Chapter 94: The Serpent's Escape and The Toad's Arrival
"So, you've finally arrived, the legendary Sannin, Jiraiya."
As Jiraiya's figure rapidly closed the distance, Aizen's eyes gleamed with genuine anticipation. From the moment he had fully unleashed his Reiatsu, he had sensed Jiraiya's powerful chakra signature moving toward him. His deliberate pause on the watchtower was not just for theatrics; it was to draw the Toad Sage out.
Their brief encounter a month prior had piqued Aizen's interest. He had sensed a unique energy within Jiraiya, something distinct from ordinary chakra—a natural, potent force that resonated on a different frequency. While Aizen held the raw power of Reiatsu as superior to the ninjutsu of this world, this other energy was an intriguing variable. He had stayed, patiently dealing with the two jonin, all to create this moment: a confrontation that would force Jiraiya to reveal the full extent of his power.
To Aizen, the skirmish with Kakashi and Guy was a trivial diversion, a mere flick of the wrist to swat away insects. Their desperate struggle had only lasted as long as he had permitted, a deliberate delay to set the stage for the main event.
Jiraiya's rapid approach immediately captured the attention of the defeated Kakashi and Guy, a flicker of desperate hope igniting in their eyes. Aizen, too, fixed his gaze upon the Sannin, his focus absolute.
In that moment of concentrated attention, no one noticed the stirrings of the body they had all assumed was dead.
Orochimaru, who had suffered two devastating slashes from Kyōka Suigetsu, lay in a crumpled, bloody heap. But the master of forbidden jutsu was not so easily killed. Fine cracks, like those on a porcelain doll, began to spread across the skin of his back. The cracks multiplied and converged, until his entire body seemed to be splitting open from the inside.
A viscous, clear liquid seeped from the widening fissure. Had anyone been watching, they would have seen a pair of pale, new hands force their way out from within the splitting shell of Orochimaru's old body.
Simultaneously, the life faded completely from the eyes of the outer shell, all expression freezing into a death mask.
Sssz…
A faint sizzling sound accompanied the liquid, which now poured out more freely, dripping onto the stone floor of the watchtower. The fluid was highly corrosive. As it pooled and ate through the roof, a sizable hole began to form.
Riiip!
With a final, wet tearing sound, the outer shell of Orochimaru's body split completely open. A new form struggled free from the husk and dropped through the newly formed hole in the floor, landing on the level below.
This new body was like that of a newborn: skin smooth, translucent, and unblemished. Long, damp black hair clung to a face with cold, reptilian eyes that held a chilling venom.
Orochimaru.
He had been reborn.
Even at death's door, Orochimaru's will to live had burned fiercely. He had clung to consciousness, biding his time, seething with hatred and unwillingness to accept such an ignoble end.
Finally, taking advantage of Aizen's distraction with Jiraiya's arrival, he found his moment. Using his secret Molting Technique, he had shed his dying form like a snake sheds its skin, reviving himself at the cost of completely depleting his chakra reserves.
"Rebirth… a truly unforgettable sensation," Orochimaru whispered, slowly rising to his feet. All his external wounds were gone, the pain a distant memory.
But the price was steep. He was now utterly drained of chakra. If even a single chunin were to find him now, his life could be easily ended.
"Aizen Sōsuke… I will remember you," he vowed, a killing intent as cold as ice swirling in his eyes. His hatred for Aizen had reached its absolute peak. "When I have regained my power, you will know true torment."
His grand plan to destroy Konoha had been within his grasp, only to be stolen at the last moment by this unforeseen variable. Neither he nor the Third Hokage had ever imagined that the true victor, the one who would profit from their deadly struggle, would be the unassuming genin, Aizen.
Back on the top of the watchtower, just as Orochimaru completed his molting, Aizen's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. He glanced downward for a split second before his expression smoothed back into impassive calm. In truth, he had known Orochimaru was not truly dead and had sensed the activation of the escape technique.
But it was of no consequence to him.
Once a person had fallen under the spell of Kyōka Suigetsu, they could never break free. They were forever trapped in his Complete Hypnosis. Orochimaru's first defeat guaranteed his second. This was the absolute confidence of the truly powerful.
Aizen was certain that even if Orochimaru escaped, he would never pose a real threat again. Before the absolute control of his Zanpakutō, any future attempts by the snake Sannin would be nothing more than a fleeting illusion.
Jiraiya's form landed on the watchtower with a heavy thud. His eyes immediately found the still form of the Third Hokage, and the last shred of hope in his heart died.
In an instant, a horrifying, tangible killing intent erupted from Jiraiya, sweeping outwards like a physical wave. There was no mistaking it; his old teacher and leader was gone.
A profound sorrow and a crushing guilt warred within him. If only he had been faster, if he had ignored the snakes and come straight here…
"Old man… is he…?" Jiraiya's voice was low, colder than Kakashi or Guy had ever heard it.
"Whether he is or isn't, why does it matter?" Aizen replied, his tone conversational. "Your purpose in rushing here was to eliminate me, was it not?"
For the first time, a spark of genuine battle intent flickered within Aizen's otherwise tranquil eyes.
"You didn't choose me, Jiraiya," Aizen stated. "From the very beginning… I chose you."
That was the final straw. Jiraiya's killing intent solidified into a freezing aura. His hands flew through a sequence of seals and he slammed his palms onto the watchtower floor.
"Summoning Jutsu!"