Uchiha's personal opinion

If we were to pinpoint the biggest change in Konoha, it would be the increase in the number of police officers patrolling the streets.

Although most of them are only at the Genin level and have average strength, their numbers are many times greater than before.

Jiraiya stood at a corner and observed; within about ten minutes, two teams of police officers had walked past on the street.

"Even the patrol density has increased significantly compared to before..."

Jiraiya silently made his plans.

He didn't know what he was scheming, but he subconsciously noticed the differences between Konoha and the one he had in the past.

Moreover, judging from the diverse hair colors and physiques of the police officers patrolling the streets, it is not difficult to see that many of them are not Uchiha clan members; this also shows that the police force is no longer regarded as a private domain isolated from outsiders by the Uchiha clan.

Based on the intelligence Jiraiya had previously obtained, those should be so-called police academy students who graduated from the Uchiha clan's police training school.

After silently sensing their strength, Jiraiya discovered that the police academy students were quite capable. Their chakra fluctuations and alertness were commendable, at least much stronger than the graduates of the ninja academy who only knew the Three Body Techniques.

Meanwhile, the sharp-eyed Jiraiya noticed various notices posted on a bulletin board across the street.

Although the flow of people made things difficult, he still managed to see several titles on the notice board.

"Resolution on Strengthening Security and Public Health Management in Konoha..."

"Notice from the Police Department Regarding the Crackdown on Counterfeiting and Selling Counterfeit Goods..."

"Konoha Ninja Beast Summoning Beast Breeding and Management Regulations..."

"It is forbidden to beat or verbally abuse visiting businesspeople at will..."

Although I recognize each character individually, when put together, it is somewhat different from Konoha's usual grammar, and even the pronunciation is a bit awkward and unfamiliar.

All of this was different from the Konoha he remembered...

Jiraiya became even more confused.

What exactly happened to the village?

"...How long are you planning to stand here, you idiot?"

Suddenly, a voice came from behind Jiraiya.

Jiraiya felt a tightness around his neck and immediately ducked forward, trying to escape the range of a normal ninja sword strike.

"it's me!"

A cold, pale hand pressed down on Jiraiya's shoulder, stopping him from moving.

Although it was a calculated move, it still shows that the newcomer's strength is even greater than Jiraiya's.

"It's you..."

Feeling the familiar, cool touch of that hand, Jiraiya breathed a sigh of relief, relaxing his tense nerves: "Orochimaru... how come you're still so elusive!"

Jiraiya turned around and punched the slender Orochimaru in the shoulder.

Orochimaru remained motionless, simply looking at him with the eyes of someone who was an idiot.

"Hey! How did you know I was back?"

Jiraiya feigned a fierce expression and said, "Have you been watching me all along?"

"And... doesn't the village have regulations on summoned beasts? How dare you release snakes everywhere in the village?"

Jiraiya pointed to the notice board on the opposite side of the road.

"Don't deliberately change the subject..."

Orochimaru frowned and said, "You've been wandering around outside for too long; you've become out of touch with the village!"

Although Jiraiya's punch to the shoulder hadn't actually hit him, he still felt some pain.

"That idiot's strength has increased again..."

Orochimaru thought to himself.

Perhaps, my plan still has a chance...

But then I thought, even my teacher had fallen at the hands of Uchiha Tokumitsu. With my strength, even with Jiraiya, that idiot, by my side, how much could I possibly do to Uchiha Tokumitsu?

"Let's go..."

Orochimaru turned and left.

"Hey! You still haven't told me how you found me!"

Jiraiya quickly followed, hooking his arm around Orochimaru's neck, and said nonchalantly, "That brat Uchiha Tokumitsu wasn't allowed to use summoning techniques in the village..."

Before he could finish speaking, Orochimaru covered his mouth.

"You're really stupid!"

Orochimaru angrily retorted, "Swearing in the village? Do you want to end up in the police department's prison eating free meals?!"

"Waaaaah!"

Jiraiya struggled for a moment, and Orochimaru promptly released his grip, casually wiping his hand across Jiraiya's white clothes without leaving a trace.

"This idiot is really greasy..."

Orochimaru cursed inwardly.

"Hey! You still haven't said how you knew me~"

Jiraiya looked at Orochimaru with anticipation.

Konoha is still Konoha.

The people are still the same.

But Konoha is no longer the Konoha of yesteryear.

After returning to the village with trepidation, Jiraiya finally encountered an acquaintance he cared about, and naturally, his mood was quite different.

"Did you encounter a police patrol outside the village?"

Orochimaru said irritably.

Yes~

Jiraiya looked like he suddenly understood. "They told you?"

"You really do have a sharp tongue!"

"Such a chattering mouth doesn't seem like the cold-blooded Uchiha at all."

"By the way, what's this about the security patrol force? Is it a newly established organization in the village?"

"Wouldn't the Uchiha clan's power be boundless?"

"I heard that Sakumo-senpai and the head of the Uchiha clan are serving as the so-called chairmen of the two houses. It seems like the Uchiha clan is in charge now?"

Jiraiya kept babbling on and on, not caring whether Orochimaru responded or not, just pouring out his own words.

Orochimaru stopped in his tracks.

"...You live here? That doesn't make sense."

Jiraiya asked, still puzzled.

"...Would it kill you to shut up a bit?"

Orochimaru said helplessly, "Also, don't be too reckless. The village is not what it used to be..."

"By the way, there are surveillance cameras everywhere now, so don't go spying on the women's bathhouse anymore!"

After saying that, Orochimaru continued walking forward.

"Heavenly Eye? What is the Heavenly Eye?"

Jiraiya quickly followed Orochimaru's footsteps.

"...Come back with me and we'll talk about it!"

Orochimaru, driven to despair by the constant noise, finally snapped.

Chapter 260 The So-Called Holy Land

"The so-called 'Sky Eye' is part of the Sky Net!"

In Orochimaru's mansion, Orochimaru, who rarely drinks sake, blushed and slurred his words.

"Then what is Skynet?"

Jiraiya humbly sought advice and diligently refilled Orochimaru's cup, then raised it to invite him to drink, finishing it in one gulp.

After the Konoha civil war, the Hokage faction completely lost power. Although Orochimaru surrendered immediately after Uchiha Tokumitsu returned to the village, thus retaining some access to the laboratory, he was severely restricted from then on and no longer enjoyed the freedom he once had.

"...It's said to be a monitoring system created by combining the teacher's crystal ball telescope technique with the village's defensive barrier. It can not only sense chakra fluctuations, but also take photos and videos in specific areas!"

Orochimaru hiccuped and continued, "Especially in commercial streets, schools, hospitals, stock exchanges, gold shops, and the outskirts of the women's bath area, all of these places are covered with surveillance cameras. If you dare to spy like before, the police will send you to jail in less than five minutes!"

After spraying, Orochimaru slammed his cup on the table, signaling Jiraiya to refill it quickly.

Jiraiya, of course, diligently poured a full cup.

This was also the first time Jiraiya had ever seen Orochimaru so out of control.

In Jiraiya's memory, Orochimaru, although his classmate and friend, was also a cold-blooded bastard. His character was always calm and ruthless, and he usually didn't drink alcohol. This was the first time he had ever seen him drink so heartily.

However, this also shows how depressed Orochimaru was during this period in the village.

Orochimaru had considered leaving the village, but he couldn't think of anywhere else in the vast ninja world where he could hide.

After all, those small countries or buffer states have basically become the Uchiha clan's private territory. If they leave the village's protection, they might be swarmed by a group of Uchiha Jonin as soon as they finish digging a hole, tied up, and sent to the research institute to be researchers.

Besides, even Orochimaru was somewhat unwilling to accept it.

Although their teacher Hiruzen Sarutobi was dead, Uchiha Tokumitsu, after the successful coup, did not completely disqualify the three Hokage candidates. Instead, he chose to leave the Hokage position vacant and have the two houses of parliament discuss village affairs together. This left Orochimaru with a little bit of hope.

"...Would the other ninjas in the village tolerate the Uchiha openly setting up a surveillance barrier?"

Jiraiya asked, frowning.

After returning to the village, he originally intended to continue to enjoy the "beautiful scenery" as before, but he did not expect the village to have changed so much: "Moreover, I also saw those rookies from the police department on the street. How could they possibly catch me!"

Jiraiya was still somewhat unconvinced.