Chapter 13

A terrifying aura crashed outward. Boom!

An absurdly huge blade came chopping down, sweeping the swarm of venomous snakes on the ground clean away in a single slash.

The mist dispersed.

A giant toad with a pipe in its mouth appeared on the spot—Jiraiya's summon, Gamabunta. "Hm?"

"Not Jiraiya?"

"Some little brat?"

Gamabunta lowered his head and stared at Sasuke, looking utterly baffled.

An unfamiliar presence, unfamiliar chakra—if Orochimaru hadn't been standing opposite him, Gamabunta would have walked off on the spot.

That was right. This was the trial card Sasuke had obtained from his previous mission—the Gamabunta Summon Card.

Once used, rules or no rules, it directly dragged this giant toad out.

As for whether he would listen? The system didn't care about that.

In any case, he had summoned him. "Gamabunta?!"

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes. "When did this brat get mixed up with Jiraiya?"

"Tch, looks like I'll have to get serious."

"Hiss!"

Orochimaru bit his finger, formed seals with both hands, and activated the summoning jutsu.

The next second, a ferocious giant snake appeared with a crash.

"Orochimaru, the last offering didn't taste too good. Don't try to fool me with trash this time."

Manda rasped out a complaint, then lunged at Gamabunta without another word.

Orochimaru didn't sit idle either. His figure flickered as he charged straight at Sasuke.

This brat had even brought out Gamabunta. Who knew what other trump cards he had in hand?

Take him down first!

Dragging things out too long inside Konoha Village was not a good thing.

The more troublesome it was, the stronger Orochimaru's interest in Sasuke became.

This brat might really bring him a little surprise. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

Sasuke raised his fingers and opened his mouth, shouting the name of the jutsu.

Orochimaru didn't dodge at all and kept charging straight toward him.

"Bzzzt, bzzzt, bzzzt..."

The next moment, blinding lightning exploded outward, and arcs of electricity instantly wrapped around Orochimaru's entire body.

A numbing sensation spread from his limbs, and Orochimaru's body briefly stiffened.

"Lightning God Mode: Lightning Run!"

Sasuke formed seals again, and several electric serpents rose from his body, even blasting his hair upright strand by strand.

Boom!

The ground beneath his feet shattered, and his figure vanished outright.

By the time the paralysis wore off, Orochimaru had completely missed his window to pursue.

Even if he could still chase him now, this was Konoha's home turf.

Once he made a move, those annoying fellows would swarm over like flies.

"Manda, we're leaving."

Orochimaru coldly dropped the words, then sank into the ground and disappeared.

Manda couldn't be bothered to keep entangling with Gamabunta either. With a boom, he turned into white mist and dispersed.

What a joke. He was paid by the number of appearances. Since Orochimaru had said they weren't fighting anymore, why would he risk his life?

It sounded like a lot, but in truth, from start to finish, it had only been a dozen or so seconds.

Everyone was gone, leaving only Gamabunta standing there.

A gust of wind blew past.

Gamabunta held his pipe in his mouth, standing alone in the wind, a mess.

Rustle—

Sasuke had not run far when several dark figures landed in front of him.

"Sasuke, are you all right?"

Uchiha Natsume frowned, staring at him with worry all over his face.

He was responsible for watching over Sasuke's safety.

Tonight, the Police Force had a temporary emergency, so he had stepped away for a while.

Who would have thought that in just such a short gap, something huge almost happened?

"A guy called Orochimaru slipped into the village."

"He's supposedly one of the legendary Sannin."

"This news has to be reported to Lord Hokage immediately."

Sasuke dropped those words, then turned and slipped away again.

He should go back and hole up.

Orochimaru was sinister as hell. Staying by Natsume and the others was nowhere near as safe as staying in front of his old man.

If he hadn't had a Gamabunta trial card in hand just now, that guy might really have caught him and taken him away.

It did not take long for the news that Orochimaru had sneaked into Konoha to reach the higher-ups' ears.

At that moment, in the Hokage's office, several people stood there with ashen expressions.

"Third, back then you went soft and let that scourge Orochimaru get away."

"Now he even dares to barge straight into the village. Shouldn't you give us an explanation?"

The one who spoke was Koharu Utatane, her tone not softening in the slightest.

"Orochimaru is indeed a huge pain."

"Third, what do you think? What exactly was he trying to do by sneaking into our village?"

Homura Mitokado also chimed in.

As for Danzo, he stood off to the side, a cold smile hanging at the corner of his mouth as he watched Hiruzen Sarutobi.

He had not expected Orochimaru to jump out and meddle at a time like this.

If he could borrow his strength, then the plan afterward...

Danzo's mind was already calculating how to sit in the Hokage's seat.

As for whether the village lived or died?

He was not particularly worried.

With Orochimaru's limited ability, he still could not stir up much of a storm.

"He's already run."

"His target was Uchiha Sasuke."

"As for how that boy got away, we still haven't figured it out."

"But is all you lords can do stand here and flap your mouths?"

A figure suddenly appeared at the window.

A head of white hair. One look was enough to know who it was.

Jiraiya.

All of this information had come from Gamabunta.

He had originally planned to come find Hiruzen Sarutobi and explain things clearly, but instead he ran into this fine show.

Konoha's higher-ups did not think about how to solve problems and only knew how to hound people for blame here.

No wonder that woman Tsunade had thrown up her hands and left.

"Jiraiya?"

"You—"

"I just came over to explain the situation. I have no intention of participating in your meeting."

"Lord Hokage, I'm off on my mission."

Before Homura Mitokado could lose his temper, Jiraiya dropped that line and was already gone.

"Third, this is the fine disciple you taught!"

"Hmph!"

"You handle this matter yourself."

Homura Mitokado had a breath stuck in his throat that he could not vent. He flung his sleeve, turned, and left.

Go make trouble for Jiraiya?

What a joke.

The only person who could still be connected to Jiraiya was the Third.

Homura Mitokado was not stupid enough to think that, in his current situation, he could do anything to Jiraiya.

With a belly full of pent-up fire, he threw his attitude around and left.

"Third, handle it quickly."

"Also, the candidate for the Fifth Hokage should be decided as well."

Koharu Utatane's words carried a deeper meaning as she left behind that final sentence.

Before leaving, she even glanced at Danzo before turning and walking away.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had already been irritated, and once Koharu Utatane said that, his head throbbed even more.

Danzo's little thoughts were basically out in the open now—he was not even bothering to hide them.

As for why Koharu Utatane had jumped out to say those things, to put it plainly, she wanted to stabilize the little bit of say she and Homura Mitokado had. If the Hokage really changed, the weight of their words would be completely different.

"Danzo, if you have nothing else to say, then leave."

Hiruzen Sarutobi was in no mood to circle around with Danzo now.

Everything this man was thinking was written all over his face. The fact that he had not fallen out with him on the spot already counted as restraint.

"Third, I can solve the problem. However—"

"No."

Before Danzo could finish speaking, Hiruzen Sarutobi blocked him outright.

"Fine."

Danzo nodded, turned, and strode out of the Hokage's office.

Once the door closed, Hiruzen Sarutobi sank back into his chair, his entire body slumping down a little.

Orochimaru.

Uchiha Sasuke.

Neither was easy to deal with, and now they had actually gotten tangled together.

With Jiraiya's personality, there was no way he would stand on his side either.

If those two were still here, would he have been forced into such a state?

At the same time, in the Uchiha Clan Compound.

"You're saying Orochimaru wanted to take you away?"

"That guy..."

Uchiha Fugaku's face was as dark as the bottom of a pot.

One of the Sannin, Konoha's S-rank rogue ninja, had actually set his sights on his son.

"Father, Sasuke, he..."

Itachi hurriedly pushed the door open and came in, his expression a little panicked.

Tonight, he had been disdained by Sasuke, then called by Izumi to eat dango, which was why he had not been by his younger brother's side. He had not expected something like this to happen.

Only when he saw Sasuke standing there safe and sound did Itachi let out a breath of relief.

"Itachi, from now on, don't do anything else. Just be responsible for protecting Sasuke."

"Put everything else aside."

Uchiha Fugaku made the decision directly.

"Understood, Father."

"By the way, Father, what mission did Brother Shisui go on?"

"If it's convenient, have him come guard Sasuke too. I think that would be more secure."

Itachi added another sentence.

"Shisui?"

"He'll be back tomorrow. Go find him then."

"But—"

"Father, Brother, thank you!"

Sasuke spoke first, thanking them with a serious expression.

Uchiha Fugaku forcibly swallowed the words that had reached his lips.

"Go rest."

"I have a guest."

Uchiha Fugaku's tone was calm.

"Yes."

Itachi nodded and took Sasuke out of the study.

Once the two left, a figure appeared in the room.

"Lord Jiraiya, you came running over in the middle of the night because of my second son?"

Uchiha Fugaku pushed a teacup to the opposite side of the table, his tone neither warm nor cold.

"Yes."

"Is this thing from you Uchiha?"

Jiraiya took out a half-burned card.

Two characters were written on it—Gamabunta.

As for the words "trial card," they had long since been burned away.

"What is this?"

Uchiha Fugaku was stunned.

He had never seen such a thing.

"You should already know about your Sasuke being blocked by Orochimaru today, right?"

"At the critical moment, Sasuke summoned my summon Gamabunta and held off Orochimaru's wave of attacks."

"I want to get to the bottom of this too."

"And there's also the matter on Orochimaru's side. I have to find him and ask him clearly as well."

"Police Chief Fugaku, you won't stop me, right?"

Seeing that Uchiha Fugaku looked unaware, Jiraiya continued directly, laying out all these issues.

Summoning a summon without signing a contract.

Being targeted by Orochimaru and still getting away unscathed.

The little genius of the Uchiha family, also bearing the title of a Will of Fire propagandist.

With this whole pile of things stacked on one child, how could Jiraiya not become suspicious?

"Something like that happened?"

"Sasuke, he... Lord Jiraiya, what are you planning to do?"

Uchiha Fugaku lifted his eyes, and his pupils instantly turned scarlet.

That terrifying ocular pressure had already begun to spread outward.

"Oh my..."

"Fugaku, you're still the same as ever. You get worked up at the drop of a hat."

"We're not enemies. There's no need to open your Sharingan at me, is there?"

Jiraiya said with a smile, loosening the atmosphere slightly.

Hearing him say that, Uchiha Fugaku withdrew the Mangekyo.

"I only want to understand the situation."

"Besides, being able to summon Gamabunta means he might have some special connection with Mount Myoboku."

"How about I take him there to give it a try?"

Jiraiya asked the question aloud.

The moment those words came out, Uchiha Fugaku froze on the spot.

Mount Myoboku, one of the legendary three great sage regions!

That was a place where, it was said, one could learn sage arts.

Sasuke was not even six years old. Was he really qualified to enter?

"That depends on what he wants."

"As his father, I won't decide for him."

"Let's talk about it tomorrow. Tonight, let him get some proper rest first."

Uchiha Fugaku thought it over and finally gave that answer.

With the talent Sasuke had shown so far, if he could receive Jiraiya's guidance and go to Mount Myoboku to learn sage arts...

That would definitely only benefit him in the future.

But... Uchiha Fugaku still felt that something was off.

Jiraiya's arrival did not surprise Sasuke in the slightest.

After all, he had messed with the man's summoned beast.

Sasuke did not dislike Jiraiya to begin with.

Not only was he a good teacher, he also had the craft of writing dirty books.

However, Sasuke had no intention of becoming Jiraiya's apprentice.

But with this guy watching him, Orochimaru would have to think twice before making another move against him.

Put that way, this was actually a good thing.

The next day, Sasuke went to school as usual.

Along the way, he chatted and laughed with Naruto and Rock Lee as they walked toward the Ninja Academy.

At that moment, another pair of eyes appeared behind Sasuke.

Anbu, Root, Uchiha... and now Jiraiya, a living, breathing person on top of that.

With so many pairs of eyes all fixed on him, Orochimaru definitely would not dare show himself again for a while.

After confirming that, Sasuke returned to his usual state.

Who could have imagined that Sasuke, who was now sitting properly in the classroom, had been ambushed by Orochimaru just last night?

Even Jiraiya could not help sighing in admiration. Sasuke really did have a steady mindset.

At the same time, Jiraiya's gaze also fell on someone else.

Naruto Uzumaki.

That was... Minato's son?