As soon as Jiraiya reached them, he froze.
His eyes went straight to Tsunade and Shiki's intertwined hands.
"You— you— you… WH—"
He couldn't even form a sentence.
Everyone in Konoha knew Jiraiya had chased Tsunade for years.
And now the woman he basically worshipped was casually holding hands with a teenager who had just slaughtered a tailed beast.
Orochimaru didn't react emotionally.
He simply glanced between them… then glanced at Jiraiya with silent pity.
The woman you chased for decades… belongs to someone else now.
It was written all over his face.
But Orochimaru's real focus was Shiki himself.
"I've heard… Shiki-kun's dual-blade style surpasses the former White Fang," he said, voice calm, reptilian eyes observing every detail.
His stare was sharp and clinical — the stare of a man cataloging a potential experiment.
Shiki didn't flinch.
With his current strength, even a peak Orochimaru wasn't enough to make him blink.
"It's just a title," Shiki replied with a lazy wave of the hand. "Rumors grow on their own."
Orochimaru's tongue clicked in amusement.
"A sword that can split a Tailed Beast Bomb is hardly a rumor. You can't hide something like that."
Those words carried no admiration.
Just interest.
Dangerous interest.
Shiki saw it immediately — the exact way Orochimaru looked at rare bloodlines, unusual bodies, perfect specimens.
Ah. You want to dissect me.
Shiki smiled.
His free hand casually dropped to the handle of his sword.
Then...
BOOM.
A burst of raw killing intent slammed into Orochimaru's senses... not chakra, but pure Conqueror's Haki, compressed and focused straight at him.
To Tsunade and Jiraiya, it felt like a soft gust of wind.
To Orochimaru?
Every nerve in his body lit up at once.
His instincts screamed: YOU WILL DIE.
This feeling… what…?
Like the entire world wants me gone…!
He stiffened, pupils contracting to slits.
Cold sweat rolled down his spine despite the desert heat.
"Shiki?"
Tsunade looked at him, confused.
In that instant the Haki vanished — as if nothing had happened.
Orochimaru staggered a half-step, breath unsteady before he regained his mask of calm.
"Phew…"
He had faced death countless times.
But this sensation—this absolute certainty of annihilation was something else entirely.
Shiki just smiled at Tsunade.
"What? Something wrong?"
"You and Orochimaru just— froze up mid-sentence," she said. "Did something happen?"
Shiki shrugged. "Nothing. Orochimaru and I simply… understood each other right away."
He turned his head slightly, eyes narrowing with a harmless smile.
"Isn't that right, Orochimaru?"
Every instinct in Orochimaru's spine screamed: LIE. SAY YES. DO NOT ANGER THIS THING.
"…Yes," he said smoothly.
"Tsunade, Shiki-kun and I… see eye to eye."
Stay alive first. Study the monster later.
One thing was clear:
The rumors weren't exaggerated.
This boy truly defeated a Tailed Beast head-on.
This boy truly cut a Tailed Beast Bomb.
And the pressure he emitted—
...was something even Orochimaru had never felt.
"Ugh—?"
Tsunade blinked at Orochimaru's answer.
You two 'saw each other at first sight'?
It sounded like a bad joke.
She looked between the two men suspiciously.
"What the hell is going on with you, Orochimaru?"
Before Orochimaru could answer, Jiraiya yanked him aside and whispered harshly:
"Oi— are you blind? Shiki is holding Tsunade's hand!"
Orochimaru blinked.
"So?"
"So?! SO YOU NEED TO HELP ME GET TSUNADE BACK, AREN'T WE FRIENDS?!"
Orochimaru stared at him for a long, silent moment.
A very long moment.
Then he said flatly:
"Give up."
"Hah!?" Jiraiya choked. "W–Why!?"
Orochimaru sighed like he was explaining something to a slow child.
"Because, Jiraiya… you do not deserve Tsunade."
Jiraiya froze.
Then his eyes trembled.
"Y–You bastard! You wanna fight!?"
Orochimaru didn't even blink.
"Can you beat me?"
"—"
Jiraiya's entire soul deflated.
"AAAAAARGH!! Why is everyone against me today!? Am I destined to be dumped before I even started?!"
Tsunade stared at him with pure disgust.
"What's wrong with you? If you're done being pathetic, get out of the way."
"W-Woohoo… Tsunade… I think I'm experiencing heartbreak…"
Huh?
Tsunade's fist clenched.
"Are you looking for a beating?"
"—!!"
Jiraiya's tears instantly shut off like a faucet.
He nodded furiously, terrified.
Tsunade snorted and turned away, clearly done with his nonsense.
Compared to being annoyed by Jiraiya, she'd much rather go home with Shiki.
But—
"W-Wait! Tsunade, hold on!"
Jiraiya suddenly composed himself, ran up, and forced a smile.
"I mean… since you just got back from the war, and we're all here… how about a drink? A proper reunion drink?"
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