The Cycle of Rebirth Draws Near

Orochimaru stood before the workbench, lost in thought. Dense runes and text reflected in his golden, slit-pupiled eyes. He had been staring at them for three hours straight, utterly motionless, as if frozen in place.

Tools were scattered across the workbench: a microscope, petri dishes, test tubes, scrolls, and several bottles filled with liquid. A few white mice huddled together in a cage in the corner, letting out faint squeaks.

At last, Orochimaru moved. He set the scroll down on the workbench, turned around, leaned against it, and gazed up at the ceiling.

"Truly... astonishing." His voice was quiet, as if he were speaking to himself, yet also marveling to someone else.

The Ninja World had never studied anything like "fortune"—or, rather, no one had ever studied anything beyond ninjutsu. Everyone devoted themselves entirely to gaining strength and never paid attention to anything else.

Now, Uchiha Naro had actually created an entirely new system of cultivation, one more complete and ingenious than any forbidden technique Orochimaru had ever seen. He couldn't help but marvel at Uchiha Naro's brilliance.

Orochimaru couldn't resist going over it again. It was already his fifth time. Each time, he made a new discovery and wondered anew where Naro had acquired all this knowledge.

"What a pity... I can't discuss it with him face-to-face." Orochimaru put down the scroll and walked to the window.

Outside, the sky was a dull gray. There was no sun or clouds, only an unbroken expanse of gray. His base was built deep in the mountains, surrounded by trees and rocks, with not even a decent road nearby.

"Just who is he?" Orochimaru murmured. "A little Uchiha brat, not even twenty years old. How could he come up with something like this?"

He couldn't figure it out, but he didn't need to. He only needed to learn it.

Orochimaru returned to the workbench, spread out the scroll, and began studying it word by word. Of the three people Uchiha Naro had chosen, Orochimaru was the most knowledgeable.

Tsunade excelled at Medical Ninjutsu, Sealing Jutsu, and Taijutsu, but she wasn't well versed in forbidden techniques or theoretical research. Nagato was powerful, but relied more on the Rinnegan than on his own intellect. Only Orochimaru was a true scholar, one of the most outstanding minds in the Ninja World.

The scrolls Naro had given the three contained largely the same information, but once each of them applied it to their own circumstances, they would reach different insights, which would in turn influence the paths they took afterward.

Orochimaru had already tried to write down what he remembered, but whenever he put pen to paper, what he wrote bore no resemblance to what he intended. That only made him more intrigued by Uchiha Naro's methods.

Under the circumstances, all Orochimaru could do was recall the contents of the Method of National Fortune over and over in his mind, going through it word by word without missing a single detail.

"...The way of fortune lies in gathering and dispersing. Gather, and life flourishes; scatter, and it perishes. A nation's fortune lies in the hearts of its people. Where the people's hearts turn, there fortune gathers..."

"At the beginning of cultivation, one must use one's own fortune as a guide. Those with strong fortune will find it easy to begin; those with weak fortune will find it difficult. Yet fortune is not fixed. It can gather or disperse, increase or diminish..."

As he studied and worked to understand it, Orochimaru would pause now and then. He closed his eyes and, following Naro's instructions, tried to sense the fortune within himself.

It took him a long time. Fortune was invisible and intangible—not chakra, not Natural Energy, but something more abstract and elusive. Slowly, though, he began to sense a faint, indistinct presence.

It hovered above his head like the thin morning mist, faint and shifting, yet undeniably real to his senses.

Just as Uchiha Naro's teachings described, it was like a canopy of clouds protecting him, enveloping him.

Above that canopy, countless rays of cloud-light stretched into the void. From time to time, wisps of cloud drifted down along those connections, flowing into his own canopy and making it thicker.

Following Naro's instructions, Orochimaru compared the connections and found the one with the densest cloud-light: Ryūchi Cave, which had helped him so much over the years.

"To think Ryūchi Cave has helped me more than anyone else all this time, not Konoha. Then again, without the teachings I received there, I wouldn't have become who I am today. After all, even my teacher's own abilities..."

Orochimaru didn't rush into cultivation. Instead, he took out paper and a pen and wrote down what he had just realized. It was a habit he had developed over many years: whenever he made a new discovery, he wrote it down so he wouldn't forget.

After finishing his notes, he settled down again, closed his eyes, and began drawing in fortune step by step.

The method described in the runes told him that at the beginning of cultivation, steadiness mattered more than speed. Fortune was different from chakra; it wasn't something to be "used up," but something to be "accumulated." He couldn't spend it the way he spent chakra. He had to let it settle within him, gather, and grow.

"Gather, and life flourishes; scatter, and it perishes..."

Orochimaru repeated the words to himself. Following Uchiha Naro's instructions, he used a method that was almost entirely a matter of belief. He visualized his Cloud Canopy, guiding it to pulse and rotate in a particular way.

Gradually, Orochimaru began to sense something like an illusion: the surrounding world was drawing closer to him. He had never felt anything like it before.

As Orochimaru felt this, the Cloud Canopy above his head pulsed and rotated, actively tugging wisps of cloud from the rays of cloud-light linked to other places. It began to grow stronger on its own.

One circle.

Two circles.

Three circles.

With each turn, the Fortune Cloud Canopy grew a little larger and spun a little faster. Orochimaru lost himself in the sensation, forgetting the passage of time.

At the same time, on a somewhat dilapidated highway in the Land of Fire, Tsunade was heading north with Shizune.

After leaving the Land of Whirlpools, she hadn't returned to the Capital of the Land of Fire or gone to any major town. Instead, she'd been wandering slowly along country roads, as though waiting for someone.

Shizune followed behind her with Tonton in her arms, glancing back from time to time. Tsunade looked a little better than she had a few days earlier. She was still tired, but there was something new in her eyes, something difficult to put into words.

"Lady Tsunade, where are we going?"

"I don't know." Tsunade didn't look back. "We'll go wherever the road takes us."

"Then... aren't we going back to Konoha?"

"No." Tsunade shook her head and explained to Shizune, "I need some time to think."

Shizune didn't ask any more questions.

They walked all morning, stopping to rest in a patch of woods at noon. Shizune took food and water from their pack and handed them to Tsunade. Tsunade took the canteen, drank, and leaned against a tree trunk to rest with her eyes closed.

Footsteps sounded in the distance. Shizune put down her food and rested a hand on her kunai, while Tsunade didn't move at all.

"It's me." A familiar voice came from the woods. Jiraiya stepped out from behind a tree, drenched in sweat, his clothes torn in several places by branches. He looked as if he'd been traveling for a long time.

"Lord Jiraiya?" Shizune exclaimed, rising to her feet.

Jiraiya waved her off, walked over to Tsunade, and dropped onto the ground, panting heavily.

"I finally found you," he said. "I've been looking for you for days."

Tsunade looked at him without expression. Jiraiya's appearances always meant trouble. "What do you want?"

"There's trouble in the village." Jiraiya wiped the sweat from his face. "The old man sent me to bring you back."

"Back?" Tsunade let out a cold laugh. "Back where? Konoha?"

"Tsunade..." Jiraiya looked at her, his gaze complicated. "I know you don't want to go back. But things in the village are really bad right now."

Tsunade didn't answer at once. She took the canteen from Shizune, twisted off the cap, and took a drink. "Go on. What happened?"

Jiraiya took a deep breath and began to explain. He started with the chaos in Konoha after information had spread throughout the Ninja World via the Bounty Exchange: the Hyuga Clan had withdrawn entirely into their homes; the other clans were all on edge; the Anbu were severely short-handed; reports from the borders were coming in frequently; and espionage by other villages had increased noticeably. He went into detail, telling Tsunade everything Sarutobi Hiruzen had told him about the state of the village.

Tsunade listened without changing her expression, but her grip on the canteen tightened slightly.

"The old man's biggest headache right now is the Hyuga," Jiraiya said in a low voice. After getting his teacher's intelligence, he'd set out to find Tsunade immediately. He could tell that Konoha was truly facing a crisis this time.

"The secret of the Caged Bird Seal was exposed, and Hyuga Hiashi called the whole clan back. Not one of them is coming out. Konoha relies on the Byakugan for its reconnaissance missions. Without the Hyuga, the entire defense system is close to breaking down."

"So what does the old Third want me to do?" Tsunade asked, glancing at Jiraiya.

"Mediation," Jiraiya said, his voice a little hoarse. He understood what his teacher had in mind. "The old man wants you to help resolve the conflicts between Konoha's clans and the village. Everyone's on edge, and the village needs someone respected to speak up. You're Senju Hashirama's granddaughter and one of the Sannin. Right now, your words would carry more weight than anyone else's."

Tsunade snorted but said nothing.

"There's one more thing." Jiraiya hesitated. "The old man wants you to help the Hyuga design a new Caged Bird Seal."

Tsunade stared at Jiraiya, her gaze gradually turning cold.

"A new Caged Bird Seal?"

"Yeah." Jiraiya knew how strongly Tsunade opposed the Caged Bird. But it was the Hyuga Clan's affair, and no one else could easily interfere. "The old seal is no longer secure, so they need a new one. The old man said you're an expert in Medical Ninjutsu and Sealing Jutsu, so this task..."

"Jiraiya." Tsunade cut him off, her voice icy. "You're saying that if I go back to Konoha, I'm supposed to help the Hyuga keep the Main Family and Branch Family system in place? Keep putting Caged Bird Seals on the Branch Family? Keep making them slaves to the Main Family?"

Jiraiya opened his mouth, but no words came out.

"Do you know what life is like for the Hyuga Branch Family?" Tsunade stood up and looked at Jiraiya. "They're branded with the seal when they're barely old enough to walk, and the Main Family controls their lives and deaths. Doing well is expected of them; doing poorly could get them killed at any moment. Their Byakugan are treated as tools, and their lives as expendable. You want me to go back and help them design a new Caged Bird?"

"Tsunade, I..."

"That's enough." Tsunade raised a hand to stop him. "I know what you want to say. The village needs the Hyuga's Byakugan, and the Hyuga Main Family doesn't want to give up control over the Branch Family, so they need a compromise. But coming up with that compromise isn't my job."

Jiraiya fell silent.

Tsunade sat down and took another swig of water. She had already started making sure she didn't drink herself into a stupor anymore. Her gaze was a little unfocused, as though her thoughts had wandered far away.

During this time, she had been passively absorbing the knowledge contained in the Qi Luck Cultivation Method. It wasn't just a cultivation method; it also contained a great deal about governing a country, managing subordinates, and improving people's lives. Some of it was familiar to her, while some had never occurred to her before.

That knowledge had changed the way she saw things.

Think of the ideals Senju Hashirama had when he founded Konoha: he wanted every clan to coexist as equals and everyone to stop killing one another.

But what about Konoha now? The Main Family oppressed the Branch Family, the great clans oppressed the smaller ones, and the leadership oppressed the common people... What had those people done to her grandfather's dream?

And then there were Sarutobi Hiruzen's students.

Jiraiya wrote dirty novels, wandered all over the place, and never bothered with the village;

Orochimaru studied forbidden techniques, experimented on human bodies, and was driven to become a rogue ninja;

And she herself gambled and drank, suffered from hemophobia, and had become useless;

None of the three had turned out well.

"Granduncle Tobirama, you..."

Tsunade murmured to herself, then shook her head. She didn't want to pass judgment on Senju Tobirama. Her granduncle had done a lot for Konoha, but he'd also planted plenty of land mines. Many of Konoha's current problems could be traced back to him.

What kind of people had he trained?

Sarutobi Hiruzen, Shimura Danzō, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura—one was indecisive, one was vicious and scheming, and the other two were opportunists. Those four had controlled Konoha for decades and turned a perfectly good village into what it was today.

Tsunade set down the canteen and stood up, turning her back to Jiraiya as if she had made up her mind. "Jiraiya, tell the old Third... I'll go back to Konoha."

"Really?" Jiraiya's eyes lit up.

"Really." Tsunade didn't look at him. "But not now."

Jiraiya's smile froze.

"If I go back now," Tsunade turned around and looked at Jiraiya, "I'll only become their tool. I'll help the Hyuga design the Caged Bird, calm the other clans, and clean up their mess. After all that, what will they consider me? A hero? No. They'll see me as a tool they can use whenever they want."

"Tsunade, that's not what the old man meant..."

"I know that's not what he meant." Tsunade cut him off. "But the result will be the same."

Jiraiya looked at her and didn't speak for a long time. In the end, he couldn't help asking, "So when do you plan to go back?"

"Within ten days." Tsunade gave him a deadline. "I need more ways to act. If I go back now, I won't be able to change anything."

"Ten days?" Jiraiya frowned. He'd spent nearly a week getting the message and finding Tsunade. If he had to wait another ten days, he didn't know whether the situation in Konoha could... hold out.

"Yeah. You go back first. Tell the old Third I'll return."

"Can't you come back sooner?" Jiraiya gave a wry smile. "The village is about to explode."

"That's the old Third and Danzo's own fault," Tsunade said with a snort. "Didn't they think this might happen when they wiped out the Uchiha?"

Jiraiya had no answer.

Tsunade walked back to the tree, leaned against its trunk, and closed her eyes.

"One more thing. When you go back, spread the word that I'm planning to return. Let everyone know—Senju Tsunade is coming back to Konoha."

Jiraiya froze. "You're going to...?"

"I want to see." Tsunade opened her eyes. A cold glint shone in her amber gaze. "How do the people of Konoha really view me, the last of the Senju? Will they welcome me as the descendant of a hero, or treat me like someone they can use?"

"All right." Jiraiya was silent for a long time, then stood up. "I'll pass the message along."

He turned to leave.

"Jiraiya." Tsunade called after him.

Jiraiya looked back.

"Have you been to see Naruto lately?"

Jiraiya paused, then nodded.

"I have. That kid's... doing pretty well. He lives in a lousy place and doesn't get much to eat, but he's always smiling. Just like Minato was."

"Keep an eye on him for me." Tsunade's expression softened. "Don't let anyone bully him."

"I would've done that even if you hadn't asked." Jiraiya smiled, then turned and walked into the woods.

His figure soon disappeared among the trees.

Tsunade watched in the direction he had gone and remained silent for a long time.

"Lady Tsunade, where are we going now?" Shizune asked.

"Shikkotsu Forest." Tsunade stood up and brushed the dust off her clothes. "I need to get something."

"What?"

"Something my grandfather left behind," Tsunade said. "And a few other things... It's time to put them to use."

She turned and headed in another direction. Shizune hurried after her with Tonton in her arms.

"Grandpa," Tsunade said silently as she walked ahead. "Keep watching from the Pure Land. I'll set Konoha right again."

"Nawaki, Dan, I'll defeat the one behind all this and free you from their control, so you can go to the cycle of reincarnation and begin new lives..."