"Hahaha, makes sense. Speaking of which, when I first saw this kid, I thought he was some thief. Never expected him to be Tsunade's cousin," Jiraiya said, laughing as he downed another cup. Then, he sighed deeply.
Orochimaru quietly took a sip of his drink.
The war was over.
But the scars and pain it left behind didn't just vanish. Tsunade's experiences were a tragic testament to the horrors of war.
"Hey, why so quiet? You're scaring people just by not speaking. Don't terrify our little cousin here. Come on, drink up!" Jiraiya's enthusiasm was infectious.
He was naturally sociable, but his words carried a deeper intent—hoping Orochimaru wouldn't dwell too much on old wounds.
Orochimaru smiled faintly and raised his glass toward Kyoichi. "Kyoichi-kun, we meet again."
"You've met him before?" Jiraiya asked, surprised.
"He was one of the candidates during the Jonin exams. I served as the examiner," Kyoichi explained simply.
Jiraiya paused briefly before realizing what had likely happened.
Orochimaru as an examiner? The test must have been no walk in the park. Jiraiya chuckled but refrained from prying further. Instead, the three of them gradually settled into a relaxed conversation.
Most of the talk revolved around Tsunade.
"Lady Tsunade is doing well overall, though she's constantly being hounded by debt collectors," Kyoichi said.
"Hahaha!" Jiraiya burst out laughing. That was classic Tsunade! No matter what she had, money always seemed to vanish into thin air.
"Did you lend her money?"
"Of course not. I never lend to gamblers."
"Smart move! If you've got that kind of cash, you'd be better off funding my research. At least I can teach you something useful afterward," Orochimaru quipped with a rare hint of humor.
Talking about Tsunade seemed to bridge the emotional gap between the three of them, if only for a moment.
Kyoichi observed carefully. At least at this moment, Orochimaru wasn't consumed by ambitions related to Senju genetics or Hashirama cells. He seemed more like an ordinary person, simply reminiscing about an old teammate.
"By the way, I heard from the old man that you're working on some kind of technique. If you run into any difficulties, let us know. At least for now, both of us are still in the village. Who knows how long we'll stay," Jiraiya said in his usual forthright tone, though it carried a hint of resignation.
The state of Konoha now...
Calling it precarious would be an understatement.
Year after year, the other great nations seemed intent on taking a bite out of Konoha.
"I've made some progress on the technique. Right now, the main challenge is with the skin-breathing aspect, but it's coming along. I should have a breakthrough soon."
In truth, Kyoichi had already mastered skin-breathing to some extent. Currently, though, it was only a supplementary ability to reduce strain on the lungs. It hadn't yet evolved into something game-changing like his envisioned Fourth Activation.
"Skin-breathing?" Both Jiraiya and Orochimaru froze for a moment.
Orochimaru fell into contemplation. What kind of technique would require such a capability?
Jiraiya, on the other hand...
After a moment's thought, he said, "If it's something like that, I might actually be able to help."
"No rush. Speaking of which, Lord Jiraiya, you mentioned earlier that you'd be leaving the village again soon. Does that mean..." Kyoichi trailed off, lowering his voice.
Jiraiya nodded lightly. "It's been a few years since the death of the Third Raikage. Both Kumogakure and Iwagakure have regained much of their strength. We need to scout the northern regions."
"Mist Village might also be a possibility, no? They've been rebuilding their strength too, and their prominence has been growing in recent years. The Seven Ninja Swordsmen have been making quite a name for themselves. They might pose a threat," Kyoichi added.
He recalled that Mist Village's resurgence happened around the same time as Iwagakure's, and both were clear signs of future conflict.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru pondered briefly before nodding.
"You're right. Mist Village has been quiet for years, but they've recently gained some notoriety. The Seven Swordsmen's fame has been growing steadily," Jiraiya agreed.
Kyoichi didn't elaborate further. He had his own responsibilities, including training the three rookies under his care, so investigating potential threats from the north or east wasn't in his purview. That was a job for the higher-ups.
Konoha's leadership wasn't entirely incompetent, after all.
"Come on, let's drink to that... Kid, this one's for Tsunade. Don't even think about declining!"
"Completely unnecessary," Kyoichi replied, waving his hand dismissively. Then, he bit his finger and performed a summoning jutsu.
A small slug appeared.
"Lady Katsuyu?" Jiraiya was taken aback.
Orochimaru, meanwhile, gave Kyoichi a long, meaningful look.
The Shikkotsu Forest Contract...
This kid really had ties to the Senju Clan.
Clearly, Danzo would need to revisit his strategies. Angering Tsunade could have catastrophic consequences.
Orochimaru took another sip, masking his thoughts.
"Lady Katsuyu, could you deliver this bottle of sake to Lady Tsunade? Tell her it's from Jiraiya and Orochimaru's reunion gathering," Kyoichi requested.
"Very well..."
Katsuyu coiled around the bottle, secreting a protective layer of mucus to prevent corrosion, then vanished.
Jiraiya sighed in awe. Signing a contract with the Shikkotsu Forest meant Kyoichi's connection to the Senju Clan was fully acknowledged. His status was far beyond what it had been before.
"Looks like you went to retrieve the summoning scroll that day," Jiraiya mused.
So, Tsunade had simply left the scroll lying around? Talk about a lack of caution!
"Alright, enough chatter. Let's drink. After this, I'll tell you everything I know about skin-breathing," Jiraiya promised, raising his glass.
As the food on the table disappeared, the alcohol took its toll. Orochimaru left first—he was a busy man, after all.
Jiraiya, now thoroughly tipsy, wandered aimlessly with Kyoichi, casually sharing his knowledge about skin-breathing. He explained how he'd experienced a similar sensation during his training in Sage Mode, when he'd briefly harmonized with the toads.
It turned out Kyoichi had asked the right person.
However...
"Lord Jiraiya, I really appreciate the lessons, but... why did you bring me to a hot spring?"
Steam rose around the secluded walls.
The sound of women laughing echoed faintly.
Kyoichi felt as if a giant, glowing "DANGER" sign was hovering above his head.
He was a teacher! If anyone saw this, his reputation in Konoha would be over.
"Cough! Don't misunderstand. I just took a wrong turn. Let's go before anyone inside gets the wrong idea," Jiraiya said, his face turning red.
Wrong turn? Sure.
Kyoichi gave him a skeptical look.
Everyone in Konoha knew of Jiraiya's illustrious "history" in such places. There was no need for anyone to "misunderstand."
"By the way, what exactly is this technique you're researching? Can you share?"
"It's a cell activation jutsu," Kyoichi replied, deciding not to keep it a secret.
Channeling chakra into his hands, he formed seals faster than most ninja could follow.
"This is the current application I've devised, combining skin-breathing with activation jutsu," he explained.
"Localized stimulation of cellular activity?" Jiraiya murmured thoughtfully.
The method was ingenious—adaptable to various needs, without placing excessive strain on the body. Of course, it also required immense precision and skill, making it unattainable for most shinobi.
"You've got plans for a more advanced version, don't you?"
"Exactly. I've named it the Seven Heavens Breathing Method. The first three stages rely solely on lung-based breathing, but the fourth involves enhancing skin-breathing capabilities."
"Sounds feasible. This activation jutsu..."
"If you're interested, I don't mind teaching it to you. But it's a forbidden technique—best not used frequently," Kyoichi warned.
Jiraiya was taken aback by the offer.
"Cough, how about this: you teach me the activation jutsu, and I'll share my secret hair technique with you."
Kyoichi couldn't help but smirk. Secret hair technique? Only Jiraiya could come up with such a trade.
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