Hiruzen persuaded me to die

Outside a small, worn-down apartment in Konoha…

Jiraiya stood silently, his brows furrowed in discomfort. The looks from passersby told him everything. Disgust. Fear. Rejection.

Even those who walked on the same side of the street would suddenly veer off course, as if avoiding some kind of unclean taint.

"So… this is the kind of childhood Naruto's had,"Jiraiya thought bitterly.

The hatred and suspicion towards a Jinchūriki—especially one housing the Nine Tails—was not unexpected. But this?

This was outright neglect and abuse.

Jiraiya exhaled slowly and raised a hand.

Knock, knock, knock.

The door creaked open to reveal a small blonde child, no older than four, peeking up at him with curious sky-blue eyes.

"Old man, who are you looking for?"Naruto asked innocently.

Jiraiya blinked.

The resemblance to Minato was… uncanny.

"O-Old man? Am I that old?"he asked, pointing at his nose in exaggerated disbelief.

Naruto tilted his head. "Well, yeah. You've got all white hair."

This kid…!Jiraiya laughed, half exasperated.

"No, brat. I came to see you."

Naruto's eyes lit up with innocent excitement.

"Really? No one ever comes to see me… except Grandpa Hokage, sometimes."

Jiraiya's expression softened.

"Then from now on, call me the Toad Sage! Mount Myōboku's Legendary Sannin—Jiraiya-sama!"

Naruto nodded cheerfully.

"Uncle Sage!"

The title made Jiraiya twitch.

"Uncle... At least that's better than 'old man,' I guess."

As the two sat inside, Jiraiya took in the state of the apartment. His smile faded.

On the table were half-empty cups of expired milk and instant noodles. Cup after cup. There was nothing fresh. No cooked meals. No fruit. Nothing nourishing.

He narrowed his eyes. Naruto looked a full head shorter than children his age.

"Naruto… is this what you eat every day?"

Naruto shrugged.

"Yeah. Sometimes Grandpa Hokage would bring me money. And sometimes weird masked guys drop stuff off…"

"But Grandpa hasn't visited in a long time."

Jiraiya clenched his fists.

Masked men? Anbu.

And Hiruzen... you haven't even checked on him lately? What the hell were you doing?!

Jiraiya felt anger roiling inside him.

This is Minato's son...!

"You know… your father was a great man," Jiraiya said carefully.

Naruto blinked.

"I have… a father?"

He looked down at the floor.

"But people always whisper I'm a demon fox... I thought…"

"IDIOT!"Jiraiya suddenly reached out and ruffled Naruto's hair roughly.

"There's no such thing as a demon fox in human form! Don't believe that garbage!"

Inside, Jiraiya's rage built higher.

Damn you, Hiruzen! What kind of monster lets the village spread rumors like this?!

"If you listen to me and behave, I'll tell you all about your father someday,"Jiraiya promised, gently this time.

Naruto's eyes sparkled.

"Really? I'll be good, I promise!"

Jiraiya smiled.

"That's more like it."

Suddenly—

WHOOOOOOOOOOO!

A sharp alarm shrieked through the village, piercing the peaceful moment.

Jiraiya jumped to his feet.

"That's the invasion siren…"

He glanced at Naruto, who looked up at him with confused eyes.

Damn it… I can't leave him.

He grit his teeth.

No. My job right now is protecting Naruto.

"Listen carefully, Naruto," Jiraiya said, pulling back the curtain and pointing toward the mountain.

"If something like this ever happens and I'm not here, run to the Hokage Rock. The emergency shelters are right behind it."

"See all those people? Just follow them. Got it?"

Naruto nodded quickly.

"But… Uncle Sage… are we going there too?"

Jiraiya grinned.

"Nah. You've got the Toad Sage right here. Anyone who wants to hurt you will have to go through me!"

WHOOSH—

A chilling distortion twisted the air next to Naruto.

In an instant—he appeared.

Uchiha Obito.

Wearing his mask, his single eye glowed behind it.

His hand reached straight for Naruto.

"Who the hell are—!"

Jiraiya reacted on instinct, whipping out a kunai and thrusting it at the masked man.

But—nothing.

The kunai passed straight through Obito as if he were a ghost.

"W-What…!?"

Jiraiya immediately yanked Naruto away, leaping back.

CLAP—CLAP—

Obito gave a slow, mocking applause.

"Impressive reflexes… as expected of Jiraiya the Sannin. The Fourth Hokage's teacher lives up to his name."

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed, kunai still at the ready.

"Who are you… and what do you want with Naruto?"

Obito's tone was calm, almost conversational.

"Why, Jiraiya of the Sannin… I've come to collect the Nine Tails Jinchūriki."

He took a step forward.

"Hand him over."

To Be Continued…