Konoha.
Short Scroll Street.
In a tavern, members of the Sarutobi Squad gathered for a long-awaited reunion.
Jiraiya raised his cup, taking a hearty sip: "Tsunade, Orochimaru, it's been ages since the three of us had a gathering!"
"I've already applied to the old man. Once Lady Mito's affairs are settled, I'll be wandering the Ninja World to look for the Child of Prophecy. Opportunities to meet in the future will probably get fewer…"
Orochimaru sneered, elegantly lifting his cup with pale fingers, taking a sip, and slowly said, "You're really an idiot, Jiraiya."
"You're going to waste your life proving the prophecy of a toad, do you enjoy wasting your life like that?
Jiraiya shrugged indifferently, glancing disdainfully at Orochimaru: "What do you know? The Great Toad Sage is said to be a legend who even talked with the Six Paths Sage…"
Orochimaru said coldly, "But it's still just a toad."
To Orochimaru, even though he would respectfully call the master of Ryuchi Cave the White Snake Sage, to him, a beast capable of human speech was still just a beast...
Especially when it came up with a Savior prophecy like the Child of Prophecy; it made him further dissatisfied with Mount Myoboku. For a mere Summoned Beast to decide the fate of humans?
In his view, only an idiot like Jiraiya would believe unconditionally.
As Jiraiya's friend, Orochimaru had already tried to persuade him in his own way.
But obviously, Jiraiya hadn't listened.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru cursed and grumbled a few words before turning to Tsunade, shouting:
"Hey, Tsunade, say something fair. What do you think? This is the prophecy of the Great Toad Sage!"
Tsunade waved her hand: "I agree with Orochimaru. If the prophecy is useful, then you don't need to find the Child of Prophecy, since whatever it predicts will happen anyway, right?"
"Even though I'm an unfortunate person, I don't want to believe that destiny cannot be changed. If that's the case, then what's the point of life?"
Orochimaru gave Tsunade a surprised look: "Such philosophical words do not quite seem like something you'd say..."
"Damn snake, what do you know!" Tsunade glanced at Orochimaru: "Compared to this thorough idiot Jiraiya, you have to watch yourself too…"
"I heard recently you're getting involved with Shimura Danzo, and the old man won't like it."
"You're the future Fourth Hokage of the village, so you should watch your image. Shimura Danzo, that old thing, is not a good person, best to have little contact with him."
Before the Third Shinobi War started, Namikaze Minato wasn't yet the renowned Yellow Flash, and with Jiraiya wearing the forehead protector of Mount Myoboku and Tsunade's hemophobia, only Orochimaru had enough prestige, qualification, and stature within Konoha to become the Fourth Hokage.
The position of Hokage, which many Ninja Clans in Konoha could only dream of, seemed as casual a topic at the Sarutobi Squad's small table as discussing what to eat for lunch the next day...
"Hokage? Just a boring position, I want to do what I want…" Orochimaru shook his head and said in a low voice.
But his words carried a strange hint of a tantrum...
Hatake Sakumo, as the sharp sword in Sarutobi Hiruzen's hand, had left an attitude that day that Orochimaru had remembered well.
This indicated that his teacher had already begun to discipline him.
For Orochimaru, who had seen Hashirama's Cells and started dark human experiments, the desire for immortality in his heart had started to blaze fiercely, something that Konoha alone could no longer confine.
Rather than becoming a stamping machine manipulated by Sarutobi Hiruzen, Orochimaru preferred to become a free Wandering Ninja, pursuing his path to immortality…
"Enough about me, Tsunade, you seem to be looking better recently, no longer lost in sorrow and pain…" Orochimaru squinted his eyes, examining Tsunade a bit and speaking slowly.
The current Tsunade was a stark contrast to the drunken, reeking-of-alcohol state from a few months ago.
She looked energetic, with light in her eyes as well.
Jiraiya nodded along with Orochimaru's words: "I heard the old man left his son and an Uchiha kid under your care, it seems you're getting along well?"
Orochimaru's eyes flickered, if Sarutobi Hiruzen supported him to become Hokage, then the teachers for Aomi and Asuma should be him…
Choosing Tsunade as the teacher for this special class certainly didn't indicate Sarutobi Hiruzen wanted her to be Hokage.
After all, the leader of a village couldn't have a weakness like hemophobia, but it did reveal Sarutobi Hiruzen's internal thoughts: Orochimaru was not the firm and supported next Hokage in Sarutobi Hiruzen's heart anymore and had entered the consideration range…
"Those kids are quite impressive…"
A trace of warmth appeared in Tsunade's eyes; the time spent with Aomi over the past months had given her a sense of life's fulfillment she hadn't felt in a long time.
"Seems you've got some good students, Tsunade…"
Jiraiya chuckled, boasting: "But any young ninja compared to my student Namikaze Minato would appear mediocre!"
"If you can't properly educate the old man's son or the Uchiha kid, I can have Minato show them what a true genius is!"
Orochimaru silently sighed at Jiraiya's foolishness.
It was obvious that Tsunade had rejuvenated due to those students…
At such a moment, instead of praising, why would you boast about Namikaze Minato's talent? What are you trying to express?
Make Tsunade think you're lucky? No wonder you can't win her over in a lifetime!
Sure enough, Tsunade sneered: "A genius? Fine, after I let those kids face some real blood, let Namikaze Minato teach me a lesson…"
"I'm off!"
Tsunade got up suddenly, leaving the tavern in a gust.
Jiraiya looked blankly at Tsunade's retreating figure, scratching his head in confusion: "Orochimaru, why do I feel like Tsunade's mood seems off?"
Orochimaru slowly drank the remaining wine in his cup and also stood up towards the door:
"No need to dwell on it, Jiraiya, go find your Child of Prophecy, for this is the entire meaning of your future life…"
The three who had just been sitting together, in the blink of an eye, left only Jiraiya alone.
As they grew, each had their own Ninja Path and pursuit, and the best companions of yesteryear gradually drifted apart.
Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru, like a toad, a slug, and a snake, were never of the same kind, so ultimately chose different paths.
#
The next day.
Land of Fire border.
"Kids, in this valley, there are hundreds of bandits…"
Tsunade crossed her arms, coldly issuing commands: "Today's test is to completely eliminate these bandits, leave none alive!"
But these bandits, whom Tsunade treated as teaching material, were noticed by others…
At this moment, the Ninja World's strongest Bounty Hunter was entering this valley from another direction…