Tsunade's Suppression, the Great Orochimaru

The winds of September in Konoha 49 had shed the heat of midsummer and carried the coolness of early autumn, caressing Taichi Matsushita, who had just returned.

Just as the Hokage-sama finished his mission report and the door to his Hokage's Office closed behind him, a figure enveloped in almost tangible "black energy" appeared as if by teleportation, blocking his way.

Blonde hair, a robe with the word "gambling" on it, and those brown eyes that seemed to spit fire.

"Tai-yi!" The two words seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, accompanied by a grinding sound.

Tsunade with her hands on her hips, the hem of her wide robes fluttering even without wind. A low-pressure atmosphere quickly spread from her, causing even two Chunin passing by to instinctively shrink back and slip away along the wall.

"You actually know how to come back?!"

Taiichi paused, a perfect smile instantly spreading across his face, brimming with innocence and apology. "Teacher? Why did you come in person? I just finished confirming the Northern Defense and rushed back immediately—"

"Shut up!" Tsunade interrupted rudely, taking a step forward. Her imposing presence made the Nine-Tails on her shoulder instinctively shrink its neck, its fluffy tail curling up.

"More than a month! A whole month! Do you know how I've been through it?!"

She gritted her teeth, her voice low but dripping with venom. "That damned old man, he's been watching me with Telescope Technique Tenten. Izakaya? I'd barely sat down and the drinks weren't even warm! Gambling den? I hadn't even warmed the chips yet! And then someone would appear in front of me like a ghost!"

"It's haunting me!"

Tsunade grew increasingly agitated, her fists clenched so tightly they cracked, as if she were about to smash through the wall beside her. "I'm a legendary Sannin, Princess Tsunade of Konoha! Now I'm living like a Ninja Academy student being watched by my homeroom teacher. If this keeps up, I'm leaving the village!"

Taiyi understood immediately and made a "wei" seal with his left hand.

Shadow Clone Technique!

Bang bang bang bang bang!

Five figures, identical to Taiichi, appeared beside him instantly, their movements perfectly synchronized.

"Master," Taiichi pointed towards the Hokage Tower and gestured towards the hospital, "Leave these chores to me. I guarantee I'll handle them quickly and efficiently, ensuring the Third Kazekage Hokage never has another chance to disturb your precious leisure time with his Telescope Technique!"

Tsunade looked at the five "Taiichi" in front of her, the anger in her eyes lessened, and her gaze towards Taiichi became a complex mix of "you've finally figured it out" and "it should have been like this a long time ago."

She didn't speak, but just snorted again through her nose, though her tense shoulders visibly relaxed.

Taiichi's true form naturally reached out and grabbed Tsunade's arm with an irresistible force, his face beaming with a smile, "Come on, come on, teacher! It's been so long, I've missed you terribly. Let the clones worry about the work, you haven't been to an izakaya in ages, have you? My treat!"

Tsunade a token effort to break free, but failed. She was then half-pushed and half-pulled by Taiichi as they Earth Flow towards Konoha's busiest commercial street, toward the familiar izakaya.

Behind them, the five Shadow Clone exchanged glances, sighed resignedly, and instantly dispersed, rushing towards the hospital and the Hokage Tower, their backs exuding a tragic grandeur.

In Konoha's commercial street, the wooden signs of izakayas gleamed in the sunlight. In the secluded private rooms at the far end, the air was filled with the rich aroma of sake and the smoky scent of grilled saury.

On the low table in front of Tsunade, empty sake bottles were arranged in a small square. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were starting to glaze over, and she was still clutching a half-full sake bottle tightly in her hand. Her words were even a little slurred.

"----Hiccup! So----the old man----he's just----bored!" Tsunade took another big gulp, slammed the sake bottle on the table with a loud "thud," and said, "He quit Hokage, so he came to----to torment me."

Taiichi sat cross-legged opposite him, slowly pouring himself a glass of juice and sipping it. He barely touched the grilled fish in front of him, focusing mainly on promptly Tsunade's empty wine glass and stabilizing the wobbly bottles when she slammed her hand on the table.

"Yes, yes, yes, wasn't the Third Kazekage Lord forced into this situation by the current circumstances? He's under a lot of pressure!" Taiichi coaxed her, his tone containing words of comfort.

"Under pressure? He's just a supervisor!" Tsunade Teuchi a loud burp, waved her hand as if to shoo away the person in front of her—

Annoying flies,"---- Taiichi ----you----you little rascal----have a conscience! You know----you care about your teacher----

Belch!"

She rambled on and on, from the awfulness of the Third Kazekage to the stinginess of the medical department's budget, to the cumbersome nature of a certain surgical plan, and finally even began to complain that Shizune was too strict with her—the resentment, exhaustion, and grievances that had been building up for more than a month surged out like a floodgate being opened, fueled by alcohol.

Taiichi was the best listener, nodding and agreeing at the right time, offering drinks, ensuring that the outpouring of emotions flowed smoothly.

The Nine-Tails, perched on Taiichi's other shoulder, covered its nose with its claws the entire time, its golden vertical pupils filled with disdain.

It simply couldn't stand the strong smell of alcohol and the incoherent ramblings of drunken humans.

It wasn't until Taiichi helped Tsunade, who was unsteady on her feet and muttering "drink—keep drinking—" out of the izakaya and onto the road home, that Nine-Tails released its claws and took a long breath of the relatively fresh air.

It flicked its bushy tail, glanced at Tsunade who was practically clinging to Taiichi, and finally couldn't help but speak, its tone filled with deep confusion and a hint of barely perceptible inquiry. "Hey, Taiichi. I still don't understand." The Nine-Tails poked Taiichi's neck with the tip of its tail. "This woman, she's clearly very weak (in its eyes). Why are you so cowardly with her—well, not like you? This isn't like you at all. You were so fierce when you fought me."

Taiichi carefully adjusted his position to make the tipsy Tsunade more comfortable. He turned his head slightly to look at the pair of confused, vertical golden pupils on his shoulder, which were full of exploration of human relationships.

"Little Nine!" Taiichi's lips curled up, his voice full of laughter, "This isn't cowardice, it's respect, it's gratitude." He paused, seemingly organizing his thoughts so that this thousand-year-old ferocious beast could understand the complex emotional bonds of humanity.

"She is my teacher. When I was as weak as an ant, she was like a giant umbrella, shielding me from countless open and hidden attacks."

The initial acquisition of Allicin, Danzo's covetousness, and the Third Hokage's goodwill were all due to the teacher's reputation.

Without her protection back then, I might have died in some ditch long ago, and I wouldn't be where I am today."

Taiichi's gaze swept over Tsunade's slightly furrowed brow, even in her drunken stupor. "Besides," he said, "She taught me Medical Ninjutsu and guided me in the precise manipulation of Chakra, laying the foundation for my power. This debt of gratitude for her instruction and her protection cannot be forgotten once one becomes powerful."

He exhaled softly, as if brushing away the dust from his shoulders. "When we first clashed, we were enemies, so naturally we had to fight and struggle, not giving an inch."

But as for my teacher—letting her vent, helping her share some of the pressure, having a drink with her, so she can temporarily unload her burdens and get a good night's sleep—that's what I should do, and what I'm happy to do. It has nothing to do with strength or weakness, it's only about my conscience."

Nine-Tails fell silent, its golden eyes blinking as if trying to process the human emotional logic contained in Taiichi's words.

It has lived for thousands of years and has seen too many beings who, after their power has expanded, have become contemptuous and betrayed them. This is also why its power has become so ominous.

Taiichi's "true nature" was indeed somewhat unfamiliar to it, even—a bit novel.

It no longer whipped Taiichi with its tail, but simply lay quietly, watching Tsunade's profile as she occasionally smacked her lips in her drunken dream, lost in thought.

After settling the heavy Tsunade onto her bedroom bed and covering her with a light blanket, Taiichi stood by the bed and looked at her.

The teacher's brows relaxed, his breathing became even and long, and although the flush on his face from the alcohol and his outburst had not completely faded, the previous gloom had disappeared.

I'm definitely not going to wake up until the Sun Barrier is high in the sky tomorrow.

Taiichi gently closed the door, shutting out the silence inside. The Nine-Tails on his shoulder seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and became lively again, its large tail idly brushing against Taiichi's back.

"Where to next? I don't want to smell the alcohol anymore," Nine-Tails complained mercilessly.

"Let's go somewhere you'll probably find chilly and gloomy." Taiichi's lips curled into a slight smile, and with a few flashes, he dashed towards the Konoha Research Department.

After passing through layers of verification Barrier, the air suddenly became cool, Taiichi Earth Flow a large laboratory at the deepest part of the room.

--

"Orochimaru- Senior," Taiichi greeted.

Orochimaru slowly straightened up, turned his head, saw Taiichi, and a smile that could only be described as "gentle" appeared on his face. "Oh?"

It's Taiichi- kun. You're back from the Northern Front? Perfect timing, come see our little achievement.

1

He had clearly learned of Taiichi's return through some means.

He led Taiichi to one side of the laboratory. There stood several more complex culture devices, which no longer contained indistinct tissues, but rather the rudiments of highly differentiated organs.

They were immersed in a pale golden liquid, pulsating slightly, clearly artificially cultured and growing organs.

"Research based on White Zetsu samples and Hashirama Cell Activity-Inducing Agent —temporarily stalled."

A fleeting, almost imperceptible hint of regret flashed in Orochimaru's golden snake eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a new kind of fervor. "Wood Style research... it seems we still need a more crucial 'key.' However—"

He shifted his focus, pointing to the culture devices, "The Targeted Cell Induction Repair Technology developed in collaboration with Tsunade."

However, breakthrough progress has been made.

Using Yang Release Chakra and specific biological enzyme catalysts, we can now guide damaged cells to undergo faster and more precise self-replication and repair.

This can be considered a byproduct of the Hashirama Cells research; the medical standards of Konoha Hospital are about to be elevated by a whole era.

His tone carried the pride unique to creators.

Taiichi carefully sensed the vitality fluctuations of the tissues in the culture medium and nodded. "A remarkable achievement. This could save countless ninjas' careers and lives."

This was indeed a groundbreaking medical advancement, but Taiichi immediately changed the subject and started talking about an interesting story he had heard on the way.

"I've heard that Lord Orochimaru has done more than just this one commendable thing lately!"

Upon hearing this, Orochimaru's previously smug expression stiffened slightly.

Compared to the sophisticated research in the laboratory, he didn't want to mention the development of those low-level Ninjutsu, even if he achieved some success.

"You—you're quite well-informed, even knowing about something like this."

Seeing that Orochimaru seemed unconcerned, Taiichi's expression became more serious.

"This is no small matter!" Taiichi retorted, raising one hand and displaying several minor Ninjutsu he had previously learned about in his palm.

Fireball, water currents, earth and rocks, whirlwinds, lightning bolts.

These are all extremely simple Ninjutsu; anyone with a basic understanding of the corresponding Nature Transformation can use them.

"Hashirama Cells and advanced medical technology are the pinnacle, but the foundation of Ninjutsu lies in its basics and widespread adoption."

"Students at the Ninja Academy Chakra Quantity and weak control. Traditional C-rank Five Basic Nature Transformations are still too difficult for them; forcing them to practice would be a waste of time."

Taiichi withdrew his hand and said earnestly, "Lord Orochimaru further broke down and simplified the Five Basic Nature Transformations, creating these five basic Ninjutsu that are only D-rank, allowing children to become familiar with and practice them during their time at the Ninja Academy."

Taiichi looked at Orochimaru and sincerely praised, "Senior, you are laying a solid foundation for Konoha. These Five Gates D-rank Ninjutsu are far more valuable than an S-rank ultimate technique. The Hokage-sama's implementation of basic education reform is truly a great gift."

He knew all too well the strategic significance of popularizing and lowering the level of Ninjutsu for improving the overall quality of Konoha's ninjas.

These Ninjutsu weren't incapable of being developed by others; it's just that no one had thought of them.

After all, C-rank Five Basic Nature Transformations is already quite simple for most ninjas.

Lower-level Ninjutsu has no practical value in combat, so naturally no one would bother to develop it.

This is the result of different goals: one pursues the strengthening of individual combat power, while the other pursues the expansion of overall strength.

Orochimaru's actions, whether commissioned by someone or unintentional on his own, can be considered a great act of merit.

As Taiichi left the Scientific Research Department, the sun was already setting, casting a golden glow. Instead of going straight home, he strolled through the central area of Konoha.

Just over a month ago, this place was still a ruin after the Nine-Tails' rampage.

Later, ninjas joined in the construction, and now, the scene before Taiichi was once again one of prosperity and flourishing.

The new, smooth, and wide streets crisscross the area, with brand-new shops and houses springing up on both sides. The passersby seem to have forgotten the disaster that occurred more than a month ago.

Taiichi stood at the street corner, quietly watching the bustling scene. The golden rays of the setting sun shone on the newly paved stone pavement and also fell into his deep eyes.

A strong sense of emotion welled up within him, and he couldn't help but whisper to the Nine-Tails on his shoulder, more like talking to himself. "Do you see that, Nine-Tails? This is the power of Chakra. It could have created so many miracles. Unfortunately—" His gaze swept over the surrounding houses, "For thousands of years in the Ninja World, almost everyone has only regarded it as a tool for killing and fighting."

Ninja Academy teach how to kill enemies more quickly by Hand Seals; clan secrets teach even more powerful techniques of destruction.

How many people have considered the brilliance that this power, derived from life and spirit, would radiate when used to build homes, explore the unknown, and improve people's lives?

He shook his head slightly, with a hint of regret. "A ninja skilled in Earth Style techniques would be a hundred times more efficient than an ordinary worker in reinforcing foundations and building houses."

A medical Jonin with cellular-level perception who dedicates himself to biological research is of immeasurable value.

It's a pity that, in the eyes of most people, only Ninjutsu that can be used in battle is considered "Ninjutsu." This power is being wasted far too much.

Nine-Tails Fox flicked its tail and snorted, "Power is power. Is there a difference between using it to smash an enemy's head and using it to build a house? As long as it smashes hard enough, that's all that matters!"

It clearly has little interest in this kind of "philosophical thinking".

Taiichi smiled, not refuting the Tailed Beast that championed violent aesthetics. He simply took one last look at the bustling scene under the setting sun, then turned and walked towards his home.