Orochimaru wore a mask this time, and with his elusive movements, it was not easy for others to see his face clearly.
The reason Jiraiya recognized him was because of Orochimaru's signature attire and the aura he exuded.
We grew up together, we know each other inside and out, how can you not recognize each other just because you're wearing a demon mask?
As for why Jiraiya encountered Jiraiya in the jungle, it was simply because he happened to come down to relieve himself.
Who knew that before they could even ascend to heaven again, they would encounter Jiraiya.
We can't have Orochimaru throwing things from a high place, can we? That's so impolite! If someone below gets wet, they'll think it's holy water falling from the sky!
After a few Body Flicker Technique, Jiraiya covered a distance of several hundred meters in an instant.
At first, I thought the figure looked somewhat similar, but the closer I got, the more certain I became that it was Orochimaru.
"Sigh...! We've finally met!"
Since I've run into Orochimaru, I might as well stop hiding and try to persuade him, so he won't have to run around for my sake.
If we don't give him an answer, he might continue searching for me, which could hinder my actions.
"Jiraiya! Sashibi da na!"
Orochimaru slowly removed his mask, tossed his hair, and revealed his signature smile.
Upon seeing this face, Jiraiya's eyes glazed over; it was a familiar face, a familiar voice.
He still can't quite believe that this guy would leave without saying goodbye.
"Oh ho ho ho! Orochimaru, you've made me search so hard!"
Jiraiya glared at the guy who had caused him so much suffering, his teeth clenched.
He planned to talk Orochimaru into Talk no Jutsu first, and if that didn't work, he would beat him up badly and bring him back to Konoha.
"Since we've run into each other, let's grab a bite and chat while we eat!"
To Jiraiya's surprise, Orochimaru did not seem to be ready to fight him.
Before flipping the table, you have to eat your fill first; not everyone is a crow.
"You better not even think about escaping!"
Seeing his wary expression, Orochimaru had no choice but to create several Shadow Clones.
The clones scattered as soon as they appeared, not to fight, but to go find ingredients.
"What are you saying? I, Orochimaru, value brotherhood above all else! Don't we even have that much trust between us?"
As he spoke, his eyes dimmed slightly, and Jiraiya felt a pang in his heart upon seeing Orochimaru's seemingly gentle yet barbed words.
Yes, Orochimaru hasn't done anything that would incur divine wrath or public resentment, so there's no need to guard against him like a mortal enemy.
"There's a stream ahead. It's been a long time since we last met. Let's have a meal together as a reward for all your hard work these past few days!"
Hearing that Orochimaru insisted on treating him to a meal, and knowing that he was indeed exhausted from running around for the past two or three years!
Seeing Orochimaru walk ahead first, Jiraiya followed without hesitation and arrived at the stream one after the other.
The Land of Fire is considered to have a superior geographical location because it is rich in resources, including wild animals that can be found everywhere in the forest.
Soon, the clone brought back a wild rabbit, a pheasant, mushrooms, wild vegetables, and so on.
Why leave Konoha?
Seeing his busy clone, Jiraiya spoke first.
Of the three, Tsunade had already disappeared, and now it was Orochimaru. He felt like he had been betrayed by everyone.
Tsunade left the village due to excessive grief, while Orochimaru, based on his speculation, might have harbored resentment towards Konoha.
"If this guy goes against Konoha, the consequences will be unimaginable!"
"Since Konoha can't give me what I want, I'll create it myself!"
Before Jiraiya could think any further, Orochimaru's voice rang in his ears.
This statement was not too unexpected for him, and it was also in line with his guesses over the years.
"If you return to Konoha now, you have a very good chance of succeeding Hokage position. I will do everything I can to help you!"
Jiraiya continued, his tone becoming increasingly firm.
With his support, and given the current shortage of top talent in the village.
Orochimaru, as one of the Sannin, is absolutely convincing in terms of strength and prestige.
Regardless of their status, in terms of merit and seniority, Orochimaru is the most qualified of the Sannin.
"The Hokage position is good, but Konoha is a quagmire, and all the major clans are declining. I am not suitable for the Hokage, and neither are you!"
Orochimaru pulled out a pack of cigarettes from somewhere and gestured to Jiraiya if he wanted one.
Seeing that he was looking at her thoughtfully without making any move.
He simply took out a cigarette and lit it. After all, he was one of the Sannin, involved in gambling, drugs, and prostitution. Wasn't smoking normal for him?
Upon hearing Orochimaru's words, Jiraiya fell silent.
Who else among the Sannin, besides these two, would be the most suitable person to become Hokage? The answer is obvious.
"Let's eat first! You've wasted your time these past two years!"
Seeing the cooked chicken stew with mushrooms and roasted rabbit in the pot, Orochimaru patted his butt and went over to eat.
Jiraiya hearing Orochimaru's words, Jiraiya hesitated, unable to say anything in the end, and sighed heavily.
Jiraiya smelled the fragrance, his stomach began to rumble.
He shook his head helplessly and stopped being coy. Over the years, he had indeed lived a life of hardship and rarely had a decent meal.
Now we can enjoy Orochimaru's cooking again. I bet Tsunade is craving it too.
While eating, they chatted about all sorts of random things, mostly about the hardships Jiraiya had endured traveling around the country over the past two years.
As Orochimaru listened, he felt as if Orochimaru was being used as a ploy against him, and it seemed he was still not giving up.
"You haven't been back to Konoha for so long, aren't you afraid that guy Danzo will be targeted by Jiraisui?"
Although the little guy is already around 10 years old, he still Danzo's style of doing things and won't let go easily.
There's no doubt that if given the chance, they might really take action against him.
"He's currently working in the Anbu. With the old man around, Danzo won't dare to act recklessly!"
Jiraiya was gnawing on a rabbit leg, chewing and mumbling indistinctly, looking quite relieved.
"That's right. With you as his nominal godfather, Danzo will give you some face!"
Two years ago, after Orochimaru left Konoha, Jiraiya returned and entrusted the Jiraisui to the Third Hokage.
The Third Hokage was shocked to learn that Orochimaru was the product of his experiments, and he was particularly interested in the fact that Orochimaru possessed Wood Release.
The first thing they did was to place him in Konoha's Anbu, so that Jiraiya could go out and search for Orochimaru with peace of mind.
Orochimaru hadn't actually finished speaking, and Danzo probably wouldn't dare to harm the tap Jiraisui.
The reason is simple: it was Orochimaru who entrusted it to Jiraiya.
If there's a problem with the Jiraisui, given Orochimaru's ruthless and unscrupulous nature, he might actually go back and deal with him.
Not to mention he's now outside the village, making it virtually impossible to control him.
We also have to be wary of Orochimaru, who might come back like Itachi later on, have Ichiraku Ramen, and see how he's doing.
"Konoha will not classify you as Rogue Ninja for the next five years, but after five years...!"