"…Wait."
Tsunade suddenly blinked.
"Yusuke—you said you warned Orochimaru not to touch your clan. Don't tell me that disgusting bastard set his sights on the Uchiha for human experiments?"
Her expression darkened.
"That wretch!"
Yusuke nodded calmly.
"In a sense. Orochimaru has mastered a forbidden technique called Living Corpse Reincarnation. He transfers his consciousness into another body to achieve immortality."
Tsunade froze.
That explained it.
All these years—Orochimaru hadn't aged at all.
Meanwhile, Jiraiya's hair had turned white, wrinkles forming at the corners of his eyes.
So that was the reason.
Orochimaru's current body… definitely wasn't his original one.
Who knew how many times he had changed vessels?
"So… he's targeting an Uchiha? Trying to obtain a Sharingan bloodline as his next container?"
Yusuke replied plainly:
"More precisely—Sasuke."
"Uchiha Sasuke?!!"
Tsunade was momentarily speechless.
Orochimaru truly had guts.
Daring to openly covet the disciple of the "Flame Demon of Konoha."
Was he tired of living?
Inside the Four Violet Flames Formation
"Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!"
"Summoning Jutsu—Impure World Reincarnation!"
"One… two…"
The coffins rose.
The lids fell open.
Out stepped the First Hokage and the Second Hokage.
Hiruzen's expression trembled—anger and grief intertwined.
"Orochimaru! To desecrate the dead—you will not end well!"
Orochimaru smirked.
"Can you understand it, sensei? The thrill… the joy… of harming the one you once called teacher?"
"I prepared this stage just for you."
"Enjoy it."
Moments later, Hiruzen was forced onto the defensive—pressed hard by the combined assault of Hashirama and Tobirama.
On the Rooftop
Tsunade's eyes widened.
"That's… Grandfather and Granduncle!"
Rage flooded her face.
"Orochimaru—damn him!"
She clenched her fists and rushed forward instinctively—
Only for Yusuke to grab her wrist.
"Tsunade. Don't."
She struggled fiercely.
"Let go! He dares to defile Grandfather and Granduncle! I won't forgive him—never!"
For someone in emotional turmoil, Tsunade's strength was terrifying.
Yusuke had to exert genuine effort to restrain her.
"Relax. After this is over, I'll hand Orochimaru to you personally. You can deal with him however you wish."
"But for now… let their teacher–student reckoning finish."
After considerable effort, he finally calmed her.
Seeing her agitation, he decided to shift her attention elsewhere.
Orochimaru and Hiruzen's battle would not end quickly.
Another Corner of Konoha
BOOM! BOOM!
Several giant serpents rampaged through the village.
Walls collapsed. Homes were crushed.
In the chaos stood a woman with long violet hair, wearing ANBU armor and a fox mask.
Yugao Uzuki gripped her katana, facing down a massive serpent.
She was injured.
Breathing unsteady.
Under Tsunade's command in the ANBU division, she had already eliminated a squad of Sand ninja—but at the cost of wounds and fallen teammates.
Now, seeing the serpent tearing through civilians—
How could she retreat?
The giant snake lunged.
At the final instant, Yugao vanished with Body Flicker.
Midair—
She executed her ultimate technique.
"Konoha-Style Sword Art—Oborozuki Dance!"
Her blade traced arcs like a hazy crescent moon, layered illusions of silver light overlapping in hypnotic patterns.
The serpent roared and lunged again—
But Yugao's speed surged.
A single flash.
She landed.
BOOM.
The enormous snake's head separated from its body.
Heavy breathing.
Her stamina was nearly drained.
She had already fought a brutal skirmish before this.
Yugao's strength hadn't diverged much from the original timeline.
Unlike Kurenai and Tsunade—who had grown significantly stronger from frequent contact and sparring with Yusuke—
Yugao had gradually distanced herself.
Once she realized Yusuke did not seem to see her that way, she forced herself to stop chasing after him like before.
But restraint did not equal release.
The one she had loved since academy days—
That was not something one simply "let go" of.
Especially recently.
Seeing Kurenai frequently enter Yusuke's residence.
Seeing him walking the streets with Tsunade and Kurenai—
That day, her composure had fractured.
She regretted giving up so easily.
Suddenly—
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
A barrage of shuriken sliced through the air.
"Watch out!"
Yugao reacted instantly, blade flashing to deflect the projectiles.
Still—
Several cut through, drawing blood.
"Die!"
A Sand ninja seized the opening and slashed down.
Yugao couldn't evade.
She closed her eyes.
So… this is it?
Strangely—
She felt calm.
Perhaps death… would be release.
The blade descended—
CRACK!
A sharp metallic snap echoed.
Yugao slowly opened her eyes.
The attacker's sword had been severed—only the hilt remained in his trembling hand.
The Sand ninja collapsed in terror.
Excited voices erupted around her.
"Lord Yusuke!"
"Lord Yusuke is here!"
And then—
That familiar voice.
"Are you alright, Yugao?"
Her heart trembled.
He came.
He saved her.
Standing before her—
Uchiha Yusuke.
For a moment—
Yugao Uzuki forgot how to breathe.
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