Orochimaru supported Jiraiya by the arm, half dragging and half guiding the drunk Sannin back toward his residence. Jiraiya's feet stumbled with every few steps, his cheeks flushed red, his eyes unfocused.
When they entered the compound, Naruto happened to open the door. The moment he saw them, he froze, his expression a perfect mix of shock and disbelief.
"Oh my god—Pervy Sage! Uncle Snake! You two actually went drinking!?"
Orochimaru lifted a brow and gave a small, amused nod.
Jiraiya lifted his hand in a sloppy wave. "Keep the music going—keep dancing… Orochimaru! Let's keep drinking!"
Naruto immediately grabbed Jiraiya from Orochimaru's hold and laid him down on the sofa. "Pervy Sage, seriously!? You're getting married tomorrow! And THIS is what you do the night before your wedding? Where did you even go with the Third Hokage–sama, huh? You went out drinking? Where is the Third!?"
Orochimaru answered calmly, "The old man wasn't the one who took Jiraiya out drinking. I was on my way back when he ran into me—and HE was the one who dragged me along. I didn't drink much. He drank too much."
Naruto stared at Jiraiya, then covered his face. "Pervy Sage… I'm honestly convinced you're hopeless."
Naruto knew too well that Jiraiya had always been a heavy drinker. During their training journey, more than once Jiraiya had delayed Naruto's training because he'd been drinking "for research."
Orochimaru looked at Naruto and said, "Naruto, I'm heading back. I'll be here tomorrow morning. I should sleep while I can."
Naruto actually wanted Orochimaru to stay for the night—after all, he was Jiraiya's best man for tomorrow's wedding. But Naruto wasn't going to stop him. If Orochimaru wanted to return home, he had his reasons.
Before leaving, Orochimaru lifted his gaze slightly and made eye contact with Sasuke across the room. Orochimaru's lips curved into the faintest smile; Sasuke responded with a small nod. Teacher and student—no matter how twisted that history had once been—still shared a silent understanding.
After sending Orochimaru away, Naruto stood beside the sofa where Jiraiya lay snoring loudly. Kiba approached and asked, "Naruto, what do we do now?"
Shino pushed up his glasses. "Will Jiraiya-sama even be able to get up tomorrow?"
Naruto let out a small laugh. "It's fine. No matter how much he drinks, he'll bounce back after a short nap."
He motioned to Inoue. "Bring a quilt. We'll let him sleep here tonight."
The wedding preparations around the house were nearly complete anyway.
Naruto turned to the others. "Alright, everyone, head home. Come back tomorrow morning."
But everyone refused.
"No need to go home," Choji said.
"Yeah! Jiraiya-sama's like this. We're not leaving him," Kiba added.
"It's warm enough. We can sleep on the floor," Shikamaru said.
As shinobi, they were used to sleeping in forests, caves, and battlefields. Sleeping indoors was practically a luxury.
So they all settled down on the floor or against the wall. The room filled with quiet, tired breathing as lanterns dimmed.
It was already close to one in the morning. In just a few hours, the wedding day would begin.
Inside His Dream
Jiraiya lay on the sofa, sinking into a deep sleep. In his drunken haze, he slipped into a long, vivid dream—a dream that felt so real it might as well have been another life.
In the dream, Jiraiya found himself transported back in time—back to the moments before the Third Hokage's death. Orochimaru had not yet defected, only secretly colluding with Danzō. Tsunade was still wandering from place to place, refusing to return to Konoha.
Jiraiya knew everything that would happen in the future—every tragedy, every battle, every life lost. He knew the paths everyone would take.
But this time, he wanted to change it all.
He wanted to do what Naruto always did—save the people around him and protect the village he loved.
So Jiraiya traveled straight to Orochimaru's underground laboratory. The air was cold, filled with the metallic scent of steel and chemicals. Orochimaru stood at a table, conducting a dangerous experiment.
When Jiraiya stepped inside, Orochimaru's golden eyes widened for a moment before he regained his calm composure.
"Jiraiya… what brings you here?" he asked.
"I'm here to convince you to abandon your plans," Jiraiya replied.
Orochimaru laughed—sharp and cold. "You? Convince me? You're ridiculous. I've waited too long for this. My dream is finally within reach."
"Your dream? Is destroying Konoha your dream?" Jiraiya asked sternly.
"It's not destruction," Orochimaru said, his voice low and smooth. "It's rebirth. I will recreate a new Konoha with my own hands."
"You're insane, Orochimaru! You'll kill countless people if you keep going down this path!"
"I don't care. I only care about achieving my dream. To achieve it, I will sacrifice anything."
Jiraiya clenched his fists. Orochimaru was already deep in darkness. But he wasn't ready to give up on him.
"Orochimaru… remember who you were. Remember when we fought together to protect the village. We had the same goals once, the same ideals. Have you really forgotten that?"
For the first time, Orochimaru hesitated.
Memories flashed—missions with Jiraiya and Tsunade, standing side-by-side, risking their lives for Konoha.
"You're right… I was once your comrade," Orochimaru said quietly. "But Konoha today is different. This village is no longer the one we protected."
"Orochimaru, you're wrong," Jiraiya said firmly.
"Konoha hasn't changed. The people in it have. Some lost their way—but the village itself is still worth protecting. We have to change things, return to the ideals we believed in."
Orochimaru's expression wavered. For the first time in decades, doubt flickered in his eyes.
"Jiraiya… maybe… maybe I truly have wandered too far into the darkness."
He exhaled.
"You're right. I can't continue like this. I… want to fight with you again—to protect Konoha."
Jiraiya's chest loosened with relief. Orochimaru had finally awakened.
"Then come with me. Let's find Tsunade. We need her strength."
Together, they sought out Tsunade. When they explained everything, Tsunade didn't hesitate.
"You're right. We can't let Konoha fall. If we don't protect it—who will?"
Thus, the Sannin—Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade—united once more.
They fought side-by-side, just like in the old days. Their battle was fierce, filled with jutsu that shook the ground beneath them. They protected the Leaf with everything they had.
And in the end—they saved the village.
The Third Hokage himself honored them. Minato stood proudly nearby. Kushina tugged Naruto forward.
"See, Naruto? That's the kind of hero you must become—like Jiraiya!"
Jiraiya beamed, his grin stretching wide.
Then Naruto walked up to him.
Jiraiya bent down with a smile. "What's wrong, Naruto?"
Naruto suddenly slapped his cheek.
"Wake up, Pervy Sage! Wake up! Hey! Wake up!"
Back to Reality
Jiraiya's eyes snapped open.
The first thing he saw was Naruto's big face leaning over him.
"Pervy Sage, finally! You scared me! You kept smiling in your sleep like a creep!"
Kiba snorted. "Jiraiya-sama must've been dreaming about marrying Lady Tsunade."
Shino narrowed his eyes. "My intuition tells me… that smile was not simple."
Jiraiya sat up, rubbing his face. The dream faded, replaced by embarrassment.
Damn…
What a waste of a good dream.
Probably because the Third, Orochimaru, and he had spent last night digging through old memories while drinking. His alcohol-soaked brain must've strung those memories into a dream.
Naruto crossed his arms. "Pervy Sage! You're getting married today, and you went drinking like that last night!"
"Ahh—sorry! Sorry!"
"Go take a shower. The makeup team will arrive soon. I need to get to the village gate—other villages are sending people instantly via teleportation!"
Jiraiya nodded. "Alright, alright. You go ahead."
Naruto turned sharply. "Sai! Handle the banquet preparations. Kiba, Shino—wait for Shikamaru to arrive and coordinate with him."
Sasuke stood up. "And what about me?"
Naruto blinked. "…You…"
He thought. And thought.
"…Just stand here. Wherever we're short on people, help out."
Sasuke: "…"
Naruto waved. "I'm heading out! Hold things down!"
In a flicker of yellow light, Naruto vanished using Flying Raijin.
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