The Sannin Skirmish (6)

"Our clones... have been disposed of," Orochimaru narrows her eyes and mentions the fact as Jiraiya has a somewhat steely look. Unlike what others may expect from the goofy, fun-loving, and perverted author, Jiraiya keeps a remarkable sense of cool.

"We've already found the second entrance. Let's check it out quickly and see if it has your Hero Water. Tsunade can hold out long enough. She did say she's taken up training again, after all."

Orochimaru speaks nothing as the transformed toad swims toward the underground cave formation that looks like an inverted iceberg jutting out from the base of the Village Hidden in Waterfall itself.

Before they enter, Orochimaru signals Jiraiya to stop briefly. Tossing her an inquisitive look, Jiraiya grows silent reflexively as he senses senjutsu brewing within Orochimaru once again.

The purplish marking around her eyes grows prominent and longer as its arc reaches down to her nostrils from both sides and her serpentine pale yellow eyes glimmer ever so slightly.

Sage Mode.

"Hey, I've been wanting to ask this because you entered Sage Mode before, too... how do you do it so easily?" Jiraiya questions. He already understands that Orochimaru is using better senses of this mode to scout ahead and cover all her bases.

"It's not really a Sage Mode," Orochimaru reveals, "Don't get me wrong. Entering true Sage Mode is possible instantly, too," she recalls Mitsuki and Kai and explains, "But what I am using is a trick. I have studied Senjutsu Chakra a lot more because of my previous disease and understand full well just how much regular chakra is needed to mix with nature energy."

"So... you got the ratio right at the back of your hand," Jiraiya nods, "But still... sensing and absorbing nature energy takes time."

"For a true Sage Mode, yes," Orochimaru shrugs, "But I only need enhanced senses, and that, too, for a second." Her purple marks recede and her vertical pupils lose their vibrant glimmer but she barely flinches after returning to this mundane form, "I only needed to isolate a tiny portion of my chakra and that, in turn, needs very little Nature energy. Of course, it is used up just as easily."

Looking over at Jiraiya, Orochimaru smiles wickedly, "But your expression suggests you aren't thrilled by my tricks. I can guess why."

"Damn right, I'm not!" Jiraiya scoffs, "I can't even get regular Sage Mode right... ugh." A chill passes down his spine as he recalls the bitter memories he had to go through to attain strength.

"Practice your chakra control. Try Iryo-nin," Orochimaru shrugs and holds nothing back when advising an equally, if not more talented shinobi, "And, why not just use your Sage Mode in front of me? I have been experimenting on eight gates with Kai for some time and can find out if the problem lies in your body or your chakra control."

Pursing his lips, Jiraiya looks conflicted for some reason but he eventually nods, "I vowed to never use this in front of a woman... but eh, you're a Discount Woman."

"You'd think insults would affect me..." Orochi smirks, "But they really don't. Want to see a particularly 'rowdy' Genjutsu of mine filled with insults? It has many casts like me, Kai, Nono, and even Tsume... and I'm the one in passive."

Jiraiya coughs out loud and glares at Orochimaru, "You..." then his shoulders slump, "Man, no. Don't tempt me that way... I don't wanna see Kai naked in your genjutsu the first thing. Who knows what you've inflated in there?"

"Oh, I have Kai measured properly. There are no lies," Orochi hums, "Although... I could add—"

"The mission," Jiraiya cuts in since he truly believed himself to fall to the dark... well, the pink path before he even leaves the village after the mission. "What did you find?"

"Why do you think I'm prolonging our talk?" Orochimaru sighs, "I sensed two things. First, the tree is obviously not normal. There is simply too much Nature energy around it to be considered anything but ordinary. Second... it's not Hero Water that awaits us in that cave. It holds a shrine that is connected to the tree. But... someone is waiting for us."

Jiraiya furrows his brows, "Could just be a guard."

"No, he has already sensed us. He is looking at your toad. He has ordered away other Catfish and Koi summons... and he is sitting on top of said shrine with a rather lazy look. No guard does this... and no Kage lets a Jinchuriki into one of the most protected places and lets him do as he wishes."

The corner of Jiraiya's eyes twitch as Orochimaru chuckles, "Things won't be easy but something tells me Su doesn't intend to fight here. Stay in the toad and start gathering your Nature Energy. We'll end this quickly AND see what's wrong with your Sage Mode."

"What about you?" Jiraiya sits down cross-legged on the large tail of the toad.

"I'll see what the Jinchuriki wants. Hero Water isn't here so we will focus on our other target and since the cat is already out of the bag, we wound Su quickly and get to Tsunade."

Jiraiya closes his eyes Orochimaru steps toward the mouth of the toad as it opens its gigantic mouth slightly.

Forming a seal, Orochimaru flickers away and isn't bothered by the pressure of the lake. Quite a bit of water washes in but planting his butt on the tongue with Chakra, Jiraiya remains unmoved and continues to store Nature energy. As he does so, he also plants both of his hands with his thumb cut open slightly.

"Summoning Jutsu," he whispers and two small plumes of smoke appear at once.

"Truly! Jiraiya-chan, you have no tact!" An old man's echo grumbles through the smoke as Jiraiya claps his hand together with a wry grin.

"Shut it, Pa! And Jiraiya-chan, what'd we tell ya about not summoning us in annoyin' places?" This time it's an old woman's grumbling.

"Sorry," Jiraiya chuckles, "But I need to enter Sage Mode... quicker than usual. And stay put."

Revealing two toddler-sized toads, one green with a white mohawk and bushy brows while the other one is purple with a green underside and purple and round warts over her head like an old lady with a hair net, both the toads look at Jiraiya curiously.

The one with the white mohawk contemplates and looks around, "Enter Sage Mode? But Jiraiya-chan, you hate that mode don't ya? Last you used it yerself and got smacked by that Hanzo-Boy. But Ma... can you sense that?"

Scrunching her nose, the old lady adopts a scowl on her toad features, "Right, I can, Pa! It's disgustin""

"Well, our opponent is a Jinchuriki," Jiraiya sighs.

"Not that, Jiraiya-chan. It's the tree," The old man sighs, "This place takes the award for being disgustin', Jiraiya-chan. You're on yer own."

"Huh?"

Jiraiya blinks and suddenly, both the old toads disappear with a plume of smoke.

"Haaaaah?!" Jiraiya grumbles loudly.

What just happened now?

---

"Welcome," Su opens his arms wide and giggles.

The small cave is dimly lit by two torches near the entrance of the cave not touched by water due to the difference in water and atmospheric pressure within. Needless to say, to have another two torches near the small, meter-long shrine itself, there must be an opening that constantly supplies the region with air.

Sitting on top of the roof's slope, Su continues, "You don't look so surprised, huh? Did you anticipate me or did you sense me? Reports suggest that you and Tsunade are Chakra sensors but..." narrowing his eyes, Su muses, "I have mastered chakra, mine, at least. Not an ounce of chakra should be leaking from me at the moment and my dear friend inside isn't keen on revealing itself, too."

"You expected us here," Orochimaru concludes instead of answering, "How?"

Returning the favor, Su doesn't answer but sets a deal forthright, "Your mission is Hero Water and dealing enough wounds on me to put me out of commission. But Shinobi are never that kind. Hero Water isn't here. The next best action is to destroy this spot and impede Taki."

Though Orochimaru is inwardly startled by the revelations that Taki is well aware of the depths of their mission, Su's next words make her frown.

"In light of all this, I propose a deal. You and Jiraiya step away and leave this shrine alone. If you don't, I shall commit a beautiful suicide here, releasing my dear friend from within me. Make no mistake. My form of suicide by itself would be releasing the seven tails."

Chuckling, Su looks down upon Orochimaru, "That would screw your mission. With Seven Tails released, the other villages will scramble to gain another Jinchuriki which would initiate the Third War that we all are expecting for some time now. I'd love to be that glorious trigger. Or... we step away from this location. You may try to harm me in a more spacious location. I will try my best to defend myself and kill you two."

Although Orochimaru is used to dealing with an upper hand, she has enough experience with losses, too. Or being passive. Not losing sight of herself or the mission as Su's threat may just be the worst-case scenario for their team, Orochimaru plays along.

"I have one condition to all that. It is very clear that once I leave this place, I wouldn't get to return here. So, I demand a specimen from this tree if not Hero Water itself."

"I refuse," Su narrows his eyes.

"Then blow yourself up," Orochimaru smiles, "The war will initiate whether you're the trigger or not. And as you said, all the villages would scramble for another Jinchuriki. That, in itself, is good for Konoha. We have the highest chance of succeeding, after all."

Su furrows his brows before shrugging, "Oh, well. Let no one say that I, Su, do not try negotiating, at least. Here you go."

He pulls out a small packet from under his flak jacket and tosses it toward Orochi. Within the clear bag are several small roots.

"These are..." Orochimaru frowns.

"Young roots of the tree. My dear friend likes the taste of them and so do I," Su shrugs, "Besides, you're not the first to try and replicate Hero Water. We've had a ton of spies but no other village managed to create the same tree again."

"I would appreciate it if I take the sample myself."

Orochimaru finally feels it again. The sensation of death at the back of her neck. The same sensation that the Sannin felt the moment they laid their eyes on Su the first time earlier.

"Go ahead," Su jumps off the shrine and steps closer to the stoic Orochimaru, "Don't get so fearful of me now," he chuckles, "After all, whether you take the specimen or not... it doesn't matter. You won't live to take it back."

"You're awfully confident for someone whose plan was to commit suicide."

"That's because..." Su steps past Orochimaru as her body is ready to attack at a moment's notice, "My future is super bright whether I live or die. Besides, what can we puppets do but live for the sake of our future generations?"

There is a lot in this statement that Orochimaru wished to refute academically but reigning in her annoyance at Su, she steps towards the shrine and observes it for a while before retrieving a sample of the tree. Indeed, there is not a single drop of the fabled Hero Water here so... it can be said that half of their mission is already a bust.

***

Alternate Title: The Disgusting Location; Orochi's Hidden Kink Genjutsu; Orochi is into Toxic Activities; Puppets for Future; Su's Dear Friend?; The Eccentric Jinchuriki; Moment of Passiveness; Deathly Sensations

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