Tsunade never cared for the virtue of respecting her elders.
If someone tried to rob her of what she refused to give, she had only one answer—beat them straight to the Pure Land.
The narrow alley was silent, and shadows pressed tight against the walls; the calm before the storm trembled on the verge of collapse.
"Tsunade," Orochimaru's voice slithered into the tension, smooth and mocking. "Your temper hasn't changed at all. You always rush to decide. But some choices… deserve time. Otherwise, you'll only regret them later. Just like Xuanyue's generous offer. Or perhaps… like reviving your brother. Your lover."
Tsunade's sneer faltered. At the mention of Nawaki and Dan, her fists slowly loosened.
Orochimaru's smile widened, satisfaction curling his lips. He turned toward Yui Xuanyue. "Why not give her time? Forcing her will only break everything. But with time… she'll see for herself what she truly wants."
He wasn't being kind. Orochimaru simply didn't want a battle here and now. Whether Tsunade accepted Xuanyue's terms mattered little—what mattered was keeping her intact for his own designs.
He knew her too well. For Tsunade, Dan, and Nawaki was wounds that never healed. Given long enough, she would not resist forever.
The breeze stirred. A single leaf drifted down, slicing through the frozen air.
Xuanyue's eyes narrowed at Orochimaru. He could read the schemes twisting behind that serpent's smile. But Orochimaru had offered him an opening, and with Tsunade proving immovable—and with new intel streaming in from his shadow clones—Xuanyue chose to accept.
"…Very well. I'll wait for your answer."
His voice was calm, unhurried. He stepped back, gaze flicking between Orochimaru and Tsunade, even as his mind shifted elsewhere—watching through a clone as Jiraiya and a blond boy, Uzumaki Naruto, arrived at the outskirts of Tanzaku Town.
"So… the Sannin gather again."
This was no place for a true clash. If it came to blows, Jiraiya would sense it in minutes. Another reason he held his hand.
Orochimaru, confident, granted Tsunade seven days to decide. Xuanyue's lips twitched faintly at that. Seven days? Perhaps. Perhaps not. With Orochimaru meddling, he could try other angles. His eyes slid briefly to Shizune, gleaming with quiet intent.
"Think it over, Tsunade. I'll look forward to your answer," Orochimaru said, before turning to Xuanyue with a respectful nod. In the next instant, he and Yakushi Kabuto vanished.
Xuanyue lingered a heartbeat longer, casting one last look at Tsunade, heavy with unspoken thought, and at Shizune, whose eyes were tight with worry. Then he sank into the earth and was gone.
The alley fell silent once more—until Shizune's anxious voice rose, trying to reason with her master.
A quarter hour later, before the rubble of the street was crushed by Orochimaru's great serpent—
Jiraiya arrived with Naruto in tow, drawn by panicked shouts of a giant snake rampaging through the town. But he was too late. Tsunade and Shizune were already gone.
"Late again…" Jiraiya muttered. Without pause, he turned. "Come on, Naruto. She's not here anymore."
"Geez, you've been dragging me all over since earlier!" Naruto grumbled, but hurried to keep up.
Beyond Tanzaku, in the quiet of the forest—
Xuanyue and Orochimaru met again.
Xuanyue stood with arms folded, expression unreadable. "What is it this time, Orochimaru?"
For many, Orochimaru was a coveted ally—a scientist, an innovator, a man who turned the impossible into fact. To stand at his side promised knowledge beyond imagination, though betrayal lurked in every shadow.
But to Xuanyue, already a veteran who had walked this world for decades and risen to its peak, Orochimaru was merely a clever junior. His interest was… limited.
Orochimaru ignored the indifference in Xuanyue's tone. "You truly desire the Spirit Transformation Technique, don't you?"
Xuanyue's eyes flickered. "…And?"
The snake spread his hands, as if in casual surrender. "If Tsunade denies you, perhaps you might look to me instead."
"Oh? Do you have it?"
"Not yet. But I will. Konoha has cracks, and I still have hands inside its walls."
Xuanyue studied him, then gave a small nod. "Very well. My terms won't change. Bring me the technique, and we'll talk."
He inclined his head slightly, then dissolved into the night.
Orochimaru remained, Kabuto at his side.
Adjusting his glasses, Kabuto spoke. "For someone like Xuanyue to fixate on the Spirit Transformation Technique… curious, isn't it? Lord Orochimaru, do you know why?"
Orochimaru's tongue slid across his lips, tasting the question. His smile was sharp and amused.
"Who can say?"
He knew the technique well enough, thanks to Tsunade. But for a man like Xuanyue—whose knowledge and jutsu dwarfed even his own—to desire it so fervently? Strange indeed. Unless…
(End of Chapter)