Leave Your Address

"Lord Tsunade, you're back? Do we have injured people who need treatment?"

As the most cultured summon among the Konoha summons that followed the Sannin and were renowned throughout the ninja world, the Slug's voice was filled with gentleness, calmness, and a slightly soft tone. If one couldn't see its face and only heard its voice, it would bring a sense of peace.

Tsunade, who was flipping through a photo album in her hands, let her fingernails brush across the pictures one by one, finally settling on an old photo with slightly yellowed edges.

"Slug, Shizune said you were very close to a certain young man today. Is there anything special about that young man?"

The Slug showed no surprise at Tsunade's question. It simply crawled from Tsunade's right hand onto her shoulder and whispered into her ear:

"Lord Tsunade, that young man's appearance bears some resemblance to Lord Tobirama, but the Chakra within him is more like Lord Hashirama's. Although very faint, it is indeed very warm."

The Slug's words instantly sobered Tsunade up, like a sobering soup. However, after a moment, she slumped back down again. Although this news shocked her greatly, it no longer held any meaning for her; the people she loved could not return.

The sunset hung in the sky, and the evening breeze blew across the table in front of her, rustling the photo album. It finally settled on a worn photograph. In the picture was a young man with tea-colored spiky hair, fair skin, delicate features, pupils like rubies, and a composed expression.

"Leave with Shizune in two months. I'm ultimately not suited to be here. So, Orochimaru, how long are you going to wait outside the door?"

Under Tsunade's scrutinizing gaze, Orochimaru, dressed in a white kimono with a purple obi tied in the back, pushed the door open and entered.

"Long time no see, Tsunade. It seems your years of travel haven't allowed you to let go of the past. This isn't what Nawaki and Dan would have wanted."

Orochimaru, with his cold demeanor, ignored Tsunade's increasingly dangerous glare and spoke to himself. This was a rare moment of sincerity from Orochimaru. He knew that opportunities to meet his former comrades as a Konoha ninja would become fewer and fewer.

Kurōsuke Sarutobi was a member of the Sarutobi Clan, one of Konoha's top noble families, and the jonin-sensei for the three-person team including Senba.

In Senba's memory, Kurōsuke Sarutobi wasn't the type to form deep emotional bonds with his students. He carried a subtle air of arrogance and generally handled things in a very business-like manner.

It made sense, really. Konoha's three-person teams were usually composed of two boys and one girl: a genius, a dead last, and an average person.

Iruka was the dead last, Senba was the average person, and Uchiha Yue was quite talented, but her background was problematic. Therefore, they didn't have the close relationship with their teacher as the original Twelve Rookie Ninjas did.

In fact, this was how most jonin-sensei interacted with their students. Nowadays, every jonin-sensei in Konoha had survived battles. Having seen so much life and death, where would they have the emotional capacity for more?

Even so, when Senba and Iruka saw Kurōsuke Sarutobi on the sickbed, they froze in place involuntarily.

The man on the sickbed was emaciated, almost to the point of being unrecognizable. His legs, from the mid-thigh down, were gone, completely lost during the Night of the Nine-Tails' Rampage.

In his hands, he was wiping a Chakra Blade, a weapon that combined a knuckle blade and a blade. This was one of the Sarutobi Clan's unique combat weapons, the same weapon used by the young clan head, Asuma Sarutobi.

"The village has already arranged other jonin-sensei for you. Senba, Iruka, follow your new teacher and train diligently. I'm fine here. Focus on your training and don't waste time visiting me."

Hearing that Uchiha Yue wasn't mentioned, Iruka thought their teacher, Sarutobi, was angry about it and stepped forward to explain. However, he was blocked by Senba.

"Teacher, please rest well. We'll be going now. We'll visit you again when we have time."

Placing the carnations in his hand into a vase on the table, Senba led Iruka away. Kurōsuke Sarutobi, meanwhile, continued to polish the Chakra Blade in his hand, no longer responding to them.

After dragging the still-stunned Iruka out, Senba pulled him to a balcony far from the hospital room. "Iruka, if you visit Teacher Sarutobi alone in the future, remember not to mention Yue again."

"Ah, why do you say that, Senba? I still wanted to explain why you couldn't come visit."

Looking at Iruka's bewildered eyes, Senba didn't explain. After all, it was better for Iruka not to know about these things.

Just as Senba was repeatedly cautioning Iruka, an anomaly occurred.

"Boom!"

A loud sound erupted above Senba, and a figure crashed through the wall, landing on the street outside the hospital. Their clothes were tattered, and they looked quite disheveled.

Orochimaru? Senba, who had leaped to the wall below to avoid falling bricks, looked at Orochimaru kneeling on one knee, somewhat bewildered. Had he been beaten up?

The ninjas who landed around them to maintain order, just like Senba, were also confused. They looked up at Tsunade, who had kicked through the remaining wall, unsure of how to react.

"Damn Tsunade, her temper is still so explosive." Orochimaru felt a surge of heat rise in his chest, wanting to spit out blood, as his modified body sustained so much damage.

However, upon seeing the medical staff around him and thinking of Tsunade's psychological issues, Orochimaru suppressed the metallic taste in his mouth.

Afterward, Orochimaru waved his hand, signaling everyone to retreat. Then, after meeting Tsunade's cold gaze, he turned and left.

Both parties knew that their friendship would cease to exist after today.

"Mother-of-a-bitch! This is even more terrifying than what I saw on screen!"

Senba looked at the shattered wall above and the deep pit in the ground made by Orochimaru's body, involuntarily swallowing. The ninja world's greatest strength was no joke, but Orochimaru's resilience was even stronger. Senba had truly broadened his horizons today.

"Aoki Senba, what are you squatting there for? Hurry up and get down here. I need you for something."

While Senba was in a daze, Shizune had appeared at the base of the wall at some point, hands on her hips, looking at him.

A few minutes later, Shizune left with Senba's residential address to report back to Lord Tsunade, leaving Senba somewhat bewildered and Iruka heading home separately.

Meanwhile, the sun had set in the west. Under the cold moonlight, Orochimaru walked alone through the streets. His injuries had already recovered about seventy to eighty percent, no longer affecting his movements.

Before long, a rustling sound echoed from a corner. Under Orochimaru's cold, snake-like eyes, a python, as thick as an adult, emerged from the darkness. In its massive jaws, it held an ANBU member, presenting them before him.

"Danzo is really impatient."

Ignoring the "Root" member swallowed by the giant snake, Orochimaru changed direction and slowly walked away.

All that remained in his wake was the sound of swallowing.