But only for an instant.
"Haha… Manda-sama is still as hot-tempered as ever."
Menma smiled faintly.
"I am Orochimaru-sama's ally. That makes me your ally as well, doesn't it? If you're so distant with your comrades, people might misunderstand and think you dislike them."
His tone was relaxed and courteous.
Yet beneath that calm smile lurked an indescribable sense of danger.
For the briefest moment, his pupils narrowed vertically, taking on the unmistakable appearance of a fox's eyes.
"…!?"
Manda's expression changed almost imperceptibly.
His instinct screamed at him.
The pressure radiating from the young man before him…
Was even more unsettling than Orochimaru's.
Menma continued smiling.
"Of course, I admit that stepping onto your head without permission was discourteous."
He inclined his head slightly.
"I'll properly compensate you afterward, Manda-sama."
"I hope you'll forgive my rudeness."
"Hmph."
Manda snorted.
"If that's the case…"
"I'll let it slide."
The giant serpent settled down without another outburst.
Although Manda possessed an infamously foul personality, he was anything but foolish.
Creatures from Ryūchi Cave respected only one thing
Strength.
The reason Orochimaru could command Manda wasn't merely because he offered enough sacrifices.
More importantly…
He possessed the power necessary to earn Manda's acknowledgment.
Now, standing before Menma, Manda sensed something remarkably similar.
His instincts had never betrayed him.
This boy…
Was dangerous.
Standing nearby, Yakushi Kabuto quietly watched the exchange.
Unlike Menma, he had no intention of climbing onto Manda's head.
As someone who had witnessed Menma's growth from the very beginning, Kabuto couldn't help feeling a complicated mixture of admiration and disbelief.
Only a short time ago…
Menma had still been learning beneath Orochimaru.
Now…
Even Manda was willing to compromise before him.
Kabuto adjusted his glasses.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
His growth… truly exceeds expectations.
Yūgao, however, was nowhere to be seen.
That had been Menma's own decision.
He had deliberately instructed her not to reveal herself.
Although he understood that her defection from Konoha would eventually become known, delaying that information for as long as possible would still provide certain strategic advantages.
There was no reason to expose another valuable card prematurely.
"I never expected to run into the two of you here."
Menma shifted his gaze toward Jiraiya.
A trace of mockery appeared on his face.
"But, Jiraiya-san…"
"Everything you just said sounds exactly like Kakashi."
He chuckled softly.
"Did he learn that speech from you?"
"Or does everyone in Konoha attend the same class?"
"There isn't even a single new argument."
"You people really have no shame."
"So naive…"
"So utterly foolish."
Back in his previous life, Menma had admired Jiraiya.
He had mourned his death.
He had respected the man known throughout the shinobi world as the Gallant Jiraiya.
But after truly entering this world…
After learning the truth…
His opinion had changed completely.
The more he understood Jiraiya…
The more ironic the title of "hero" became.
The tragedies that followed one after another
Jiraiya bore responsibility for many of them.
At the very least…
Half.
Perhaps even more.
Nagato.
Yahiko.
Konan.
Everything that happened in Amegakure.
Whether Madara had manipulated events behind the scenes or Black Zetsu had secretly guided history was irrelevant.
The simple fact remained
Jiraiya had discovered Nagato's Rinnegan.
Yet he left him behind.
He had chosen to believe that teaching three war orphans for a few years would somehow change the world.
Instead of bringing them back to Konoha.
Instead of protecting them.
Instead of assuming responsibility.
Perhaps circumstances made it difficult.
Perhaps countless unforeseen variables existed.
But ultimately…
He simply hadn't done it.
That was the undeniable truth.
The same applied to Naruto in the original timeline…
And to Menma in this life.
Jiraiya always appeared after the damage had already been done.
He regretted.
He lamented.
He blamed himself.
But regret alone accomplished nothing.
Because of that…
The admiration Menma once held had long since disappeared.
For the sake of Minato and Kushina, he could refrain from killing Jiraiya.
But if Jiraiya intended to interfere with his path…
Then they would inevitably become enemies.
"Menma."
Jiraiya met his gaze directly.
"I know…"
"It's probably too late to say these things."
"The village made mistakes."
"The Third Hokage made mistakes."
"I made mistakes."
"There are things that can never be undone."
He sighed quietly.
"But that doesn't mean we should abandon the chance to make amends."
"I'm asking you…"
"Give us that opportunity."
Jiraiya's expression remained sincere.
"I also believe…"
"Minato and Kushina wouldn't want to see you standing against Konoha."
"Nor would they wish to see you and Naruto pointing your blades at one another."
"Make amends?"
Menma laughed.
Not a cheerful laugh.
One filled with ridicule.
"What an interesting phrase, Jiraiya-san."
He casually raised one hand.
Whoosh!
A kunai flew from between his fingers.
The weapon carried an explosive tag tied to its ring.
It struck a massive tree nearby.
Boom!!
The explosion instantly tore through the thick trunk.
The enormous tree, which required several adults to encircle it with their arms, split cleanly in half.
With a deafening crash…
It collapsed to the ground.
Dust billowed into the air.
Naruto looked on in confusion.
He had no idea what Menma intended to prove.
Jiraiya, however…
His expression darkened.
Menma slowly pointed toward the fallen tree.
"Look."
"The tree has already fallen."
He smiled faintly.
"If I apologize now…"
"If I sincerely regret what I've done…"
"Will this tree return to how it was before?"
He looked directly into Jiraiya's eyes.
"Can your apology restore it?"
"Can your regret erase what has already happened?"
"Tell me, Jiraiya-san."
"Can it?"
Silence.
Jiraiya couldn't answer.
Because he already knew the answer.
"And another thing."
Menma's voice gradually turned colder.
"Do you really believe I left Konoha solely because of my own grievances?"
"I admit…"
"My personal experiences were the direct trigger."
"But they were never the only reason."
His crimson eyes swept across everyone present.
"I left because I became completely disappointed in that rotten village."
"A village buried beneath hypocrisy…"
"Darkness…"
"And filth."
"My story…"
"Was never an isolated incident."
He looked at Jiraiya meaningfully.
"As the Third Hokage's disciple…"
"You know far more than I do."
"Don't you?"
"The tragedy of Sakumo Hatake."
"The Hyūga Affair."
"The sacrifice of Hizashi Hyūga."
"And perhaps the greatest irony of all…"
"The Uchiha Clan Massacre."
Every sentence struck like a blade.
"In every one of those incidents…"
"Konoha's leadership played an indispensable role."
"Isn't that right…"
"Jiraiya-san?"
Jiraiya's face became increasingly grim.
He offered no rebuttal.
Because he understood.
There were truths hidden beneath those words.
Naruto, meanwhile, looked utterly bewildered.
He barely understood what Menma was talking about.
The names…
The events…
Most of them were completely unfamiliar to him.
But another person reacted differently.
The moment Menma mentioned the Uchiha Clan Massacre
Sasuke's body froze.
His eyes widened.
The massacre…
What did he mean…?
His breathing became uneven.
At that moment…
He heard nothing else.
Only those words.
His scarlet Sharingan locked onto Menma.
"…Menma."
"The Uchiha Clan…"
His voice trembled ever so slightly.
"It wasn't… Itachi alone?"
Menma turned toward him.
A cold smile slowly spread across his face.
"Itachi?"
"So that's still what you believe."
He shook his head.
"Sasuke…"
"Think about it carefully."
"Your brother awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan."
"Yes."
"He was extraordinarily powerful."
"Also true."
"But ask yourself one simple question."
"How old was Itachi back then?"
"How many members did the Uchiha Clan have?"
"Even if Itachi possessed the strength to kill them all…"
"Do you truly believe he could massacre an entire shinobi clan by himself?"
"And not a single person managed to send out a warning?"
"Not a single patrol noticed?"
"Not a single ANBU squad responded?"
His voice became increasingly sharp.
"This was Konoha."
"One of the Five Great Shinobi Villages."
"The village with one of the most comprehensive security systems in the world."
"Yet an entire clan was exterminated overnight…"
"And no one noticed anything?"
Menma looked directly into Sasuke's eyes.
His expression was filled with unconcealed mockery.
"Tell me, Sasuke…"
"Does that sound even remotely believable?"
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