Uchiha Souji's mouth twitched for the third time that evening. The food on the table was supposed to be delicious, something he had dreamed of for the past ten days while eating nothing but soldier pills. But now… after what Jiraiya just did… Souji felt his appetite fading.
He looked at the table, at the half-eaten dishes, and sighed inside.
This meal is ruined. Completely ruined.
He slowly and naturally put down his chopsticks and bowl. He had already eaten enough to not starve, so he accepted that this disaster of a meal was over.
"That's right, Kakashi," Jiraiya said, wiping his mouth—not with a napkin but with his own coat, smearing oil everywhere. "Don't ruin the mood with depressing talk."
Kakashi pressed his fingers against his forehead. "Master Jiraiya, these are the Hokage's orders. I need you to understand."
He wasn't being dramatic. Kakashi knew this mission would most likely fail. He knew Jiraiya would refuse. But he still had to deliver the old man's message.
There was another reason for the delay. Kakashi had purposely chosen not to tell Jiraiya anything about Orochimaru until they had reached the capital.
Because Kakashi knew the moment Jiraiya heard that Orochimaru defected, he would bolt like lightning—no food, no rest, nothing. Just gone.
Jiraiya waved one hand. "That old man can keep serving as Hokage. There's no war, things are peaceful enough. Let him enjoy his old age while pretending he retired early."
He drank another sip of sake with a carefree look. The man looked like someone who didn't have a single worry in the world… but Kakashi wasn't fooled.
He took a deep breath, reached into his vest, and pulled out a sealed scroll.
A Hokage's scroll.
He placed it on the table and slowly pushed it toward Jiraiya.
Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. He glanced at Souji sitting beside him.
Can a kid be allowed to see this?
His eyes clearly asked that question.
This wasn't Uchiha bias, nor any kind of discrimination. Hokage scrolls delivered to Sannin always contained information of the highest secrecy—forbidden subjects, dangerous missions, or confidential reports.
Even Minato wouldn't be allowed to read these things—
at least, before he became Hokage.
Kakashi nodded. "It's fine. Souji was a witness. Keeping it secret from him won't help."
Jiraiya blinked. He looked at Souji again.
Then he reached out and rubbed Souji's head in a rough, almost wolf-like way.
"You're pretty impressive, kid."
Souji smacked the hand away instantly. "Of course I am. I almost killed Orochimaru."
Jiraiya froze.
The sake cup paused halfway to his mouth.
Almost… killed… Orochimaru?
Orochimaru.
One of the Legendary Sannin.
His teammate for decades.
A man even elite Jōnin feared fighting.
And this six or seven-year-old child claimed he almost killed him?
Jiraiya looked toward Kakashi silently, expecting him to give a reasonable explanation—maybe Souji pulled Orochimaru's hair or something a child would exaggerate.
But Kakashi simply nodded.
A long, heavy nod.
Jiraiya's eyes widened in shock. He leaned forward and grabbed Souji by the shoulders as if trying to confirm Souji was real.
He stared intensely at the boy as if scanning him for signs of some hidden monstrous power.
"Sharingan? No… it's not that simple," Jiraiya muttered under his breath.
Souji rolled his eyes dramatically, then performed a sudden roll across the tatami mat, sliding behind Kakashi. Before sitting down, he rubbed the oily mess from his face onto the back of Kakashi's vest.
Kakashi stiffened. The twitch in his forehead deepened.
Before he could say a word, Jiraiya burst into loud laughter.
"Orochimaru couldn't handle a kid? Hahaha! When I see him next time, I'm definitely going to laugh at him!"
Jiraiya sounded amused, but Souji could hear the hidden uncertainty beneath his voice.
Because deep inside, Jiraiya already suspected what Kakashi was about to confirm.
Kakashi gently pushed the scroll closer. "Master Jiraiya… this concerns Orochimaru."
Jiraiya's smile slowly faded.
Kakashi continued:
"Some time ago, Anbu discovered Orochimaru's private research facility. Lord Hokage led the raid himself. Inside, they found prohibited experiments—experiments involving human test subjects."
Jiraiya's hand tightened around his cup.
"Orochimaru used shinobi from our own village as test material," Kakashi said quietly. "When he was discovered, he immediately prepared to defect. This scroll contains the full report… and the Hokage's orders for you."
Jiraiya went completely still.
His body froze.
His expression hardened.
His eyes stopped blinking.
Uchiha Souji, sitting beside him, could clearly see the emotions swirling inside the Sannin's heart:
Shock. Confusion. Denial. Pain.
Orochimaru wasn't just a comrade.
He wasn't just a teammate from wartime.
He was someone Jiraiya had trusted.
Someone he had believed would stand with him until the end.
To hear that this man—this friend—had committed such unforgivable acts…
It felt like a blade stabbing the heart.
Meanwhile, in the room next door, a pale young man quietly drank sake.
"Jiraiya? In the capital?" he whispered. "That is… troublesome."
He touched his chin thoughtfully, staring at the wall as if he could see through it.
Back in the room, nearly a full minute passed in silence.
Finally—
Jiraiya reached forward and grabbed the scroll.
He tore the seal open.
He read every single word inside.
Then—
SLAM!
He smashed the scroll onto the tatami mat and stood up so fast the table rattled.
"BASTARD!" he roared.
"That b*d actually did this?!"
His voice shook with rage.
"NO! I'm going to find him myself! I need answers! I'm going right now!"
Souji's eyes instantly lit up.
YES! Trouble for Orochimaru again! Perfect!
He jumped to his feet.
"Master Jiraiya! Do you know where he is? I can help! Let's go right now!"
Souji wanted nothing more than to lead Jiraiya straight to that slippery snake.
If there was even the smallest chance to cause chaos for Orochimaru—
Uchiha Souji would gladly join the fight.
Jiraiya froze.
He suddenly stopped walking.
The fire in his eyes dimmed as realization hit him.
Then he slowly sat back down.
"…I don't know where he is," he whispered.
His voice was soft.
Discouraged.
Cold with helplessness.
The room grew quiet.
Even the sound of the busy street outside felt distant.
Jiraiya lowered his head, the weight of betrayal heavy on his shoulders.
Souji clenched his fists.
He had never seen such a strong man look so defeated.
The Legendary Sannin—broken by the truth.
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