A gentle breeze blew, and the warm sunlight blanketed the earth. Lush trees basked in the light, their leaves rustling softly as the cool wind swept through.
Newly worn wooden sandals stepped onto the yellow earth, kicking up a puff of dust.
"I, Jiraiya, have returned!"
After being gone for many days, Jiraiya had finally set foot once more on the soil of Konoha. The solid sensation beneath his feet made the whole experience feel dreamlike, as if the hellish training he had just endured had been nothing more than a distant nightmare.
But the power now surging through his body told him it had all been very real.
Though grueling, he had truly grown stronger—sunburnt and stronger!
Jiraiya had always considered himself a diligent student of ninjutsu, but only after this latest training stint did he come to understand what true hell was. Yet he now had the confidence to face even harsher challenges, all for the sake of catching up to those two who were always ahead of him.
"Just you wait, Tsunade. Even if you force your love letter on me this time, I still won't take it! Wahahahaha!"
Brimming with hope for the future, Jiraiya declared his triumphant return.
"I, Jiraiya, belong to women all over the world!"
Of course, dreams are called dreams for a reason—they're far from easy to achieve. And Jiraiya's dream was no exception.
This return was only meant to be a short break after his hellish training.
Yet no sooner had he arrived in Konoha than the ANBU informed him: Tsunade and Orochimaru were in unprecedented danger. At this point, only you, Lord Jiraiya, can save them!
Concerned for his comrades, Jiraiya didn't even rest. Dragging his exhausted body home, he quickly showered, changed into fresh clothes, devoured a hearty meal, caught up on the manga he'd missed, and then rushed straight to the Chūnin Exam testing ground.
"I knew it… I'm late again."
Gazing at the tightly shut doors, Jiraiya couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed.
That's when he heard strange noises coming from inside.
"The first exam should be over by now, right?"
With that thought in mind, Jiraiya pushed the door open.
"Creak…"
The sound of the door echoed as it swung open effortlessly, revealing the scene within the examination hall.
Sunlight streamed through the windows, casting a warm glow over the spacious room.
Sheer curtains danced in the breeze, their shadows swaying gracefully on the spotless floor like a painting.
Whoever cleaned this place must have a serious obsession with cleanliness.
But what truly stirred Jiraiya's heart wasn't the room—it was the girl standing inside.
The girl turned around, panic flashing across her face like a frightened little animal. Her beautiful eyes were wide with anxiety, and she instinctively pulled the curtain tighter around herself to cover up—unintentionally accentuating the outline of her already-unrestrained figure.
"Tsunade?"
Jiraiya blurted out, momentarily stunned. Tsunade could actually look this... girlish?
"Jiraiya…"
In that moment, Tsunade looked as though she'd found an anchor in a storm. All the grievances she'd suffered seemed to find a release, her nose twitched, and she looked on the verge of tears.
Doing what any man should at a time like this, Jiraiya opened his arms to her. No words were needed.
Tsunade felt her eyes heat up, tears threatening to spill. She no longer cared about anything—not even the fact that she was wearing nothing but a thin curtain. She ran straight into Jiraiya's embrace without hesitation.
"Take my Loving Fist of Facial Destruction!"
Jiraiya was sent flying, tracing a graceful arc through the air before crashing heavily to the ground.
...Kira|(<ゝω·)☆...
Rewind a bit. Back to Orochimaru's side.
In the waiting room, groups of examinees clustered together, whispering anxiously as they awaited the results of the written test. Despite their hushed tones, the air was thick with unease and suspicion.
Aside from their two teammates, everyone else here was an enemy—this much was clear.
The first written exam used real-time grading, and scores would be announced shortly. Teams that failed would be dismissed, while those with all three members scoring over 60 would move on to the next phase and wait in the new exam area.
Some would already be eliminated at this stage, but as Orochimaru had heard from Teacher Hiruzen, the second exam was the real killer. It was said to be brutal, with a 90% elimination rate. Only about a dozen people were expected to pass.
"Tsunade, what's the plan for your real body?"
"No problem. Once she recovers, she'll find a way to use the Body Replacement Jutsu to switch places with me."
In simple terms, the Body Replacement Jutsu allows a ninja to instantly switch places with a pre-prepared substitute to avoid damage.
Though the Tsunade here wasn't a prepared substitute, she could deliberately make herself one. As long as the real Tsunade realized this, she could activate the jutsu and swap places—achieving a perfect switch.
"You sure about this?"
Orochimaru was still a bit concerned. After all, the shadow clone Tsunade's chakra reserves wouldn't last forever. If she vanished before the real one arrived, they'd be in trouble. If the second exam involved combat—which seemed likely—they'd be seriously outnumbered. Even Orochimaru wasn't arrogant enough to think he could take down every ninja in the room by himself.
"Don't worry! We're one and the same!"
The shadow clone Tsunade responded confidently. When she liquefied herself earlier to remain hidden, she hadn't liquefied her clothes. That meant her real body would be very motivated to return and retrieve her outfit—she'd do whatever it took.
Soon, scores were announced. Some left in disappointment, while others silently followed the proctors to the next area. Despite a minor hiccup in their cheating plan, Orochimaru's group had passed without issue and were now being led down a long corridor.
The silence made the already heavy atmosphere even more stifling.
Their destination was a vast training ground.
"She still hasn't swapped with you?" Orochimaru asked again.
"Don't worry. Whatever I can think of, my real self can think of too."
The shadow clone Tsunade reassured him once more.
Not long after, the new proctor appeared before them.
"Reaching this point proves you have solid foundational knowledge, so first, congratulations," the proctor began. Then his tone darkened ominously. "However, I'll give you one last chance. Leave now, and you might still live."
"..."
They were only Genin, yes—but how long had it been since the First Great Ninja War ended?
Every one of them had seen battle.
So naturally, they all stared at the proctor like he was an idiot.
"Ahem."
The proctor coughed awkwardly but pressed on. "Alright then, I'm glad you've all chosen to stay. Now let me explain the rules for the second exam. It's simple—there are no rules. As long as more than twelve people are still standing, the exam isn't over."
He paused briefly. When no one raised objections, he continued.
"Then I hereby declare—the second exam begins now!"
But no one moved.
No one wanted to be the first to act and become everyone else's target. The tension in the air tightened like a noose—dry mouths, heavy breathing, nerves on edge.
If combat broke out now, Tsunade's shadow clone would probably vanish after just a few jutsus, since the enhanced abilities from the system also meant higher chakra consumption. As for the husky pretending to be Jiraiya, it had zero combat prowess. That left only Orochimaru to fight.
They couldn't afford a worse situation.
Even though they couldn't yet pinpoint where the hostility was coming from, Orochimaru already sensed it: they were being targeted.
And still, the real Tsunade hadn't swapped places.
At this rate, she had enough time to go home, shower, change, eat a meal, and then come to the exam site!
What the hell was Tsunade doing?
"Tsunade… looks like you overestimated your own intelligence," Orochimaru muttered nervously, flicking his tongue to wet his lips.
"..."
Tsunade had no comeback.
(End of Chapter)