Chapter 122 – Orochimaru: Something is Wrong, Allies Turning Against Us
At that moment, both Jiraiya and Orochimaru seemed to sense something. Their gazes shifted toward Nara Shikaku and his companions.
A subtle pressure washed over Shikaku, but it vanished just as quickly. He steadied himself, and Jiraiya rose with a smile, pulling off his mask.
"Long time no see, Shikaku. Congratulations on becoming Hokage's chief advisor," Jiraiya said, his tone light but steady.
Shikaku's expression remained calm. Though his relationship with Jiraiya was never close, he returned the greeting with a polite smile.
"Jiraiya-senpai. How about we find somewhere quieter to talk?"
"Fine by me," Jiraiya replied easily.
Beside him, Orochimaru gave a soft laugh, dispelling his Transformation Technique with a puff of smoke. His pale, serpentine features returned, drawing sharp looks from the Uchiha shinobi stationed nearby.
Orochimaru cast Jiraiya a sideways glance. "Really now… a mask? You might as well have transformed. Either way, we've been found out."
"Don't pin this on me," Jiraiya shot back. "Maybe you slipped up somewhere along the line."
The two bickered idly as they followed Shikaku into an empty chamber that had been quickly cleared by one of the Uchiha guards.
"You came uninvited," Shikaku said with measured politeness, "but Konoha still extends its courtesy."
Jiraiya's smile faded. "How did you track us down?"
He had been careful—painstakingly so. Discovery this soon was… unsettling.
Shikaku didn't answer directly. Instead, he leaned forward slightly, his tone serious. "You're here to see Hokage-sama, aren't you?"
Before Jiraiya could respond, Shikaku continued. "Unfortunately, Hokage-sama isn't in the village right now. Two days ago, our network in Kumogakure reported a raid on a border outpost. Hokage-sama personally led a contingent to reinforce the front lines."
Jiraiya's eyes narrowed, while Orochimaru's lips curled in a displeased frown.
He had agreed to return alongside Jiraiya for one purpose alone—to obtain Uchiha Fugaku's Mangekyō Sharingan. And now, the man was gone.
"Heh… is the Fifth Hokage truly so timid?" Orochimaru sneered. "The moment he hears Jiraiya and I are in the village, he runs to the border, too afraid to face us?"
One of the Uchiha guards bristled instantly. "Watch your tongue, Orochimaru! Hokage-sama isn't someone you can slander."
Unfazed, Orochimaru chuckled. "How convenient, though, isn't it? He leaves the moment we return."
Jiraiya shook his head. "No, Orochimaru. They're right. Fugaku probably really did leave for the front lines."
Earlier that day, Jiraiya had run into a few old acquaintances at a teahouse. They had been forthright, mentioning that numerous jōnin had been mobilized two days ago. The Hokage's exact location was unknown, but the scale of the operation spoke for itself.
Ordinary matters didn't require that level of force.
Shikaku's eyes sharpened. Jiraiya had already gathered intelligence on his own—that fast. Impressive, but troubling. If even Jiraiya could piece this together so quickly, then someone inside the village must have leaked sensitive information.
He filed the thought away. There would be an investigation.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru's gaze darkened. So Fugaku really wasn't here. All this effort… wasted.
Still, perhaps he could take some consolation prize. The Uchiha district was not far away. Plucking a pair of Sharingan eyes would serve as "interest" until next time.
"The village is in crisis," Shikaku said firmly. "Jiraiya-senpai, you're still one of Konoha's Sannin. I hope you'll place the village above all else."
Jiraiya's expression hardened. "You don't need to worry about that. More than anyone, I want Konoha safe. Anyone who threatens this village—" his eyes slid toward Orochimaru, "—I won't let them off."
Orochimaru froze, golden eyes narrowing. Was Jiraiya… implying something? His so-called ally, turning against him?
He suppressed a hiss of irritation. Had Jiraiya met Shikaku before this, made arrangements? His attitude was too controlled, too measured, as if he intended to keep Orochimaru on a leash.
"This is troublesome…" Orochimaru thought grimly. His supposed partner was becoming an obstacle.
Shikaku gave a small smile, voice calm but edged. "If there's anyone who embodies loyalty to Konoha, it's you, Jiraiya-senpai." Then his gaze shifted to Orochimaru. "But as for Orochimaru… He is a missing-nin. Exiled personally by the Third Hokage. He should not walk free here. Hand him over."
"Impossible." Jiraiya's refusal was immediate, his voice like steel. "I came to find him for help, not to throw him to the wolves."
And yet, deep down, his convictions were shifting. The village under Fugaku's leadership seemed stronger, more vibrant. Policies like the three-year exemption from agricultural and commercial taxes had already eased the burdens of countless villagers.
Even if Fugaku had once been his enemy, Jiraiya could no longer deny reality. Konoha was thriving.
His heart twisted with conflict.
Shikaku studied him quietly, then said, "If you won't hand him over, then at the very least—ensure he doesn't show his face in the village again. You know what he's done. Konoha cannot accept his presence."
The air between the three grew heavier. Jiraiya's silence weighed more than words, while Orochimaru's smirk thinned into something sharp and dangerous.
For Orochimaru, one thing was clear—his "ally" was slipping away.
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