"Orochimaru, what nonsense are you talking about now?"
Hearing this, Tsunade dismissed the topic of Hokage altogether, instead glaring at him in frustration.
She then glanced at Kushina standing nearby, her meaning clear. While she and Orochimaru might occasionally joke about certain things in private, wasn't it inappropriate to say something so suggestive in front of Kushina?
Orochimaru, unfazed, smirked. "I didn't say anything inappropriate. I just have something to tell you."
"What is it?" Tsunade asked, her tone tinged with suspicion.
"Kushina wants to have a daughter with me. What's your opinion on that?"
"What?"
"Huh?"
Kushina froze, completely caught off guard. She hadn't expected Orochimaru to bring up such a sensitive subject so casually.
Tsunade, on the other hand, was utterly dumbfounded."Kushina? What is this about?"
"I'll explain it all later," Orochimaru said, cutting off any questions. "For now, I'm going to check the town for any survivors."
Without giving them a chance to respond, Orochimaru moved swiftly toward the ruined town.
The floodwaters had receded, leaving behind a grim scene of devastation. Bodies were strewn across the streets, and the buildings were little more than rubble.
Orochimaru, accustomed to such sights, surveyed the destruction calmly. Standing atop a roof, he began scanning for any signs of life.
Meanwhile, Tsunade and Kushina followed at a slower pace. Though they had both seen their share of death, the sheer brutality of the scene made their hearts ache.
"Seven Ninja Swordsmen…" Orochimaru muttered to himself as he concluded his search, finding no survivors.
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were all elite Jonin-level fighters. With their unique weapons, their combined strength could rival that of a Kage.
Perhaps not all of them individually could reach Kage level, but someone like Fuguki, armed with Samehada, certainly could.
In the ninja world, chakra was the key to everything. Samehada's ability to absorb chakra at an extraordinary rate, while also healing its wielder, made it one of the most practical and powerful tools in existence.
It wasn't an exaggeration to call it a "legendary weapon."
Fuguki's strength, combined with Samehada, firmly placed him in the Kage-level bracket.
Still, none of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen could have imagined being forced to retreat by the overwhelming power of a mere child.
It was almost laughable.
That said, the idea of one child defeating all seven was equally unrealistic.
Even a genuine Kage would struggle against them, and Mi, who had yet to fully master his power, couldn't possibly defeat them outright.
However, Mi had been crafted with Orochimaru's meticulous effort, making him far more formidable than he appeared. Killing him wasn't something the Seven could easily accomplish.
Coupled with Mi's unknown identity and the risks of continuing the fight, it made sense for them to retreat.
"Damn it, those bastards…"
Tsunade clenched her fists tightly, her anger palpable as she surveyed the ruined town and the lifeless bodies scattered around her.
Orochimaru, meanwhile, summoned two clones to begin gathering the bodies while his main body approached Tsunade.
"You've already won the battle at the frontlines," Orochimaru said, his tone flat. "So how can the Seven Ninja Swordsmen still move so freely in the Land of Fire?"
"We've won, yes, but the enemy's main forces haven't retreated far. They're still lingering, unwilling to admit defeat," Tsunade replied.
"Then why are you here instead of at the frontlines?"
"The defenses were rotated, and the old man ordered me back to takeover the Hokage position," Tsunade said, sighing.
"Is that so?" Orochimaru smirked. "Then congratulations are in order."
"Don't congratulate me yet," Tsunade snapped. "Why didn't you discuss such a major decision with me beforehand? Don't you think I deserve a say in this?"
"So let me ask you now," Orochimaru said, his voice calm and deliberate. "Do you want to be Hokage?"
"What's the point of asking now?" Tsunade shot back. "It's too late for that!"
Tsunade knew that, regardless of her abilities, her impulsive personality made her ill-suited for the position.
Orochimaru simply chuckled. "Hahaha, Tsunade…"
"What now?" she asked, annoyed.
"Do you know why you have to take the Hokage position?"
"Why?"
"Because," Orochimaru said, his tone turning slightly darker, "if you don't… I might just lose control one day and destroy Konoha myself."
"You—!"
Tsunade froze, stunned by the blunt admission.
She wanted to retort but found herself at a loss for words.
Having grown up alongside Orochimaru, she understood him better than most.
What had happened to him years ago had been deeply unjust, and with his vengeful nature, it wasn't surprising that he might harbor resentment toward the village.
It was for this very reason that she had pleaded with him to leave Konoha alone.
But she hadn't expected him to use her as a safeguard against his own darker impulses.
"Fine… I understand," Tsunade finally said, exhaling heavily.
"Good." Orochimaru's expression softened. "Wait here. I'll take Mi back to the lab and come back for you two."
He threw a kunai into the ground, marked with a seal, then picked up Si and vanished in a blur.
Orochimaru quickly returned Mi to the lab's rest area, then reappeared to retrieve Tsunade and Kushina.
Meanwhile, his clones finished burning and burying the corpses in the town using Fire Release techniques.
Back at the laboratory, Kushina remained silent, her mind racing.
The conversation between Orochimaru and Tsunade had revealed far too much information, leaving her overwhelmed.
The Third Hokage is stepping down?
Tsunade is the default choice for Hokage?
And the reason for that is… Orochimaru, a traitor?
How could a rogue ninja have such influence over Konoha's leadership?
And if Tsunade didn't take the role, was Orochimaru really capable of destroying the village?
Kushina's thoughts turned to the hidden forces within the lab, the modified clones Orochimaru had created, as well as the reanimated figures he had summoned.
Two of them, the First and Second Hokage, were terrifying enough.
Shaking her head, Kushina decided to stop thinking about it. Her straightforward personality left her ill-suited for Konoha's political games, and she preferred to leave such matters alone.
"Oh, right!" Tsunade suddenly said, turning to Orochimaru. "Why did you say earlier that Kushina wanted to have a daughter with you?"
***
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