The towering mountains stretched endlessly before him—unyielding, jagged peaks forming the legendary Rain Mountain Range. Jiraiya had heard rumors about the drastic changes that had occurred in this region, but seeing the mountains with his own eyes was a completely different experience. Their sheer scale and unbroken formation made them look less like a natural landscape and more like a divine creation deliberately placed to divide the Land of Rain from the Land of Rivers.
If the mountain range itself was already this astonishing, then what unimaginable force could have reshaped Rain Mountain into this vast range overnight? The thought unsettled him. Was such a transformation even possible through ninjutsu?
Jiraiya couldn't help but think of an old legend.
Could this really be the work of the Sage of Six Paths?
The idea seemed absurd—yet the evidence stood before him in stone.
As he continued his journey, Jiraiya entered White Snake Hub Town, and the contrast stunned him. Smooth, paved roads stretched in clean lines, small trucks shuttled between marketplaces, and pedestrians walked along neatly built sidewalks. The prosperity felt almost surreal compared to the chaotic reputation the Land of Rain once had.
From White Serpent Central Town to White Serpent Electric Town, the land bustled with development, technology, and industry. Yet when Jiraiya traveled beyond these towns, everything changed. The prosperous scenery gave way to desolation—a barren land scarred by decades of conflict.
Locals informed him that this region had served as the primary battlefield for clashes between the major ninja nations. The people of the Land of Rain rarely ventured here, knowing it was the graveyard of countless shinobi.
Jiraiya knelt, picking up a worn kunai from the ground. Deep scratches carved across its surface told the story of a desperate life-or-death struggle. Here, he found remnants of shinobi from every great nation: broken armor plates from Iwagakure, shattered forehead protectors from Konoha, Sunagakure, Kusagakure—even the iron masks of samurai from the Iron Country. Smaller nations' insignias lay scattered among them.
The soil seemed stained with layers of old blood. Before him was a battlefield that looked like a different world entirely—one where time, peace, and civilization had no place.
Jiraiya sighed. In the Land of Rain, peace and war existed side by side, separated only by a few miles of land.
---
Land of Waves – Mangrove Forest
The gentle sound of waves echoed through the mangroves. Uzumaki Chigusa, wearing a flowing white dress and a straw hat, stepped barefoot into the clear, shallow water. Her red hair fluttered as she pressed her snow-white toes onto a crab's claw poking out of the sand. The crab clamped its claw repeatedly, trying in vain to pinch her.
Chigusa glanced back with a playful smile at Orochimaru, who sat atop the massive Chimera Insect King.
"How did someone as busy as you find time to visit the Land of Waves?" she teased.
Then she corrected herself, "No—how did you find time to visit me?"
"I made you a promise, didn't I?" Orochimaru replied, pulling a folded manuscript from his sleeve.
It was the draft of his new book.
Orochimaru had recently snuck off to secretly watch the film adaptation of his first book. To his surprise—and faint horror—the screenwriter had taken his educational, boss-fighting adventure novel and transformed it into a romance story that captivated thousands of young readers.
He hadn't expected his pen name Miya to become so popular either. The warm reception of the novel genuinely shocked him.
Wait… did I accidentally write a romance novel?
Impossible! I wrote a manual on forbidden techniques!
SPLASH.
Orochimaru snapped back to reality, watching as Chigusa flicked a crab through the air using only her toes.
The Chimera Insect King lifted its claws, caught the crab neatly, and gulped it down. The creature then lifted its massive claw again, twisting it as though trying to convey some kind of dramatic expression.
"My collection from Uzushiogakure… such a shame it was lost," Chigusa sighed, reading through Orochimaru's pages.
"If dear Mr. Miya wishes, I could—"
"Don't even think about it," Orochimaru said sharply. He was not about to rewrite dozens of lost draft books from scratch.
"You're right… let those collections sink into history like Uzushiogakure… sniff, sniff…"
Chigusa covered half her face with the manuscript, letting out exaggerated sobbing sounds—complete with dramatic "hic-hic" effects.
"Who cries out loud with 'hic-hic'?!"
Unable to tolerate it, Orochimaru practically shouted.
"Yes!" Chigusa suddenly pulled the manuscript down, revealing a pair of bright red, theatrically sparkling eyes. If dramatic crying could earn Oscars, she would win every year.
"Chigusa—you're a terrible adult! It's been years and you still haven't changed at all!"
Realizing Chigusa wasn't truly upset, Orochimaru finally relaxed.
"My, thank you for the compliment," she said sweetly, squinting her red eyes with mischief.
"I wasn't complimenting you!"
Before he could say another word, Chigusa suddenly lunged at him.
Her straw hat flew upward and landed perfectly on the Chimera Insect King's enormous claw. The creature tilted the hat, adjusted its angle, and somehow produced an expression of smug sophistication.
Orochimaru stared in disbelief as his giant insect familiar admired itself.
"…I'll buy you a real toy," he muttered, patting the creature on the head.
Chigusa pouted. "Popular author Mr. Miya would never refuse a fan's humble request…"
"Ow!" she yelped as Orochimaru lightly raised a fist in warning.
"How did you pick up these bad habits from Naino? You've become so violent!"
"And you conveniently forget how you used to criticize my books?" Orochimaru glared.
Chigusa placed a hand dramatically on her chest. "My criticism comes from a place of literary appreciation!"
Sure it does… Orochimaru thought helplessly. She clearly enjoyed teasing him.
A white snake extended from Orochimaru's sleeve, snatched the straw hat off the Chimera Insect King, and returned it to Orochimaru, who placed it firmly back onto Chigusa's head.
The Chimera Insect King looked heartbroken at the loss of its toy.
Orochimaru looked back toward Chigusa. "I need to return soon. Keep monitoring the Chinoike Clan. Their Ketsuryugan awakens through strong emotional stimulation—less likely to produce extremists than the Uchiha, but still possible."
Chigusa nodded reluctantly.
"Oh? That's all you have to say?" She looked down at her dress, clearly fishing for a reaction.
"It suits you well," Orochimaru said finally, noticing her intention.
Chigusa smiled triumphantly. "You still have good taste."
"If you're discovered, just say I asked you to observe the clan," Orochimaru warned. "Some things are my responsibility—don't take everything onto yourself."
Chigusa stepped forward and hugged him gently.
"Orochimaru… kind people don't make good ninja."
"Kind? Me?" Orochimaru froze, stunned.
He was too surprised to react before she let him go.
---
Land of Fire – Konoha
Thanks to Tsunade's improvements, portable medical kits had become commonplace in Konoha. Every shinobi now carried one on missions, stocked with compact tools and medicines for emergency treatment.
At the Senju residence, Tsunade rummaged through her grandfather's old storage room. Various relics—gambling paraphernalia, old scroll seals, forgotten trinkets—were stacked in dusty piles.
While searching, she uncovered a rotting wooden box. Its surface was so worn that the writing on it was nearly unreadable.
Lightning Release: Lightning Sensory!
She channeled chakra into her nerves, sharpening her reflexes, then opened the box cautiously. Inside lay an old scroll, its material unlike any used today.
Could this be a forbidden technique of the Senju Clan?
To her surprise, the scroll contained not jutsu—but a map.
The marked location wasn't far from Konoha; it was once a battlefield between the Senju and Uchiha clans.
"A buried treasure, maybe?" Tsunade's eyes sparkled.
She rushed into the kitchen, where Orochimaru was cooking. "Orochimaru! Let's go treasure hunting!"
"Treas— What are you, six years old?" Orochimaru muttered, glancing at her as she leaned dramatically through the doorway.
Tsunade thrust the map toward him. "It's real! My grandfather must've left this!"
Orochimaru examined the scroll closely. "This material… I saw similar scrolls in Uzushiogakure's library. It's at least a hundred years old."
"See? We might find something valuable!"
Orochimaru sighed.
If she's happy, that's good enough…
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)