"A rookie fresh out of the academy? Completely lacking in vigilance!"
A sneaky person opened the window and slipped into the room. Most of his face was covered by a mask, revealing a pair of purple eyes. He didn't rush to the briefcase placed nearby, instead rummaging through Tsunade's and Orochimaru's luggage.
"This is… a Konoha headband… Are they Konoha Ninja?"
Konoha… Uchiha Clan… The purple eyes stared intently at the Konoha headband, hatred flashing in his eyes, his fists clenched.
"You know we're Konoha Ninja and you still won't stop! Thief! How dare you steal from us! You're asking for death!"
Bang—!
The room door burst open, and Tsunade lunged at the thief, throwing a punch. Even in her anger, she controlled her strength; this punch would only injure the hateful thief, not kill him!
"Watch out!"
Orochimaru sensed the special Chakra on the thief suddenly increase. His white snake tail elongated, wrapped around Tsunade, and pulled her to his side.
"Those eyes… Is that a Bloodline Limit?!"
Tsunade looked at the thief's peculiar eyes, where the whites were covered in blood-red, and black pupils contained red glowing horizontal bars. She understood why Orochimaru had stopped her.
She hadn't expected this thief to possess a visual-style Bloodline Limit and felt annoyed by her rash action. If Orochimaru hadn't stopped her, she might have fallen victim to a genjutsu.
"Just who are you…"
The thief saw Orochimaru's white snake tail, his pupils suddenly constricted, and he felt a desire to retreat. He pulled out an expensive smoke bomb, held it in his hand, and cursed his bad luck.
He hadn't expected the fat sheep he targeted to be Konoha Ninja, and not just any ordinary ones. Could anything be more unlucky than this?
"Bastard! That's what I should be asking you! A Ninja with a Bloodline Limit reduced to a thief! You're a disgrace to Ninja!"
Tsunade struggled, wanting to charge forward and beat up this Ninja who had a Bloodline Limit but still resorted to thievery.
"Disgrace? What do you know about me! How could Konoha Ninja, born in a Ninja village and receiving a good education, understand the suffering of our clan! Blood Scorpion!"
The thief's tone became agitated, blood flowed from his eyes, and he formed hand seals. The blood mixed with water, and the Water Release Chakra-formed water flow turned red, forming a giant scorpion that charged towards Tsunade and Orochimaru.
Orochimaru raised his hand and caught the scorpion's crushing claw. With a squeeze, the Blood Scorpion exploded and floated in the air without falling.
"Did he escape…"
Orochimaru looked at the window, his white snake tail releasing Tsunade.
"Orochimaru, let's chase him!"
Tsunade clenched her fists. Her temper flared, and she wanted to rush forward recklessly.
"Have you forgotten what you're wearing right now?"
Orochimaru looked at Tsunade's yukata, hinting downwards.
"If you want to have a wardrobe malfunction, I don't mind, but don't drag me into it."
"I… I don't want to have a wardrobe malfunction! Orochimaru! Hurry and change! Don't let that thief get away!"
Tsunade realized she was wearing her hot spring clothes, her face flushed. If she ran like this, it wouldn't just be a wardrobe malfunction; she could easily end up streaking.
"Don't worry, he won't get away."
Orochimaru extended his hand, and a white snake that emerged from his sleeve closed the window.
The two quickly changed clothes and gave chase.
"Orochimaru, how did you know that thief was a Bloodline Limit Ninja?"
Tsunade asked curiously, walking beside Orochimaru.
"The Chakra of a Bloodline Limit Ninja is different from that of an ordinary Ninja. In Sage Mode, I can sense the differences in Chakra."
Orochimaru explained calmly, sensing the Flying Thunder God Technique formula on the Kikaichu on the thief's body.
That way? "Tsunade, this way."
Orochimaru pursued in the direction the thief had gone.
"Wow! Orochimaru, your sensory abilities are even better than my great-uncle's!"
Tsunade exclaimed. Her great-uncle was also a formidable sensory Ninja!
"It's the amplification brought by Sage Mode. My sensory abilities are far inferior to the Second Hokage's."
Orochimaru glanced at Tsunade from the corner of his eye, wondering if the amazing Senju Tobirama, if he knew in the afterlife, would be so angry he'd rise from his coffin.
Besides, Senju Tobirama's greatest strength wasn't his sensory ability, but his development capability, having created so many Forbidden Techniques.
In this regard, Orochimaru considered him an idol.
"Sage Mode is that powerful!"
Tsunade, recalling that Shikkotsu Forest's Sage Mode would cause Slug features to appear on her body, and imagining herself with Slug features, couldn't help but shiver.
"Regretting not learning Sage Mode?"
Orochimaru's eyes held a hint of amusement.
"No way! I definitely don't want Slug features on my body!"
Tsunade shook her head repeatedly, having no interest in Shikkotsu Forest's Sage Mode whatsoever.
"Aren't they chasing me?"
In the forest, the thief, who had been running wildly until now, looked behind him, panting.
"Here!"
Tsunade descended from above, throwing a punch.
Boom—!
The thief tumbled on the ground, narrowly dodging Tsunade's punch. Looking at the large crater on the ground, he stared at Tsunade in horror. What terrifying strength could create such a massive pit in the ground?
"Hiss hiss—!"
The hissing of snakes rose and fell, as numerous snakes bypassed Tsunade and surrounded the thief.
"Surrender, or be eaten by snakes? Mr. or Ms. thief who speaks such strange things?"
Orochimaru landed beside Tsunade, looking at the bewildered thief surrounded by snakes.
"Don't think you can catch me!"
The thief waved his hand and threw Kunai, not at Orochimaru but at the surrounding snakes.
The Chakra on the Kunai… Orochimaru saw the wounds on the snakes, cut by Kunai imbued with special Chakra, rapidly heal. Immediately after, their bodies swelled into something like giant cells.
"What is this?"
Tsunade looked in astonishment at the objects resembling giant cells.
Orochimaru dispelled his summoning. Except for the few snakes that had been cut, all the other snakes disappeared.
Boom boom boom—!
The giant cells exploded one after another.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!"
As the smoke cleared, a solid rock wall had blocked the explosion.
"Turning living beings into bombs, is this the thief's Bloodline Limit ability?"
Tsunade walked out from behind the rock wall, incredulously looking at the large crater on the ground made by the special bombs.
"From the abilities he's shown so far, those eyes have genjutsu capabilities, and wounds on living beings cut by Ninja tools imbued with special Chakra will heal, then become special bombs…"
Orochimaru bent down to examine the pit on the ground created by the living bombs.
"Blood, huh…"
Orochimaru looked at the blood on his finger, a smirk playing on his lips.
"Interesting. The special Chakra attached to the Ninja tool enters the living body through the wound, converting the blood inside the body into explosives, which are then detonated by the user."
"Orochimaru, if we don't chase him, that thief will escape…"
Tsunade's cheeks puffed out slightly, staring very displeased at Orochimaru, who had fallen into some kind of fervent state.
"My apologies, that fellow's Bloodline Limit is very interesting, I just got a little carried away…"
Orochimaru stood up, took off his white robe, revealing the crop-top underneath, and draped the white robe over Tsunade, then put the hood on her.
"What are you doing?!"
Tsunade looked at the white robe on her, knowing Orochimaru was worried about her getting cut by Ninja tools.
"You gave me this clothing, what about you?"
"Don't worry about me."
Orochimaru's entire body visibly grew a layer of fine white snake scales.
"This way he can't hurt me."
He can do that?!
Tsunade gasped, her mouth agape. She poked the snake scales on Orochimaru's waist and asked, "Orochimaru, are you still human?"
If this were in Konoha, she would definitely drag Orochimaru to the Konoha Hospital for a thorough check-up.
"Do you think I'm still human? How about I eat you, you delicious little human girl?"
Orochimaru stuck out his forked tongue, mimicking the iconic gesture of Orochimaru from the original story.
"Whoa!"
Tsunade surprisingly reached out and pinched Orochimaru's tongue, "It's real!"
"Let go, we should go chase that guy."
Orochimaru saw that Tsunade wasn't scared at all and gave up on trying to frighten her.
"Okay."
Before letting go, Tsunade couldn't resist giving it another pinch.
Orochimaru's tongue could become like a snake, how amazing!
Could this be the result of her research?
Or was it a change brought by Sage Mode?
Orochimaru didn't know what Tsunade was thinking. He placed his hand on her shoulder and used the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Swish—!
They caught up so quickly?
The sound of wind assailed him. The thief subconsciously raised his arm, and a white snake tail whipped his arm, sending him flying.
"Now, where do you think you'll escape to?!"
To prevent falling under genjutsu, Tsunade activated Lightning Release: Lightning Stimulation, strengthening her body with Yang Release Chakra. She raised her leg high and brought it down in a powerful chop.
Boom—!
A large crater appeared on the ground, with cracks spreading outwards.
The thief, lying on the edge of the crater, tremblingly raised his hand. He didn't even dare to use his strange visual jutsu. If that kick had landed on him, he wouldn't even have had a chance to surrender.
Crackling—!
The firewood in the bonfire crackled, and the man sat on the ground, bound by ropes and looking disheveled.
"Tell me, who exactly are you, and why did you steal our things!"
Tsunade stood in front of the man with her arms crossed, glaring at him fiercely.
"You seem to have a strong prejudice against Konoha. Did Konoha do something to your clan?"
Orochimaru walked to Tsunade's side, placing a hand on her shoulder, looking at the man with the strange Bloodline Limit of ocular Ninjutsu.
"Our clan has a grudge against the Uchiha Clan, who co-founded Konoha with the Senju Clan. It was the Uchiha Clan that caused our clan to fall to this state!"
The man said through gritted teeth, his emotions too agitated, the whites of his purple eyes consumed by blood red.
"You seem to need to calm down."
Orochimaru covered Tsunade's eyes with her hands, her golden pupils coldly staring at the man, as her white snake tail transformed into the sharp fangs of a White Snake, pressing against his neck.
"I... I'm calm."
The man quickly suppressed the hatred in his heart for the Uchiha Clan, and his eyes returned to normal.
"Just to be safe."
Orochimaru struck the man's abdomen with her palm, and a Eye Sealing Curse Mark appeared on his forehead.
"You! What did you do to me?!"
The man felt that his Bloodline Limit was unusable.
"I placed a Curse Mark on you, preventing you from using ocular Ninjutsu."
Orochimaru had only tested the Eye Sealing Curse Mark on Hyuga Mio, but its effect on this man with strange ocular Ninjutsu was even better than she expected.
This Curse Mark... it's a bit like the Hyuga Clan's Caged Bird Curse Mark!
Tsunade looked at the Eye Sealing Curse Mark on the man's forehead, thinking of the Hyuga Clan's Caged Bird Curse Mark.
"Tell us about the grievances between your Chinoike Clan and the Uchiha Clan."
Orochimaru waved her hand, cutting the ropes on the man. She had never heard of the Uchiha Clan persecuting any clan, and was very interested in the unknown clan's love-hate relationship with the Uchiha Clan.
It would be even better if it was a bit melodramatic.
Orochimaru thought with a hint of gossip.
The man was silent for a moment, then slowly began to tell everything about himself.
The man was from the Chinoike Clan. The Chinoike Clan possessed a Bloodline Limit called Ketsuryugan, excelling in genjutsu and capable of manipulating blood to perform various unique Ninjutsu, one of which was turning living beings into bombs.
Many years ago, the Chinoike Clan was a Ninja clan in the Land of Lightning, but everything changed after a girl from the Chinoike Clan married into the Daimyo's family as a concubine.
Not long after marrying the girl, the Daimyo died of illness. The jealous main wife falsely accused the girl of being involved in the Daimyo's death, and as a result, the Chinoike Clan was exiled to Hell Valley in the Land of Hot Springs. The Uchiha Clan was responsible for guarding the Chinoike Clan.
"Our Chinoike Clan tried to talk to the Uchiha Clan many times, but we were refused every time. Our clan has so few people left now, and we still live in the harsh environment of Hell Valley. It's all the Uchiha Clan's fault!"
The man said angrily, his twisted face filled with hatred for the Uchiha Clan. The presence of the Eye Sealing Curse Mark prevented his emotions from affecting his eyes.
Orochimaru, who had expected to hear a very interesting story of love and hate, was very disappointed. She found it incomprehensible that the Chinoike Clan hated the Uchiha Clan. Wasn't it obvious who caused the Chinoike Clan to be exiled to Hell Valley?
You already said it!
Why are you still shamelessly saying that your Chinoike Clan has fallen to this state, all because the Uchiha Clan harmed you?
No, you've hated the wrong people, haven't you!
Are the people of your Chinoike Clan out of their minds?
Why don't you hate the main wife who slandered the girl in the Lightning Country Daimyo's family? What's the point of hating the Uchiha Clan, who were just hired?
They were just mercenaries, is it wrong to get paid to do a job?
Just because the Uchiha Clan didn't want to listen to your nonsense, you hate them?
You should at least show enough sincerity!
If you had money, the Uchiha Clan would definitely be willing to listen to you!
Orochimaru even felt wronged for the Uchiha Clan, who had been inexplicably hated by the Chinoike Clan for so many years.
I know who the culprit is, but I'm just going to hate Uchiha, right?
Your clan, the awesome Senju Tobirama would definitely like.
"The Uchiha Clan is too hateful! Why didn't they listen to your clan?"
Tsunade felt that the Chinoike Clan was too pitiful, being framed and exiled to Hell Valley. She knew that Hell Valley in the Land of Hot Springs was a barren land with a very harsh environment.
How are you empathizing with them now?
Do you even hear what you're saying?
Orochimaru was shocked. If Tsunade sympathized with the Chinoike Clan, she could understand, but why would she think it was the Uchiha Clan's fault?
As expected of Senju Tobirama's granddaughter, pure bloodline!
"That's why I also have a prejudice against Konoha, because Konoha was co-founded by the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan."
The man said, head bowed, through gritted teeth.
"Enough. From beginning to end, the biggest problem in this matter wasn't the Uchiha Clan, but your Chinoike Clan itself."
Orochimaru felt that she couldn't let this person continue speaking. If he kept instilling some inexplicable ideas into Tsunade, it would be difficult to correct her thinking if it went astray.
"Huh?"
Tsunade was slightly startled, looking at Orochimaru in confusion.
"Our clan's problem?"
The man looked at Orochimaru in surprise.
Orochimaru pointed at the man and questioned, "From the very beginning, you hated the wrong people. Who slandered your Chinoike Clan, and who caused your Chinoike Clan to suffer exile?"
The man opened his mouth and said, "The Lightning Country Daimyo's main wife..."
"Then, who is the real culprit? Is it the Uchiha Clan? What did the Uchiha Clan do to harm you?"
Orochimaru spread her hands, truly unable to understand the Chinoike Clan's thought process.
"Ultimately, the Uchiha Clan was merely a mercenary force at that time. They were paid to do a job. They didn't care how much grievance you suffered. If you wanted the Uchiha Clan to let you go, you should have offered enough leverage!"
"But at that time, our clan..."
The man wanted to argue, but his argument seemed very weak at this moment.
What Orochimaru said made so much sense. The Senju Clan was also considered mercenaries at that time... Tsunade scratched her head, feeling as if she had just been led by the nose.
"Clearly, your clan didn't want to pay any price and just wanted the Uchiha Clan to let you go. In that era, if the Uchiha Clan had let you go, it would have ruined their reputation and very likely prevented them from receiving commissions from various countries, thus leading to the decline of their clan."
Orochimaru stated her analysis, looking at the man with a hint of disdain.
"If you ask me, the Uchiha Clan was right to refuse your request for a conversation. Why should they sacrifice their clan's future for people who are completely unrelated? Look at your Chinoike Clan's hatred for the Uchiha Clan now. Do you still think the Uchiha Clan did anything wrong?"
"But... but..."
"But what? What's there to 'but'? Do you still feel wronged?"
Orochimaru impatiently interrupted the man, grabbing his collar and saying, "How many years have passed? Your Chinoike Clan has gotten the target of your revenge wrong, and you're still whining? Ultimately, the Lightning Country Daimyo's family and that main wife were your true enemies. But do you dare to seek revenge?"
"..."
The man's eyes widened, his pupils shaking, and he couldn't utter a single word. Orochimaru's words overturned decades of the Chinoike Clan's persistence.
"Can't answer? Then I'll answer for you."
Seeing the man remain silent, Orochimaru grew even angrier, lifting him up with one hand.
"Your Chinoike Clan just doesn't dare to seek revenge! Not only do you not dare to seek revenge on your true enemies, but what have you done? You've cowered in Hell Valley, hating the Uchiha Clan who were paid to do a job, hating Konoha which the Uchiha Clan helped build, but you don't dare to hate the Lightning Country Daimyo's family who hired the Uchiha Clan, and you haven't even thought about seeking revenge on that main wife!"
"So many years have passed, and the Chinoike Clan has lived until now, clinging to a false hatred. Is it that you don't know who your enemies are? It's that you're unwilling to admit it, pushing all the blame onto the Uchiha Clan."
Orochimaru thoroughly reprimanded the Chinoike Clan, then released the man's collar, feeling increasingly that the people of this world all had problematic thinking, twisting even obvious issues to an extreme degree.
They're really sick, how unlucky!
For someone with such an abnormal mind, Orochimaru even wanted to put him in a cultivation tank to soak, to prevent him from coming out and harming others.
"Ultimately, you merely shifted your hatred from the Lightning Country Daimyo's family and that main wife to the Uchiha Clan."
Orochimaru removed the Eye Sealing Curse Mark from the man.
"Could it be... our Chinoike Clan..."
The man slumped to the ground in despair. Precisely because everything Orochimaru said was true, he felt how ridiculous his and his clan's persistence had been all this time.
"Orochimaru, let's go back."
Tsunade looked at the man who was questioning his life, and suddenly felt a bit foolish herself. Why hadn't she thought of such an obvious thing? It was clearly the Lightning Country Daimyo's family's problem, yet she had followed the man in believing it was the Uchiha Clan's fault.
Orochimaru is truly too smart!
"Orochimaru... are you Orochimaru?"
The man heard Tsunade's address for Orochimaru, snapped back to reality, and looked at Orochimaru.
"Hey, do you still have something to say, you guy?"
Tsunade blocked the man's line of sight, hands on her hips, glaring at him unpleasantly.
"You know me?"
Orochimaru was a little surprised. She didn't even know she was so famous in the Ninja World.
"In the entire Ninja World, there aren't many who don't know your name... The Four Great Shinobi Villages have sent countless Ninja to assassinate you, all ending in failure. No one in the black market even dares to accept your bounty."
The man slowly stood up, scrutinizing Orochimaru, unable to believe that she was the Orochimaru who struck fear into bounty hunters in the black market.
"It's because of something like that, how boring."
Orochimaru had thought she was famous in the Ninja World because of her research achievements, but she didn't expect it was because she had survived so many assassination attempts.
Should she give herself a resounding nickname, like 'Orochimaru the Immortal Phoenix'?
"Is your Chinoike Clan still in Hell Valley in the Land of Hot Springs?"
Orochimaru wanted to research the Chinoike Clan's Bloodline Limit, and the best way was to recruit them.
"What do you... want to do?"
The man looked at Orochimaru warily.
"If you have nowhere to go, then go here."
Orochimaru took out a business card and threw it, embedding it in the ground in front of the man.
"The president of that company and I have a bit of a complicated relationship, but arranging decent jobs for your clan is something she can do."
Orochimaru's hand was about to rest on Tsunade's shoulder, but Tsunade grabbed it.
Whoosh—!
The figures of the two disappeared from their original spot.
Such fast Body Flicker Ninjutsu!
The man stared in shock at the vanished Orochimaru and Tsunade, then picked up the business card from the ground.
"White Snake... White Snake Pharmaceutical Technology Company?!"
The man looked at the business card in his hand in disbelief, then a look of ecstasy appeared on his face.
If they could establish a connection with White Snake Pharmaceutical Technology Company, their clan could leave that wretched place, Hell Valley.
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded 40 chapters of this story on Patreon!
If you enjoy it, come check out the latest chapters in advance.
Here's the link:
[patreon.com/Greyhounds]
Thank you so much for your support!!
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"