Chapter 222: Jiraiya: I Swear to Kill Orochimaru
Orochimaru's return to Konoha was facilitated by Senju Tobirama using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Initially, Tobirama had been quite repulsed by Orochimaru, a man who had used Tobirama's own technique to summon and control him, and who possessed an erroneous obsession with the power of the Uchiha. However, following Orochimaru's recent changes and their time spent together in joint scientific research, Tobirama's opinion of him had begun to shift.
Thus, when Orochimaru expressed a desire to return to Konoha to conduct an experiment, Tobirama, acting as a supportive senior and elder, kindly helped him save time by teleporting him there.
Now, with Tsunade needing to return to Konoha and Shiromo preparing for the Limited Tsukuyomi, they needed Orochimaru back. Tobirama, naturally being helpful, used the Flying Thunder God to bring the two of them along as well.
The trio had barely set foot inside the Hokage's office when they gave Shizune, who was sitting in the Hokage's chair processing documents, a massive fright.
Fortunately, this wasn't the first time. Shizune clutched her chest, trying to steady her racing heart, but couldn't help complaining: "Second Hokage-sama, if you keep coming and going like this, I'm going to end up with heart disease."
"Next time, build a small room right here with a door. When the Second Hokage comes again, he can knock." Shiromo suggested, pointing to the spot on the wall where the Flying Thunder God seal was placed.
"Isn't that even scarier? An empty little room where someone suddenly knocks in the middle of the night..." Shizune was speechless.
The horror of the unknown is the true horror, alright? It would actually be more comforting to have a person just pop into existence right in front of her. Oh, wait…the Second Hokage-sama isn't a "living" person; he's a "dead" one.
"Why can't you just pick a different spot?" Shizune grumbled feebly.
"Alright Shizune, I'm back. I have something important to ask you," Tsunade interrupted the complaining with a stern look, "Orochimaru returned to Konoha, he hasn't done anything bad, has he?"
"No. According to the reports from the Anbu monitoring him, Orochimaru just went to find Jiraiya-sama to grab some drinks," Shizune replied, shaking her head.
"Oh no! That means something has happened!" Tsunade's expression changed drastically.
"Why?" Senju Tobirama asked, confused.
"That guy Orochimaru never takes the initiative to drink, and there's no way he'd seek out Jiraiya for it! He definitely has a scheme!" Tsunade cried. "Shizune, tell me quickly, where are they now?"
Thud, thud, thud.
A flurry of hurried footsteps echoed outside. A masked Anbu pushed open the door and froze for a second upon seeing the group inside.
"Hokage-sama! It's wonderful that you're back! Orochimaru and Jiraiya-sama are arguing outside the village... It looks like they're about to start fighting! Please go and stop them!"
Seeing Tsunade's return, the Anbu was overjoyed and hurried to report the situation.
"Fine, take us there immediately!" Tsunade urged.
And so, led by the Anbu, the group rushed toward the outskirts of the village. Shizune, meanwhile, was left with the miserable task of continuing the paperwork.
---
"Don't be in a rush to stop them yet. Let's see what's actually happening first."
"Understood."
Tsunade agreed with Shiromo's suggestion. She had calmed down during the journey. If Orochimaru truly had a scheme, it meant his previous behavior had all been an act. If they stopped them directly, and Orochimaru went back to pretending, wouldn't he just hide his true objective?
Outside Konoha Village.
The Anbu had already retreated, and Shiromo's trio arrived at the target location. Senju Tobirama, relying on his own skills, easily performed a stealthy observation. Shiromo, meanwhile, took Tsunade to a high altitude to look down on the scene.
"Orochimaru, you beast! I'm going to kill you!"
"Jiraiya, I didn't expect you to believe me so easily. You really are still so naive."
Jiraiya had summoned a toad and was currently leaning against it with a pained expression. The look he directed at Orochimaru was filled with endless rage.
"Uh," Tsunade nudged Shiromo. "Why have they been talking for ages, and it's all just nonsense?"
It was strange. Orochimaru and Jiraiya had been trading insults for a while, and while it was clear there was deep-seated hatred between them, there was no other information. Where did this hatred come from? What exactly had Orochimaru done?
"You're the one who is a fellow Sannin with them; why are you asking me?" Shiromo rolled his eyes.
"...Could it be they've noticed us, or my Granduncle, and are intentionally staying vague?" Tsunade wondered. "No, that shouldn't be possible."
Tsunade was at a loss. What on earth was going on? She'd heard of people hiding their illnesses from doctors, but since when were people vague about their insults during a fight? It was one thing for Orochimaru to be calculating and tight-lipped, but how was Jiraiya managing it too?
"Maybe we should just go down and ask directly?" Tsunade suggested.
"Good idea." Shiromo also felt this was going nowhere.
Thump.
Shiromo let go of Tsunade. She performed a high-altitude drop, landing right between Orochimaru and Jiraiya. She grabbed the two men mid-attack and threw them to opposite sides.
"Tsunade?" Orochimaru remained calm as ever, even flickering his tongue and flashing a smile.
"Tsunade?" Jiraiya's whole body trembled before he turned his vicious gaze back toward Orochimaru.
"You two! What exactly is happening? Fighting here? You've made enough noise for the Anbu to notice!" Tsunade roared at them.
"Tsunade, you have no idea! Orochimaru is a beast! A sub-human animal! You wouldn't believe the cruel, heartless, unbearable, perverted, evil, and despicable thing he has done!!!"
Jiraiya lowered his head. When he looked up again, two trails of tears were streaming down his face as he accused Orochimaru with a cracking voice.
"Did he kill Naruto?" Tsunade asked tentatively.
"It's worse than that!" Jiraiya wailed.
'Holy crap.'
Shiromo, descending from the sky, and Senju Tobirama, stepping out from the woods, were both stunned by Jiraiya's words. What could Orochimaru have possibly done that was worse than killing Jiraiya's disciple and the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Uzumaki Naruto?
Tobirama even began to doubt himself, had he truly been that poor at judging character?
Faced with such a heavy accusation, Orochimaru remained perfectly composed.
"Wait a moment. Orochimaru, didn't you say you developed a new Cursed Seal and wanted to return to Konoha for an experiment? Was that just an excuse?" Tobirama spoke up.
"Of course it's real. How could I deceive you, my most respected Second Hokage-sama?" Orochimaru chuckled.
"So, Orochimaru, what did you actually do? Confess and be treated with leniency; resist and be treated with severity," Shiromo said, having lost the patience for guessing games.
"Hehe. Regarding my new Cursed Seal, Shiromo-kun, you should actually know about it. It's that one... the very interesting one."
Orochimaru continued to play the riddler. However, Shiromo suddenly understood exactly what he meant. Because there was only one thing resembling a Cursed Seal that he had ever mentioned to Orochimaru.
That was back when they were discussing Tsunade's Creation Rebirth and Restoration, similar to [Reverse Curse Technique], he had mentioned something called a "gecko cinnabar" (Shougongsha).
"Pervy Sage! What are you doing here? Hurry up and take me to train! Dammit, take this! Harem Jutsu!"
Uzumaki Naruto, who had been searching for Jiraiya for days, heard the commotion and came running. Upon seeing Jiraiya, he opened with his trademark signature jutsu.
"No! Naruto! DON'T…!!!"
Jiraiya's eyes bugged out. He let out a blood-curdling scream, clutched at a certain part of his body, and fainted.
(End of this chapter)