Jiraiya walked out of the Hokage Building brimming with confidence. With determined strides, he made his way toward the Academy.
His first focus was on the students—they were young, adaptable, and ideal for training as reserve spies. These young talents would one day form the backbone of Konoha's Intelligence Division. However, for spies who could be deployed on missions in the near term, Jiraiya had other plans in mind.
Knowing the Academy's headmaster, Kawakaze, personally, he expected things to move more smoothly. He also understood that Tsunade's secret letter would only go so far. To someone like Kawakaze, it was little more than a formality. If Jiraiya needed assistance from Orochimaru or personnel from the Medical Department, he would have to make a personal appeal.
Before reaching the Academy, Jiraiya spotted a familiar figure approaching.
"Yo, Jiraiya. Where are you headed?" Kawakaze called out. Having just left the Academy, he had been planning to drop by the Hokage's Office to pass the time. Among Konoha's high-ranking officials, Kawakaze was undoubtedly the one with the most free time.
"You're still as free as ever," Jiraiya remarked knowingly. "Don't bother looking for Tsunade. Come with me to the Academy."
Jiraiya didn't need to guess where Kawakaze had been going.
"What's the point of going to the Academy?" Kawakaze asked, leaning closer to Jiraiya as they walked.
"It's like this…" Jiraiya began, explaining his plan to scout for potential recruits.
Kawakaze listened and then shook his head in disapproval. "Oh, you're really overthinking this! There won't be any good candidates at the Academy. You should head to the Anbu instead."
"There are still members of the old Root Division there," Kawakaze added, his eyes gleaming with interest. He was clearly eager to let Jiraiya stir up some trouble for Sakumo.
While the Academy focused on teaching and nurturing, spying required a different approach. The Anbu still housed individuals trained by Danzo's former Root Division, many of whom were highly skilled.
In the art of training spies, few could rival Danzo's expertise. Kawakaze was confident that if Jiraiya shifted his focus to the Anbu, he would find exactly what he was looking for.
"I'm going to the Anbu too. I just want to stop by the Academy first," Jiraiya said, unfazed by Kawakaze's remarks and sticking to his plan.
"As for the Academy, don't worry about it. I'll take care of it," Kawakaze said confidently, patting his chest with a loud pop. What he was truly thinking, however, remained a mystery.
"I'll spread the word and have any interested students come to you. You can choose from them then," Kawakaze added. His tone made it sound as though he was taking the matter seriously, but how it would actually play out was entirely up to him. Whether the students wanted to try their hand at spying or harbored ambitions of becoming Hokage didn't seem to matter much.
Jiraiya's goal of recruiting from the Academy didn't seem promising in Kawakaze's eyes. Perhaps recruiting from an orphanage might be more effective—it could even provide the orphans with new opportunities.
"No need to trouble yourself. I'll go by myself," Jiraiya said, a vague sense of unease creeping in. Since when had Kawakaze been this enthusiastic? Something about it felt off.
"No trouble at all, no trouble!" Kawakaze replied, waving his hands dismissively. "I'll come with you to the Anbu first. I've been meaning to visit my Big Brother anyway."
Losing interest in his original plan to visit the Hokage's Office, Kawakaze decided to join Jiraiya instead. After all, going to the Hokage's Office would have been a waste of time. Taking Jiraiya's arm, he walked ahead without hesitation.
They were living together, so why overthink it?
"I…" Jiraiya started to complain, but before he could say another word, he suddenly felt himself spinning.
When he opened his eyes, he found himself in the Anbu office, with Sakumo seated at his desk, reviewing documents. It didn't take long for Jiraiya to realize where he was.
"Big Brother, Jiraiya is here to see you about something," Kawakaze said casually as he poured himself a glass of water. Taking a seat on the nearby sofa, he crossed his legs and gestured toward Jiraiya. "Help yourself to some water. Don't be shy."
"You think everyone is as carefree as you?" Sakumo remarked, looking up from his paperwork, his expression calm.
"Big Brother Sakumo, I've come to request some of your Anbu members," Jiraiya said, stepping forward. Since Kawakaze had brought him here, he decided to explain his intentions directly. He pulled Tsunade's secret letter from his pocket and handed it to Sakumo.
"Intelligence Division?" Sakumo murmured as he read the letter, his brows furrowing slightly. Though reluctant to part with his subordinates, he understood the significance of intelligence in the operations of a ninja village.
"Well, time is of the essence," Jiraiya added. "There's no time to train new recruits from scratch. The Anbu members are all elites; with just a little guidance, they can be deployed effectively."
Jiraiya's words were direct, but they also reflected his respect for the Anbu's capabilities. Under Sakumo's leadership, the Anbu had reached a level of excellence that was hard to overlook.
"Okay, how do you want me to cooperate?" Sakumo asked, skipping unnecessary formalities, a welcome contrast to Kawakaze's usual evasiveness.
"I would like to thank Big Brother Sakumo first," Jiraiya began. "The Intelligence Division is newly established, and I need some absolute elites—strong individuals who meet the requirements of a spy. I'd like to review the personnel files of the Anbu, do a simple screening, and then proceed with the next steps. Is that alright with you?"
Jiraiya's request was bold. The identities of Anbu members were classified, known only to the Hokage and the Anbu Commander. Asking to review these files was stepping into sensitive territory. He looked at Sakumo with a mix of hope and trepidation, prepared for a possible rejection but unable to avoid feeling a bit disappointed at the prospect.
"Yes, you can review them here in this office," Sakumo agreed after a brief moment of thought.
He trusted Jiraiya not to betray Konoha or mishandle the information. Moreover, with Tsunade's secret letter backing the request, this wasn't entirely unprecedented. Allowing the review to happen in his office ensured the files remained secure and inaccessible to anyone else.
As for Kawakaze, Sakumo didn't bother to concern himself with him. He knew Kawakaze wouldn't take an interest in the Anbu personnel files unless they involved something completely unrelated, like providing commentary on beautiful women.
"Good, this is how it should be done," Jiraiya said, clearly pleased. Reading the files in the office wasn't even a compromise in his view.
Sakumo, seeing Jiraiya's agreement, put down his work and stood to retrieve the files. He walked over to a secure safe reinforced with multiple seals and locks, designed to store critical Anbu information. Without knowing how to dismantle the seals, any attempt to force it open would yield nothing but failure.
Kawakaze, overhearing their conversation, remained indifferent. As Sakumo had anticipated, he didn't bother to move.
Sakumo carefully unlocked the safe, took out a stack of documents, and handed them to Jiraiya. "It's all here. Sit over there and take your time reading it," he said before returning to his desk to continue his own work.
"Okay."
After agreeing, Jiraiya moved to Kawakaze's side and began carefully sifting through the files. He had his own strict criteria for selecting people. He avoided anyone with a distinctive appearance, unique abilities, or a lack of intelligence.
None of Minato's people were suitable for espionage. They either stood out too much visually or possessed exclusive Ninjutsu, making them easily identifiable. Such traits were liabilities for spies; they might go undercover in the morning and be exposed by evening. That would be tantamount to gambling with their lives.
Kawakaze occasionally glanced over at Jiraiya and rolled his eyes. Some Anbu members really should wear masks—He clearly belonged to the "looks club." When it came to reviewing others' abilities, however, he didn't seem to take much interest.
After a considerable amount of time, Jiraiya divided the files into two groups. The larger pile was set aside for rejection, while the smaller stack contained candidates for the final selection.