Tsunade thought with a belly full of resentment. Suddenly, she thought of Hyuga Mio and Uchiha Hikari, who could only face Orochimaru's Shadow Clone at home, and her mood immediately brightened.
Compared to them, she was with Orochimaru every day!
Her emotions are too unstable… Orochimaru noticed the change in Tsunade's mood.
"Tsunade, you're not… are you?"
Orochimaru whispered into Tsunade's ear.
Tsunade's pretty face turned beet red, and she shook her head repeatedly.
Bunbuku, who had woken from his coma, sat quietly on the ground with his hands clasped.
The Ninja guarding him dared not relax their vigilance. If he made any unusual moves, they would inform Orochimaru immediately.
"Hey, monk, don't you want to escape?"
In the mental world, Shukaku was bound by multiple chains, formed by the Four Symbols Sealing, which restricted his movements and prevented Bunbuku from using his power.
"This is my destiny… but it shouldn't be yours."
Bunbuku said slowly. He was glad he hadn't caused slaughter on the battlefield, but had become a Konoha hostage in this way. He didn't want Shukaku to go through all this with him.
"That Chiyo abandoned you and ran without hesitation! Hahahaha!"
Shukaku's tone was full of mockery, letting out a sharp laugh, wanting to see Bunbuku sad and distressed.
"Orochimaru, one of Konoha's Sannin, can seal you… Lady Chiyo is no match for her, so retreating was the correct choice."
Bunbuku's voice was devoid of sorrow or joy, only calm and composure.
Facing Bunbuku's attitude, Shukaku snorted and didn't want to speak anymore. Why was it so hard to make him angry?
What made it even more depressed was being so easily sealed by that woman named Orochimaru. If that stinky fox, who always liked to talk about its tails, found out, it would surely mock it relentlessly.
Orochimaru and Tsunade quickly deciphered Chiyo's poison and formulated an antidote. The task of making the antidote was handed over to the logistics medical unit, while they returned to Konoha with Bunbuku.
Blue Snake moved swiftly through the forest, carrying Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Bunbuku on its back.
This old monk is truly obedient… Tsunade looked at Bunbuku, who sat motionless with his hands clasped, then averted her gaze and squeezed into Orochimaru's embrace, letting out a yawn.
"Are you tired?"
Orochimaru looked at Tsunade, who had a hint of weariness on her face, and gently put her arm around her waist.
"Mm."
Tsunade nodded, found a more comfortable position, leaned against Orochimaru's chest, and inhaled her scent. The sound of Blue Snake moving seemed like a lullaby.
She falls asleep so quickly… Orochimaru looked at the sleeping Tsunade, leaned down and kissed her forehead, then, out of the corner of her eye, looked at Bunbuku and asked, "Bunbuku, do you not hold any resentment towards Hidden Sand Village, towards the Third Kazekage?"
Bunbuku opened his eyes, a hint of surprise in them. His name was now rarely known even within Sunagakure. How did Orochimaru know it?
"You are…?"
Bunbuku was certain he had never seen Orochimaru before, yet for some reason, he felt a sense of familiarity from the person in front of him, as if he had seen her somewhere.
"We have met before. This is not our first meeting."
"Is it… you?"
Bunbuku's eyes widened. He suddenly remembered the person who had broken into the prison years ago and asked him to cooperate with her research.
"It seems you still remember me, Bunbuku."
Orochimaru narrowed her eyes, a curve forming on her lips.
In Bunbuku's mental world, Shukaku was even more shocked. Orochimaru was actually that person from back then.
"It seems fate has brought us together again."
Bunbuku looked at the characters on his palms, clasped his hands, and thinking of Orochimaru's research at that time, asked, "Did you find what you were searching for?"
"What I was searching for… The research on Tailed Beasts and Jinchuriki is complete. I have found a method to preserve a Jinchuriki's life when separating them from their Tailed Beast."
Orochimaru's research on preserving a Jinchuriki's life had long been completed.
"Congratulations."
Bunbuku was genuinely happy that Orochimaru's research had yielded results.
"If the Third Kazekage hadn't sent you to the battlefield, we wouldn't have met again. Bunbuku, answer my question: Do you truly not hold even a trace of resentment towards Hidden Sand Village and the Third Kazekage?"
Orochimaru asked again.
"Resentment, you say…"
Bunbuku was silent for a long time, searching his heart, and slowly replied, "Perhaps I did resent, and I did hate… All resentment will fade with time, just as my name has been forgotten."
"Have you treated all suffering as training?"
Orochimaru looked at Bunbuku's clasped hands. A bag of food appeared in her hand and she threw it towards Bunbuku, where it landed precisely on his lap.
"Eat without worry. I don't want to bear the crime of mistreating a prisoner."
"Thank you."
Bunbuku looked at the food and juice in the bag, took them out, and began to eat.
Tsunade's closed eyes shifted, clearly having heard Orochimaru and Bunbuku's conversation.
Orochimaru had met this monk named Bunbuku, preserving a Jinchuriki's life… Was Orochimaru's research for her grandmother?
Tsunade thought of her grandmother, who was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. As she aged, her body weakened, and her ability to suppress the Tailed Beast also lessened.
Upon returning to Konoha, Orochimaru and Tsunade handed Bunbuku over to the ANBU Ninja for custody. Before they even entered the command center, they heard arguing from inside.
"Hidden Sand has sent their Tailed Beast Jinchuriki to the battlefield, so why can't we use Hidden Sand's Jinchuriki?"
Utatane Koharu's furious voice came from within the command center.
"Koharu, calm down. Hidden Sand's Ichibi Jinchuriki is a Konoha captive. How can we send a captive to the battlefield?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice rang out.
Bang—!
The sound of a table being slammed rang out, followed by Utatane Koharu's raised voice.
"Hiruzen, have you forgotten Konoha's current predicament?! At a time like this, do you still care so much?"
"Lady Orochimaru! Lady Tsunade!"
The two Ninja guarding the command center door saw Orochimaru and Tsunade, their eyes filled with tears, as if they had seen saviors. They actively opened the conference room door and invited them in.
Hearing the voices of the guarding Ninja, the command center immediately fell silent.
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