Chapter Seven
Even someone as powerful as Hiruzen Sarutobi froze on the spot when he heard the soft, seductive voice coming from the face of the beautiful young woman standing before him.
Taking advantage of the moment, Jiraiya and Tsunade—who had already prepared—rushed in from both sides.
Because this was Jiraiya's plan, he naturally wasn't affected by it. As for Tsunade, she believed in him and was so focused on her task that she didn't have time to wonder how exactly Jiraiya intended to break Hiruzen's guard.
Following closely behind Jiraiya's transformed shadow clone, Orochimaru also charged forward. He was the only one whom the clone had informed beforehand while hiding in the crack in the ground.
Jiraiya's shadow clone had said to him: "No matter what happens, don't hesitate—not even for a second."
The three of them all had the same target: the two bells hanging from Hiruzen Sarutobi's waist.
And for a ninja, even a momentary lapse was a huge opportunity.
Just as Tsunade and Orochimaru's hands were about to reach the bells, Hiruzen snapped out of his daze and quickly turned his gaze away from the transformed Jiraiya.
"Damn it!"
His face flushed red as he cursed inwardly. Yet despite his anger, there was an odd trace of satisfaction—leaving him conflicted—as he prepared to use the Body Flicker Technique to escape.
"Poof!"
At that moment, from his left side, Jiraiya transformed yet again—once more taking on the form of that same woman—and said in a similarly seductive tone:
"Don't go, Hizuren~"
But it didn't stop there. This transformed version of Jiraiya moved in close, just within Hiruzen's reach, and leaned forward, falling right into his arms.
Feeling the softness in his hands, Hiruzen's body went rigid, and the chakra he had gathered stalled for an instant.
Ding! Ding!
In that moment, Tsunade and Orochimaru each grabbed one of the bells from Hiruzen's waist.
"We did it!"
Tsunade shouted in delight, looking up just in time to catch a glimpse of the transformed Jiraiya's side profile—and the revealing outfit she wore.
"Lady Biwako?!" Tsunade froze. The woman Jiraiya had transformed into was none other than Biwako, Hiruzen's fiancée and soon-to-be wife.
Orochimaru quickly stepped back, his expression unusually complex as he looked at Jiraiya's transformed figure.
There was something in his eyes—confusion, and perhaps a bit of being at a loss.
"Hehehe."
Seeing the two of them succeed, Jiraiya immediately dispelled the Transformation Technique, and the shadow clone in front of them vanished as well.
Hiruzen's eyes were now blazing with fury as he glared at Jiraiya, but he didn't even know what to say.
Before he could speak, Jiraiya folded his arms and, with an expression of mock disdain, said:
"Hiruzen-sensei, you per—"
"Pervert!"
Before he could finish, a fist—whipping through the air with force, accompanied by a furious shout from a girl, struck Jiraiya hard enough to make his mind go completely blank.
Tsunade had tackled him to the ground, pinning him beneath her, and without hesitation, delivered another punch.
Bang!
Jiraiya barely rolled aside in time. The punch slammed into the ground where his head had been, creating a small crater.
"Tsunade, why are you always so impulsive? It was just a tactical maneuver."
His voice trembled with fear, tinged with helplessness.
Knowing her personality, Jiraiya had expected her to be angry, but if she'd just let him explain, she'd understand.
After all, in combat, anything goes. Against someone like Hiruzen-sensei, using his soft spots to gain an edge wasn't shameless—it was strategic.
But Tsunade was still just a five or six-year-old girl. She couldn't think through all that. Besides, she was quite close to Biwako in private.
Orochimaru, standing silently nearby, had already figured all this out.
Still, he couldn't bring himself to criticize Jiraiya. The plan had been clever and effective—but…
Orochimaru knew he would never have come up with something like that.
Unfortunately for Jiraiya, none of this held any weight with Tsunade.
She threw another punch. Jiraiya dodged again, and she shouted angrily:
"Don't lie! You're just a pervert who peeks at girls while they bathe!"
That accusation left Jiraiya speechless. And unlucky for him, with their current level of strength as a team, this had been the only effective tactic he could come up with.
But the truth was—just the night before returning to this timeline, Tsunade had caught him in the act.
That hadn't occurred to him when planning the tactic.
Thinking fast, he said:
"Lady Biwako is Hiruzen-sensei's fiancée. He's going to see her like that eventually anyway, so what's the big deal?"
"That doesn't make it okay!"
She shouted, throwing another punch—but this time, her arm was caught by Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Actually… he's not wrong. The plan was absurd, sure—but it worked. You succeeded, didn't you?"
Hiruzen had regained his composure. Tsunade suddenly remembered they had gotten the bells.
All thanks to Jiraiya's plan.
She stood up, looking at Jiraiya. Unsure if she should stay mad… or thank him.
Jiraiya smiled and raised his right hand in a V-sign.
"No need to thank me. As a reward, just go on a date with me later."
"Hopeless."
Tsunade's brows furrowed instantly. The bit of goodwill she had just built up vanished in an instant. She folded her arms and turned her head away, refusing to look at him.
Jiraiya stood up as well. In truth, he'd said that on purpose—to shift her focus. That way, at least the memory of him transforming into Hiruzen's fiancée wouldn't be her primary takeaway.
"Alright, Hiruzen-sensei. Time to announce the results."
Jiraiya folded his arms behind his head and spoke casually.
Hiruzen stared seriously at the boy's calm face, then solemnly declared:
"Although your performance today was the most impressive, you didn't get a bell. So, you cannot pass the test."
"Doesn't matter. I'll just take it again next year. Being a genin for life doesn't sound too bad either—pretty relaxing."
Jiraiya replied nonchalantly. He already knew this was just Hiruzen's standard test. But even if it hadn't been, he still wouldn't care.
Just then, both Orochimaru and Tsunade held out the bells they had taken.
Orochimaru said earnestly:
"Among the three of us, he's the most qualified to pass."
Tsunade curled her lip:
"I don't like owing people—especially not this pervert."
"Are you two serious?"
Hiruzen put on a very serious expression. As ninja, they were good at controlling their emotions. Tsunade and Orochimaru both thought he meant it.
But both nodded without hesitation.
Seeing their unwavering resolve, Hiruzen's stern expression suddenly melted into a warm smile.
"Very good. All three of you pass."
Orochimaru, who had been slightly tense, immediately understood that Hiruzen's final question had been part of the test. He relaxed, though his face remained calm—yet a glimmer of joy flashed in his snake-like pupils.
Tsunade was a bit slower to react, but she soon figured it out too. Her face lit up with a smile, her big eyes curling into charming crescents.
As for Jiraiya, who already knew everything, he simply looked at Hiruzen-sensei, Orochimaru, and Tsunade.
Unconsciously, a smile crept across his face. His eyes sparkled with warmth and emotion.
He felt a wave of comfort swell in his heart and murmured in a voice only he could hear:
"Everyone's just like I remembered… That's nice."
(End of Chapter)