Malphegor
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Ch. 109: The Sannins: Yu
🕑 Added 2024-09-26 22:08:03 +0000 UTCTsunade came out from the isolated island, deep in thought. The salty breeze tousled her hair, but she barely noticed.
Two main points occupied her mind. First, how did Orochimaru know she might need something from him?
Could Orochimaru already be aware of everything that happened on Mount Bikyū?
No, that's impossible. Even that snake can't be everywhere at once.
After all, the Mi-Go incident took place deep in the remote mountains of Bikyū, and unless someone had prior preparations, it would be impossible to obtain information from such an isolated location.
After the incident, she had only reported it to the Third Hokage, and had not shared it publicly. Very few people knew about it, including Kakashi and the Land of Fire's Daimyō.
The most important question wasn't whether Orochimaru knew about the entire event, but that he specifically knew she had something to ask of him.
And what Tsunade needed from him was nothing other than restoring the bodies of Anko and Heiji.
Anko.
Anko.
The curse mark! How could I have been so blind?
She had speculated that the curse mark was an incomplete one, serving no specific purpose.
But perhaps the curse mark wasn't just a decoration—what if Orochimaru could sense what was happening to Anko through it?
Although she didn't know the extent of what could be sensed, it seemed like the only possibility that he knew through the curse mark.
"Damn, I've been tricked."
Tsunade slammed her fist angrily against a nearby rock formation. Even though she controlled her strength, a spider web of cracks still spread across its surface.
The impact sent a flock of seabirds screeching into the air.
Some Sannin I am, missing something so obvious. Tsunade shook her head.
Oyashiro mentioned it might be a scroll or something similar.
Could it be Jiraiya's contract scroll?
The most important scroll he had was undoubtedly the large one he always carried on his back, containing the blood contract with the toads of Mount Myōboku.
Could Orochimaru want to summon the toads of Mount Myōboku?
This thought crossed her mind but was quickly dismissed.
Even if someone wrote their name on the contract, summoning a toad from Mount Myōboku didn't guarantee the toad would obey.
Especially for Orochimaru, who had already signed a contract with the snakes of Ryūchi Cave, it was even more unlikely.
The snakes of Ryūchi Cave and the toads of Mount Myōboku were ancient enemies, something Orochimaru was certainly aware of.
So, that scroll would be of no use to him.
Could it be that thing?
During the Nine-Tails incident in Konoha, Minato sacrificed himself to seal it inside a child, bringing peace.
The key? Could he be after that?
This seemed reasonable since Oyashiro's description suggested Orochimaru wasn't even sure if what he wanted was a scroll. Tsunade didn't know how Jiraiya preserved the key to the Nine-Tails seal, and Orochimaru would know even less.
However, on further thought, she still felt something was off.
According to Oyashiro, it was something Jiraiya had recently obtained, and once she figured out what it was, it would be easy to acquire.
Though she knew Jiraiya had feelings for her, she didn't believe he would give her something so important.
What are you after, Orochimaru?
In the end, she could only find out what it was by meeting Jiraiya in person. But finding Jiraiya would take some effort.
Knowing that pervert, he's probably researching at some hot spring.
---
In a dark cave, Kakashi sat bored and frustrated. His usually spiky hair hung limp, and dark circles had formed under his visible eye.
Being in constant darkness with the Mi-Go, he felt his sanity slipping. Especially over the last two days, he had been feeling unusually sleepy.
This was understandable, given how monotonous his surroundings were.
Although Kakashi left the cave every two or three days to buy food and supplies, he never stayed out long, and always sealed the cave with a boulder upon leaving.
These were necessary precautions to prevent the Mi-Go from escaping.
Since he had taken over the task of guarding it, the Mi-Go hadn't spoken, staying still in the dark corner.
Only a single pinkish appendage stretched out from the darkness, proving to Kakashi that it hadn't escaped.
He had no idea how talented the Mi-Go was at maintaining silence, but today he decided to talk to it.
Great, reduced to chatting with an alien fungus. New low, Kakashi. He steeled himself, clearing his throat.
"Yo, are you sleeping?"
He moved his chair in front of the Mi-Go and spoke. Seconds ticked by, feeling like hours as he waited for a response.
After a long pause, it made some sounds in response.
"Buzz. No. Buzz."
"No need. Buzz. Sleep."
Not having spoken human language for a long time, the Mi-Go seemed to have become rusty, very rusty.
"Do you know Cthulhu?"
Information gathering. That's all this is. He justified to himself, feigning nonchalance.
After a while, the Mi-Go seemed to organize its language and answered, "I know. Buzz."
"Can you tell me about Cthulhu?"
As soon as Cthulhu was mentioned, the Mi-Go seemed to open up.
"Great Cthulhu, the eternal Lord of R'lyeh, we worship Him, we believe in Him."
"Not just Him, we worship many of the Great Old Ones."
"Cthulhu's child, Ghatanothoa, we brought it from one world to another, building huge fortresses to serve it eternally."
"And the supreme Mother Goddess, Shub-Niggurath."
"Yes! Shub-Niggurath! The Goat with a Thousand Young!"
"From the abyss of the stars to the source of darkness, it is all eternal praise to Great Cthulhu! And praise to Tsathoggua!"
"And praise to Him Who Is Not to be Named!"
"Yog-Sothoth, the youngest child, drifts and spins in the dark ether at the edge of the universe, waiting for those seeking truth to pass through the Ultimate Gate!"
"And the great messenger, Nyarlathotep, who will don human appearance and walk among mankind!"
"And the one with the waxen mask and robe that hides, who is slowly approaching…"
The Mi-Go's voice grew louder. Although still emotionless, this could be understood as an expression of its fervor. During this chant, the Mi-Go even stopped buzzing, showing its familiarity with these hymns.
However, as it continued chanting, Kakashi felt his consciousness growing sluggish. A powerful drowsiness overwhelmed him until his head slumped to one side.
No... can't... sleep... Kakashi fought against the unnatural fatigue, but his vision blurred.
At that moment, the Mi-Go's chant ceased abruptly, leaving an eerie stillness in the cave.
It cautiously extended its foot, razor-sharp, toward the sleeping face. The alien appendage inched closer.
Just before it touched Kakashi, the chains restrained its movement with a sudden jerk.
The Mi-Go had no choice but to retract its foot into the darkness.
Moments later, the sound of shackles hitting the ground echoed in the cave. The quiet clinking seemed to reverberate in the stillness.
But it didn't wake the sleeping Kakashi, who remained unnaturally still.
The Mi-Go had freed one of its feet, and it crawled toward the stone wall, its movements stealthy and calculated. With alien dexterity, it began carving a strange, hunched figure into the surface with its foot.
---
"Ah, finally here!"
"Hot Spring Resort!"
"Jiraiya, the Toad Sage from Mount Myōboku, has arrived!"
Standing on a small path in the forest, he gazed into the distance. He could already see Yugakure.
Time for some serious research and maybe a little relaxation. He chuckled to himself, already imagining the sights that awaited him.
Yu was located in the Land of Hot Water in the northeast of the Land of Fire, and was once a well-known shinobi village, earning the reputation of a fighting ninja village.
However, after the Third Great Ninja War ended, the Daimyō began cutting funding to the village. Combined with the region's abundant natural resources and the peaceful beliefs of the local residents, the village underwent a transformation.
What was once a fighting ninja village had now become a village that had forgotten war.
Today, it is famous for its hot springs, having transformed into a renowned hot spring resort destination. Anyone could enter easily, just like walking into an ordinary village.
And as expected, no ninjas could be seen in the village anymore. The streets were filled with ordinary people in everyday clothing, and there were plenty of girls, too!
And they were all wearing yukatas!
The girls walked down the street with paper fans. They gathered in groups, and giggled as they entered the women's bath.
Just standing there and watching made Jiraiya drool uncontrollably.
Oh, the sights I'm seeing... all in the name of literature, of course!
"Look at that guy, his eyes are so weird!"
"Ew, that drooling old man? He's disgusting!"
"Is he a pervert?"
"Let's get away from him."
The girls quickened their pace, walking away from Jiraiya with looks of disgust. One woman whispered to her friend, "Ugh, look at that creep. Is he having a stroke or something?"
"Nah, just a terminal case of perv-itis. Let's get out of here before it's contagious."
Jiraiya, oblivious to their comments, quickly composed himself, nodding as he mentally congratulated himself on his decision.
Ah, Jiraiya, you genius! This place is a gold mine for my novel.
Yes, he hadn't come just for a vacation but also to gather inspiration for his new novel.
Ever since his last book, Tales of the Utterly Gutsy Ninja, was published, he hadn't written anything for a long time. But recently, he had decided to start writing again and planned a new book.
The theme of this new book would be a story of love and romance, drawing from his many years of research into the topic.
He even had a title in mind.
It would be called Icha Icha!
"Not bad, not bad. Yeah, really not bad."
He strolled leisurely through the streets as he hummed a cheerful tune.
And he was about to absorb all the inspiration from the streets and the entrances of the women's baths, a child's voice suddenly interrupted him.
"Wrong. They're all wrong."
Jiraiya immediately stopped, looking around but not seeing anyone talking to him.
"The people in this village are all wrong."
He heard the voice again, and he finally realized where it was coming from. It was a small boy, barely reaching Jiraiya's waist.
The boy had gray slicked-back hair, light purple eyes, and was dressed in simple shorts and a shirt, yet he looked at Jiraiya with an unusual expression.
There was a hint of anger or dissatisfaction in his eyes, or perhaps other emotions, but they were all negative.
Jiraiya had no idea how he had offended this child, so he bent down and asked, "What do you mean by 'wrong'? Lose your parents in all this hot spring steam?"
"They're all wrong. The people in the village are all wrong," the boy said. "Can't you see it?"
"See what, exactly?" Jiraiya asked as he sensed something off about the kid.
The boy glanced at the passersby, and in his gaze, Jiraiya sensed a faint hint of killing intent. Though it wasn't strong, it was definitely there.
"The complacency. The weakness. They've forgotten what it means to be a shinobi."
Just as Jiraiya was about to ask further, a voice called out from the dark alleyway nearby.
"We're leaving!"
"Okay!"
The boy immediately ran toward the alley.
Jiraiya straightened up and looked down the alley. In the shadows, he saw two figures standing there. While their faces weren't visible, he noticed their headbands.
It had the symbol of three diagonal lines—the emblem of Yugakure.
"Are they Yu ninjas?"
---
That evening, Jiraiya sat drinking in a small bar.
The middle-aged but still youthful proprietress personally poured his drink.
"Madam, are there still ninjas in Yu?" he asked as he finished his cup in one go.
The woman hesitated for a moment as she was about to pour more sake. "Yes, sir, there are still ninjas here."
"Oh?" Jiraiya downed his drink again, "Where are they now? Why haven't I seen them active in the streets today?"
"The village has turned from a shinobi village into a resort, so the ninjas lost their status. Some of them, unhappy with the changes, moved to nearby areas."
"Not happy, how exactly?"
"I've heard of a group, formed by those who couldn't let go of the old ways. Dangerous folk, if the rumors are true."
After the woman finished speaking, Jiraiya sipped his drink, deep in thought. He began connecting the dots between the boy's words and the proprietress's information.
But his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of girlish laughter.
"Let's go to the hot springs."
"Yes, soaking at night feels the best."
"Let's go together!"
Judging by their light and playful voices, he could tell these girls were young and beautiful.
Suddenly excited, Jiraiya hurriedly put some money on the table, left his drink behind, and quickly followed the girls to the hot spring. In his haste, he nearly knocked over his drink, earning a knowing sigh from the proprietress.
"Another one off to appreciate the local culture, I see," she muttered, shaking her head.
This is crucial research! The world needs Icha Icha! Jiraiya's earlier concerns evaporated as quickly as the steam from the hot springs.
The girls giggled as they went to the women's bath.
After changing into a bathrobe and entering the hot spring, he found that there was no one else in the men's bath at this hour, making it the perfect time to act.
The gods of literature smile upon me tonight!
Jiraiya went toward the bamboo fence separating the men's and women's baths, and pressed his ear against it to listen closely.
But there was only silence.
Oho! Playing hard to get, are we?
Imagining the beautiful scene on the other side, he wasted no time. Using his chakra, he quickly climbed the bamboo fence. On top, he scouted with a lecherous gaze, trying to spot the girls through the mist.
Found you!
Through the mist, he could make out several figures sitting by the pool, playing in the water.
But the mist made it hard to see clearly.
How big are they? Let me see!
Jiraiya blew out a gust of wind, clearing the mist above the women's pool.
Now, beauties, prepare to inspire the greatest novel ever written!
The figures in the mist were revealed without a doubt.
Oh, the curves! The grace! The... fur coats?
The beauties suddenly turned their faces toward him, their monkey-like faces sneered at him mockingly.
