Bab 91: Hidden Sound Village

Dream Space.

"Water Style, Water Stream Wave!"

Natsuki unleashed a water jet like a gun with a single breath, creating a massive crater in the ground.

Wiping his mouth, Natsuki reflected that the Water Stream Wave was still far inferior to the Water Severing Wave. When Tobirama, the Second Hokage, used the Water Severing Wave, it was like a high-pressure water blade, slicing through anything it touched.

Natsuki liked that technique very much, but mastering the Water Severing Wave wasn't easy, even though he had gained an affinity for water.

He still had a long way to go.

Natsuki continued forming hand seals.

"Water Style, Water Wall!"

Boom! A water wall surged up from the ground in front of Natsuki.

He frowned. The Water Wall didn't seem very useful.

It wasn't as strong as his Susanoo. When Tobirama used the Water Wall, it could surround him. Right now, Natsuki could only conjure the wall, but using it flexibly was still beyond him.

He stopped practicing and quickly exited the dream space.

Yesterday, he received a message from Itachi: they had successfully brought Karin and Jugo back to the Hidden Sound Village.

Orochimaru was already working on Itachi and Shisui's Sharingan issues, while more experiments were needed for Hashirama's cells.

However, the research required many rare materials and vast sums of money.

Money wasn't an issue for Natsuki, but some materials couldn't be bought, no matter how much money one had.

Considering the limited resources in the narrow territories of the Leaf Village and the Land of Fields, gathering all the necessary materials would take a long time.

Natsuki quickened his pace, leading his group toward the Land of Fields.

...

Land of Fields, Hidden Sound Village.

Jiraiya arrived at the village gate with his flowing white hair and a solid, imposing body.

Due to the addition of the Uchiha clan, the Hidden Sound Village, she rapidly became the most vital ninja village after the five great nations, and she was highly efficient in completing missions.

The village had developed significantly and no longer appeared as shabby as when Itachi and Shisui first arrived.

As Jiraiya walked through the village, he saw many people entering and leaving the mission hall. Some were there to commission tasks, while others, Hidden Sound ninjas, were taking missions.

Among them, Jiraiya even spotted a few Uchiha members, though they didn't greet him and instead focused on their affairs.

Jiraiya was surprised to see Uchiha Takuya, one of the Uchiha clan's three elders, inside the mission hall.

They had met before.

"Well, if it isn't Lord Jiraiya! What brings you here?" Takuya handed off his tasks to an assistant and greeted Jiraiya.

Jiraiya looked around.

"Let's find a more private place."

Takuya, understanding his intent, led Jiraiya to a quiet room.

As soon as they sat down, Jiraiya asked severely, "Itachi and Shisui have betrayed the village!?"

Takuya looked genuinely surprised. "What are you talking about, Lord Jiraiya? We're just taking missions here to make a living."

Jiraiya frowned. "But isn't taking missions in the Leaf Village the same?"

Takuya chuckled. "Not really. In the Leaf Village, we were constantly watched, and there was always a risk of having our eyes stolen. This may be a small village, but we have freedom here."

Jiraiya fell silent. The rumors about Danzo stealing Uchiha's eyes were widely known, and Takuya had used that as an excuse, leaving Jiraiya with nothing to say.

He understood what Takuya was implying: the Uchiha had faced too much discrimination in the Leaf Village.

Jiraiya sighed. Perhaps it was for the best that the Uchiha had left the village. If they had stayed, they might have been plotting rebellion by now.

"Is Orochimaru here?" Jiraiya asked directly.

Takuya's expression shifted slightly. "I wouldn't know. I'm just here to make ends meet. If you want to find Orochimaru, you can post a mission."

Jiraiya noted Takuya's expression. He knew that Takuya had information on Orochimaru but wouldn't give it up for free.

Jiraiya considered it for a moment and pulled out 100,000 ryō. "I'll pay 100,000 ryō to post a mission to find Orochimaru."

Takuya glanced at the money, realizing that Jiraiya was determined to find Orochimaru.

"Very well, I'll post the mission right away. Lord Jiraiya, you should enjoy some local delicacies while you wait. You'll have an answer in no more than three days."

Jiraiya nodded, understanding that Takuya would likely ask Orochimaru whether he wanted to meet him.

As Takuya left, he paused at the door and said, "By the way, Lord Jiraiya, the bathhouses here have sealing barriers."

Jiraiya's face darkened instantly.

...

Unlike in the original timeline, Orochimaru was now busy with research and overwhelmed with various projects.

He hadn't joined the Akatsuki, nor was he interested in executing the Konoha Crush plan. He no longer cared about the Third Hokage's opinion of him, as he had more important things to focus on.

The past grudges from the Leaf Village had long been left behind.

After taking Jiraiya's money, Takuya immediately requested an audience with Orochimaru.

Takuya played a significant role in managing the Sound Village, so even though Orochimaru was busy, he made time to meet him.

"Orochimaru-sama, Jiraiya is here to find you. He paid 100,000 ryō for information about your whereabouts and is near Hidden Sound Village."

"Oh?" Orochimaru was surprised. Jiraiya hadn't come with violence in mind, opting instead to post a mission and offer a reward. Did this mean he wasn't looking for a fight?

"Something must have changed," Orochimaru mused. He hadn't been paying much attention to the Leaf Village's affairs lately.

He had been troubled by his inability to procure certain rare substances for his experiments, and now Jiraiya had shown up.

Orochimaru thought for a moment, a faint smile forming on his lips.

...

Thanks to significant support from the Land of Fields, shops like [Chinese Cuisine] were thriving and making good money.

The Hidden Sound Village was expanding yearly and now had a bustling commercial street.

Many people who completed their missions would spend time shopping and dining on the village's streets, contributing to its growth.

As the number of visitors to the commercial street increased, some even chose to post their missions directly in the Sound Village, creating a mutually beneficial cycle.

Jiraiya found an inn, spent the evening strolling through the night market, and returned with plenty of grilled food and sake, indulging in a relaxed meal.

He couldn't help but admit that the food was truly delicious.

As Jiraiya continued to enjoy his meal, he suddenly sensed something and looked toward the door.

Orochimaru lifted the curtain and walked in.

He sat across from Jiraiya, and neither spoke for a while.

Jiraiya studied Orochimaru closely, feeling that something about him seemed off, though he couldn't pinpoint it. A sense of unease lingered.

In reality, Orochimaru had already undergone a body transfer, so the body he now inhabited wasn't his original one.

Having been teammates with Orochimaru for years and having trained in Sage Jutsu frequently, Jiraiya could sense the subtle discord.

In recent years, Orochimaru had hardly fought at all. He was busy with experiments, and the dark, sinister aura he once had diminished, replaced by a scholarly air.