"Was it the Sasori's poison that was too strong?" Orochimaru's voice curled into a smirk. "Or was she simply too incompetent? Or perhaps… you weren't serious about teaching her at all?"
He looked at Tsunade with a half-smile, his words sharp and deliberate.
If you thought about it rationally, several possibilities existed.
The poison techniques of the Sasori had been inherited from Chiyo of the Hidden Sand—while not as refined as his puppetry, they were still among the deadliest in the ninja world.
And Tsunade... her commitment to teaching was, at best, questionable. She rarely gave proper guidance. Her time with Shizune had always taken a backseat to gambling and escapism.
As for Shizune herself—there was no denying she lacked talent. Even with focus, how much time did she have to train, constantly occupied with caring for Tsunade's day-to-day needs?
No matter how skilled a technique, without practice, it faded. Even Tsunade—how much had she progressed in these past few years since they last parted?
In truth, all three explanations likely played a role. It wasn't about finding one single cause—it was about making Tsunade feel responsible.
Orochimaru's point wasn't to analyze—he was planting doubt. As long as Tsunade felt guilt, she would take on the blame, regardless of the facts.
"Tch... Orochimaru, you bastard..." Tsunade seethed, words caught in her throat.
He was right—Shizune had been poisoned. That was undeniable. And someone had to answer for it.
Should she admit that Chiyo was better than her? Say her own disciple was worthless compared to the Sasori's brilliance? Or that Shizune was lazy and untalented?
None of those explanations were acceptable.
"Lady Tsunade..."
From the bed, Shizune stirred, frowning in discomfort. Despite her weakness, she tried to speak up.
She knew Tsunade was trying to shield her—and she couldn't let her carry that weight alone.
"Orochimaru-sama, please don't blame Lady Tsunade. It's my fault—I wasn't good enough."
She paused, looking down. "And... I don't have my uncle's talent. I don't think I can learn the spiritualization technique."
"Ah, I see." Orochimaru gave a short, dismissive nod. "Then forget it."
But his tone softened slightly as he added, "Still, if you ever change your mind, you're welcome to try. You know where to find me."
With that, the tension eased. Orochimaru had made his point—and backed down, having achieved what he wanted.
Turning to Aoi, he continued, "You'll be staying with Tsunade for now. She may have her flaws, but she's still one of the best doctors in the world."
Ignoring Tsunade's glare, he added slyly, "She's my age, but just look at her—doesn't she take care of herself well?"
"Orochimaru!" Tsunade snapped, her voice cracking like a whip.
He only chuckled but said nothing more.
Aoi, holding Karin tightly, looked between the two. Their equal footing made it obvious—they were more than just acquaintances. But to hear it said aloud was still surprising.
And this woman—Tsunade—her skin looked better than even Karin's.
Then Tsunade turned to her, her voice softer now. "Stay with me for the time being."
Aoi felt the warmth in her tone and nodded cautiously.
But even so, she didn't dare tell Tsunade the truth about her deal with Orochimaru.
Although Aoi hadn't known them long, she could still tell—Tsunade was a good person. Not all shinobi could manipulate their presence as skillfully as Orochimaru, and there was a certain warmth to Tsunade that couldn't be faked.
But even if Tsunade was kind, Orochimaru was another matter entirely.
From their earlier exchange, it was obvious who held the reins in the conversation, who led, and who followed.
Tap tap tap—
Suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed outside. An Anbu shinobi rushed into the medical room and bowed respectfully.
"Lord Orochimaru, Lady Tsunade, the village elder advisors have summoned you both to discuss matters concerning the front lines."
"Oh?" Orochimaru raised an eyebrow and glanced toward Tsunade before responding to the Anbu.
"Lead the way."
"Yes, sir!"
---
In the Meeting Room
Orochimaru sipped from a cup of tea, his gaze fixed on a report fresh from the battlefield. His brows lifted slightly.
As expected, Kumogakure's surprise attack was a decisive victory. A combination of factors led to this outcome, so it was hardly surprising.
Even though Iwagakure had taken a cautious, methodical approach and avoided underestimating their opponent, they still couldn't match Kumogakure's relentless assault and overwhelming force.
The result? A loss for Iwagakure—an expected one. After all, Lightning Release techniques generally held an advantage over Earth Release, and Kumogakure's aggression tipped the scale further.
Fortunately, Iwagakure's renowned defensive capabilities prevented the loss from turning into a total rout.
Just last night, Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki personally entered the battlefield. A fierce clash broke out between him, the Five-Tails' Jinchūriki Han, and the forces of Kumogakure.
In that battle, Ōnoki landed a successful Dust Release strike on Killer Bee. He then used his flight jutsu to retreat safely from the confrontation.
Had it not been for Roshi—the other Jinchūriki from Iwagakure—stationed at the border to defend against potential Konoha interference, the entire tide of battle might have turned.
But without more top-tier fighters, Iwagakure's overall military strength was still inferior to Kumogakure's. In the end, they had no choice but to let the enemy retreat unchallenged.
The fight would go on. Though Iwagakure suffered greater losses than expected, Ōnoki had confirmed that the Fourth Raikage was seriously wounded. So he refused to pull back.
Still, a direct confrontation would not be enough.
That's why Ōnoki acted quickly—he leaked intel to Konoha, revealing that Kumogakure had committed nearly all its forces to the Iwagakure front, leaving their own territory exposed.
He was clearly angling for a pincer movement—pressuring Konoha to strike Kumogakure from behind, while Iwagakure pushed from the front.
The documents laid before Orochimaru contained all the detailed intelligence surrounding these operations. Iwagakure had pulled out all the stops, desperate to entice Konoha into action.
And the reason this report was sitting in front of Orochimaru? Someone had taken the bait.
Kumogakure's "decisive" victory hadn't been as one-sided as hoped. If the tables had turned in the very first clash, Iwagakure might've crumbled already. That hadn't happened. This changed everything.
Orochimaru set the report down and clicked his tongue.
"Ōnoki… You're a real piece of work. Growing old hasn't dulled your instincts one bit."
Koharu Utatane's face darkened at the comment, giving Orochimaru a pointed glare. She couldn't shake the feeling that he was mocking her as well.
"What are you looking at me for?" Orochimaru smirked. "I've said everything that needs saying. Can't you see this for what it is? It's a trap—Ōnoki's trying to turn Konoha into the villain. Everyone hates the one who stabs from behind."
He gave a low chuckle, eyes gleaming. "Still… with this move, I suspect Ōnoki might actually pull his troops back soon."
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