Orochimaru's Experiment Pays Off, and Jiraiya Follows!

Tsunade dragged her exhausted body home.

As she reached her door, she spotted a figure in the shadows nearby.

The figure slowly approached.

Pale skin, golden slit pupils. It was Orochimaru.

He seemed to have been waiting a long time.

"Need something?"

Tsunade asked casually, too drained to sound interested.

Operating on the ninja dog had demanded intense concentration. It had taken more out of her than a fight.

Orochimaru did not answer. He simply watched her with those snake-like eyes, a look in them that Tsunade knew all too well.

It was the feverish excitement of a researcher.

Tsunade stiffened.

She knew Orochimaru too well. He only looked like that when an experiment had made a major breakthrough.

"You made progress?"

Tsunade looked at Orochimaru, barely containing the excitement in her voice.

"Yes."

Orochimaru's lips curled into an eerie smile.

Tsunade's heart gave a violent thump!

There really had been a breakthrough!

All her exhaustion vanished in an instant.

The pressure had brought an unexpected surprise after all.

And so quickly!

"Let's go!"

Without even changing, Tsunade grabbed Orochimaru and headed out.

"Right now!"

Orochimaru rose and followed her. One behind the other, they quickly disappeared into the night.

Not long after they left, a furtive figure poked his head out from the shadows at the street corner.

It was Jiraiya.

His injuries had healed that day, and he had gone out of his way to get discharged from the hospital.

He carried a bunch of wildflowers he had picked from who knew where. He had spent the whole day preparing to confess his feelings to Tsunade.

But just as he reached her house, he saw Tsunade pulling Orochimaru along.

The two were hurrying away as though they had something important to do.

Jiraiya's mind went blank.

Orochimaru?

What was he doing at Tsunade's house?

At night, no less!

Where were they going?

"Could it be..."

Questions bubbled up one after another like water at a rolling boil.

Jealousy surged through Jiraiya.

No. He had to follow them and see!

He tossed the wildflowers into the bushes.

Keeping low, he crept after them on all fours, putting every stealth technique he had ever learned to use as he trailed them from afar.

Under the moonlight, the white-haired man looked like a shifty thief.

He darted between rooftops and shadows.

Tsunade and Orochimaru had a clear destination.

It was an abandoned underground base on the edge of the village.

It had now become Orochimaru's private laboratory.

The two entered, and the heavy iron door slowly shut behind them.

Jiraiya crept up nearby without a sound, found a ventilation shaft, and cautiously peered down.

The laboratory was brightly lit, its array of sophisticated instruments blinking with mysterious lights.

Orochimaru went straight to a specially made refrigerated cabinet and took out a sealed syringe.

The solution inside was a strange pale gold.

It seemed to hold boundless vitality.

"This is version 1.3 of the serum."

Orochimaru held the syringe up to the light, gazing at it in rapture.

"Based on the final data for cellular activity and Chakra compatibility, it should be close to perfect."

"Your body shouldn't reject it, and there should be no side effects."

Then he turned to Tsunade.

"But data is still just data. After the injection, your body will need to adapt to this immense power. At first, you may experience some... stress reactions."

"In plain language." Tsunade waved a hand impatiently.

"You might briefly lose control, become agitated, or even go on a rampage."

Orochimaru flicked out his tongue.

"For safety, and so I can accurately record every change in your body, I need to restrain you."

He pointed to the experimental table in the center of the laboratory, made from a special metal.

Sturdy leather straps covered it.

"Tie me down?"

Any ordinary woman would probably have punched him for making such a request.

But Tsunade merely glanced at the table and gave a crisp reply.

"Fine."

Without the slightest hesitation, she walked over and lay down on it.

"Get started. Don't waste time."

Behind the ventilation grille, Jiraiya's eyes nearly popped out of his head.

Tie... tie her down?

Tsunade had agreed?

She had even lain down on the table herself?

That scheming Orochimaru had a syringe, and he was going to tie Tsunade to a table...

What... what the hell were they doing?!

Jiraiya felt as if he had been cuckolded. He was about to lose his mind!

Inside the laboratory, Orochimaru picked up a strap and approached Tsunade on the table, an excited smile on his face.

"This may hurt a little. Bear with it."

"Cut the chatter!"

Tsunade closed her eyes and lay there, ready to let him do as he pleased.

Orochimaru said no more. He picked up a thick leather strap.

He lined it up with Tsunade's pale wrist and slowly pressed it down.

Jiraiya was losing his mind!

Hurt?

What was going to hurt?!

Orochimaru!

What the hell were you going to do to Tsunade?!