Chapter 99.1 : Scoundrel's Slayer?

[Scoundrel's Slayer: This sword hails from the High School DxD World and is not a weapon of Freed Sellzen. To be precise, it's the very sword that put an end to Freed. This sword carries the weight of Freed's blood, once an ordinary sword, now infused with the grudges of women wronged by scoundrels and the fury of those against scoundrels, granting it unique properties.

Effect 1: When wielded by a woman against a scoundrel, the likelihood of their mutual demise increases.

Effect 2: When held by a woman, her combat prowess against scoundrels is doubled.

Effect 3: If a man dares to hold this sword, he'll be cursed, forever barred from the company of women, or risk suffering grave consequences.

Tsunade and Jiraiya thought they had stumbled upon a valuable "weapon."

But when Jiraiya took hold of the sword's handle and read its description, his joyful expression froze, and a jolt surged through his body as if struck by lightning.

Witnessing this live broadcast, viewers grew puzzled.

Could the sword's effects be so extraordinary as to elicit such an extreme reaction from Jiraiya?

"Little Jiraiya, have you truly hit the jackpot?" Fukasaku leaped from Gamaken's shoulder to Jiraiya's, eager to take the sword as if it were a toy.

"Master Fukasaku, wait!" Jiraiya protested.

"Wait for what?" Sage Shima queried, somewhat displeased. "Little Jiraiya, I never knew you could be so stingy."

Shima assumed the sword was exceedingly precious, and Jiraiya was unwilling to part with it. After all, since the announcement of the Bloodline Limit List, the rewards never ceased, and no one would anticipate that the sword could pose any harm to them.

"Master Fukasaku, you misunderstand," Jiraiya clarified. "I'll post the sword's information on the Golden List chat right away, and you can see it for yourself."

Jiraiya felt cornered, intending to keep the sword's curse a secret. However, Fukasaku's unexpected announcement exposed the truth. 

He knew that even if he concocted a cover story, it would be futile. The image spoke louder than words, but it would be his downfall.

The sword's curse prohibited any man from approaching women, or else dire consequences would follow. 

Jiraiya prided himself on his unblemished reputation as a gentleman. Yet, now he would be deprived of collecting folklore and materials, a prospect widely known.

[Jiraiya: Image of Scoundrel's Slayer!]

[Uchiha Ran: ...]

[Tsunade: What's with this sword's deal?]

[Terumi Mei: What's a scoundrel?]

[Uchiha Ran: A scoundrel is a man who deceives a woman's affections, exploits her, then abandons her for another. In short, he takes advantage of a woman's feelings.]

[Kurenai Yūhi: So, this is a scoundrel's sword, it's quite a catch."

[Tsunade: Well, I didn't expect this to be the reward.

[Temari Mei: I'm learning something new.]

"Onoki: Jiraiya, a moment of silence, please!"

[Senju Hashirama: Haha, is this an instrument of celibacy?"

[Tobirama: I see, this sword is the ultimate chaperone.]

[Fourth Raikage Ai: Long pose...]

[Tsunade: Jiraiya, was this your brilliant intuition?]

As Jiraiya had anticipated, the moment everyone laid eyes on the sword, his fate was sealed.

In fact, Uchiha Ran spoke seriously about the concept of scoundrels, which was not lost on him.

However, he wasn't doing it for his sake. His true intentions lay with Tsunade, and that left others perplexed.

The ninja world isn't a place where modern principles apply, and for many, being a ninja is a career choice. However, it's a world that isn't shy about multiple relationships and large families. For instance, daimyos often have numerous concubines and many offspring.

Wealthy businessmen would take as many spouses as they could afford, essentially buying themselves more influence.

In the ninja world, there are five major nations and countless smaller ones, each with its own unique policies and customs. In such times of chaos, and with a relatively small population, there were no stringent rules to follow.

This mindset was deeply ingrained in the hearts of both men and women.

Take Jiraiya, for example, a renowned author of adult materials in the ninja world. He frequented custom shops and was known for his distinct interests, yet he pursued Tsunade.

Tsunade, the granddaughter of the First Hokage and the Princess of Konoha, was a woman pursued by many, despite her noble status.

In the modern era, men were expected to do as they pleased.

While ninjas adhered to certain constraints, individuals as strong as Jiraiya paid little heed to rules and regulations.

If he could genuinely win Tsunade's affection, he might reconsider his profligate spending.

Until that time, it mattered little how extravagant he acted or what he said. The words "I love you" weren't likely to sway her.

However, in modern times, pursuing multiple lovers could lead to dire consequences.

This was something that Tsunade, Terumi Mei, and Kurenai Yūhi couldn't comprehend, and they viewed it as mere overreacting on the part of women.

Hence, Uchiha Ran exaggerated the definition of a scoundrel, but only to make them realize that a scoundrel was someone who deceived and then absolved themselves of responsibility.

And Uchiha Ran, the true Uchiha, certainly did not fit the mold of a scoundrel.

After all, he was a true Uchiha, devoted to his clan!

[Uchiha Ran: @Jiraiya, don't worry. So far, the rewards given to those on the list have been positive. Come to the Hidden Leaf Village.]

[Jiraiya: Really? Are you sure?]

[Uchiha Ran: Even if you don't believe me, believe in the rewards. After all, how can you consider a reward given to you by Golden List, as anything but good?]

[Jiraiya: You're right. Rewards can be either good or bad, but it's unlikely they'd use rewards as a disguise for punishment.]

Jiraiya let out a relieved breath, agreeing with Uchiha Ran's analysis.

He then looked at his sword and hesitated, "What should I do with this sword? It has its uses, and I could use it to deceive others. It would be a shame to throw it away or destroy it."

"This thing isn't safe," Uchiha Ran thought to himself.

[Uchiha Ran: Destroy it. We can't be certain if the Golden List provides after-sales service.

"Alright," Jiraiya shuddered at the thought of the consequences.

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