A Moment of Peace : Prologue
Arc 1
Chapter 1 : Good Tidings.
It was a known fact for those who had wanted to spot the famed sage sannin, they would only need to find the a nearest onsen close to him. That or either finding the nearest sounds of screeching and shouting of women saying,
"YOU PERVERTED SANIN!"
Coincidentally, the same aforementioned sage sannin was chased out by a mob of angry looking females who seems to wish nothing but pain and violence to that same 'perverted sannin' guy. Although one would most probably be running away scared, it was definitely not the same for this sannin as even when he was chased, he still kept a happy face along with a trail of blood coming from his nose.
"HEHE! I'm not a pervert... I'm a SUPER PERVERT!" said Jiraiya of his well-known catchphrase which seemed to have angered the females even further if their amplified screeches were clear signs of it.
Jiraiya, one of the famous shinobis that Konoha had produced so far was not much of an average shinobi. He was one of the tree Densetsu no Sannin that Konoha had prided themselves of since the coming of The Professor, Sarutobi Hiruzen that had a great relation to the three legends of Konoha being their sensei.
The title was anything but honor to them as it reminded them constantly of their heavy defeat to Hanzo the Salamander, a legend himself but from the Rain Country, Amegakure. Hanzo was then one of the great shinobis that the Rain Country had to offer coming from their ranks as it was a known fact that the leader of Amegakure then, had changed the tides of the Second Shinobi World War specifically to that fight of the Ame-Tetsu skirmishes that turned into a full-blown war.
He had even singlehandedly scared off the samurais of the Land of Iron's shinobis, all except for one, Mifune. While every other samurais retreated and escaped in fear, Mifune stood proud against him with the sole purpose of protecting his comrades.
Such actions and conviction impressed Hanzo as he commended him of his bravery and told him that he would give Mifune a true samurai battle. With the battle finished, Hanzo acknowledged his strength and conviction before giving him the antidote to the slash that he did with his poison-laced sword.
One thing that Hanzo had the upper hand in most of his fights and skirmishes was his presence alone and also his ability spew poison from his mouth and also his immunity to it as he was embedded into his body a venom sac of a black salamander he came across during his childhood. As a result he had to wear a mask constantly, in order to protect others from his venom-laced breathe that would kill a person instantly.
Another battle that Hanzo faced during the Third Shinobi World War was with Konoha Shinobis in his turf marked another chapter for the history books as it marked the true beginning of Konoha's own Densetsu no Sannin as from that battle with Hanzo, to commemorate them surviving against him, he bestowed upon them the aforementioned title as a reward. Which started the journey of them being legends in the making as they proved worthy of being handed to them the title of being Sannins.
The Toad Sage of Konoha proved his own worth by singlehandedly creating one of the best spy networks that has ever graced the elemental nations as his average 3 day updates would take villages at least a week to get ahold of said information that made Konoha having the upper hand in fights as they could plan way before the actual battle itself. With the help of the most skillful Shinobi Commander that they have, Nara Shikaku, Their advantage had springed ten times as having the best tactician graced the elemental nations would do them a great boon in reducing casualties while taking into consideration of the specified terrains that could lessen the casualties while increasing the enemies head count.
Although most would think that Jiraiya was nothing but a pervert, it was actually one of the few ways of him coping with the pressure and the intensity of the concurrent war. It was actually one of the reason that had the green pass from his sensei to continue of his acts of perversion with the exception of causing physical damage. It certainly was a no brainer condition that had Jiraiya agreeing with constant nodding of head.
The Toad Sage was also known for his infatuation with a certain princess of Konoha it being, Senju Tsunade that had started ever since their academy days and it seemed to have further amplified from a certain event that had Jiraiya more than injured that Orochimaru himself suggested that they retreat back to Konoha leaving him to die before reinforcements from the Ame shinobis arrived.
Tsunade adopted a livid face after hearing such remarks and suggestion from Orochimaru before scolding him to reconsider his suggestion while thinking back about their genin days when they all had promised to stick by each other under all circumstances. Something that their sensei, Hiruzen had conveyed.
The smiling face of Jiraiya as he gave him a thumbs up had only made him more guilty for even suggesting that. Soon after that when they thought a battalion of Ame shinobis had arrived, it was then that they breathed a sigh of relief as they had only focused onto the hitai ate that the shinobis were donning and that symbol was the very engraving that they had seen throughout their lives as a shinobi of the leaf.
Ever since then Jiraiya had appreciated Tsunade's efforts to keep him alive instead of leaving him to die, something of which he had almost considered frankly speaking.
"Heh, good times." said Jiraiya as he sped up faster leaving the mob to dust.
"You called for me old m- Hey! Tsunade and Orochimaru!" Jiraiya said as he cut off himself after seeing the ever so familiar faces that stuck with him since his younger days. The response he was getting was none other than an apathetic Orochimaru and an annoyed Tsunade which had seemed to be rudely awoken from her sleep if her messy hair was to be judged.
"Even after waking up, you still look as sexy as every Tsunade... I APPROVE WOO!" yelled Jiraiya as he started ogle the blonde's voluptuous body.
Not having the mood to her perverted teammate's behavior currently, she shot him a glare that promised agony and pain if he continued any further. It was then that Jiraiya had finally stop his ogling in a lecherous manner.
Seeing as that whole debacle had ended, Hiruzen coughed intentionally as it then caught the attention of all three, now eyes fully focused on heeding his words. It was something that Hiruzen had prided himself of, the barrier of knowing when to joke and when to be serious. In fact, it was his first ever lesson. Those who did not heed his orders would have to be starving the whole day with his lunch taken away. Poor Jiraiya had starved nearly a week before finally succumbing to his words.
"Now that all of you are here, I would like to ask you three three important tasks. I'm afraid that your presence is need ever so crucially seeing as both Iwa, Ame had intensified their attacks to the point where Konoha could no longer afford to lose such numbers again. Their attacks were not of your average kind but it consisted of both Tailed Beasts and poisons. I'm sure you're well acquainted with with the latter part seeing as it was him who had provided said poisons." Hiruzen clarified of the mission that they soon had to partake that would either make or break them. It was 50-50 now either Konoha wins or Konoha loses. They could no longer afford to take any losses as of currently as the shinobis' morale were dropping heavily due to the long running wartime.
The Sannin's reaction were non other than pleased as Orochimaru adopted an annoyed face, Tsunade had already felt enough headache as she pressed onto her temples massaging it in the process while Jiraiya unexpectedly adopted a worried face silently praying that the shinobis come home in one piece.
It was this moment that Hiruzen had prided himself yet again but also disappointed at the current expressions that his students were adopting. Yet and yet again Orochimaru and Tsunade had disappointed him as he saw the clearly uninterested looks but as his gaze caught upon Jiraiya, he smiled satisfied that at least one of his students had carried out his legacy as he knew that Jiraiya was currently thinking of a way to save his comrades. Having enough of analyzing his students he continued with the briefing,
"And that is why I had handed out different tasks to all three of you. Listen carefully as I'll be only saying it once." he continued before having the students of him fully cooperating and giving their fullest attention.
"Tsunade, you will be taking care of the poisoned patients and analyzing what were the effects that the poison had done to the patients while also researching of a antidote or some sort to counteract the poison, I expect nothing but 90% efficacy although I certainly don't mind if it was to be higher. I expect it to be done in 3 weeks no less."
Tsunade merely nodded while inwardly sighing in annoyance as she would yet again need to restock more and more caffeinated drinks to keep her focused during nighttime.
"Orochimaru, you will also be handing out informations of other poison-related cases and help Tsunade carrying out the of the antidote. All your laboratories will now solely be focusing on counteracting the the deadly poison of Hanzo's while also as a side project, creating a vaccine that makes shinobis having a certain percentage of immunity towards any lethal poison. I will allow you to test only upon enemy captives as lab rats but the civilians and the shinobi population of Konohagakure is off limits. I will personally be updated every 4 days of your progress towards the goals I'd set upon you."
Orochimaru smirked at such a task before finally nodded at every command that his sensei had ordered him. It certainly was off for his sensei to be allowing him to perform experiments on living humans instead of animals and deceased humans. He was more than certain take this chance to further develop his skills to become one of the deadliest scientists in the whole elemental nations.
"And lastly you, Jiraiya. I would need you to personally lead the frontlines of an upcoming full-scale battle between Konoha shinobis and Iwa-Ame-Kumo forces." after such a revelation dropped, Tsunade and Orochimaru widened their eyes before looking at Jiraiya who seemed to be expressionless after such an order. As expected, Tsunade shouted,
"Sensei! I-Impossible! It's literally a suicide mission for Jiraiya! Oi, Jiraiya... Why aren't you saying anything?!" Tsunade then gazed upon her white-haired teammate as tears began to leave her eye sockets. Jiraiya responded to no such thing as he asked,
"I've figured as much, if what my spy network told me was the truth. When and where will the battle be held, sensei?" spoke Jiraiya as he asked seriously making both his teammates worried about him as he had seemingly accepted a definite suicide mission request. Hearing his devotion and conviction, Hiruzen shed a tear before steeling himself and answering,
"3 days later at noon, south-east of the outskirts of Amegakure's entrance. We will be at a disadvantage as to the right resides a flowing river while to our left a few meters away with canyons. It is best to expect that certain preparations were done before the battle itself." dropped yet again another crucial information that proved that this mission was a hundred percent a suicide mission.
"What's done is done, no use crying over spilled milk. Although I'm assuming you also needed me to make seals to suppress the jinchurikis?" asked Jiraiya as he then received a nod from the Sandaime.
"Then I'd like you to prepare me the best 100 of your best sealing shinobis and I'll then impart them with the ideas and concept of the suppressing seals. I would also like to have Sakumo as my lieutenant at the very least." he suggested before being subtly denied.
"Sakumo is concurrently on an S ranked mission as well but I had employed the Uzukage's own heir as a replacement. You will be handed of his details and informations." Hiruzen negotiated before getting a nod from his white-haired student.
"If there's no more questions, I will state yet another piece of crucial information." Hiruzen said before looking at his students and after seeing their shaking of heads he continued.
"This will be an all-out war that will decide the tables whether it will be flipped to our side or theirs. This upcoming war will also include a staggering total of 400 000 shinobis, 250 000 on their side and 150000 on ours."
That piece of information had settled it, all three knew that it was a lost cause. It was already decided of the outcome. Not only do they have lesser men to battle against but also with the great powers that accompanied them would certainly be no more than a definite 95 percent loss. It was then that Tsunade snapped.
"Sensei! Can't you see that it's a lost cause?! We should just concede the fortress!" She yelled before getting cut off by Jiraiya responded to her with his own yell,
"NO! Once we lose the fortress, Suna and Uzu are moments away from destruction! We will suffer utter defeat, why can't you see that?!" Jiraiya shared his knowledge on why the fortress must be in Konoha's territory.
Tsunade on the other hand was shocked that the ever so smiling Jiraiya had blasted her with what looked like his moment of anger to which seemed to create a solemn atmosphere after his burst of anger.
Unbeknownst to anyone, she had felt pang on her heart after such an argument that she herself was oblivious to the cause.
(To make you all aware and understand of the current map, Iwa is located at 10 oclock, Kumo at 12 oclock and Ame at 2 oclock. The fortress basically south to Kumo, lets say within 70-90km away.
Konoha meanwhile is at 8 oclock, Suna at 4 oclock while Uzu is located at 2 oclock. Beats me if i get the interpretations correctly but I'll just put it here for you to visualize hopefully.)
Jiraiya then sighed at his brief moment of anger before apologizing to Tsunade while saying,
"I'm sorry that I'd shouted at you Tsunade, but this mission is either do or die with respect to our situation currently. We have no time to rest and even then 3 days are a luxury with regards to our standing right now. We should all prepare for the worst but even then I'll sure as hell will bring forth hell to them and show the might of Konohagakure no Sato, just don't you worry, Tsunade-hime!" he said before showing her a thumbs up while smiling with hopes to ease negative atmosphere around them currently.
"Unfortunately all that Jiraiya had said was nothing but truth and reality. We stretched it out as far as we could by attacking bases of their food supply to delay the upcoming battle." Hiruzen nodded while explaining to them that is was really a dire time for them.
"If that's all, this briefing is adjourned and I hope to see you working on your goals as soon as possible." Hiruzen said before looking into the faces of his solemn students as he then eyed his eccentric student saying,
"But Jiraiya, I would like you to stay behind for a while if you'd allow such a person like me." told Hiruzen as he then adopted his own guilty face to which Jiraiya responded with a smile.
"Alright sensei. Yo Hime and Orochimaru, let's get a meal together alright? Snake boy's paying of course heh" joked Jiraiya as he tried lightening the mood which had Tsunade stifling her tears before answering,
"Heh, add some sake with that and I'll come right away!"
Tsunade then turned her gaze unto her snake teammate as he showed no emotions but everyone in the room except himself knew that even he was sad judging from his posture and his clenched hand currently. Jiraiya looked at the clenched fists before adding his own two cents,
"Oi, You down for that right? Don't tell me you're that stingy, Orochimaru" he chuckled before walking towards Orochimaru as he then tapped his shoulders.
"A-Ah, why not. It's been quite awhile since we ate together anyways. I guess I'll meet you guys at the Akimichi's then. If that's it, I'll head out first then. See ya." Orochimaru said as walked towards the door while clutching the doorknob before turning his head yet again to Jiraiya, then back to the doorknob as he pulled it before exiting through the doors.
"W-Well, I guess me too huh. See you, Jiraiya." Tsunade said before turning around with her eyes foreshadowed before grabbing the handle of the door as she then exited the door with a pull of the doorknob.
It was a few moment after them leaving that made Jiraiya utter,
"Heh, they could've cried anywhere and they chose to do it outside the door huh? How could I hold my tears then, dammit" he commented before droplets of tears were streaming from his eyes.
At the same time outside the door, Orochimaru was squatting down while leaning onto the walls as the had his elbows on his knees with tears that he didn't know ever existed falling down from his eye socket.
A similar situation occurred as their sole female of a teammate was seen slowly walking while letting loose of her stifled cries.
It was truly a day full of heartbreak for the four of them since even after his whole lengthy tenure in the Hokage's office, never once did he shed a tear. Every time he steeled his heart while sealing off all emotions but this time, he just...cannot seem to do something that he'd done for so long. Hiruzen Sarutobi, can't bear to lose his surrogate son now.
He just could not stand the loss of a student as usually it was always the student to be doing the sending off of his sensei, not the other way round.
Hiruzen stood from his chair as he then approached the crying Jiraiya and gave him the tightest hug he could muster before uttering series of apologies.
"I'm sorry Jiraiya, please find it in your heart to forgive this fool old man. You were always my favorite student to teach. You were the glue that forged this three man team of a sannin, not me. I just wished that things would not go out this way." Hiruzen confessed to his surrogate and eccentric child.
Being an orphan, Jiraiya had no one to rely on but after getting to know his sensei for several years, he was the closest to which he had as a father. He still remembered the moment that sealed his relationship with his adopted father.
- Flashback -
Jiraiya had just received the chuunin exam letter from his sensei just awhile ago and he was ecstatic ever since. He then went to the orphanage home and boasted to all his friends and even caretakers of the achievement that he had made. It all took a single sentence that broke of the mood.
"Hey, don't you need a signature of your parents to enter?"
It was then that it struck Jiraiya, painfully, that he needed the signature of a guardian under him to get into the chuunin examination hall. In his orphanage it was state-owned meaning that it was Konoha's own public orphanage and for that the caretakers or maids were not considered as guardians as they change every 3 weeks meaning that there was no one that would certify as a 'guardian'.
It was then that he realized that he could never get promoted to chunin.
Jiraiya then took the paper as he walked out from the orphanage, solemnly walking towards his go-to place, the swing. Every time, in a sad occasion he went to this very swing and it seemed that his legs had naturally brought him towards the swing.
Jiraiya entered the sandy parts of the ground as he walked towards the swing, leaving the papers onto the ground now scattered.
'Kami, why have you tortured me this much... am I really someone you loathe? Is there nobody else for you to vent your anger towards?'
He then went self-loathing himself for the misfortunes that happened throughout his life.
He did not know his parents as they were assumed to be foreigners who came into this village without making any bonds with others.
He had nothing. No wealth. No skill. No looks.
'I guess I'm just a side character huh.'
Jiraiya then had his eyes set onto a shrapnel that seemingly was from a shattered beer bottle as he planned to end his miserable life here and now.
He got of the swing before walking and then bending to grab the shrapnel as he then clenched it hard on his right hand, stifling a groaning pain before grabbing it with both hands as he then proceeded to swing it into his stomach.
It all seemed to go well for him but fortunately, a hand wrapped between both his wrists successfully stopping the swing from connecting.
"Jiraiya! What are you doing?!" shouted the ever so familiar voice that he had heard ever since his time as a genin. Jiraiya with a frown then tried shaking off his hands before a few moments later the shrapnel fell outside of his grip.
With eyes full of anguish and pain, he looked towards his sensei.
"WHY! JUST LET ME KILL MYSELF!" he shouted painfully with grief.
Hiruzen stood there shocked seeing his ever so happy student was reduced to a self-loathing and suicidal kind. He wondered why he did not expect that he was hiding behind a mask.
Hiruzen clenched his fist as his inexperience in this field was lacking and he will do whatever it takes to talk it out will Jiraiya.
After a few moments of consolation and getting to know each other fully as both shared their own share of memories, good and bad to each other. It was then that Hiruzen had managed to console fully and knowing the shares of pain that Jiraiya suffered. Low esteem and self-depreciation was something that engulfed this ball of joy.
"B-But even if I did get invitation into a chunin exam, I don't have any guardian that can back me and sign it." he said as Jiraiya explained his situation that was one of the reason that caused this event happening.
"Then, it left me no choice." Hiruzen started off piquing Jiraiya's interest as he listened on.
"Jiraiya...will you be a part of my family?" He asked before earning the widened eyes of Jiraiya as he had finally processed the bits that his sensei had said.
"W-What...do you mean?" asked Jiraiya as he wanted to confirm yet again that his ears were not bluffing him. Hiruzen smiled before saying straightforwardly,
"Will you let me adopt you, Jiraiya?"
- Flashback End -
"I'm truly sorry, Jiraiya Sarutobi." apologized Hiruzen yet again to his adopted child.
Jiraiya by this point was already sobbing so solemnly at the premise of having to leave all of his loved ones.
'Kami, I might have been rude to you all those years ago but thank you. I hold no more anger for you as you are the one who brought me closer to who I am now. Thank you.' Jiraiya said inwardly as a way of repenting from his misdeeds while lashing on him all those years ago.
"Mhm, Tou-san. Thank you for taking me in, I will never forget your kindness." said Jiraiya as he reciprocated the hug of the old man. Although they were not bounded by blood, they sure as hell were bounded by bond.
Hiruzen then broke off the hug before placing both his hands onto his shoulders all while looking in his eyes directly.
"Where was the happy ol' Jiraiya that I've always known these past years hmm?" he teased while producing a smile towards his adopted son. Jiraiya scoffed at such a remark before drying out his red eyes as he then replied,
"You sure as hell ruined the moment there old man." he deadpanned and as a few moments passed, both were now laughing at each others company all while knowing that they should cherish whatever moments that they have and not let it go to waste.
As after all, all good things must come to an end.