But, if you think about it carefully, Jiraiya kind of deserved what he got.
I mean, you know Tsunade is a violent person, yet you keep messing with her? Time and time again? It's like he's got a death wish or something.
This wasn't the first time. It definitely wouldn't be the last either.
Honestly, he was just asking for it!
---
Time passed, and Orochimaru had nearly finished packing up his belongings. Jiraiya eventually returned, limping back into the house through the large hole in the wall with a huge lump on his head.
"Man, Orochimaru, you're so not cool... You just stood there and let her beat me up!" Jiraiya complained, rubbing the knot on his head with a pout. He looked genuinely hurt, both emotionally and physically.
He had thought he was safe in Orochimaru's home. After all, Tsunade usually restrained herself when they were in Orochimaru's territory. She liked him, after all, and she rarely got violent around him. That's why Jiraiya had felt so confident in provoking her today.
But Orochimaru had unexpectedly cooperated with Tsunade, saying that he wasn't coming back to this house anymore, giving her the green light to go all out.
"She used the Body Flicker Technique," Orochimaru said casually, not even bothering to look at Jiraiya.
His meaning was clear Tsunade's attack was too fast to stop.
Of course, Jiraiya didn't believe that for a second.
"What are you talking about? Your Body Flicker Technique is way faster than hers... You, you did this on purpose!"
"So what if he did?" Tsunade cut in with a smirk. "Orochimaru is my boyfriend now. Why would he help a perverted creep like you?"
"B-boy...friend?!" Jiraiya was floored, his eyes wide with shock.
Had Tsunade and Orochimaru really gotten together? When did this happen? And why didn't he know? Suddenly, a rush of emotions flooded his heart, and a sense of overwhelming sadness threatened to spill over.
It was like his entire world had come crashing down around him.
---
Tsunade's words had caught even Orochimaru off guard. When had he agreed to that? He hadn't, obviously. She was just messing with Jiraiya to get under his skin.
Still, Orochimaru glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, slightly amused. Tsunade… always the troublemaker.
Jiraiya, however, completely bought the lie. His shoulders sagged in defeat, and a deep look of depression crossed his face.
Shaking his head, Orochimaru ignored the exchange and focused on packing the last of his belongings. With everything ready, he began making his way toward his new home.
Seeing Orochimaru leave, Tsunade and Jiraiya quickly followed.
---
Orochimaru's new house was located in the northwest corner of Konoha Village, not far from the Hyuga clan estate. It was large and modern, a significant upgrade from the old house he had just left behind.
As they approached the bustling street in front of the Hyuga compound, Orochimaru took a deep breath, feeling a sense of satisfaction. The streets were lively, filled with vendors and residents going about their daily business.
"Eeeeeeeeeee!!"
Just then, something caught Orochimaru's eye. Two little boys, barely old enough to walk, were waddling around in crotchless pants, laughing as they played. They were identical twins, their features strikingly similar, and they looked like they were just learning how to walk.
Orochimaru's gaze shifted to the Hyuga clan emblem on the gate behind the children, and he couldn't help but feel a strange sense of fate.
---
"It's been nearly three years since I came to this world... and these two little brothers Hyuga Hiashi and Hyuga Hizashi are only about one year old now," Orochimaru thought to himself.
"To think that I'll witness their entire growth and see their rise in the near future…"
Orochimaru's mind briefly wandered to other notable figures in this generation. Uchiha Fugaku, for instance, was already four years old. The future leaders of Konoha's clans were still in their infancy.
The children of Kakashi's and Guy's generation wouldn't be born for some time yet. In fact, many of their fathers weren't even much older than Orochimaru himself.
It was an odd sensation watching it all unfold before his eyes. In a way, it was like witnessing the future legends of the ninja world grow up from scratch. Amusing, yet strange.
---
After dropping off the last of Orochimaru's things at his new house, Tsunade and Jiraiya stayed to help him get settled. Though Tsunade wasn't the most domesticated person, she was still a ninja and more than capable of handling chores that normal people might struggle with.
As for Jiraiya? Well, despite being constantly beaten and teased by the other two, his thick skin and resilient spirit never wavered. He had a heart like a forest vast, patient, and enduring. That was part of his charm.
Though Jiraiya had been on the receiving end of most of the abuse, he had long accepted that Orochimaru was his rival. Defeating Orochimaru had become his driving force, his obsession. As a result, he never took the teasing too personally and always came back stronger.
So, despite the earlier outburst, the three spent the rest of the day together, helping Orochimaru organize his new home. It was a rare moment of camaraderie, one that hinted at the deep bonds they shared, even if it wasn't always obvious.
---
By nightfall, Jiraiya and Tsunade left. Orochimaru was finally alone in his spacious, bright new house. He stretched out, enjoying the solitude for the first time that day.
Walking over to a large mirror, Orochimaru gazed at his reflection. His long, flowing hair, pale skin, and sharp features stared back at him. His lips curled into a small, self-satisfied smirk.
"As expected of the Sharingan," Orochimaru muttered softly, his gaze narrowing.
In the mirror, his golden, slit-like pupils suddenly began to change. The brilliant gold darkened, shifting into a deep, eerie scarlet. Around his pupils, three tomoe spun, evenly spaced, giving his eyes an almost otherworldly appearance.
The Sharingan.
Orochimaru took a deep breath, his scarlet eyes gleaming for a moment before he shut them. When he opened his eyes again, the red had vanished, replaced by his natural golden eyes.
If anyone else had seen this transformation, they would have been shocked beyond belief. After all, the Sharingan was a kekkei genkai, a bloodline limit unique to the Uchiha clan. How could someone from an ordinary ninja family like Orochimaru possess it?
But the truth was far more twisted.
Yes, this was the Sharingan the Uchiha clan's signature ability, awakened in Orochimaru's body. It wasn't the result of a transplant. No, Orochimaru had gone far beyond that.Through his gene fusion experiments, Orochimaru had extracted the genetic material of several Uchiha clan members who had awakened the Sharingan from the hospital and successfully fused those genes into his own body.
Unlike conventional transplants that required powerful emotions to awaken the eye, Orochimaru had bypassed those limitations. His Sharingan was fully awakened, and even more impressive, it was already at the three-tomoe level the pinnacle of the standard Sharingan.
For the ninja world, this would be an unfathomable achievement an impossible feat.
But for Orochimaru? It had been done with ease.