"There's no need. I'll say it again—just stay alive."
With these words, Anya drifted away.
Itachi, who had been walking toward the small town alongside Kisame, suddenly stopped. He gazed up at the sky and sensed a shift in the very colors of the world around him. A rare sense of calm crossed his expression as he murmured, "Let's go."
Kisame, clearly unaware of Itachi's internal shift, asked in confusion, "Go where? Aren't we supposed to capture the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki?"
"Kakashi couldn't possibly know anything about Akatsuki. This time, Jiraiya has returned to Konoha and is personally escorting Naruto—he must have already prepared for us. Taking action now would only alert the village," Itachi said calmly.
Kisame found this logic sound and agreed to abandon their plan. Together, they left the town behind.
Tsunokoe Street was no ordinary street—it was a bustling marketplace filled with gambling houses, economically thriving and constantly packed with people.
At this moment, a lovely young woman was collecting herbs on the outskirts of the market town when she suddenly noticed Naruto training deep within the woods. He held a solid sphere and poured chakra into it, yet no matter how hard he tried, the ball refused to burst.
The girl put on a rabbit-shaped mask and curiously approached him, asking, "Excuse me, are you a ninja?"
"Huh?" Naruto, interrupted during his training, looked at the sudden appearance of the woman and pointed at the forehead protector on his head with a proud grin. "Of course! I'm a ninja from Konoha!"
Carefully, the girl asked, "Then... could you spar with me a little?"
" Spar? What do you mean?" Naruto gave her a blank look, clearly confused by what she meant.
The girl sounded slightly embarrassed as she said, "Well, I've seen many ninjas before, and they all seemed so weak. But my family won't let me fight. Today, I just happened to see you, so I got curious—I wanted to test my own abilities and see how strong I've become."
Naruto scratched his head, "Oh! Wait, are you saying you're a ninja too? Can you use chakra?"
"Chakra? Yes, I can use it. But... I'm not a ninja," the girl replied regretfully.
"I can't right now. I'm training. I don't have time to play with you."
"No problem! It'll be quick!" the girl quickly replied.
Naruto hesitated for a second, but soon realized what she meant, "Wait—are you saying that you think I'm just as weak as those other ninjas you've seen?"
"Not exactly... From my observation, your physical condition does seem pretty good. I'd guess you can last... about one minute?" She gave a very conservative estimate.
"Tch! Just wait and see how strong I am!" Feeling underestimated, Naruto immediately charged forward without another word.
Half a minute later, Naruto was already lying unconscious on the ground, muttering in disbelief, "How could this happen..."
She pushed up the edge of her mask and stuck her tongue out playfully, "Sorry about that. You'll be fine in a minute."
A-choo!
Inside a nearly empty gambling parlor, Tsunade sat lazily pulling the lever of a slot machine. Fully aware of her terrible luck, she didn't even bother to check the results, absentmindedly tossing coin after coin into the machine.
At this moment, a soft and melodious voice chimed in: "Sister Tsunade, your luck is amazing today—you've won quite a lot."
Hearing that, Tsunade's indifferent expression froze for a moment. She looked down and only then realized her feet were surrounded by stacks of chips she had won, dazzling under the lights.
The one who called her "sister" was a young woman returning from gathering herbs. She had already removed her rabbit-shaped mask. Anyone seeing her for the first time would mistake her as a fairy descended to the mortal world. Her hands were as soft as spring blossoms, her skin smooth and flawless like polished jade. Her gentle smile lit up the entire room with warmth, while behind her flowed a cascade of glossy black hair. Her dark eyes shone like stars on a moonless night—deep, alluring, instantly enchanting whoever gazed into them.
Looking at the coins scattered across the ground, Tsunade showed no trace of joy on her face. Instead, her expression grew heavy. Inwardly, she muttered, *I actually hit the jackpot? I have a bad feeling about this.*
"Let's go." Without even collecting the chips she had won, Tsunade grabbed the girl's hand and said, "Find Shizune. Let's leave together."
The woman looked at Tsunade with confusion but didn't object out loud. Gently, she followed along beside her.
Tsunade's face was filled with urgency as she pulled the girl's arm, running swiftly in one direction. Her golden hair flew wildly midair.
"Boom..."
With a deafening roar, a giant serpent burst from the ground directly in Tsunade's path, blocking their escape. Standing atop its head were none other than Orochimaru and Kabuto Yakushi. Their eyes sized up the two women with ill intent. When Orochimaru's gaze fell upon Hakuto next to Tsunade, his pupils constricted sharply. He slid his long tongue across his lips in a slow, unsettling motion, murmuring appreciatively, "Perfect… absolutely perfect. Is she a divine masterpiece from heaven itself?"
Tsunade immediately stepped in front of Hakuto, shielding her. With sharp, killing eyes and an icy tone, she warned Orochimaru, "Orochimaru, if you dare lay a finger on her, I will stop at nothing to kill you."
"Hehehe..." Orochimaru let out a sinister chuckle before speaking. "I've been looking for you for quite some time now. And as old friends, I'm not here for a fight. Actually, there's something I'd like to ask you to help me with."
As he spoke, Orochimaru raised both hands slightly.
Tsunade glared coldly at him and replied, "Find someone else. I don't heal people anymore."
"Why won't you save him? His hands are severely injured, his mind unstable, and he has a high fever. If left like this, death is imminent."
Hakuto had already analyzed Orochimaru's condition after just a few glances.
Tsunade's face darkened. Angrily, she snapped at Hakuto, "Hakuto, don't overstep. Not everyone deserves saving."
"Hahahaha!" Orochimaru couldn't help but burst into maniacal laughter, his body shaking so hard it triggered another violent cough.
Seeing Orochimaru's pitiful state, Tsunade involuntarily felt a surge of killing intent rise within her. Gritting her teeth, Tsunade swung her fist and slammed it into the wall behind her.
The once rock-solid wall shattered into dust.
Tsunade threatened, "Drop that disgusting smile—or my next punch won't be aimed at the wall anymore."
"Do you really think I was smiling for no reason?" Orochimaru's expression darkened, his tone heavy with implication. "I never expected that person's daughter to turn out to be such a kind little girl. Just imagine his reaction when he sees how you've raised his daughter, Tsunade. It'll be fascinating to watch!"
At his words, Tsunade shuddered slightly. The killing intent she had just begun to summon was now deeply suppressed, her face twisting through a range of emotions, growing increasingly complex.
Peering out from behind Tsunade, Hakuto couldn't help but blurt out nervously, "Do you… do you know my father?"
"Of course. In fact, I just met with Sasuke not long ago. You know I never lie, Tsunade," Orochimaru said, his eyes narrowing as he spoke, his tone dripping with amusement.
At that moment, a new desire stirred in Orochimaru's mind. As soon as it appeared, it consumed him entirely. This girl was far superior to Sasuke. To obtain her…
I will have her… no matter what it takes.
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