The next day, in the evening—
After traveling non-stop for a day, the Konoha team led by Orochimaru finally reached the inner region of the Iron Country. They paused by a small river to rest.
The break served two purposes: to recover their strength for the looming battle, and to pinpoint Tsunade's exact location to avoid missing her during the rescue.
"Lady Tsunade is currently engaged with the enemy near a samurai village," said Hinata Hiashi, marking the position on the map. "According to information from the samurai group, she's about two hours away from our current location."
Although the Iron Country is officially neutral in the shinobi world, staying completely uninvolved isn't always possible. Concerned that a Konoha Sannin might die on their soil, they didn't openly protect Tsunade—but they did discreetly reveal an escape route and passed on her whereabouts to Konoha.
General Mifune, the leader of the Iron Country, might appear rigid at first glance, but his political acumen has kept his nation afloat amid the power struggles of the Great Nations.
After hearing Hiashi's report, Orochimaru's expression turned slightly amused.
"So it's Kakuzu, the S-rank rogue from Takigakure, and Sasori of the Red Sand, the rogue from Sunagakure…" he muttered.
He had learned about both from the Lamp God and remembered them—not for their combat achievements, but for their unique approaches to immortality.
Kakuzu with his Earth Grudge Fear technique, and Sasori with his Human Puppet method—one replacing organs to extend life, the other becoming a puppet to escape aging.
While their paths diverged from his own, their methods still held research value.
Orochimaru couldn't wait to get them both on his operating table, to extract the secrets they carried.
Still, Tsunade's current situation was undeniably dangerous.
Kumogakure might not actively want her dead, but these two rogue ninjas—lured by the black market bounty posted by Iwagakure—certainly wouldn't hesitate. Their strength also exceeded Orochimaru's expectations.
Tsunade had likely lasted this long due to their non-human physiologies: Kakuzu's body was made mostly of black tendrils, with only his heart remaining flesh and blood; Sasori, meanwhile, was essentially a chakra core housed in human skin.
Even so, both were highly experienced and deadly—Kakuzu, in particular, was a relic from the era of the First Hokage.
As Orochimaru pondered this, a puff of white smoke erupted nearby.
The Konoha team jumped to their feet, instinctively reaching for their weapons. Orochimaru raised a hand to calm them.
From the dispersing smoke slithered a gray viper. It coiled at Orochimaru's feet and respectfully delivered a small ornate box.
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed as he opened it. After checking its contents, a satisfied smile crossed his lips.
"Kakashi. Hiashi. Take a team and deliver this to Tsunade immediately."
He handed the box to Kakashi, along with a sleeveless top. "This is one of Tsunade's garments. I recall you have a ninken—use this to track her scent."
Kakashi took the top but paused, brows furrowing slightly.
The cut and material... this wasn't just any outerwear. It looked more like a corset—something far more personal.
Why would Lord Orochimaru have something like this?
The thought flashed through his mind unbidden. It was inappropriate—but impossible to ignore.
Orochimaru noticed the strange looks on everyone's faces and added nonchalantly, "Relax. It's part of Jiraiya's… collection."
The squad instantly understood the implication behind Orochimaru's words.
"Enough chatter. Move out."
"Yes, sir!"
Swish, swish, swish...
With a flurry of movement, Kakashi's team vanished into the forest.
"You all, rest up while you can."
Orochimaru's voice turned cold. The brief spark of levity in the group was snuffed out in an instant.
"They're the couriers and the vanguard of this operation. The real battle falls on us. If they die because we were careless, it's on our heads."
"Yes!"
The remaining four immediately straightened up, silencing their idle talk. They leaned against nearby trees, closing their eyes to rest and regain focus.
These were seasoned jōnin—veterans who knew how to prioritize. Any gossip about Jiraiya and Lady Tsunade could wait until they were safely back in Konoha and had sake in hand.
High in the treetops, Orochimaru watched the direction Kakashi had gone.
With those special contact lenses, there's a chance Tsunade can suppress her hemophobia for now...
If so, everything gets easier—saving her life and advancing my own plans.
---
Boom!
A single punch sent a thick tree trunk crashing down, the splinters flying in all directions.
"Sasori of the Red Sand, you bastard!" Tsunade roared, fist still clenched.
Nearby, Shizune leaned heavily against another tree, her face pale and lips stained with blood. She coughed violently, spitting out a mouthful of purple venom.
"L-Lady Tsunade... I've become a burden…"
Tsunade turned away, refusing to meet Shizune's eyes—not out of shame, but because she was overwhelmed by a storm of emotions.
Across the battlefield stood their enemies: Kakuzu and Sasori of the Red Sand—both grotesquely modified, their bodies no longer fully human. And yet, they were exactly the kind of enemy Tsunade could unleash her full power against without holding back.
But Shizune... she wasn't the same. She lacked battle experience, and years of peace had dulled her edge. Against monsters like these, she was completely outmatched.
Worse still, Sasori's poisons were more insidious than even Chiyo's from Sunagakure. Shizune had been afflicted by a complex, slow-acting venom. Though Tsunade managed to suppress it for now, any real treatment was out of the question in this state.
Tsunade looked again at the blood soaking Shizune's clothes. Her hands trembled. The memory of Dan's death surged back to the forefront of her mind, and her body froze.
Will I just stand here again, watching someone I love die... powerless to stop it?
"Hehehe…"
A cruel chuckle echoed from the treetops.
Kakuzu descended beside Sasori, whose puppet body, Hiruko, creaked as it landed. Both looked down on Tsunade with mocking smiles.
"Well, well… The legendary Tsunade of Konoha—the greatest medical ninja in history—reduced to a trembling wreck, afraid of a little blood," Kakuzu sneered.
Tsunade didn't respond. Her eyes remained wide, her body stiff with terror. She stared at the crimson stains covering both enemies—so vivid, so familiar—unable to move.
"Hundred and thirty million ryo," Kakuzu muttered. "Who knew it'd be this easy to earn?"
As a black market bounty hunter, he knew just how much blood, time, and risk it normally took to gather such a sum.
"There's no need to admire your prize just yet," Sasori said coldly. "The longer we wait, the greater the chance something unexpected happens."
"I don't need you to tell me that."
Kakuzu's body began to shift. His back split open, and a masked, black-fleshed creature burst out, lunging straight at Tsunade.
Still paralyzed, she didn't even flinch.
Boom!
From the shadows, a tentacle whipped through the air and slammed the creature aside, crashing it into a tree with a sickening thud.