"You are... Nian!?? "
Tsunade stared blankly at the figure in front of her, ignoring the surrounding raging wind. Ever since the other party said her name, her gaze could no longer move away.
He wore a dark blue high-necked clan outfit, the fan-shaped crest on his back clearly visible. His appearance still seemed the same as when he was a teenager, with regular features, delicate and fair skin. However, the contours of his face were more mature and stable. His eyes no longer had the youthful sharpness of the past, but were more gentle and firm.
Like a pool of spring water, rippling in the wind.
"Well, long time no see." Nian chuckled lightly, forming a hand seal to allow the giant wooden hands in front of him to shrink back into the earth.
As the two spoke, golden streamers flew all over the sky like fireflies, which were Nian's half-body Susanoo slowly dissipating.
"Wood Release, Mangekyō Sharingan..." Jiraiya muttered with a complicated expression, "I should have thought it was you."
Tsunade took a step forward, her pupils trembling slightly, "Nian, why did you save us?"
If Orochimaru's departure made her unable to understand and extremely indignant, then Uchiha Nian's departure was completely reasonable.
After all, in her eyes, Uchiha Nian was undoubtedly a victim of the political struggle among Konoha's higher-ups, a truly pitiful person who had lived in deception and lies since childhood.
His father, Uchiha Kagami, was clearly fighting bravely against the enemy on the main battlefield, fighting against tailed beasts, and was entrusted with the important task of commander of the three armies by the entire village. If he hadn't won the battle with his strong personal strength, Konoha might have been occupied by Kumogakure now.
But such a heroic figure was actually slandered as a deserter by the higher-ups, and even his wife was driven crazy... allowing the identity of a traitor's son to accompany Nian throughout his childhood.
These were all the information that Tsunade had personally investigated, and there was absolutely no falsehood.
After Uchiha Nian left, she actually recalled it for a long time. If these things happened to her, she felt that she might be more extreme, completely destroying everything in the village. Everyone who slandered her relatives would pay the price!
In contrast, Nian just made a big fuss and blew up Sarutobi Hiruzen's Hokage Rock, but didn't really kill the Third Hokage himself. This... was simply a good person!
Therefore, she also completely gave up the idea of letting Nian return to Konoha.
It stands to reason that such a person who had a deep hatred for Konoha actually saved them?
"Why save us? The village clearly treated you..."
Nian looked at Tsunade and showed a spring-like smile, "You are you, Konoha is Konoha. As long as you are not in that smoky place, you are still my friends."
He tilted his head, his gaze falling on Jiraiya beside him, "At least everyone grew up together and had comradeship in arms. It's really unbearable to let you die in front of me like this."
Jiraiya looked at Nian's scarlet eyes, and shivered all over, unable to help but recall a not-so-pleasant thing:
More than ten years ago, on a summer afternoon, he was kidnapped to the Konoha forest by three guys for peeping into the women's bathhouse...
At this time, Orochimaru also withdrew from the Sage Mode, the horn disappeared, the eye shadow faded, and the white scales quickly shrank back into the body. Everything returned to its original state as the natural energy dissipated.
He quickly crossed the sea surface and came to Uchiha Nian's side, which immediately made Jiraiya and Tsunade, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, feel like they were facing a formidable enemy.
After all... the killing intent poured into the light wheel just now did not seem fake.
Orochimaru glanced at the two and said lightly, "If you dare to mention the matter of returning to Konoha to me again, I will kill you. However, next time, no one will come to save you."
The voice was hoarse, like a whistling yin wind, and no one would doubt the truth of this statement.
In the distance, the summoning beasts of the Three Great Sage Lands also tacitly stopped fighting each other. Gamabunta took the lead in canceling the summoning technique and returning to Mount Myōboku, because one of his forearms was petrified and had to be dealt with as soon as possible.
Maboroshi snorted heavily and reluctantly turned into white smoke. He was very confident that if he continued to fight, he would definitely be able to kill that toad.
Katsuyu did not immediately return to Shikkotsu Forest, but left two palm-sized divisions to heal Jiraiya and Tsunade's injuries and restore their strength.
Nian glanced at Orochimaru slightly and gave Orochimaru a look:
'You, were you really going to kill them just now?'
Orochimaru replied with a look:
'Master instructed that I can do whatever I want, and you will save me anyway.'
Tsunade looked at Orochimaru, and then at Nian. She took in all the eye contact between the two, and an amazing guess suddenly arose in her heart: "You... could it be... you..."
"It's a bit too slow to know now, Tsunade." Orochimaru showed a sinister smile.
Nian smiled slightly and reminded, "Orochimaru is now the direct disciple of the Great Uncle."
"Your great uncle... Uchiha Shenyu!" Tsunade's eyes widened, somewhat unexpectedly, "You, and Hiruko, you left Konoha, and became his subordinates?"
Orochimaru bowed slightly, "It is my honor, and it is Hiruko's honor."
Compared to Tsunade's shock, Jiraiya showed a thoughtful expression.
No wonder Orochimaru and Hiruko left at the same time on the night that Nian made a big fuss in the village...
No wonder there has been no news for so many years...
No wonder Orochimaru can become so strong now...
If he was that adult's disciple, then everything made sense.
Soon, behind the gate of Uzushiogakure, Kushina peeked her head out to look outside. That bright red hair, from a distance, looked like a small tomato.
When the battle subsided, she immediately ran out with her hands behind her back, and found the embarrassed Nawaki behind a pile of broken rocks.
"Nawaki-nii, come out, the battle is over."
"Oh... oh." Nawaki blushed a little and ran out from behind the rocks.
Looking at the smiling little girl, Nawaki scratched his head and asked, "Kushina, weren't you afraid just now?"
"Afraid of what?" Kushina blinked her apricot eyes.
Nawaki thought for a while and took a deep breath, "This level of battle, how could a little girl like you who is new to the world not be touched at all?"
He was straightforward and honest, and asked whatever questions he had on the spot.
"Oh, you mean this..." Kushina touched her chin, "Orochimaru-nii and Nian-nii are all acquaintances, they won't hurt me, as for the giant beasts of the Three Great Sage Lands... our Uzumaki clan fights with giant beasts almost every day, maybe... I'm used to seeing them?"
Nawaki asked incomprehensibly, "Aren't you worried that they will miss and be hurt by the aftermath?"
"So I hid from the beginning." Kushina looked back even more puzzled.
...
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