Chiyo couldn't understand why Kitsuchi had simply and decisively rejected her suggestion. Wouldn't it be beneficial to join forces to attack the Konoha camp?
Idiot!
Yes, he was an idiot, just like his father, Ohnoki—completely foolish.
The more Chiyo thought about it, the angrier she got, her wrinkled face turning red with irritation.
Meanwhile, Shinki had no idea that Chiyo and Kitsuchi were plotting against him. At that moment, he was busy teaching his disciples.
After disciplining Nawaki, Shinki returned to the resting area and threw a few pieces of firewood into the brazier.
The environment in the Land of Rain was extreme. It rained incessantly for all 365 days. Living in such conditions meant lighting a fire indoors year-round; otherwise, the house remained overwhelmingly damp.
Without a fire, even the bed would be wet at night.
After lighting the fire, Shinki leaned back in his chair, propped his feet on the desk, and picked up a book.
"Shinki! Go to the operating room quickly! Jiraiya's been injured!" Nawaki rushed in before Shinki could get through two pages.
What on earth—Jiraiya was injured again?
How many times has this happened?
Jiraiya seemed like an indestructible cockroach—injured time after time, only to drag his wounded body back to camp, heal up, bounce back, and dive right into the battlefield again.
In the entire camp, only Hatake Sakumo had been as unlucky and battered as he was.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru seemed unscathed. Even ambushed by the Rock Village, others might get hurt, but he always emerged unscathed.
"Don't worry, I'll go check on him."
Setting the book down, Shinki ran towards the operating room, with Nawaki and a young, yellow-haired boy following behind him.
"Hissss... it hurts! Sister, be gentle!"
Before entering, Shinki heard Jiraiya's groans from within the operating room.
"Well, if it isn't the most dashing toad sage himself, Lord Jiraiya! How did you turn from a toad into a hedgehog?"
Shinki couldn't help but laugh when he entered the room. Jiraiya was covered in needles, like a porcupine. Whoever did this really went all out; poison needles covered Jiraiya's body. Even if the poison didn't kill him, the experience alone was enough punishment.
"Pffft."
Everyone in the operating room snickered.
Nawaki, who had been worried about Jiraiya, turned away, barely holding back laughter.
"Shinki, stop joking and get these poison needles out! I've been poisoned; this is unbearable." Jiraiya lay on the table, looking miserable.
Shinki walked over, removed a needle, and began analyzing the poison.
"How did you end up like this? Who did it?"
"Don't ask," Jiraiya sighed, looking defeated.
"I was on a mission with my team when we ran into a large Sand Village force. I stayed behind to cover my team's retreat and became their target. The needles are courtesy of that old hag Chiyo."
It had to be said, Jiraiya's luck matched Hatake Sakumo's.
While Sakumo ended up facing Hanzo the Salamander and was chased, Jiraiya ran into Chiyo with an entire Sand Village contingent in tow.
If it had just been Chiyo, Jiraiya would've managed, but she had dozens—if not hundreds—of ninjas with her. Covering his team's retreat, he was forced to run for it, but the puppets' needles caught him, turning him into a hedgehog.
Jiraiya felt unlucky; Chiyo felt equally cursed. Her negotiation with Kitsuchi had failed, and on her way back, she had crossed paths with Jiraiya's team.
Already furious, she didn't hesitate to chase them.
After mixing up the antidote, Shinki injected Jiraiya with it, struggling not to laugh. "Once you're better, you should go see Hatake Sakumo. You two should become sworn brothers."
"He was unlucky enough to run into Hanzo and get chased, and you ran into Chiyo. Both of you returned to camp injured."
Jiraiya: "...."
Brother, trust me, I don't want to. Could you just patch me up without all this commentary?
It hurts.
Chiyo had shown no mercy, as evidenced by the poison needles covering Jiraiya's body. If he hadn't managed to flee, he would have died on the battlefield.
"Just be grateful that old woman Chiyo didn't whip up a new poison."
Using pliers, Shinki carefully pulled out each needle.
He suddenly pointed at Jiraiya's stomach. "Take off your pants."
"What?!!" Jiraiya nearly jumped, clutching his pants tightly.
Shinki rolled his eyes. "You've got needles in your crotch too. Are you sure you don't want them out?"
"Get them out!"
Startled, Jiraiya's pants were off in a flash. Better to suffer momentary embarrassment than risk his manhood.
With a resigned sigh, he gritted his teeth, lay down, and closed his eyes.
After several seconds without hearing anything, Jiraiya opened one eye.
His comrades were looking at him curiously, and Nawaki gave him a subtle wink.
Shinki, pliers in hand, spoke up: "I told you to take off your pants, not your underwear."
"???" Jiraiya stared, dumbfounded.
"Forget it. I've got a better view anyway."
Great. I've fallen into the same trap as the others before me.
Hatake Sakumo had once suffered a similar humiliation, with Jiraiya trying to console him. Now, the tables had turned.
Sakumo had been pranked, and Jiraiya had set himself up.
With all the needles finally removed, Jiraiya grabbed his pants and, without waiting for the antidote to take full effect, made a hasty retreat from the room, half his backside exposed.
Laughter erupted behind him as Jiraiya's embarrassed sprint quickened.
Indeed, every man cares about the health of his… assets and their future functionality.
Shinki wondered how those who chose to be palace eunuchs could willingly sacrifice that "two ounces of flesh." What kind of hope could they find in life after giving that up?
He couldn't fathom it.
>>>>>
Up to Chapter 250 available on Patreon.com/c/GGFanfiction :)
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