Although his disciple had been colluding with so many enemies of Konoha, he couldn't help but want to laugh when seeing Orochimaru's setback.
"Akihara Kagura!"
Orochimaru clenched his teeth, his voice suddenly rising: "Akihara Kagura, come out quickly and tell me, how much have you hidden from me..."
"Kagura is here too?"
Jiraiya immediately looked around anxiously.
"He's the one who informed me of your reconnaissance mission to the Akatsuki Organization..."
Orochimaru scanned the surroundings, suddenly feeling uneasy: "Wait... where is that guy hiding? Why hasn't he appeared as we planned? What exactly is he trying to do?"
What's going on?
Where's that bastard Akihara Kagura?
Didn't that bastard say he'd come too?
What exactly is that bastard trying to do? Wanting Jiraiya dead here, why would he still send me to save Jiraiya? Surely he doesn't want both me and Jiraiya dead here, right?
"What the hell is that guy thinking..."
Orochimaru's heart suddenly sank as he recalled the times Akihara Kagura had tricked him, faintly feeling he might have fallen into a trap...
"Kagura isn't here."
Nagato had great confidence in his Rain Tiger at Will Jutsu.
Since the Rain Tiger at Will Jutsu could detect any hidden enemy, no one could escape the rain in this area. He had already sensed that no one else was around.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru were the only ones here.
"..."
Orochimaru's arm couldn't help but tremble.
That bastard...
Duped me again?
Deva Path Pain looked at Orochimaru and continued calmly: "Orochimaru, if Kagura wants me to spare Jiraiya-sensei, all he has to do is let me know..."
Deva Path Pain's expression grew colder, as he started to form a Black Rod in his hand: "Or are you trying to use these words to undermine my trust in him? Do you want me to spare you and Jiraiya-sensei?"
"Don't bother thinking about it."
"No matter what, you all will die here today!"
"..."
Orochimaru trembled in anger.
Not because of Deva Path Pain's words, but because he'd been deceived!
That bastard specifically went to the laboratory under Root to tell me about Jiraiya's reconnaissance to the Akatsuki Organization, which might get him killed there, and when I said I couldn't defeat Nagato, we agreed that he'd surely appear...
Now...
What's that bastard really planning?
"Orochimaru, don't overthink it..."
Jiraiya looked at Orochimaru who seemed a bit indignant, and tried to comfort his old friend: "Anyway, thanks for saving me. By the way, Orochimaru, how long has it been since we fought side by side..."
"I don't know, I don't have much interest in battling..."
Orochimaru took a deep breath, suppressing his inner fury, knowing for sure he'd fallen for Akihara Kagura's trick.
Whatever...
Things have already come to this...
Maybe that bastard Akihara Kagura wants to finish him and Jiraiya off together? Or... wait...
Orochimaru's gaze fell on Nagato's Rinnegan, remembering Nagato's speculations about the Sage Eye and Sage Body, sensing deep down an ominous premonition.
Some things Nagato said came back to him...
The Sage Eye and Sage Body are both powers of the Six Paths Sage.
The possessor of the Sage Eye might not necessarily have the Sage Body, but someone with the Sage Body might indeed obtain the Sage Eye...
After all...
Switching eyes is just a minor surgery.
Orochimaru's heart sank even more, unable to suppress a certain suspicion.
That bastard...
Could it be that he's waiting for me and Jiraiya to drain Nagato's strength, then suddenly appear to seize Nagato's Sage Eye? Otherwise, why would he send me to the Akatsuki Organization to save Jiraiya?
That's surely it!
Absolutely it!
As Orochimaru thought of this, his arm trembled even more fiercely!
Orochimaru had already envisioned his and Jiraiya's fate!
Once their chakra sufficiently depleted Nagato's energy, possibly dying in a massive fight against Nagato and the Pain Six Paths, that bastard Akihara Kagura would definitely appear to ambush Nagato!
Nagato was still here babbling about his alliance with Akihara Kagura, but Orochimaru absolutely didn't believe Akihara Kagura would keep any pact...
Because Orochimaru was himself a victim of a pact!
"Hey, Orochimaru, what are you thinking?"
Jiraiya looked at Orochimaru's face clouded with indecision, then gazed at the rainy sky, strangely smiling with nostalgia: "Are you reminiscing about our most dangerous battle, back when we faced Salamander Hanzo in the Land of Rain..."
"Fool..."
Orochimaru turned and cursed at Jiraiya, a flicker of anger apparent in his gaze: "If only I'd killed those three little brats from the Land of Rain back then, this wouldn't be happening now. My life might even have to end here because of your foolishness!"
"But at that time..."
Jiraiya furrowed his brow, wanting to argue!
"Jiraiya!"
Orochimaru interrupted Jiraiya, wrathfully looking at his somewhat bewildered old friend: "This battle must be your disciple's conspiracy. If things go south, I'll escape immediately!"
"..."
Jiraiya fell silent, looking at Orochimaru's furious face, and slowly nodded: "Alright, I'll cover you."