Chapter 89

"It lost contact? A barrier maybe?" Orochimaru muttered to himself, deep in thought.

"It seems like staying here any longer could be risky. If I get noticed by Zetsu, it could turn into a real problem."

With that realization, Orochimaru quickly memorized the surrounding terrain and decided to leave, heading in the opposite direction to avoid detection.

The fly he had used to track Madara was a mechanical construct, not a living creature. It didn't have any advanced AI or thinking capability. Instead, it operated solely based on Orochimaru's direct instructions. The orders were simple: remain invisible and follow Madara, keeping a two-meter distance at all times.

Yet, the connection had been severed so abruptly.

"Strange," Orochimaru mused. "It's like the signal just vanished… a barrier, most likely."

He had experimented with the flies before, and typically, simple stone doors couldn't block their signals. The fact that it lost contact so suddenly could only mean one thing: some sort of advanced barrier inside the mountain. And knowing that Madara was involved, it had to be something strong enough to prevent any surveillance from the outside.

Orochimaru wasn't eager to probe further. Right now, Madara was far too strong, and pushing his luck would be akin to walking into certain death. As powerful as Orochimaru was, facing Madara in his current state would be nothing short of suicide.

With a swift motion, Orochimaru pulled away the human skin mask, returning to his original appearance, and quickly disappeared into the jungle under the moonlight.

---

Back in the hidden cave, Uchiha Madara was studying the fly in his hand, his brow furrowed slightly in curiosity.

"What is this?" he muttered, not recognizing the small mechanical insect.

White Zetsu appeared next to him, his voice as casual as ever. "I've never seen anything like it either. It's strange!"

Madara's lavender Rinnegan eyes scanned the object. "Are we being watched?" he asked, his voice low and contemplative.

White Zetsu's expression shifted as he, too, became serious. "I'll go check around." Without waiting for a reply, Zetsu sank into the ground, using his unique mayfly ability to blend into the environment and scout the area.

Madara remained seated, his eyes never leaving the strange device in his hand. He was deep in thought. As far as he knew, no one should be aware of his existence, not yet at least. If someone was tracking him, it could pose a serious threat to his long-term plans.

After a while, Zetsu reappeared. "There's no one around," he reported. "I searched within a two-kilometer radius. There are a few people farther out, but none seem to be a threat or connected to this."

Madara's eyes narrowed as he continued examining the fly. "Perhaps I'm overthinking things," he muttered, though there was still suspicion in his tone.

With a quick flex of his hand, the small mechanical fly was crushed into scrap metal.

---

Meanwhile, Orochimaru had already put considerable distance between himself and Madara's lair. He knew better than to stay within range of White Zetsu's formidable tracking ability. Zetsu's ability to sense anything on or connected to the earth made him one of the most dangerous trackers in the shinobi world. As long as someone was standing on solid ground, Zetsu could find them with ease, especially if he had already familiarized himself with their chakra.

Orochimaru prided himself on controlling situations from behind the scenes, manipulating events to his advantage. The last thing he wanted was to become the one being hunted. Leaving before Zetsu could pinpoint his location was the safest move.

He knew he hadn't fully uncovered Madara's hideout, but that was fine. Orochimaru was patient. With cloning technology soon within his grasp and future research into the curse seal, his own immortality would be assured. He could afford to bide his time.

As Orochimaru slipped back into the night, his mind was already focused on what lay ahead. It was late by the time he made it back to the hotel where Tsunade and Jiraiya were staying. Not wanting to draw attention, he quietly scaled the building's exterior and entered through his room's window.

The moment he landed, a voice startled him.

"Who's there?"

He turned to see Tsunade sitting on his bed, wearing nothing but her mesh undergarments, glaring at him suspiciously. The moonlight streaming in through the window gave just enough light for him to take in the scene.

"Tsunade?" Orochimaru asked, blinking in confusion. "Why are you in my bed?"

Tsunade shifted, her expression flustered. "I... I was waiting for you to come back, that's all," she stammered, her voice not as steady as usual. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she struggled to find the right words.

"Waiting for me?" Orochimaru tilted his head, clearly not expecting this. Tsunade had never acted like this before. In fact, she'd always been brash and assertive, rarely shy about anything.

There was an awkward silence for a moment before she finally added, "I just wanted to talk to you."

Orochimaru regarded her with a raised eyebrow. Something about her demeanor felt... different tonight. He wasn't sure what it was, but there was an unfamiliar warmth in his chest as he looked at her, something that made him pause.

"Talk?" he echoed, before shaking his head slightly. "It's late. Whatever it is, let's talk about it tomorrow."

Tsunade looked like she wanted to say more, but the usual confidence in her voice faltered. Sighing softly, she nodded and stood up to leave.

But before she reached the door, Orochimaru spoke again.

"Wait, Tsunade."

She stopped, turning to look back at him. "What is it?"

"I changed my mind. I can't sleep now anyway. Stay. Let's talk."

Tsunade blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "You're... serious?"

Orochimaru gestured toward the bed. "Sit."

With a half-exasperated, half-amused smile, she returned and sat next to him.

Tsunade was only thirteen, and with her parents gone, she was clearly struggling. Though she tried to focus on her little brother Nawaki, that wasn't enough. She needed someone else. She needed Orochimaru. In her heart, she had always seen him as more than just a teammate he was her boyfriend, even if he had never explicitly acknowledged it.

And while Orochimaru had never been one for romantic relationships his ambitions and thirst for knowledge always took precedence there was something about Tsunade tonight that stirred something in him. She'd lost so much, and perhaps, without even realizing it, he had become a significant part of her life.

For the first time in a long time, Orochimaru allowed himself to relax in her presence. He still had a long road ahead of him, filled with experiments and grand schemes, but maybe… just maybe… there was something more here with Tsunade than he had originally thought.

As the moonlight spilled into the room, two shadows sat side by side, a quiet comfort settling between them.

And under the bed, two pairs of shoes sat neatly next to each other.