Orochimaru Awkward Escape 2

Orochimaru's demeanor remained indifferent amidst the chaos, a wicked smile playing on his lips. "Kekeke, these are all your sacrifices; there are so many of them—more than a hundred. Take your pick!"

"Hmph, you really disgust me," Manda hissed, lunging toward the crowd of sand ninjas. His movements were swift, and more screams echoed in the tumultuous air.

As the giant snake approached, whispers rippled through the sand shinobi. "Is this the legendary Orochimaru's summoning beast?"

"Damn it!" Faced with the looming threat, the sand shinobi unleashed a barrage of shuriken at Orochimaru, who remained perched on the head of the colossal serpent.

Perplexed by the unfolding chaos, Rasa couldn't stand idly by while his men faced imminent danger.

Without hesitation, he wielded his gold dust, a rarity in this unfamiliar terrain yet still potent enough to be a formidable weapon. The gleaming particles danced through the air as he directed the attack.

Orochimaru, sensing the shift in the tide, decided against a needless confrontation. With a swift leap, he dismounted from the colossal snake's head and vanished into the horizon, leaving the skirmish behind.

Unfazed by Orochimaru's retreat, Rasa had no intention of pursuing him; his focus was on halting the snake wreaking havoc among his men.

Orochimaru, left skirmish, approaching the land of the fire border, stumbled upon a gathering of over 2,000 sand ninjas who had strategically withdrawn after being ambushed by Fugaku.

"What's happening?"

"Is that Orochimaru of Konoha?"

The confusion among the sand ninjas was palpable, but the urgency of the battlefield left them no time for speculation.

Orochimaru, equally bewildered by the sudden encounter, observed the dejected expressions on some of the sand ninjas but had no luxury to delve into their plight.

Before he could contemplate further, a relentless onslaught of kunai, explosive tags, and ninjutsu engulfed him.

"How annoying!" Despite Orochimaru's usual composure, a slight frown appeared on his face as he swiftly executed hand seals. "Summoning: Rashomon."

The gate itself bore a frightening design, with its doors adorned with demonic faces meant to intimidate onlookers. Orochimaru summoned a formidable defense against the sand ninjas, who were bombarding him with a barrage of attacks.

Movement ensued as Orochimaru deftly kicked a sand ninja to the side, disrupting their coordinated assault.

"Captain, are you okay?" A familiar sand ninja rushed to aid the fallen captain, showing concern.

The captain, enduring the pain in his chest, mustered the strength to speak: "Stop… him…"

Despite not fully grasping the unfolding events, he knew that, as a captain, he needed to exude strong will to boost morale among his troops.

Orochimaru, assessing the wound on his left arm, smirked wickedly at the captain. "You managed to hurt me; you're not bad. I would have toyed with you, but I don't have time for that!"

Orochimaru had no interest in engaging in such a senseless battle; it was a mere distraction and a waste of his precious time. Though his chakra wasn't as abundant as Fugaku's, his skill made him confident that no one could impede his escape.

As Orochimaru retreated, the morale of the sand ninjas plummeted even further.

When the 2,000-strong group turned around, their eyes fell upon the fallen Shinobi, leaving a somber atmosphere of defeat.

Such humiliation was unfamiliar to them. These formidable adversaries had moved freely before them—first Fugaku and now Orochimaru.

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The next morning, at the border of the Land of Fire, within Konoha's camp,.

Inside the commander's tent, Shikaku wore a worried expression. "Orochimaru-sama has not returned yet. Is he in trouble?"

Fugaku, leaning against a table. "Don't worry, he's fine."

Fugaku held unshakable faith in Orochimaru's strength. He had witnessed the serpent-like ninja navigate through countless dangers, establish his own hidden village, and conduct daring experiments. How could someone of such prowess be in danger?

While Fugaku had initially contemplated waiting for Orochimaru, practicality prevailed. This was a war, and he had a responsibility to lead his troops. Moreover, the elusive nature of Orochimaru's actions made waiting an unrealistic option. Who knew where the cunning ninja had ventured off to?

As Fugaku exited the tent, Tsunade swiftly grabbed his arm and pulled him to a more secluded area.

Fugaku, puzzled by the sudden urgency, questioned, "What is it?"

Tsunade sighed in relief and responded calmly, "I have to leave. There's nothing for me here."

She sounded as if she had already made up her mind.

Fugaku glanced at Tsunade, still clad in her ninja attire, and expressed surprise. "So soon? Right now?"

"Come on, you won't try to stop me, will you?" Tsunade challenged.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Fugaku resignedly said, "You still can't move on, huh? Well, it's good to travel, but be careful with your drinking and gambling habits. Think of your niece, if not yourself. Right?"

"You're so worried about Shizune?" Tsunade shot Fugaku a meaningful look.

Caught off guard, Fugaku struggled for words and admitted, "Of course, I care about you, too. Aren't we friends? You've done so much for me; I don't know how to repay you." He acknowledged the debt he owed her for keeping his secrets.

"You care about me?" Tsunade echoed Fugaku's words, then smiled wryly. "Heh, you're such a kind person. No wonder some women are willing with you, even though you have a wife."

Jokingly, Fugaku responded, "If you marry me, I would treat you even better." Leaning in, he whispered to Tsunade, "What do you say? Do you want to give it a try? The union of the Senju and the Uchiha clans, wow... It sounds thrilling, doesn't it?"

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