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"Then it's settled, Orochimaru-senpai."
Kaito and Orochimaru stood atop the Hokage Rock, facing each other.
"Hehehe... I'll make sure to fulfill my end. Don't forget what you promised me, Kaito-kun."
Orochimaru's body slowly softened, merging into the soil beneath his feet.
"Of course, I remember everything I've said. Don't worry, Orochimaru-senpai." Kaito's body became as thin as paper, gradually shrinking.
"Then, I look forward to our next meeting, Kaito-kun."
Orochimaru completely turned into a pile of mud, blending into the earth.
"Goodbye."
Kaito then disappeared, leaving only a paper figure floating away in the wind.
---
Konoha Hospital.
A group of Konoha ninjas stood on the rooftop, discussing.
"What happened, Kakashi?" Jiraiya looked at the dejected Kakashi.
"I'm deeply sorry, Jiraiya-sama," Kakashi lowered his head.
"Explain clearly!" Jiraiya's voice was hoarse. "Tsunade, she..."
"Jiraiya-sama, it was our incompetence."
Yamato stepped forward, and all the ninjas who had participated in the battle lowered their heads.
"Tell me clearly!"
Jiraiya's face was stern, his aura ready to burst.
"At that time..." Yamato began to recount the events.
---
When reinforcements arrived, Kakashi and Yamato decided to end the battle quickly, hoping to rush outside the village to support Jiraiya, Minato, and Naruto. They left Deidara to other ninjas skilled in Lightning Release.
The two of them joined forces with Tsunade to surround Sasori of the Red Sand.
It must be said that Tsunade, a medical genius with monstrous strength, was the natural nemesis of puppet masters.
Her medical ninjutsu countered poison, and her strength could smash puppets with a single punch. Even Sasori, standing at the pinnacle of puppet masters, found it difficult to face Tsunade head-on.
After Kakashi and Yamato joined the battle, the hundred puppets controlled by Sasori were rapidly reduced.
Despite Sasori's various tricks, spitting water and fire, the trio managed to counter them all.
Then, "Hundred Puppets Performance" turned into Sasori's solo act. At that moment, they thought victory was assured.
Sasori took out several more puppets, but Tsunade smashed them all.
Finally, Sasori revealed a puppet wearing a Konoha forehead protector.
"That is..." Tsunade's face turned icy as she stared at the new puppet.
"This is Terai," the black-cloaked puppet's mouth clicked rapidly. "For revenge, he willingly became part of my collection."
"A Root ninja?" Tsunade's expression was complicated.
"Correct. According to him, it was for Danzo's revenge. Coincidentally..." Sasori glanced at Kakashi, "I also have a grudge against Konoha, so I kindly allowed him to participate in this revenge-themed puppet show."
"You, who toy with life, are no longer human!" Tsunade angrily rebuked.
Sasori's actions constantly challenged Tsunade's limits as a medical ninja.
"Hah..." Sasori was indifferent to Tsunade's accusation. "Being human isn't that important to me. I am the pinnacle of my own art."
"Those who have no respect for life don't deserve to live, Sasori. I will destroy you here!"
Tsunade raised her fist and charged, with Kakashi and Yamato providing support.
"Come, Hokage of Konoha, son of the White Fang. This splendid revenge play is about to reach its climax!"
Sasori took out a dozen more puppets, mixing them with Terai, and surrounded Tsunade.
Boom! Boom!
Tsunade fearlessly smashed puppets with her fists, dodging attacks when possible and tanking them when necessary, charging straight toward Sasori's main body.
"Well, it seems we won't have much to do at this rate," Kakashi said lightly.
"Yeah, let's recover some chakra and then go support Jiraiya-sama and the others," Yamato agreed.
Everything happened so suddenly.
Tsunade broke through the puppet defenses and reached Sasori's main body, throwing a punch.
Her fist pierced through his chest, but it felt like hitting nothing. The wind from her punch kicked up dust behind him.
Then, the Sasori before her transformed into Terai's appearance.
"Got you, Hokage," Sasori's voice came from another direction.
"What?" Tsunade immediately tried to pull her arm back but couldn't.
The lower half of Terai's puppet chest was hollow, and Tsunade's punch had gone through the hole, only to be caught by a mechanism inside.
"Even if you've caught me!"
Unable to free her arm, Tsunade lifted it and slammed Terai's puppet body into the ground.
Kakashi and Yamato rushed forward.
"It's too late."
Sasori laughed, as if victory was assured.
"Reverse Four Symbols Sealing!"
Terai suddenly spoke, black symbols appearing on his skin, and an unknown black substance sprayed from his body.
"What? The Reverse Four Symbols Sealing!" Tsunade was shocked. "You're not dead yet!"
"I couldn't use this mutual destruction sealing technique if I were dead," Terai's voice came from within the puppet. "Thanks to Sasori's help, my wish has been fulfilled! Die, Fifth Hokage!!"
The black substance began to gush out.
"Get out of here!!!"
Tsunade shouted to Kakashi and Yamato, slamming Terai's puppet body to the ground before retreating.
"Tsunade-sama!!"
"Hokage-sama!!!"
Kakashi threw out a chain, and Yamato's arm turned into wood, both trying to pull Tsunade to safety.
A black sphere appeared with Terai at its center, rapidly expanding.
Kakashi and Yamato were pulled back by other ninjas using chains, but Tsunade disappeared into the massive black sphere.
When the black sphere vanished, only a smooth crater remained, with Terai's shattered puppet body lying at the bottom.
"Hokage-sama..."
"How could this..."
"Tsunade-sama!!!"
"Hokage-sama!!!"
All the Konoha ninjas were stunned, unable to believe their eyes.
That was their Hokage, one of the legendary Sannin, the granddaughter of the First Hokage Hashirama Senju, revered by the entire ninja world as Princess Tsunade. How could she just disappear like that?
They couldn't accept this reality...
This wasn't like the Third Hokage, who died in battle against a powerful enemy. Everyone knew Tsunade had been dominating the fight!
For a village's Kage to die from a traitorous ninja's sneak attack was simply unimaginable!
"You bastard!!"
"Bastard!"
Everyone glared at Sasori with hatred.
"Kill him!"
"Avenge the Hokage!!!"
"Kill that bastard!!"
In their rage, the crowd surged forward.