The Hokage visited him every few days, usually bringing some form of nutrient-rich herbs that tasted like bitter gourd and made my body feel like I have eaten Bhut Jolokia. Most of the time he spent on listening to Hiruzen panic. Each visit was a full in anxiety. "Do you think she's still mad?" Hiruzen asked on the fourth day, stirring the herbs with a frantic energy.
"Who? Biwako-san, Mito-sama or Tsunade?" Jiraiya asked.
"All of them! It's a pincer attack! I'm being squeezed from all sides!" Hiruzen sighed, leaning over the bed. "I really shouldn't have encouraged you, Jiraiya. I mean, the pursuit of beauty is a noble goal, but we must be discreet and the art of the peeping is built on the foundation of not getting caught."
Jiraiya stared at his teacher. No wonder Jiraiya has such a pathetic personality except for when the moments call for it. This man is actually giving me tips on how to be a better pervert while I'm recovering from a near-death experience caused by peeping.
"Sensei," Jiraiya said slowly. "What about the lawyer I was talking about?" Hiruzen froze. He stopped stirring the herbal medicine and looked at Jiraiya as if the boy had suddenly sprouted a second head. "What did you say?"
"I said... I hadn't went there to peep on her but to communicate to her of something I had learnt that could save her parents live." Jiraiya said, playing the part of a innocent person.
"Jiraiya, i know you are feeling ashamed but you shouldn't talk nonsense like that. Her parents are alright. They had recently went on a high level mission." Hiruzen interrupted him.
"Is it in Land of Water and is an intelligence mission?"
Hiruzen's expression shifted. The goofiness vanished, replaced by the sharp, calculating gaze of the man who would lead the village through a world war. "How do you knew this? It was supposed to be a top secret mission going on from the past few weeks?" One of the reasons why there wasn't already an upheaval in the village over the peeping incident otherwise they would have chewed him out already. Hiruzen shuddered thinking of the fiery-tempered mother of Tsunade. She would have definitely broken Jiraiya again as soon as he had recovered. Only Tsunade's father tolerated Jiraiya and that was only because he saw Jiraiya as a very devoted bodyguard to Tsunade who will give his own life to safeguard Tsunade and work for free. Not to mention how Jiraiya solved that case and helped the Senju Clan free from the political disaster with the civilian council, earning a reputation for being a loyal dog of Tsunade in the Senju Clan. Though he couldn't let these things being known to Jiraiya. He would be heartbroken. Also he needs to know everything before taking a decision. He cannot panic and make a hasty decision. He is the leader and one of the most important pillar of this structure known as Konohagakure. As such, he must act like one at all times and in all kinds of situations.
"Sensei, actually I had always wanted to impress Tsunade so when I was wandering around during a mission in the 'Land of Locks', I had helped and had saved the life of an old man from Rock Ninjas. He had asked me to keep it a secret and in exchange, the old man had promised to help me in anything. I immediately asked the old man if he knew any way I could impress the Senju Clan. He looked at me bewildered and asked my reasons. So I told him about my crush on Tsunade. The old man gave a hearty laugh and we talked a lot more and he promised to find me a way to help won her over." Jiraiya continued the imaginary story with a straight face without any hesitation while looking at the suspicious eyes of Hiruzen, "That day while I was practicing my new Jutsu. A bat approached me and delivered a letter. It detailed about a trap set by the Land of Water using the Land of Whirlpools' Shinobi to lure the Senju Clan Patriarch Kawarama Senju and capture him to ransom Konohagakure for better Tailed beast Sealing Methods."
Hiruzen gasped in surprise but Jiraiya continued, "He said this was my chance to win over the Senju Clan and that he has repaid his debt. At first I too didn't believed it but then the letter and bat both burst into flames taking the shape of that Old Man's face, then only I believed it."
Hiruzen set the bowl down. He stood up from the edge of the bed, turning serious. He had received the intelligence from the Uzumaki Clan that Land of Water is tempering with their Tailed-beasts. That was why he had sent the Senju couple alongside the Uzumaki Clan to find out about it. He never thought they will use the Uzumaki Clan to lure Senju Patriarch and capture him. Although he couldn't trust the letter of an strange old man but the very fact that that old man knew the mission details, it couldn't be a coincidence. There is no coincidences in Shinobi business. Knowing Kawarama, he won't surrender and disgrace his ancestors, rather he will fight to death. If Kawarama died under his watch knowing he had the necessary intelligence, he cannot forgive himself and neither could he ever look in the eye of Mito-sama. Hiruzen looked up and stared at Jiraiya.
Feeling the pressure from the gaze, Jiraiya said in a voice full of panic, "I had went there to deliver the news to Tsunade but then I went haywire and lost myself in her beauty. But believe me Sensei, I only peeked a little before she found me out. But I never went there with the intention of peeking. Please hide this fact Sensei and save her parents." Jiraiya respectfully cuped his hands and hid his face praying to every diety that his acting skills work.
"Alright! Draw me the face of that Old Man once you recover!" Hiruzen ordered him and then hastily took the exit.
Jiraiya breathed a sigh of relief but didn't showed it. Who knows how many ANBU were still watching him. He had the memories of the future. He knew about Danzo. He knew about the Uchiha massacre. He knew about the cycle of hatred that would eventually lead to the destruction of the village. He could tell Hiruzen everything. He could change the timeline. He could save thousands of lives. But as he looked at the back of the man before him exiting the door; his flawed, loving, slightly perverted teacher; he realized that the world didn't work like a fanfiction. You couldn't just hand over the answers. If he revealed too much, he wouldn't be a student anymore; he'd be a tool. Or a threat. And right now, he was a tool that couldn't even lift a spoon without groaning. "I think," Jiraiya said, leaning back, "that i need to be stronger. Not just strong, but super strong! But for that i need a sob story strong enough to force Hiruzen to allow me to travel the world to set up my spy network and make my changed attitude towards Orochimaru and Tsunade believable. At the same time I need to salvage my whatever little bit of reputation i still have left in the village. I also need to reconnect back with my Clan. Take charge of it through whatever measures necessary and enhance them into a powerful Shinobi Clan of the Land of Fire. I am pretty sure i can make them powerful like the Inuzuka Clan. That is pretty much possible.
Currently we're the 'Sannin' in the making, right? But we're disjointed and that suits my current situation. It wasn't until the prelude to the start of the Second Shinobi World War that we truly turned into real comrades whom we could trust. Tsunade hates me, Orochimaru thinks we're both idiots, and Hiruzen has his attention diverted to Orochimaru aka Star Pupil and successor of Third Hokage. Also I need to draw the face of En no Gyōja to divert Hiruzen's attention. He can search all over the world to find him. I must reach the strength of a high level Jōnin first then only I could have my way in this world.
Currently, the world has just accepted this new system of shinobi villages and Civilian Shinobi is still looked down by the Clans. It wasn't until my actions during the Second Shinobi World War that Clan Shinobi started respecting the Civilian Shinobi too and Civilian Shinobi got some voice in the Leaf Village System. No wonder which world it is, you have to earn the recognition and dignity from others through your affirmative actions, thereafter reputation follows. You simply can't force people to respect you through victim card. Jiraiya shook his head thinking about his situation. I'm going to need a lot of herbs to recover.
As Hiruzen left the room, Orochimaru appeared in the doorway. He had been leaning there, silent, listening to the entire exchange. "You're playing a dangerous game, Jiraiya," Orochimaru said, his voice a low hiss. "This story of yours if found false could lead to dangerous consequences. What happened in those days of coma? Did you grew a brain, or did you simply realize that being a punching bag is an inefficient way to spend your youth? This story if true could salvage your reputation but if found false then let me tell you, blackmail won't work on Sensei when it concerned such village security matters."
Jiraiya looked at him. He didn't flinch. He didn't laugh. He just stared with the eyes of a man who had seen the end of the world. "I am telling the truth!"
"We will see! Sensei won't get blackmailed over matters involving the security of village." Orochimaru warned again.
Jiraiya then continued and replied confidently. "Maybe I just realized that if I'm going to be a legend as I have always proclaimed, I should probably start by not getting my ribs broken by a man-girl."
Orochimaru's eyes glinted. "Interesting. I look forward to seeing who you become, Jiraiya. Or rather, what you'll become."
When the door closed, Jiraiya let out a long, shaky breath. He looked at his cast-covered arms. He could feel the chakra beginning to flow more smoothly now, the integration nearly complete. He wasn't just Jiraiya anymore. He was a synthesis of three memories. He thought about Tsunade. He thought about the raw, unfiltered power she possessed and the grief that would eventually define her, turning her into a drunkard. She was already a money losing Gambler. Then he remembered the way she had looked at him and shivered, the rage masking a deeper, more chaotic energy.
"I'm going to make her apologize to me." he thought. He thought about it and made a wicked face, thinking about what kind of face she will make when the false truth comes out.
A FEW WEEKS LATER,
KONOHAGAKURE...
The village was in uproar. Kagami Uchiha had personally led forces and rescued the Senju Patriarch. The Kirigakure had trapped the Senju Patriarch alongside the Uzumaki Clan shinobis and they were barely surviving until in a surprise move, the Hokage sent a rescue team led by Kagami Uchiha who successfully eliminated the Kirigakure forces and rescued them. It has caused great consequences in the village power structure. Previously, Hashirama Senju had spared Madara thus Uchiha were under the debt of the Senju Clan and the Senju Clan was more powerful than the Uchiha clan. But now the situation has changed. The Uchiha are more powerful than the Senju while the Senju are in decline. Now after this the Senju Clan is in decline. Danzo was the most enraged. This move has put all his plans regarding the future of the dangerous Uchiha Clan in jeopardy. But he couldn't oppose Kagami when he had the support of Second Hokage and hasn't done anything that could harm the village.
KONOHA HOSPITAL,
KONOHAGAKURE...
For the past few weeks, Jiraiya could do nothing but close his eyes and began to meditate, diving deep into the memories, accelerating the integration including the Ninja Techniques. He started to visualize the flow of chakra, the way it could be manipulated to accelerate healing, the way it could be compressed into a singular point of impact. He was thirteen. He was broken. But he was gutsy. And with his current knowledge, he is the most dangerous person in the village.
The following morning, the peace of his room was shattered by a sound that resembled a battering ram hitting a wooden fence. The sliding door didn't just open; it practically moved away in fear like a living being facing a powerful elephant. Tsunade stood in the doorway. She looked like a violent storm cloud given human form. Her blonde hair was tied back, her eyes were flashing with a mixture of guilt, regret and irritation, and she was carrying a basket of herbs that looked like it had been squeezed too hard.
"You're awake!" she yelled, her voice vibrating the glass in the windows. Jiraiya winced and looked behind her. Her parents were bandaged, signs of what they went through, though the injuries doesn't look much serious except for the one on the head of Kawarama Senju, accompanying them was Hiruzen who was always in anxiety for the past few days. Today, he looked relieved. Why? Because he no longer had to worry about his peeping adventures with Jiraiya getting exposed except for the blackmail from his disciple, his very own civilian disciple. In this era when Civilians and Civilian Ninja Candidates were looked down by Shinobi Clans, he had taken a civilian child aka Jiraiya as a disciple. Though the influence by First and Second Hokage had also played a part in his decision to choose a civilian Ninja Candidate just like they chose Koharu and Homura. But he isn't going to admit that. Being a good Sensei, when he discovered Jiraiya's pervy tendencies instead of punishing him, he indulged him. How does he was repaid? Blackmail! Rather than being grateful, on the contrary, Jiraiya is blackmailing him. It is unacceptable. Such an uncouth behaviour is unacceptable. Uncouth, a word that shouldn't be used by a pervy person like Hiruzen but he didn't felt a bit ashamed saying such hypocritic words. His face still darkened when he thought about the acts of his only civilian student. He is going to discipline the brat for the treacherous act of blackmailing his Sensei. How dare he?! Hiruzen hardened his resolve to punish Jiraiya.
"Good morning to you too, Princess." Jiraiya replied cheerfully. Most of his bones had healed. It was mostly the internal organ injuries which hasn't completely healed. "Hello! Lord Senju! Lady Senju! I hope you are recovering well. Greetings Sensei! I presume old man En's intelligence was correct."
Hiruzen nodded, "We are looking for him. We hope to reward him for saving the life of one of the pillars of the Village."
Lady Mito didn't accompanied them. She must have been feeling too ashamed to come here for threatening my life as soon as I recovered as I was only trying to protect her family's lives. Hahahaha! Jiraiya couldn't help but laugh in his mind. Guilt-tripping is such a dangerous tool. It works on everybody even somebody as powerful as Mito Uzumaki. But this is even better for me. Without her Negative Emotions Sensing Jutsu, I can perform my act without restraint.
"Boy! I must..." Kawarama started but was interrupted by Jiraiya, "Boy? If i remember correctly, i was a dog, wasn't I? A loyal dog who protects Tsunade with his life!!"
Kawarama and his wife flinched while Hiruzen frowned. He always thought Jiraiya didn't knew it. But if he knew that and still protected Tsunade then he really loved Tsunade. She wasn't a time pass for him like the other girls. Hiruzen felt guilty once more. Had he been wrong in his judgement regarding Jiraiya all along?
The Senju couple were also in a dilemma, they didn't knew how to response to this question. Kawarama didn't knew the boy was this sharp. Wasn't he always the fool who was mocked with the title of Village's Madness? But then he remembered the murder case solved by the brat that earned him the promotion of Tokubetsu Jōnin. But that wasn't what currently matters. He had come here prepared with all kinds of speech to thank this brat but these words completely caught him off guard.
"Nonetheless I must thank you for stopping your daughter from trying to kill me again." Jiraiya mocked them.
Tsunade could no longer held back. Jiraiya was accusing her of murder, accusing her parents for ill-treatment. That is not possible. It is a lie. Her parents are the best. Nobody! Absolutely nobody could insult her parents and get away with it, certainty not Pervy Brain Jiraiya! She stomped over to the bed, the tiles groaning under her stomping power. Her parents tried to stop her but she didn't care. She slammed the basket of precious herbs onto the bedside table with enough force to make the water glass jump. "Don't get cocky, you creep! You may have come there to deliver the message to save my parents but it doesn't change the reality that you spied on me!" she snapped, though her voice lacked its usual lethal edge. "I only came here because Grandma said I had to. If it were up to me, I'd let you stay in a coma until you learned some basic respect for privacy!" Jiraiya looked up at her. Then at her parents who also approved of the arguments. He smiled inwardly. He was anyway wanted a big arguement.
Seeing that it might escalate and remembering the blackmailing, Hiruzen stepped forward and explained, "Tsunade! I have checked the circumstances. It is as clear as day that Jiraiya had gone there only to deliver the information. Otherwise he has an Invisibility Jutsu that wouldn't have ever allowed him to get caught by you. He is very outstanding at it. One of the reasons he earned the promotion before you or Orochimaru did." Hiruzen salvaged the situations repeating the words that have compelled the Senju Family to come here and apologise personally. Tsunade still looked with defiance though her parents looked a little ashamed. She didn't wanted to apologise. It was already a headache that Jiraiya has earned a promotion before her and Orochimaru. An apology will only fuel his ego. She didn't wanted to do it.
Meanwhile, Jiraiya saw the tension in her shoulders, the way she avoided direct eye contact. She was sorry. In her own, violent, explosive way, she was absolutely devastated that she had almost killed her parents' saviour. "I'm sorry," Jiraiya said. Tsunade stopped mid-rant. She blinked, her mouth hanging open slightly. "What?"
Hiruzen gave a look of bewilderment but then he looked at Jiraiya's expressions. He was sure a storm of emotions is going to come out. The Senju couple had also figured it out.
"I'm sorry for for competing for your heart," Jiraiya said, his voice full of emotions and a little bit of tears. "It was stupid. I was the son of a farmer. A lowly civilian. It was disrespectful to even think I had a chance. And honestly, it was a terrible mistake. But... What can I do? I cannot control my heart. It was love at first sight. I was young and foolish forgetting my lowly status. I believed in fairy tales forgetting the reality. You were a royalty and I was a creep. To cry for the moon! I deserved it. But at least Sensei should have reminded me of this bitter reality. Why didn't he? It wasn't my fault." Jiraiya was in tears. He looked at Hiruzen who looked away with a face full of regrets. "It hurts! It hurts that knowing I don't have a chance... Why..." Jiraiya continued his emotional outburst. A outburst full of cheesy lines of heartbreak from movies.
Tsunade stared at him. She was feeling the heat. A little embarrassed. The creep was confessing to her in front of her parents. Tsunade's face flushed a deep red. She looked down at her feets, her expression full of guilt and shame. Everybody stared. They were speechless. The silence stretched, heavy and awkward. She looked at him, remembering the insults and taunts. Flat Chest! That was what he used to call her to irritate her. Was that all for gaining her attention. She then looked at his face, searching for the lie, the joke, the punchline. "You're...?" she whispered but couldn't complete the sentence. She didn't have the sentence. She was again in guilt-tripped. Everyone of them were full of guilt.
Jiraiya then pretended to control himself and said. "I've had a lot of time to think. Mostly because I couldn't move. It's amazing how much of your perspective change and realisation comes when your body is broken completely. Since you can do nothing but think."
Jiraiya continued, "You won't get away with this. I had read that when love turns into hate, it turns the love into resentment but I never believed it until now. I loathe you. Every second I spent adoring you makes me sick to my stomach now. Every wound I received to protect you, thinking about them makes me sick. I have seen the bitter reality. My mind is now clear. It changes everything. I look at you now and see a stranger. A bitter, cruel mistake I will never, ever do again."
"Jiraiya!! That's enough!!" Hiruzen's voice echoed through the room. But the rant didn't stop.
Listening to the rant, the Senju Couple also wanted to retort but seeing the situation and the fact that they are alive because of this boy, they didn't knew what to say! They didn't wanted to look petty infront of all of them. He knows that people must be listening outside the room. He had to maintain the dignity of the Senju Clan. He cannot participate in this children's rant and sullen the Senju name so he left everything to Hiruzen.
Tsunade being the explosive personality she is, couldn't hold herself anymore, she joined the rant. "Stop being so dramatic! That was your choice. I never asked you to sacrifice yourself for me. You protected me on your own and received those wounds. Nobody asked you to do it. If resentment and hatred keeps you happy, then hate me. See if it changes anything." She said cruelly out of anger and added, "Accept the reality and move on! Who asked you to cry for the moon?" She said in an sudden outburst, taunted and turned to leave, but as she reached the door, she paused. "Lowly Loser!", she muttered in a childish way, not looking back.
"Tsunade!!! That is not how you talk to your teammate. Apologise!!" Both parents went after her to reprimed her.
"Dad! Mom! You are already being very considerate to that creep! It's not like if he hadn't provided that intelligence, something would have happened to you. You are the heir of Hashirama Senju, the God of Shinobi..." The Senju family left the hospital with Tsunade screaming her way out of the corridor through the window. Her parents hot on their heels, trying to catch up with her.
As she vanished down the hall, Jiraiya leaned back, smiled and laughed like a broken man. Step one: Salvage the Reputation. Complete! Step two: Break relations with the team to exit it and roam outside the world. In Progress! Step three will be: convince Hiruzen for allowing him to leave the village. So he continued the acting. He reached for the herb basket. He looked at the herbs. He didn't wanted to do it. He now had the knowledge and knows those herbs are worth a fortune. His heart was bleeding. But for the sake of his acting. He had to do it. He threw the basket out of the window. There was the sound of glass breaking. As soon as he did it, the body reminded him that he was still recovering. He screamed in pain suddenly ending the laughter. He might have lost himself too much in acting.
Hiruzen immediately was by his bedside. He was too shocked to respond. He had been completely wrong about Jiraiya's character. And perhaps he gave way too much leeway to Tsunade. To condemn and mock the wounds your comrades received for protecting you. That is sacrilege to the Will of Fire. Despite the unjust fatal attack on her comrade, he still had decided to not punish Tsunade but now he is going to do it. She will be demoted to Genin and will remain one until she truly inherit the Will of Fire completely. She is the granddaughter of the Ideologist of the Will of Fire. Anybody else could do the mistake of insulting his comrade and may even get away with light punishment but she cannot.
"Jiraiya! She didn't mean it... She will be punished..." Hiruzen tried to comfort him.
Continuing the acting and clutching his head, Jiraiya screeched, "Go away... You all are like her. All of you Shinobi. You think I don't know what you think of us civilian Shinobi..."
He was interrupted mid sentence and a hand greeted his cheek lovingly, "Behave Yourself! Reflect on your behaviour." Hiruzen sternly reprimanded Jiraiya.
After saying that Hiruzen exited the room. He knew that staying here won't do any good. Everybody is full of emotions. Once things calm down he will talk to Jiraiya and Tsunade again.
Jiraiya still held his cheek. The slap wasn't painful to his broken body but it was enough to silence him. He smiled wickedly in his mind. That dumbo Tsunade is too good at ruining things. She will surely ruin the Senju Clan even if her parents are alive. Her outburst has brought more sympathy towards him from Hiruzen. It will be helpful to my plan of legally exiting the village and roaming the world. Still the path ahead was long, filled with war, betrayal, and the crushing weight of destiny. But for the first time in his lifetimes, he relaxed. It was like you knew in advance which shares will skyrocket in share market. It was a wonderful and jolly feeling. He just really hoped Hiruzen could be convinced as easily.
FEW WEEKS LATER,
KONOHA HOSPITAL,
HOSPITAL COURTYARD...
As the weeks turned into month, the physical recovery shifted from the acute stage of 'trying not to die from pain due to slight movements of the body' to the tedious stage of 'trying to move'. For Jiraiya, this was the most frustrating part. His mind was a supercomputer, capable of calculating high-level jutsu and predicting future moves, but his body was like a stubborn piece of jammed machine.
Jiraiya learnt the hard way that recovery for a recently awakened coma patient is a gradual, highly structured medical process that looks nothing like the sudden, clear-headed awakenings often depicted in movies. When a patient first emerges, they enter a delicate transition period that focuses heavily on stabilizing their mind and rebuilding basic bodily function. To overcome the suffered physical trauma, Jiraiya had to go through passive and active movements to rebuild strength and eventually relearn how to sit up, stand, and walk while focusing on cognitive and fine-motor rehabilitation to foster independence.
He spent his afternoons in the hospital garden, sitting in a wheelchair that Orochimaru had 'modified'. Hiruzen probably was too busy handling the aftermath of unprovoked attack on Senju Patriarch by Kirigakure. Orochimaru must have been annoyed to be assigned to babysit me.
The wheelchair include a series of hidden compartments and a very suspicious-looking retractable hook. "Why the hook, Orochimaru?" Jiraiya asked, staring at the metal implement protruding from the armrest.
"For utility," Orochimaru replied, his eyes fixed on a scroll of forbidden sealing techniques. "Should you find yourself falling into a pit or needing to retrieve a distant object without standing up, the hook is invaluable. I've also added a small compartment for poison needles, just in case the nurses become too aggressive with the medicine."
"I appreciate the thoughtfulness," Jiraiya replied awkwardly. Wtf? What kind of bizzare throughts go through Orochimaru's head?
"I'm simply investing in my teammate," Orochimaru said, his voice devoid of emotion. "It would be a waste if you died of a bedsore before we could see if your newfound intelligence continue to persist."
Jiraiya looked at the pale boy. Orochimaru was always twisted. He couldn't help but agree with Tsunade's assessment. The way Orochimaru replied make me felt like one of his test subject. My eyebrow twitched. I couldn't help but retort, "I was always intelligent."
"Yeah! Definitely! The many traps of our 'Akagahara Chunin Exams' were witnesses to your intelligence." Orochimaru reminded him sharply, making Jiraiya embarassed all over.
"I was merely trying to gain Tsunade's attention. Nothing more! Don't forget I am a senior Tokubetsu Jōnin while you and Senju have just been promoted." Jiraiya angrily replied.
Orochimaru openly gaped like a fish. Jiraiya wasn't even taking Tsunade's name. Sensei did informed him that things have been bad between them. But he never thought that Tsunade can manage to deteriorate her relation with this love sick idiot so much that he won't even like to take her name. This was the boy who had received life threatening injuries to protect her and had always annoyed him into finding plans that could help him win over Tsunade, at times even forcing him to participate in his idiotic antics to impress her.
Not to be underestimated by Orochimaru again, Jiraiya then suddenly called him glancing at the scroll remembering the Juinjutsu. It was a variant of Self-Cursing Seal. Orochimaru was more of a Yin-Release user. He already has mastered Genjutsu. Yang won't work for him. "Hey, Orochimaru! That seal on the scroll is wrong. The Kanji is wrong. If you channel the chakra through the third node instead of the second, you can bypass the stability requirement and increase the efficiency by ten percent."
Orochimaru mind was already occupied not believing that Jiraiya gave up on Tsunade. He froze then looked down at the scroll, then at Jiraiya. He slowly traced the line of the seal with his finger. "That... shouldn't be possible. The text says the third node is unstable." Sure! Jiraiya is talented at Fūinjutsu but this is Juinjutsu. His area of expertise.
"It is unstable!" Jiraiya agreed. "But if you use the Yin-Release chakra instead of yang, you can balance the jutsu. Try it."
Orochimaru looked sceptical but still performed the hand signs, channeling a sliver of Yin chakra into the scroll. A small, concentrated burst of chakra erupted from the curse seal's marks. It spread around his body, perfectly controlled and twice as powerful as previously done, paralysing him. He had to put double the effort to break free from the seal with twice strong enough release of chakra. The silence that followed was profound. Orochimaru looked at his scroll, then at Jiraiya, his eyes wide with a mixture of shock and intense hunger. "Where did you learn that?"
Jiraiya smirked and replied, "I have photographic memory."
"Photographic Memory?"
"Yes! I have been blessed with the ability to recall pages of text, numbers, or images in immense detail after a brief glance."
When Orochimaru gave a confused look, Jiraiya explained further, "My brain is basically a camera, my friend. I see something once, and bam! It is permanently burned into my mind's eye. A perfect visual record. I'm practically a genius, it's just a different kind of genius.
I had seen Juinjutsu notes on this once while learning fūinjutsu from Mito-sama. I still remember it like that scroll is still infront of me."
Orochimaru leaned in, his presence suddenly predatory, "Fascinating! So, if I were to test this 'perfect visual record', you would easily pass?
"Sure!" Jiraiya said, leaning back in his wheelchair.