When Orochimaru arrived at the Hokage Building, he saw Tsunade collapsed on her knees, covering her tear-streaked face with her hands, sobbing uncontrollably.
Orochimaru's gaze shifted from Tsunade to the six or seven corpses laid out in body bags on the ground. The zippers on the bags were half-open, revealing the faces of the deceased. Orochimaru's eyes narrowed as he recognized them immediately.
"The Senju clan?"
Among the seven corpses, four were members of the Senju clan. Two of them, to Orochimaru's dismay, were Tsunade's parents. This realization hit him harder than expected, and it led his mind to race with numerous thoughts.
Orochimaru had long known that after the Second Hokage's death, the Senju clan had been steadily declining. But this… this was different. After this incident, only Tsunade, her younger brother Nawaki, and Uzumaki Mito the widow of the First Hokage remained.
He had always wondered about the mysterious reduction of Senju members in recent years. During the early years of Hiruzen's tenure as Hokage, the Senju clan was still relatively robust, and Tsunade's parents were among the most notable. But now? It seemed as though the Senju had been disappearing one by one.
Why was this happening?
Orochimaru had once considered the possibility that the Third Hokage was behind it. It wasn't unheard of for a ruler to eliminate powerful families that could threaten their position. After all, many within the Senju clan had been dissatisfied when the Hokage title passed to someone outside their lineage.
But, Orochimaru knew his master well. Hiruzen, despite being pragmatic, didn't seem like the type to coldly eradicate a powerful family like the Senju, especially considering that the Second Hokage, Tobirama, had been his teacher. Not to mention, the risks of such an action were too high. Even if Hiruzen wanted to eliminate the Senju clan, he would have faced immense backlash from loyalists within the village ANBU, Jonin, and other influential figures who respected the Senju legacy.
Moreover, Danzo, as ruthless as he was, wouldn't take such a risk either. The Second Hokage had been both Hiruzen's and Danzo's mentor, and no amount of ambition would lead them to dishonor him by wiping out his clan.
Still, the question lingered if it wasn't the Third Hokage or Danzo, then who or what was behind the slow extinction of the Senju?
As Orochimaru continued to piece things together in his mind, the Third Hokage, who stood nearby, addressed the Konoha Jonin gathered around the bodies.
"Do we know who did this?" Hiruzen asked, his voice carrying a weight of grief and authority.
"We don't know yet," one of the Jonin responded. "By the time we arrived, they were already... gone. There were no survivors."
The Third Hokage nodded grimly. "I see. You're dismissed."
"Understood." The Jonin saluted respectfully and departed.
Swish!
Several ANBU operatives appeared behind the Third Hokage, their presence as silent as shadows.
"Investigate," Hiruzen ordered, his voice colder than usual.
"Understood!" the ANBU responded in unison before vanishing as quickly as they had appeared.
Watching this exchange, Orochimaru quietly reaffirmed his initial suspicion Hiruzen hadn't orchestrated this. The shock and sorrow on the Third Hokage's face were too genuine to be an act.
After the ANBU departed, Hiruzen turned his gaze toward his distraught disciple. "Tsunade..." he began, his tone laced with sadness. "We... are shinobi."
His words were meant as a reminder, a bitter truth that all ninja had to face. From the moment they chose this path, they had to accept that death was always looming over them. But no amount of training could truly prepare one for the death of loved ones.
Though Hiruzen's intention was to console her in his own way, Tsunade was too consumed by grief to listen. She continued to sob, her hands covering her face, her world shattered by the sudden loss of her parents.
---
Three days later, Konoha's cemetery was draped in a somber atmosphere. Two new tombstones stood amidst the sea of gravestones, bearing the names of Tsunade's parents.
Tsunade knelt before the graves, her tears flowing freely as she wept for the lives that had been stolen from her. Orochimaru and Jiraiya stood silently by her side, offering no words of comfort. In the world of shinobi, death was all too common, and in situations like this, words often rang hollow.
"Orochimaru..." Tsunade finally spoke, her voice fragile, barely above a whisper.
"Hm?"
"I want to be alone for a while."
Orochimaru didn't hesitate. "Of course," he said softly.
He glanced over at Jiraiya, who nodded in understanding. Together, they left Tsunade to her grief, giving her the space she needed to process the loss in her own way.
As they walked away, Jiraiya couldn't help but ask, "Orochimaru, are you really not going to stay and comfort her?"
Orochimaru's eyes remained fixed ahead. "Comfort her? What could I possibly say to bring comfort? It's not something that happened to me. I have no right to try."
Jiraiya blinked, taken aback by the logic. "Uh... I guess that kind of makes sense…"
Just then, an ANBU appeared in front of them, bowing respectfully. "Orochimaru, the Hokage is looking for you."
"Understood," Orochimaru replied without missing a beat. "Let's go."
---
In Konoha's secret laboratory, Orochimaru stood before the Third Hokage, who was still visibly troubled by the recent deaths.
"Orochimaru, how is Tsunade holding up?" Hiruzen asked, genuine concern in his voice.
Orochimaru responded slowly, "She's devastated, naturally. Losing both parents will take time to recover from."
The Third Hokage sighed, his face etched with sorrow. "Let her take all the time she needs. I'll speak to her when the time is right." He paused before shifting the subject. "I called you here to discuss the recovery potion. Is there any progress on solving the issue of it not being able to be used continuously?"
Orochimaru's expression remained neutral. "There's no easy fix. The potion does stimulate cell regeneration, but the effect is weak. Human cells follow a natural replacement cycle, and until that cycle completes, the body can't withstand another dose of the potion's effects."
Hiruzen nodded, disappointment crossing his features. "I see... So, for now, it will remain limited in its use."
"That's correct," Orochimaru confirmed. "We've reached the current limits of what the potion can do, but I'm continuing to explore other possibilities."
With a heavy sigh, the Third Hokage leaned back in his chair, deep in thought. "Thank you, Orochimaru. We'll make do with what we have for now."