Chapter 291: Orochimaru's Dragonkin Tower Adventure
"My student, Konan?"
Jiraiya hadn't expected to suddenly hear news of his former pupil.
During one of the in-game events held in Konoha, he had seen footage showing the destruction of a village—his student's doing.
He had also seen Danzo's despicable actions,
How he had manipulated and led to the death of Yahiko, who had carried the dream of changing the ninja world.
So Jiraiya had long been waiting for the right opportunity to contact the two of them again.
But no one had foreseen Konoha's collapse, or that the remaining ninja would be relentlessly hunted by the Fire Empire. And so, the matter was shelved.
"Teaching ninjutsu to civilians… No longer fighting…?"
"Building bridges, paving roads, farming fields… Not a ninja village, but a nation?"
Jiraiya lowered his head,
Unbothered by the tense situation around him, he absentmindedly pulled from his tool pouch a tattered book he had always carried—even inside the Reincarnation Game.
Not Icha Icha Paradise, but Tale of the Gutsy Ninja.
Even after abandoning the concept of fate, he couldn't help but recall the words of the Great Toad Sage:
"Your student… will change the world."
Jiraiya had only a few disciples left. Minato Namikaze, long passed. Then Naruto Uzumaki, and the Rain trio—Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan.
From Minato,
He saw the image of a perfect ninja: ruthless to enemies, compassionate to comrades, dutiful as Hokage, and dying heroically to protect the village.
From Naruto,
He saw unwavering hope. Lacking Minato's intellect, but possessing incredible willpower and the ability to touch others' hearts.
And finally—Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan,
Orphans from the Rain Country, seemingly no different from any others… except for Nagato's Rinnegan.
Originally, he took them in because of that eye.
But the Reincarnation Game had shattered the limits of bloodlines—now anyone with enough points could acquire as many Rinnegan as they wanted.
So in truth,
If fate existed at all, the ones who could change the ninja world were now more likely Minato—resurrected—and Naruto.
And yet—
Hearing Orochimaru's words now was like a thunderclap in Jiraiya's mind.
"Looks like I need to pay a visit to the Land of Rain," he thought.
Only this time, he would no longer entrust his hopes to others.
He wanted to personally change the ninja world… and find peace.
Without a care for those around him, he pulled out a brush,
Licked the tip, and scribbled on the last blank page of Tale of the Gutsy Ninja.
He laughed heartily. "Sorry, sorry! Inspiration just hit me like a wave—I couldn't hold it in!"
A powerful energy burst from the paper.
Frog Call.
From distant to near, like a frog leaping from a well into the vast ocean.
Enhanced Prophecy: Well Frog.
Plop!
From within the book, a splash sounded. A crimson arm stretched out, expanding as if tearing through a barrier—
And finally, a giant red toad the size of a mountain landed with a thunderous boom.
"Jiraiya, what the hell are you—wait…"
The summoned Gamabunta froze mid-sentence.
Shocked, he felt the overflowing power inside him. Even half an inch of his unsheathed blade glinted with a lethal, chilling light.
"I guess I just had a flash of enlightenment. Don't be surprised. I'm a genius, after all."
[Enhanced Prophecy]
It boosted the summoned creature's attributes based on the caster's conviction—the stronger the will, the greater the boost.
Gamabunta's eyes sparkled.
Jiraiya's will had suddenly surged. Right now, he felt like he could slice the heavens in half.
"Whether ninja villages are outdated relics or still worth preserving… I don't know."
Jiraiya's expression turned grim as he stared down Orochimaru.
"But one thing I do know—Orochimaru, you are the enemy of Konoha."
"So what?"
"You dropout."
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with menace as he locked gazes with his former comrade.
From childhood, he had borne the title of genius.
And the fool always trailing behind him—had never changed. Not even the Reincarnation Game could fix that.
Still clinging to naïve ideals.
Humans could never understand what it meant to transcend humanity.
"I'll kill you."
Jiraiya's voice was calm, but the killing intent was nearly tangible.
A second later,
Gamabunta made his move. His short blade flashed, striking the spot where Orochimaru had just stood.
But Orochimaru showed no desire to fight.
Even surrounded, he remained utterly unafraid.
"When I come back from Dragonkin Tower… if you're all still here, you'll die."
He raised a key in his hand—
The [Sky Sea Key], exchanged from Lorian using a commander-class monster's corpse.
"So that's the key he got by stealing the Navy's kill?"
Sakazuki clenched his fists, face darkening, as molten hellfire dripped to the ground. He charged.
"Fool."
Orochimaru scoffed at him.
He lifted a hand—
A jet-black necro-soul shot forward and slammed into Sakazuki's chest.
An icy chill spread through him.
He tore open his shirt to find a necromantic sigil glowing on his chest.
Crack—
The rotting forest floor split open. Grotesque ghouls clawed their way out and lunged at the marked admiral.
More and more emerged.
Orochimaru's mouth curled into a grin, his skin turning a viscous, tar-like black.
His Ghoul Bloodline had reached the intermediate stage.
He now possessed a small [Graveyard], where he could mass-produce low-tier ghouls imbued with Corruption.
Black mist flooded the area.
At the center of the ghoul horde stood an inverted iron cross—his graveyard's core.
Only by destroying the graveyard could the ghouls be stopped.
Otherwise, slain ghouls would be absorbed back into it and regenerated within seconds.
Seizing the opportunity,
Orochimaru activated the [Sky Sea Key] and vanished.
A massive stone pillar, carved with magical runes, supported the Sky Tower—larger than any town in Arad.
The damp floor stretched to the edge of the tower, which lacked any railing.
Looking down, one could see the roiling Sea of Magic below.
"So this is where the lord monsters dwell… It really is an unpleasant place."
Orochimaru frowned.
The Sea of Magic emitted a pulse that disturbed all living beings nearby.
Its most dangerous trait?
It gave lifeless things a semblance of life.
Like animated magical armor.
And for Orochimaru,
A necromancer who controlled the dead—
This was a serious problem.
"Quick and clean."
He stretched out a skeletal hand and plunged it into the ground.
A swarm of undead spiders poured out of his wide sleeves and scattered in all directions.
Moments later,
One group sensed a strange lifeform nearby.
Orochimaru licked his lips—tongue coiling around his neck—and raced toward the signal like a hungry predator.
At that moment—
Everything Orochimaru did was being broadcast to central plazas across the game's various cities.
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