"Hmph, Orochimaru, you really have some twisted tastes," Tsunade scoffed, her cheeks slightly flushed from the alcohol.
She wasn't ignorant about the workings of the cursed seal. On the contrary, with her expertise in medical ninjutsu and sealing techniques, she had already grasped the essence of its mechanics.
The fusion of Yin Release chakra and Sage chakra—that was what made the seal so difficult to remove. Even the Slug Sage, despite its immense abilities, wasn't confident in removing it without causing harm to her body.
Orochimaru chuckled.
"If you think I'm bad, you should see what my original body is up to."
He smirked, then continued, "Originally, the cursed seal was my way of expanding the use of natural energy, a method to cultivate subordinates who could wield it. But Mirai-kun never had much faith in the Cursed Sage Mode. He believes there's a far more perfected approach. As for why he marked you with the seal… If I had to guess, I'd say he was trying to recruit you."
Tsunade narrowed her eyes.
"Recruit me…?"
She murmured the words, falling silent for a moment before finally speaking again.
"When exactly did you two start working together?"
Orochimaru tapped his fingers against the table, reminiscing.
"Around the time you left the village. Mirai-kun was already spreading ideas about cellular fusion, practically baiting me into seeking him out. Of course, I asked him later how he knew I was studying the First Hokage's cells, but he never gave me an answer."
Tsunade's expression darkened.
"You bastard," she hissed, her glare sharp as daggers.
Those were her grandfather's cells he was experimenting with.
Then again… her great uncle, Tobirama, had done research on them as well.
Tsunade had long suspected that Orochimaru wasn't working alone.
After all, he couldn't have possibly gotten access to her grandfather's cells on his own.
"So this has been going on for a long time," she muttered. "Seems like you managed to keep the old man in the dark pretty well."
Orochimaru simply shook his head.
"That wasn't my doing," he said.
"The truth is… all of you underestimated Mirai-kun. I might be one of the few people who understands a fraction of what he's truly capable of."
His tone became uncharacteristically serious.
"Tsunade… as an old friend, let me give you some advice. Don't trap yourself in Konoha. We were meant to surpass those who came before us, not waste our lives chasing their shadows. Isn't that just… dull?"
Tsunade's brows furrowed.
"Orochimaru, you—!"
"You've already seen it happen to Jiraiya. That fool is drowning in the past. But you? You still have a chance."
Orochimaru's golden eyes glinted.
"If you stay in that tiny village, you'll just be another relic of a dying era—swept away with the rest of them. Step forward, and you might just see an entirely new world."
Tsunade slammed her palm against the table, causing the dishes to rattle.
"Big words for a snake who's spent his life slithering in the dark!" she snapped.
Orochimaru merely smiled.
"You'll understand soon enough," he said as he rose from his seat. "Just don't take too long. At Mirai-kun's pace, by the time you finally make up your mind… he might not need you anymore."
He turned to Guren, giving her a slight nod.
It was time to leave.
He had more important things to do than sit here drinking.
If he stayed any longer, Tsunade might just keep pouring until he was too drunk to stand.
Tsunade's Dilemma
As Orochimaru and Guren disappeared into the night, Tsunade remained seated, her fingers lightly tracing the rim of her cup.
"A relic of a dying era, huh?"
The words replayed in her mind, mingling with memories of her argument with Hyuga Mirai back at Konoha Hospital.
She clicked her tongue.
"Tch. What a damn arrogant thing to say," she muttered under her breath.
Then, she slammed her hands on the table and stood up.
"Shizune, we're leaving."
Shizune blinked in surprise.
"Are we going to the hot springs now, Lady Tsunade?"
Tsunade shook her head.
"Not yet. There's something more important to take care of first."
Shizune sighed.
"She says that every time, but half the time, she never follows through…"
Nonetheless, she grabbed Tonton, her expression reluctantly resigned.
"Alright…"
Meanwhile—Jiraiya's Journey
Unlike Tsunade, Jiraiya's resolve never wavered.
With Kumo agreeing to a peace treaty, he had informed Hiruzen of his departure and was already preparing to leave the village again.
He had one goal—to continue his journey across the shinobi world.
As he walked past the home of Minato Namikaze, he hesitated for a moment.
Then, he kept walking.
Minato was gone.
But Kushina and Naruto were still there.
Hiruzen was an old fool, but Jiraiya knew he wouldn't mistreat them.
After standing outside the house for a few moments, Jiraiya turned away and left the village without another word.
Jiraiya had made up his mind.
He would travel far and wide, gathering as much information as he could.
Yet no matter how hard he searched, there was one name he could never find any leads on.
Hyuga Mirai.
It was as if he were a ghost, slipping through the cracks of the world.
Even the most powerful trade associations—the ones shaping entire nations—had only a handful of people who even knew he existed.
And those that did?
They weren't talking.
Neither Unit 19 nor Keikou Sanmu would ever disclose any information regarding Hyuga Mirai.
Jiraiya had only managed to uncover a small lead on Orochimaru, but by the time he arrived, Orochimaru had already disappeared. Aside from that, he had found nothing—not even the motivation to continue searching for the Child of Prophecy.
"If I can't defeat that person the Great Toad Sage warned me about…"
"Then finding the Child of Prophecy won't change anything."
The peace agreement held great significance for Konoha.
When Hiruzen Sarutobi received word of it, even smoking his pipe felt more satisfying than usual.
"Finally, a moment of peace."
With the treaty signed, the last battlefield of the shinobi world had vanished.
The war had left Konoha crippled—many Genin and Chunin had lost their lives. If peace lasted long enough, the village could recover by leveraging its vast resources.
Inside the Hokage's Office, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado arrived, greeting Hiruzen with a solemn nod.
"Hiruzen, the Kumo delegation will arrive in Konoha within three days," Koharu informed him.
Homura added, "Kumo has been struggling to keep up. Their feud with Iwagakure runs deep. It's likely that the Fourth Raikage only agreed to this treaty because he's worried about Iwa's growing activity at the borders."
Hiruzen nodded, taking a slow drag from his pipe.
"Regardless of their reasons, this peace agreement is an undeniable victory for Konoha. The war has dragged on for years—if it continues any longer, both shinobi clans and civilian forces will grow weary of it."
"That's why we cannot afford any complications," Koharu stressed.
"I've already sent the ANBU to escort the Kumo envoys," Hiruzen assured them. "Once they arrive, everything must be arranged perfectly."
Homura nodded.
"Don't worry, Hiruzen. I've already informed Danzo and Fugaku Uchiha. Root will remain in the shadows, while the Konoha Military Police Force will maintain public order."
With that, the three continued their discussions before parting to make their final preparations.
After being purchased and deployed in Konoha Hospital, the Medical Machine had begun transforming the medical field.
Its reputation spread rapidly.
Aside from surgical procedures, the machine could heal any injury or illness as long as the patient lay inside it.
For Konoha's medical-nin, it was a blessing—they no longer needed to personally diagnose every case. Instead, their main duty was ensuring the machine had enough stored Yang Release chakra to keep operating.
The efficiency of the Medical Machine had even inspired Kimura to draft a proposal for the Third Hokage:
"A Chakra Talent Screening for Yang Release at the Ninja Academy."
If students with Yang Release potential could be identified early, they could be trained from a young age—reducing the burden on medical-nin and even opening medical treatment to civilians.
While Kimura focused on her report, the Kumo envoys finally arrived in Konoha.
Thanks to Hiruzen's efforts, word had spread among the shinobi and civilians—the Kumo envoys had come to sign a peace agreement.
To many, this signified the end of war.
There would be no more mass casualties, no more endless battles. In celebration, the villagers organized a grand festival to welcome Kumo's delegation.
When the envoys entered Konoha's gates, they were met with a scene of celebration. Decorations adorned the streets, and banners fluttered from rooftops. It felt like a festival, despite it being an ordinary day.
The lead envoy from Kumo furrowed his brows slightly.
"What is Konoha's intention behind all this?"
As if sensing his thoughts, Shikaku Nara, who had been assigned to receive them, offered an easygoing smile.
"Konoha organized this festival spontaneously," he explained. "It's our way of celebrating the arrival of peace."
The Kumo leader's expression relaxed into a smile, though something about it felt… off.
"Ah, I see. A celebration for peace."
A faint chuckle came from one of the Kumo shinobi.
It was barely noticeable, but another member of the delegation immediately silenced him with a sharp glare.
Shikaku noticed the exchange but chose not to react.
Instead, he led them to their designated lodgings before heading to report back to Hiruzen.
The moment Shikaku left, the Kumo envoys glanced around cautiously.
Confirming there were no eavesdroppers, they quickly set up a sealing barrier to prevent surveillance.
Then, they began discussing their true objective for the night.
Their original plan had been to wait a few days, gather intelligence during negotiations, and strike only when the moment was right.
But Konoha's "cooperation" had given them an unexpected opportunity.
"With all these festivities, it'll be easy to disappear into the crowd…"
(End of Chapter)