Jiraiya, Rain Country's Prospective Son-in-Law

Inside the shelter,

Jiraiya crouched in a corner, scratching his head anxiously as his eyes occasionally drifted toward the pitch-black ventilation shaft.

"Why isn't Orochimaru back yet? Nothing happened to him, right?"

"Put your mind at ease. Orochimaru is ten thousand times more reliable than a certain half-baked fool."

Tsunade crouched beside him with her arms around her knees, curling her lips in displeasure.

She had just failed to resist playing a few rounds with her card buddies. As expected, she had been utterly defeated, even losing tomorrow's breakfast money.

"Uh..."

Jiraiya's expression froze. He suspected Tsunade was insulting him right to his face, but he had no proof.

"You—"

"Rustle, rustle..."

Just as Jiraiya was about to defend his honor, an almost imperceptible rustling came from the ventilation shaft. His spirits immediately lifted.

"Stinky Snake?"

"Tsunade, please don't compare me to this idiot next time."

Sure enough, Orochimaru's soft, sinister voice came from inside the ventilation shaft.

Clearly, he had heard his two teammates' earlier conversation.

In Orochimaru's eyes, comparing him to Jiraiya was downright insulting. No one would be happy just because someone said they were smarter than the village idiot.

"Hah? Stinky Snake, say that again if you've got the nerve!"

Jiraiya's brows shot up in fury. Rolling up his sleeves, he prepared to fight Orochimaru, who had slipped out of the ventilation shaft.

"Catch your sons."

Orochimaru could not be bothered with the idiot. He raised a hand and tossed over the two children he was carrying.

"Whew... Thank you."

After catching them in a flurry, Jiraiya looked at Yahiko and Nagato sleeping soundly in his hands. The weight in his heart finally lifted. Letting out a long breath, he nodded gratefully at Orochimaru.

"Wait, where's the other one?"

Tsunade, standing beside him, spotted the issue.