~ Shikaku ~
The scream echoed off the stone walls, a high, broken sound that rattled down into the roots of the Nara Clan's ancient underground cells.
Shikaku stood outside the barred door, arms folded loosely, expression cold and unmoved. He watched impassively as Yoshino babbled hysterically on the other side, her hands bound behind her back, chakra-suppressing cuffs tight around her wrists. She writhed on the floor, her hair dishevelled, her voice a string of incoherent denials and pitiful pleas.
Shikaku was angry.
He hadn't let it show when he'd arrived back in the village a week ago—not at first. Not when he learned from his mother that Yoshino had been stealing clan artifacts, packing away valuables and precious scrolls. Not even when he heard the full report from his cousin that she'd been preparing to flee.
Thank Kami for his mother. Retired she may have been, but Saeko Nara had always been a ninja first.
When Saeko noticed the missing items, she'd acted quickly, setting a quiet watch on Yoshino. She reported it directly to Shikaku when he came back to the village, who immediately knew what it meant.
Coward.
Traitor.
After speaking to Hisen's advisor it was clear: Yoshino had conspired to sell Shikamaru to Kumo.
He knew it was true when he heard it in Waterfall, but to see the clear evidence of guilt was a blow.
And when he received confirmation of her twitchy behaviour, of her packing and thieving, Shikaku had given the order: capture and contain her.
It had been clean. Swift. No outside witnesses. Only trusted Nara.
This was clan business now.
He wanted to bring in Ibiki or even Anko—the best interrogators Konoha had to offer—but he couldn't risk it. Not when he suspected the likes of Danzo might already be sniffing around, watching for any opportunity to twist this situation to Root's advantage.
No. This stayed internal.
Shikaku's train of thought was interrupted by footsteps down the hall.
He turned to see Inoichi approaching, his face set grim and hard. His old friend, the only one he trusted with something this delicate.
"Shikaku," Inoichi greeted shortly.
"Inoichi," Shikaku nodded back. "Ready?"
"You're not coming," Inoichi said firmly, gaze steely.
Shikaku opened his mouth, scowling.
"You're too angry," Inoichi cut him off. "You'll interfere with the process."
A muscle twitched in Shikaku's jaw, but he said nothing. He knew Inoichi was right.
"I'll be thorough," Inoichi promised. "I'll dig all the way back. Eight years, minimum."
Shikaku only nodded tightly.
It was a long day.
A hellishly long day.
He paced outside the cells, feeling like he was losing pieces of himself with every passing hour. His mother brought him tea; but he barely touched it. He sat once. Rose ten minutes later. Sat again. Repeat.
When Inoichi finally emerged—eyes bloodshot, face pale and sweaty—Shikaku straightened so fast his joints cracked.
"Well?" he rasped.
Inoichi didn't answer immediately. He leaned against the wall, breathing heavily.
"I went as far back as eight years," he said eventually. "Saw everything."
Shikaku felt his chest tighten.
"Your sources were right, she conspired with missing-nin," Inoichi said bluntly. "With her father's help. To deliver Shikamaru… to Kumo."
The world narrowed into a sharp, burning point.
"Four months ago," Inoichi continued grimly, "she met with her father, complaining about her marriage not giving her the respect she deserved, that the clans debt barely made it worth it. He reminded her of the clause hidden in your marriage contract."
"The clause..." Shikaku whispered.
"The one that said if the heir—your son—died, she would gain half the clan's fortune upon him being declared dead."
Shikaku closed his eyes, feeling bile rise in his throat.
"She didn't even hesitate to agree," Inoichi said, his voice shaking with fury. "She arranged the hand-off in the Nara Forest. Used minimal chakra and covered her scent so tracking her would be difficult."
Shikaku opened his eyes, now burning with rage.
"What else did she get for selling my son! The mission money—"
"Half of it," Inoichi confirmed. "Upon the delivery of Shikamaru to Kumo."
Shikaku's hands were trembling.
Inoichi looked away, pained. "When she didn't hear back… she panicked. Started stealing valuables. Planned to run to Kumo—where her father's contact waited."
The killing intent leaked from Shikaku in waves. It filled the cell block, heavy and choking.
Saeko appeared from the stairwell, scowling and she smacked Shikaku across the back of the head, hard.
"Control yourself," she snapped. "You're scaring the children upstairs."
Shikaku sucked in a breath through his teeth, forcing the rage down. Barely.
Inoichi hesitated. "There's more."
"Spit it out."
Inoichi looked him dead in the eye. "You were right to suspect. About your father."
Shikaku felt a knife twist in his gut.
"Yoshino's father—Kaito Takeda—he poisoned him."
The name rang like a curse.
"Every business meeting," Inoichi said. "Tiny doses. Tasteless. Odourless. A toxin that speeds up mental deterioration while slowing physical responses."
Shikaku swayed slightly.
"Over two years," Inoichi whispered. "Until he was compliant enough to sign that cursed contract."
Saeko made a soft, terrible sound, covering her mouth with her hand.
Shikaku's hands curled into fists so tight his knuckles cracked.
"He was… proud," Shikaku said hoarsely. "Family first. Always. He always valued his mind second."
"They killed him," Saeko said, voice cold as ice. "Inside his own home."
Shikaku didn't contradict her.
He couldn't.
The grief was a burning knot in his chest.
Because he remembered everything he had fucked up in the last 7 years.
How he'd started avoiding home. Avoiding Yoshino. And by extension—Shikamaru.
He had hated her. Had hidden in missions, in work.
And Shikamaru—sweet, brilliant Shikamaru—had been left alone.
This was his failure, too.
Saeko straightened sharply.
"Capture Kaito Takeda," she ordered one of the clan guards. "Discreetly. Bring him to the clan cells."
"Yes, Lady Saeko," the man said, vanishing into the shadows.
Shikaku said nothing.
There was nothing left to say.
Only actions.
He would tear this rot out of his family tree by the roots.
He would make it safe again.
For Shikamaru.
No matter the cost.
He turned, cold and hollow, and stepped into Yoshino's cell.
Time to finish what she started.
~
The heavy stillness of the Nara compound weighed down on Shikaku as he leaned back in the chair in Shikamaru's room, staring at the familiar walls.
Two months.
Two whole months since Shikamaru had vanished from under their noses.
Not a single new confirmed sighting. No fresh leads.
Even Kakashi and Shibi—some of the best trackers Konoha could offer—had found only faint, degraded chakra traces and long-cooled scent trails.
It was as if Shikamaru and his mysterious guardian, Hari, had disappeared into thin air.
And Shikaku hated it. Hated the gnawing uncertainty chewing at his gut.
Senji's testimony replayed over and over in his mind. The man swore Hari didn't belong to any village. Wasn't even a shinobi. Just a wandering healer.
But hiding this well? Hiding from teams of elite trackers and sensory nin for months?
It took skill. Unnatural skill.
Every instinct in Shikaku's body screamed that Hari was far more dangerous—and far more powerful—than anyone suspected.
Still. Every scrap of information they gathered painted the man as kind. Loving. Protective.
Witnesses described a man doting on his two sons. Merchants recalled how Hari never haggled unfairly, always paid well. Seamstresses spoke of his soft voice when speaking to the children. Asuma and Prince Shinji both vouched that Hari would protect his sons to the death if necessary.
Shikaku knew, in his gut, that Shikamaru was safe.
But it didn't ease the ache of not knowing where they were. Of not being able to bring his son home.
He dropped his head into his hands, breathing out slowly through his nose.
How was he supposed to tell this Hari that it was safe now? That he had purged the danger from the clan? That he was alive, awake, and waiting for his son?
He prayed that Hisen would reach out to Hari. Hoped that word would spread somehow. But even Kakashi said Hari operated like a ghost, slipping through cracks only the dead should know.
Even Fu, the girl who had befriended Shikamaru, had been cagey when they questioned her. She'd glared at Kakashi's team like they were the villains, hissing that they should leave her "Maashah-sama and Pineapple Head" alone or else.
When Shikaku got that report, he almost smiled for the first time in weeks.
At least Shikamaru had found a good friend.
He was pulled out of his brooding when the door creaked open.
His mother stepped into the room, her sharp grey eyes studying him closely.
"You're brooding again," she said crisply.
Shikaku offered a weak smirk. "Habit."
She crossed the room and sat opposite him. "Tell me everything. About my grandson. What you've found."
Shikaku sat up straighter.
He owed her that much.
So he told her. Everything.
Starting from the clues they found in Iron Country—how signs of a massive summon had been discovered, later confirmed by Prince Shinji as a dragon. How Hari had been seen traveling with Shikamaru and a baby, Teddy, buying supplies, trading immense amounts of gold.
How witnesses spoke of a strange young man with glowing green eyes and a soft laugh, kind but wary, never without a protective hand on the boys.
He spoke of merchants and seamstresses who said the man was gentle, almost impossibly patient, and absurdly wealthy—always paying more than necessary, never taking advantage.
He recounted how they tracked Hari across border towns, finding signs of immense but controlled power—memory tampering, impossible travel, his summons.
He told her of Asuma's reports, and Prince Shinji's words; how Hari refused political marriages and protected the Fire Daimyo's son out of compassion, not obligation.
How Hari fought like a storm when protecting his son.
Saeko listened silently, her sharp mind piecing the information together as swiftly as he spoke.
Finally, voice low, he confessed the worst of it.
How he had failed Shikamaru.
How he had buried himself in duty, ignoring the signs of his toxic marriage, of Yoshino's resentment, of his son's loneliness.
How it had cost them everything.
Saeko reached across the table and gripped his wrist firmly.
"You are not solely to blame," she said, voice fierce. "I will never regret my grandson, but I never should have allowed you to marry that woman, contract or not. You never should have had to hide who you are for the sake of the clan. We were all deceived and now we act to mend it."
Shikaku swallowed thickly and nodded.
Pulling himself together, he rummaged through the stack of documents beside him and pulled out the sheet.
The drawing.
He unfolded the parchment carefully and slid it across the table to his mother.
A simple symbol, sketched hastily by the seamstress: a triangle enclosing a circle, with a line bisecting both.
"I've searched every clan registry," Shikaku said. "Every bloodline archive. Nothing. Does it mean anything to you?"
Saeko leaned forward, frowning.
For a long moment, she stared.
Then her eyes widened, and she jerked back slightly.
"Yes," she whispered. "I have seen it."
Shikaku's heart thudded painfully in his chest. "Where?"
"In the Senju archives," she said, voice distant with memory. "Decades ago. Before the clan passed away."
She folded her arms, thinking hard.
"I may have been a bastard child, but I still had cousins in high places. One allowed me access to their old records when I was studying the Warring States Era. I wanted to understand the world before Konoha."
Shikaku nodded, urging her to continue. In truth, he had forgotten about his mothers connection to the Senju's.
"I found a journal," Saeko said. "It belonged to Hina Senju, the daughter of the clan head at the time."
"The journal spoke of a man who saved her during a raid," Saeko continued. "A man with a strange, foreign name. Cad-something. I can't recall exactly."
She exhaled sharply. "She described him and his brothers as powerful, like gods among men. Healing the wounded, regrowing burned fields, protecting children caught in clan skirmishes."
Saeko shook her head. "She said he wielded the earth itself. That he could summon crops from ash. That he saved villages from famine. His gift sounded like the Mokuton. That he..." she trailed off, "that he loved her dearly."
Shikaku leaned forward, his pulse pounding.
"They spent much time together," Saeko murmured. "Eventually, he won the trust of the Senju head and married her. They were expecting a child."
The room was silent except for the faint rustle of the paper in Saeko's hands.
"And this symbol?" Shikaku pressed.
She nodded. "It was in her journal. Drawn next to his name."
A sudden thought jolted through Shikaku's mind.
Perhaps... Hari wasn't from any known clan because he wasn't from any village at all, just like Senji said.
Maybe he and his ancestors really came from across the sea.
Maybe Hari was the descendant of those brothers.
"Mother," he said slowly, "do you think...?"
Saeko's mouth tightened. "After reading that journal, I suspected. The child... lived... merging into the Senju bloodline."
Shikaku's thoughts whirred. "If his child survived... married into the Senju... it explains the Mokuton in Hashirama-sama."
"Hashirama was the only known Senju with the Mokuton," Saeko said quietly. "The ability may have been inherited from this mans clan, not the Senju bloodline itself."
Her eyes glittered with determination. "I have no proof. Only theory. But..." she hesitated, then met his gaze squarely. "As a Nara, I believe there is enough logic to warrant investigation."
Shikaku grinned fiercely.
For the first time in months, he had a real lead.
He stood, walking around the table, and leaned down to kiss his mother lightly on the forehead.
"Thank you," he said quietly.
Saeko swatted at him, though her eyes were suspiciously bright. "Don't get sappy. Just bring my grandson and his rescuer home."
"I will," Shikaku promised, heart lighter than it had been in months.
He would find Shikamaru.
No matter what it took.
~
Two weeks later he got an urgent letter from Ensui to make haste to the Fire Capital. Shikaku rushed from the village so fast that he missed another messenger carrying the same message.
~ Harry ~
Harry found himself hesitating outside Tsunade's door, hand raised to knock.
He wasn't usually this nervous.
It was one thing, telling your distant cousin you were family.
It was another thing entirely, explaining that her ancestors were basically — well — aliens by local standards.
He knocked softly, heart thudding against his ribs.
The door creaked open almost instantly, and Tsunade stood there, dressed casually in a sleeveless robe, looking far more awake and put together than he felt.
Harry blinked.
She looked revitalised, full of energy. But he knew better. He wondered if she looked like this naturally, he knew she was forty-four.
Was it a side effect of their shared bloodline?
Maybe she inherited some magical longevity after all.
Teddy shifted against his chest, yawning adorably, and Shikamaru stifled a sleepy groan behind him.
"Come in, kid," Tsunade said gruffly, stepping aside.
"Morning, Tsunade-sama," Shikamaru mumbled, bowing slightly before shuffling inside.
Harry smiled in amusement. Formalities, from Shikamaru?
He set the boys up at the low table in the centre of the room. Teddy immediately plopped himself down on a cushion, chewing idly on his dragon plush, while Shikamaru sat primly beside him, looking expectant.
Tsunade smirked at the sight. "Room service is coming up. Try not to let the rug rats chew on the furniture."
Harry chuckled, relaxing slightly. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.
As they waited, Shikamaru turned eagerly to Tsunade.
"Can you really punch mountains into dust?"
Tsunade raised an eyebrow, amused. "Depends on the mountain."
Shikamaru's eyes widened. "That's so cool! Can you teach me?"
Harry grinned at the boy's enthusiasm. He hadn't seen him this open with anyone outside their little family. Not an adult anyway.
Tsunade laughed. "We'll see, kid. You'd need to bulk up a bit first. No offense."
Shikamaru puffed out his cheeks in indignation, and Teddy giggled beside him.
Harry moved to sit across from Shizune, who had taken up a spot beside Tsunade.
He made polite conversation, curious about her relationship with Tsunade.
"You're her apprentice?" he asked.
Shizune nodded, looking pleased. "In the medical arts. I've been training under her since I was a teenager."
Harry's curiosity peaked. "How does your healing work? I've dabbled in healing magic and potions, but ninja healing looks... different."
Tsunade's gaze sharpened at that, her interest visibly spiking.
Shizune explained cautiously. "We manipulate chakra—energy—into precise, controlled flows. We can accelerate cell regeneration, seal wounds, even regrow some tissues if necessary."
"Fascinating," Harry murmured.
Before he could ask more, there was a sharp knock, and a young attendant delivered their breakfast trays. They dug in quickly — Teddy squealing with excitement at the sight of miso soup and rice.
Harry, meanwhile, stared dubiously at his chopsticks.
Over two months and he still hadn't mastered them.
He was about to pull a Teddy move and use his hands when Tsunade snorted.
"Pass them here, foreigner," she said, plucking the chopsticks from him with a grin.
Harry surrendered them with a sheepish look.
She tied an old hair tie around the top ends of the sticks, fashioning a crude hinge. She passed them back.
"Training wheels," Tsunade teased.
Harry flushed. "I'll get the hang of it one day."
Shikamaru, the little traitor, laughed and jumped in.
"He's hopeless! I tried teaching him, but he kept stabbing the food like it was an enemy!"
Shikamaru went wide-eyed a second later, realising he might've crossed a line.
"I mean—you're getting better! Really!" he backpedalled desperately.
Harry snorted and ruffled his hair. "Brat."
They fell into easy chatter as they ate. It was... nice. Normal, even.
But Harry knew they couldn't delay the heavier conversation for long.
He swallowed his last mouthful of rice, steeling himself.
"You asked yesterday," he said to Tsunade, meeting her gaze. "About the generations between us."
She nodded sharply.
Harry reached into his robes, pulling the glowing crystal necklace free.
He noticed Tsunade instinctively touch the one around her own neck, a pensive frown forming.
"You said there were only three crystals in this world," she said. "What happened to the third?"
Harry exhaled, preparing himself.
Best start from the beginning.
"You need to know about our Peverell heritage," he said.
Tsunade and Shizune leaned in, listening intently.
Harry spoke softly, weaving the story like an old bard recounting a legend.
"Their kingdom was under attack," he said. "Men coming to steal their seats, their power and secrets. Chaos everywhere. Their father... he knew they wouldn't survive. He and the three brothers were the last of their line."
Teddy and Shikamaru quieted, sensing the weight of the story.
"He crafted a ritual," Harry said. "One powered by sacrifice. The crystals," he lifted his own, "were meant to store power. Magic. Life force."
He swallowed. "Their father killed himself to power the ritual... and sent the brothers away."
A heavy silence followed.
Harry continued, voice steady. "They landed here. In the middle of the Warring States conflict. Lost. Broken."
Tsunade's knuckles whitened against the low table.
"And after Hina's death," Harry said quietly, "Cadmus was... unresponsive. Barely alive inside. Antioch and Ignotus tried recreating the ritual to go home."
He gave a hollow laugh. "It didn't work. They landed in another world instead."
Both women stared at him like he'd grown a second head.
"It wasn't just across the sea," Harry said gently. "They came from an entirely different world."
Shizune muttered something about 'aliens' and 'magic' under her breath, wide-eyed.
Tsunade shook her head slowly. "Impossible..."
Harry smiled, wry and understanding. "I thought the same."
He explained how Antioch gathered power — unwilling sacrifices, their deaths feeding the crystal to power another ritual.
He explained how one hundred years passed here... but nearly a thousand years had passed for them, across realities.
"And that," Harry said, "is why there are so many generations between us."
Tsunade sat back heavily, reeling.
Shizune whispered, "Another world... magic... time travel... aliens..."
Harry chuckled dryly.
Tsunade's sharp gaze pinned him suddenly. "You powered the crystal too, didn't you? To come here."
Harry's stomach twisted with guilt.
"Not the way Antioch did, not all of it at least," he said quietly.
He turned to Shikamaru, brushing his hair back fondly. "Maru, can you take Teddy to the window? Play with him for a bit?"
Shikamaru shook his head stubbornly, curling tighter into Harry's side. "I know this part. I want to stay."
Harry sighed, smoothing a hand down the boy's back.
"Alright," he murmured.
He looked up at Tsunade and Shizune.
"I had... a piece of a Dark Lord's soul inside of me. We were at war and it was my final chance," he said quietly.
Both women tensed, horrified.
"The only way to destroy it was to die," Harry said. "So... I did."
Tsunade's hands clenched into fists.
"I walked willingly into death," Harry said. "Carrying my friends' promise that they'd complete the ritual after."
He hesitated.
"I have a sister," he said softly. "Not by blood. By heart. Luna. She's a seer. Her gift was killing her—trapped by magical currents in our world. I had to get her somewhere safe. Somewhere with no ley lines. Here."
He gestured around.
"So I sacrificed myself," Harry finished. "And prayed that it would work to power the crystal."
Silence stretched between them.
Shizune broke it, voice thick. "But... how are you alive?"
Harry smiled faintly, pushing aside his robe to reveal the intricate lightning-scarred pattern across his torso.
"One of my dragons has power over lightning," he said. "In his grief... he restarted my heart."
He didn't mention Death. Or the Hallows.
Tsunade's eyes burned with unshed tears.
"And Luna? Your sister?" she rasped.
Harry's smile turned bitter.
He told them about his fame, his lordships—Potter, Black, Peverell, Slytherin.
He spoke of greedy men who wanted his power. Of Dumbledore. The old man who tried to steal his family's magic, his inheritance.
Shikamaru scowled. "The pervy old man who tried to marry my Maashah."
Harry snorted.
"Yes," he said dryly. "The pervy old man."
Shizune looked green when Shikamaru continued bashing the old man.
"Over a hundred years old?!" she squeaked.
"And you beat him?" Tsunade demanded.
Harry grinned. "Burned him to ash."
Shikamaru beamed. "With Nox's fire! Saved Prince Shinji too!"
Tsunade cackled, slapping the table. "Served him right!"
Shizune, still pale, asked timidly, "But... why didn't you go back for Luna?"
Harry's smile faltered.
He explained how Luna was blasted away from the ritual circle. How she wasn't touching him when the ritual finished. How... if he tried again, there was no guarantee they'd land in the same world.
"You can't, can you?" Tsunade said softly.
Harry nodded.
"I only managed to get here," he said, "because I linked our crystals. Tsunade's crystal acted as a homing beacon."
Tsunade cursed under her breath.
They sat in heavy silence.
Finally, Tsunade barked, "Shizune. Get the sake."
Shizune protested half-heartedly, but obeyed.
Tsunade poured them each a cup and raised hers.
"To survival," she said gruffly.
They clinked cups.
Harry tasted sake for the first time — warm, strong, a bit sweet.
"Not bad," he admitted, holding his cup out for another.
"You're definitely related," Shizune groaned, half-laughing.
"Be careful," she added, mock-serious to Shikamaru. "You'll turn into a drunkard like them."
Shikamaru giggled into Harry's robes.
Tsunade blinked suddenly, laughing.
"Wait... did your brat say you fell from the sky as a star?!"
Harry burst out laughing, clutching his sides. "A comet, actually. You probably saw it two months ago."
Tsunade just groaned, chugging sake straight from the bottle while Teddy clapped excitedly and Shikamaru giggled himself silly.
It felt... good.
Like maybe, just maybe, they were building a real family again.
And this time — Harry would fight like hell to protect it.
~
The days that followed felt both too fast and too slow.
Harry spent them learning more about Tsunade and Shizune, while they, in turn, learned about him and his boys. Conversations over meals, debates at sunset, quiet shared moments after the children were asleep.
It was... surprisingly easy, falling into something resembling family.
Still, there was a tension thrumming under it all. A goal that needed achieving. A boy that needed saving.
Tenzo.
Whatever name he went by — he was theirs to save.
"Where do you think he is?" Harry asked one evening, sprawled at the low table.
Tsunade frowned, twirling a cup of sake between her fingers. "Depends. If he's still alive — and I pray he is — he's hiding. Or being hidden."
Her jaw tightened visibly.
"I have a few suspicions," she admitted, voice rough.
Harry waited, patient.
Tsunade looked... betrayed. That kind of betrayal that sunk into your bones and twisted everything you thought you knew.
"There was a man. One of my teammates" she began, "Orochimaru. A genius. A prodigy. He contributed to the medical field in ways most people can't even comprehend. We owe some of our biggest advancements to his research."
She sneered bitterly. "Research built on corpses."
Harry blanched slightly. "You mean... dissections?"
Tsunade nodded grimly. "He started with cadavers. Unclaimed bodies. It was considered necessary, once. Before we had better ways to study the human body."
Harry nodded quietly. "It was the same in my world. Before the invention of machines and spells to map the body."
"But," Tsunade continued, her voice dropping lower, darker, "Orochimaru didn't stop there. He started experimenting on the living. On children."
Harry felt bile rise in his throat.
Children.
She didn't need to say anything more.
"He was caught over four years ago," Tsunade said quietly. "Driven out of the village. But... if Tenzo was created three years after Nawaki's death..." she closed her eyes briefly, the pain visible on her face, "then it's possible Orochimaru used his DNA. I don't want it to be true, I think Nawaki was the closest thing to love Orochimaru ever felt but…"
Harry sat back, cold settling in his chest.
She said there were rumours, too. Of a councilman — someone high-ranking — funding Orochimaru's research. Supplying him with children. She refused to name the traitor, saying it was safer if he didn't know.
"But we need to decide," Tsunade said grimly, "who to go after first."
Harry pulled his wand out casually, twirling it between his fingers before pointing it carefully.
"Point me: Orochimaru."
The wand tugged west.
Steady. Firm.
Harry grunted. "Not moving. At least, not yet."
Then, with another murmured spell, he asked for Tenzo.
The wand twisted east, pulling gently.
"They're not together," he said. "And remember — this only points in the right direction. It's more accurate the closer we get, but it doesn't tell us distance."
Tsunade leaned back, exhaling slowly.
"This is dangerous," she said. "I can't let you come. Especially not with the boys."
Harry raised an eyebrow.
"And I can't let you go alone," he said smoothly.
They stared each other down.
"You have two children to protect," she snapped.
"And you have a nephew to find," Harry countered calmly.
Tsunade growled. "You're reckless."
Harry shrugged. "You're stubborn."
They started bickering — low, fast, stubborn — each refusing to back down.
Shizune wandered in halfway through and paused, eyes bouncing between them like she was watching a particularly intense ping-pong match.
Finally, she burst into laughter, clutching her sides.
They both rounded on her immediately.
"WHAT?!" they barked in unison.
Shizune just waved her hand helplessly, still giggling. "Nothing, nothing! You two are ridiculous!"
Harry snorted and turned back to Tsunade.
Without warning, he flicked his hand and pointed it at her.
Tsunade stiffened instantly, feeling something settle on her.
"What did you do?" she demanded.
"Tracking charm," Harry said smugly. "Now, even if you run off, I'll find you."
Tsunade growled, lunging toward him in an attempt to get him into a headlock.
Harry dodged easily, grinning. "Nope. Sorry. I don't like doing it without consent, but keeping my family alive takes priority."
She scowled fiercely but finally threw her hands up in surrender.
"Fine!" she barked. "But just so you know, brat — I can punch mountains into dust!"
Harry smirked. "Don't worry. I can fix them."
They stared at each other for a second before both grinned — real, true grins — and Shizune started giggling again from where she slumped against the doorframe.
"Idiots," she muttered affectionately.
Later that night, with Teddy and Shikamaru deeply asleep curled together on their futon, and Shizune back in her own room, Harry sat sipping sake beside Tsunade by the window.
"Tell me about Konoha," Harry said quietly.
Tsunade was silent for a long moment.
Then she began, voice soft, bitter.
"It was home once. It was supposed to be a dream," she said. "A place where clans could work together. Protect the ones we love, protect the village. My grandfather called it the Will of Fire."
She scoffed quietly. "It just became another army. Child soldiers wearing headbands. Politics strangling lives. Missions handed out like candy to anyone old enough to hold a kunai. Loved ones killed, one after another."
Harry swallowed thickly.
He looked at Shikamaru, sleeping so peacefully.
Would he have been one of those? Cannon fodder for a war not his own?
Tsunade caught his gaze, following it.
"You lost family," she said quietly. "I can see it in your eyes."
Harry nodded, throat tight.
"You're afraid he'll be dragged into it too."
"Yes," Harry said simply.
Tsunade watched him for a long time.
"You're doing good," she said finally. "Better than most would."
Harry chuckled bitterly. "I still wonder," he murmured. "If he has family out there somewhere."
Tsunade tilted her head.
"You said his clan sold him?"
Harry nodded. "His mother sold him to Kumo. To missing-nin. For power or coin or gods know what. He was just a tool to them."
Tsunade's face hardened, furious.
"I thought the Nara were better than that," she said. "Maybe I was wrong."
Harry rubbed his hand through his hair. "He spoke fondly of his uncle. His grandmother. I wonder if they even know he's gone. I will never regret making him mine by blood, but sometimes I wonder if I did the right thing for him."
Tsunade leaned back, her face unreadable for a moment.
"Bad impulse control must run in the family," she finally muttered.
Harry laughed, rough but genuine.
She poured another round of sake and clinked her cup against his.
They drank in silence, staring out at the stars.
"You've only been here two months," Tsunade said, softer now. "You carry a mountain of grief, kid. But you're not alone anymore."
He smiled faintly. "No. I'm not."
Tsunade promised to ask her contacts about the Nara clan. To dig into the truth.
"If they really sold him," she said coldly, "I'll pulverize them myself."
Harry thanked her quietly.
~
They left the village at dawn the next day.
Tsunade looked sceptical as Harry unrolled the flying carpet with a dramatic flourish.
"You're joking," she said flatly.
Harry just grinned. "Step on."
Teddy, strapped to Harry's chest, squealed excitedly.
Shikamaru bounced on his heels, dragging Shizune forward.
"You'll love it!" he promised. "Flying's the best! It's even better with Nox but we gotta be sneaky."
Tsunade muttered darkly but clambered onto the carpet, Shizune clinging nervously behind her.
Harry smirked and rose smoothly into the air.
The screams that followed were music to his ears.
"PUT US DOWN!" Tsunade bellowed, clutching Shizune with white knuckles.
Harry and Shikamaru giggled uncontrollably.
"Nope," Harry said cheerfully. "Safety wards are up. You can't fall."
To demonstrate, Shikamaru walked casually to the very edge of the carpet, leaned forward—and bounced harmlessly back against invisible wards.
Tsunade swore colourfully.
Harry just grinned and levelled them out, soaring smoothly over the landscape.
It took about half an hour for the two women to stop clinging to each other like drowning cats.
When they finally relaxed enough to look around, awe replaced fear.
The world stretched endlessly below them — rivers winding like silver snakes, forests like green oceans, tiny villages like children's toys scattered across a painted landscape.
Harry urged the carpet higher, soaring through thick clouds.
Teddy laughed happily as his fingers ran through the mist.
Shikamaru watched, solemn and proud.
"Maashah says," Shikamaru said seriously, "that to fly is to be free."
Tsunade and Shizune both turned to look at him, smiles tugging at their faces despite themselves, looking at this little boy trying to be so serious.
Harry watched it all, heart full to bursting.
~
The morning mist over the Rain Country curled in ghostly tendrils across the dark ground as Harry floated their carpet lower, guiding it carefully toward the border.
His wand — floating just in front of him— tugged insistently toward the hidden city below, the way a compass pulled toward true north.
Harry cast a glance toward Tsunade, who stood braced at the edge of the carpet, arms crossed, her golden hair snapping in the cold wind.
She caught his look and scowled. "Down there?"
Harry nodded. "It turned the moment we passed the border. He's definitely below us."
Tsunade sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Figures. I wonder if he's working for the Hidden Rain."
Harry adjusted the carpet slightly, bringing them to a smoother glide. "You said it's not really his style to take orders."
Tsunade grunted. "It's not. But if the Rain offered him sanctuary in exchange for services… he might have taken it. Especially if it let him keep experimenting."
Harry frowned. "Sounds charming."
She snorted. "You've no idea."
They flew on in silence for a few minutes, approaching the village hidden deep in the wet valley below.
He turned to Tsunade and Shizune. "We're close enough. Time to send the boys off."
Shikamaru immediately pouted, crossing his arms. "I want to stay. Who else will protect you?"
Harry laughed, ruffling the boy's hair. "I'll be fine, love."
He knelt, speaking seriously. "It might not come to a fight, but if it does, I need to know you and Teddy are safe. Okay?"
Shikamaru scowled but finally nodded.
Harry smiled and kissed his forehead. "Besides, don't you want to beat Barty at chess again?"
The boy's mouth twitched into a reluctant smile. "...I do kinda miss Nox and the others."
Harry nodded. "Just leave Nox alone if she's feeling cranky. She's about ready to lay her egg."
Shikamaru's face lit up. "She said the egg is mine though."
Harry smiled warmly. "It is. And you'll be a great companion to it."
He straightened up and turned to Tsunade and Shizune.
"I'm going to call one of my staff to pick them up. Don't be alarmed."
Tsunade gave a short nod, though her brow furrowed in curiosity.
"Tilly."
With a sharp crack of displaced air, a tiny figure appeared, startling Tsunade and Shizune at her appearance, their eyes bugging out.
"Master Harry!" Tilly squealed, flinging herself forward.
Harry caught her easily, laughing.
"Tilly's been worrying! Three days without seeing young masters! Too long! Too long!"
Harry gently set her down, chuckling. "I've been visiting by apparition, Tilly. You know I can't take the boys with me when I do."
Tilly sniffled dramatically but nodded. "Master is busy keeping babies safe. Tilly understands."
He smiled and turned to the others. "Tilly, this is my cousin Tsunade, and her apprentice Shizune."
Tilly gasped, tears springing to her eyes. She bowed low.
"Master Iggy would be so pleased Master found family!"
Harry patted her head fondly. "I think he would too."
He turned serious then, crouching to meet her eyes.
"We might be going into a battle," he said quietly. "I need you to take the boys to the Keep."
Tilly's face firmed up with surprising strength.
"Tilly knows what to do," she said solemnly.
Harry knew she understood all the plans, all the contingencies they had discussed. If something happened to him, she would protect the boys with her life.
He kissed Teddy's forehead first.
"Mother loves you," he whispered in Parseltongue.
Teddy giggled and tried to grab his nose.
Harry chuckled and handed him gently to Tilly, who started cooing over him instantly.
Then Harry knelt in front of Shikamaru.
He framed the boy's face in his hands and kissed his forehead too.
"Mother loves you too," he hissed in Parseltongue.
Shikamaru's eyes shone — but he hissed it right back with a proud little smile before throwing his arms around Harry.
Harry held him tightly.
"Look after Teddy," he whispered. "And cause some trouble for Barty. I think he needs it."
Shikamaru snickered against his robes. "Yes, Maashah."
They lingered a moment longer before Harry reluctantly stepped back.
Tilly nodded, then popped them away with another sharp crack of air.
Tsunade exhaled slowly beside him. "You two were... hissing at each other."
Harry flushed slightly. "Ah. Yeah. Parseltongue. It's the language of serpents."
She raised an eyebrow. "You can talk to snakes?"
Harry grinned sheepishly. "And dragons."
Tsunade looked delighted. "Can you control them?"
Harry shrugged. "They tend to listen. Not sure if it's control exactly."
Her grin sharpened. "Orochimaru uses snakes. Summons them to fight. Might come in handy."
Harry snorted. "If it comes to it."
They shared a smirk.
Then Harry sobered. "Regardless of what he's done — we're not here to fight him. We're here for answers."
Tsunade nodded grudgingly. "I know. But if it comes to blows..."
Harry smiled thinly. "Good thing none of us are alone then."
Tsunade and Shizune both grinned grimly back.
It didn't take long to reach the outer perimeter of Amegakure.
Rain misted from the sky in slow, endless sheets, soaking the craggy land around the city.
Harry's wand floated again in front of him — pointing unwaveringly toward the village.
He dropped the carpet lower, finally grounding it a safe distance away from the outer walls.
He tucked his wand away, feeling the weight of the holster settle against his side.
"We shouldn't go into the village," Harry said.
Tsunade grunted. "Agreed. Too many civilians. Too much chance of things getting... messy."
Harry nodded. "We'll ask the gate guards to summon Orochimaru out. Curiosity should do the trick."
Tsunade laughed grimly. "He always was a nosy bastard."
They approached the gates slowly.
Two guards stood at attention, stiffening when they spotted the trio.
Harry could see the instant they recognised Tsunade. Tension crackled in the air.
He raised his hands slowly, palms out. A universal gesture of peace.
"We come in peace," Harry said clearly. "We're not here to enter the village. We simply request an audience with one of your guests."
The older guard sneered, stepping forward. "Last time the slug princess was here, the only thing she brought was bloodshed."
Tsunade rolled her eyes. "I seem to recall helping defeat Hanzo the last time I was here, actually."
The guards shifted uneasily.
Harry could feel it — the rising hostility.
He stepped in smoothly.
"We know Orochimaru is here," he said. "We're not here for your village. We're not here for politics. We're not here on behalf of any nation."
His voice was calm but firm.
"We simply need to ask him a question. That's all."
He offered a small smile.
"If you could bring him to the gates, and tell him that Tsunade Senju is waiting... we'd be happy to wait."
There was a long, tense pause.
Harry felt it — subtle flickers of chakra signatures arriving behind the gate.
Reinforcements.
He didn't move, simply standing there patiently.
Finally, the younger guard nodded reluctantly.
"I'll inform him," he said gruffly. "But it's your funeral if he shows."
Harry inclined his head politely.
"Thank you."
As the guard disappeared back into the village, Harry turned slightly to Tsunade and Shizune.
"Showtime," he murmured.
The rain misted steadily around them, dampening their clothes and soaking into the cracked earth as Harry extended his magic outward — a pulse, invisible and searching.
Nine signatures now.
He shifted slightly closer to Tsunade and Shizune, keeping his voice low. "Nine around us," he whispered.
Both women stiffened slightly, understanding without needing to speak. This wasn't a friendly welcoming committee.
Harry kept his hands free, ready —magic brimming just beneath the surface of his skin.
And then —
He felt it.
A large, slithering presence rushing toward them. Sharp and wrong.
Two more chakra signatures followed close behind it, equally heavy, but different. One flickered like a heartbeat — mechanical, cold — the other was slow, and threaded?
Harry saw Tsunade tense beside him, her fists clenching. Shizune pressed closer to her mentor, hands flexing at her sides.
The gates creaked open, metal grinding against metal, and the first figure appeared.
A man — tall and slim, his skin pale as bleached parchment, his face sharply angular. Black hair framed a face too beautiful and too alien to be called handsome. His golden, slit-pupil eyes gleamed under the dripping rain.
This must be Orochimaru.
He smiled — a slow, curve of lips — and when he spoke, his voice slithered through the air with a faint hiss behind each word.
"Well, well. This is the last thing I expected." His eyes flickered between them, lingering on Tsunade. "How is it, dear Tsunade, that you found me when even Konoha's hunters could not?"
Tsunade's fists clenched tighter. Harry could see her trembling with the force of her anger.
She snapped, "I'm not here for the village."
Orochimaru's smile widened. "Now that is a surprise. And why, exactly, would you seek me out… me, the teammate you denounced so suddenly?"
"You know exactly why!" Tsunade snarled, taking a step forward. "Or were the hundreds of children you butchered not enough of a reason?"
Harry could feel her chakra rising like a storm cloud. He reached out, placing a steadying hand on her forearm. Her gaze flicked down to him, breath hitching, but she didn't pull away.
Orochimaru noticed.
He tilted his head, curiosity gleaming.
"I recognise Shizune, of course," he said languidly, "but who might this be?"
Harry kept his expression polite. There was no need to escalate — not yet.
He inclined his head slightly. "A distant relative, really. Tsunade and I recently discovered we share a family member."
He smiled thinly. "We also share a concern. You might know him — a boy, about seventeen, goes by the name Tenzo."
For the first time, Orochimaru's expression shifted.
Recognition — sharp and immediate — flashed in those golden eyes before the snake-like guard slammed down.
"I do not know why you think I would have knowledge of such a boy," Orochimaru said smoothly. Too smoothly.
Tsunade's fists trembled at her sides. Her voice was raw when she spoke.
"You know why I'm here. You know exactly why." Her voice cracked like a whip. "Nawaki — my brother — is this boy's father. I want to know if you were the one who violated his body. If you created his son."
For a moment — just a moment — Orochimaru looked... genuinely offended.
Of all the reactions Harry had expected, that hadn't been one of them.
Orochimaru's mouth twisted into something like a grimace. He hissed softly.
"Of all the things you have accused me of, Tsunade... I never thought you would —" He cut himself off sharply.
Harry stepped in, voice calm but firm. "We're not accusing you. We're asking you. If you had no part in it... say so. But if you evercared for Nawaki, even a little, then help us save his son."
There was a pause.
Then Orochimaru laughed — low and chilling.
"You are clever," he said, almost approvingly. "Very clever."
He rocked back on his heels, arms folding languidly across his chest.
"Yes... I know of Tenzo. I did not know he was Nawaki's though…"
Tsunade's whole body locked up, trembling.
Orochimaru continued. "In my final experiments, before I left Konoha... I was given samples. Cells from the First himself, Hashirama Senju."
Harry felt rage coil through him at those words. Cadmus' line — reduced to experiments.
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed. "The council wanted a weapon. They tasked me to replicate the Mokuton. They provided me with many children. Unnamed, unwanted. I did not know where most of them came from."
Tsunade's face had gone white.
"Only one survived the experiments," Orochimaru said softly. "A boy who later took the name Tenzo."
Harry felt his hands curl into fists. His magic surged under his skin, crackling at the edges of his control.
"So he survived," Harry said tightly. "And Konoha... kept him?"
Orochimaru smiled thinly. "Indeed. They took the boy into their program. Into ANBU, if the rumours are true. His abilities... proved quite fruitful."
Tsunade's voice was shaking when she spoke.
"Are you saying... they dug up my grandfather's body? Violated Nawaki's body? All to recreate the Mokuton?"
Orochimaru's smile sharpened.
"Yes."
A heartbeat of silence.
Then — Tsunade screamed in rage, chakra exploding around her like a wildfire. The earth cracked under her feet.
Harry grabbed her wrist quickly, grounding her with his magic, pushing calming warmth through her.
Orochimaru sighed, almost wistfully. "A shame, really. You had to find out this way."
His expression sharpened.
"And unfortunately... I cannot let you leave."
Harry's head snapped up.
Two more figures stepped out of the mist behind Orochimaru.
The first was tall and hulking, body stitched together with thick black thread like a grotesque patchwork quilt. His green eyes gleamed with the light of greed, and several strange masks lined his body.
The second was smaller — a red-haired man with sharp, cruel eyes.
Harry immediately recognised them for what they were — killers.
"Allow me to introduce some acquaintances," Orochimaru purred. "Kakuzu... and Sasori of the Red Sand."
Kakuzu grunted, folding his arms.
Sasori just smiled thinly.
Tsunade and Shizune shifted instinctively into a battle stance.
Harry's eyes narrowed.
They were outnumbered — badly. But not outmatched.
Not yet.
He took a slow, steady breath, feeling the magic hum in his veins, swirling under his skin.
He smiled coldly.
"Tell me, Orochimaru," he said softly, "are you sure you want to start this fight?"
Orochimaru tilted his head, amused.
"I think... yes."
The rain picked up — heavy sheets pouring down around them.
Harry flexed his fingers once, feeling the air crackle.
Beside him, Tsunade cracked her knuckles, a dangerous grin spreading across her face.
Shizune's hands glowed faint green with healing chakra — and poison, Harry suspected.
The air between the two groups tightened — a taut, thrumming wire, ready to snap.
And Harry smiled.
Because win or lose — Orochimaru had just made a very big mistake.
The first strike was Harry's.
The rain hung suspended in midair at the barest twitch of his fingers. Droplets, countless thousands of them, caught like frozen stars above their heads, refracting light into a dim, glassy glow.
Everyone froze.
Even Orochimaru's golden, reptilian eyes widened ever so slightly.
Harry smiled, slow and sharp. Then he thrust his hands forward, and the suspended raindrops instantly sharpened into needle-fine shards of ice, slicing forward in a wave of death.
The Ame-nin barely had time to react. Five of them were caught unprepared, dropping with gurgling cries as the ice lanced through their bodies. The others threw up desperate defences — water walls, spinning wind — anything to stop the deadly barrage.
But it was too late for most.
Harry didn't pause to admire the damage. He moved.
The battle erupted in full.
Three against seven.
It would have been suicide for anyone else.
Harry caught a glimpse of Tsunade clashing with Orochimaru, their speed almost a blur to his eyes. He could barely keep track — fists and strikes faster than lightning. Shizune darted through the chaos, deftly deflecting two opponents at once, her movements crisp and economical. Though he noticed Orochimaru's friends staying on the sidelines, just assessing.
Harry himself was surrounded.
Good. It's been too long since he was able to unleash his magic.
He reached out with his magic, grabbing the air around one of the Ame-nin. The unfortunate man was yanked off his feet, hurtling toward Harry. Without hesitation, Harry twisted, catching him midair with a slash of his dagger. One clean, fluid motion — the blade slicing across the man's throat in a bright, arterial spray.
Harry dropped the body without a thought, already spinning to evade another attack.
Another Ame-nin weaved through hand signs — fast. Too fast for Harry to intervene.
A massive water dragon erupted from the ground, roaring toward him.
Harry almost laughed.
He lifted a hand, fingers curling. The water shuddered, then froze mid-lunge. He seized control easily, overriding the man's chakra with his raw elemental magic. The dragon twisted in the air, then slammed back into its caster, encasing the man in a block of ice. A casual kick from Harry sent a chunk of stone into the frozen man's chest, shattering it like glass.
He ducked a swipe from another opponent — one of Shizune's — and retaliated with a blast of compressed wind, sending the attacker tumbling backward.
Earth cracked beneath his feet.
Harry stomped, sending a pillar of rock erupting upward, dragging the final opponent into the air before slamming him unceremoniously into the dirt.
Only Tsunade and Orochimaru remained, their battle fierce and brutal. Harry watched — and saw Tsunade take a blow.
He didn't hesitate.
With a soft pop of displaced air, he apparated directly between them, thrusting both hands out. A blast of wind caught Orochimaru mid-lunge, sending the snake-summoner flying backward, smashing into the village wall with bone-crunching force.
"You alright?" Harry murmured, steadying Tsunade with a hand at her elbow.
"Fine," she grunted, cracking her knuckles. "Just a love tap."
Harry snorted.
A flick of his wrist — Bombarda! He thought.
An explosion ripped the wall where Orochimaru lay crumpled. Smoke and rubble filled the air.
A sharp prickling at the back of his neck —
He solidified the air behind him just in time. A sword clashed against the invisible shield, vibrating with force.
Harry spun low, ducking under another strike, just in time to see Orochimaru smirking down at him, a thin cut across his face.
"You're good," Orochimaru said, his voice a sibilant whisper. "No one's surprised me like that in years."
He lifted his arms, sleeves falling back to reveal snakes — dozens of them — slithering out toward Harry.
Harry hissed instinctively — a low, commanding sound.
"Stop!"
The snakes paused.
Then, astonishingly, they turned their heads and spoke.
"Honourable Speaker," they hissed in human tongue, bowing their heads.
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed.
The snakes turned, glaring at Orochimaru. "We will not fight a speaker. How dare you summon us for this!" they declared.
Then, with a burst of smoke, they vanished.
He would have found the dumbfounded look on the other mans face amusing if they weren't fighting to the death.
Orochimaru's interest sharpened into something dangerous. His forked tongue flicked out, tasting the air.
"Fascinating," he murmured. "Tell me, boy… what is your name?"
Harry smirked, ducking into a loose fighting stance. "That would be telling."
Orochimaru's grin widened.
The snake-summoner lashed out, impossibly fast. Harry countered with a shield of air, twisting sideways and retaliating with a jet of flame from his palm.
Orochimaru danced backward, summoning a wall of earth to absorb the blast.
Harry pressed forward.
He ducked low, dragging a wave of stones from the ground and hurling them like cannonballs. Orochimaru blurred out of their path, striking back with a venomous mist from his mouth.
Harry summoned a cyclone of air, spinning the mist harmlessly away.
Every movement was fluid, instinctual — his magic bending to his will without a word spoken.
Lightning crackled at Harry's fingertips. He whipped it forward like a lash, aiming for Orochimaru's heart. The snake-man leapt upward, twisting midair, firing a barrage of kunai downward.
Harry caught the steel mid-flight with a wave of his hand, redirecting the kunai toward the wall behind him.
Their battle moved across the clearing, a blur of elemental fury and deadly strikes.
Tsunade and Shizune were battling Kakuzu and Sasori now, steel clashing against strange puppetry and monstrous stitched-together bodies.
But Harry focused only on Orochimaru.
The rain, still suspended in parts of the sky, began to swirl around them, gathering into long, twisting serpents of water at Harry's command.
He snapped his hand.
The serpents struck, hammering toward Orochimaru.
The snake-man dodged the first, parried the second with a chakra-infused blade — but the third caught him across the ribs, slicing his shirt open and drawing blood.
Orochimaru hissed, baring his fangs.
"You truly are special," he whispered. "No hand signs, control over the elements. Yes, I must have you."
Harry snorted. "Get in line."
Orochimaru lunged, extending his neck grotesquely like a true serpent. Harry responded by stomping down — the ground erupted in spikes, forcing Orochimaru to retract and dodge.
Fire, water, earth, and wind blurred into a storm around them. He surprised the man by summoning him, taking advantage of it.
Harry darted in, palms crackling with raw magic. He slammed a pulse of force against Orochimaru's chest, sending him crashing backward.
Orochimaru coughed, wiping blood from his mouth, eyes shining with obsession.
"Tell me your name! Which clan do you belong to!"
"I don't think I will," Harry teased, spinning into a low sweep that cracked the earth beneath Orochimaru's feet.
The snake-man staggered, hissing, but recovered quickly.
They clashed again.
At some point, Tsunade roared in fury behind him — Harry felt the earth shudder as she smashed Kakuzu into the ground.
Sasori tried to flank Harry but was driven back by Shizune's well-placed poison bombs.
Good. They had breathing room.
Harry moved faster now, letting his magic truly cut loose.
The ground liquified under Orochimaru's feet, becoming mud, trapping his ankles. Harry thrust forward — an arrow of compressed air piercing through the sludge, aimed straight at the Sannin's chest.
Orochimaru twisted, avoiding it.
Harry approached, magic crackling at his fingertips.
"Final chance," Harry said softly. "Tell us everything you know about Tenzo."
Orochimaru smiled, bloody and vicious.
"Go… find Tsunade's little nephew," he rasped. "You'll wish you hadn't."
Before Harry could strike, Orochimaru's body rippled — and melted into mud.
Harry cursed, spinning to locate him—
But Orochimaru was gone, vanished into the rain-soaked village.
Harry stood in the silence that followed, chest heaving, feeling the pulsing hum of magic still vibrating under his skin.
Tsunade came up beside him, nursing a bloodied knuckle. "He's slippery, that bastard. He was taking it easy on us."
Harry smiled grimly, watching the horizon.
"Yeah."
He flexed his hands, the rain slowly beginning to fall again in gentle, natural drops.
Why did Orochimaru hold back, he had plenty of openings. Why does he feel like the man was testing him…