NOVEL NEXT Chapter 29: Chapter 29: Why Are You Here?
Chapter 29: Why Are You Here?
"So strong! And so terrifying."
Observing Tsunade's sudden outburst and sensing the intimidating aura emanating from her, Kabuto, standing in front of Orochimaru, thought to himself gravely, "This woman is definitely single!"
No man would dare get close enough to be hit by Tsunade's punch. Approaching her meant risking domestic violence to the point of death.
While these thoughts ran through Kabuto's mind, he sincerely said, "Lady Tsunade, we're not here to cause trouble. We just want to negotiate with you."
"Negotiate? Don't make me laugh," Tsunade retracted her fist and said coldly, "I've already said what I needed to. Now, get out of my sight immediately."
"That's not possible. Only you can cure Lord Orochimaru."
"Disappear."
"We wouldn't expect you to treat him for free. We can make a deal."
"I'm counting to five. Disappear within that time, or I'll make you disappear."
"Lady Tsunade—"
"Five."
"Please calm down. You'll definitely like the terms of the deal."
"Four, three."
Tsunade remained unmoved.
"Two."
As the final ultimatum approached, Orochimaru, who had been silent, finally spoke in his raspy voice, "I can bring back the brother and lover you love deeply."
Tsunade's brown pupils contracted sharply as she stared at Orochimaru, unable to utter the final "one."
"With the forbidden jutsu I developed, they can return to your side," Orochimaru added with a confident smile.
Tsunade trembled. After a long pause, she slowly asked, "Is what you're saying true?"
"In a certain sense, yes."
A voice suddenly interjected.
Orochimaru's heart skipped a beat.
Turning to his left, he tensed momentarily, then consciously relaxed, quickly assessing the situation in his mind before speaking in a tone of surprise, "I didn't expect you to show up here at this time."
"You?"
In that instant, upon hearing Orochimaru address the newcomer with such respect, Kabuto, Shizune, and Tsunade all looked puzzled.
They didn't understand why Orochimaru would use such a respectful term, so they turned to see who had arrived.
A figure cloaked in black slowly approached.
"To be honest, I didn't think I'd come here either."
The newcomer replied, shifting his gaze from Orochimaru to Tsunade and Shizune.
"Fortunately, I arrived just in time."
He lowered his black hood, revealing a cracked but still handsome young face.
In the entire shinobi world, there was only one person with such a face: Hagoromo Gengetsu.
After discovering Tsunade's whereabouts, he had rushed to Tanzaku Town without stopping. Fortunately, he hadn't taken any detours; otherwise, he might have missed this meeting.
A cool breeze blew through the ruins.
The sudden appearance of Hagoromo Gengetsu brought a moment of silence to the scene.
Orochimaru, who had been confident in using Tsunade's loved ones to provoke her and seal the deal, was now worried as Gengetsu unexpectedly showed up.
A person's reputation often preceded them. Even though Hagoromo Gengetsu was not at his peak, just standing there made people wonder.
Even Orochimaru, in his weakened state, couldn't help but feel uneasy.
He cautiously asked, "Are you here for Tsunade too?"
"Tsunade?"
Hagoromo Gengetsu looked at the beautiful blonde woman and nodded, "In a sense, yes."
"Don't worry; it won't interfere with your business with Orochimaru."
Glancing at Orochimaru's bandaged arms, Gengetsu added, understanding Orochimaru's concern.
Hearing this, Orochimaru breathed a small sigh of relief.
He had come to see Tsunade, confident he could control her due to her hemophobia. If it were Hagoromo Gengetsu, even in an Reanimation state, without the use of hand seals, he and Kabuto together would hardly be a match.
Understanding that Gengetsu wouldn't lie about something like this, Orochimaru stepped back and invited, "I've finished talking with Tsunade. If you have something to say, you can do so now."
"Thanks."
Gengetsu nodded and looked at Tsunade again.
Seeing this unusual-looking man addressing her directly, Tsunade, who had been struggling to process the news about her brother and lover's possible resurrection, looked at him and frowned, "Who are you?"
Before Gengetsu could explain, the perceptive Kabuto introduced him, "This is the legendary ninja who stood alongside the First Hokage and Uchiha Madara, a figure as esteemed as a deity, Lord Hagoromo Gengetsu."
After saying this, Kabuto bowed respectfully to Gengetsu.
"A fine subordinate."
Gengetsu glanced at the scholarly-looking Kabuto and smiled at Orochimaru.
"I think so too," Orochimaru agreed with a smile.
On the other side, Tsunade and Shizune were still reeling from Kabuto's introduction.
"A man as famous as my grandfather and Uchiha Madara..."
Tsunade felt a moment of disorientation, recalling scenes from her childhood when her grandfather, Hashirama Senju, took her to gambling houses. Occasionally, he would also speak of the past shinobi world, often mentioning Uchiha Madara.
Hagoromo Gengetsu was mentioned second most often.
Recalling her grandfather's appraisal of Gengetsu, Tsunade now felt an absurd sense of reality looking at him standing before her.
Could someone who was only a part of history truly appear before her?
At this point, Shizune suddenly remembered something and quickly said, "Lady Tsunade, there were rumors that Hagoromo Gengetsu appeared during the Chunin Exams. It seems they were true."
In the shinobi world, some information was true, and some were false, with rumors often being wildly exaggerated.
Though Tsunade and Shizune had heard about Gengetsu's appearance, they hadn't investigated further, dismissing it as a false rumor since there had been no more news afterward. They assumed it was not true.
After all, how could someone long dead come back to life?
Resurrection?
Tsunade's eyes widened as she looked sharply at Orochimaru, recalling his earlier words: "I can bring back your deeply loved brother and lover."
Orochimaru hadn't been lying.
He could really do it.