Did it work?

"Now that you've all become Jonin, have you decided which department you'd like to join?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked.

The three exchanged glances, then answered together, "We'll leave that to you, Teacher Sarutobi."

Hiruzen Sarutobi was pleased with their answer. After all, few ninja were so willing to accept his assignments.

He then gave the matter serious thought. Finding suitable departments for them would require taking their abilities into account.

He thought in silence for a while.

At last, he said, "All right. Jiraiya, Orochimaru, you two will join the Combat Mission Department."

"Tsunade, you're a medical ninja skilled in Medical Ninjutsu, so you can take a position at Konoha Hospital."

None of the three objected, and they nodded in agreement.

"We'll follow your arrangements, Teacher Sarutobi."

"Mm..." Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded. He was very satisfied with his three students.

"In that case, go get some rest!"

"You must be exhausted after all these days!"

Tsunade and Jiraiya both nodded.

"Then we'll take our leave."

The two headed out, leaving Orochimaru alone in the office.

"Huh... why hasn't Orochimaru come out yet?"

Only after walking some distance did Jiraiya realize Orochimaru hadn't followed them.

He turned to Tsunade beside him and said, "Tsunade, I'm going to wait for Orochimaru."

"Huh? Orochimaru didn't come with us?"

"Make sure both of you come to my house tonight!" Tsunade reminded him.

"All right, I know." With that, Jiraiya hurried back the way they'd come.

Once she was alone, Tsunade took out Katsuyu, who had been nestled against her chest.

"Katsuyu, tell me. What can I help you with?"

She was a little puzzled. With Katsuyu's abilities, was there really something she needed Tsunade's help with?

And she had even insisted on waiting until they reached the village to explain.

Still, Tsunade had never considered refusing. They were bound by a Summoning Contract, after all, and ought to help each other.

"Here's what happened, Lady Tsunade..."

Katsuyu told Tsunade everything about Yui.

"Yui Hyuga?"

After listening to Katsuyu, Tsunade was thoroughly confused.

Did I know her?

"Signing a contract?"

"I never thought you'd betray me and get together with someone else," Tsunade huffed.

Katsuyu's expression stiffened. She hadn't expected Tsunade to react like this after hearing the story.

"Huh? Don't you know her?" Katsuyu asked.

Tsunade propped up her chin and thought carefully, then shook her head.

"The name does sound familiar, but I can't remember!"

Seeing her reaction, Katsuyu offered a reminder. "She said you were in the same class at the Ninja Academy."

"The Ninja Academy?" At that, a faint memory finally surfaced in Tsunade's mind.

"Yui Hyuga, Yui Hyuga, Yui Hyuga..." she murmured.

At last, an image flashed through her mind: a girl dressed entirely in white, with the Byakugan.

"Oh, you mean Yui Hyuga... I finally remember."

"I do know her, but we were only classmates for half a year."

"Oh, so you finally remembered," Katsuyu said irritably.

She had nearly begun to suspect Yui had been lying to her.

"You said you wanted to transport her here from Shikkotsu Forest?" Tsunade asked.

Katsuyu nodded.

"I want to use the Summoning Technique to bring her to Konoha."

"I need your chakra to help. I have too little right now to perform the Ninjutsu."

Tsunade nodded. Such a small request would be easy enough.

"Mm... all right, then. I'll take you home first..."

Meanwhile.

Inside the Hokage's Office.

"What did you say?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked in surprise. "You're saying you didn't kill those three Kumogakure ninja?"

"That's right..." Orochimaru nodded and recounted what had happened to him.

After hearing Orochimaru's account, Hiruzen Sarutobi pondered for a while.

At last, he unsealed the scroll containing the bodies again.

The four Kumogakure corpses reappeared inside the Hokage's Office.

Setting aside the ninja Orochimaru had killed with an Explosive Tag, he turned his gaze to the other three, whose faces were unrecognizable.

"This is..." The moment he saw the injuries on those three bodies, his expression turned grave.

"Traces of Lightning Release, and their faces are unrecognizable..."

After examining the injuries on the bodies, an ominous thought arose in his mind.

Could this be another Kumogakure scheme?

What if they staged all of this themselves?

The mere possibility sent a chill through him.

"Ah..." He sighed, then waved Orochimaru away. "You can head back now!"

"Remember, you mustn't mention this to anyone..."

Orochimaru nodded, then left the office.

He, too, felt somewhat puzzled.

So it wasn't someone Teacher Sarutobi sent?

Then who could it have been?

Shikkotsu Forest-

Ten, eleven, twelve...

Katsuyu silently counted the seconds.

Her heartbeat gradually quickened.

So much time had passed, yet the green Cursed Seal on Yui's forehead still showed no sign of disappearing.

She shook her head, continuing to maintain the Ninjutsu with her left hand.

"Does that mean it still won't work?" she murmured.

White light gathered in her hand as she prepared to wake Yui.

Suddenly, Katsuyu saw the Caged Bird Seal on Yui's forehead begin to fade.

She could sense the green Cursed Seal clinging to Yui's brain slowly fading as well.

"Oh no..."

In the next instant, the other two Cursed Seals clinging to her eyes contracted, attempting to destroy the Byakugan's structure completely.

Sensing this, Katsuyu poured more chakra into the Ninjutsu in her hand.

The light instantly flared, its blue-green glow illuminating the entire room.

It even streamed through the gaps in the room and spread outside.

"Phew... I finally suppressed it."

So this method really could work.

As long as the healing outpaced the destruction, it could naturally counteract the damage.

"I suppose that means it worked!"

But I've already gone past the time I agreed on with Yui, haven't I?

Watching the Cursed Seal gradually dissipate, she sighed helplessly.

Oh, forget it. A little longer won't matter!

After a while, once the Cursed Seal on Yui's forehead had completely vanished, she activated the Ninjutsu in her right hand.

A cloud of white mist billowed from her palm, slowly settling over the top of Yui's head.