He thought for a moment, then frowned at Tsunade and the other two.
"You three have remarkable ability and determination. You've got real potential. Unfortunately, you're still far from being able to defeat me. Tell me your names, and I'll spare your lives for now."
"Bastard." Humiliation surged through Jiraiya. He was alive only because his enemy had decided to show mercy.
"Don't be reckless. He's right. We can't beat him now," Orochimaru said coldly, his exhausted face betraying little emotion.
For Orochimaru, staying alive mattered most.
"Orochimaru," he said calmly.
"Jiraiya," Jiraiya said through gritted teeth.
"Tsunade." She gave her name distractedly, still gathering Senjutsu Chakra.
Hanzo of the Salamander looked ready to let them go, but who knew if he was lying?
She couldn't take an enemy at his word. The only truth was that her life had to remain in her own hands.
Besides, since when did I, Tsunade, need someone else's pity to survive?
On the Sand Ninja battlefield, she'd been so occupied researching poisons that her apprentice seemed to have made a bigger name for herself than she had. Tsunade wasn't happy about that.
And as Yin's lover, how could she let an enemy dismiss her in such a humiliating way?
"For people so young to fight me this well is impressive. I'll remember your names."
"Jiraiya, Tsunade, Orochimaru—from now on, I, Hanzō, will call you the Konoha Sannin!"
After a pause, Hanzo of the Salamander told his subordinates, "Let's go!"
Having bestowed the title of Sannin on them, Hanzo of the Salamander turned to leave.
Humiliation weighed on the Konoha Ninja, but beneath it lay relief.
They had lost, but at least they had escaped with their lives, hadn't they?
"Old man Hanzō, I'm not too pleased with the title you gave us!"
Tsunade's