Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't speak.
His mind was in chaos; he had no idea how to answer Jiraiya.
Admit it?
Absolutely not!
Wouldn't that be endorsing their plan to split Konoha?
Deny it? Equally impossible!
After all, the original covenant had been written into Konoha's provisional bylaws. To commemorate the founding, those records were displayed in the administration office—yet Konoha trained only Ninja, so no one ever studied them.
But, likewise…
Even as the Sandaime Hokage, he had no way to erase that covenant!
Damn it.
Right now Hiruzen had a splitting headache; Uchiha Jin was the most troublesome opponent he'd ever faced.
Though the man seemed a mere Mangekyo Expert, he never solved problems by force; instead he wielded rules and regulations at every turn—driving Hiruzen mad.
Against past enemies he'd always positioned himself on the side of "justice," which let him crush them easily.
But now?
In his clash with Uchiha Jin he felt stymied at every step.
No choice!
That bastard Uchiha Jin always managed to stand on the side of "justice."
Take this farce: the man followed procedure perfectly, giving Hiruzen no excuse to start a war!
After all, the clause allowing withdrawal at any time had been set by the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama himself—and sanctioned by the daimyo—so founding New Konoha was perfectly legal.
What now?
His head spinning, was he supposed to slink away in defeat?
He wouldn't accept that!
Start an all-out war regardless?
He might not beat the Uchiha faction, and he'd still have to explain it to the daimyo afterward.
Ever since the Third Great Ninja War the daimyo had disliked him; give the man another pretext and this year's budget was gone—next year's probably too.
"Old Man, say something!"
"If that covenant exists, the Hokage ought to tell me!"
Jiraiya was getting irritated.
He was, after all, the Village's Fifth Hokage; he'd asked a direct question and still hadn't gotten an answer.
Was the office of Hokage being treated like some neighborhood committee?
Meanwhile…
Hiruzen finally nodded in resignation. "When Konoha was founded, there was indeed a clause: any Ninja clan could come and go freely, free to withdraw at any time."
In truth…
These years he'd frantically boosted the civilian faction and suppressed the clans for exactly this reason.
The clans wielded too much power!
Not only could they secede from Konoha whenever they wished, the Village couldn't interfere in their internal affairs—turning each clan into a Village within the Village.
Senju Hashirama hadn't cared; his strength could crush anything.
Senju Tobirama promoted civilians and let some of his own clan integrate, yet he placed few restrictions on the clans—so long as they obeyed orders when it mattered.
After all, his might might not have matched Hashirama's, but he still stood at the pinnacle of the Ninja World, and his intellect was unmatched… As for the next generation…
Tobirama hadn't worried either. He'd planned to use Hiruzen as a stopgap, buying time for Senju Nawaki to mature.
Besides… letting someone else serve a term as Hokage wasn't bad; it would stop gossip about the Senju monopolizing the office.
And the Senju Clan, across a thousand years, had always ranked among the strongest.
So long as Nawaki took the seat, he could hold it securely.
And after that—same plan!
If every generation of Senju stayed stable, they could keep the whole of Konoha firmly under control.
But, alas…
He'd never expected one reckless battle would pit him against the Flying Thunder God-countering Gold-and-Silver Brothers, getting himself killed and leaving Konoha to stray far from his blueprint.
The transitional Hiruzen had become a Hokage with real authority, even scattering the ashes of the Senju Clan.
And Hiruzen, lacking overwhelming power, could secure his position only by suppressing the other clans!
No choice!
Without Hashirama's might or Tobirama's brilliance, crippling the clans was his only path.
"So that's how it is—what a headache!"
"What was the First Hokage thinking, allowing such a covenant?"
"We're—screwed!"
With that lament Jiraiya blurted out the blunt truth.
No helping it!
Though he'd become Hokage, he understood nothing of power struggles; he simply said whatever came to mind.
Hiruzen instantly wanted to crawl into a hole.
Crap!
Even if you're thinking it, you can't say it out loud!
Before the words were spoken there was still room to negotiate.
But once the Hokage himself admits it, confirming the covenant, how can anyone continue the talks?
And indeed…
The moment Jiraiya finished, Uchiha Jin spoke up at once.
"Excellent!"
"So our Fifth Hokage also affirms the validity of this covenant."
"Then everyone should be happy."
"Today is the founding day of New Konoha and my own inauguration as its First Hokage; we warmly welcome friends from Konoha to visit."
"How about it?"
"Won't you come in for a cup of tea?"
Uchiha Jin's tone was mild.
A faint smile never left his face; he filtered out Jiraiya's irritation and distilled only the admission of the covenant.
Are you kidding?
Letting a guy like Jiraiya become Hokage?
Heh.
If that old fossil Hiruzen weren't around, he could destroy this fool without even needing a plan.
Hiruzen: "Ji! Rai! Ya!"
Jiraiya: "…"
He stood there, utterly dumbfounded.
Clearly…
He still had no idea what had just happened.
So, instinctively…
He waved his hand. "I never admitted any covenant; Uchiha Jin, don't make things up."
"Then you're opposing the founding covenant?"
Uchiha Jin shot back: "Jiraiya, I advise you to think carefully."
"This was established by the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama. You, the Fifth Hokage, intend to reject the First Hokage's promise?"
With a single line…
He deftly dug a huge pit!
However dense Jiraiya was, he sensed danger at once.
But before he could speak, Hiruzen clapped a hand over his mouth.
"Jiraiya, just shut up!"
"I beg you, all right?"