"I keep my word. I won't make excuses."
Tsunade's voice was firm, leaving no room for doubt.
She looked directly at Naruto, her golden-brown eyes unusually serious.
"Uzumaki Naruto… I acknowledge your strength."
There was a brief pause.
Then, with a slight sigh, she added:
"And… I apologize for what I said earlier."
Naruto froze.
For a moment, he didn't know how to react.
This was Tsunade—the legendary Sannin, one of the most powerful kunoichi in history—and yet she was apologizing so directly?
He scratched the back of his head awkwardly, letting out a sheepish laugh.
"Hehe… you're pretty straightforward, huh? Turns out you're not as annoying as I thought."
Tsunade's eyebrow twitched.
"You brat… your way of talking is still irritating."
Naruto grinned, completely unbothered.
But Tsunade's expression gradually softened again.
"Still… Jiraiya was right."
Her gaze lingered on Naruto, as if seeing something beyond him.
"You really are extraordinarily talented… perhaps even comparable to the Fourth Hokage."
Naruto blinked in surprise.
"The Fourth Hokage…?"
Before he could ask more—
Clap. Clap. Clap.
A slow, deliberate applause echoed across the battlefield.
The atmosphere instantly shifted.
Orochimaru.
Leaning casually against a nearby rock, he wore his usual faint smile, his golden eyes gleaming with amusement.
"What a magnificent battle."
His voice was smooth, almost theatrical.
"But I believe we've wasted enough time."
His gaze slid toward Tsunade.
"We should get to the main point… shouldn't we?"
"Tsunade."
Jiraiya's expression darkened.
"Orochimaru… Danzo sent you, didn't he?"
"Are you here to stop Tsunade from returning to Konoha… and seize the position of Hokage for yourself?"
Orochimaru chuckled softly, neither confirming nor denying.
"Heh… regardless of the reason, I won't let you interfere, Jiraiya."
Jiraiya let out a short laugh, though his eyes remained sharp.
"This is between me and Tsunade."
"I don't see any reason for you to get involved."
"And frankly… I don't see how you could."
Orochimaru's smile widened, turning cold.
"Jiraiya… have you already forgotten what happened back then?"
His voice dropped slightly, carrying a dangerous edge.
"What right does a loser like you have… to act so arrogant in front of me?"
Jiraiya didn't flinch.
Instead, he sighed.
"For someone who calls himself a scientist… you're pretty narrow-minded."
He stepped forward slowly, his posture relaxed—but his chakra subtly rising.
"What makes you think I'll always be inferior to you?"
Orochimaru tilted his head, amused.
"Oh?"
"Then… let's test that."
His killing intent surged.
"Instead of interfering with Tsunade…"
"It would be much simpler to just kill you."
Jiraiya grinned.
"If you can do it—go ahead and try."
A Battle Beyond Limits
At this moment, the situation was vastly different from what it had once been.
In the original timeline, Orochimaru's arms had been sealed by Hiruzen, leaving him unable to perform ninjutsu.
Jiraiya, on the other hand, had been drugged by Tsunade, unable to properly mold chakra.
But now—
Both of them stood at their peak.
No restrictions.
No weaknesses.
This was the true power of the Sannin.
Naruto swallowed unconsciously.
His fists clenched.
With his current strength, he could easily defeat most Jonin.
But compared to these two…
He felt small.
Even Kakashi-sensei—someone Naruto admired deeply—would likely struggle against Orochimaru.
This wasn't just a battle.
This was a clash between legends.
The air grew heavy.
The tension between Jiraiya and Orochimaru ignited like dry tinder, ready to explode at any moment.
Shizune vs Kabuto
"Lady Tsunade… what should we do?"
Shizune's voice was low, filled with concern.
"Should we help?"
But Tsunade didn't answer immediately.
Her thoughts were elsewhere.
Naruto's determination… his dream of becoming Hokage…
It reminded her of two people she had lost long ago.
Nawaki.
Dan.
The pain she had buried deep within her heart began to resurface.
Her chest tightened.
Jiraiya had brought Naruto to her for a reason.
She knew that.
And yet…
She couldn't stop herself from wavering.
"Damn you, Jiraiya…" she muttered under her breath.
Shizune's eyes widened.
"Lady Tsunade… does that mean…"
"Should we help Orochimaru?!"
Unlike Tsunade, Shizune's loyalty to Konoha was unwavering.
"I don't know what you're thinking, but—"
"I absolutely cannot accept cooperating with a traitor who wants to destroy Konoha!"
Without hesitation, she dashed forward.
But—
A figure appeared in front of her instantly.
Yakushi Kabuto.
"You don't seem qualified… to lay a hand on Lord Orochimaru."
He adjusted his glasses, a mocking smile on his lips.
"Damn it!"
Shizune didn't hesitate.
She opened her mouth and fired—
"Ninja Art: Poison Needle Barrage!"
Tiny, nearly invisible senbon shot forward at incredible speed.
They were extremely difficult to detect—
And even harder to block.
But Kabuto merely smirked.
Clink!
With a casual flick of his kunai, he deflected every single needle.
"What?!"
Shizune's eyes widened.
"This level of trickery won't be enough," Kabuto said calmly.
Shizune immediately switched tactics.
She pulled her arm back, activating a hidden mechanism.
"Ninja Art: Needle Bomb!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Dozens of senbon shot out at once—faster, denser, and coated in deadly poison.
Yet Kabuto still moved effortlessly.
Dodging.
Deflecting.
Reading every movement.
"This guy…" Shizune muttered, her expression growing serious.
Kabuto chuckled.
"You're quite skilled with poison."
"Following Tsunade's path… but specializing in toxins instead?"
"How interesting."
Suddenly—
His chakra surged.
His hand glowed blue, forming a sharp edge.
A Chakra Scalpel.
Shizune's pupils shrank.
"A medical ninjutsu user?!"
Kabuto smirked.
"Using this in front of Lady Tsunade might seem like showing off…"
"But tell me—how much do you weigh?"
Before she could respond—
He vanished.
Reappearing instantly in front of her.
His speed was terrifying.
The scalpel slashed forward.
But—
Shizune reacted just as quickly.
Her own palm glowed with medical chakra, forming a counter-blade.
Boom!
The two chakra scalpels collided.
A violent shockwave erupted.
The ground beneath them cracked as chakra surged wildly.
Both of them winced from the impact.
Even Tsunade narrowed her eyes.
"That boy… his medical ninjutsu is exceptional."
"And his strength… may even surpass Shizune's."
The Legendary Clash Begins
Meanwhile—
Jiraiya and Orochimaru finally moved.
No more hesitation.
No more words.
"Enough talk!" Jiraiya laughed.
"Our grudges have dragged on long enough—let's settle this!"
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed coldly.
"Then die here, Jiraiya."
Jiraiya inhaled deeply—
Then spat forward.
"Fire Release: Toad Oil Flame Bullet!"
A massive wave of fire erupted.
Enhanced with toad oil, the flames spread instantly, engulfing everything in their path.
The heat was overwhelming.
The ground scorched.
The air itself seemed to burn.
Orochimaru's figure was swallowed entirely by the flames.
Jiraiya's fighting style was balanced and overwhelming.
Powerful elemental ninjutsu.
Summoning techniques.
Sealing jutsu.
Barrier techniques.
Hair-based combat techniques.
And if all else failed—
Sage Mode.
He was a complete shinobi.
Orochimaru, however, was the opposite.
While he had mastered traditional ninjutsu…
He had long since abandoned convention.
His fighting style was strange.
Unpredictable.
Terrifying.
Naruto stared in shock as Orochimaru's body seemed to be burned to nothing.
"Did… he win?"
But the next moment—
Something moved within the flames.
A long, pale neck suddenly stretched outward—
Like a white serpent.
Orochimaru burst through the fire, his body twisting unnaturally.
His jaws opened wide—
And he lunged straight at Jiraiya.
Naruto's heart skipped a beat.
That image—
It was exactly like the moment Orochimaru had branded him and Sasuke with the cursed seal.
Cold.
Terrifying.
Inhuman.
The true battle… had only just begun.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)