Jiraiya's figure was instantly pierced by the flaming arrows.
Poof!
It turned into smoke.
At that moment, a pair of hands suddenly grabbed Arin's ankle. Jiraiya's head popped out of the ground.
"Brat, repent properly!!"
"Earth Release: Headhunter Jutsu!"
Poof!
Arin's body suddenly transformed into intense blue-black flames.
"Hot! Hot!!" Jiraiya jumped out of the ground, hopping around as he got burned.
Arin's figure appeared behind him.
"Jiraiya-senpai, if this is all you've got, you won't beat me."
"And I've already seen through your Shadow Clone."
The clone in front of him was engulfed in flames.
Poof!
It vanished into smoke.
But from the shadows, Jiraiya burst out again.
"Brat!! Don't think it'll be that easy!!"
"Water Release: Starch Syrup Capture Field!"
A sticky stream of liquid shot out, rapidly wrapping toward Arin.
"Arc of Time."
The viscous liquid suddenly reverted—
Back to the moment just before it touched Arin.
"What!?"
Jiraiya's pupils shrank—
And Arin's foot slammed into his face.
BANG!!
Jiraiya was sent flying, crashing to the ground. His eyes rolled back as he lost consciousness.
[Experience +108,489]
"That was close," Arin muttered.
If not for Arc of Time shifting the situation, he wouldn't have found that opening.
"Jiraiya-sensei!!"
Minato and the others rushed over.
"Jiraiya-brother!!" Nawaki followed.
Arin was quite satisfied with the experience gain.
But this wasn't a full-power fight.
He hadn't used Yin Release or Wind Release.
Jiraiya hadn't used his toads or Sage Mode.
If both sides went all out—
The result might be different.
Soon, Jiraiya woke up. He looked at Arin with a defeated expression.
"Tsunade… I'll leave her to you."
Arin rolled his eyes. "Nothing happened between me and Tsunade-senpai. I was just messing with her."
"No. A bet is a bet. I won't pursue Tsunade anymore."
"Don't be discouraged, Jiraiya-senpai. Tsunade-senpai's temper is way too violent anyway. Not my type."
"…That's true. She is a bit too violent."
"Jiraiya-brother, Arin-brother—" Nawaki tried to interrupt.
But the two continued talking as if no one else existed.
"But I lost. Tsunade is yours now."
"I don't want Tsunade-senpai."
Suddenly—
Both of them stopped talking.
Killing intent.
They turned their heads.
Tsunade stood nearby, veins bulging on her forehead as massive chakra erupted from her body.
"You two…"
"GO DIE!!!"
BOOOOOOM!!!!!
Half of the Konoha forest was torn apart.
The ground surged like waves, crashing upward as violent winds uprooted countless trees.
A flock of crows flew by.
"Idiots… idiots…"
Another peaceful day.
…
Konoha Hospital
"Ow… Jiraiya, Arin, you guys alright?"
Orochimaru walked into the ward carrying a fruit basket.
Jiraiya, wrapped head to toe in bandages, twitched slightly. "Still alive…"
"Quite rare to see you out of Root, Orochimaru-sensei," Arin said, sitting beside the bed.
One of his arms was bandaged. With the other, he tried to peel a banana—
But failed.
A flicker of blue-black flame passed.
The banana turned into charcoal.
He sighed helplessly.
"I ended up in Root because of who?" Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, then looked at their miserable state. "So… what did you two do to provoke Tsunade like this?"
Jiraiya glared at Arin angrily. "It's all this brat's fault!!"
He had taken Tsunade's full-strength punch.
Aside from Arin breaking an arm—
He himself had taken the brunt of it.
He strongly suspected Tsunade had dumped all her anger on him.
"Who knew Tsunade-senpai would suddenly show up?" Arin shrugged.
She went full power immediately.
If he hadn't reacted in time—
It wouldn't have been just a broken arm.
"You damn brat!! If it weren't for you, this wouldn't have happened!!" Jiraiya struggled to get up, but couldn't.
Full-body fractures.
He'd need months to recover.
"Loser shouldn't shift the blame," Arin said, stuffing the charred banana into Jiraiya's mouth.
Silence.
"…Did you two fight?" Orochimaru asked curiously.
Arin shrugged. "Just a light spar. Jiraiya-senpai lost by a bit."
Orochimaru looked at Jiraiya seriously—
Then burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! Jiraiya, you actually lost to a junior!"
"Ptooey!" Jiraiya spat out the charcoal. "I still had plenty of techniques I didn't use! And don't underestimate this brat—he's ridiculously strong!!"
At sixteen—
He was already on par with them.
Jiraiya himself had only recently mastered Sage Mode.
In a way—
They had reached Kage-level strength around the same time.
Orochimaru understood this well.
Even back when they first teamed up—
Arin was already comparable to him.
Still—
A loss was a loss.
"You still lost to a junior, hahaha!" Orochimaru laughed nonstop.
"Orochimaru-sensei, how about we spar too?" Arin suddenly said.
Orochimaru's smile instantly disappeared.
He straightened his expression.
"I'm a researcher, not a combatant. Don't look for me for fights."
Arin and Jiraiya both rolled their eyes.
Coward.
And still making excuses.
"Lord White Fang!!"
"White Fang has returned!!"
"That's Lord White Fang!!"
The commotion outside drew their attention.
Arin and Orochimaru walked to the window and looked down.
Jiraiya couldn't move, so he missed it.
"Quite the reputation," Arin said with a faint smile, watching Hatake Sakumo surrounded by people below.
Orochimaru thought for a moment. "He might be the next Hokage."
"I don't think so," Arin shook his head.
Orochimaru looked at him in confusion.
Arin spoke softly,
"Some people already see the Hokage position as theirs…"
"And some…"
"…aren't willing to step down yet."
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