"Yes, you—don't think I can't tell when you're buttering him up! The 'Pervy Sage' might be strong, but he's still a massive pervert! And you say his character is worth respecting? Mmph—let go of me!"
Naruto's mouth was quickly covered by Jiraiya.
Kimimaro gave a faint smile. "A man being lecherous isn't the end of the world. Jiraiya-sama may be fond of women, but he knows restraint. He's indulgent, not depraved. That makes him admirable in his own way."
"Haha! Well said, kid. I like that. It suits me just fine," Jiraiya laughed, clearly pleased.
"I should answer your earlier question now, Jiraiya-sama," Kimimaro said calmly. "It's true that Orochimaru is the most naturally gifted among the Legendary Sannin. I once respected him above all others. But after surviving countless battles and witnessing many different lives firsthand… my views have changed."
"Oh? Now you've got me curious," Jiraiya replied, intrigued.
Kimimaro paused thoughtfully. "The Three Legendary Sannin are, in my eyes, something of a miracle. They embody the ideals of the First Hokage in their own way."
"What does Hashirama have to do with us?" Jiraiya asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Among the three of you, only Tsunade comes from a prestigious lineage—the Senju Clan. You and Orochimaru, however, are of common birth."
"So?"
"I believe that's exactly what Hashirama Senju envisioned: a village where merit overrides bloodline. In his era, even shinobi from modest backgrounds had access to great mentors and opportunities. The Sannin—particularly you and Orochimaru—are the prime products of that ideal."
Jiraiya listened quietly, the beginnings of understanding dawning on him.
"Several of the Third Hokage's contemporaries also came from humble origins," Kimimaro continued. Kimimaro's voice carried no malice, only objective detachment. "The opportunity system peaked with your generation. But in more recent years, the elite circles are again dominated by bloodline clans."
He gestured vaguely. "Among Konoha's current Twelve Rookie Genin, only Rock Lee comes from a truly common background. Even Haruno Sakura, while not from a notable clan, bears markings on her attire reminiscent of a personalized family crest. That suggests she's at least above Lee's status."
"You're overlooking something," Jiraiya said, smiling faintly. "My own student—Minato Namikaze—was a commoner. And he became the Fourth Hokage. Among his team, Rin Nohara was also of modest background."
"Exactly why I said I respect you the most, Jiraiya-sama," Kimimaro replied sincerely. "You've always upheld the principle of fair opportunity for common-born shinobi. Even your students—Minato especially—passed that legacy forward. But Orochimaru…" His voice lowered.
"…lost sight of that ideal," Jiraiya finished for him, eyes narrowing.
Kimimaro nodded. "He once trained Mitarashi Anko, a commoner. But over time, his interest turned exclusively toward Kekkei Genkai. Look at those closest to him—myself with the Shikotsumyaku, Guren with Crystal Release, and the Sound Four, each with unique bloodline traits. The only exception is Yakushi Kabuto—but even he is… complicated."
"Heh," Jiraiya snorted. "That guy's a snake in more ways than one."
"Orochimaru's experiments may have scientific merit. But he's utterly unscrupulous. Whatever I've learned from him, I aim to use differently."
There was an unspoken weight behind Kimimaro's words. Jiraiya caught it.
He grinned. "You know, I didn't expect you to understand the Will of Hashirama at your age. That's impressive. Naruto could stand to learn a thing or two from you."
"H-hey! Don't talk like I'm not here!" Naruto shouted. "And don't act like he's some kind of genius philosopher! I don't care what he says—I still can't forgive him! He helped Orochimaru take Sasuke away! I'm not gonna let that go! Kimimaro—I challenge you!"
Kimimaro sighed. "So there's no avoiding this, is there? You really would throw everything away for Sasuke. It's admirable… but also troublesome."
He muttered, "Truly, Sasuke is your one true love."
Naruto's face turned red. "WHAT?! No way! I like Sakura! Sasuke's my teammate, my rival—my friend! But it's not like that, you idiot!"
Kimimaro turned to Sakura with a small smirk. "But as I understand it, Sasuke's first kiss went to Naruto."
Sakura immediately turned green. She had spent years trying to forget that humiliating moment, and here it was, brought up again in public. She glared at Naruto with unfiltered rage.
Naruto laughed nervously, waving his hands. "S-Sakura! I can explain! It was an accident! I don't like Sasuke like that, I swear! Ahhh~~!"
Jiraiya stroked his chin thoughtfully. "So Naruto kissed a boy, huh… I didn't see that coming."
Kimimaro added fuel to the fire. "Hanabi, I really feel sorry for Lady Hinata now. With Sakura and Sasuke standing in front of her like two insurmountable mountains, how can she compete?"
Hanabi's Byakugan flared indignantly. "I've been telling my sister for years—what's so great about Naruto? He's nothing compared to Big Brother. Hmph! Next time I see her, I'll introduce Big Brother to her myself!"
"Haha," Kimimaro laughed as he picked Hanabi up, "Having you is enough, don't overthink it. Look, your sister Karin's about to explode again."
Karin turned her face away, arms crossed tightly. "Tch. I'm not mad. I got over that a long time ago."
Kimimaro smiled. "Don't lie to yourself. Besides you, is there any other girl sticking around me?"
Karin paused. Now that he mentioned it, not really.
Kurotsuchi had only appeared once, back in Iwagakure—barely a rival. As for Guren, Kimimaro had made it clear he wasn't interested in her romantically and even joked about pairing her with Jūgo. That girl Fū had traveled with them briefly, but there hadn't been any signs of mutual interest.
Hanabi didn't count—she was still a child, and the so-called "engagement" had been more of a joke from her father, Hiashi Hyūga. It wasn't fair to blame the little girl for that.
Realizing this, Karin's mood visibly lifted. She wrapped herself around Kimimaro's arm and shot Naruto a smug look.
Naruto glanced at Sakura—who was clearly annoyed with him—and couldn't help yelling, "Kimimaro! I challenge you to a duel!"
Author's Note (Canon Clarification):
There's ongoing speculation online about whether Jiraiya has a blood connection to the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju. However, the original manga provides no evidence of such a relationship. Jiraiya is portrayed as a talented ninja from a non-clan, commoner background, handpicked by Hiruzen Sarutobi for his potential.