At this point in time, Orochimaru's ambition was to master all ninjutsu rather than delve into the dark arts of immortality research.
Orochimaru had a deep fascination with various forms of ninjutsu and genjutsu, and there was no doubt that he had his eyes on the Sakura Fall Genjutsu.
Tsunade couldn't help but instinctively shrink her neck when she remembered how she and Takuya used to mess around. A genjutsu capable of controlling a Jōnin? That didn't scare her. But one that even someone as strong as the Third Kazekage couldn't escape from? That was dangerous.
She imagined Takuya snapping under pressure one day and casting that genjutsu on her... The thought of herself involuntarily dancing in public was so embarrassing that Tsunade nearly felt like she could dig herself a hole in the ground.
It was too mortifying—an event that would surely lead to social death.
Better not provoke this kid in the future. If she pushed him too far, she'd be done for.
The scariest part was that Takuya would actually do it!
Based on what she knew about him, if pushed to the edge, Takuya wouldn't hesitate to make her socially dead once and for all.
"Ahem, kids these days are really something else, much stronger than we were," Tsunade said with an awkward cough, tossing the scroll to Jiraiya.
"The old man asked me to verify something with Takuya about the Third Kazekage. You coming?" she asked.
"Definitely," Orochimaru responded without hesitation.
Jiraiya scratched his head, considering for a moment before saying, "I'll come too. If you're both going, it's no fun to stay here alone. Let's all go together."
"Alright then, let's head out," Tsunade said, feeling a bit nostalgic for Takuya's cooking.
After a quick rest, the three of them exited the combat zone and made their way swiftly toward the outpost.
"Takuya, are we really okay doing this?"
"Takuya, shouldn't we be more cautious?"
"Takuya, what are we eating today?"
"Takuya, I caught a wild deer. How about we have some roasted venison tonight?"
In just a few days, Nawaki had practically turned into a mini-Takuya, or rather, a devoted fanboy.
Completely won over by Takuya's cooking, his initial worries—whether it was attracting enemies or getting scolded by the village—had all but vanished.
Nothing bad happened. In fact, the camp even thoughtfully sent them some supplies.
It was downright strange. Had Danzo turned over a new leaf?
Danzo, in his rare show of generosity, sent them fresh ingredients, including the highly coveted beef, a rare sight in the camp.
The three of them sat together, happily enjoying their roasted meat, feeling utterly content.
Takuya had no idea what Danzo was up to. But since the food was safe, with no poison detected, why not eat it?
Everything else could be compromised, but he wouldn't skimp on his stomach. A full belly was essential for fighting effectively.
"You three!!"
The voice of an irate Tsunade filled the air as she, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru finally arrived at the outpost. The sight of the trio lounging around, eating delicious roasted meat, sent Tsunade's temper through the roof.
How could they be so shameless?
In the middle of a battlefield, they were eating like kings.
"Move over," Tsunade said, shoving her brother aside to claim his seat.
Jiraiya's eyes sparkled with anticipation, while Orochimaru looked at the three with a strange expression.
Were they here for a vacation or to fight? Their life at the outpost was far too comfortable.
But whatever, those thoughts could wait. The immediate priority was filling their stomachs.
And so, what began as a meal for three quickly turned into a meal for six.
Each one of them ate heartily, their faces slick with grease, exhaling hot breath.
Anyone witnessing this scene would have been utterly shocked.
"By the way, where did you get the beef?" Jiraiya asked once he was full and satisfied.
The camp typically didn't have such luxuries; beef was expensive, and there were no nearby villages to steal it from. Surely Takuya and the others wouldn't risk such a stunt just for some good food.
"Jiraiya-sensei, it was sent from the camp," Minato answered honestly.
"The camp?" Jiraiya exclaimed, drawing the curious gazes of Orochimaru and Tsunade.
If the camp had sent it, that meant it had Danzo's approval.
My goodness, did the sun rise in the west today? Did Danzo actually allow these three to have a little feast?
Could you believe that Danzo, of all people, would do something like this?
"Yes, it came from the camp. The supply officers said our team had made some significant contributions, and since the camp had fresh meat, they sent some our way," Minato explained truthfully, without a hint of reservation.
Who could have predicted that in just a few days, they'd end up saving quite a few Konoha shinobi, racking up a nice amount of merit?
Even Takuya hadn't seen that coming.
The outpost's primary function was to alert the camp of a large-scale enemy attack, but Takuya and his team had ended up rescuing a number of comrades and earning quite a bit of recognition in the process.
This early warning duty was turning out to be pretty enjoyable; Takuya was starting to get used to it.
At least it wasn't as boring as guarding the morgue.
Plus, it didn't require trudging through the rain across the battlefield, constantly engaging in combat. Just holding down the fort at the outpost was enough.
And when things were calm, he could whip up some delicious food as a reward. What's not to love?
"..."
Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya were left speechless.
"Takuya, is the stuff in this scroll true?"
After a brief rest, Tsunade pulled out a scroll and handed it to Takuya. He opened it, and after scanning the contents, he asked in surprise, "Who leaked this? The Third Kazekage? Isn't he worried about losing face?"
Takuya hadn't expected the news of the Third Kazekage falling victim to the Sakura Fall Genjutsu to spread.
Neither Minato nor Mikoto Uchiha would have talked, and Takuya certainly wouldn't have.
That left only the Third Kazekage as the likely source.
But this kind of embarrassing event was something most people would try to cover up, not broadcast. Yet here he was, spreading the word like wildfire.
The fact that Tsunade had come to ask him about it meant the news had already spread far and wide.
If Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya had come all this way, it had to be because of either Danzo or the Third Hokage. Takuya guessed it was probably the Third Hokage who sent them. The old shinobi leader must be quite anxious by now.
So it was true.
The tone in Takuya's voice was enough to confirm to Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya that the rumors were indeed true.
"How did you manage it?" Tsunade asked, not with skepticism but with amazement.
After all, every Kage was synonymous with strength.
The Third Kazekage, reputedly the strongest Kazekage in Sand's history, had fallen victim to Takuya's genjutsu. The Sakura Fall Genjutsu was terrifyingly powerful.
"What do you mean, how did I do it?" Takuya said, a bit annoyed. "He thought I was just a kid and figured I was as good as dead. When I activated my Sharingan, it caught his attention, and that's when I used the genjutsu. He just fell for it, plain and simple."
"No matter how powerful someone is, if they let their guard down against an enemy, they're bound to slip up."
"So, yes, I made the Third Kazekage drink a basin of my foot-washing water, and he drank the whole thing."
"The Sakura Fall Genjutsu may be breakable, but it leaves a mental scar that takes a long time to heal unless your mental fortitude is off the charts."
Foot-washing water? The Third Kazekage would definitely explode in rage if he heard this.
Tsunade and the others were left speechless, fighting the urge to demand that Takuya change his choice of words.
After all, describing a Kage's defeat with such an image wasn't exactly the most dignified way to put it.
But whatever, that wasn't important.
Shaking her head, Tsunade continued, "So why didn't you report this to the village?"
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