Three elite jōnin from the Land of Wano panted heavily, their faces grim.
The Konoha ninja they were facing were simply too strong. Despite being just 12 or 13 years old, their power was extraordinary.
The gap between great nations and small nations was insurmountable, both in terms of quantity and quality.
"Damn it, we just need to hold out until Lord Dokei arrives."
Clinging to this thought, they believed everything would be resolved once that person arrived.
However, their opponents gave them no time to think. Chains of ice shot forward like serpents.
Two of the three jōnin reacted quickly, dodging to the sides. The female jōnin in the middle was a beat slower and couldn't evade in time, becoming ensnared by two icy chains.
"Damn it! Let me go!"
As she shouted, a surge of heat rushed toward her—a massive fireball.
Fire Release: Flame Bomb.
This wasn't an ordinary fire-style technique. Instead of simply expelling chakra-infused flames, this technique converted chakra into oil, igniting it upon release for a far more intense fire.
Bound by the icy chains, there was no way for the female ninja to dodge. With a scream, her body was engulfed in flames, leaving her severely burned as she collapsed to the ground.
Jiraiya, having landed a successful blow, didn't seem too pleased. Instead, he looked slightly regretful. "Ah, I'm supposed to be a gentleman. How could I hit a woman?"
Seeing their comrade fall, one of the female jōnin's allies cried out her name. But their voice was soon drowned out by another, more menacing voice.
"Die!"
With a thunderous crash, the ground beneath the Wano jōnin's feet exploded, shattering into rubble and throwing him off balance.
Before he could comprehend what was happening, a massive boulder overhead broke apart, revealing a figure hurtling toward him with a raised fist.
The jōnin froze in terror as Tsunade's overwhelming aura bore down on him. He staggered back a step, his face pale with fear.
That moment of hesitation gave Tsunade the opening she needed. With a well-aimed punch, she struck his face.
The blow sent him flying like a kite with a broken string. He slammed into a wall before collapsing unconscious.
Aokiji's feint had created a domino effect, and as one enemy after another fell, the last remaining jōnin from Wano panicked.
Seizing the opportunity, Orochimaru, who had been waiting in the shadows, quickly formed hand seals. With a loud pop, a shuriken burst from a cloud of white smoke, speeding toward the final Wano jōnin.
The jōnin initially thought it was just a single shuriken and hesitated for a moment. By the time he realized something was wrong, it was too late.
"Impossible!"
His pupils shrank as he watched the single shuriken multiply into countless others in an instant.
Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique.
Before he could react, the barrage of shuriken struck him, leaving his body riddled with wounds. Blood poured from him as he collapsed to the ground with a thud.
The battle was over. Orochimaru's team regrouped to assess their victory.
"If nothing unexpected happens, we just need to find the final boss and defeat him. Then we'll get that 100 million ryō, right? Heh heh…"
Seeing Jiraiya's lecherous grin, Tōshirō and the others facepalmed and shook their heads. It was clear that Jiraiya was likely imagining some inappropriate indulgences, such as luxurious massages or high-end clubs with models.
But honestly, it would be a lie to say they weren't tempted by the massive sum of money. After all, 100 million ryō was an enormous amount. Where else would they find such a lucrative mission?
"Tōshirō , we really owe you for this one," Orochimaru said with a smile.
At the very beginning of Orochimaru's team, they managed to land such a lucrative mission, and everyone was thrilled.
Casually, Tōshirō asked, "What are you all planning to do with the money?"
Tsunade was the most enthusiastic to answer and was about to speak when Tōshirō cut her off, waving his hand dismissively. "I already know. You're planning to gamble, right?"
Tsunade grumbled, "What do you take me for?"
Tōshirō shot back, "Isn't that true?"
Tsunade puffed her cheeks angrily. "I've quit gambling already."
"When exactly?"
"Just… uh, why do I even need to explain myself to you?"
Ever since a certain incident, Tsunade had decided to quit gambling. "I'm planning to invest the money in medical infrastructure."
Tōshirō thought she was being a bit naive. "This money might seem like a lot for an individual, but for a project like that, it's just a drop in the bucket."
"'A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step; a river is formed by the gathering of small streams.'" Tsunade's brown eyes gleamed with determination. "While my personal strength may be limited right now, I believe that if I work hard enough, more and more people will recognize me and follow my lead."
"You're really…"
Tōshirō paused, and Tsunade pressed him, "What am I?"
"Nothing." Tōshirō deflected her question.
(￣へ￣) Tsunade turned her head away in a huff, thinking, Is it really that hard for this guy to give me a compliment?
Tōshirō turned to Orochimaru. "What about you?"
"As for me, I'll probably use the money to fund some experiments."
Orochimaru had always loved conducting experiments since childhood, but he'd been limited by a lack of funds. Now that he had the money, he was determined to delve into research projects he had always wanted to pursue.
Tōshirō nodded in agreement. This was indeed consistent with Orochimaru's personality.
Curious, Orochimaru asked, "What about you, Tōshirō ? How will you spend it?"
Obviously, I'm signing up for a Sage Art training course… Tōshirō explained instead, "I'm planning to save this money as my retirement fund."
Tsunade rolled her eyes and looked speechless. "You've just started your ninja career, and you're already thinking about retirement? How much do you hate being a ninja?"
"Ninja work is high-risk. Who knows when something might go wrong during a mission—like losing an arm or a leg and ending up disabled? At that point, no one would want to hire me, and without a stable income, starving to death wouldn't even be surprising. While I'm still intact, I need to earn as much as I can. What else can I do? Expect you to support me?"
"I will support you…"
Tsunade blushed slightly and quickly corrected herself. "Who said I'd support you?"
"Exactly."
Tōshirō spread his hands and shrugged. "Alright, enough chatter. Let's focus on finishing the mission."
"Hey, hey, why aren't you asking me?" Jiraiya, feeling ignored, voiced his complaint.
Tsunade didn't even look at him properly. "It's probably something pervy anyway."
Exposed, Jiraiya quickly changed the subject. "Uh… let's get back to the mission and deal with that damned tyrant already."
"If you're looking for me," a thunderous voice suddenly interrupted, "then I'm already here."
The sudden sound, like rolling thunder and galloping horses, startled Orochimaru's team. They turned sharply in the direction of the voice.
A towering, burly man appeared, holding a spiked club. He had a fierce and imposing face, with sharp features and a tiger-like beard. If it weren't for the bandages covering parts of his face, he could be described as having the striking look of a leopard-headed warrior.
From the intense aura radiating off him, Tōshirō could sense immediately that this was no ordinary person. He closed his eyes slightly, preparing himself with the highest level of vigilance.
(End of Chapter)
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