Anyway, after 3 days of walking through the Rain Village, and leaving a mark every 3 hours or so—

In order to be able to teleport back, he hid the mark under a Senjutsu seal, so unless the person was a sage, they wouldn't be able to notice the mark. Which was a plus in Seijuro's book.

It was good. He liked it.

Though eventually, he did reach the Konoha camp.

It was still raining... balls... but oh well, it was what it was.

He had shit to do now.

So time to do some grown-up shit and get to cleaning.

Though first, he needed to visit Tsunade—after all, she should be the commander here. Orochimaru was the second most likely to be commander.

He didn't even consider the chance that it was Jiraiya... for reasons, of course.

Then, the moment Seijuro stepped into the command tent—

"Seijuro!!"

Before he could even salute, Tsunade barreled into him like a freight train.

THWUMP.

His face practically vanished into her chest as her arms wrapped around him in a crushing hug.

"You're alive, you brat! And you didn't write once!"

"I apologize for not sending a letter, sensei. Lately, I have been swamped with work, and I did not get the time to write," he said earnestly, still choking in her breasts.

"Hmph." She still didn't let go.

From across the room, Jiraiya stared, eyes wide and deeply offended.

"Why... why does he get the tit-hug?" he whispered bitterly.

Orochimaru, seated beside the tactical scrolls, didn't even look up.

"Because he isn't a pervert and is her student."

Jiraiya scowled.

Like come on, what could he do to have his face in her titties... look at those milkers. Those big juicy tits—they were like pillows. Yet as his thoughts were getting dirtier, he felt Tsunade's glare on him, and he tightened the fuck up.

Tsunade finally released him—grudgingly—and everyone shifted focus.

Seijuro took a seat beside Orochimaru and Jiraiya as maps and chakra signatures danced on the scroll in front of them.

"So. What's the situation?" Seijuro asked, serious now.

Orochimaru tapped the map with a pale finger.

"Standard forces: manageable. Their poisons are tricky, but Tsunade's counter-agents are holding. The issue... is Hanzo."

He moved the marker.

"He's personally turned back three of our full units. Kills at least a dozen each encounter."

"Every time I make a new antidote," Tsunade muttered, crossing her arms, "the bastard invents another poison. He's like a damn Rain Chiyo with a superiority complex."

"And more bombs," Jiraiya added grimly.

Orochimaru nodded. "If Hanzo remains, Amegakure does not fall."

And if Ame doesn't fall, it means that Konoha doesn't gain complete control of these lands. If they get Ame, they get so many chances to attack their enemies and not have to deal with them attacking back.

Well... sad.

Seijuro's thoughts meanwhile were on the people in this village. He needed to end this war soon—like fully—so that they could recover. The longer this went on, the more people would die.

A grim silence fell—until Tsunade suddenly glanced toward Seijuro with a squint.

"Katsuyu said something weird, by the way."

"Hm?"

"Said you've... learned Sage Mode."

Jiraiya choked on his spit.

"Wait. What!?"

"Yeah," Seijuro said nonchalantly, brushing a droplet from his sleeve. "Slug Sage Mode."

To confirm, he brought his hands together slowly, closed his eyes—and with barely a shimmer of chakra—

BOOM.

His body was suddenly outlined in a luminous white-gold glow. His eyes turned clear blue with slug-like ripple markings. His aura radiated soft, oppressive pressure, like the weight of a storm just behind your breath.

Then it vanished just as fast.

"Didn't absorb much chakra before using it," Seijuro added casually. "So it only lasted a few seconds. But I can enter it fine—just gotta stand still for a bit."

Jiraiya's jaw dropped.

"You... you did that alone? No elder slugs helping? No oil baths? No... snail mountaintop training? You just—figured it out!?"

Seijuro blinked.

"I asked Katsuyu for help. She helped me by using some oil to help me absorb it. I did not have a problem sensing natural energy—it came naturally to me. So mastering Sage Mode was simple."

Jiraiya stared at the table like it insulted his ancestors.

"I trained for years on a frog mountain while getting punched by toads and nearly melted by oil—"

Orochimaru cut in dryly.

"Yes. And you still need assistance to enter Sage Mode."

"I hate all of you," Jiraiya muttered.

Tsunade smirked proudly.

"That's my student."

That was the most bragging rights she had earned in a while. Jiraiya was still petty.

"Hm, Jiraiya, the Rasengan, isn't that your favorite jutsu?" Orochimaru asked.

Well yeah, the Rasengan was simple and cool—of course he liked it. He made a new version, the Ōdama Rasengan, basically a bigger Rasengan. But he liked it.

"It's a simple yet very effective jutsu, and it gets enhanced with Sage Mode. Of course I like it," Jiraiya said, puffing his chest.

He then looked at Seijuro.

"If you want, I can teach you it..."

...

...

"I appreciate the offer, but I do not need the help," Seijuro said politely.

"Oh well, too bad for you."

Orochimaru almost had a headache. For fuck's sake, he was trying to teach Seijuro his own goddamn jutsu.

Speaking of which, Shunpo was quite a good technique.