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Day Sixteen of Izanami.
Drip. Drip.
Rain fell without end in the dank gloom of Shikkotsu Forest. Cold, persistent.
Jiraiya stood on the stone steps, holding an oil-paper umbrella over Tsunade's still form.
Sixteen days. No food. No water. Her body ran solely on the power stored in the Strength of a Hundred Seal. But after a million cycles of grinding repetition… the intricate markings spreading from the seal were fading. Vanishing before his very eyes.
Time was running out. Fast.
Jiraiya's expression grew increasingly grim.
"This… this can't go on," he muttered, voice tight. "If this continues, Tsunade will die. Orochimaru! Release the Izanami! Let her recover, replenish her strength, and then we can try again!"
Orochimaru slowly shook his head. "No technique is flawless. Not even this one. Once Izanami is activated, not even the caster can voluntarily dispel it. The target must break free from the cycle through their own power."
Jiraiya's eyes widened. "What…!? You never mentioned that!!"
A faint, knowing smile touched Orochimaru's lips. "Would my mentioning it sooner have changed her decision?"
…True. Damn it.
Jiraiya gritted his teeth. "The precedent… the one who broke free before. How long did it take?"
"The only case I know is Kabuto. It took him half a day…"
"Half a day!?"
"That child had exceptional insight. He was merely… too fixated. Once he saw through his own obsession, accepted it, and let it go… he found his true self with remarkable speed."
Jiraiya clenched his fist. "So… you're saying Tsunade's insight isn't enough?"
Orochimaru's next words were startling. "No. On the contrary. She adjusted herself to meet my preset conditions in three days."
"What…!?"
"That makes no sense!" Jiraiya argued. "If she achieved the preset goal, why is she still trapped? Even if she developed a new fixation, it shouldn't be tied to this specific Izanami… unless you changed the conditions for escape mid-cycle!"
"I did not change them," Orochimaru said calmly. "Nor can they be changed. Izanami is a one-time program. It cannot be adjusted midway. To be honest… this situation is a first for me as well. I was uncertain at first. But now, I am certain."
His golden eyes gleamed with a strange light. "The reason is simple. The new fixation Tsunade developed… is the most peculiar kind."
"The most… peculiar?"
"Can you believe it?" Orochimaru's voice held a note of genuine intrigue. "Tsunade has become fixated… on the Izanami cycle itself."
…
Within the world of Izanami.
Tsunade knelt on the ground, head bowed. "Why? I clearly succeeded. I can feel it… I'm no longer that stubborn, hot-tempered woman. So why… why hasn't this cycle ended?"
Before her, the figure of 'Dan'—Orochimaru using the Face Copying Technique—provided the hint.
"You know the answer, don't you?"
Tsunade's gaze darted away. She bit her lip hard.
"Because, in the endless repetitions, seeing the faces of your former lover and your beloved little brother again and again… it reawakened the long-buried feelings in the deepest part of your heart."
"Shut up!"
"Yes. Before you knew it, you found yourself… unwilling to leave the cycle I wove."
"I said shut up!!"
"Because this way, you could see your lover and your precious little brother… over and over again. Isn't that right?"
"SHUT UP, DAMN YOU!!!"
Tsunade surged to her feet and threw a punch—straight at 'Dan's' face!
Tap.
A soft sound. Orochimaru chuckled. "Such a feeble fist… it's useless even in an illusion."
"Tch!"
Tsunade let out a frustrated sigh, glaring. "This is all your fault! It was supposed to be a trial, not this… this emotional minefield! Now look! Think of something! You're the caster of this damned technique!"
"A solution… I am considering one."
Crackle—!
The Face Copying Technique dissolved. Orochimaru's own features returned.
"Rather than struggling to overcome it… why not face your heart directly?"
"What do you—"
BOOM!!
The specter of the Shinigami manifested behind Orochimaru!
"Consider this… compensation for my little prank. Using the Shinigami's authority… I shall summon the souls of those two from the Pure Land into this Izanami scene."
—Reaper Death Seal: Pure Land Summoning!
Tsunade's eyes went wide. Two clusters of soul-light drifted before her, gradually solidifying into the forms of the two greatest regrets of her life.
"Dan… Nawaki…"
A torrent of emotion surged in Tsunade's eyes.
Orochimaru spoke, his voice noticeably weaker. "I've synchronized the necessary information during the summoning. It won't last long. Now… go."
Dan walked up to her. Tsunade's eyes trembled.
"Dan, I…"
A thousand words choked in her throat. She didn't know where to start.
Dan simply smiled. A quiet, gentle smile. His gaze alone spoke more than any words could.
After a moment, he did speak.
"I know. You inherited my and Nawaki's dream. You became a splendid Hokage. And then, for an even greater goal… you stepped down."
Tsunade's eyes glistened. "Do you… hate me for it? That was the dream you cherished so much…"
"How could I, you fool…"
Dan reached out, his hand lightly caressing her cheek.
"I could never hate you. On the contrary… I'm so proud of you. Because you didn't abandon it. You transcended it."
"Dan…"
Tears welled up, shimmering in Tsunade's eyes.
"I left you when you needed companionship most. But I'm truly glad… I can be here for you when you need help most."
Dan took a step forward. He leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.
"You lived the first half of your life for our dreams. For the second half… let me cheer you on. Do your best, okay?"
Smiling, Dan slowly stepped back.
Nawaki walked forward.
"Sis! The Pure Land is a really nice place! The scenery is amazing! No fighting, no killing! It's a place kids would love! So don't worry! Even though I couldn't become Hokage, couldn't grow up as a ninja… but, but…"
It was clear. Nawaki was still that pure-hearted boy. He'd died at his most beautiful age, filled with endless longing for the living world, yet he tried so hard to explain, to make it sound like the afterlife was wonderful.
The Pure Land might be peaceful. But its foundation was death. Its colors were muted.
Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many souls, bound by the Impure World Reincarnation, unwilling to return to it.
But… Nawaki couldn't keep up the act anymore.
Sigh.
He rubbed the back of his head, breaking into a brilliant, sunny grin.
"So, Sis…! Promise me! Turn the ninja world… into a real Pure Land!!"
Tsunade stepped forward and pulled Nawaki into a fierce, tight hug!!
"I… promise you…!"
Dan and Nawaki's souls dissolved into points of light.
Tsunade watched them fade. In her eyes, there was no longer reluctance or lingering attachment.
Only peace.
…
Drip. Drip. Drip.
The sound of rain pattering on oiled cloth.
Reality.
Tsunade's eyes snapped open.
Jiraiya let out a long, shuddering breath of relief and finally lowered the umbrella.
Orochimaru wore a gentle, benevolent smile. "Tsunade…"
Zzzzt—!
The Strength of a Hundred Seal reignited on Tsunade's forehead. She returned his smile with one that was… decidedly less benevolent. "I'd advise you… to choose your next words very carefully."
Orochimaru considered this. Then, he gave her a firm thumbs-up.
"The excess weight around your abdomen has completely vanished. It appears the fasting therapy… has produced stellar results!"
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