Chapter 7.1 : Changed!!

At the Akimichi Clan's BBQ Restaurant

The reunion of the Three Legendary Sannin didn't bring the joy one would expect after years apart. 

Or rather, Jiraiya was the only one showing any excitement about being together again, while Orochimaru and Tsunade remained cold and distant.

After a long time of trying to engage them, Jiraiya's enthusiasm began to fade. He looked at Orochimaru, who sat silently, radiating an icy aura, and Tsunade, who was pouring more alcohol into her cup, her face flushed from drinking. His face tightened, seeing their lack of response.

Bang!

Jiraiya slammed his hand down on the wooden table, the sound echoing through the room. When his two companions turned to look at him, he angrily asked, "It's been three years since we last met, and you two aren't even a little happy to see each other?"

"You haven't changed a bit, Jiraiya," Orochimaru's raspy voice filled the room. Tsunade, drunk, simply focused back on her drink.

"Is that all you can say?" Jiraiya snapped, leaning in closer to Orochimaru, clearly irritated.

"It's a blessing, Jiraiya," Orochimaru said softly. "Sometimes, Tsunade and I are truly envious of you."

"Envious of me?" Jiraiya was stunned, not understanding what Orochimaru meant.

From childhood to now, since they started training under the Third Hokage, both Orochimaru, the genius, and Tsunade, the Senju Princess, were the ones Jiraiya had always admired and tried to catch up with. He never imagined a day would come when he would hear Orochimaru say he was envious of him.

At the same time, Jiraiya suddenly felt a strong disconnect between him and his two friends. The familiarity and bond they once shared seemed overshadowed by a sense of estrangement. It was as if the two companions he grew up with had become strangers.

"Explain yourselves!" Jiraiya ruffled his hair in frustration. He hated how Orochimaru always spoke in riddles without fully explaining.

"Life is fragile, Jiraiya. You haven't experienced loss like we have. You haven't felt that deep emptiness and fear," Orochimaru said as he stood up, pulling back the curtain. As he left, he turned to Jiraiya and said, "I envy you! But don't bother inviting me to these boring reunions anymore."

With that, Orochimaru ignored Jiraiya's calls and quickly left.

Feeling dejected after failing to stop Orochimaru, Jiraiya turned to Tsunade, hoping for some comfort. But before he could say anything, Tsunade wobbled to her feet, surprising him as she leaned on the table with one hand and patted him on the shoulder with the other.

"Is the gathering over? Then I'm heading home too," Tsunade said, her breath smelling of alcohol. A young girl hurried into the room to help her out, and they slowly left together.

In the blink of an eye, Jiraiya was left alone in the private room.

It's only been three years!

Three years later, returning to the village and reuniting with old friends, Jiraiya found the familiar buildings and scenery unchanged, but the once-familiar faces of his comrades now felt distant and unfamiliar.

Tsunade's despair and Orochimaru's coldness filled Jiraiya with a deep sense of unease. Even with his somewhat dull senses, he couldn't ignore the growing distance between him and his two old friends, who had once shared an unspoken bond.

It seemed impossible for the three of them to return to the camaraderie they had shared three years ago.

Jiraiya felt a mix of anxiety and helplessness.

…

"Jiraiya, is that you?"

In the Third Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen, having just finished his work, heard a slight noise from the roof and immediately knew who it was without even turning around.

The Anbu hadn't stopped him, meaning it was someone familiar who liked to enter through unconventional means. In the Third Hokage's memory, only Jiraiya fit that description. Plus, he had already received information about Jiraiya's return to the village, so he knew who it was right away.

"Hey, old man," Jiraiya greeted as he flipped into the room through the window, reeking of alcohol.

"You've been a bit reckless this time!" The Third Hokage frowned as he looked at the drunken Jiraiya. "If it weren't for your significant contributions during the war, and the official story that you were recovering and traveling, you would have been branded a rogue ninja by now!"

"The war is almost over. Even without me, Orochimaru and Konoha would still secure the final victory." Jiraiya felt a bit guilty about his actions, but he knew he would make the same choice if given another chance.

"Since you're back, don't leave again," the Third Hokage sighed. None of his three students were easy to deal with. Even Orochimaru, who used to be the most dependable, had been acting strangely and mysteriously lately.

As for Tsunade, she had become even more despondent. Although she was still the head of the Medical Corps, she barely ever showed up at the hospital, spending most of her time in bars or gambling dens, completely ignoring his advice.

"I plan to stay for a while," Jiraiya nodded. This time, he intended to spend some time in the village and catch up with his student, Minato Namikaze. 

After three years, he was curious to see how much his pupil, whom he once believed to be the Child of Prophecy, had grown.

"Will you take on another team of students…?"

"Old man, I already have Minato," Jiraiya shook his head. Besides Minato, he had just spent three years mentoring three other students, and he wasn't keen on taking on another group. 

He also had no intention of telling the Third Hokage about those three students, as he believed they had their own paths to follow.

***

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