother, I wouldn't have given them to you. I need them for… research purposes."

"Fine, fine. But if you ever get more, let me know first," Isamu said, slightly disappointed but still touched by the gift.

Hearing Isamu address him as "brother-in-law," Jiraiya knew the gift had hit the mark.

After a meal with the Senju clan, Jiraiya headed back home.

In Jiraiya's house, two small toads were busy at work.

"Hey, old man, do you think it's okay to leave the scroll here?" one asked.

"It's too obvious. Tuck it behind the cabinet, but leave just a bit sticking out," the older toad replied.

These were none other than Fukasaku and Shima, the two sage toads of Mount Myōboku. They had come to deliver a summoning scroll to Jiraiya.

"I still don't get what makes this kid so special," Shima muttered. "Why would the Great Toad Sage have us deliver this personally?"

"If the Great Sage took notice, he must have something extraordinary about him," Fukasaku said.

"Now that the scroll's in place, let's head back to Mount Myōboku. Sooner or later, we'll find out what's so special about him."

With that, the two toads disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving the scroll hidden behind Jiraiya's cabinet.

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

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