Naruto Paradise

"Wait a minute, Orochimaru!"

After finally finding Orochimaru's trace, Aburame Ryoma excitedly wanted to go up and talk to him, but he didn't expect Orochimaru to ignore him.

"What? I just gave you a chance to live, but you still want to die?"

Orochimaru's cold vertical pupils made it seem as if he had no human emotions at all.

"Or do you think that because we used to work together under Danzo, you can make me go easy on you?"

"Lord Orochimaru, let me kill him."

Kabuto Yakushi, who was following Orochimaru, quickly took out a kunai.

Although the appearance of this bug-playing ninja was somewhat unexpected, Orochimaru had just killed the Fourth Kazekage and his body was weakened now. He couldn't let the people of Konoha see through his strength.

"No, Orochimaru-senpai, it was Hokage-sama... and Danzo-sama who sent me to contact you, but they didn't intend to deal with you."

Feeling the murderous aura emanating from Orochimaru just by moving his eyes, which was enough to make his whole body cold, Aburame Ryoma couldn't help but feel a layer of sweat on his back.

"Oh? Danzo, forget about that, but why would my 'mentor' think of contacting me?"

Orochimaru temporarily signaled Kabuto Yakushi beside him not to take action. He wanted to see what the other party would say.

"From what Danzo-sama said... Hokage-sama seems to want you to return to Konoha."

Aburame Ryoma said cautiously.

"What a funny joke! That old guy personally labeled me a traitor and kicked me out of Konoha. Now he wants me to come back with just one word? What does he think of me?!"

"Lord Orochimaru..."

Orochimaru's rare rage made Kabuto Yakushi quite worried.

Who knows if Danzo has sent others to ambush nearby? If Orochimaru's current injuries are exposed, it will be difficult to deal with later.

In particular, he also has an identity related to Danzo.

"Go back and tell your Hokage that when I, Orochimaru, return to Konoha, that will be the day he dies!"

Although his body was weak and somewhat unbearable, Orochimaru appeared to be no different from before.

Still as gloomy, evil and intimidating as ever.

"Let's go, Kabuto."

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru."

Fortunately, no fight broke out.

Pharmacist Kabuto breathed a sigh of relief.

But before he could feel relieved, Orochimaru, who had just said he was leaving, suddenly used his Shadow Snake Hand to attack Aburame Ryoma who was still standing there.

"Orochimaru, you are still so insidious."

Aburame Ryoma stood there with a pale face, but Orochimaru's Shadow Snake Hand did not hit him, but was blocked by a ninja whose hair covered his body like a hedgehog.

"J-Jiraiya-sama!"

Aburame Ryoma never expected that Jiraiya, one of the three ninjas, had always been by his side.

But he was also very glad that Jiraiya was by his side, otherwise he might not have been able to dodge the Shadow Snake Hand just now.

"You go back to Konoha first, I'll handle this place."

Jiraiya collected the hardened hair and spoke to Aburame Ryoma behind him without turning his head.

"Yes……"

Knowing that he would have no role in the upcoming battle, Aburame Ryoma quickly obeyed orders and disappeared into the woods.

"Orochimaru, did you know I was coming?"

Since he showed up, Jiraiya only had eyes for Orochimaru.

"Your crappy ninjutsu can only fool mediocre people like Aburame Ryoma, how can you possibly deceive me?"

Even Jiraiya is here?

What exactly was that 'mentor' planning?

There's no way he knew about my ambush and killing of the Fourth Kazekage.

Although he appeared calm and relaxed while reminiscing about the past with Jiraiya, Orochimaru was actually a little panicked in his heart.

If there is really no other way, he can only kill his subordinate Dou here and escape alone.

"Yeah."

Seeing his former friend become a traitor to the village and act like he would never turn back, Jiraiya's eyes were full of disappointment.

"You've made some progress compared to before, but it's a pity that I get sleepy just looking at your silly face."

Orochimaru said as he pretended to yawn.

Although he was proud that he would never lose to Jiraiya, Orochimaru knew that in his current weak state, it would be best not to take action if possible.

"You're still the same as before, sharp-tongued."

This was not the first or second time that Jiraiya was mocked by Orochimaru, but he was not angry at all and even felt a little nostalgic.

"The teacher really wants you to return to the village, although I don't know what he thinks."

"Really? Ridiculous, I already..."

Hadn't Orochimaru's crimes been made public in Konoha long ago?

If he goes back now, won't he be condemned by everyone?

Besides, not becoming Hokage has always been a thorn in his heart.

Of course, he is not that obsessed about becoming Hokage or not.

It’s just that, you can refuse it but you can’t not give it. Not giving it would be fine, but you have to support a junior taught by Jiraiya in front of him... This is simply a humiliation to him!

So in Orochimaru's heart, it was always Sarutobi Hiruzen who betrayed him first, not him who betrayed the village.

"Don't be so quick to refuse, Orochimaru."

Jiraiya interrupted Orochimaru's next words and threw over a scroll containing text.

"The teacher said that after reading this letter, you might change your mind."

"letter?"

Orochimaru didn't think that someone like Jiraiya would tamper with the things thrown to him, so he quickly opened the scroll.

Then a look of shock flashed across his face.

Chapter 23: Oh no, there’s a cow!

Jiraiya took in Orochimaru's expression.

He began to be curious about what Sarutobi Hiruzen wrote in the letter to Orochimaru.

However, the scroll was spelled with a spell that would self-destruct soon after being opened, and because of his trust in his teacher, he had never thought of taking a look at it in advance.

"Haha...hahahaha..."

After reading the contents of the scroll, Orochimaru was shocked and first chuckled, then laughed out loud.

He even laughed so hard that tears came out. This reaction shocked not only Jiraiya, but even Kabuto Yakushi, who had been silent on the side.

"You made White Fang commit suicide, watched the Fourth Hokage die, and then exterminated the Uchiha clan. Now that you've found no one left to use, you're coming to me again?"

After Orochimaru finished laughing, he wiped the non-existent tears from the corners of his eyes with his fingers.

The scroll he threw away fell to the ground with a bang and turned into a puff of white smoke.

"Orochimaru……"

Jiraiya felt that most of what Orochimaru said were conspiracy theories, and at least some of them should not be blamed on Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"If it had been ten years earlier, I might have been impressed by him, but I don't need that now."

He rebelled against Konoha and founded the Village of Sound Hidden in the Land of Rice. He had been killing experimental subjects for ten years, and Orochimaru's heart had long been as cold and hard as stone.

Recalling the words in the scroll, 'I plan to deal with Sunagakure... After you return to Konoha, not only will I forgive all the bygones, I will also help you clear your name in the village', Orochimaru was tempted for a moment, but he quickly dismissed the idea of going back.

Belated affection is more cheap than grass, not to mention that it is not affection at all, it is just a desire to use him.

However, why did the old man suddenly set his sights on the Sand Village?

This is also the reason why Orochimaru was so shocked after opening the scroll.

He had just killed the Fourth Kazekage and hadn't even buried him yet. How could Sarutobi Hiruzen, who had been sitting in the Konoha Hokage's office, have known that he could take advantage of the opportunity to attack the Sand Village?

No, maybe it's just a coincidence.

The old guy couldn't find an heir, and he had ambitions to annex the Sand Village, so he came to me.

Orochimaru thought a lot in an instant, but the only thing he didn't do was accept Sarutobi Hiruzen's "good intentions".

"Again, tell the old man to clean his neck and wait in Konoha!"

Orochimaru winked at Kabuto Yakushi who was standing beside him, and Kabuto immediately understood and began to prepare a ninjutsu for long-distance escape.

"Orochimaru, this may be your last chance, you can't..."

Can't you just agree to go back to the village for the sake of our past relationship?

Jiraiya stretched out his hand somewhat unwillingly, but only grasped the air.

Orochimaru, who was standing in front of him, had already turned into a whirlwind and disappeared on the spot.

-

-

"Oh? He refused?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen stood in front of the window with his hands behind his back, looking at the thriving tree outside and the dead leaves falling in the wind.

"Ah."

Jiraiya was a little frustrated.

He thought that this time he would have the opportunity to have another gathering of the three ninjas in Konoha—

If Orochimaru agreed to return to the village, he would immediately set off to find Tsunade.

But unfortunately, Orochimaru was unable to get it back no matter what.

"That doesn't matter. Tell me how he reacted at that time."

"he……"

"I see."

After listening to Jiraiya's story, Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes flashed.

"Hokage-sama, urgent information!"

Suddenly, the assistant's urgent voice came from outside the office door.

Then a secret letter taken from a carrier pigeon was delivered to him.

"Parts of the Fourth Kazekage's body have been found."

After reading the contents of the secret letter, if Jiraiya had not been still in the office, the excited Sarutobi Hiruzen would have wanted to say "OK" on the spot.

It’s right, it’s really right!

Orochimaru's reaction and the body of the Fourth Kazekage all confirmed the "future" recorded in the notebook!