The atmosphere in the elite casino where Gojo Satoru had "found" Tsunade Senju was a study in contrasts. Gojo leaned casually back in a chair, his blindfold back in place, watching the scene with discreet amusement.
Tsunade, for her part, was more tense than she had been in years, her mind still processing the news of Hiruzen's death and the existence of this strange, extremely powerful individual. Shizune, her loyal assistant, was still nowhere to be seen; Gojo had assumed she was somewhere dealing with Tsunade's gambling debts.
Just at that moment, the casino door burst open, and an exasperated Naruto Uzumaki burst in, closely followed by Jiraiya, who looked like he'd had a particularly interesting night.
"Tsunade-sama!" Naruto shouted, his voice echoing through the quiet gambling hall. "Jiraiya-sensei said you were here!"
Tsunade raised an eyebrow, her gaze scanning the noisy boy. Jiraiya, seeing Gojo, raised a hand in a lazy salute.
"Gojo. I see you arrived first."
"Always. Punctuality is key," Gojo replied with a smile hidden behind his blindfold.
Naruto approached Tsunade, his face a mixture of anxiety and frustration. "The Third Hokage died! Konoha needs you! You have to come back and be the Fifth Hokage!"
Tsunade stared at him, her expression scornful. "So this is the brat. And you think you can come here and tell me what to do? The position of Hokage is for fools. For those willing to sacrifice themselves for an ungrateful village. Look at Hiruzen. What did he gain from it? Death!"
Tsunade's words hit Naruto like a sharp kunai. Her pain instantly transformed into seething fury.
"Shut up! Don't talk about the Third like that! He gave his life to protect everyone! He's not a fool, he's a hero! And if you don't want to be Hokage, then you're not a Legendary Sannin! You're just an old woman running away from her responsibilities!"
The vein in Tsunade's forehead bulged. Her hand rose, and with a burst of concentrated chakra, she slammed it down on the gaming table. The wood splintered and dipped, the impact echoing throughout the casino. Those present, accustomed to Tsunade's temper tantrums, recoiled.
"Insolent brat! What do you know about responsibility?!" Tsunade roared.
"I know the Hokage was someone protecting you, dattebayo!" Naruto retorted, unfazed, pointing at his forehead protector. "And I know Konoha is suffering! And you could help her!"
Jiraiya sighed, covering his face. "Here we go again."
Gojo watched the scene with almost intellectual amusement. It was exactly what the system had hoped for. The confrontation, the spark of personality. These kinds of events were essential to the development of the "canonical plot."
However, his "six eyes" noticed something else. A fluctuation in the energy pattern in the surroundings.
Suddenly, a silky, reptilian voice slithered through the air, echoing through the casino.
"What a touching family reunion. Too bad I have to cut it short."
Orochimaru appeared in the entrance, his pale face and snake-like eyes fixed on Tsunade, and then, with a pang of intense loathing, on Gojo. Orochimaru's presence was darker, more charged with malice than before. Hiruzen's Death Demon Consuming Seal had taken away his arms and the ability to perform jutsus, but not his evil or intelligence. Bandages were wrapped around his arms, concealing the damage.
"Orochimaru..." Tsunade hissed, her fury toward Naruto fading in the face of the hatred she felt for her former teammate.
Gojo, who had been watching Naruto and Tsunade, sensed Orochimaru's presence, and his usual smile tightened, becoming more of a sneer than amusement. His "six eyes" perceived the man's essence: an insatiable obsession with immortality and an utter disregard for the lives of others.
But now, there was something else. An underlying despair.
"My, my," Gojo thought. "So old Hiruzen really screwed up. Without arms for jutsu... How the hell does he plan to get that back?"
As Orochimaru began to speak, his voice a promise of threats and offers of healing in exchange for Tsunade's help in recovering her arms, Gojo noticed a crucial detail.
""Tsunade, I need your help," Orochimaru said, ignoring Gojo for the moment, though he felt an unmistakable pressure from him. "You're the only one who can heal the damage that meddling old man did to me."
"Not in your dreams, Orochimaru!" Tsunade spat.
"I'll offer you something in return. I will revive Dan and Nawaki. With Edo Tensei, I can bring them back to life," Orochimaru whispered, knowing Tsunade's weakness.
Tsunade froze, a mixture of hope and horror in her eyes. Jiraiya and Naruto stared at him in disbelief.
At that instant, Gojo did a quick scan of the area. His attention was suddenly drawn to the absence of a chakra signature that should have been there.
"Wait a minute," Gojo said, interrupting Orochimaru in his clear, commanding voice. "I think we're missing someone. Where's your assistant, Tsunade?" Shizune, right?"
Tsunade blinked, puzzled.
"Shizune... she was just around here a moment ago, probably trying to stem my losses."
Orochimaru smiled, a chilling expression that sent shivers down even Jiraiya's spine. "Ah, loyal Shizune. Let's just say she's... with me. A little insurance, if my offer wasn't tempting enough, Tsunade."
Shock spread through the room. Naruto gritted his teeth, feeling the same revulsion Orochimaru felt. Tsunade bolted to her feet, her face ashen. "Orochimaru! Let her go right now!"
"Oh, I don't think she will. Unless you accept my offer," Orochimaru replied, his gaze fixed on Gojo, sensing the sorcerer's growing irritation. "Though I admit that your presence, Gojo Satoru, complicates my plans. But the life of Tsunade's assistant is at stake. And Konoha, without a Hokage, is an easy target for the future."
Gojo lowered his hand from its blindfold. His lips curved into an icy smile he rarely showed. The betrayal, the manipulation, Shizune's kidnapping... this wasn't just a plot mission anymore. This was personal.
"Look, Orochimaru," Gojo said, his voice resonating with an unmistakable coldness that froze the air in the casino. "I understand you're desperate. I understand you feel superior. But there's one thing I won't tolerate: threats to innocent people." And much less when you're trying to blackmail a legendary Sannin while I'm present."
The energy around them began to distort, space vibrating with an almost tangible force. Orochimaru's smile faltered for the first time. He felt immense pressure, a force that far surpassed the power of a Kage. This was no mere shinobi. This was a monster.
"Now, let's settle this once and for all," Gojo continued, his gaze, even hidden, seeming to pierce Orochimaru's very essence. "Tell me where Shizune is, or I swear I'll wipe out whatever little existence you have left."
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I said I was sick but I've recovered a bit, although it wasn't a lie about my absence next week, I can't guarantee it but if I can I will upload my 2 Fanfics chapters and if I upload the fanfics, possibly my novel too, if you read up to here support my novel, please, Thank you.