Naruto: After Seclusion Becoming Naruto Grandfather

"The only chance?"

Jiraiya muttered the words to himself, a flicker of doubt in his eyes.

Having endured the horrors of the Second and Third Great Ninja Wars, he harbored a deep aversion to war. If given the choice, he would never be the one to ignite such a devastating conflict.

War was merciless, he knew. It didn't matter who emerged victorious—casualties would pile up on all sides, leaving countless lives shattered.

But as he sat in silence, his mind racing, Jiraiya couldn't help but confront the harsh reality.

Could Konoha, in its current state, survive against the growing strength of Shin-Konoha?

His bitter smile gave him all the answer he needed.

It was impossible.

Even without Uzumaki Chito's direct intervention, Shin-Konoha's roster of powerful ninja far outmatched anything the old village could muster.

There was Naruto, now a perfect jinchūriki who wielded the full power of the Nine-Tails. Then there was Tsunade, the last descendant of the Senju clan and a master of monstrous strength and medical ninjutsu. Both were unquestionably kage-level shinobi.

And that wasn't all.

Might Guy, who could unleash the Eighth Gate and return from the brink of death, was comparable to any Kage. Kakashi Hatake, with his Sharingan and tactical brilliance, was another formidable force.

To make matters worse, Shin-Konoha had forged an alliance with Amegakure, now controlled by the mysterious and deadly Akatsuki organization.

The Akatsuki's members were rumored to rival kage-level shinobi in power, with at least four or five known members operating from the shadows.

By comparison, the current Konoha had only two individuals who could truly be called kage-level: Jiraiya himself and Shimura Danzo.

But Danzo...

Jiraiya frowned deeply. The old war hawk had been utterly cowed by Uzumaki Chito's overwhelming strength. In the event of war, Danzo might very well stab Jiraiya in the back and pledge allegiance to Shin-Konoha to save himself.

Konoha's strength wasn't just diminished—it was in shambles.

Even without Shin-Konoha's rise, the village was a shadow of its former self. The days of producing generation after generation of geniuses had come to a halt.

The brightest talents of the younger generation—Naruto, Sasuke, Neji, and Lee—had all defected to Shin-Konoha.

Other clans had suffered grievous losses. The Inuzuka family was nearly wiped out during the Konoha Crush, and the Aburame clan's Shino had lost most of his insects, rendering him almost powerless.

What remained were a handful of capable but unexceptional shinobi like Tenten, Hinata, Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji.

Realizing how far Konoha had fallen, Jiraiya felt a wave of dread wash over him.

This wasn't just a crisis—it was a disaster waiting to happen.

His expression hardened, and he turned to Nara Shikaku.

"I'm leaving the affairs of the village in your hands for now," Jiraiya said firmly.

"I'm going to find Orochimaru. And this time... I'll convince him to return to Konoha."

Shikaku's eyebrows rose slightly, but he nodded in understanding.

As Jiraiya summoned a toad from Mount Myōboku and disappeared in a puff of smoke, Shikaku let out a weary sigh.

Meanwhile, in the capital of the Land of Fire, Tsunade was having a lively reunion with Hikaru, the young son of the former Daimyo.

"I can't believe it!" Tsunade exclaimed, her voice brimming with excitement.

"After all this time, the Senju Clan still has descendants! And it's a boy, no less!"

She beamed at Hikaru, ruffling his hair affectionately.

"Listen, kid, my name's Tsunade. From now on, you're under my protection. Anyone who dares to bully you—just say my name, and I'll beat them to a pulp!"

Hikaru, wide-eyed and overwhelmed, nodded cautiously. Tsunade's boisterous personality was almost too much for the timid seven-year-old, but he sensed her good intentions.

Tsunade's expression suddenly turned mischievous.

"And one more thing," she said with a wicked grin.

"It's your responsibility to revive the Senju Clan!"

Hikaru blinked in confusion. "Revive the Senju Clan? What does that mean?"

Tsunade folded her arms across her chest and laughed. "It means you'll have to get married, take lots of wives, and have plenty of kids! That's how we'll bring the Senju name back to glory!"

Hikaru's face turned beet red. Though he was only seven, living in the Daimyo's household had given him a basic understanding of adult relationships.

Hearing such things said so boldly and directly left him utterly flustered.

Meanwhile, Naruto, who was observing the exchange, managed to keep his composure. He had learned to handle such topics with a straight face during his time at the ninja academy.

But inside, he couldn't help feeling a pang of envy.

Then, an idea struck him. His eyes sparkled with curiosity as he turned to Tsunade.

"Granny Tsunade," he said, "if I'm not mistaken, Hikaru is the son of a Daimyo..."