Tsunade actually withstood the overwhelming scent of blood, the blood covering the floor, and the double discomfort—both physiological and psychological—steadying her stance. Her Aura was even more violent than before!
The symptoms of Hemophobia still persisted, constantly affecting her, but her gaze was as sharp as a blade, filled with a reckless obsession!
The playful smile on Orochimaru's face froze slightly, a flash of astonishment crossing his features.
He had anticipated that Tsunade would be severely impacted and completely lose her fighting capacity, but he hadn't expected her to be able to withstand it immediately. Moreover, it seemed something even more dangerous had been triggered.
He was all too familiar with the light in those eyes; it was the look of a gambler staking everything, a scientist facing an ultimate puzzle, and a beast on the brink of collapse.
"Oh?" Orochimaru quickly regained his composure, but the mockery in his tone lessened.
"It seems your interest in my experimental results is even greater than I imagined—so great that you can temporarily cast aside even your deepest fear..."
"Cut the crap!" Tsunade barked, no longer looking at the surrounding blood, focusing all her attention on Orochimaru and the distant Kimimaro.
"Hand over your technology for resurrecting the dead! Otherwise, even if I have to tear down this rat hole today, I will find the answer!"
The shadow of Hemophobia loomed over her, making her breathing unstable and her complexion pale. Yet, that obsession to achieve her goal at any cost acted like the toughest armor, supporting her and allowing her to continue fighting.
Because she had no way back; only that single goal remained in her eyes.
Seeing Tsunade actually withstand such a despicable psychological attack from Orochimaru, Jiraiya felt both surprised and admiring.
Orochimaru licked his lips, interest reigniting in his eyes, growing even stronger.
"Interesting, how very interesting! Well then, Tsunade, let me see how far this power you've gained by overcoming your fear can carry you."
The battle escalated once more, and this time, Tsunade's offensive was less steady than before, filled with a reckless madness.
Hinata took all of this in, and she had to admit that Tsunade's willpower was incredibly resilient—truly worthy of being the Granddaughter of the First Hokage.
[A medical miracle. Indeed, human willpower can sometimes truly break through physiological limits, especially a Love Brain...]
The System clicked its tongue in wonder.
Orochimaru watched Tsunade, who was charging at him like a crazed tiger, his interest deepening.
He hadn't expected that the shadow of Hemophobia, instead of crushing her, would act like a dangerous switch, making her act with total abandon.
"What a delightful change, Tsunade," Orochimaru chuckled, his body sliding back like a phantom, evading a heavy punch from Tsunade that was powerful enough to shatter boulders.
Before he finished speaking, Orochimaru's figure suddenly accelerated, actively meeting her.
Several hideous white-scaled snakes lunged from his sleeves like living things, baring their fangs to bite Tsunade from various tricky angles. Meanwhile, he himself held his fingers like a blade, his fingertips coated in poisoned Chakra, stabbing directly at Tsunade's vital points.
The offensive was sinister and ruthless, the angles cunning.
"Paltry tricks!" Tsunade roared, neither dodging nor evading. Her fist, wrapped in dense Chakra, swept across, shattering all the lunging white snakes. Simultaneously, her other hand precisely parried Orochimaru's hand sword, followed by a heavy, powerful elbow strike!
MAN!
Bang! A dull thud echoed.
Orochimaru's arm bent at an angle that defied human anatomy. At the same time, his entire body retreated several meters as if he had no bones. Tapping the ground with his toes, he lunged forward again.
He gave up competing with Tsunade in raw strength, instead utilizing his flexible and eerie body along with snake-like agility. He combined this with an endless stream of poison mists, hidden weapons, and snakes that could lunge from any part of his body to engage in a battle of attrition.
Within just a dozen breaths, the two had exchanged dozens of blows. Tsunade's attacks were wide and powerful, each strike containing Monstrous Strength capable of crumbling mountains and splitting rocks, forcing Orochimaru to avoid direct confrontation and instead circle around her.
Tsunade threw a punch, which Orochimaru dodged by sidestepping, but behind him was a Culture Dish.
Tsunade's Monstrous Strength shattered the Culture Dish, her hand coming into contact with blood and internal organ tissue.
Tsunade's offensive faltered; she was clearly still affected.
A sharp glint flashed in Orochimaru's eyes as he spat a sword from his mouth, stabbing directly toward Tsunade's heart.
"Watch out!" Jiraiya, who was in a fierce battle with Kimimaro in the distance, caught the scene out of the corner of his eye and hurriedly shouted a warning.
Tsunade snapped back to her senses instantly. At the critical moment, she sidestepped while simultaneously throwing a punch toward Orochimaru's head!
However, Orochimaru's strike was a feint. He dodged Tsunade's fist, and with a flick of his fingers, several dots of purple fluorescence sank into the ground.
In the next instant, the ground beneath Tsunade's feet suddenly softened, turning into a viscous, foul-smelling purple mire. Countless tiny, nematode-like Chakra creatures emerged from the swamp, attempting to entwine and bind her legs.
Simultaneously, a cloyingly sweet and nauseating aroma spread—evidently some kind of potent neurotoxin.
"Despicable!" Tsunade roared. Her erupting Chakra instantly blasted away the mire and Nematodes, but her movements were ultimately hindered for a moment. The small amount of toxic gas she inhaled also caused a slight dizziness.
Orochimaru had already taken the opportunity to widen the distance again, standing leisurely in a safe zone. His golden snake pupils observed Tsunade, who was panting slightly but whose gaze was even more fierce and persistent.
"Hmph, you overcame it quite quickly. It seems the word 'resurrection' carries even more weight for you than I imagined," Orochimaru said slowly.
Tsunade knew she had been seen through by Orochimaru. Forcing down her surging emotions, she said coldly.
"So what? That doesn't change the fact that you must give me an explanation today!"
"An explanation?" Orochimaru suddenly chuckled, his laughter echoing in the hollow training ground.
"Tsunade, we why must we come to this? Fighting is something only savages do. We are seekers of truth and possibility, are we not?"
He paused, his gaze landing on Tsunade's face with tangible weight. His voice dropped, carrying a highly seductive rasp.
"Your craving for resurrection technology is perfectly clear to me."
Tsunade bit her lip hard, not answering, but her fists—clenched until the knuckles were white—betrayed her inner turmoil.
A triumphant curve formed at the corner of Orochimaru's mouth as he continued slowly.
"You've seen it too; Kimimaro is right here. A living, perfect masterpiece is right before your eyes. This proves that my research direction is correct."
He took two steps forward and opened his arms as if displaying a grand blueprint.
"Join me, Tsunade. With your Medical Ninjutsu attainments and your understanding of life force, combined with my Forbidden Jutsu knowledge and special resources, we could potentially push this technology to an even higher, more perfect Realm! At that time, resurrecting your younger brother and your lover would be a simple matter!"
This proposal was like a thunderclap, striking hard at Tsunade's heart! It also shocked everyone present!
Jiraiya's eyes widened abruptly as he barked, "Orochimaru! Don't you dare try to manipulate Tsunade! Tsunade, don't listen to him!"
Kabuto pushed up his glasses; Lord Orochimaru was as charismatic as ever.
Tsunade froze in place as if struck by lightning.
Her reason was screaming in refusal, warning her that this was like dealing with a tiger—a trap leading into deeper darkness.
But the surging craving deep within her, nearly drowning her, was like a devil's whisper, frantically shaking her will.
For that minuscule possibility, for the chance to see her lost loved ones again, what was the price? What did moral lines matter?
Seeing the intense struggle, longing, pain, and hesitation churning in Tsunade's eyes, Orochimaru knew his olive branch had been perfectly thrown and had struck its mark.
He said no more, simply smiling and quietly waiting for Tsunade's response, like a patient venomous snake waiting for its prey to step into the trap.
The air in the training ground seemed to have solidified.
On one side was a cold and crazed scientist holding "hope," and on the other was a Medical Master whose heart was in a divine battle, nearly consumed by obsession.
Jiraiya's roars became the background noise for this decisive moment.
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