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  "Tsk, Lord Hiruzen, your Adamaaff isn't fast enough, nor ruthless enough~"

  "Ugh, cough-"

  Hiruzen Sarutobi clutched his abdomen, blood seeping from the er of his mouth, kneeling on one knee.

  The Triple Barrier Seal faded as the shadow es disappeared.

  Yes, he had softened.

  Having been Hokage for half his life, believing in the Will of Fire all his life, yet at the moment when he most o uphold it, he softeoward his unworthy disciple.

  Orochimaru... would never be his match.

  Hiruzen was certain. Even though he hadn't summoned Enma to avoid making too muoise and had split into three shadow es to use the Triple Barrier Seal, he still had the upper hand.

  He could have drowned Orochimaru with a bo of Five Nature Transformations.

  But at the moment he was about to strike, Hiruzen recalled the past with the three Sannin...

  Back then, they were all young and inexperienced, and he was just a pervy old man.

  Orochimaru was his most proud disciple, the one mnized and reliable in the eyes of others.

  Now, Jiraiya and Tsunade were gone, and Asuma was an unpromising kid, always harb rebellious thoughts. Only Orochimaru occasionally kept him pany over tea and versation...

  Not a son, but closer than a son.

  Humans are not devoid of emotion; choosiween the Will of Fire, a lifetime of reputation, and this teacher-student bond was too cruel.

  At the moment when he should have delivered the fatal blow, Orochimaru terattacked.

  With a bo, he injured his teacher, knog him to the ground.

  He also didn't tio kill; firstly, he wasn't certain of success, and sedly, the boween teacher and student was mutual.

  Turning his back to Hiruzen, Orochimaru coldly said:

  "Lord Hiruzen, I will prove that I am right."

  "The Will of Fire is meaningless; only immortality is the path a ninja should pursue."

  "When I return, I will show you the power of the forbidden in Konoha."

  Leaving these harsh words, Orochimaru leaned forward, arms back, and dashed away in a ninja run.

  "Cough-Orochimaru, e back!"

  Hiruzen watched as Orochimaru became a small bck dot at the edge of his vision, eyes filled with reluce.

  Konoha... the Will of Fire... what had it doo him? That he would defect from Konoha at any cost.

  Fighting him withiriple Barrier might not have led to death; perhaps he would have just lost his ninja abilities.

  But exposed outside the barrier... he would surely die.

  "Orochimaru... won't survive."

  Hiruzen closed his eyes in despair and pain.

  He truly wao kill Orochimaru, but he also genuinely wished to spare him. With his influence, he could have pleaded with Minato to have Orochimaru spend the rest of his life in prison.

  But Orochimaru escaped.

  Even knowing the dangers ahead, he still fled.

  Knowing Minato as he did, the child was passiorue paragon of Konoha's benevole when necessary, he wouldn't hesitate.

  He didn't know what arras Minato had made outside.

  Now, Orochimaru would die, and his Will of Fire would colpse.

  Hiruzen leaned against the wall.

  ....

  The wind howled past his ears; Orochimaru didn't dare pause for a moment.

  His pn to defect from Konoha had to be moved up because of Gojo Kaigetsu.

  Hiruzen was just the first hurdle, and a retively easy ohe harder challenges awaited him as he tried to escape Konoha.

  Within the main vilge area, the Police Force led by Fugaku Uchiha and the Anbu under Minato Namikaze were responsible for patrols and lockdowns. Beyond the maihere were three yers of security c the entire Konoha Forest.

  Defeg... was much harder than esg after leaving the vilge.

  That's why Orochimaru was so eager to bee the ander of the strike force; trying to break through the vilge's defense lines from within was too difficult.

  Iire Konoha, perhaps only Minato could escape under such defenses.

  This Konoha was not the ter weakened version with Kakashi as the main defender and Danzo as an internal mole.

  A gloomy look fshed in Orochimaru's eyes.

  He'd done all he could; there was n baow.

  Faster, he had to be faster.

  The Fourth Hokage wao give Lord Hiruzen some dignity; Hiruzen wao give him dignity. It was this dignity that bought him time to escape.

  If he could take advantage of the gap before Minato and Fugaku reacted and reach the Konoha Forest...

  Could he escape?

  Perhaps Fugaku Uchiha, standing on a distant utility pole, had the most to say about that.

  In his cold bck eyes, three tomoe sloeared.

  His icy gaze locked onto Orochimaru, who was breaking out toward the vilge outskirts, ready to act at any moment.

  Whoosh-

  A fsh of yellow suddenly appeared on the rooftop beside him.

  "Fourth Hokage..."

  "Lord Fugaku..."

  "It seems we share the same goal tonight."

  "As the head of Konoha's Police Force, I failed to detect Orochimaru's secret human experiments. Even though Root was c for him, it's still my negligence."

  "I won't let him leave Konoha."

  Minato shook his head: "Don't bme yourself, Lord Fugaku. It's also my failure as Hokage."

  "But arresting Orochimaru is sensitive; we shouldn't expose it publicly. I've already cleared all the ninjas along his escape route up to the seventh checkpoint. Let's set up an ambush there to deal with Orochimaru."

  "We'll split up, depending ouation, to kill Orochimaru on the spot or incapacitate him and bring him back to the Hokage Building for trial."

  "Uood!"

  "I'll go ahead."

  As the words fell, both figures vanished.

  ....

  "Ah, Konoha, I've finally returned... This time, I'll recim everything that's mine!"

  "But Lady Tsunade, you haven't really lost anything."

  "Dummy, I'm just excited and saying a few words. 't I?"

  Uhe moonlight, Tsunade and her apprentice Shizune hurried back to Konoha.

  Gazing at the familiar yet unfamiliar vilge silhouette in the distaaking deep breaths of the fresh air from Konoha's forest, Tsunade's expression was plex.

  Konoha carried so many of her emotions.

  Family, friendship, teacher-student bonds... love.

  She had avoided it for so long, but now she was finally returning.

  "Lady Tsunade, are you sure it's okay to leave that dangerous ninja to the escorts?"

  "I've temporarily sealed his chakra; he won't wake up for a while. What's the problem?"

  "Oh, alright then."

  Driven by an indescribable emotion, Tsunade hurried toward the vilge without pause.

  As for the unscious Kisame Hoshigaki, beaten into submission and separated from his sword, he was handed over to the Fire try's escen Tanzaku Town. This substantial gift would arrive in Konoha a bit ter.

  The night was silent.

  A cold wind suddenly blew; Shizune unsciously rubbed her arms.

  "Lady Tsunade, don't you feel... it's too quiet here?"

  "Quiet..."

  Hearing this, the carefree Tsunade surveyed the surroundings.

  Now that she mentio, it did seem a bit too quiet.

  The Konoha Forest art of Konoha's security area; even at midnight, there should be patrol ninjas.

  But the two of them had been walking for quite some time without sensing any patrols.

  This was highly unusual.

  Though Tsunade had been in Tanzaku Town, she had beely keeping an eye on Konoha's developments.

  Konoha was currently in a state of "peaceful stability," with rapid eic growth and vilgers enjoying diverse eai. Even so, ing security was out of the question.

  Moreover, after Gojo Kaigetsu's assassination attempt, security should have been tightened.

  Given this...

  Tsunade could only think of two possibilities.

  Either something happened in the vilge, urgently recalling security forces, or someoentionally withdrew the patrols.

  Either way, tonight's Konoha was destio be restless.

  "Looks like Gojo Kaigetsu caught a big fish."

  "Eh? Lady Tsunade, what are you talking about?"

  Shizune looked puzzled. One moment they were discussing the forest being too quiet, and the , Tsunade mentioned Advisojo.

  Lady Tsunade, really, 't go three sentences without mentioning him.

  "Let's go, Shizune."

  Tsunade half-jokingly said: "I have a feeling that on this road to Konoha, no matter who we meet ... that person will be Gojo Kaigetsu's fish."

  "Or rather, the 'main character' of tonight's ges in Konoha."

  "Whoever we meet on this road, I'll stop them."

  "Uh... wouldn't that be inappropriate?"

  Shizuated, wanting to remind Tsuhat if they stopped Konoha officials, it could be troublesome. Konoha was a w-abiding vilge, and as the Princess of Konoha, Tsunade should set an example.

  "What's wrong with that?" Tsunade feigned fusion. "Konoha is my home; who tell me what to do?"

  "If there's no issue, we ask Minato to pensate us ter. I'm doing this out of goodwill."

  "...You're right."

  Crude words but reasonable logic.

  Shizuhought carefully and realized that Konoha Vilge was isunade's home.

  Her grandfather was the First Hokage; her granduncle was the Sed Hokage. The Third Hokage was her granduncle's disciple; the Fourth Hokage was her granduncle's grand-disciple. Gojo Kaigetsu, with whom she had an ambiguous retionship, was a key reformer in today's Konoha...

  Tsunade had fully embraced the idea of this being her family's realm.

  With this e, even Shizune could proudly hold her head high.

  Carrying their luggage, Shizune followed behind the carefree Tsunade, her eyes expetly looking toward the end of the forest path.

  'This is so exg!'

  'Will someone really appear at the end of the road?'

  Shizu an indescribable excitement, perhaps the unique sense of advehat es from children her age who haven't yet withe harshness of the ninja world.

  But Tsunade, walking ahead with her face obscured, was no longer as nont as she appeared in front of Shizune.

  She thought of ohing-

  Gojo Kaigetsu faked his death to fish out traitors. In Konoha, how many could he fish for?

  At this critical moment, who would take the bait? Who was qualified? Perhaps the one caught would be an old acquaintance of hers.

  "Shizune, pick up the pace."

  With this thought, Tsunade couldn't help but qui her steps.

  As if guided by fate, a familiar figure appeared at the edge of Tsunade's vision.

  Whoosh whoosh whoosh-

  A figure swiftly darted among the tree trunks. Even though he had reached the edge of Konoha's security zone, Orochimaru showed no joy on his face.

  Quiet!

  It was too quiet! Unusually quiet! Not the kind of defense Konoha should have.

  If the silence of the Konoha Forest wasn't due to genjutsu, Orochimaru could only think of one possibility...

  The patrol ninjas in the security zone had been deliberately withdrawn.

  Was it Root's doing? No... Though Root had infiltrated the security forces, it was impossible for them to orchestrate rge-scale personnel movements, especially after Gojo Kaigetsu's assassination attempt.

  Moreover, the Fourth Hokage had used this opportunity to recim military and over the security forces, achieving true "shadow authority extending to the grassroots." Danzo couldn't interfere.

  So... the answer was obvious.

  Having experienced several ninja wars, Orochimaru was all too familiar with such "ambushes."

  Step by step, giving the enemy hope of escape, only to deliver a fatal blow when they let their guard down, just steps away from freedom!

  So... the path ahead that seemed like a way out was actually his path to death?

  "Most likely, Minato is already waiting for me ahead using the Flying Thunder God."

  Even at his peak, he might not be Minato's match, let alone now when he was injured.

  If they met, he'd be forced into a desperate situation, splitting his body into so escape, leaving his fate to ce.

  When it es to survival, Orochimaru is a professional.

  He could, in a self-destructive manner, split his body into over ten snakes.

  This was one of his trump cards, his stro survival method.

  Even if the snake bodies were destroyed, as long as one escaped, he could slowly recover using his perfected seiques.

  But... Minato had the ninja world's most outstanding reflexes.

  His snake es might not deceive Minato.

  Orochimaru's heart sank.

  Finally, two figures appeared at the edge of his vision.

  But they weren't Minato, whom he feared; they were-

  "Tsunade?"

  "Why is she back?"

  Tsunade's sudden appearaartled Orochimaru, causing his escape to falter.

  "Orochimaru? Why is it you?"

  "After not seeing you for a while, how did you end up like this?"

  Indeed, Orochimaru's current appearance could be described as miserable. His ninja attire was torn, and his pale face was stained with blood of unknown in.

  pared to Tsuriumphaurn, he didn't look like one of the Sannin but more like a refugee.

  Seeing that it was Orochimaru, Tsunade's heart sank.

  Her worst fear had e true...

  Gojo Kaigetsu didn't catch a fish; instead, he caught a snake, a ssunade sidered a close friend.

  Shizuiced that Tsunade's fist, resting on her waist, ched tightly, revealing that her mood was not as casual as her words.

  "Out so te, where are you headed?" Tsunade asked nontly.

  "Hehe, Tsu's been a while indeed." Even while esg, Orochimaru had to slow down and, with a stiff smile, expined, "I'm on a secret mission. I'll catch up with you o's pleted."

  "Gotta go."

  In Orochimaru's impression, Tsunade was a straightforward woman without much scheming. A casual excuse might allow him to pass by without issue.

  If he tried to flee without expnation, it might arouse Tsunade's suspi, adding obstacles to his escape.

  Tsunade was a taijutsu specialist; at this cle, he couldn't escape.

  But...

  Tsunade raised her hand, blog his path at waist level.

  Her face was serious:

  "Wheered the Konoha Forest, I said that no matter who we met , I would stop them and bring them back to the vilge."

  "So, Orochimaru, put your mission aside for now and e back to the vilge with me."

  "???"

  Wait, what's this foolish woman talking about?

  "Hehe, Tsunade, don't joke around." Orochimaru shook his head. "You used to be a Konoha ninja. You know the vilge's rules. How I stop a mission just because you say so? Don't be willful. I really have a mission."

  Growing anxious, Orochimaru said this and tried to bypass Tsuo tinue his escape.

  But what happened caught him off guard-a powerful punch aimed straight at his abdomen.

  Unprepared, Orochimaru took Tsunade's monstrous punch head-on.

  His body flew backward, crashing heavily into a nearby tree. The thick trunk shook, leaves scattering.

  "Ugh-"

  Orochimaru spat out blood, clutg his wound, gring at Tsunade in shod anger.

  Tsunade's head was slightly lowered, half her face hidden in shadow, making her expression unreadable.

  Her voice was colder than ever: "Orochimaru, I don't know what you've done, but the blood on you-it's the old man's, isn't it?"

  "What did you do to him?"

  "???"

  Behind her, Shizune looked puzzled. So, the pinnaediinjutsu allows oo identify whose blood it is just by looking?

  Orochimaru stood up straight, wiping the blood from his mouth: "I really 't hide anything from you, Tsunade."

  "There's no need for us to be at odds. Haven't you grown tired of the ninja world's flicts and given up being a ninja?"

  "For Nawaki's sake, let me pass."

  Orochimaru swore he'd never been so pathetic, res to invoking his deceased disciple's name.

  But this only strengthened his will to survive.

  He had to live! He had to attain immortality! He had to outst all the ninjas who opposed him!

  "I hought it would be you, Orochimaru..."

  Disappoi filled Tsunade's eyes. What could have driven Orochimaru to harm the old man?

  The darkness behind this was overwhelming.

  "e back with me!" Tsunade ched her fist, her arm trembling slightly. "No matter what you've done wrong, I guarantee you'll live."

  In other words... there's no room fotiation.

  "Tsunade! You don't uand; you uand nothing!" A mog sneer appeared on Orochimaru's pale face. "What if I told you... I killed Gojo Kaigetsu?"

  "Then I guarantee you'll die without a doubt."

  "......"

  Orochimaru eechless for a moment. "Heh, so much fuarantees-just empty words."

  "Konoha no longer has a pe."

  "I 't turn baow."

  "I'll say it again: e back with me, Orochimaru. As long as you haven't killed Gojo Kaigetsu, I guarantee you'll live!"

  She was a nostalgic person who, tired of the ninja world's flicts, had quit being a ninja to spend her days in Tanzaku Town.

  But she valued the bonds of friendship greatly-even more than teacher-student bonds or ties to the vilge.

  The vilge and the old man were, to her, creators of flict; she didn't care much for them.

  But friendship-with Jiraiya and Orochimaru-was a life-ah bond.

  She had lost her grandfather and Nawaki; she couldn't lose Gojo Kaigetsu, Shizune, or the bonds of friendship.

  Orochimaru's eyes flickered, seemingly moved by Tsunade's siy, but behind his back, his hands began to form seals.

  Everything was fake!

  Only immortality was real!

  A hint of madness appeared deep in Orochimaru's eyes. If possible, he didn't want to fight Tsunade; he wao be a good person. But for immortality, to avoid death, he couldn't turn back!

  "Tsunade... A ninja's abilities have limits. From my short life, I've learhat the more you train in ninjutsu, the more you realize a ninja's abilities are finite-unless you surpass those limits."

  Tsunade frowned: "What are you talking about?"

  "I'm saying... I 't turn back, Tsunade!"

  Orochimaru cpped his hands: "Ninja Art: Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"

  Just as a mass of snakes flew toward Tsunade, a dazzling blue light illumihe forest behind Orochimaru, striking heavily on his back.

  "Rasengan-!"

  "Monstrous Strength: Serious Punch!"

  Tsunade's monstrous punch obliterated the snake swarm instantly. Along with the Rasengan, they struck Orochimaru's sor plexus from front and back.

  "Ugh-!"

  Blood sprayed out. Orochimaru's knees buckled; he fell to the ground, his muscles seemingly vulsing.

  I moment before losing sciousness, his eyes were full of unwillingness.

  If not for Tsunade-if she hadn't appeared to block his path-maybe he could have escaped!

  "Rogue Ninja Orochimaru, in the name of the Hokage, I execute you here!"

  Minato Namikaze's ceremonial robe fluttered high. As the previous Rasengan struck, a new one formed in his palm, ready to smash down on the incapacitated Orochimaru's heart.

  "Wait! Fourth Hokage!"

  Just as Minato was about to deliver the fatal blow, his wrist was firmly grasped mid-air by Tsunade.

  "I promised Orochimaru I'd bring him back to the vilge and spare his life."

  "Now that he's lost the ability to ao matter his crimes, let's secretly imprison him in the vilge and put him on trial."

  "Lady Tsuhis..."

  Minato hesitated, but seeing the determination in Tsunade's eyes, he sighed.

  The violent energy in his hand gradually dissipated.

  He bent down, hoisting Orochimaru onto his shoulder, and with his back to Tsunade, said: "In any case, wele back to the vilge, Lady Tsunade."

  Walking ahead, Minato didn't uand why he didn't deliver the final blow. Was it because of Tsunade?

  He shook his head inwardly; perhaps he thought of his close friend, Gojo Kaigetsu.

  After Orochimaru had gradually retired, he had been leading Konoha's ninja sce research, at least on the surface, tributing signifitly to the vilge.

  Perhaps... Kaigetsu might need his assistance?

  In any case, the captured Orochimaru had lost all ability to resist. Whether to kill or use him... that could be decided ter.

  For the prosperity of the vilge's ninja sdeavors, Minato could tolerate Orochimaru's existence.

  But to ensure Konoha's collective spirit walked the right path, Orochimaru, who vioted the Will of Fire and itted taboos, could never appear in the public eye of Konoha again.

  That was a matter of principle.

  ....

  "Wele home, Tsunade."

  In front of the Hokage Building, Gojo Kaigetsu stood with his hands behind his back, as if he had known Tsunade would return and had been waiting uhe moonlight.

  Looking at Gojo Kaigetsu, Tsunade's expression was plex. But she still walked up and punched him heavily in the abdomen.

  "Your way of greeting is still so unique..."

  "Jerk."

  Tsunade gritted her teeth: "I prevehe Fourth Hokage from killing Orochimaru in the Konoha Forest. I brought him back. If possible, I hope you give him some dignity."

  "If it's your request, Tsunade, I'll seriously sider it."

  Gojo Kaigetsu said half-jokingly.

  He g the battered and unscious Orochimaru and said to Minato: "Thanks for your trouble, Minato, but tonight's work isn't over yet."

  "Lord Third Hokage is still waiting in the Hokage Building. Bring Orochimaru inside."

  Minato nodded.

  This political storm ing Konoha's war hero should e to aonight.

  Because he softened a Orochimaru escape, Lord Third Hokage would iably, in an unceremonious manner, relinquish his st bit of residual power.

  Tsunade listened silently to their versation: "I want to attend the hearing."

  "Shizune, you go home first."

  "Eh... I also want to..." Shizune was about to join in but shrank bader Tsunade's serious gaze.

  "Whie?"

  "The Senju 's aral home, my room. I remember I gave you the key."

  "Yes, Lady Tsunade, I'll head baow."

  Shizu dejectedly. Gojo Kaigetsu seemed to think of something, instinctively opening his mouth. But realizing the seriousness of the occasion, it wasn't appropriate t up personal matters. He relutly closed his mouth.

  "Well the's go."

  "The public trial of Orochimaru."

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