"Long time no see, Jiraiya," a familiar voice suddenly echoed, causing Jiraiya to stiffen slightly. He looked over with a complex expression.
"Yes… long time no see, Orochimaru."
In the flickering candlelight, Orochimaru sat dressed in a traditional kimono. His face remained pale as ever, but a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
Is that… the S-rank missing-nin, Orochimaru?
Sakura swallowed nervously. It was her first time seeing Orochimaru, and she felt a little tense.
As a child, she had always heard the elders in the village say that he was an unforgivable criminal, someone who had committed sins beyond redemption.
"Is that… Sasuke?"
Orochimaru glanced at the unconscious boy behind Sakura. As if sensing something, he chuckled lightly. "She's under a genjutsu. Her Soul Body has been sealed."
"Can… can you save him?"
Sakura asked nervously.
Orochimaru looked toward Naruto and said calmly, "This matter is yours to handle. I've placed the potion in your training room."
"Got it," Naruto nodded slightly, then turned to Sakura. "Come with me."
Sakura hesitated, glancing timidly at Jiraiya.
"Go with him," Jiraiya said softly, nodding. "I trust Naruto won't hurt him. I have some matters to discuss with Orochimaru."
"Understood, Lord Jiraiya," Sakura replied.
Sakura quickly carried the unconscious Sasuke on her back, following Naruto's footsteps.
"So, what do you intend to talk to me about, Jiraiya?"
Orochimaru sat in the chair, resting one hand on his cheek, watching him with interest. "After all, I am the most notorious rogue ninja in Konoha's history."
"Orochimaru, I'm not here to blame you."
Jiraiya sighed, then simply sat cross-legged on the ground. "You know what's happening in the ninja world, right?"
Orochimaru let out a hum in response, then said lightly, "So, you came to see me. What's the matter?"
"We need your help, Orochimaru."
Jiraiya's voice dropped, and he stared intently at Orochimaru. "Since you know, you should also know that the Aurora Order and Iwagakure are collecting the nine tailed beasts. Sooner or later, they will come for you."
"Hahaha."
Orochimaru couldn't help but laugh, his tone full of intrigue. "I see… You mean you want me to go back?"
"Uh, well, even if you don't go back, we could still cooperate." Jiraiya awkwardly scratched his head, knowing he wasn't very good at persuasion, and a few words had already been seen through.
"Why should I cooperate with you?" Orochimaru put his hand down, tapping the table rhythmically with his index finger. He said calmly, "To put it bluntly, with Konoha's current strength, what right do you have to talk about cooperating with me? Would an elephant cooperate with an ant?"
Jiraiya's expression darkened immediately. "You mean Konoha doesn't deserve to cooperate with you?"
"Jiraiya, you're still as foolish as ever."
Orochimaru glanced at him, shook his head, and said disappointedly, "You've traveled the ninja world for so long. You know things have changed, yet you still avoid contact and stubbornly cling to the ninja way, just like Konoha. No wonder things have come to this."
"You mean… those strange things?"
Jiraiya frowned, his expression serious. "Orochimaru, I don't know what they are, but I'm certain that power is dangerous!"
"Dangerous?"
Orochimaru shook his head. "You're wrong, Jiraiya. There is no power in this world that comes without risk, including chakra."
"What danger could chakra possibly have?" Jiraiya was puzzled.
"Heh… The danger is that, until now, no one has paid the price for it."
Orochimaru sneered. "Every gift from fate already has its price secretly marked. You don't know what the cost of chakra is simply because the time to pay hasn't come yet."
Over the past few years, he had combed through countless records and finally discovered the originator of the chakra system.
From the Sage of Six Paths, he learned about the very beginnings of chakra.
The Divine Tree, the Ōtsutsuki—everything originated from that single fruit.
In other words, the chakra system that now exists all comes from that fruit.
And if the progenitor of chakra were to awaken again, what would happen then?
This was the true meaning behind Orochimaru's words. Chakra was not without cost; it was just that the time to pay that price had not yet come.
"What are you talking about?"
Jiraiya clearly could not comprehend the hidden meaning in Orochimaru's words. He asked, bewildered.
"Never mind. For your sake, and for Tsunade's, I can agree to one thing," Orochimaru said, seeming slightly disappointed. He slowly rose to his feet.
"I will hand over the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki to you, but what that child decides to do is his own business. As for me… hehe, there's no need for you to worry. The tide of the era cannot be stopped by anyone."
"What do you mean? You know something, don't you?"
Hearing the words "tide of the era" again, Jiraiya's eyes widened in shock. He stared at him, demanding, "Tell me, Orochimaru, what exactly do you know?"
But Orochimaru merely gave him a cold glance.
"You'll know soon enough. But not yet."
"Wait, Orochimaru!"
Jiraiya could no longer contain his emotions. He stood abruptly and grabbed Orochimaru's hand. "What's going on? You have to explain this to me!"
"Let go."
Orochimaru's gaze was icy and unwavering.
A faint golden light shimmered in his eyes, forming mysterious symbols that radiated madness, destruction, misfortune, and disaster.
Just one look sent a chill down Jiraiya's spine, freezing him in place.
"The conversation is over."
Orochimaru's expression remained cold. "Once Sasuke is healed, I will let that child return with you."
Jiraiya stared at Orochimaru's indifferent expression and suddenly felt that this former teammate had grown increasingly distant.
The look in his eyes just now filled him with a fear he had never felt before, and a sense of… unfamiliarity.
"What exactly is the tide of this era?"
Jiraiya repeated the words in his mind, chewing over what Orochimaru had just said. A wild thought suddenly sprang up in his head.
This time, with White Zetsu's appearance, he realized that perhaps the power of the chakra system alone was no longer enough in this chaotic era.
Even Sage Mode couldn't stop those terrifying events.
So… could he try that strange, unconventional system?
If he could wield a power like Orochimaru or Naruto, could he then oppose the tide of the era that they spoke of?
At that moment, a crazy idea took root in Jiraiya's heart.
Carefully, he took out a sealed scroll from his pouch. He stared at the center area, where a mercury-colored complex symbol formed a circular, illusory snake, its head and tail connected. He muttered, "Perhaps… only this power can stop that dreadful future."
Inside the scroll was something he had once stumbled upon—a mysterious object.
Its shape resembled a shed-skinned Ouroboros, engraved all over with mercury-like intricate symbols.
Although he didn't fully understand what it was, Jiraiya instinctively sealed it away.
"This… do you know what it is?"
Jiraiya took the object out of the scroll and looked at Orochimaru, hoping for an answer.
"I didn't expect you to encounter this thing. Seems like you've been lucky," Orochimaru said, his eyes flickering as he gazed at the strange object. A light laugh escaped him.
"It is an Beyonder Characteristics of the 'Wheel of Fortune Pathway.'"
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