Today was the day of the Chūnin Exams. Orochimaru had left home early in the morning, first visiting his teacher, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and then hurrying over to Tsunade's house. Led by a young maid, he entered the sitting room.
Tsunade's home wasn't luxurious—it bore the marks of age, built mostly of wood, likely dating back to the founding of Konoha. The architecture was simple, yet there was a unique charm to it. The place was spotless, and the crest of the Senju Clan was visible throughout, exuding the air of an ancient, noble household.
But what stood out most to Orochimaru was the lived-in atmosphere. It was something his own home lacked entirely.
Morning sunlight streamed through the windows, warming his skin with a soft glow. Orochimaru liked this feeling.
Unlike Tsunade, who hated being nagged by her parents and often ran off to Jiraiya's house to play, Orochimaru had always preferred coming to Tsunade's place. Here, he could feel a sense of peace that was completely unlike the world of shinobi.
As for Jiraiya, he despised Tsunade's rough personality. Unless he had no other choice, he would avoid coming to her house. And when he did, he always wore the expression of someone heading to execution. In contrast, ever since the First Great Ninja War ended, Jiraiya frequently visited Orochimaru's home—perhaps because of a shared sense of being outcasts.
Knock knock...
A knock sounded at the door.
"Come in," Orochimaru responded from the living room.
The door slid open. The kneeling maid outside first placed a tray carrying hot tea and apples inside the room. Then she entered, gently closed the door behind her, picked up the tray again, and walked over to Orochimaru, setting the tea and fruit down before him.
Orochimaru took a moment to size her up.
She was quite young—no older than ten, with long hair cascading down her shoulders and delicate features. A clear beauty in the making. Her every movement followed a practiced rhythm, as though etiquette had long become second nature to her. No doubt she had been raised by the Senju Clan from an early age, with years of serving others deeply ingrained in her.
Servants hired from outside could never match this level of grace.
No surprise—it was a noble clan, after all. Even in decline, its heritage remained undeniable.
But could the Senju Clan really decline?
Without Tsunade, Orochimaru was fairly certain the clan's former glory wouldn't last twenty years.
As he sipped the hot tea, Orochimaru pulled his gaze away from the young maid and focused on the apple slices—artfully carved into the shape of rabbits.
They looked delicious.
However, the intense stare he was receiving from the maid kept him from moving.
Yes, the little maid was sneaking peeks at Orochimaru.
But she wasn't subtle about it at all—Orochimaru was fully aware.
Unbeknownst to her, something had changed. She suddenly found Orochimaru incredibly attractive. She had never thought so before, but now she couldn't help thinking: Lord Orochimaru is really... handsome.
Her cheeks flushed at the thought, and she started wondering: Is this what Lord Erha meant by being in heat?
She had heard that it was a disease where you die if you don't mate!
"You're wearing perfume..." Orochimaru's sudden words startled the maid. She instinctively clutched the tray tightly and held her breath.
Orochimaru's voice paused for a moment. "It's a bit too pungent. Doesn't really suit this place."
The maid froze, momentarily at a loss for how to react.
Orochimaru continued as if unaware that his words had wounded her, "Tsunade's scent is quite pleasant. Feels natural and familiar. I wonder..."
"Lord Orochimaru, I'll go inform my lady right away," the maid cut him off coldly and turned to leave.
Handsome face or not, he was clearly a pervert.
Affection level: -233.
Bang!
The door slammed shut.
Only then did Orochimaru let out a faint smile. He subconsciously licked his lips and reached for the rabbit-shaped apples.
Bang!
The door flew open again.
Orochimaru instantly withdrew his hand and sat upright, maintaining a dignified posture as he continued to bask in the morning sunlight.
The maid returned, placed the fruit back onto the tray, then turned and left.
Bang!
The door slammed shut once more.
The world is so beautiful, yet people are so irritable...
Orochimaru suddenly thought of Tsunade.
"Women really are incomprehensible creatures..."
He sighed and popped the last piece of apple into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully.
He didn't have to wait long. Soon, Tsunade arrived in the living room after being informed by the maid.
Bang!
The door slammed open once again.
Humans... always repeating the same tragedies.
"Orochimaru!"
At her voice, Orochimaru turned toward the repeatedly abused door, ready to speak—but then stopped dead in his tracks.
Two things about Tsunade shocked him.
First, her attire. Orochimaru had never seen her wear a kimono before. He himself occasionally wore one just for fun, but today was the Chūnin Exams—what was a kunoichi doing wearing something so restrictive?
Of course, Orochimaru didn't know—not all elegance is named Tokiomi Tōsaka. There's also a kind of cool elegance named Shiki Ryougi.
That raised a question: when Shiki wore a kimono, did she take off her underwear?
Anyway, back on topic—the second surprising thing was the "Jiraiya" beside her.
"Bahamut?"
At those words, Tsunade's mood immediately soured. She had expected Orochimaru to see through the disguise, but not this quickly. Add to that the fact that he had also seen through her transformation during their last fight...
Tsunade began to doubt her transformation technique altogether.
"Lord Orochimaru, my name is not Bahamut!"
Erha protested desperately, defending his dignity.
Tsunade, still unwilling to give up, asked, "How did you figure it out?"
From this angle, Orochimaru shouldn't be able to see the tail on "Jiraiya's" backside. The transformation should've been flawless!
"Bahamut's always at your side. He carries your scent. That's something Jiraiya would never have."
"Lord Orochimaru, seriously, I'm not Bahamut!!"
Erha protested again, still fighting to defend his name, while Tsunade fell silent.
If her scent was detectable on Jiraiya... that was terrifying.
Tsunade began to doubt herself: Is my body odor really that strong?
She wasn't a clean freak or anything, but the idea of walking down the street smelling like a sewer was mortifying.
"Do I really smell that bad?"
Tsunade couldn't help but ask, not even caring anymore if Orochimaru was a pervert.
She bathed frequently and never noticed anything off about herself.
"..."
Seeing the hopeful look in her eyes, Orochimaru had a strange feeling Tsunade had completely misunderstood something.
(End of Chapter)
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