Within the Land of Rain.
The sky gradually darkened. Above the clouds, black clouds began to churn, as if brewing a violent storm.
Inside the Konoha stronghold.
At the center stood a tent. Whenever ninjas passed by, they instinctively slowed their steps, afraid of disturbing the person inside.
A candle burned in the tent, casting a faint warmth into the oppressive gloom.
"Crack!"
The wick suddenly sputtered, breaking the silence inside the tent.
At the sound, Tsunade, leaning against one side of the tent, slowly turned her head. Her vacant eyes fixed on the candle, and her pretty face looked utterly haggard.
No one knew how long she had been crying. Even now, her eyes were still visibly swollen and red.
Just then, a somewhat pale hand gently pulled open the tent flap, and someone walked in.
Hearing the sound, Tsunade turned her head slightly and glanced at him with utterly vacant eyes. Her voice was hoarse as she said,
"So it's you, Orochimaru."
Seeing her like this, Orochimaru showed no surprise. It seemed he had expected this all along.
"I already know what happened."
He stood there in a daze for a while, then suddenly spoke in a low, rasping voice.
At his words, Tsunade shifted, slowly leaning forward and wrapping her arms around her knees. Her unfocused gaze rested on the space before her as she murmured,
"Do you think... Nawaki... might still be alive...?"
"He's just... just... missing... isn't he...?"
She spoke in a daze, as if she had lost her soul.
Orochimaru did not comfort her with gentle words. Instead, he looked at her and said gravely,
"Tsunade, don't use that to deceive yourself!"
"You should know that, under those circumstances, Nawaki had almost no chance of surviving!"
At Orochimaru's hoarse, angry words, Tsunade froze. She