Chapter 454: Chapter 454: One Sentence Caused Jiraiya and Orochimaru to Fight
Here's the revised version with improved clarity, readability, and consistent tone:
"Shinki-kun, is there something wrong with my outfit?" Orochimaru asked, noticing Shinki's gaze, which seemed a mix of amusement and offense.
"Ahem!" Shinki coughed lightly. "I once read a storybook featuring a character named Orochi-hime, a female ninja. Her appearance was... remarkably similar to yours. In the end, Orochi-hime and her 'good friend,' or rather her 'good brother,' ended up together."
Shinki wasn't lying. In his previous life, during some downtime, he had read a fan novel just like that. In the story, Orochimaru—no, Orochi-hime—used her charm to win over Jiraiya from Tsunade. And to make things even more absurd, Jiraiya was the one actively pursuing her.
"…"
The smile on Orochimaru's face froze.
Minato Namikaze, standing nearby, stared in disbelief, his jaw nearly hitting the floor.
"Is there really such a storybook in the ninja world?" Minato asked, his voice tinged with horror. Could Orochi-hime's 'good friend' really be Jiraiya?
As the thought took root, Minato felt goosebumps spread across his body. The image of Orochi-hime and Jiraiya together was… unsettling.
"Oh, and by the way," Shinki added casually, "the 'good friend' of Princess Orochi-hime is indeed named Jiraiya."
"…"
With a muffled crunch, Orochimaru's clogs shattered under the weight of his chakra, cracking the ground beneath him.
"So, when I saw you dressed like this," Shinki continued, "it felt both strange and familiar. It took me a moment to remember why."
Orochimaru stared at Shinki blankly for a long moment. Finally, taking a deep breath, he forced a smile and asked, "Did Jiraiya write it?"
"I don't know. I didn't pay attention at the time," Shinki replied with a shrug. He remembered the plot vividly but conveniently omitted the detail that the story wasn't from this world.
"I see," Orochimaru said, his smile tightening as a dark aura surrounded him. Without another word, he turned and walked away.
Watching Orochimaru's retreating figure, Minato felt a chill run down his spine. A terrible realization dawned: Jiraiya was about to have a very bad day.
"Teacher, have you really seen such a storybook?" Minato whispered nervously.
"I have," Shinki replied truthfully. While it wasn't from this world, it did exist.
As for Orochimaru's misunderstanding… well, Shinki hadn't explicitly said Jiraiya wrote it. Not his fault, really.
At that very moment, on Pink Street, Jiraiya was on vacation. With nothing pressing to do, he had come to relax. Holding two beautiful women in his arms, he laughed heartily, a bottle in one hand while the other roamed freely. The women giggled uncontrollably, their laughter filling the room.
"Bang!"
The door to the room was suddenly flung open, interrupting the merriment. Jiraiya frowned and turned to face the intruder, irritation plain on his face.
"Orochimaru?" Jiraiya blinked in surprise, then burst out laughing. "I didn't expect to see you in a place like this! And what's with that outfit? You look like some noble lady."
"So, is there an Orochi-hime?" Orochimaru asked coldly as he stepped into the room.
"…"
What? Orochimaru, are you a man or a woman? Can't you even decide for yourself? Jiraiya's eyes widened, and his gaze dropped to Orochimaru's legs.
"Orochi-hime? You do have that Orochimaru vibe," Jiraiya muttered, his words slurred from alcohol. "Did you inspire her?"
Orochimaru's expression darkened. Misunderstanding the situation entirely, Jiraiya continued rambling in disbelief.
"You're dead," Orochimaru declared icily.
Without warning, he raised his hand, and a black shadow shot out from his sleeve, aiming straight for Jiraiya.
Danger!
Jiraiya's instincts kicked in. He pushed the woman leaning against him aside and rolled to dodge the attack.
"Boom!"
The sofa behind him exploded into pieces, scattering debris across the room. The two women, who moments ago were laughing with Jiraiya, screamed in terror.
"Orochimaru, are you crazy?!" Jiraiya shouted, fury in his voice.
But Orochimaru was unmoved. "If you like Princess Orochimaru so much, let me show you how Orochimaru takes care of admirers."
Despite his anger, Orochimaru made sure not to harm the innocent. Two snakes shot out from his sleeves, grabbed the women, and tossed them out of the room.
Damn it! This crazy snake has lost his mind! Jiraiya thought as he watched the women get flung outside. The rush of adrenaline cleared his drunken haze.
"Orochimaru, if I've offended you, let's take this outside and fight somewhere deserted. I don't want to hurt innocent people—and I know you don't want Tsunade involved."
Tsunade was now the Hokage. Unlike the Third Hokage, who often turned a blind eye to their antics, she wouldn't hesitate to discipline them harshly.
Jiraiya's attempt to reason with Orochimaru fell flat. Orochimaru's response was a sharp strike with his Kusanagi Sword.
Damn it! This lunatic isn't holding back! Jiraiya thought, gritting his teeth as he retaliated.
The clash between the two sent shockwaves through Pink Street, causing chaos. Buildings shook, and the street quickly descended into panic. Civilians fled as fast as they could, while the police arrived only to find themselves powerless to intervene.
"…"
Shinki, who had been on his way to treat Minato to a bowl of ramen, paused mid-step, his gaze turning toward Pink Street.
The overwhelming chakra signatures were unmistakable. Orochimaru and Jiraiya were at it again.
"Are they seriously fighting over a storybook?" Shinki muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation.
He sighed and turned to Minato. "Looks like our ramen plans are ruined. Head back."
"Okay…" Minato replied blankly, watching as Shinki vanished.
At the Hokage's office, a frantic knock interrupted Tsunade's meeting with Uchiha Mikoto. A police officer burst in, his face pale with urgency.
"Hokage-sama, Jiraiya and Orochimaru are fighting on Pink Street!"
"What?!" Tsunade shouted, slamming her hands on the desk. "Those two idiots are fighting on Pink Street?"
She knew Jiraiya frequented Pink Street, but Orochimaru rarely ventured there. For them to fight in such a public place…
"Got it. I'm on my way," she said, already moving.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru were not just high-profile figures; they were formidable fighters. If they clashed in the village, no ordinary ninja could stop them.
But Tsunade could—and she wasn't in the mood for mercy.