Jiraiya had barely stepped out of his room when an Uchiha ninja raised a sword and pressed it against his neck.
The steel blade gleamed under the light, its cold shine almost blinding him.
From the sofa, Uchiha Ran greeted him with a faint smirk.
"I've heard of you. I've heard a lot," Ran said calmly. "You're the one who eliminated Danzo Shimura and single-handedly repelled the encirclement of the Three Legendary Sannin of Konoha, aren't you?"
"Jiraiya, you're mistaken," Ran continued, his smile flawless and insincere. "It was the combined will of the people and the ninja clans that removed Konoha's tumor—Danzo Shimura—and drove away the invaders."
Jiraiya's mouth twitched. He muttered inwardly that this kid truly had a silver tongue—capable of turning black into white without blinking.
Orochimaru chuckled softly. He slipped away from Jiraiya's arm and dispelled his Transformation Jutsu. His gaze first fell on the man beside Jiraiya.
"Itachi," Orochimaru said slowly. "Long time no see."
Uchiha Itachi's expression remained cold and unreadable. Orochimaru didn't mind and instead turned toward Ran.
"Uchiha Ran, your words just now left a deep impression on me."
"With everyone working together, eradicating the tumor, driving away the invaders," Orochimaru repeated, smiling faintly.
"Oh?" Ran looked at him. "Are you interested in those words as well, Orochimaru?"
"I'm fine," Orochimaru replied. "I'm just curious—how does someone your age understand politics better than us old men?"
Ran's expression didn't change.
"Talent, perhaps," he said calmly. "Just like how the Uchiha are born with the Sharingan—something many people can only dream of."
The implication was obvious.
Orochimaru's expression shifted slightly as he studied Ran with greater caution.
Does this kid know what I want? he wondered.
"Enough," Ran said, no longer interested in the exchange. "We didn't come here for that."
He glanced at Itachi.
Itachi nodded and lowered the sword at once.
Ran walked toward Jiraiya at an unhurried pace.
"Jiraiya," he said, "do you really intend to wade into the muddy waters of Konoha's Fifth Hokage struggle?"
"Think carefully. You would be making enemies of seventy percent of Konoha's ninja clans."
"And if things go wrong," Ran continued evenly, "even as one of the Three Legendary Sannin, you could lose your reputation and end your life in disgrace."
It was a naked threat.
Jiraiya's expression darkened. Even without Orochimaru's involvement, he would never tolerate being threatened so openly.
"You little—"
Before he could finish, Ran's eyes changed.
The three-tomoe Sharingan twisted into the Mangekyō.
A cold, damp, relentless chakra poured out of Ran's body like an endless tide.
The moment Jiraiya and Orochimaru felt it, their faces went pale.
They felt like small boats caught in a violent storm—powerless before the force of heaven and earth, able only to pray that it would end quickly.
"Jiraiya, stop," Orochimaru said at once, smiling as he stepped forward. "Uchiha Ran, I think there's been a misunderstanding. How about we retract the chakra first?"
His eyes never left Ran's face.
From that brief test alone, Orochimaru already understood— even if he and Jiraiya joined forces, they wouldn't be able to defeat this young man.
Ran glanced at him, then withdrew his chakra and waited silently.
"Now," Ran said, "tell me. What did I misunderstand?"
Orochimaru explained his plan to assassinate Hiruzen Sarutobi in full.
Ran raised an eyebrow. It was exactly the sort of thing Orochimaru would do.
Then he turned his gaze toward Jiraiya, suspicion evident in his eyes.
"Are you certain Jiraiya won't betray you?"
Orochimaru fell silent. He looked at Jiraiya, then back at Ran.
"If he betrays me," Orochimaru said calmly, "I, Orochimaru, will commit seppuku in front of you to atone."
The room stiffened.
Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi both frowned.
Jiraiya's pupils contracted. "Orochimaru, what are you doing?!"
Orochimaru looked at him steadily.
"Konoha is rotten to the core," he said. "Only by wielding a blade and cutting away the decay can it be reborn."
"For that, I'm willing to bear infamy," he continued. "But if you still cling to the Old Man, then there's no reason for me to live."
"You can take my head and trade it to him for your future."
Orochimaru summoned the Kusanagi Sword and placed its hilt into Jiraiya's hand. Then he pressed the blade against his own neck, smiling faintly.
"Now choose," he said softly. "The Old Man—or me."
His eyes never left Jiraiya.
Even Ran was momentarily stunned.
Setting everything else aside, Orochimaru truly had courage.
No wonder so many were willing to follow him without hesitation. Based on this alone, he deserved his reputation as the most charismatic figure of his era.
Jiraiya threw the sword aside. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"I understand."
Orochimaru smiled and slung an arm around Jiraiya's shoulder.
"I knew you couldn't bring yourself to lose me."
Jiraiya shoved him away with a snort.
Orochimaru didn't mind. He turned back to Ran.
"Now, do you believe me?"
Ran considered for a moment.
"Yes."
Orochimaru's lips curved upward. "Thank you."
"However," Ran continued, "I originally planned to clear your name, bring you back into the new Konoha, and allow you to continue your research."
"With you doing this, it becomes… difficult for me to operate."
Orochimaru froze, staring at him in disbelief.
"You don't mind what I've done before?"
He searched Ran's eyes, trying to determine whether those words were sincere.
"Danzo Shimura and Hiruzen Sarutobi used the Senju Clan and villagers as experimental material," Ran said calmly. "I won't."
"When the time comes, I'll hand over irredeemable criminals to you."
"Without violating human principles," Ran continued, "and without betraying the bonds of the same village."