Konoha, the Senju Clan estate
In the underground library, Orochimaru was completely absorbed in his reading. A hefty scroll lay open before him, filled with secret techniques and research notes passed down through generations of the Senju Clan.
The Senju Clan had inherited the Sage's bloodline, which gave them a unique constitution. Over the course of their long history, they had accumulated a wealth of knowledge.
There were secret techniques, for instance, as well as studies of their own physiology...
"As expected of a bloodline passed down from the Sage of Six Paths... The depth of their heritage is truly astonishing."
Orochimaru murmured under his breath, his fingertips lightly tracing the detailed diagrams of Chakra pathways and pressure points on the scroll.
These records went far deeper than anything at Konoha Hospital...
Just as he had suspected, Tsunade had become proficient in Medical Ninjutsu at such a young age not only because of her natural talent, but also because of other external factors.
Of course, the most valuable material was the notes left behind by the Second, Tobirama Senju. Among some yellowed pages, he had found Tobirama's theoretical musings on life, cells, and regeneration.
The audacious, ahead-of-their-time ideas were deeply astonishing, even to him, a man who had crossed over from another world.
"Creation Rebirth... So that's where the early form of Tsunade's technique came from..."
A probing light flickered in his eyes. The forbidden technique that could instantly heal bodily damage had, it turned out, originated as an idea of the Second.
But then again, it made sense. According to the original story, Tsunade's Creation Rebirth was modeled after the First's constitution.
And given Tsunade's personality, she would never use her own grandfather as a research subject.
But the Second, on the other hand, might well have done so...
However, the more he read, the deeper his doubts grew.
He searched carefully, turning over every scroll and notebook that might be related to the Second's research, but found no experimental records.
Whether it was Creation Rebirth or Impure World Reincarnation, even a partially completed technique would inevitably have involved a great deal of experimentation. Yet the data from those experiments wasn't here.
"There are only instructions for using the techniques and their conclusions, but no detailed records of how they were developed... How is that possible?
If they're not even in the Senju Clan's library... where else could they be?"
Orochimaru furrowed his brow. The Second had died so suddenly that he couldn't have destroyed the records himself.
"In that case..."
Orochimaru let out a quiet sigh. He was disappointed, but it was more or less what he had expected.
For research so dangerous and important, the Second might have chosen to store it somewhere more secure...
Just as he was pondering this, the library door was suddenly yanked open with a bang.
A lively, golden-haired figure rushed inside.
"Orochimaru! You're holed up in here again! It's almost noon. Aren't you going to eat?!"
Tsunade stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips, cheeks puffed out as she stared at Orochimaru, who was buried in a pile of scrolls.
She had come by several times over the past few days. The guy seemed to have taken root in the library; aside from going to the bathroom, he practically never left.
"No need, Tsunade. I still have some things to read. I'll just grab something to eat."
Orochimaru didn't even look up. He was holding a Military Ration Pill, about to pop it into his mouth.
"Just grab something to eat?!"
"Another one of those things! What are you, a Ninja Dog?!"
Tsunade's eyes widened. She hurried over and snatched the Military Ration Pill from his hand.
Looking at Orochimaru, who seemed a little tired but still had a feverish gleam in his eyes, she felt conflicted.
She had thought Orochimaru was just a highly talented genius, but she hadn't realized he was so hardworking, too.
For days now, he had relied on Military Ration Pills and brief rests, and had somehow managed to plow through the mountain of books in the library.
"You've really been pushing yourself these past few days. Do you even sleep?"
Tsunade's voice softened, laced with a hint of concern and exasperation.
"Research is much more interesting than sleep."
Orochimaru shrugged, unconcerned, and took another Military Ration Pill out of his pouch.
"What do you mean, 'interesting'?!"
"Come on! Let's go eat! Grandma always said that eating is the most important thing!"
Tsunade was fired up again. She grabbed Orochimaru's arm and used her Strength of a Hundred to drag him outside.
Orochimaru was caught off guard and nearly went flying.
He struggled helplessly for a moment, only to realize that Tsunade had gotten even stronger.
"Wait, Tsunade! I can walk by myself!"
"Stop complaining!"
Tsunade gave him no chance to resist. She hauled him out of the pile of books and then shoved and tugged him toward the library exit.
Orochimaru couldn't get the better of her, so he let himself be dragged along.
He knew Tsunade was worried about him. Her way of showing it was a little rough, but he appreciated the concern.
After Tsunade "escorted" him through lunch, Orochimaru wanted to head straight back to the library and continue his research. Tsunade wouldn't let him.
"No! You need to balance work with rest! Look how pale you are! Come on, get some fresh air with me. And while we're at it... help me pick out a few things!"
Seeing how stubbornly he refused to budge, Tsunade was both annoyed and amused. She grabbed him and, without giving him a chance to argue, pulled him outside.
"Just think of it as coming shopping with me!"
"..."
Orochimaru was at a loss for words. What could he say?
He could only let Tsunade drag him out onto the street...
Konoha's streets were bustling with people and full of life.
Tsunade seemed to love shopping. She pulled Orochimaru around to look at this and that, occasionally stopping at a roadside stall to buy a snack.
Orochimaru followed behind her, feeling helpless, his thoughts still drifting back to the Senju Clan's library.
Just then, a familiar figure appeared at the street corner.
"Well, well! If it isn't Tsunade and... Orochimaru?"
The newcomer had white hair and a trademark grin. It was Jiraiya.
Seeing the two of them shopping together—and especially seeing Orochimaru looking exhausted as Tsunade dragged him along—Jiraiya immediately pictured all sorts of naughty things.
"Ohoho, what's this? Are you two... on a date? Orochimaru, you've got some nerve. You always seem so cold, but I didn't think you'd win Tsunade over so quickly!"
He chuckled and sauntered over, waggling his eyebrows.
Coming from him, the phrase "win her over" clearly had an indecent meaning.
At that, Tsunade's face turned bright red, then flushed with anger.
"Jiraiya! What the hell are you talking about?!"
A vein throbbed on her forehead as she swung a fist the size of a cooking pot straight at Jiraiya.
But after training at Mount Myoboku, Jiraiya was no longer the man he once was. He easily dodged Tsunade's punch.
"Whoa! I was just joking! Don't take it seriously!"
Sensing danger, Jiraiya let out a yelp and took off running.
"Who's joking?! Get back here!"
Tsunade roared, unleashing her Strength of a Hundred. The ground cracked beneath her as she chased after Jiraiya.
The two figures leapt onto the rooftops one after the other and soon vanished down the street.
Orochimaru was left standing alone, utterly bewildered.
He watched them disappear, then shook his head helplessly.
When would those two ever settle down?
Still, watching them bicker and roughhouse like that was... pretty entertaining.
He turned away, ready to head back to the Senju Clan estate and resume his research.
"Orochimaru."
At that moment, a low voice came from the shadows of a nearby alley.
Orochimaru stopped and turned his head.
A middle-aged man, leaning on a cane, slowly emerged.
"I'm Shimura Danzō, the Hokage Assistant."
Huh? Danzō?!
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