At last, after completing their final mission, Orochimaru led Satoru and the other two into Konoha's Border Fortress.
The rain poured heavily.
The large bundle Orochimaru carried, radiating waves of piercing cold, drew the guards' attention.
Rainwater fell onto the bundle and had already formed a thin layer of ice over its surface.
Since there was no precedent for sealing a person inside a Summoning Scroll, even with the protection of Ice Barrier, Orochimaru and Satoru did not dare take the risk.
So they had no choice but to place the ice container holding the frozen Nawaki inside the bundle, with Orochimaru carrying it all the way back.
"This is urgent. I need to see Tsunade immediately. Take us to her!"
Without waiting for the guards to question him, Orochimaru urgently demanded Tsunade's whereabouts.
"Yes! Lord Orochimaru, I'll take you there right away!"
The guard was startled. Since when had Orochimaru been this impatient?
This Elite Jonin had visited the fortress many times before. He had always seemed calm and composed, perhaps a little aloof at most. No one had ever seen him like this.
When they pushed open the door to Tsunade's office, Jiraiya was inside, handling some documents.
"Orochimaru? You're back. Oh, Satoru, and the little Uchiha girl too. Where's Nawaki?"
"Why are you here? Where's Tsunade?"
Orochimaru had absolutely no desire to see this idiot right now.
"This is urgent. Where is Tsunade?"
"She's teaching students in the medical unit and is too busy to handle these documents, so I'm helping her out—what happened?"
Jiraiya froze. Orochimaru was in such a rush to see Tsunade, and he was carrying such a strange bundle...
Frowning, Jiraiya realized something was wrong.
"Where's Nawaki?"
He asked again, but his gaze kept drifting toward that strange bundle.
"You..."
"Shut up! Take