The Flight - 1

A foreboding breeze brushed past Tsunade's check as she stood atop Katsuyu's head with Naruto unconscious at her feet. Across from the giant slug queen Jiraiya waited with Gamabunta, staring down Orochimaru and Kabuto who had settled themselves with Manda.

"I hoped I'd never have to see Orochimaru's ugly face again, Jiraiya," The toad boss complained to his companion, sensing trouble was ahead, "This time we finish it!"

Manda, in contrast to the other summon bosses, was not very inclined to aid the one who had called him, "Orochimaru? How dare you bring me here with nothing to offer me!" Orochimaru remained silent, staring ahead at Tsunade.

Kabuto grimaced after hearing the snake's rumbling voice, 'This is bad. Manda would abandon Orochimaru-sama if he knew how severely weakened he has become…we must defeat the others quickly or he'll turn on us.'

"Once I kill them bring me one-hundred human sacrifices, do you hear me?" The giant snake decided to help but at a price and Orochimaru gave no answer. There was no time to arrange deals with his boss summon, especially since he did not have 100 humans to feed the snake with at the moment.

Manda rounded on Gamabunta a moment later, taunting him, "You filthy toad! You don't come anywhere near being a worthy enough opponent! I will crush you like the miserable frog you are!"

"It's lovely to see you too, Manda," Gamabunta retorted, "I've been meaning to make myself a new snake-skin purse, now that I think about it.

Manda was seething at the words, but held still, waiting for the opportune moment to strike.

Nearby, Tsunade was murmuring orders to the giant slug that had come to help her, "Katsuyu, take Naruto somewhere safe!"

"Of course, Tsunade-sama."

The slug obediently divided a smaller copy from herself that gently lifted Naruto and slithered down from Katsuyu's head. The slug clone joined Shizune on the ground who was mobile again after healing her legs and went to find cover.

Not long after, Katsuyu attacked, "Zesshi Nensan!"

A jet of acidic liquid had been aimed for Manda but the snake boss avoided the assault, countering by wrapping his massive body around the slow-moving slug.

Once his victim was thoroughly trapped in his coils, Manda opened his jaws wide, prepared to chomp Tsunade along with her summon. Gamabunta moved quickly, drawing his blade and slashing at Manda's gaping mouth as he crunched down on the metal.

Tsunade leapt from Katsuyu's head as the slug broke herself down into smaller slugs, escaping Manda's grip and slithered away to reform herself again.

Manda thrashed his massive head, knocking Gamabunta away and sent the toad's dagger flying through the air. The blade landed directly in front of Katsuyu, missing her by a few feet. The slug was glad that the blade had missed but did not let her guard down.

"Gamabunta, the oil!" Jiraiya cried, forming hand seals, and his partnering toad quickly spat a mouthful of toad-oil that Jiraiya ignited with a powerful fire jutsu, "Gamayu Endan!"

The intense flames enveloped Manda, incinerating the giant snake with ease. Jiraiya relaxed momentarily after seeing that their jutsu had been a success, but was on edge again to see that the opposing snake had shed its skin and disappeared.

Tsunade left Katsuyu again, making a leap for the huge dagger that Manda had discarded. Manda reappeared from underground, opening his fearsome mouth wide again, poised to finish Katsuyu.

Tsunade plummeted through the air after a mighty leap, bringing Gamabunta's dagger down and stabbed Manda's mouth shut before he could harm Katsuyu.

Furious, the giant snake began to writhe in pain, hissing in indignation, "Wench! I'll kill you…" While he struggled it became increasingly more apparent to Orochimaru that his defeat was nearing. With Kabuto unable to fight, Manda trapped and his own arms unable to function, he was disgusted to admit he was at a great disadvantage.

Jiraiya watched in awe as Tsunade leapt down from the dagger, taking Orochimaru head-on. Her punches connected with the vile snake sannin in an endless volley and Orochimaru was completely unable to defend himself.

Tsunade's pent-up fury was released bit by bit with every attack, yet her strength waned. Still, with barely any chakra left, she refused to stop hitting Orochimaru until she was sure he was finished.

'What is this feeling?' She wondered, amazed that she had fought so hard, 'Even though I shouldn't be able to keep fighting, it feels like I can go on forever if I have to. I won't give in!'

Then she remembered Naruto and his selfless bravery, and his determination to be Hokage and protect the ones he loved, 'I understand now, Naruto…you were right all along.'

"Hah!" One final punch sent Orochimaru careening to the ground, and Tsunade stood on trembling legs, seeing that her opponent was then very still and not getting up.

'Did Tsunade really kill him? Is this over at last?' Jiraiya pondered, still dumbfounded that she had nearly single-handedly defeated their old teammate.

Manda, upon seeing Orochimaru's defeat, decided it was pointless to stay and left the battlefield in a cloud of smoke, "Never summon me again you fool! If you do, I will be the one to kill you!"

Katsuyu also departed upon seeing the fighting was over.

Jiraiya left Gamabunta and moved to Tsunade's side, shocked to see Orochimaru weakly struggling to his feet as Kabuto supported his weight. The snake sannin glared at his former teammates, spitting angrily, "Even if you aren't willing to heal me, Tsunade-hime, there are other ways to have my arms mended…"

He and Kabuto left abruptly, their spirits soured by their horrid defeat.

"Off to lick his wounds, the coward!" Gamabunta scoffed before he too departed. The toad boss would have liked to have killed the snake sannin but his humiliating defeat was prize enough at the time.

Tsunade and Jiraiya said nothing to each other as they joined up with Shizune who stood watchfully beside Naruto. He was still unconscious. Shizune's eyes fell upon Tsunade and they widened in alarm, "Oh, Tsunade-sama! Are you alright?"

As the Yin Seal chakra wore off Tsunade had no energy left to fuel her youthful-beauty genjutsu, and was restored to her true age. It pained Jiraiya to see her elderly form so decrepit and frail-looking, and in his heart he wished there was more he could do for her, "Tsunade…"

"Don't fuss over me, please," The blonde woman responded tiredly, "After I rest and regain my strength I'll look young again in no time…but for now let's take care of the boy."