I am the new Hokage of Konoha.

"What bad luck!"

Looking back, Jiraiya saw that no one was behind him and stopped, relieved that his initial attempt had failed.

He never expected that the security measures in the women's bathhouse would be so effective.

I was discovered before I even saw anything, even though I was thinking of sacrificing myself for art.

If I hadn't been quick enough to slip away, I would have almost fallen there.

"The world is getting tougher and tougher! The next book will definitely have to be more expensive."

Jiraiya, risking his life for the benefit of his fellow men, pressed his still-pounding heart as he made this decision.

A voice suddenly rang out from behind him, startling him.

"Hey~~ Isn't this the lecherous old man? It's only been a few days, how come you look so shabby?"

Thinking that the female tyrannosaurus rex were chasing after him, Jiraiya was about to run away when he heard the words "perverted old man." He quickly realized what was happening, pulled back the foot he had just taken, and turned around, saying:

"Hey Maki, don't keep learning bad things from Naruto. You should call me Uncle Jiraiya."

“I didn’t learn this from Naruto. After all, someone who can write like that deserves to be labeled as ‘perverted,’ right?” Maki Kokuma said, shrugging as she approached.

Jiraiya was helpless.

Looking at the old friend's daughter in front of him, who was wearing a green jacket with the word "gambling" on it and looked very much like Tsunade but had long black hair, he still tried his best to salvage his image: "That's art, art, you know?"

Maki said with a knowing look, "The art of lecherous old men? I understand."

Jiraiya's face fell, and clinging to his last hope, he said earnestly, "Maki, you can't judge a person by one side. I worked with your mother for many years, and she knows the true person behind my unruly behavior."

“Indeed, my mother also told me that,” Maki nodded.

Jiraiya's face immediately lit up with joy: "Really? I knew it! I knew it was me!"

"My mother told me to stay away from you lecherous old man." Before Jiraiya could finish speaking, Maki blurted out this heartless truth.

Jiraiya: "."

He felt as if struck by lightning.

It doesn't stop there.

Seemingly eager to see her father's former rival change his attitude again, Maki chuckled and said, "By the way, you lecherous old man, I heard that the publishing department of the Ninja Kingdom is about to issue a new order. Books like yours that are lewd will be banned and can no longer be published."

"What???"

Since his livelihood was at stake, Jiraiya, who had immediately snapped out of his grief, changed his expression and said in disbelief:

"That's absolutely impossible!"

Why is it impossible?

"So many people in the ninja world like it."

"No matter how much you like it, there's nothing you can do; it still has to be banned."

"Still impossible!"

"Hey lecherous old man, don't get obsessed."

"It's really impossible! You know how much the Hokage loves my books. It's only been a few years since he left. His subordinates wouldn't just go against his wishes."

In the end, Jiraiya, desperate, simply played his biggest trump card to protect himself.

Maki was suddenly taken aback: "Hokage-sama? You mean, you lecherous old man?"

"Of course it's Maki, your father." Having said that, Jiraiya no longer hid anything.

Maki's face hardened, and she firmly disagreed, saying, "My father is not that kind of person."

"Maki, you're still young. You should know that all men are like that."

"impossible!"

"Possibly."

"impossible!"

"Hey! Maki, what are you doing?"

"For the sake of my father, you lecherous old devil, take my righteous iron fist!"

Finally, as if a hornet's nest had been stirred up, Maki, who became increasingly angry with the argument, switched to physical confrontation, wielding the monstrous fist inherited from Tsunade, and fiercely striking Jiraiya who had slandered their father.

"Ah~ no!"

"Hey~~ It's been a few days, Jiraiya, why are you so sluggish?"

In a high-end izakaya in Konoha, Tsunade, who rarely had time to enjoy herself, had just finished drinking a glass of fine wine when Jiraiya, with a bruised and swollen face, appeared in front of her.

"You two, mother and daughter, are really in sync; you say the same things." Jiraiya sat down opposite him without any politeness, grimacing as he spoke despite the pain.

"Oh, so it seems that it was my lovely daughter who beat you up like this, Jiraiya." Tsunade was not angry at all, but rather laughed happily.

"Cute? Only Tsunade thinks it's cute. But..." Jiraiya said with reminiscence at the end, "that way of suddenly attacking at the drop of a hat is just like you when you were a kid, Tsunade."

Although he no longer harbors any romantic feelings for Tsunade, their decades-long friendship has led him to develop a fondness for Maki, the little girl who resembles his mother, even after returning to Konoha.

That's why he didn't really fight back much just now.

Otherwise, no matter how strong Maki is, she couldn't have beaten him like this.

Fortunately, I am no longer the person who had my ribs broken by Tsunade's punch and almost died back then.

Although he looked bruised and swollen, at least he was alright.

"It's normal for a daughter to resemble her mother."

Having long been accustomed to such evaluations, Tsunade finished another cup of wine and casually remarked.

"Speak up, what do you want? If you don't want anything, don't bother me while I'm drinking, unless you're paying for this meal."

She didn't believe that Jiraiya had come to her specifically because of Maki.

The other party isn't that petty.

Besides, he knew that even if he complained to his parent, his response would only be to beat him up again.

Behind closed doors, the confrontation between mother and daughter is one thing.

But on the outside, it's always outward-facing.

Anyone who dares to speak ill of Maki will be punched by her mother, Tsunade.

"I do have important business to discuss with you, Tsunade." As expected, Jiraiya, who hadn't mentioned Maki again, became serious and asked, "I heard mine is going to be sealed away?"

"I don't know, I have no interest in such trivial matters." Tsunade waved her hand and said, "But it's normal that your lewd writings were banned, Jiraiya."

"That's not vulgar, that's art!" Jiraiya exclaimed.

For the sake of his own livelihood and the trust of his many male comrades, he quickly put on a shameless act and flattered her, saying, "Tsunade, for the sake of our long-standing friendship, please do me a favor and let me have it."

Jiraiya hadn't finished speaking yet.

Suddenly he noticed that Tsunade, whose eyes were glued to the wine, had a change in expression.

"We'll talk about it later!"

After hastily leaving behind this sentence, a violent sonic boom rang out, and in the blink of an eye, Jiraiya discovered that Tsunade had disappeared.

"Is there something urgent?" Jiraiya asked, puzzled.

In the current ninja world, the Land of Ninja is the dominant power. Even though there are small groups of remnants from former countries who are not in a position to resist its rule and occasionally cause trouble, it is not even a serious problem. It can be said that the country has been peaceful and prosperous for many years.

Logically, there shouldn't be anything that would cause Tsunade, who is currently in charge of the daimyo's power, to be in such a hurry.

unless

It's from the universe!

Regarding matters of the universe, Jiraiya, whose strength ranked among the top in the Land of Ninja, had also seen the information about the Otsutsuki clan that Kumo-tei had specially left behind.

Could it be that someone from the Otsutsuki clan has arrived?

Jiraiya, suddenly realizing this, stood up with a change in expression.

But soon, he thought of something else.

"My judgment was correct. Although Tsunade left in a hurry, the expression on her face wasn't the serious one of being on high alert; rather, it was one of surprise! Yes, surprise. The only thing that could elicit such a strong reaction from Tsunade, in the current situation, is..."

Soon, Jiraiya, having guessed the truth, relaxed, sat back down casually, and said with a light smile:

"That person has returned. It seems the matter of the universe has been resolved. How impressive!"

"Besides, we don't need to worry about the banned books anymore. With that loyal reader around, you think you can ban my books? Believe me or not, I'll ban your entire department!" Jiraiya said smugly, completely relieved.

Finally, as he was happily humming a little tune and about to leave to continue writing, a waiter who had been waiting nearby handed him the bill, saying, "Sir, your table hasn't been paid yet."

Subconsciously taking the bill, Jiraiya glanced at it and instantly...

"What?! How can it be so expensive?!"

Konoha, the Daimyo's office.

Upon sensing that incredibly familiar aura, Tsunade rushed to the office, pushed open the door, and saw the true owner of the place right in front of her.

Having officially returned after the battle with the Otsutsuki god, Yun Ting smiled and said to her:

"Has it been a long time, Tsunade!"

The familiar voice reached her ears, and Tsunade's eyes immediately reddened, but she quickly suppressed it.

Just as she was contemplating whether to reply first or punch the guy in front of her who hadn't responded in six years.

Behind them, Maki, who had also received the news but arrived a step too late, pounced into Yun Ting's arms like an old swallow returning to its nest.

"Father, I miss you so much!"

A soft, sweet voice rang out in her arms. Maki, making no attempt to hide her emotions, snuggled against Yun Ting's chest before raising her head, her eyes red and blurry with tears, expressing her joy.

"Long time no see, Maki, you've grown so much!"

Looking at Maki, who had now grown to his chest, Yun Ting gently patted his daughter's head.

"My father is no longer by my side as I grow up, and Maki is very sad." Maki said coquettishly, still clinging to Yunting.

"Don't worry, we have a long future ahead of us. Besides, who said I wasn't there at the time?"