"That's right. Once we return, Teacher Sarutobi will surely reward you too, Akaseki." Orochimaru paused before continuing, "How about this? On Teacher Sarutobi's behalf, I'll give you the opportunity to undergo the contract trial for [Rashomon] right now. What do you say?" He smiled.
"Rashomon—you mean the technique that blocked the avalanche just now?" Akaseki's eyes lit up as he recalled Orochimaru taking the avalanche head-on.
"Yes, but [Rashomon] is summoned rather than being an independent technique. You can think of it as a special kind of living being. All I can give you is the opportunity to take its trial," Orochimaru said with a nod.
Rashomon was partially alive. Even Orochimaru couldn't simply have someone sign a contract with it; he could only give them the opportunity to undergo its trial.
"Summoning... so it's just a trial..." Akaseki felt as though someone had doused him with half a bucket of cold water.
After all, he had already signed a contract with Tanuki Treasure. Signing another with a different species would be especially difficult.
Orochimaru seemed to understand his concern. "[Rashomon] is different from ordinary summoning beasts. The contracts don't interfere with one another."
Akaseki relaxed at that, but seeing him looking a little too reassured, Orochimaru cautioned him, "Of course, [Rashomon]'s trial is very difficult. Back then, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and I all received the opportunity from Teacher Sarutobi to take [Rashomon]'s
"trial, but..."
The corners of Orochimaru's mouth curled upward as he spoke.
He didn't spell it out, but that expression told Akaseki everything. He wasn't sure whether Big Sis Tsunade had succeeded, but Teacher Jiraiya, standing right beside them, definitely hadn't!
Hearing Orochimaru bring that up, Jiraiya immediately bristled and deliberately said, "Yeah, that trial was incredibly hard. When I failed, I felt miserable for days...
"Then, during