Hearing the movement behind him, Silvers Rayleigh instinctively turned and glanced at the man.
Their eyes met.
For a brief moment—
it felt as though each of them had seen another version of himself.
No…
more accurately—
a kindred spirit.
Almost simultaneously, they spoke:
"I am Crotch-Staring Cat. A pleasure, a pleasure."
"I am Gap-Peeping Toad. Long have I admired you."
They exchanged a knowing smile.
Without another word, Rayleigh and the man moved in perfect sync, walking to the bar and sitting down side by side.
Ron lifted his gaze and smiled.
"Welcome."
"Mr. Jiraiya. I'm Ron, the owner of this tavern."
Jiraiya—
a powerhouse from the world of Naruto.
One of the Legendary Sannin.
And the second interworld guest to carry the Teacher trait.
Yet his life—
was filled with regrets.
He almost won Tsunade's heart.
Almost brought Orochimaru back.
Almost saved Nagato.
Almost lived to see Naruto become Hokage, marry, and start a family…
Always almost.
Always one step short.
A roaming dragon should return to the sea—
yet the sea refuses Jiraiya.
Being called by name didn't surprise him in the slightest.
Instead, Jiraiya laughed.
"Nice to meet you."
"This tavern is great—facing the sea. Along with the aroma of wine, you can even smell the salt in the air."
"I wonder how the alcohol here tastes…"
Before he could finish—
his attention was caught by several striking figures in the tavern.
Especially Boa Hancock, seated not far away.
That proud figure.
That peerless beauty.
His mind went blank for a moment.
Driven almost by instinct, Jiraiya was just about to stand and strike up a conversation—
but the keep-your-distance aura surrounding her made him hesitate.
…Yeah.
Brothel girls were still better.
As long as the money was right, they were always enthusiastic.
At that moment, Rem approached, setting two bottles down in front of Jiraiya and Rayleigh.
"This is your alcohol. Please enjoy."
"Thank you, young lady," Jiraiya said with a grin, opening the bottle and taking a light sip.
Gulp.
The moment it slid down his throat—
a rich, intense fragrance exploded across his palate.
"Boss, this is good stuff!" Jiraiya praised without hesitation.
"Bring a few more—I need to drink properly—"
Halfway through, he glanced at his empty wallet and shook his head with a wry smile.
"Never mind. One bottle's enough."
"If I drink too much, it'll interfere with Naruto's training tomorrow."
Hearing that, Rayleigh waved a hand grandly.
"Drink as much as you like."
"Tonight, your tab is on me."
Jiraiya's eyes lit up instantly.
A true kindred spirit!
And so—
two old perverts sat at the bar, drinking and chatting about the local customs of their respective worlds.
From their conversation, Ron learned that—
Jiraiya was currently traveling and training Naruto Uzumaki.
The journey was nearing its end.
And the battle with Pain…
was not far off.
...
After two jugs of alcohol were drained, Jiraiya was clearly drunk.
He raised his cup and shouted at Rayleigh,
"Brother! A man lives for freedom and style!"
"I love a woman—the hottest in the entire village!"
"I have a friend—strong as hell, but… a bit unhinged."
"I've had many disciples—some gifted, some who've become Hokage-level legends!"
"It's just that the one I'm teaching now is a bit slow."
He spoke with pride—
yet deep pain flickered in his eyes.
Alcohol doesn't intoxicate the heart.
People intoxicate themselves.
Jiraiya wasn't drunk.
He was just trapped in the world alcohol created—unable to escape.
Ron listened quietly and shook his head.
The woman he loved—
he had never confessed to.
The friend he trusted—
betrayed the village and even killed their teacher.
His disciples were talented—
yet again and again, during his travels, he received news of beloved students dying in battle.
Each message carved another wound into his heart.
And yet—
no one comforted him.
So he endured alone, like a wounded beast, licking his own scars in silence.
Unaware of any of this, Rayleigh laughed and patted Jiraiya's shoulder.
"Hahaha!"
"Kid, if you like a woman, confess while you're still young!"
Jiraiya smiled bitterly.
"I'm hesitating."
"Maybe I'll wait until the Icha-Icha novel series is finished before confessing."
Smack!
Rayleigh slapped him straight on the head.
"Hesitating my ass!"
"It's spring right now—the season of reproduction! Dopamine is overflowing!"
"In a season like this, if you don't confess, what the hell are you writing novels for?!"
"Don't let your life end with regrets!"
Whether it was the alcohol or Rayleigh's strength—
Jiraiya was sent straight to the floor.
The books in his arms scattered out.
On the cover, four bold characters:
Icha-Icha Paradise
Jiraiya rubbed his aching head and placed the book on the bar.
"When this journey ends—
I'll confess."
"I'll be waiting for the good news," Rayleigh said with a grin, casually picking up a manuscript and flipping through it.
Then—
his eyes froze.
Hooked.
Completely absorbed.
"These books…" Rayleigh asked without looking up.
"Can I borrow them for a few days?"
Jiraiya didn't refuse.
"Take them. Just don't lose them—those are the originals."
Seeing this, Ron's curiosity was piqued as well.
Icha-Icha Paradise was legendary in the Naruto world.
Even Kakashi Hatake never went anywhere without it.
Now—
Ron could finally satisfy his childhood curiosity.
The moment he opened the book and read—
he saw light.
A divine scripture.
An absolute masterpiece.
...
Within the next half hour, regulars like the Holy Lord and his son, Tu Shan Yaya, Grey Wolf, and Sōsuke Aizen all arrived one after another.
Just as Ron was fully engrossed—
Bang!
The tavern door was shoved open.
Liang Bing and Kaisha walked in one after the other, still hurling insults.
"My dear sister, could you not walk in with me?"
"Seeing you makes me nauseous."
"That's fear."
"Only angels feel nauseous when they see demons."
As they spoke, the sisters took seats in the tavern.
Donquixote Doflamingo leaned in and whispered to Hancock,
"That's Queen Morgana."
"She's the one who granted me my power."
Hancock followed his gaze.
A woman whose figure and appearance were flawless to the extreme.
The kind of woman who made others feel inferior just by existing.
Of course—
Hancock didn't feel that way at all.
She only thought—
I am the most beautiful in the world.
She stood and walked gracefully to Liang Bing's side, sitting down.
Before she could speak—
Liang Bing rested her chin on one hand and smiled.
"Your arrogance—and what you're about to say—
I don't like either."
"If you lower your head and call me Queen,"
"I might grant you power."
"And if you don't…"
"I'll have Doflamingo spread that little secret in your heart to the entire world~"
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