The Three Finally Returned to Konoha

Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru traversed the forest at high speed for a whole day. Jiraiya, carrying Tenchi on his Tianqi, finally couldn't take it anymore. He was sweating profusely from his forehead, and his speed gradually decreased.

Seeing Jiraiya like this, Orochimaru said, "Jiraiya, don't force yourself. You're wasting too much time. Let me carry Tianqi."

Jiraiya hearing Orochimaru's words, Jiraiya stopped trying to hold on; he was indeed struggling. He then Tianqi handed the Heavenly Orochimaru.

Orochimaru was about to set off with Tsunade on his back when Tianqi stopped him, "Orochimaru, don't rush off. Let me check on Tianqi's condition first."

Upon hearing this, Orochimaru stopped and carefully placed Tianqi on the ground. After putting Tianqi down, Tsunade quickly used her Chakra energy to check Tianqi's physical condition. After the check, Tsunade shook her head repeatedly, "No, Tianqi's physical condition is getting worse and worse. We won't be able to hold out until we return to Konoha like this."

Hearing this, Jiraiya became anxious. He asked Tsunade and Orochimaru with a worried expression, "Since it's too late, we can't just watch Brother Tianqi die like this. Orochimaru, Tsunade two need to think of something quickly!"

Orochimaru didn't speak when he heard Jiraiya's words, because he knew that Tianqi was beyond saving. Unless a miracle happened, everything would be in vain.

Tsunade, for some reason, was unusually calm with a gloomy face. "Jiraiya, don't make a fuss. I've already thought of a way. We must bring Tianqi back to Konoha no matter what." After saying that, Tsunade bit her finger and began to Hand Seals.

"Summoning Technique!" With Tsunade's summoning, a white Katsuyu about one meter in size appeared.

The Katsuyu appeared, looking around with a puzzled expression before turning to Tsunade. "Where is this? Lady Tsunade, why did you summon me?"

Because its memories had been extracted by Tianqi, the Katsuyu had completely forgotten that Tsunade had summoned it not long ago. At this moment, it looked at Tsunade with a puzzled expression, wondering why Tsunade had summoned it.

"Katsuyu, enough of the small talk. Hurry up and split and multiply into Tianqi and the three of us. I need you to heal Tianqi while helping us recover our Chakra. We urgently need to get back to Konoha. Please help us," Tsunade, pointing at Tianqi and the three of them before pleading with Katsuyu.

That's right, Tsunade planned to use Katsuyu to keep Tianqi alive, and then restore their stamina continuously as they walked, so that they could quickly return to Konoha.

Upon hearing Tsunade's words, the Katsuyu finally noticed Tianqi lying on the ground. Instead of splitting into two, it came to Tianqi and began to treat him.

Immediately, green healing Chakra emanated from the Katsuyu's body, and it began to heal. After finishing treating Tianqi, it was shocked. Such severe injuries had damaged the very source of his consciousness; there was no hope of saving him. Then, it looked at Tsunade with a conflicted expression, "Lady Tsunade, Tianqi... he... he..."

Originally, she had hoped the Katsuyu could cure Tianqi, which was why she hadn't stopped it. Now it seemed she could only rely on her grandmother in Konoha. She knew what the Katsuyu wanted to say, so Tsunade stopped it, "Katsuyu, stop talking. I know what you want to say, but now is not the time to talk about these things. Hurry up and split and multiply! I don't want to hear any more useless words."

"Well... alright," seeing Tsunade's persistence, the Katsuyu didn't say anything more and began to split. It split into four smaller Katsuyu individuals, one of which climbed onto Tianqi's body, while the other three climbed onto the shoulders of the other three.

With the Katsuyu's help, Orochimaru Tianqi on his back, and the three of them quickly ran towards Konoha.

Looking at the weakened Tianqi on Orochimaru's back, Tsunade kept reassuring herself that as long as they reached Konoha, Grandma Mito would definitely have a way to save him. "Tianqi, hang in there."

The three of them traveled day and night without eating or drinking, and finally entered the forest on the outskirts of Konoha on the fifth day. On the Konoha city wall, Shinsetsu, who was sitting with his legs crossed and eating sunflower seeds, also noticed that they were approaching Konoha.

"Hmm! Someone's coming! Could it be an enemy attack?" Shinsetsu put away his crossed legs, threw down the sunflower seeds in his hand, jumped off the city wall, and found a few veteran Genin to guard the gate of Konoha.

Tsunade and her two Tsunade, sporting dark circles under their eyes, finally saw the gates of Konoha. Jiraiya, carrying Tianqi on his back Jiraiya, saw the Konoha Gate and, as if seeing a savior, roared Jiraiya, unleashing his fastest speed, "Konoha, I'm back! Aaaaaah!!!"

Jiraiya yelled and transformed into a gust of wind, rushing towards the Konoha Gate. Tsunade and Orochimaru were not to be outdone; like Jiraiya, they also unleashed their final bursts of speed.

Tsunade did so because the hope of a cure was within reach, while Orochimaru did so because he wanted to see the miracle as soon as possible. He had originally thought that Tianqi would die on the way, but unexpectedly, Tianqi's life force seemed to have stopped, and he maintained his last breath. For the first time, Orochimaru, a mad scientist, chose to believe in a miracle.

Just as the three were about to reach the gate, Shinsetsu and several veteran Genin recognized who it was. "Ah! Big sister! It's my big sister who's back."

"And Lord Jiraiya and Lord Orochimaru, they're back too!" Seeing that it was several leaders from Konoha, the veteran Genin were immediately relieved. If it had really been an enemy attack, they would have been in real trouble with their strength. Now that their own people were back, they were no longer worried.

They had suddenly woken up to find that Konoha's elite forces had all disappeared. After their initial worry, they spontaneously halted the plan to protect Konoha. Today, seeing the three leaders of Konoha return, they were immediately relieved. They had previously guessed that Konoha's elite forces had gone out on missions, but now that they saw that someone had finally returned, they were no longer worried.

"Hi! Big sister, big sister," Shinsetsu waved and greeted his older sister.

Tsunade ignored her brother and, with Jiraiya and Orochimaru, rushed through the Konoha Gate, heading quickly towards the Uzumaki Mito clan's residence.

"Huh? What's going on? Why aren't my older sister and the others talking to me?" Seeing that her older sister, who usually doted on her the most, was ignoring her, a big question mark appeared on Shinsetsu's little head.

The other veteran Genin also looked puzzled, "Why did you gentlemen run away so fast?"

They seem to have something very urgent to do.

"Huh? Didn't you guys see that Lord Jiraiya is carrying someone on his back? That person must be injured, and you gentlemen are anxious to treat him."

Hearing the conversation among the Genin, Shinsetsu immediately began to ponder. Someone was injured? Who could be injured? Why were they so anxious, my sister? Hmm! Could it be that guy?

Suddenly realizing something, Shinsetsu quickly ran after his older sister and the others. The only person who could make his older sister ignore him and rush in to treat him was that guy; something must have happened to him.