Chapter 39: Give Me Your Disciple, and We Can Discuss Anything Between Us
When encountering a ground collapse, remember not to panic. Evacuate the collapse zone promptly to avoid the outward spread of the collapse and protect your own life.
Rumble rumble...
Due to Uchiha Itachi's explosive operation, the underground vacuum of the base finally began to collapse. The sound of the ground caving in was deafening... Jiraiya and Orochimaru watched the scene before them, falling into silence...
It seemed there was no way to refute it.
For the deeds done by one's own disciple, the master must take the blame... Deep down, Jiraiya actually really wanted to give his disciple a thumbs-up, but they were currently facing an increasingly irritable Orochimaru.
So, it's better not to provoke him, right?
"Heh heh heh heh..."
Orochimaru walked unsteadily to the edge of the collapsed area, seemingly muttering to himself yet also as if accusing, "Do you... know what you've destroyed..."
"...Orochimaru, come back to Konoha with me!" Jiraiya stood beside Itachi, patted the little boy's shoulder, then turned to look at his former teammate.
Hearing Jiraiya's words, Orochimaru came back to his senses. The base he had painstakingly accumulated was doomed beyond saving. It would be better to find something else to compensate...
For example, that expressionless little brat ninja...
"Jiraiya, what you're saying is too ridiculous!" His snake-like eyes swept over Uchiha Itachi, then settled on Jiraiya. He spread his hands, "What I pursue, he will never approve of. Go back... to wait for death?"
The old man played the emotional card, "The old man misses you very much..."
After hesitating for a moment, Jiraiya added, "I met Tsunade..."
Tsunade's heart was currently like dead ashes; nothing could move her except for alcohol and dice. As long as Konoha wasn't destroyed, basically everything was irrelevant to her.
During the half-day she spent with Tsunade, she showed no interest in anything happening in the village and even seemed somewhat weary of Jiraiya's nagging.
"Hahahaha! Jiraiya!" Orochimaru suddenly interrupted Jiraiya's words, "We are both walking our own pursued paths. Those pathetic pasts, there's no need to mention them again, right..."
Jiraiya fell into silence, "..."
The relationship between Tsunade and Orochimaru was rather complicated, with too many things mixed in...
They undoubtedly trusted each other. In all of Konoha, the person Tsunade once trusted most was Orochimaru, perhaps even more so than Jiraiya... Before Nawaki Senju's sacrifice, Orochimaru had never disappointed Tsunade.
After all, such a friend: powerful, talented, rich, good-looking, earnestly obedient. Apart from not liking to talk about feelings, he was simply perfect.
After the topic of Tsunade was interrupted, Orochimaru seemed to have no intention of communicating with Jiraiya. Dragging this on was useless... They had long since recognized their own paths; neither would give up easily.
It was both the path of the strong and the direction of their hearts.
And Orochimaru, having suffered huge losses, meant that after tonight, he would have to start from scratch again... In that case, the barefooted are not afraid of those wearing shoes...
"Leave Uchiha Itachi behind... Jiraiya, I can let you and that group of children leave."
Orochimaru's greedy gaze was unabashedly released. He had coveted the little boy for too long, never desiring him as much as he did now.
Especially tonight...
The first one who definitely couldn't agree was Kitahara, "...Caw..."
Why is my cub always so easily targeted? No matter who he meets, they seem to have ulterior motives towards Uchiha Itachi... Hmm, regardless of gender.
"Orochimaru, stop talking nonsense!" Jiraiya looked at Orochimaru and said gravely, "It seems a battle between us tonight is unavoidable..."
"The moment I saw Uchiha Itachi, the outcome was already destined." Orochimaru said with a light laugh, "I need him very much..."
"..."
Jiraiya fell silent again. He had originally thought that if he uttered some harsh words, the other side would offer a way out, suggest some conditions... He had even been prepared to go against his principles and help Orochimaru with a few small favors.
But this guy was stubbornly fixated on his disciple and refused to let go. Back then, when everyone urged him to take a disciple, Orochimaru had reluctantly chosen a beautiful girl...
Now, it was good; he had taken a liking to a pretty and cute little boy...
Uchiha Itachi looked at the dejected Jiraiya and couldn't help but comfort him, "Teacher Jiraiya, are you alright..."
"Yes..." The old man looked weakly at his disciple, then turned to look at the string of little turnip heads, and said in a low voice, "If there's a chance, you take these children and leave... If it really comes to it, you escape first by yourself!"
"I can stay and help!" The little boy touched the ninja headband on his forehead. Even knowing he was no match, he wouldn't back down just like that!
If you can't beat them, find a way. If there's no way, create difficulties and still go for it... Since Itachi awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan, he had never experienced a life-or-death battle. He was confident he wouldn't hold them back...
The Uchiha clan's Kekkei Genkai always gave them confidence...
Jiraiya shook his head forcefully, "No! Because once Orochimaru and I start fighting, it will be difficult for me to get distracted and protect you all... You are my disciple, and even more so, my subordinate. Obey my orders!"
A battle between Konoha's Sannin was not something ordinary people could interfere in... Nor could those at the center of the battle afford to be distracted.
"Caw!"
Kitahara gave Jiraiya a sidelong glance. Looking down on people, are you?
You tell us to escape first, do you think we can really just leave like that? Do you know what I did tonight? I was just a little bit away from being able to raise my cub in peace...
The crow's formidable combat power wasn't very conspicuous. Its minor flaws concealed its brilliance. In reality, it had never had a shining moment in front of Jiraiya and Itachi either.
Except for tormenting Shisui...
"Kitahara..." Uchiha Itachi soothed the crow, then looked up at Jiraiya, "I will obey Teacher's orders."
"I'll find a way to tie him down..." Jiraiya nodded, stroking Uchiha Itachi's hair, and said softly, "Remember! If you have to, escape by yourself!"
"Yes!"
Hearing Uchiha Itachi's assurance, Jiraiya nodded with satisfaction. He truly felt unsure in his heart; after all, this was, in a real sense, the first time he was facing Orochimaru in battle...
In their past spars, Jiraiya's outcomes were rather miserable. Every time he developed a new ninjutsu and confidently sought out Orochimaru for a battle...
The end result was always... Tsunade would be quite busy.
However, he wasn't entirely without trump cards. For the past two years, besides traveling far and wide, he would occasionally go to Mount Myoboku to train, obtaining some decent techniques. If he had the chance to use them, and if he could use them successfully...
The more Jiraiya thought about it, the more unsure he felt...
Uchiha Itachi quickly retreated, directing the group of terrified children to leave...
Orochimaru watched the kindergarten class monitor's actions and licked his lips with a light laugh, "Jiraiya, no matter what, I have to thank you for sending me such a cherished gift..."
"But you're really greedy, aren't you? You want to leave with all these children completely unscathed... Summoning Jutsu!"
"There's no need to test each other! Let's settle this directly!"
A giant purple python materialized out of thin air with Orochimaru's words, landing abruptly on the ground. The earth trembled once more...
(End of this chapter)