97 Chapter 95 : Ultimatum (2)
"Hokage is a bother." She spoke those ugly words into existence. "No one but a fool would take it on."
As soon as she spoke such blasphemy, all hell broke loose in the pub.
Naruto snapped.
...
Chakra, the likes of which she had only felt when Jiraiya truly craved mayhem and entered the Honorable Sage Mode, fell upon them, frightening everyone present. The table they were sitting at was smashed to pieces, sake bottles and scraps of food thrown everywhere.
Tsunade was pushed up against the wall, now standing, with Jiraiya's back facing her. He was in a defensive position, and that's when she noticed it.
The boy's eyes were ablaze with molten gold, his pupils slit.
Jiraiya… he was protecting her from him…
"Move aside, sensei!" Naruto shouted. He was so furious. All he saw was red.
"Don't!" Jiraiya pleaded. "We're in a pub. There are a lot of civilians in here!" He could see the reasoning behind his godson's anger, but he couldn't condone it. He knew he couldn't beat the blond in a fight, but he also knew that Naruto would never truly harm him. They were comrades, and most importantly, they were family.
"I said move aside." He stated again, his voice even more serious than before.
Tsunade was wide-eyed before she saw that he couldn't – or wouldn't – brush past her old teammate. Seeing that he was stopped by Jiraiya, she huffed.
Naruto met her gaze, a look of pure rage held within them. "Anyone who makes fun of my jiji and father…" Immediately, Tsunade made the connection between the Yondaime and the boy, his words confirming her theory.
Uzumaki Naruto was the son of the Yondaime… "It doesn't matter who you hide behind." The magnitude of his chakra increased slightly, seriously making Tsunade see him as a threat.
"I'll end you."
Everyone was silent. Jiraiya watched his godson, making sure he didn't make a move. He knew Naruto was upset, but Tsunade was the only person who could heal Hiruzen. They couldn't afford it if she died.
Shizune stared worryingly at her shishou, seriously scared for her. The Kamikage was a powerful shinobi, and they hadn't even heard of his actions in the invasion.
Tsunade stared at the young shinobi, giving him a stoic look. She then smirked. "You're pretty gusty… confronting me like this." She paused. "Let's take this outside, gaki." She finished.
"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune shouted.
Naruto just smiled. She had given him what he wanted.
Jiraiya sighed deeply, hoping his godson would hold back. He didn't want Tsunade to die.
...
Tsunade was very, very nervous.
She was a very powerful kunoichi, most likely the greatest of all time, but even she knew her limits. With how long she'd been out of service, coupled with her intense drinking problem, she knew she wasn't at the top of her game.
That's why, when Orochimaru, a man she hadn't seen in years, approached her, with two people even she knew to be dangerous at his side, she knew she was putting Shizune, the last person she could truly call family, in danger.
There was no land that Uchiha Itachi's name hadn't spread. His very name was the epitome of fear and treachery. He was a man of unrivaled skill, one of the few who could be compared to the Kamikage of Konoha.
He was a man every Kage was wary of, a man who could kill an entire clan before anyone even knew about it. He was someone even the Sannin had to be cautious around, Orochimaru knew that first hand.
So when Tsunade saw those crimson eyes in the company of the serpent, she knew something absolutely awful was heading her way.
And then there was the shark, the man who had so much chakra, he was called the tailess tailed beast. Hoshigaki Kisame was a name written in every bingo book since the day he betrayed Kiri, seven years ago.
Many S-ranked shinobi from many different villages had tried to capture this man, this monster, for years, and every attempt had ended in gruesome failure. He was a man whose body count reached the thousands, and you'd be an outright fool not to be cautious in his presence.
His appearance with the Uchiha and renegade Sannin, Tsunade could only hope they didn't see through her tough act. She was by no means weak, still very well within her S-rank limits, but there had been a time when even all three of these men wouldn't cause her such anxiety. Sannin were borderline SS-rank, and they didn't fear much. But with Shizune to her side, she was absolutely terrified.
"Orochimaru," she began, "Long time no see." Her tone was even, not betraying her disdain in seeing him again.
"Tsunade…" the snake replied.
"What do you want, Orochimaru?" the slug Sannin continued, somewhat annoyed. "Surely you didn't come to talk about old times…" She slowly began to position her footing, not knowing if or when they were going to be attacked. She could see Shizune's tense form, obviously nervous about being so close to such deadly missing-nin.
Orochimaru actually snorted. "Nothing like that, I assure you."
Tsunade raised a brow. "Oh?" she took in his sickly pale skin and bandaged arms. "What happened to you, Orochi?" she asked in an unworried tone. She couldn't care less what happened to the twisted man she used to call comrade.
"Just a little something I acquired when I killed the Sandaime Hokage." He practically sang.
Both Tsunade and Shizune tensed, eyes widening. Tsunade was shocked, before she gave an enraged look.
"Don't give me that look, Tsuna-chan." Orochimaru playfully said, angering the woman further. "So scary." He finished.
"Enough." Itachi finally spoke, gaining everyone's attention with a single word. "This petty back and forth is not the reason we have searched for you."
Tsunade looked the younger ninja in the eyes, trying her hardest not to show fear. "And why exactly have you sought me out?" She asked the Konoha missing-nin. She had never personally met the man, having left the village before he was even born, but she, like everyone else, had heard of him.
"We'd like you to join our organization." The large man named Kisame said, a toothy grin marring his face.
Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "The Akatsuki." Itachi started. "Our organization is powerful enough to fall nations, and we'd like you to join us."
"You bring these children to me, asking me to join your new club, Orochi?" Tsunade asked. She wore a smile that expressed no happiness. "Why would I ever consider joining your organization, and why would you?" she asked Orochimaru specifically, not really wanting to converse with the other two.
"They said they'd heal my arms," he began, "And help me kill the person responsible for a recent… failure." After he thought about it, he was actually glad to join the Akatsuki again.
He had only fled from them because of his actions against Itachi, but that didn't seem all that important anymore. The organization was by far the most powerful group of shinobi on the planted, and with their materials and support, he could accomplish so much.
Orochimaru was officially a loyal member of the Akatsuki.
"I'm tired of this, Orochimaru." Tsunade said. "I don't wish to join any organization." She continued. "Now disappear, before I make you disappear."
Orochimaru just laughed. "Such a temper!" he chuckled some more. "You haven't changed one bit."
Tsunade gave him a cheery smile. "No, I have not." She agreed. "And you know my personality." She then narrowed her eyes somewhat. "So leave." Her fist met the stone behind her, the entire wall – which ran for quite a long distance – crumbled like glass.
"Or I'll kill you."
"You haven't heard what you'd get in return for joining." Orochimaru replied, a disgusting smirk on his pale face.
"I'll give you to the count of five." She continued, her expression a serious one. "One." she began.
"Oh, she's counting…" Kisame whispered loud enough for everyone to hear, mock fear lacing his tone.
"Two." She continued counting when they appeared to not move, disregarding her warning.
"It's not an unpleasant offer, Tsunade." Orochimaru started. "You should hear us out."
"Three." Was her only reply.
"Such a suborn woman, eh?" Kisame quipped.
"Four." She continued, even though she really just wanted to kill the shark-faced man that instant.
Itachi watched the whole thing with cool stoicism.
"Five-"
"I'll bring your beloved little brother and man back to life." Orochimaru interrupted her counting, stopping her mid word.
Both Tsunade and Shizune froze – their eyes wide, their hearts all but stopping.
Nawaki….
Dan…
Alive?
Orochimaru gave a sinister smile. "The Akatsuki has that kind of power, Tsunade." He started. "We have that kind of power." He finished, gesturing to himself and his fellow Akatsuki members.
The two women were silent, the snakes words in their heads, repeating over and over.
"Can we take your silence as a yes?" Kisame asked with his ever-present smirk.
"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune finally spoke up. "You can't trust these traitors!" She continued, gaining the courage to even speak in front of such powerful shinobi.
"They are missing-nin! The worst kind, no less! They can't be-"
"Shut up, Shizune!" Tsunade shouted, causing the black-haired woman to pause, her expression that of someone struck.
"You don't have to decide now." Orochimaru spoke. "But we will expect a pleasing reply soon, Tsunade." He finished by licking his lips with his nasty tongue.
Just as fast as the men had appeared, they vanished, leaving the two alone with their thoughts.
There was only one thing on the slug-hime's mind…
Dan…
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