Crisis!

"They're neither. I was hit by Uchiha Sora not long ago, and I still haven't figured out what this power is!"

Orochimaru spoke gravely. Even now, thinking back on it still sent a chill down his spine.

"Uchiha Sora? The Uchiha kid who's been making a name for himself in the village lately?"

"Wait, if I remember right, that kid is only a Genin!"

Tsunade was puzzled.

As one of the village's elders, Tsunade had seen Uchiha Sora when he was a child.

Back then, aside from being a little different from normal people and always tinkering with strange inventions, Uchiha Sora didn't seem to have anything special about him.

Orochimaru shook his head.

"That's right. The kid looks harmless, but his bizarre jutsu left me with injuries I still can't heal. That's why I came to you."

"But don't worry. I'm only here to treat my injuries. Once you've healed me, I won't go around attacking people again—not even in Konoha!"

Orochimaru wasn't lying. The truth was, Konoha had scared him half to death.

After all, Deidara was still nowhere to be found.

In Orochimaru's mind, Uchiha Sora had already eaten the man alive as a test subject.

Going back now would be suicide, wouldn't it?

Shizune gritted her teeth.

"Orochimaru, you're a member of the village, yet you keep attacking your own people. How can you expect us to trust you now?"

Even Tsunade fell silent for a moment.

"That's right. I'm not afraid of you. If you're trying to force me to treat you, you might as well give up."

Seeing that neither woman would listen to reason, Orochimaru's expression darkened.

In truth, he'd already anticipated this. Tsunade wouldn't give in easily when faced with an enemy of the village.

He gave a cold snort, his face icy.

"Fine, then don't blame me for being ruthless. We'll fight. If I win, you'll treat me whether you want to or not!"

A sharp glint shone in Orochimaru's serpentine eyes.

He looked ready to attack by surprise at any moment!

"Damn it! I knew you two were up to no good!"

Shizune abruptly drew her weapon, ready to counterattack at any moment.

Orochimaru sneered, then abruptly leaped backward and formed Hand Seals in midair.

Before long, a swarm of little white snakes appeared out of nowhere and instantly slithered toward the two women.

Tsunade let out a furious roar and punched toward Orochimaru's face!

Her terrifying strength erupted, smashing a massive crater into the ground.

The summoned snakes crumbled and disintegrated under her monstrous strength.

Orochimaru himself vanished in the explosion.

"Lady Tsunade, watch out!"

Shizune suddenly turned her head and spotted Yakushi Kabuto closing in on Tsunade at high speed!

"Damn, you noticed me? No matter. I'm close enough already!"

Yakushi Kabuto thrust out his hand like a blade. It was the medical-ninja technique known as the Chakra Scalpel.

It could cut through the tissue of the carotid artery without damaging the skin.

Sometimes, it could even block the flow of chakra.

At that moment, Yakushi Kabuto clearly meant to sever Tsunade's chakra pathways!

And he was already very close.

At the critical moment, Shizune flicked two senbon from her hand.

As a medical ninja, she'd coated the needles with poison.

They shot toward him with considerable force.

Even Yakushi Kabuto didn't dare take them head-on.

He could only retreat quickly, missing his chance to attack!

"Looks like you two have made up your minds to fight. In that case, why don't we move to a more open battlefield?"

"Otherwise, the commotion could attract Konoha's powerful shinobi. And then Uchiha Sora might show up, too!"

Tsunade threatened him coldly.

She was also buying time. She'd already sent a distress signal moments ago.

Orochimaru paused, then thought it over.

It did seem dangerous to fight here. They'd be better off moving somewhere far away.

Besides, there were only the two women with Tsunade. They couldn't escape him.

"Fine! As long as you don't run and you're willing to face me head-on, we can talk."

The two sides kept a wary eye on each other as they hurried toward the outskirts.

At the same time, Shizune spoke in a low voice.

"Lady Tsunade, will threatening Orochimaru with the name of our junior, Uchiha Sora, really work?"

Tsunade hesitated for a moment.

"I don't know, but it looks like it worked. Orochimaru's clearly afraid of Uchiha Sora!"

"I've sent a distress signal. Hopefully, they'll get here soon!"

To be honest, Tsunade felt awkward. She'd threatened Orochimaru using the name of a junior from the village.

She'd never imagined doing something like that before.

As they moved, they soon found an open area.

Orochimaru waved his hand and used the Summoning Technique. A huge purplish-black serpent appeared beneath him!

Its enormous eyes were like two lanterns. Every so often, it flicked out its tongue, which cracked through the air like a whip!

"Heh. Things have come to this, so there's no point pretending otherwise. Tsunade, we wouldn't be in this mess if you'd just treated me!"

Even now, Orochimaru tried to persuade her. He was injured, after all, and would rather avoid fighting if he could.

Tsunade snorted and used the Summoning Technique as well.

She summoned an enormous blue-and-white slug.

"Enough talk! I won't help the enemy!"

"Orochimaru, you should be grateful that it's only your hands that are injured—not your brain!"

After everything that had been said, it seemed unlikely the two sides could reach an agreement.

Orochimaru snorted.

"Hmph! Fine. If that's how you want it, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

He waved his hand, and the huge serpent beneath him opened its mouth and lunged to swallow Tsunade whole!

Yakushi Kabuto didn't stand idle either. He went straight into battle with Shizune.

However, Tsunade and Shizune were both medical ninjas. They could fight, but combat wasn't their specialty.

Once the battle began, they quickly fell behind. Shizune was the first to suffer.

After Yakushi Kabuto's repeated attacks, she'd already sustained multiple scrapes.

He'd even cut through the chakra pathways in her limbs, leaving her unable to move for the time being!

"Damn it! Where are the reinforcements?"

Shizune looked grim. She'd lost her ability to fight for the moment.

Tsunade wasn't doing much better. Medical ninjas weren't fighters by nature.

Although she possessed monstrous strength, she'd inherited only part of Senju Hashirama's power.

Not all of it. Her wide, forceful attacks soon gave Orochimaru an opening.