The previous day had been a nightmare for Orochimaru's wallet, not to mention the mental exhaustion of being dragged along to watch Tsunade demonstrate medical ninjutsu. Yet, despite the lingering "phantom pain," he still found himself at the Senju Estate at five-thirty the next morning.
His brow was currently knit as he watched the four children. They were performing short-distance shuttle runs, immediately followed by ninja tool throwing while their bodies were in a state of oxygen deprivation. It was a training method Orochimaru deeply admired.
However, what truly gave him pause was Tatsuma's running form. Unlike the others, whose style followed the traditional shinobi silhouette, Tatsuma ran with his arms bent at the elbows, swinging naturally at his sides.
Any other ninja would have moved to "correct" his posture. But Orochimaru was not like other ninjas; he immediately perceived the tactical advantages of this peculiar gait.
It provided a more stable center of gravity, allowing the core and hips to adjust instantaneously. While the hands were slightly further from the tool pouches—making it a fraction of a second slower to draw a weapon—that trade-off had a counterpoint. If Tatsuma were already holding a kunai or a close-quarters weapon, this "arms-forward" posture was far superior for parrying and blocking.
After all, the most vital weak points—from the chest and abdomen up to the head—were all concentrated in the front. Enemy projectiles were almost always aimed at these areas. In the standard "arms-back" ninja run, bringing one's hands forward to defend required a split second longer.
As he watched, Orochimaru mentally compared Tatsuma's form with the standard shinobi run, analyzing the pros and cons across a dozens of simulated scenarios. His conclusion was simple: Tatsuma's form was more... scientific.
Unconsciously, Orochimaru's own arms began to mimic Tatsuma's movements. He swung his elbows, twisting his hips slightly, his hands clenching as he simulated how one would parry or counter-attack while in mid-sprint.
"Have you lost your mind?"
Tsunade had actually made some progress in her training the day before, which had prompted Uzumaki Mito to wake her up early for another session. She stood there, looking lethargic and utterly drained, watching Orochimaru wave his arms and twist his torso with a look of pure disgust.
Orochimaru didn't snap back; he wasn't Jiraiya, and he had no interest in bickering over trifles. He turned to her, his expression uncharacteristically grave.
"Sakamoto Tatsuma is a genius."
"That's what everyone says," Tsunade shrugged. She was curious about Tatsuma's growth, but for the moment, he didn't seem exceptionally brilliant in her eyes. Furthermore, her preconceived notions about his "potential cap" made her subconsciously pessimistic about his future.
Noticing her dismissive tone, Orochimaru thinned his lips. "Tsunade, between Sakamoto Tatsuma and Minato Namikaze, which one do you intend to take as your disciple?"
"Doesn't matter. Jiraiya's training them both anyway."
Tsunade still looked half-asleep, as if she couldn't be bothered to care. Orochimaru, however, remained serious. "As your teammate, I suggest you consider this carefully. When the time comes to claim one, you should fight for it."
Tsunade's eyes opened a sliver wider. "You really think that highly of Tatsuma?"
"The point isn't that I think highly of him. It's that you should." Orochimaru paused.
Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "Minato clearly has the higher talent."
"True. With Minato's talent, he may well become the most 'perfect' ninja in existence. But Tatsuma... he is the type who might change people's very definition of what a ninja is."
Hearing such high praise from her cold, analytical teammate made Tsunade's eyes open fully. She looked at Tatsuma's odd running posture, thought back to Orochimaru's "twitching" a moment ago, and her own brow began to furrow.
After a long silence, she finally spoke. "I'll wait for Jiraiya to get back and ask his opinion. After all, he's the one who raised them."
Orochimaru nodded. "Do as you wish. However... you were allowed out of confinement yesterday. Does that mean you've finally mastered that technique?"
Tsunade touched her forehead and let out a long sigh. "Mastered? If only it were that easy. I've finally figured out the mechanics of it, that's all."
"Even you took a year just to grasp the principles," Orochimaru mused. "I'd love to see the power of such a technique."
He didn't notice the faint flicker of guilt in Tsunade's eyes. The truth was that she had spent the better part of the last year slacking off; her actual "focused study" time had been quite short. Moreover, it wasn't a standard Ninjutsu—its power wasn't something that could be demonstrated visually on a whim.
Since she didn't answer, Orochimaru didn't push. A technique that required a Sannin to abandon a year's worth of missions was surely classified. He changed the subject.
"You'll be heading out on a mission soon."
"Because my house arrest is over?"
"Not just that." Orochimaru shook his head. "The Uzumaki incident... Senior Sakumo has finished his investigation. He's already purged a group of people. The small villages involved don't dare speak up, but..."
He lowered his voice. "The involvement from the Land of Wind is... complicated. Sakumo is waiting for the Hokage's confirmation. If we strike, friction between Fire and Wind will be inevitable. Chiyo... that woman from the Sand will likely come out of retirement. You are the only one who can counter her poisons."
The last of Tsunade's sleepiness vanished. She sat up straight. Chiyo of the Sand was not an opponent to be taken lightly. When it came to poison, she was arguably the top authority in the shinobi world, rivaled perhaps only by Hanzo of the Salamander.
If Chiyo were to become heavily involved in a conflict, it would be a logistical nightmare.
"Who is Sakumo-senpai planning to kill?" Tsunade asked.
Orochimaru hesitated, weighing the classified nature of the intel. Finally, he answered. "Chiyo's son and daughter-in-law."
"Given Chiyo's status in the Sand, if her son and daughter-in-law are killed... 'friction' would be the optimistic way to describe it."
"Indeed. Friction is the best-case scenario. A small-scale conflict, or even a full-blown world war, could erupt because of this." Orochimaru nodded.
Tsunade turned her gaze toward the inner house where her grandmother lived. "Does Grandma know? What's the Old Man's stance?"
"Sensei will undoubtedly authorize Sakumo's mission. He needs a victory too badly. Even if Lady Mito has no desire for revenge, the Hokage will proceed. Don't forget... these are Lady Mito's final years. If we don't capitalize on the prestige of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki now, we'll have to wait until Kushina is grown for the next opportunity."
There was a trace of helplessness in Orochimaru's voice. Tsunade gritted her teeth, but she could only offer a weary sigh. She knew her teacher was looking for a war to ease the mounting tensions in the shinobi world.
And her grandmother... she would surely agree to the village's decision. No one loved Konoha more than Uzumaki Mito. Even if she was unwilling, Mito would allow herself to be used as a final "shield" for the village's future in her twilight years.
Mito wouldn't need to step onto the battlefield; her mere existence as the Jinchuriki was a deterrent. But to be used as a political key to unlock a war... it felt like a stain on her legacy.
Orochimaru glanced at Tsunade. "Get ready. I suspect that when Jiraiya returns, he'll bring up the matter of the disciples as well."
"I know."