Chapter 149

In the early morning, a sliver of sunlight slipped through the gap in the window, casting a warm glow into the room.

Orochimaru stirred, feeling the warmth of the sun. Tsunade, resting her head on his arm, slowly opened her eyes, a contented smile on her face.

"Awake so early?" she murmured.

"It's not that early," Orochimaru replied. "Do you want breakfast?"

"Whatever you feel like making," she said with a soft laugh.

"Then hand me my clothes," he said, reaching out.

"Forget it. Why don't you just stay and chat with me a little longer?"

"...All right," he said with a faint smile, settling back down.

After a night of restless energy, Orochimaru felt oddly calm. He had entered a kind of "sage mode," his mind clear and his impulses at rest. They talked idly for a while before finally getting up, grabbing a quick bite, and freshening up.

The two took turns in the bathroom, washing and dressing. Orochimaru felt energized and Tsunade looked radiant.

As he stood there, he found himself wondering why he'd ever been drawn to anyone else. Really, it wasn't hard to understand—throughout history, powerful men often had multiple women by their side. Even in modern societies that favored monogamy, this tendency lingered. Orochimaru now saw it as a natural law: the strong attract others, while the less fortunate struggle alone.

And as for people saying Orochimaru didn't need companionship, since he could create life himself… well, no artificial creation could compare to a real, vibrant woman. That much was clear.

After getting dressed, Orochimaru led Tsunade out of the office and found Chana, his assistant, who began briefing him on the recent activities in the village.

Meanwhile, Jiraiya was off in the distance, playing with the three children. Yet, as an experienced ninja, he noticed details most would miss. Seeing Tsunade walking beside Orochimaru, looking especially cheerful, made his heart sink.

Sighing, Jiraiya slipped away to a quiet corner at the far end of the village, where he could let out his feelings alone. It was the silent, unspoken sadness of a man who had lost something precious—a feeling not many would understand.

The next few days passed smoothly. Orochimaru completed his inspections, addressing any small issues Chana hadn't managed to solve, and checked the village's various strongholds. Everything seemed to be running well, with no major problems.

Once he was satisfied, he prepared to return to Konoha. Jiraiya, however, found an excuse to stay behind.

"You're really sure you want to stay?" Orochimaru asked, slightly surprised.

In the original timeline, Jiraiya had stayed to teach Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan ninjutsu for several years, but that had been in Amegakure. Now that Orochimaru had brought the children here, they were safe. Why did Jiraiya still want to stay?

Jiraiya nodded firmly. "Yeah. The war isn't exactly pressing right now, so there's no urgent need for me back in Konoha."

"Besides, watching you play house isn't my idea of a good time. I'd rather stay here and do something useful," he added with a smirk.

Orochimaru glanced over at Jiraiya and then at the three kids, as if reading between the lines. "Fine. If you're determined, I won't stop you. But I have to warn you about something."

"Oh? What's that?"

"Don't get any ideas about snooping around my experimental bases. Without permission, my clones are programmed to attack intruders on sight. They're all networked together, so they'll keep coming until the threat is eliminated."

Jiraiya blinked, stunned. After a moment, he swallowed hard. "Uh… don't worry, I'm not stupid enough to try something like that."

"You say that now," Orochimaru replied, his tone merciless. "But knowing you, I wouldn't put it past you to get curious."

Orochimaru's warning was genuine. The clones operated on strict protocols. After years of developing them, he had a force of over six hundred clones, all trained to protect his secrets. His labs and arsenals were off-limits to anyone without explicit clearance, even the daimyo avoided these restricted zones.

The clones were no joke. They were all at Jonin level and equipped with Sharingan—an overwhelming force even a Kage would struggle against. Unless someone like the Third Raikage himself, with his near-impenetrable defenses, attempted to storm the base, even Hiruzen wouldn't stand a chance.

If Jiraiya tried to infiltrate on a whim, he'd likely be walking to his death.

Orochimaru's warning wasn't lost on Tsunade either. She had learned about the clones recently, and she added, "Jiraiya, don't be an idiot. This isn't something you can treat as a joke. We don't want to find you dead next time we come back."

She and Orochimaru knew Jiraiya better than anyone. He had a mischievous streak that often made him reckless. Even after all these years, he still had the same troublemaking habits.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Jiraiya grumbled, waving his hand dismissively. But deep down, he knew they were right.

Truth be told, he had considered sneaking a peek at Orochimaru's base. The whole clone army concept was intriguing, and he couldn't help but feel curious about how it was all done.

But now that he'd heard just how lethal those clones could be, he had to admit defeat. Teasing Orochimaru was one thing, but risking his life was another.

After making the necessary arrangements, Orochimaru and Tsunade finally set off, leaving Sound Village behind.

Jiraiya watched them disappear into the distance, walking side by side, and sighed. What else could he do but wish them well?

"Um… sensei, we're ready!" a small voice spoke up from behind him.

Turning around, Jiraiya saw Yahiko staring at him eagerly, full of energy and excitement.

"Alright then," Jiraiya said, shaking off his melancholy. "Let's get to it."