Orochimaru, Full of Sentiment and Friendship; Jiraiya, Ungrateful and Treacherous

Not long after the Chunin Selection Exam concluded, Sakumo's teacher, Sasuke Sarutobi, passed away due to illness.

During his lifetime, he had praised Sakumo's strength, stating that he was "not a vessel to be confined to the rank of Chunin."

Following Sasuke Sarutobi's death, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who inherited his position, expressed his intention to recommend Hatake Sakumo for promotion to Jonin, citing his father's dying wish as the reason.

Furthermore, Sakumo's supervising Jonin, Kagami Uchiha, as well as Mitokado Homura, who maintained a friendly relationship with Hiruzen, also voiced their support for Sakumo's promotion, stating that "his strength is sufficient to qualify as a Jonin."

This was a quiet shift that occurred six months after the Chunin Selection Exam.

Tobirama had originally been struggling with the decision of whether to promote his inner disciple, Senju Diejian, to Jonin first, or Hatake Sakumo, who possessed talent but lacked the background of a prestigious clan.

Diejian and Sakumo were no ordinary ninja.

They held a glorious title—they were the first graduating class under Tobirama's "Ninja Academy" policy.

The first Jonin to emerge from that institution would signify the completion of the symbol of Tobirama's administration.

It was the original wish held by the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama: to ensure children would no longer have to sacrifice their lives.

The origin of the village was meant to be exactly that.

After Hashirama's death, the policy that Tobirama, as the successor and Second Hokage, prioritized was likewise to build a village where children were less likely to die.

In a ninja world where young lives were most easily extinguished, cultivating the next generation was the matter that required the highest priority.

This included the meaning of inheriting the First Hokage's will; it would be no exaggeration to say that the "Ninja Academy" policy was the core mission of the Second Hokage Senju Tobirama's reign.

Therefore, the selection of the first Jonin to serve as its symbol had to be handled with extreme caution.

Because the evaluation of this new Jonin would directly reflect upon Tobirama's own reputation.

If Diejian were used as the banner, the administration would certainly become more stable, but the era of "village unity" that transcended clan barriers would be delayed.

If Sakumo were used as the banner, ancient customs would be forced to change.

This would serve as the final move in establishing the realization that the village as an organization was one that "transcended clans to move forward hand in hand."

However, it could also invite dissatisfaction from the so-called prestigious clans.

Each had its pros and cons.

In this sense, Ina, whose position was a compromise, was excluded from the candidates.

Senju Diejian.

A direct descendant of the Senju bloodline, possessing a talent for Wood Release, and a hero who had mastered various ultra-high-level ninjutsu at a young age.

With bloodline, talent, and strength all combined, Diejian was the perfect material to serve as a banner.

Yet, because of his background, it was inevitable that it would invite unnecessary speculation from both inside and outside—that it was still the Senju, after all.

If Tobirama were still alive, it would naturally be fine, but after his death, when the era of Diejian arrived, there was no guarantee it wouldn't become a source of future trouble.

It was then that the existence of Hatake Sakumo entered the frame.

He was a first-class student of the Ninja Academy, a prodigy whose strength was on par with, or perhaps even surpassed, that of Diejian.

—Was it to be bloodline, or a new wind?

Shortly thereafter, as if to provide the final push, a ninja recommended Sakumo for promotion to Jonin.

That person was Shimura Danzō, a member of the Anbu Intelligence Agency who had been training diligently under Tobirama.

This was a recommendation from a man who, while usually reserved, was regarded by Tobirama as a "candidate for successor."

It was not something that could be easily refused.

Taking this as an opportunity, the Second Hokage Tobirama finally made up his mind to promote Sakumo to Jonin.

Then, six months after Sakumo became a Jonin, Ina was also promoted to Jonin.

This happened one year after the Chunin Selection Exam.

She was already a kunoichi whose strength was beyond reproach, and as the second daughter of the Yamanaka Clan, she was also very suitable as a buffer to be placed alongside Sakumo.

Beyond that, what was most highly regarded was her development of a new technique—the Mind Sealing Body Technique.

Although it could not be passed on because it was a secret ninjutsu, the "development of a new technique" was a great achievement worthy of praise.

Moreover, it was a technique concerning the spirit and the soul, which struck a chord with Tobirama.

It ignited his side as a developer.

Following this, in addition to the Impure World Reincarnation, Tobirama also put into development and completed the "technique regarding the soul" that he had been brewing for some time.

This was shortly after he had reached the age of sixty.

Tobirama felt joy at the completion of this "final technique," which he had poured his heart into while cultivating the next generation, and which he had almost given up on.

Later, this was listed by Tobirama as one of the techniques that should be taught to Diejian, and it was, of course, designated as a Forbidden Jutsu.

After all, it was a technique concerning the human soul; that was only natural.

The result was that this added a wonderful stimulus of "new training" to Diejian's daily life, which had just begun to stabilize, and it also became the decisive factor in the delay of his promotion to Jonin.

It is said that when Ina heard the bad news about Diejian, she was so consumed by guilt that she did not dare to meet him for quite some time.

Because not much time had passed since the incident with the temporary teacher, the sense of guilt that assailed Ina was particularly intense.

However, we must never forget a fundamental premise: there was a period of time when Diejian "vanished without a trace from Konohagakure."

It was a case of wanting to see him, but being unable to.

This happened while he was chatting and laughing with Sakumo.

Diejian got up to go to the restroom and simply never returned.

It was as if he had been spirited away by the gods.

A while later, it wasn't Diejian who emerged from the restroom, but a silver-haired giant with fluffy fur wrapped around his neck.

In that moment, Sakumo understood Diejian's misfortune.

Incidentally, Juri burst into laughter upon hearing this, only to be silently rapped on the head by Ina.

★

"Eh, Brother?"

Greeting Diejian as he stepped into the village Training Ground after such a long time was Tsunade, her expression one of utter astonishment.

For the usually competitive and tomboyish Tsunade to show such a vacant look was truly rare.

Before he could even savor this rare expression from Tsunade, Jiraiya, standing nearby, greeted Diejian with a similar look of shock.

On the other hand, a young boy leaned against a log, staring intently at Diejian.

This slender, fair-skinned, beautiful youth was named Orochimaru.

He was a young man who had become a Genin alongside Tsunade and Jiraiya, training diligently under Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Diejian smiled brightly and waved at the three of them.

Tsunade and Jiraiya approached with puzzled expressions, but Orochimaru merely stared at Diejian with a look of suspicion.

Diejian tilted his head, wondering, "What's wrong?" He sensed from the atmosphere that he was being shunned by Orochimaru, yet he couldn't fathom the reason.

Orochimaru's wariness stemmed from the fact that he was a victim of that incident.

Orochimaru still remembered the stunt Diejian had pulled at the Ninja Academy two years ago.

But Diejian, as expected, still had no clue, merely tilting his head.

It is common for the perpetrator to forget.

It was no wonder.

With no other choice, Diejian explained his reason for coming there on the spot.

"Eh, eh—? Brother Diejian?"

"Oh."

Diejian had come to the Training Ground today for no other reason than to look after the three of them, Tsunade and the others.

Because of an urgent matter under the direct jurisdiction of the Hokage, Hiruzen could not oversee today's training, so he was acting as a substitute.

This morning, while on leave, Diejian had been summoned to the Hokage's residence and informed of this.

When he received the summons, he had thought hell was about to begin again and his heart had raced with a sense of despair, but since it was just this, Diejian had nodded and agreed.

He felt quite relieved.

Jiraiya, whose expression had stiffened, was also struck by a racing heart and a sense of despair, thinking that hell was about to begin again.

Jiraiya was one of the representatives of the former victims.

Was it a hallucination? His anus began to ache faintly.

He did not loudly refuse, which was his way of saving face for Diejian.

Likewise, Tsunade, who had initially been happy about Diejian's visit, saw the expression on her face vanish the moment she heard those words.

She stepped back in silence and let out a long sigh toward the heavens.

At a time like this, there was no sign of Might Duy, whom both Diejian and Tsunade knew, and who might have served as a countermeasure.

Although things might have been even worse if he were here, Tsunade had no energy left to think about that.

If she were lucky, perhaps she could incite them to ask for a sparring match, making the two of them fight each other.

"Then, let's begin," Diejian announced the death sentence.

To Tsunade and Jiraiya, it seemed as though a strange light began to shine in Diejian's eyes, and his smile began to twist into something wicked.

Is this the end? Tsunade and Jiraiya hung their heads in unison.

"Senior Diejian, please spar with me."

As if to shield the two dejected figures, Orochimaru stepped to the front.

Tsunade and Jiraiya looked up in a daze.

The back of the slender Orochimaru looked even taller than usual in their eyes.

Diejian scrutinized Orochimaru carefully.

His build was slender; looking at the exterior alone, Jiraiya seemed to have a better foundation.

Her fair skin was, if anything, even more feminine than Tsunade's.

But Diejian was not the type to judge by appearances.

He gave an exaggerated nod, let out a hum, and activated his Sphere Boundary.

Tsunade, knowing exactly what that sensation entailed, grabbed Jiraiya by the collar and leaped outside the radius of the technique.

The Sphere Boundary is a technique where one releases Chakra in a spherical shape centered on oneself, turning the surrounding space into a sensory domain.

It was a desperate measure devised by Diejian, who lacked natural sensory talent, specifically to counter Tobirama's surprise attacks.

Continuously releasing Chakra from within the body to maintain the spherical shape of the Sphere Boundary is one of the profound mysteries of shape transformation.

That said, due to the nature of this constant Chakra expenditure, it carries the inherent flaw that anyone lacking the massive Chakra reserves of the Senju or Uzumaki clans would see their reserves depleted in an instant.

"Try and withstand this."

Diejian spoke a single sentence.

The space grew heavy.

Orochimaru's body, completely enveloped by the Sphere Boundary, shuddered violently.

His knees buckled, cold sweat soaked through his clothes, and his breathing began to turn ragged.

What assaulted Orochimaru was a violent, oppressive sensation, as if gravity had been multiplied several times over.

A torrent of Chakra surged through the space, coiling tightly around Orochimaru's body.

This was another application of the Sphere Boundary: using Chakra to intimidate others.

Into the space already saturated with Chakra—now Diejian's domain—he injected even more.

This technique is called Heavenly Might.

The pressure generated by such an irrational amount of Chakra, combined with the terror of being crushed, could strip an opponent of their will to fight and even rob them of their mental freedom.

Furthermore, the pressure produced by that vast amount of Chakra even carried physical weight, pinning any object that entered the Sphere Boundary in place before ultimately crushing it.

The strength of this technique lies in its reliance on pure, brute-force Chakra volume; it has nothing to do with skill level, allowing one to overturn a situation simply through a disparity in Chakra capacity.

In theory, it is a revolutionary technique that would allow even a Genin to suppress a Jonin-level opponent—but that is merely talk on paper.

In reality, there is almost no such thing as a Genin with Chakra reserves exceeding those of a Jonin.

A Genin's meager Chakra would be easily neutralized like a light breeze, and even if a child prodigy possessed Chakra exceeding a Jonin, if it were only slightly above average, they would simply collapse from exhaustion.

After all, the act of activating the Sphere Boundary itself consumes an astonishing amount of Chakra, so this outcome is only natural.

Therefore, this is an original Ninjutsu that only Diejian—who was evaluated by the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki Mito Uzumaki as having "Tailed Beast-level Chakra reserves hidden within his body"—could ever hope to use.

Sphere Boundary: Heavenly Might.

It is a "waiting for the hare" technique, designed to capture enemies who dare to enter his domain.

It was a full-power interception method created by Diejian to deal with his faster opponent, Tobirama.

Having been exposed to Tobirama's pressure since childhood, Diejian knew full well that intimidation could be utilized as a tactic.

He understood the effects produced by Chakra pressure.

In essence, he had simply sublimated what Tobirama did in his normal, waking state into a formal art and technique.

Yes.

Heavenly Might was the crystallization of the fear Diejian had endured since he was a child.

Whether Diejian realized this or not remained uncertain.

Whether he thought this was thanks to me, or that the technique was born because of me, was also unknown.

At this moment, Diejian had no ulterior motive in using Heavenly Might on Orochimaru.

If one had to say, it was only because Diejian himself was always treated this way.

Facing Tsunade and Jiraiya, who were trembling at the realization that "it had started," Orochimaru squeezed out a voice through his tears.

"Run..."

"Orochimaru..."

"You..."

Jiraiya and Tsunade whispered, overwhelmed with emotion.

Orochimaru braced his trembling body and his cowering heart, simply enduring with all his might.

He kept telling them to run.

Because if he fell, the next ones to face this would be Jiraiya or Tsunade.

Diejian would not show mercy just because Tsunade was his younger sister.

He did not understand the significance of his own actions at all.

Ina, who used to stop him, was not here, and Tsunade was powerless to intervene.

However, Diejian was a man who valued his bonds; he likely wouldn't abandon the "training supervision" job he had taken over from Hiruzen.

Tsunade and Jiraiya were both going to get "fixed."

However, she could not abandon him and flee; Tsunade shook her head, her eyes brimming with tears.

Although Orochimaru and Tsunade were highly agitated, Diejian merely wanted to provide a bit of sparring guidance and had absolutely no other intentions.

"Run--!!"

Orochimaru roared.

His voice carried a sorrowful sentiment—he could no longer hold on, he was finished, yet even so, he hoped Tsunade and the others would remain safe.

If he let Tsunade and Jiraiya disappear just like that, Diejian would surely pursue them.

But, this spirit of Orochimaru's.

He would never allow Diejian to pursue; he would stand in Diejian's way.

To buy time for Tsunade and the others to escape.

Tsunade changed her assessment of Orochimaru, realizing she had misjudged him.

She had originally thought him a more indifferent, cold-hearted man.

But his posture at this moment was truly that of a Konohagakure ninja attempting to protect his comrades.

Tsunade wiped the tears from her eyes with her arm, and with a look of resolve, turned her back on Orochimaru.

That was not the expression of a coward abandoning a companion to flee.

It was a temporary retreat to save a companion.

In other words, she was going to bring Ina.

Or perhaps call Sakumo.

In any case, she had to bring someone who could stop Diejian.

Then, what was that guy planning to do?

Tsunade looked toward Jiraiya's direction.

"Jiraiya--!!"

Tsunade roared with a demonic expression and ran off without looking back.

Where Jiraiya had been, only a log remained, with a note attached that read "××〇〇."

"Bastard, you actually abandoned your comrade and ran off yourself!"

As she ran, Tsunade cursed.

"Oh, hey! Tsunade, Jiraiya! Where are you going?! I haven't finished what I was saying..."

Watching the back of Tsunade as she pushed through the grass and ran into the forest, Diejian stunnedly dispelled the Sphere Boundary.

He reached out as if to give chase, but Orochimaru blocked his path.

"I won't let you pass."

"Eh...?"

Diejian looked confused.

Orochimaru, meanwhile, wore a desperate expression.

After a moment of thought, Diejian reached his own conclusion.

Indeed, this was something Diejian had once done as part of his own training.

It was a game that continued until everyone was caught, but if one could escape until sunset, they won.

It was "Kagami-style Tag," where you could rescue captured comrades, and the winners would receive a luxurious dinner.

He surmised that they must have split up with Orochimaru as the center, intending for Tsunade or Jiraiya to act as bait while the remaining one went to rescue Orochimaru.

Then, they would execute a strategy to escape as a trio, Diejian speculated.

According to Kagami, this was an epoch-making method that elevated civilian games like "Tag" and "Cops and Robbers" for training purposes.

"Well, aren't you all quite enthusiastic."

It only looked enthusiastic.

The children were holding onto a desperate resolve.

However, Diejian felt a renewed surge of energy, thinking, "I must take this seriously too," and with a "Right," he loosened up his arms.

Facing Diejian, who for some reason was even more motivated than before, Orochimaru was struck by a sense of despair, but he still drew his ninja tools and charged at Diejian.

★

"Orochimaru, you must be safe."

Using the Stealth Technique to distance herself from Diejian at an astonishing speed, Tsunade felt a lingering reluctance.

After all, she had left her friend Orochimaru behind, so it was no wonder.

But more than that, her anger toward Jiraiya, who had so easily abandoned his comrade and run away, was even more intense.

Tsunade sprinted toward the market, heading in the direction of the Yamanaka Flower Shop.

As she was not a sensory-type ninja, Tsunade had no way of perceiving what had become of Orochimaru.

Biting her lip, she felt powerless, able to do nothing but pray for his safety.

Blending into the crowd, Tsunade raced through the streets.

Although running across the rooftops might have been faster, the probability of being discovered that way was far higher.

The anxiety of being the pursued, coupled with the guilt of leaving a friend behind, drove Tsunade and clouded her mind.

She had to be faster.

In this very moment, Orochimaru—she had to save him.

She needed to calm down.

Otherwise, she would never find a way to survive.

If Diejian were to summon a slug from Shikkotsu Forest to hunt them down, Tsunade would be completely helpless.

However, he surely wouldn't go that far.

Though Tsunade wanted to believe that, he was a man who, before being her Brother, was first and foremost a disciple of Tobirama; he might actually be capable of it.

Sometimes, even as his sister, Tsunade felt he couldn't read the room at all, and the thought was terrifying.

"I made it!"

Filled with a myriad of emotions, Tsunade looked up at the sign for the Yamanaka Flower Shop.

She would consult with Ina immediately and ask her to stop Diejian.

Just as Tsunade was about to cross the threshold, she collided head-on with Jiraiya, who wore a grim expression.

"Jiraiya—"

She called his name harshly, grabbing him by the chest.

She cursed him as a traitor who had abandoned his comrade.

It wasn't like that, Jiraiya shook his head frantically.

It was precisely because he understood Orochimaru's resolve that he had come to find Ina to save him.

Tsunade had ultimately abandoned Orochimaru as well; in that regard, they were the same.

Jiraiya didn't say it aloud, but Tsunade whispered an apology, ashamed of her own rashness.

"So, where is Miss Ina?"

"Well, she said she went out on a mission. Sakumo-Brother is gone too."

A shadow fell over Tsunade's face.

If not only Ina, but even Sakumo was absent, then there was no one left who could stop Diejian.

Under normal circumstances, having Tobirama intervene might have reversed the situation, but this entire affair was being orchestrated by Tobirama himself.

Faced with this helpless reality, the two of them hung their heads in despair.

"I am going back."

Jiraiya looked straight at Tsunade with clear eyes.

If no rescue was coming, then this was the end of the line.

In that case, he at least wanted to fall alongside his scattered friend, Orochimaru.

He had no desire to flee in disgrace all by himself.

Tsunade lowered her eyes in sorrow.

She could not make up her mind.

Should she die alongside Jiraiya as a comrade, or should she escape to safety as Orochimaru had wished?

"You, just run away."

Jiraiya smiled lonely, and Tsunade gently grabbed his trembling sleeve.

The gesture was as if she were trying to hold back a departing lover, proving just how lost Tsunade was.

Jiraiya called Tsunade's name in a calm voice.

For Jiraiya, there was no option to run.

He would rather die fighting to save a friend than abandon one to escape.

Turning around, Jiraiya placed his hands on Tsunade's shoulders and squeezed firmly.

Tsunade's slender shoulders, Jiraiya's rough fists.

Which one of them was truly trembling?

The older sister of Ina, the former poster girl of the Yamanaka Flower Shop, watched them from inside the shop with a puzzled expression, wondering, "What are they doing?"

The young child in her arms, Ino-Shika-Cho, laughed happily.

Thinking, "In any case, it's better not to let them see," she retreated into the depths of the shop while clutching the Ino-Shika-Cho.

"Wait. There's still one more person."

Tsunade, who had been keeping her head down, pierced Jiraiya's eyes with a powerful gaze.

Jiraiya responded by shaking Tsunade's shoulders.

"White Fang Hatake Sakumo, Slug Prince Senju Diejian. And then, one more."

"Don't tell me, you intend to go find that person?"

"It is exactly that 'don't tell me.' A woman of the Uchiha clan, who stands shoulder-to-shoulder with us Senju. The Sharingan, Uchiha Shuri."

After speaking that name, the two moved with speed.

They turned immediately and sprinted toward the Uchiha residential district.

Jiraiya took the lead, running ahead of Tsunade.

The two formed a two-man cell, with Jiraiya guarding the front and Tsunade guarding the flanks as they advanced toward their destination.

Although they did not know where Diejian was now, too much time had passed.

Orochimaru had already—

However, they could not give up.

Jiraiya steeled himself.

"Jiraiya, hurry!!"

Tsunade's voice.

It was like a scream that tore through the body, a heart-wrenching wail.

Jiraiya understood the meaning behind it and, without looking back, only increased his running speed.

Diejian had caught up.

Tsunade had likely been taken out, or perhaps she had stayed behind to cover the retreat.

Jiraiya abandoned the woman he loved and kept running.

He wanted to turn back, wanted to rush to Tsunade's side.

But Jiraiya, entrusted by Orochimaru and again by Tsunade, was not permitted to do so.

Since they had already been discovered, there was no need for concealment.

Jiraiya leaped onto the rooftops.

Biting his lip in regret, he raced toward the location of Uchiha Shuri.

But in his excessive anxiety, Jiraiya slipped on a roof tile.

The passing scenery sounded abnormally slow.

He could not end it in a place like this; Jiraiya adjusted his posture in mid-air.

He did so to ensure that upon landing, he could start running again.

The Uchiha residential district was still far away.

Therefore, Jiraiya had not expected it.

Because it was a place where few people ventured.

He did not expect anyone to be there.

He did not expect to find the person he was looking for.

And he certainly did not expect Uchiha Shuri to be right in the path of his fall.

The Sharingan, Uchiha Shuri.

A member of the same squad as Senju Diejian and Hatake Sakumo, the lone flower among the green.

Though still a Genin, her strength far exceeded that of a Chunin; she was a genius who had awakened the Sharingan at a young age.

Her strength as a ninja went without saying, and that sharp, keen, and clever beauty, accompanied by a coldness, captivated men.

Her standing figure was like a painting, and the movement of her hair swaying in the wind was like that of a celestial maiden.

She was a beauty the village took pride in, possessing a certain level of support not only among men but also among women.

Jiraiya and Uchiha Shuri had never met directly.

Although he had gazed at her from afar and thought she was a pretty person, that was all.

It was only to the extent of having heard rumors.

He knew almost nothing about Shuri as a person.

Therefore—

"Ah, ah, ahhhh..."

Caught up in the falling Jiraiya, Shuri lost her balance.

Jiraiya had no idea why her throat was trembling, why she was stuttering, or why she was spilling out words that sounded like sobs.

Who could have imagined it?

Juri, who prided herself on her sharp wit and beauty, was at her core a simple fool.

Though he felt a moment of confusion, Jiraiya was a man burdened with a mission.

He had to explain the situation to Juri and ask her to stop Diejian.

It was for this reason that he took a step forward, only to tilt his head at the strange sensation beneath his feet.

Juri was crouched on the ground, staring at a single point with wet eyes.

A white, viscous liquid was oozing out from under the stranger's feet.

Scattered all around were shattered brown fragments.

That was something she had only just managed to buy.

Until a moment ago, it should have been right there in Juri's hands.

She should have been enjoying that melting, cold, and subtly sweet taste right now.

She knew what people said about her.

That was why, feeling a bit embarrassed and wanting to avoid drawing attention, she had intended to savor it slowly.

Because she hadn't eaten one in such a long time.

She had looked forward to it so much.

It was just too cruel.

As if splashed with white, Juri's train of thought was completely stained.

Blankly, mouth agape in an uncharacteristic display, she froze.

From the corners of her stiffened eyes, a single tear of sorrow trickled down.

Despair—a summer that would never return.

And then, rage.

"You bastard--!!"

A torrent of Chakra.

Overwhelming passion.

Turning the grudge over her trampled treasure—her soft-serve ice cream—into fury, Juri's roar thundered.

Her killing intent surged, and her eyes, widened to the point of overflowing, turned blood-red as two Tomoe manifested within them.

"Ugh, ah, ah."

Jiraiya let out a soundless scream, retreating one step, then two.

This was a different kind of pressure than Diejian's.

It was the face of a demon, with killing intent laid bare.

Jiraiya could only watch in silence as Juri drew her staff and assembled it with astonishing speed.

Juri, already known for her cold beauty, wore an expression as terrifying as a Hannya mask; it was too frightening.

Like a frog facing a snake, he broke into a cold sweat and could do nothing but tremble uncontrollably.

The staff being swung down would surely split his skull open.

Jiraiya hallucinated the sight of blood spraying from him like a fountain.

His legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground.

Memories of the past flickered and vanished in succession.

It's over, was all he could think.

The staff swung down—.

Jiraiya squeezed his eyes shut, curling his body to brace for the inevitable impact.

However, after waiting for a moment, the impact never came.

Trembling, he opened one eye to see the shadow of the staff.

He let out a cry, scrambling backward as if to leap away.

"Hey, hey, that's dangerous."

"Die, Diejian!"

From a short distance away, he saw the full picture.

It was Diejian who had caught the descending staff, stopping it in its tracks.

Perhaps the string of tension in Jiraiya's mind had snapped; fluids leaked from every pore on his face as he shouted Diejian's name.

The muddy words were unintelligible, yet the profound sense of lamentation contained within them was undeniable.

"Get lost, Senju! I have to slaughter this guy!"

"Calm down. I'll buy you a new one."

Diejian looked as if he were accustomed to this, soothing Shuri with a grand, nonchalant air.

If he could get a new one, Shuri was willing to quell his anger for the time being.

Leaning on the shoulder of Tsunade, who had arrived shortly after, Jiraiya managed to stand up.

It was said that during their skirmish, Diejian had sprinted away at an astonishing speed, leaving Tsunade behind.

That speed was simply incomparable, Tsunade remarked.

Although he knew he had been shown mercy, Jiraiya's mood did not brighten.

Furthermore, noticing the discomfort between his legs, he complained, "Why must I suffer such a fate?"

This was indeed a valid point; if Diejian hadn't meddled, they would have been training harmoniously at the Training Ground right now.

Thinking of this, any gratitude for being saved vanished into thin air.

★

Upon returning to the Training Ground, the group saw Orochimaru lying on the ground.

Tsunade and Jiraiya ran to Orochimaru's side.

Another Diejian, standing beside Orochimaru, nodded at the group before vanishing in a puff of smoke.

Tsunade ran over and knelt, lifting Orochimaru's body as if to comfort him.

She rested Orochimaru's head on her lap, gently stroking his forehead.

He must have gone through a fierce battle.

His hair was plastered to his sweat-dampened forehead.

Seeing this sudden lap pillow, Jiraiya cast an envious gaze at the sleeping Orochimaru.

He claimed that he felt capable of taking on Diejian now, which was truly realistic.

"Truly impressive," Shuri said.

Shuri was well aware of Diejian's strength and his level of foolishness.

For such a Diejian to challenge him alone and successfully escape, Shuri offered his praise candidly.

Being complimented by a famous beauty, Jiraiya's expression slackened into a silly grin.

Tsunade, however, found it difficult to hide her complex feelings, having formed a poor impression of Shuri based on what she had heard from Diejian and Ina.

Moreover, Shuri was still only a Genin.

Although Uchiha Shuri was slightly inferior to Senju Diejian and Hatake Sakumo, she was undoubtedly a powerhouse with strength far exceeding that of a Genin.

In fact, from the moment she awakened her Sharingan, it could be said that keeping her within the framework of a Genin was absurd.

Then why was she still a Genin?

It lay entirely in her abysmal teamwork.

The Chunin Exams were fundamentally premised on participation in three-man squads.

However, because her classmates Sakumo and Diejian had already passed the Chunin Exams, Shuri could not participate as a regular team member.

Consequently, Shuri would be assigned to teams that were short on members to compete.

But this Uchiha Shuri.

She declared that she would not team up with any ninja other than Sakumo and Diejian.

It was practically a tantrum.

Even when her brother Kagami kindly introduced potential teammates, she would fail the exams that tested teamwork.

Whenever Diejian or Sakumo tried to admonish her, Shuri would sink into a depression, wearing an expression as if the world were ending.

That sight was truly heartbreaking.

If those two said too much, it would only lead to more trouble.

According to Kagami, this was a bad habit of the Uchiha, but what could be done about it?

When Orochimaru finally woke up, Diejian produced a document as if he had been waiting for this moment.

He smiled at Tsunade and said there was still more to be said.

As Diejian read the document with high spirits, the excitement of Tsunade and Jiraiya grew.

So that was why Diejian had been in such inexplicably high spirits; the three youths nodded in understanding.

On the other hand, Shuri kept her head bowed, trembling slightly.

"--Based on the aforementioned merits, Senju Diejian is hereby promoted to Jonin. Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama."

With his long-cherished wish fulfilled, Diejian was promoted to Jonin.

Reading the document, Diejian revealed a smile that came straight from his heart.

The reason Diejian was so excited was that he had received the notification of his promotion to Jonin, and his spirits were soaring.

Jiraiya and Tsunade were also like different people compared to a moment ago, beginning to shower Diejian with endless praise.

Even Orochimaru looked up at Diejian with an air of admiration.

"Hahahaha! Stop it, you're making me blush."

Being flattered by the three of them, Diejian laughed happily.

--Beside him.

There stood a young woman with long, cascading hair.

Her expression, hidden by her hair, could not be clearly seen, but the dangerous aura swirling around her was unmistakable.

Noticing this, Jiraiya quietly, ever so quietly, began to shuffle backward.

Because this was a scene he had just witnessed.

Jiraiya scooped up Orochimaru, who was still struggling to stand steady, and leaped away from the spot.

Tsunade followed suit, putting distance between herself and Diejian.

Oblivious, Diejian continued to laugh, patting Juri on the shoulder.

He said encouragingly, "You need to hurry up and become a Chunin, too."

"PAKARA!!"

Inversion.

Diejian's world turned upside down.

The pain slowly radiating from his cheek spread across his face with the force of the impact.

Diejian remained smiling as he flew through the air.

"What are you doing—stop it—"

Drawing out his words, Diejian laughed.

Perhaps it was because he was in a good mood from becoming a Jonin.

Maybe he held the mindset that since he was now a Jonin, he should brush off the rough behavior of a Genin.

"It hurts, it hurts, it hurts."

Juri showed no mercy toward such a Diejian, silently continuing to pummel his cheeks.

If you strike the left cheek, she immediately strikes the right.

To Diejian, who was shouting "Stop it, Juri" with a twisted smile, she continued to strike as if to deliver one more for good measure.

"Hey, hey, I said stop it—"

Juri quickly began weaving hand signs, finishing with the Tiger seal.

Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu.

With a deafening roar, Diejian was blown away and slammed heavily into the ground.

Diejian landed in a dangerous position, not even attempting to break his fall, but the next second he slowly crawled up and patted the dust off his clothes.

"--I said it hurts!!"

As Diejian lifted his face, he wore the visage of a demon.

As if responding to Diejian's shout, a dense thicket of trees erupted from the ground of the Training Ground all around him.

Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence.

The secret technique used by the previous Wood Release user, Senju Hashirama—Deep Forest Emergence—was a cataclysmic feat that turned the surrounding area into a forest.

By comparison, this technique only produced a small-scale grove.

Surrounded by trees, Juri whispered sadly.

"Diejian, it seems we were destined to end up like this."

It had been about two years since she had called him by his name, yet it had to be at a time like this.

Even if she were shy, this was far too much trouble to cause.

And what exactly did she mean by "destined to end up like this"?

This was nothing more than her taking out all the humiliation, shame, and sorrow of being left behind as a Genin on Diejian—it was simply her way of acting out.

Lifting her previously downcast eyes, Juri stared at Diejian with crimson irises.

That transparent red was both beautiful and terrifying.

Juri quietly wove her hand signs.

They were signs that Diejian did not recognize.

The hand seals were completed, and the technique was activated.

Juri's hands and feet were enveloped in flames.

As Juri picked up her staff, the fire dwelling upon her fists transferred onto the weapon.

If one were to touch it, it would likely result in far more than just a burn.

Because the color was blue.

It was already Blue Flame.

That was a Fire Release technique.

Yet, the flames flickered quietly, showing no signs of dissipating.

Transforming chakra into the nature of fire is nature transformation.

Changing the shape of chakra and maintaining it is shape transformation.

Activating both simultaneously is, in reality, extremely difficult.

Even a genius like Sakumo could not activate it without using a Chakra Blade as a medium.

This was a super-high-level technique that even Diejian, who had received elite education from Tobirama, could only perform by relying on his cheating ability, Wood Release.

"Are you serious?" Diejian said, looking flustered.

Juri's faint smile was illuminated by the blue-white light, making it physically dazzling.

Resigned, Diejian approached a nearby tree and infused it with chakra.

A slender, spherical object extended as if being squeezed out from the wood.

It soon took on a human form and stood firmly on the ground.

"Wood Clone Technique."

This is a clone technique that uses a material medium or accompanies nature transformation.

Unlike the standard Clone Technique, it possesses a physical body, but its precision is several tiers lower than the Shadow Clone Technique.

However, clones created through material mediums or accompanied by nature transformation can be activated with far less chakra than Shadow Clones, so each has its own pros and cons.

Among them, the Wood Clone is a special clone activated using trees or living organisms as a medium.

Because it uses a living organism, it possesses the same precision as a Shadow Clone, and because it uses a material medium, it consumes less chakra than a Shadow Clone.

Furthermore, unlike a Shadow Clone, it does not disappear after a few hits.

On the other hand, it has the disadvantage of a time lag before the clone is created, leaving the user defenseless for a split second.

This is the difference between it and the Shadow Clone, which can instantly create clones within the limits of one's chakra.

Additionally, a Wood Clone cannot return the information held by the clone to the user.

It could be said that these are techniques to be used differently depending on the situation.

If it were a Shadow Clone, it would vanish the moment it touched Juri.

That is why it was a Wood Clone.

So, can it be stopped—

At this moment, Juri was submerged in darkness.

It was the feeling of despair one gets when someone who promised to run a marathon to the finish line together suddenly sprints away at the end, leaving you behind.

The first battle for Jonin Senju Diejian now begins.