"Is this really the place?"
Orochimaru's underground laboratory was brightly lit, every corner illuminated.
This wasn't a training field—nor was it a fight meant for public viewing.
If word got out that Tsunade was personally beating up a ten-year-old child, she didn't even want to imagine what people would say about her.
At the center of the chamber, Hiroki and Tsunade stood ten meters apart, facing each other in silence.
"Yes. Right here," Hiroki nodded. "I'm ready."
Tsunade began to warm up.
Nothing fancy—just rolling her wrists and ankles. Sharp crack-crack sounds echoed as her joints loosened.
The noise wasn't loud, nor was it meant to intimidate.
She slowly twisted her neck and stretched her shoulders. The tight ninja uniform outlined her mature, well-trained physique perfectly.
When she expanded her chest slightly, her full curves shifted with the motion, drawing more than a few involuntary glances.
This wasn't an illusion—this was the result of nearly twenty years of medical ninjutsu research and self-adjustment. As long as she continued her studies, Tsunade was confident that one day she could not only freely alter her age and appearance, but even fine details like bone density and teeth.
For a woman, that was something worth being proud of.
Meanwhile, Hiroki's warm-up was… completely incomprehensible.
He stood still, not moving his feet at all.
Only his hands moved.
In front of his chest, his fingers flew—interlocking, separating, tapping—so fast that afterimages appeared. The motions were smooth and practiced, like a perfectly optimized routine.
"…Is he practicing hand seals?" someone muttered.
Nawaki blinked in confusion and poked the blond boy beside him."Minato… do you understand what he's doing?"
Nawaki considered himself talented, but he had never seen someone warm up by practicing hand seals.
Hand seals weren't something you crammed at the last second. Practicing them right before a fight was meaningless—or so he thought.
Minato stared intently at Hiroki's hands. For the first time, confusion filled his usually sharp blue eyes.
"I… don't understand," he admitted slowly. "They're just the twelve basic academy seals… plus a few common variations."
"But why he's doing this now—I have no idea."
They couldn't understand.
But Hiroki did.
He was preloading ninjutsu—setting them up in advance so he could release them without forming seals during combat.
Pre-fight preparation was part of strategy.
And as for why he needed so many preparations—
Because his opponent was Tsunade.
"Go, Hiroki! Knock her flying—ah! No, be careful!" Kushina shouted from behind, fists clenched, face flushed red with excitement and worry. She didn't understand the mechanics, but her trust in Hiroki was absolute.
On the opposite side, Jiraiya folded his arms tightly, brows drawn together.
"Orochimaru," he said quietly, "tell me honestly—what do you think his chances are?"
He didn't wait for an answer.
"I admit the kid's weird. Really weird. But there's no way he wins this."
Jiraiya began counting on his fingers, tone firm and realistic.
"First, chakra. Tsunade has Senju and Uzumaki blood. Her reserves are monstrous. How many attacks can Hiroki even afford?"
"Second, experience. Tsunade's fought in real wars. She's seen more corpses than this kid's eaten meals. And most importantly—he only 'copied' some jutsu seven days ago. Seven days! Even if he's a prodigy, using them smoothly is already a miracle. Using them against Tsunade? That's a joke."
He concluded decisively.
"Tsunade has overwhelming advantages. This bet was doomed from the start. The only question is how long Hiroki lasts."
Orochimaru merely chuckled softly.
His golden eyes gleamed with interest as he licked his lips.
"Jiraiya," he said hoarsely, "stop talking."
"The fight is starting."
—
"Kid," Tsunade said calmly, "are you ready?"
"Yes," Hiroki replied. "Want to count down?"
"Huh? If you're ready, then let's go."
The instant her words ended—
She moved.
Her right foot slammed into the ground.
BOOM!
The reinforced cement floor shattered outward like a spiderweb, cracks exploding in every direction.
Using the recoil, Tsunade lunged forward like a furious leopard, a terrifying shockwave bursting outward as she charged straight at Hiroki.
Fast.
Violently fast.
She wasn't using ninjutsu—only pure, overwhelming physical strength. Her goal was simple: pin the kid down within a second and end this farce.
But—
Hiroki moved first.
He didn't form a single seal.
Not even the slightest motion.
He simply looked at the charging Tsunade and opened his mouth.
Fire Release: Flame Bullet!
BOOM!!!
A massive fireball—larger than a human head—erupted without warning. The explosion flooded the laboratory with crimson light, scorching heat surging forward like a tidal wave.
Tsunade's pupils shrank.
She slammed to a halt, arms crossing defensively as chakra surged across her body.
But—
That wasn't all.
Wind Release: Vacuum Bullet!
Within the sea of flames, invisible blades shot forward.
Swish—swish—swish!
Three piercing sounds rang out almost simultaneously.
Tsunade's eyes widened as she instinctively looked down.
Blood dripped onto the floor.
The laboratory fell dead silent.
Nawaki and Minato stared, mouths agape.
Kushina's cheer died in her throat.
Jiraiya's confident expression froze—then shattered completely.
"That… that's my jutsu…"
He knew the seals for that technique by heart.
But Hiroki—
Where were the seals!?
Even if he had copied it, he should have formed them!
But Hiroki hadn't made a single sign.
Not one.
How was that possible!?
Tsunade stood still, green chakra already flowing over her wound. In less than a second, the bleeding stopped.
She raised her head and stared at Hiroki.
"Kid," she said grimly, "you're not done yet… right?"
"Yes," Hiroki replied calmly, still standing exactly where he'd started, his expression unchanged. "Please continue until you acknowledge my strength."
This time—
Tsunade didn't rush in blindly.
The contempt was gone.
This child… was far more dangerous than she had assumed.