As Jiraiya walked along a mountain path, he felt the air around him becoming increasingly humid and dull, so he looked up.

There was not a trace of sunlight in the sky, only dark clouds.

Another gloomy day... He then felt a drop on his cheek.

Plop, plop.

More and more rain fell from the sky, creating an uncomfortable earthy smell.

Rain or shine, the trail doesn't go cold. Not until I find you. He didn't seek shelter from the rain by hiding in the nearby bushes. Instead, he adjusted the scroll and bag on his back and kept walking.

The Great Toad Sage's prophecy... it weighs heavier than this bag.

He had been on Orochimaru's trail for over a year, ever since that snake defected from Konoha. His gut told him he was getting close.

Apart from a short return to the village to inform the Third Hokage of the prophecy, he had spent all his time searching for Orochimaru.

However, information about him was scarce. The last time he received any news about him was a long time ago, when rumors surfaced that a man with a snake-like face was buying a large amount of experimental equipments at an underground black market in the north.

A snake-faced man buying lab equipment... it has to be him. But where?

Jiraiya had spent in the northern lands for months, searching in vain for any sign of Orochimaru.

Yet, he hadn't given up. He continued his search through the northern nations, secretly investigating Orochimaru's whereabouts.

A distant clatter caught his ear - hooves and wheels. He stepped off the road as a carriage came closer.

Company? Out here in this weather?

The carriage rushed past him but then stopped a few meters ahead.

"Whoa~"

The coachman stuck his head out and called back to him, "You're soaked, aren't you? Hop on."

"Thanks, old man," Jiraiya gratefully replied as he climbed aboard. "Didn't expect kindness on a day like this."

"Haha, no need to thank me," the older coachman chuckled heartily, then asked, "Where are you headed?"

"Just a town up ahead, I think it's called Lotus Hollow," Jiraiya responded calmly.

"What?" The coachman turned around in surprise upon hearing Jiraiya's reply. "Are you serious? That town is—"

"What's that place like?" Jiraiya asked, curious by the coachman's odd reaction.

"Haven't you been there before? Are you going to help out?" the coachman questioned him.

"I'm just a traveler. Heard about the pie, so I thought why not check it out," Jiraiya answered with a shrug. "Anything interesting going on there?"

"There's a monster in that town now!"

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow at the response. "Oh?"

A monster? Could this be Orochimaru's doing?

"They say the people there even turned the town into a fortress to defend against the monster."

"So I suggest you don't go. Sure, the pie might be good, but it's not worth risking your life for some food."

"Sounds like quite the tale," Jiraiya said, his curiosity growing. "Tell me more, old man."

---

At the outskirts of town, a man with strikingly exaggerated white hair stepped down from the carriage. The coachman, not waiting for his thanks, quickly drove off.

Not even a goodbye?

Before entering the town, Jiraiya spotted a bold poster on a roadside notice board.

Large reward, recruiting warriors! The eye-catching headline was followed by smaller text explaining that a man-eating monster had appeared in the town. The daimyō was recruiting warriors from all over to help the soldiers and local residents build defenses and resist the monster.

Anyone who could kill the monster would receive a generous reward. It's really tempting.

Upon entering town, he saw that the streets were almost deserted. Faces appeared behind the windows of various shops, all watching him, the unfamiliar newcomer.

Though their gazes were somewhat curious, their expressions were calm, as if they were accustomed to seeing outsiders like Jiraiya.

It was as if they had already foreseen his fate.

Strange...

Ignoring the odd stares, Jiraiya walked into a small tavern.

"Boss, I'd like a lotus pie and your best drink," he ordered. "I hear it's to die for."

The tavern owner quickly brought Jiraiya his order, but just as he reached for his wallet to pay, the owner shook his head.

"There's a rule here: all meals and lodging are free for warriors who come to help fight the monster."

"Oh? Quite a deal," Jiraiya remarked. "Free food and lodging? Now that's hospitality. What's the catch?"

He wasn't short on money, but he hadn't expected the townspeople to be so generous, spending money to hire outsiders while providing free food and board.

"It's not such a good deal," the tavern owner said, shaking his head. "You'll understand when you report for duty."

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

"Come on now, don't be hasty. Just tell me about the monster first," Jiraiya said calmly. "So, what's got everyone so scared? This monster business I've been hearing about?"

"You really don't know? Where have you been, under a rock?"

Jiraiya gave a half-smile. "I've been out of touch. Fill me in, will you?"

Under his questioning, the tavern owner slowly began recounting the events.

"The monster didn't start appearing all that long ago, maybe just over three months."

"At first, people began disappearing from the town."

"It started with one or two people, so there wasn't much of an uproar. The town conducted several searches, but no traces of an attack or struggle were found. People assumed those missing had simply left the town."

"But then, more people started disappearing. At its worst, seven people vanished in a single night."

"These people disappeared without warning, sometimes just stepping out to run an errand and never returning. There was never any sign of an attack; they simply vanished."

"Most of the disappearances happened at night, but some occurred during the day as well."

"Eventually, we noticed a pattern: most of the missing people were last seen near the Lotus Manor."

"The Lotus Manor?" Jiraiya inquired.

"The home of the man who invented the lotus pie," the tavern owner pointed to the pie on the bar.

"Now there are rumors that the old man made a deal with the devil to get the recipe."

"And now, demons from hell have come to collect their due."

"They say anyone who eats the pie will be dragged to hell by these demons, every last one of them!"

Disappearances without a trace... definitely not your average monster.

The tavern owner's tale didn't scare Jiraiya. Despite the dramatic story, he calmly swallowed the last bite of the lotus pie.

"Orange-flavored. Delicious."

"Thanks for the meal."

Jiraiya then stood up and walked toward the door.

The tavern owner, realizing what had happened, hurriedly shouted, "You haven't paid yet! Are you insane? Didn't you hear a word I said? Just pay and leave the town!"

Jiraiya turned and smiled. "I heard you. But a shinobi's life is full of risks. What's one more?"

"I'll be staying here for a few more days. Keep the drinks coming, old man. We might be in for an interesting few days."

"Just... be careful out there, stranger. This town has a way of swallowing people whole."

---

After leaving the tavern, the light rain outside had nearly stopped, though the sky remained overcast.

Jiraiya glanced toward the center of the town along the main street, and immediately spotted the Lotus Manor.

It was a large and luxurious mansion, somewhat resembling a high-end estate. However, under the gloomy clouds, it exuded an eerie atmosphere.

Now that's a place with secrets. Bet my month's sake money on it.

He walked in the direction of the mansion, but long before reaching it, he was blocked by a tall wooden fence.

"No entry ahead!"

Two soldier-like figures rushed out from a nearby shop, spears in hand, and drove him back.

Jiraiya quickly retreated, showing he had no intention of forcing his way in. "Whoa there, easy with those spears. I'm here for work."

The two soldiers looked him up and down, noticing his unusual attire, and asked, "Are you... a shinobi?"

Jiraiya smiled faintly, pleased that someone recognized him. Finally, someone with an eye for quality.

"I am none other than the one who—"

"Follow me."

Before he could introduce himself, the two soldiers turned and walked away, leaving him a bit disappointed.

Can't a legendary sage get a proper introduction these days?

Led by the soldiers, he was brought to a room in a nearby shop. Inside sat a person who seemed to be of some importance.

"This is Captain Wataru."

"You can discuss anything with him."

Wataru, who had thick eyebrows and large eyes, looked Jiraiya over just like the soldiers had, his gaze eventually stopping on Jiraiya's forehead protector.

"Your forehead protector..."

Jiraiya smiled, thinking his string of titles was about to be recognized, ready to indulge his vanity.

"O—"

"You're from the Oil Ninja Village? I don't remember there being such a ninja village. Should be new then."

Oil Village? Do I look like I fry tempura for a living?

"Well, it doesn't matter where I'm from. I'm just here to help," Jiraiya replied, forcing a smile. Although he enjoyed boasting about himself, there were times when it wasn't necessary.

"Oh, right." Wataru nodded and began explaining the details of the monster situation in the town.

It was similar to what the tavern owner had mentioned earlier: living people were vanishing without a trace, as if they had completely disappeared from the world.

But when Jiraiya asked what the monster looked like, the captain replied that no one had ever seen it.

Because anyone who did see it had vanished from the world completely.

"In that case, it might not be a monster at all. Could it be that someone is kidnapping these people?" Jiraiya speculated, thinking of someone he knew who enjoyed making people disappear, only to have them reappear on his operating table.

"Impossible." Wataru immediately shook his head, rejecting the idea. He then pulled out a spear from the side, its head wrapped in cloth.

Unwrapping the cloth, he revealed the spearhead, stained with dried green blood.

"This is a weapon used by the last monster-hunting team. Although the team members vanished, one of their weapons was left behind, which we recovered."

"This is definitely the monster's blood!"

Jiraiya leaned in to sniff the green blood, detecting a pungent, spicy, and slightly foul odor.

Could it be one of Orochimaru's experiments? It didn't smell like any ordinary creature's blood.

After putting the spear away, Jiraiya asked, "Since the monsters here are so troublesome, why not hire some ninjas?"

"Our country is a small nation known for its cuisine. If we commission one ninja village, we'll inevitably offend another, so we can only recruit people through bounties," Wataru explained.

Jiraiya understood what he meant. This was a remnant issue from the wars in the ninja world.

Small countries like the Land of Spice, caught between larger nations, often faced a difficult choice when it came to hiring ninja villages.

Particularly since two major ninja villages bordered the Land of Spice: Iwa of the Land of Earth and Konoha of the Land of Fire.

It couldn't afford to favor one over the other, as doing so would declare a political stance, risking conflict with the other village. If these two nations went to war over interests, the small Land of Spice could very well become a battlefield.

Such was the tragedy of small nations, and the tragedy of war.

To avoid offending either ninja village, the Land of Spice chose to recruit outsiders through bounties, so no one would be offended.

"But there's no need to worry. This monster will be dealt with soon, as a strong shinobi has arrived in town." Wataru's somber expression lifted, and he began to smile.

"One of the Legendary Sannin, Lord Jiraiya, is currently here!"

Wait, what? Last I checked, I was the only me in town.

Captain Wataru quickly stood up, walking to the door to greet someone.

This man was slightly shorter and slimmer than Jiraiya, with short white hair and two very short red markings near the corners of his eyes. He wore gray armor and had a crooked Konoha forehead protector on his head.

"This is none other than Lord Jiraiya," Wataru said, pushing the man forward.

Is this some kind of joke? That's supposed to be me?

"You're Lord Jiraiya?" Jiraiya asked, stunned as he stared at the man before him.

"Of course, it's me," the impostor replied confidently, arms crossed, eyes closed in a proud stance that bore a slight resemblance to the real Jiraiya, though his shoddy appearance was frankly laughable.

The impostor was wearing gray armor, which Jiraiya had worn during the Second Ninja World War but hadn't donned in a long time.

The red markings near his eyes were in the wrong place, and they hadn't grown longer with age, like Jiraiya's had.

As for the crooked Konoha forehead protector, it was obviously homemade. Jiraiya hadn't worn one since he began his travels.

To someone unfamiliar with Jiraiya, this fake might have passed as convincing. But to the real Jiraiya, it was a poor imitation.

At that moment, the fake Jiraiya opened his eyes and, upon seeing the real Jiraiya, was stunned.

Well, this just got interesting. Time to play along and see where this leads.

Wataru also noticed the resemblance between the two men and was visibly surprised.

"You two..."

This is getting interesting.

Jiraiya smiled slightly, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. "Haha, I'm a big fan of Lord Jiraiya. I even copied his outfit. I never thought I'd actually meet him in person today."

Let's see how far this impostor will take it.

The imposter quickly caught on, replying, "Oh? So you're my little fanboy. Do you want an autograph?"

Jiraiya's eyebrows twitched. This imposter had some nerve!

"An autograph from the great Jiraiya? I'd be honored." Jiraiya replied.

Meanwhile, Captain Wataru looked completely baffled. This little fanboy seemed to be a bit older, didn't he?