"Hm? Jiraiya, what are you up to now?"
"Qi Luna, you didn't have anything to do with this too, did you?"
Tsunade looked at the three of them appraisingly. When they fell silent, she already knew the answer.
"Orochimaru, you go first. What did Jiraiya call you here for?"
Tsunade's eyes narrowed, and chakra gathered around her fist.
Orochimaru broke out in a cold sweat. He felt as if some fearsome beast had fixed its gaze on him. If he made even one wrong move, he was sure to be "as good as dead"!
His brain worked at full throttle. Though his body remained calm in the drizzle, his mind was already a raging storm. At last, after giving it his all, he blurted out a foolproof excuse that would keep him out of trouble!
"I heard from Jiraiya that you've been training in a new technique. Since we're preparing to fight Salamander Hanzo, he asked me to find out how much stronger you've become so I can plan our strategy!"
Without a moment's hesitation, Orochimaru spoke on pure instinct.
While keeping himself out of trouble, he pointed to Jiraiya as the "culprit" and used him as a shield. Then he steered the conversation toward the "decisive battle against Salamander Hanzo"—a far more important strategic matter that couldn't be avoided!
Perfect!
That reaction was nothing short of flawless!
Even Qi Luna, who had spread his hands to show he was innocent and really had only wanted to watch the drama unfold, couldn't help admiring him:
As expected of you!
Then he looked at Jiraiya, who was still completely bewildered, and shook his head in dismay.
Jiraiya, don't blame us! Snake Uncle and I feel awful too!
"Is that true, Orochimaru? Jiraiya?!"
The moment Jiraiya met Tsunade's gaze, he couldn't look at her anymore. He glanced away and changed the subject, while the hand behind his back kept making little gestures, pleading for help from Orochimaru and Qi Luna in code.
"Ah... right! Qi Luna told me yesterday, that's right! Exactly! Ahahaha..."
After his pleas for help went unanswered, Jiraiya could only grit his teeth and go along with Orochimaru's story.
His words were half true and half false. In the end, he even stooped to dragging the "innocent bystander" Qi Luna in to take the fall!
Now that the drama had landed on him, Qi Luna could only stare at Jiraiya with a resentful look.
If I ever trust you and help you again, may I become Hokage and work myself to death buried under a mountain of paperwork!
But under Tsunade's scrutiny, Qi Luna said nothing. He just shrugged and spread his hands, putting on an innocent face. Then he pointed at Jiraiya without changing his expression, pointed at himself with a puzzled look, and finally stared back at Tsunade, as if to say:
You believe him and suspect your own little brother? Are you serious?
"Hmph! I don't believe a word from any of you!"
After watching Qi Luna's little "silent play," Tsunade snorted and landed several punches on them, handing out a few "parting gifts" to each of the three. Jiraiya got especially generous treatment...
"Rude, Tsunade nee-san..." Qi Luna muttered, feeling the pain of his "height" going up.
"Heh. Try this again, and I'll show you what real power is!"
Tsunade gave a cold laugh. The words from her 37-degree mouth were as chilling as ice.
Jiraiya, sporting bumps all over his head—some of them even smoking—shuddered uncontrollably!
"Tch~"
Qi Luna looked thoroughly unconvinced, his tone making it clear that he'd made a mistake this time, but he'd do it again next time.
Without giving Tsunade time to react, he used the Body Flicker Technique and vanished.
Just as Tsunade was about to say something else, an eagle's cry suddenly rang out overhead.
Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade instantly grew solemn. After exchanging glances, they hurried toward the camp.
"We've received important news from the Sunagakure front. Everyone, assemble at headquarters. Hopefully, it'll be good news..."
The command tent was brightly lit. Warm firelight danced across everyone's faces, illuminating their excitement and anticipation.
The moment news from the Sunagakure front spread, the tent, quiet until then, erupted into a commotion.
The Konoha Jonin from the northern Amegakure front slapped the tables and cheered excitedly. Other Konoha shinobi in the camp eagerly whispered among themselves, and joy quickly spread through the tent.
"Hatake Sakumo is a hero of Konoha! The name White Fang of Konoha is well deserved!"
A middle-aged Jonin's face was flushed. He clenched his fists, eyes full of admiration.
"Slaying the son and daughter-in-law of the First Kazekage Reto has dealt Sunagakure a devastating blow to their morale!"
His voice brimmed with excitement.
"Exactly! With Jonin Hatake on our side, Sunagakure is no longer a threat! Victory is only a matter of time!"
The young Jonin beside him chimed in, a smile spreading across his face.
They gathered together, discussing what would happen next on the Sunagakure front, as if victory were already within reach.
Some rubbed their fists together, eager to rush to the front and press their advantage;
Others had already begun planning the celebrations for after the war.
"With Senior Sakumo on our side, the Sunagakure front is all but settled!"
Orochimaru ran his long tongue over his lips, excitement in his eyes.
"After this heavy blow, Sunagakure's morale will surely plummet. If we strike while the iron is hot, we can rout them in one fell swoop."
"And with Tsunade's antidote on our side, our morale is bound to soar too. Taking the Amegakure front will depend on the battle that comes next!"
Outside the tent, fierce winds howled and rain poured down. Inside, the news had everyone fired up.
They understood that Hatake Sakumo's crucial victory had given Konoha the upper hand in the war.
They could almost see the Sunagakure shinobi retreating step by step, while Konoha's forces marched to victory.
Still, they didn't let themselves get carried away. They were just as confident about the decisive battle that would soon erupt on the Amegakure front!
In Konoha, inside the Hokage's office in the Hokage Building.
"White Fang of Konoha? That's quite a striking title! What an extraordinary young man. I remember he had a child last year. Was the boy's name Kakashi?"
"Wherever the leaves dance, the fire will burn. The firelight will illuminate the village and help new leaves sprout."
"Without a doubt, Hatake Sakumo is an excellent shinobi with a powerful Will of Fire!"
"He'll become a new pillar of Konoha!"
Reading the report from the Sunagakure front, Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled for the first time in many days. His brows, furrowed for so long, finally relaxed.
Inside Root Base.
"White Fang of Konoha?! Hmph! A show-off, nothing more! He only killed two Jonin. What a ridiculous fuss!"
After reading the report, Shimura Danzō set it alight and tossed it into the air, as if that could dispel the gloom in his heart.
"Ryoma, come take a walk through the village with me... It's time to bring some fresh blood into Root..."
With nowhere to vent his resentment, Danzō decided to visit the compounds of the great shinobi clans.
He wanted to see whether those clans could still protect the people he had his eye on from him, with their clan heads away at war!
Before you continue