Capítulo 36: Chapter 36
"Aniki, Jiraiya-senpai is the only one who knows the truth; do you think he will..."
Watching Jiraiya's departing figure, Nawaki voiced his concern to Tatsuya.
"He won't."
Tatsuya deftly picked a piece of meat from the stone pot, placing one portion in his bowl and the other in Tsunade's mouth.
Tsunade scowled for a few moments before finally relenting, allowing the meat to be bitten into her mouth.
"Jiraiya is driven by his emotions, a trait that both defines him and serves as his greatest weakness," Tatsuya confidently asserted.
Indeed, this emotion-fueled disposition could explain why Jiraiya, in the future, would choose to remain neutral during Orochimaru and Sarutobi Hiruzen's life-and-death struggle.
This choice shed light on various unresolved issues.
...
...
"What's the matter? Jiraiya, this desolate look doesn't suit you, you fool."
As Jiraiya exited the Senju clan, he coincidentally encountered Orochimaru, leading a small retinue of guards back to Konoha.
Observing Jiraiya's somber countenance and furrowed brow, Orochimaru couldn't resist a jest.
"Orochimaru..."
Jiraiya raised his gaze to meet his friend's cold and aloof demeanor and, after a few moments, inquired:
"About Tatsuya and Shinnosuke... are you aware?"
"Concerning that matter?"
Orochimaru shifted his serpent-like eyes, pondering for a brief moment before suddenly remarking:
"Ah, you mean Tatsuya sent Shinnosuke to Shinigam—"
"Stop!!"
Before Orochimaru could complete his sentence, Jiraiya interjected sharply. The nearby Konoha shinobi were taken aback by the exchange.
In the next instant, Jiraiya grasped Orochimaru's shoulder, drawing him aside and lowering his voice as much as possible.
"Are you out of your mind? Discussing this matter in public?"
Orochimaru shrugged, a smile tugging at his lips. "What's the harm? I'm not on Sensei's side, nor am I siding with Tatsuya. I maintain a neutral stance."
A neutral stance?
These four words from Orochimaru prompted a shift in Jiraiya's expression once again.
Had the Konoha ninjas divided into multiple factions, each with their loyalties and beliefs?
"To me, they're all fragile beings, susceptible to death at any moment. I find no interest in their power struggles," Orochimaru asserted, a faint smile never leaving his face.
In his eyes, Compared to the pursuit of immortality and boundless ninjutsu conflicts among others or battles involving those destined to die were insignificant.
Meaningless.
"What about you, Jiraiya? Where do you stand?"
Despite his words, Orochimaru couldn't help but be curious. If a confrontation between Tatsuya and Sensei were to occur, who would emerge victorious?
"Meaning?"
Jiraiya's disquiet deepened.
"You and I are well aware that Tatsuya was responsible for Shinnosuke's demise. Although Sensei lacks concrete evidence, Tatsuya is surely on the high-ranking elders' radar, and a confrontation is inevitable."
Orochimaru's smile grew, and he continued, "Tatsuya has Tsunade, Nawaki, and the White Fang behind him. But Sensei has the backing of the elders and the entire village."
"Superficially, Sensei holds the upper hand, yet due to his age, his strength is waning. Meanwhile, Uchiha, Hyuga, Ino-Shika-Cho, and other major clans may not be as steadfast in their loyalty to Hokage as it seems."
Orochimaru couldn't help but burst into laughter as he broached the topic, "In this scenario, your Kage-level decision carries significant weight, acting as a crucial factor in tipping the balance of this scale."
Jiraiya's eyebrows twitched involuntarily.
Before he could respond, an Anbu operative, masked and swift, appeared beside them using the Body Flicker Technique and announced:
"Orochimaru-sama, Jiraiya-sama. Hokage-sama request your presence."
"Um?"
Jiraiya noticed the distinct shock of yellow hair peeking out from behind the mask of the Anbu operative before him.
Do they dare to face Tatsuya directly?
...
...
"This is the truce agreement presented to us by Sungakure's elder Chiyo."
Inside the Hokage's office, Orochimaru placed a small scroll on the desk before speaking in an indifferent tone, "If you don't mind, I'll take my leave now. There are numerous ninjutsu I have yet to explore."
Hiruzen made no effort to stop him, watching as Orochimaru departed.
The air between these two seemed tinged with diminishing emotions. Jiraiya, who observed them in secrecy, unconsciously pursed his dry lips. What transpired during my three-year absence from Konoha, while I taught Nagato?
Why does everything within the village seem so unfamiliar to me?
"Sensei, did you require something of me?"
Inquired Jiraiya, the sole remaining Sannin who maintained a mentorship with Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"Could you recount the events surrounding your, Tatsuya's, and Shinnosuke's joint mission to assassinate the Kazekage?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze locked onto Jiraiya.
"As I suspected," Jiraiya mused inwardly. As anticipated, the old man had doubts as well. Although Tatsuya had previously explained, it seemed Hiruzen desired to hear it from Jiraiya's perspective.
Jiraiya remained silent for half a minute before slowly speaking:
"I didn't personally witness it... Shinnosuke's demise at the hands of the Second Kazekage."
By saying, "I didn't witness Sarutobi Shinnosuke's death by the hands of the Second Kazekage," Jiraiya cleverly obscured the truth – that he hadn't encountered Shinnosuke during the mission.
In truth, Jiraiya was playing a semantic game with Sarutobi Hiruzen. Much like Orochimaru, he chose a neutral stance regarding the conflict between the two factions.
After all, he wasn't lying. He hadn't witnessed Shinnosuke's death at the hands of the Second Kazekage.
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