Die Once More

The next day, Tsunade slipped out without telling them.

Chiya sat on the tatami, one hand pressed over his eye socket. All he could see was still a blur of gray shadows.

Kaguya's voice sounded in his mind.

"She's gone."

Chiya was silent for a moment.

"Yeah."

"You knew already?"

"More or less."

Kaguya fell quiet for a moment, as if observing his emotions.

Chiya slowly rose to his feet and draped his outer robe over himself. His movements were unhurried, even somewhat sluggish.

Ever since Orochimaru had revealed that Danzo had become the Fifth Hokage last night, his thoughts had been a complete mess.

He had originally thought that he had merely walked a few extra steps through the original story.

But now, it seemed that every step he took could cause the road ahead to collapse.

Danzo had become the Fifth Hokage.

That meant Konoha had completely changed.

It also meant he could no longer assume that everything would "correct itself according to the original plot."

Tsunade would go meet Orochimaru.

He had known that since last night.

To Tsunade, those two names were the greatest knot in her heart right now.

But without Naruto's encouragement this time, could Tsunade truly move on?

Shizune's anxious voice suddenly came from outside.

"Chiya!"

Chiya pulled open the door.

Shizune stood at the entrance, pale-faced, clutching Ton Ton in her arms. She had clearly already searched everywhere.

"Lady Tsunade is gone!"

Chiya nodded.

"I know."

Shizune froze.

"You know?"

"She went to the wasteland outside town."

Shizune's expression changed instantly.

"She really went to meet Orochimaru? No, I have to go there right away!"

She turned to run, but Chiya reached out and grabbed her sleeve.

Shizune turned back, her eyes reddening with anxiety.

"Why are you stopping me? Lady Tsunade is in danger right now!"

"I'm going with you."

Shizune hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

"Alright."

It was a stretch of grassland.

The wind swept bits of grass across the ground, while distant tree shadows swayed beneath the afternoon light.

Tsunade stood in the center of the wasteland, her arms hanging at her sides. There was no expression on her face, making it impossible to guess what she was thinking.

Orochimaru stood opposite her.

Kabuto stood a little farther away, still wearing that gentle smile that made people uncomfortable.

"You're very punctual, Lady Tsunade."

Orochimaru looked at Tsunade, his voice hoarse and low.

"Hehehe, I told you that you wouldn't refuse me."

Tsunade did not answer immediately.

Her gaze fell on Orochimaru's limp arms, and Orochimaru gave a soft laugh.

"As long as you heal my hands, I'll bring them back."

Tsunade's fingers trembled slightly.

Kabuto adjusted his glasses and calmly added,

"With Lord Orochimaru's abilities, he can absolutely make the two of them appear before Lady Tsunade once more."

Tsunade shuddered faintly, and the struggle in her heart showed plainly on her face.

Orochimaru watched her, the smile on his lips deepening.

"You should understand that the dead do not return out of thin air. This opportunity is something only I can give you."

Tsunade closed her eyes. Only after a long while did she speak.

"What do you want me to do?"

Kabuto's eyes shifted.

Orochimaru's smile fully blossomed.

"Remove the seal and heal these hands."

He stepped forward.

"If even you can't do it, then no one in the Shinobi World probably can."

Tsunade slowly opened her eyes.

She seemed to have made her decision.

But just as she lifted her foot to step forward, a voice suddenly came from the edge of the wasteland.

"Tsunade."

Tsunade stopped.

Orochimaru turned his head as well.

Chiya stood at the edge of the wasteland, his clothes snapping loudly in the wind.

Tsunade frowned.

"What are you doing here?"

Chiya slowly approached.

"I came to collect a debt."

The corner of Tsunade's mouth twitched.

At a time like this, she should not have found it funny.

Yet Chiya's words somehow loosened that crushing weight in her chest, if only a little.

Orochimaru looked at Chiya, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Chiya-kun, it seems you still haven't thought through my proposal."

"I've thought it through very clearly."

Chiya stopped beside Tsunade and looked up at that pale, blurry figure.

"There is no benefit in going with you."

Kabuto's smile stiffened for a moment.

But Orochimaru let out a low laugh.

"Posturing with words will not change your situation, Chiya-kun. Konoha no longer has room for you, and Danzo will not let you go. What you need most right now is someone who can shelter you."

"You?"

Chiya laughed.

"You can't even shelter your own hands."

Orochimaru's laughter stopped.

The temperature in the air seemed to drop several degrees.

Seeing Orochimaru fall silent, Chiya turned to Tsunade.

"Tsunade, do you really believe him?"

Tsunade's expression darkened.

"This is my business."

Chiya nodded, ignored her words, and continued.

"If Nawaki and Dan truly stood before you, but could only obey Orochimaru's orders and exist as tools in his hands, do you think they would have truly returned?"

Tsunade's fingers trembled. She abruptly looked up at Orochimaru.

Chiya's voice remained calm as he continued earnestly.

"They are not shadows without will. When they were alive, they had dreams of their own, choices of their own, and people they wanted to protect."

"Nawaki wanted to become Hokage, not a bargaining chip in someone else's deal."

"Dan wanted to protect the village, not become a tool in the hands of someone who would destroy it."

Tsunade's pupils contracted slightly.

Orochimaru's expression turned cold.

"I understand that you want to see them."

"If someone told me that I could see the person I wanted to see again, I might waver too."

At that, his voice paused.

Kaguya said nothing in his mind.

But Chiya's expression grew heavier.

"But Tsunade, you are a medical ninja."

"You understand better than anyone that life is not merely moving, speaking, and standing before you."

"True life is the will a person leaves behind while alive, what they once believed in, and the reason they wanted you to keep moving forward."

Tsunade's breathing became uneven.

It was as though she wanted to speak, but something was lodged in her throat.

Chiya looked up at her.

"If you agree to Orochimaru today, you will not be letting them live once more."

"You will be making them die once more..."

As those words fell, the wasteland suddenly went silent.

The wind passed between them.

Tsunade's face gradually turned pale.

She lowered her head and looked at her hands.

Those hands had once saved many people.

They had also trembled at the sight of blood.

She had once believed that as long as she stopped reaching out, she would not lose anyone again.

But now, Orochimaru had torn open her deepest wound, placed what she wanted most before her, and told her that she could have it back as long as she reached out.

She had nearly reached out for it.

Tsunade closed her eyes.

Nawaki's smiling face seemed to emerge from somewhere far away.

"Big sister, I'll definitely become Hokage someday!"

Then came Dan's gentle voice.

"Tsunade, I want to protect this village, and I want to protect even more people."

Her hands began to shake.