Guren's status had risen from captive to money printer... pfft, business partner, and naturally, her treatment had improved as well.
Instead of being slung over a shoulder in that extremely crude manner, she was now in Naoki Senju's arms, with one hand supporting the backs of her knees and the other around her waist.
Guren squirmed uneasily, feeling somewhat awkward. Although this was more comfortable than being carried over his shoulder, it was her first time being so close to an unfamiliar man, and she seemed at a loss.
"Stay still. My chakra is exhausted too, and I'm not in much better shape than you. Keep squirming and we might both fall and smash our faces beyond recognition," Naoki Senju said, half threatening her.
Fortunately, the prospect of disfigurement was still quite a threat to Guren. Despite her discomfort, she settled down and leaned obediently against Naoki Senju's chest.
Yet those spirited eyes still refused to concede. After staring at Naoki Senju for a while, she couldn't help asking:
"What was going on with that clone of yours? Why could it still move and keep attacking after taking a fatal hit?"
Naoki Senju hefted Guren in his arms. After inwardly marveling at how well Otogakure fed its people, he asked in return, "Have you heard of the First Hokage?"
Guren paused briefly, then answered with a look she might have given an idiot. "Hashirama Senju, the God of Shinobi. How could I not have heard of him?"
"What about Wood Release?"
"Wood Release..."
Guren's expression instantly froze, her little mouth gradually forming an O. A trace of girlish playfulness appeared on her mature, alluring face.
"You mean what you used just now was Wood Release? The legendary God of Shinobi's Wood Release!" Guren seemed somewhat excited, but that was hardly surprising. If the four great hidden villages learned of Naoki Senju's Wood Release, their reactions would only be more extreme than hers.
They would send assassins at any cost, striving to eliminate Naoki Senju before he could grow, tearing the threat out by the roots to prevent a second Hashirama Senju from appearing.
Konoha would probably be the village with the most complicated reaction. Some might hope to restore its former glory, while others would not want to see the Senju Clan rise to power again. But most would probably want to treat Naoki Senju as a strategic weapon like the Nine-Tails and keep him under close "protection."
No one wanted another Hashirama Senju, another God of Shinobi, looming over them. Overwhelming power would shake their positions, threaten their lives, and plunge them into fear.
Ignoring Guren, whose excitement had made her breathing somewhat rapid, Naoki Senju swept an impassive gaze around before glancing sideways at an empty spot and saying:
"You've been watching the show long enough. Isn't it time you came out?"
Guren followed Naoki Senju's gaze. As she wondered what he meant, the ground slowly rose, and a human figure gradually took shape.
"Lord Orochimaru!"
Guren immediately cried out, then struggled to leave his embrace despite her extreme weakness.
With the hand around her slender waist, Naoki Senju gave Guren's bottom a slap, neither hard nor soft, warning her with his eyes that she had better behave, or it would not be so light next time.
Orochimaru did not even glance at Guren as she was being teased. He extended his scarlet tongue to lick his lips and asked with interest in his raspy voice:
"When did you notice me? I shouldn't have given anything away."
Even if I deliberately left an opening, Naoki Senju as he is now couldn't possibly see through my concealment technique. So is this an ability of Wood Release? What an unparalleled kekkei genkai...
"I just guessed," Naoki Senju answered honestly.
Guessed...
The scene fell utterly silent. Orochimaru felt as though a stifled breath had lodged in his chest, unable to move up or down. Guren, whose face had flushed with embarrassment and a trace of anger at Naoki Senju's bold action, now looked at him in disbelief. Her beautiful, clear black eyes seemed to say:
I've never seen anyone court death so boldly.
Naoki Senju's expression, meanwhile, was somewhat grave. Although he was certain Orochimaru would not turn on him, Orochimaru's presence was simply too cold and uncanny, like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, making his skin crawl.
"Ahem."
After two dry coughs, Orochimaru breathed a little more easily. Giving Naoki Senju a meaningful look, he slowly sank into the earth. Only when his head alone remained aboveground did he offer a reminder:
"The ninja who attacked you and Tsunade this time came from Konoha's Root, a force controlled by Shimura Danzō, a student of the Second Hokage."
Then his figure vanished entirely. Whether he had concealed himself again or returned to his original body was unknown.
Naoki Senju did not find it strange that Orochimaru would stab his teammate Danzo in the back. Those two only cooperated out of mutual interest, and now Danzo had attempted to assassinate him and Tsunade in the Land of Rice Fields, on Orochimaru's territory. To Orochimaru, this was practically a disaster out of the blue.
Orochimaru had no reason to take the blame for Danzo, so he stabbed him in the back without hesitation, hoping Naoki Senju and Tsunade would not take revenge on the wrong target.
Not long after Orochimaru's clone disappeared, an anxious-looking Tsunade hurried over with Shizune. Orochimaru trailed leisurely behind them, accompanied by a giant summoned snake with several ninja in Root's black clothing sprawled on its back.
"Naoki, are you all right?"
"Lord Naoki!"
After greeting him, Tsunade and Shizune involuntarily focused their gazes on Guren. Under those two piercing stares, Guren felt as though she were sitting on pins and needles, unsure what she had done to provoke such hostility.
Looking perfectly natural, Naoki Senju passed Guren into Shizune's arms and explained:
"She said she was one of Orochimaru's subordinates, in charge of keeping watch nearby. She mistook me for a Konoha ninja, so I knocked her out with poison. Sorry for the trouble, Sister Shizune, but could you detoxify her? It's datura poison."
Although Tsunade still gave a dissatisfied snort, she did not pursue the matter. Instead, she turned toward the leisurely Orochimaru behind her, her gaze gradually sharpening.
As a former teammate who had fought alongside Tsunade, Orochimaru quickly understood what she meant and immediately promised:
"A portrait of Naoki will be delivered to them soon. This won't happen a second time."
Tsunade nodded calmly before introducing him to Naoki Senju. "This is my former teammate, Orochimaru, one of those known collectively as the Sannin."
Only then did Naoki Senju look Orochimaru over: pale skin, purple eyeshadow extending to the sides of his nose, and golden eyes with long, vertical, snakelike pupils.
"Greetings, Lord Cold-Blooded." Naoki Senju greeted him rather stiffly, as though they had only just met.
Orochimaru's scarlet tongue slipped out unconsciously and licked his lips, a gesture he made without thinking whenever something interested him.