Chapter 35: Orochimaru – Something Disagreeable
"My father's a gambler, my mother's gravely ill, and my husband went missing... What am I supposed to do now? Life is just too hard... sob sob"
Inside a tavern in the Land of Hot Water, Kitagawa Gen wore his usual dead-fish expression as he listened to a teary waitress pouring her heart out—while his companion, Jiraiya, sat next to him, awkwardly nodding along.
They'd been in the Land of Hot Water for a few days now, chasing leads on Orochimaru. Although Danzo had indeed provided intel, it was frustratingly vague—only narrowing things down to a general area.
Thankfully, Jiraiya was a professional. The only thing that threw Gen off was just how... unconventional the man's methods were.
"Don't cry now, I..."
Jiraiya attempted to console the crying woman, but then suddenly froze, eyes widening in disbelief.
"Wait—you're married?"
"Y-Yes..." she stammered, confused by his reaction. "My husband went missing a month ago. I had no choice but to work here to make ends meet..."
"I see... That's tough," Jiraiya muttered, rubbing his forehead and visibly losing all enthusiasm. Gen, meanwhile, was holding back laughter.
After the waitress walked away, Gen couldn't help but smirk. "It's the perfect story, isn't it? A gambling father, a sick mother, a missing husband... and a broken woman. Not to mention—she's married. Sounds like your type."
"You little brat—where the hell are you learning this stuff from?" Jiraiya gave him a look that was somewhere between amused and annoyed. "Have you forgotten the Three Prohibitions of a Ninja?"
"I learned it from you. And last I checked, you're not exactly following them either."
Gen pointed directly at him. "And while we're on that—haven't you ditched me every night to hit up brothels and bathhouses? Leaving me to rot alone at the inn?"
"Hey, hey, don't slander me like that!" Jiraiya waved his arms in defense. "I'm gathering intel, alright? Research!"
"Sure, sure," Gen nodded sagely, eyes gleaming with mock understanding. "I didn't say what kind of research."
Jiraiya could only laugh in frustration. "Fine, fine! I'm not arguing with a brat. But I'll have you know—we're definitely getting close to Orochimaru."
"You think that waitress's missing husband is connected?"
"If my hunch is right—yes," Jiraiya replied, now serious again. He pulled out a small notebook and flipped through a few pages. "There have been multiple disappearances in this area recently. On top of that, locals say strangers often come by to buy large quantities of food and water."
"A big group, then. And trouble," Gen muttered, catching on.
"Exactly. That's why I've already stationed my little toads around the area to keep watch," Jiraiya said with a smug grin. "The waitress mentioned her husband disappeared a month ago. Based on the frequency of supply runs, I estimate another delivery is due soon. When it happens, we strike."
Gen just shrugged. Typical Jiraiya—looked like a clown, worked like a pro. That was the real him: a man who never let his ridiculous antics interfere with the mission.
"Alright, if you've got that covered, I'll wander the streets and see if I spot anyone interesting."
But before Gen could get up, Jiraiya's eyes locked onto a woman walking past the tavern window. His jaw dropped, and a very suspicious giggle escaped his throat.
"I need to, uh... gather more intel. Let's go our separate ways for now. Better for the investigation."
"..."
Gen stared at him blankly. I take it back. He's just a perverted old lunatic.
But then, a strange sensation washed over him—an inexplicable energy that felt oddly familiar. The last time he'd sensed something like this... was when he met Hinata.
He turned his head subtly. Among the crowd outside, he could just make out a pale-haired boy.
"Wait... don't tell me..." Gen scratched his cheek, expression wry. "Am I turning into a radar for weirdos?"
---
Elsewhere, in a forest near the town…
"Kimimaro, we've gathered almost everything. Jirōbō's still out getting the last supplies," Jūgo said, glancing up at the birds overhead before turning to his companion with a grin. "How's your body holding up?"
"No need to worry," Kimimaro replied with his usual calm, unfazed even around his closest friend. "I told you—I'll be your cage. I'll stay with you to the end."
"Of course." Jūgo smiled warmly.
Because of his unstable condition, Jūgo had two personalities—one calm and kind, the other completely berserk. Kimimaro was the only one who could keep the madness at bay, which was why Jūgo followed him and ended up in Orochimaru's service.
Orochimaru had provided medication to suppress the violent outbursts, but Jūgo still preferred Kimimaro's presence. Only with him could he truly feel at peace.
"Hey, those two people following us—still there?" Kimimaro asked in a low voice.
Thanks to his ability to communicate with animals, Jūgo had been using birds to scout their surroundings. Back in town, they had noticed they were being tailed—one middle-aged man with white hair and another boy about their age. Both were clearly ninja.
"They're still on us," Jūgo replied, subtly glancing up at a circling bird. "Probably some mercenaries or bounty hunters. Places like this are full of them."
The Land of Hot Water was a mess—full of criminals and desperate men. Orochimaru didn't mind. After all, free materials were always welcome.
"Good," Kimimaro nodded. Orochimaru had asked him to bring back anyone 'interesting,' and honestly, he'd been wondering where to find suitable candidates. Now, they were walking right into their arms.
The two soon arrived at the entrance to a hidden underground lab, where Orochimaru was already preparing for his next experiment.
"Back so soon?" he asked casually, glancing up at them.
"Didn't find anything useful?"
"We did, Orochimaru-sama," Kimimaro answered with respectful calm, bowing slightly. "Two ninja have been tailing us. We plan to invite them in."
"Very well. If they've come this far, let's make sure they stay," Orochimaru murmured.
"Are they rogue ninja, or from a village?"
"Orochimaru-sama, based on the birds' observations, they weren't wearing any village headbands," Kimimaro replied.
Jūgo added, lowering his head, "But one of them... has a white mane and carries a scroll with the kanji for 'oil.'"
"..."
Orochimaru's face—so far indifferent—twitched slightly. That symbol. That name.
Something very disagreeable had just entered his territory.