"Captain, are those three brats really going to show up?"
A hidden Kirigakure ninja whispered to the man beside him, his gaze darting anxiously to the distance.
"They'll definitely come. I've observed their movement patterns in detail. Once they discover the last point has been infiltrated, they'll head here next!"
The ninja referred to as "Captain" responded with firm confidence.
In truth, he was far from certain.
His show of confidence was merely to maintain his authority and bolster morale among his subordinates. Even as he reassured them, he cast a nervous glance toward the horizon.
In total, six Kirigakure ninjas lay in wait at this location.
Aside from the Captain, who was an elite Jōnin, three were Jōnin-level, and two were elite Chūnin. Together, they formed a high-level infiltration squad.
Their objective was simple: Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru.
As previously noted, the trio had gained a certain level of fame as recognized prodigies of Konoha.
Not only were they students of Sarutobi Hiruzen, but Tsunade was also the granddaughter of the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, and, more importantly, Hui's girlfriend.
The Kirigakure squad aimed to capture the three alive to use as hostages against Konoha—and Hui.
Unfortunately, they had struggled to find an opportunity to approach them.
That changed when they extracted intelligence from a captured Konoha ninja, revealing the trio's activity in this area. The elite Jōnin had immediately devised this ambush.
Now, all they had to do was wait for the bait to bite.
…
Meanwhile, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru were indeed on their way. After clearing the previous point of enemies, they continued toward the next, following their usual routine.
Before long, they entered the vicinity of the ambush.
"They're here!"
The elite Jōnin spotted them from a distance, his eyes lighting up. His heartbeat quickened with excitement.
This was a major catch—three 16-year-old Jōnin from Konoha, the prized disciples of their commanding officer, Sarutobi Hiruzen.
And among them, Tsunade stood out not just as the granddaughter of the First Hokage and niece of the Second Hokage but also as the girlfriend of Hui, Konoha's legendary "Ghost".
Capturing these three would bring immense merit to Kirigakure—and the squad executing the mission.
…
"This place feels a bit … off," Jiraiya muttered as they approached, his brows furrowed.
Having trained in Sage Mode for years, his instincts were sharper than most.
"Agreed. There's a strange air of danger here," Orochimaru added quietly.
Though less morbid in demeanor than his canon counterpart, his affinity for snakes had honed his sensitivity to threats.
Tsunade scanned their surroundings, her eyes taking in every detail. Subtle signs confirmed her suspicions.
"There's no need to worry; everything seems normal here. There are no traps at all," she said aloud, her tone calm and reassuring.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru, however, understood immediately—there was a trap.
The three had been a team since they were six years old. After a decade of working together, they knew each other's habits intimately.
Tsunade was known for her blunt nature. If the area truly were safe, she would have said so plainly. Her measured response only served to confirm their suspicions.
"Got it," Orochimaru replied, his voice equally calm.
A small snake slithered from beneath his sleeve, its tongue flickering as it silently moved in a particular direction.
"This place looks like it's seen some action. Looks like everyone's already gone," Jiraiya added, adopting an air of nonchalance.
His casual stance left him seemingly wide open, a tempting target.
He was baiting the enemy.
Sure enough, one of the hidden Kirigakure ninjas couldn't resist the opportunity.
"Die, brat!"
Using an Earth Release technique, the ninja burrowed underground and emerged behind Jiraiya, sword in hand.
He leaped, bringing his blade down in what appeared to be a killing strike.
In truth, his goal wasn't to kill Jiraiya but to feint an attack, forcing Jiraiya to make a mistake that would allow him to capture him alive.
What he didn't anticipate was the smirk curling at the corners of Jiraiya's mouth.
Rasengan!
In a flash, Jiraiya spun around, the spiraling sphere in his hand slamming into the ninja's body, sending him flying backward.
"Now!"
The remaining five Kirigakure ninjas abandoned their cover, rushing toward Tsunade and Orochimaru.
Three of them attacked directly while two targeting Orochimaru and one going after Tsunade.
The latter was none other than the elite Jōnin leading the squad.
The remaining two, both elite Chūnin, stayed back to perform hand seals.
Hidden Mist Technique!
A thick mist rapidly enveloped the area, causing the trio's pupils to contract. They attempted to regroup but were quickly intercepted, and soon they could no longer see one another.
The Hidden Mist Technique was a staple of Kirigakure ninjas, taking advantage of the perpetual fog of the Land of Water.
Most Kirigakure ninjas were trained from a young age to fight effectively in such conditions, making the mist their domain.
In this war, Kirigakure's ninjas frequently used the technique to confuse their enemies.
Unfortunately for them, it was ineffective against the Byakugan, which could see through the mist.
Knowing this, Konoha had spread members of the Hyūga clan across its squads, ensuring that "Byakugan units" were present on many fronts.
However, Tsunade's team lacked such a member.
As the mist thickened, the battlefield was obscured, with only flashes of light and angry shouts breaking the oppressive silence.
In the shrouded chaos, the elite Jōnin made a few probing attacks against Tsunade, gradually gathering information about her abilities.
This young kunoichi possessed alarming strength; likely the super strength of the Senju clan. Her speed and reflexes were also keen, allowing her to parry his strikes flawlessly.
Even so, the elite Jōnin was confident.
Tsunade couldn't defeat him. Given time, he was sure he could kill her.
However, capturing her alive would prove more challenging.
He pondered his strategy for a moment before launching another silent sneak attack on Tsunade, only to be thwarted again.
Deciding to change tactics, he performed a series of hand seals.
Water Release: Water Sphere Jutsu!
A massive sphere of water shot from the elite Jōnin's mouth, hurtling toward Tsunade.
Unlike the destructive Fireball Jutsu, the Water Sphere Jutsu focused on impact, aiming to subdue rather than kill.
This was typical of Water Release techniques, which emphasized capturing over lethal force.
Despite being unable to see clearly, Tsunade sensed the incoming attack.
Channeling chakra into her fist, she swung forward with all her might.
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