Yakushi Kabuto experienced powerlessness for the first time.
In the face of absolute power, his wisdom and schemes were utterly useless. A thousand thoughts flashed through his mind, but not a single one could help him escape his predicament.
Powerlessness!
Profound powerlessness.
However.
Naruto merely gave him a deep look, did nothing, and then vanished from the spot with a 'whoosh'.
"Body Flicker Technique? No, he just disappeared out of thin air right before my eyes."
Yakushi Kabuto was shocked and puzzled.
The oil lamp flickered, its light dimming and brightening. The 'fixed' shadow suddenly swayed, and his stiff body could move again.
Yakushi Kabuto took a step forward, then looked at his palm with surprise and doubt, carefully examining himself, certain that nothing had happened.
"How could this be?"
"The Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki from Konoha Village came, did nothing, and just left?"
Yakushi Kabuto said, full of doubt.
"Could it just be a deterrent, telling us that if he gets serious, he can kill us at any time?"
Yakushi Kabuto could only think of this possibility.
In fact.
Naruto had indeed displayed a more terrifying power, far exceeding what he showed at Moutoku Castle. It was as if they were on different levels, different dimensions.
The destructive power shown at Moutoku Castle, such as the Great Ball Rasengan, even if three Rashomon couldn't block it, five Rashomon should be able to defend against it.
But just now, Naruto's elusive movements and a bizarre ninjutsu far superior to the Shadow Imitation Technique left them completely defenseless.
They were completely immobilized, unable to move.
It was like fish on a cutting board, to be slaughtered at will!
Yakushi Kabuto looked at Orochimaru, who had also regained his freedom: "Lord Orochimaru, what should we do next?"
Orochimaru, whose will had unknowingly been altered by Kotoamatsukami, was silent for a moment before replying: "First, find me a suitable body. As for Konoha Village and the Nine-Tailed brat, we'll put them aside for now."
Tanzaku Street.
There was a rare, quiet izakaya that didn't host gambling games.
Around a polished wooden table, four people sat.
Jiraiya heartily gulped down a large cup of sake, letting out a satisfied sigh.
Tsunade, however, seemed somewhat silent. She rested her chin on one hand, while the other unconsciously twirled the almost untouched wine glass in front of her. Her amethyst-like eyes stared at the swirling liquid in the glass, her gaze unfocused, as if still immersed in the day's bloodshed and shock.
Shizune sat quietly beside her, holding a sleeping Tonton.
Naruto, on the other hand, seemed much more energetic. Piled in front of him were a dozen freshly grilled yakitori and other skewers, as well as dango, which he was devouring with relish. His cheeks were stuffed, and his golden hair shone particularly brightly under the lamp light.
The battle with Orochimaru in the evening seemed to have no effect on him; it didn't consume much of his energy, but rather made him hungrier.
"Ha! That was satisfying!"
Jiraiya put down his wine glass, wiped his mouth, and looked at Tsunade, his expression becoming serious. "Hey, Tsunade, now that that bastard Orochimaru has been driven away, it's time to talk about serious matters."
Tsunade's hand, which was twirling the glass, paused slightly. She didn't look up.
Jiraiya took a deep breath, his voice low and solemn: "You've heard about the current situation in the Village, right? The Third Old Man is severely injured and has retired, leaving the Hokage position vacant, and everyone is in a panic. Although Orochimaru's Konoha Crush Plan failed and Hidden Sand Village was defeated, other Ninja Villages are definitely stirring in the shadows—"
"Konoha needs a new pillar, a Hokage who can unite everyone and lead them out of this predicament."
He leaned forward slightly, staring at Tsunade with a grave expression: "That person can only be you, Tsunade."
"The granddaughter of the First Hokage, one of the Legendary Sannin, a top medical Ninja—no one is more suitable than you, whether in terms of strength, prestige, or lineage."
"Come back and become the Fifth Hokage!"
The izakaya instantly fell silent, with only the occasional crackle of charcoal fire.
Shizune also quietly looked up, nervously watching Tsunade.
The position of Hokage was a matter of great importance.
But in Shizune's opinion, if anyone could become the new Hokage of Konoha Village, it could only be one of the two people present.
Thinking of Jiraiya's unkempt appearance, Shizune secretly shook her head, feeling that the choice could go from two to one.
Wait—
Shizune secretly glanced at Naruto.
If he weren't too young, perhaps he would be more suitable to be the new Hokage of Konoha Village than Lady Tsunade!
This thought actually popped into Shizune's mind.
Tsunade remained silent, her fingers gripping the wine glass tightly, her knuckles slightly white.
After a long pause, she let out a very soft, weary, and self-deprecating laugh.
"Hokage? Heh..."
She finally looked up, her purple eyes devoid of their usual sharpness, replaced by deep weariness and an indescribable sadness.
"Jiraiya, are you joking with me? Look at me now."
She slammed the wine glass onto the table with a dull thud, spilling a little wine.
"A cripple who trembles at the sight of blood and can't even hold a scalpel steady!"
Tsunade's voice carried an almost imperceptible tremor. The splashing snake blood and terrifying memories from earlier seemed to resurface before her eyes, making her stomach churn and her face turn even paler.
"Hemophobia—this is a curse etched into my soul!"
"Nawaki—Dan—I can't forget how they died! I'll never forget!"
"Even a Genin, if they master my weakness of hemophobia, would have a chance to defeat me."
"How can someone like me protect the Village? How can I be Hokage?!"
Her voice grew louder and louder, filled with suppressed pain and anger, finally almost a shout: "Let me go back? To watch Konoha Ninja bleed and die in front of me, and then faint like a useless person?! Jiraiya! Don't say such things anymore! I can't do it!"
Jiraiya opened his mouth, looking at the bottomless pain and despair in Tsunade's eyes. The words of persuasion he had prepared were stuck in his throat, unable to come out.
He knew that hemophobia was the deepest, most painful scar in Tsunade's heart.
Shizune also sadly lowered her head.
Just as the atmosphere reached its most oppressive point, a muffled yet unusually clear voice, muddled by food, spoke:
"Um... about hemophobia... I can cure it."
Whoosh!
Shizune, Tsunade, and Tonton, who was startled awake from her sleep, instantly focused their gaze on the speaker—Naruto, or rather, Naruto's Shadow Clone, who was stuffing the last dango into his mouth, cheeks puffed out, with an expression that said, "It's no big deal."
"Pfft—cough, cough, cough!" Jiraiya almost spat out his sake, choking and coughing. "Na-Naruto! What nonsense are you spouting, you brat!
Hemophobia is psychological trauma! It's not a cold or fever! How can you just 'cure' it?!"