Chapter 117 – Untitled Draft
"Where did Tsunade go, exactly...?" Yusuke muttered, floating mid-air above the vast expanse of the Land of Lightning.
He tried sensing Tsunade's chakra signature. "Tch... I should've left a marker on her," he said with a furrowed brow.
"Kenbunshoku Haki..." he whispered softly.
Activating his sensory prowess, Yusuke stretched out his perception. Among the many signatures, three stood out—one was dark and ominous, another warm and strong, and the last brimming with nature energy, clearly from Sage Mode.
"That's definitely Tsunade and Orochimaru," he murmured, a faint smile curving his lips.
In the blink of an eye, Yusuke vanished from the skies of the Land of Lightning, leaving behind only the faintest trace of chakra.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the region, Tsunade and Orochimaru were tracking down Hiruko. Orochimaru's presence on the mission had everything to do with his interest in Hiruko's forbidden technique—Chimera Jutsu.
As the two reached deeper into Lightning Country, an unexpected face appeared before them.
"Jiraiya?"
The three legendary shinobi had unexpectedly reunited. And though it was a rare moment, it didn't take long for them to naturally decide to work together—after all, they'd once been on the same team.
Of all of them, Jiraiya had once been regarded as the weakest. And yet, his bond with Hiruko—another once-overlooked shinobi—was perhaps the deepest.
So the trio agreed to pursue Hiruko as a team. Hours passed as they combed the region, but Hiruko remained elusive. Eventually, they took a break to eat.
"To be honest, I'm a bit surprised you agreed to join this mission, Orochimaru," Jiraiya said between bites.
"Hmph. I have my own reasons," Orochimaru replied flatly, his eyes cold and indifferent.
"Anyway, Jiraiya, what about you? Why are you here?" Tsunade asked, leveling her gaze at him.
"As a writer, I go wherever inspiration takes me," he grinned. "But what really surprises me is you, Tsunade. What kind of miracle made you accept a mission just because Yusuke asked?"
The truth was, Jiraiya had planned to return to Konoha recently. He had even intended to show off in front of Yusuke, knowing the boy was training in Sage Mode.
But once he heard from Fukasaku that Yusuke had mastered Perfect Sage Mode in just a single week, Jiraiya immediately dropped the idea. On top of that, he knew the two old Toad Sages had spilled all his complaints to the boy.
Out of shame, he postponed his return.
And now, fate had brought him face to face with Tsunade and Orochimaru in the Land of Lightning.
"Traveling the world is one thing, but… Jiraiya-nii, talking about people behind their backs isn't exactly the mark of a wise author, is it?"
A familiar voice echoed behind them.
The three instantly fell silent.
None of them had sensed his approach.
But the moment they heard that voice, two of them relaxed.
The third—Jiraiya—froze.
"Yusuke! You're back!" Tsunade beamed. "How did the training go?"
"Y-Yusuke?! Long time no see!" Jiraiya stammered.
Orochimaru merely nodded, his expression unreadable.
"It went well. I've mastered Sage Mode," Yusuke replied with a calm smile.
He casually walked toward Jiraiya.
"Jiraiya-nii... it really has been a while, hasn't it?"
"I know, I know, I shouldn't have talked behind your back. But hey, what's with that weird eye patch?" Jiraiya asked, trying to change the subject.
"Yeah, seriously. What's with that thing?" Tsunade added, squinting.
"Oh, this?" Yusuke touched the cloth over his eye. "I just thought it looked cool."
"Cool?! You've got to be kidding me. That's not cool at all! Take it off, already. Your hair's ridiculous enough—you Hatakes have the worst fashion sense. Sakumo-senpai's the only exception!" Tsunade rolled her eyes.
"Don't worry about it. During Sage Mode training, my eyes got a bit messed up. But it's nothing serious. They'll recover soon," Yusuke said, brushing it off with a small smile.
"Anyway, why are you here?" Jiraiya asked, his tone sharp.
"For the same reason as you," Yusuke replied coolly. "I'm here to kill Hiruko."
His voice remained calm, but the chill behind his words was unmistakable.
Tsunade frowned. "What happened?"
"Hiruko might be a rogue, but he's still a Konoha shinobi. It's Minato's call whether he lives or dies. Our mission is to bring him back alive," Jiraiya said firmly.
"You said it yourself—this mission belongs to Tsunade and Orochimaru," Yusuke said flatly. "My job... is to end him."
"Still—"
"Don't, Jiraiya-nii. You know better than anyone—you can't stop me."
"I don't know what he did to push you this far," Jiraiya stood up. "But this is still Minato's decision."
"He's right," Orochimaru added. "As Hokage, this falls under Minato's authority."
Yusuke's smile thinned.
"Then how about this... let's see who gets to him first."
He closed his eyes and activated his Kenbunshoku Haki, scanning the area for Hiruko's chakra signature.
A moment later, he opened his eyes, smirking.
"Found him."
"Wait—stop!" Jiraiya lunged forward, trying to grab Yusuke's arm.
But it was too late.
Yusuke vanished in an instant, slipping through his fingers like mist.
"Damn it! Why couldn't I catch him?!" Jiraiya clenched his fists in frustration.
"Tsunade, come with me," Yusuke reappeared beside her, gripping her hand.
"Yusuke, stop! I won't just let you kill Hiruko. He's still a Konoha shinobi!" Jiraiya shouted.
"Jiraiya-nii... save your righteous ideals. Whether he's from Konoha or not, he's already crossed the line."
"Then give me a reason. One that's strong enough. And more importantly—if you want to get past me, you'll have to defeat me first!"
"You're kidding, right?" Yusuke raised an eyebrow. "You're seriously overestimating yourself. This isn't even a fight—it's a formality. No matter what happens, the result won't change."
"I know I can't beat you alone... but what if it's all three of us—the Legendary Sannin—against you?" Jiraiya challenged, unwavering.
"Hm?" Yusuke turned toward Tsunade.
"Sorry, kid. This time, I'm on Jiraiya's side," she said, her eyes steady. "I know you've got your reasons. But Hiruko's still an old comrade. He doesn't deserve death—at least not yet."
"I see..." Yusuke smiled faintly. "Then I'll give you all a chance. But you know this already, Tsunade—I'm invincible."
"Don't forget, I've got this too," Tsunade replied, lifting her hand. A layer of Busoshoku Haki gleamed around her fist.
"Haha… Looks like I'll have to give you all a lesson," Yusuke chuckled.
"Alright then. Let's move to an open field," he said casually.
The four of them soon arrived at a wide clearing.
"Go ahead. Make your move," Yusuke said, arms crossed.
"Hold on. We need to discuss our strategy," Tsunade interrupted.
"Sure, take your time," Yusuke replied, raising his hands in surrender. If it was Tsunade asking, he couldn't say no.
"And don't eavesdrop!" Tsunade warned sharply.
Yusuke obediently walked a short distance away.
Once he was out of earshot, Tsunade turned to the others. "You both know—even with all three of us, there's no guarantee we can win. Honestly... I actually agree with Yusuke. But I'm doing this for your sake, so you don't end up in the hospital."
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