Board Thread:Theories and Speculation/@comment-995176-20161123061207/@comment-995176-20161202045538

Firejutsu31 wrote: Why didn't he return to konoha then? (see previous post)

Because Jiraiya saw himself as a failure and didn't want to face Tsunade all bloody and maimed and he was busy writing the sequel to his novel. Plus even though Jiraiya should have returned to the Village if he was alive he never was in the village for most of the series up until the 1st Chuunin Exams. Even though the moment the 4th Hokage died he never once dropped by Narutos house in 12 years and introduced himself as his God Father even though Jiraiya he knew he had a Godson. If the Village thought he was dead he could move on and continue living in exile.