Konoha's Genius is a bit Ordinary?

Jiraiya stood by the doorway with arms crossed, watching the scene before him, his face cold and eyes filled with doubt and regret. He couldn't help but wonder if things would have turned out differently if he had stopped Orochimaru years ago. Perhaps his teacher Hiruzen would never have been injured, and Tsunade wouldn't be clinging to life as she was now. If Natsuro hadn't arrived, would Shizune have risked herself to the point of chakra exhaustion?

Natsuro examined Tsunade's injuries carefully. They were severe enough that anyone with a weaker constitution would not have survived. While she was now out of immediate danger, leaving her in this condition was still risky and her treatment had to continue. Hours had passed since Natsuro's arrival, and it was already deep into the night, but he remained by Tsunade's side, never moving.

Naruto had long since been sent off to rest, yet Jiraiya stayed stationed by the door, keeping watch while occasionally casting a wary glance outside as though expecting something.

Finally, with most of Tsunade's severe wounds healed, Natsuro wiped the sweat from his forehead and sat back.

"Is it over?" Jiraiya asked, perking up.

"Mostly. She still has some lingering injuries, but they're not life-threatening anymore. I'll continue treatment tomorrow, but first, I'll check on Shizune," Natsuro replied.

Remembering he had a contract with the Shikkotsu Forest Slugs, Natsuro thought briefly of summoning Katsuyu to assist. Given the urgency of the situation and how infrequently he used this summoning, he had forgotten. Explaining it to Jiraiya now would be bothersome, so he decided he'd leave the matter to Tsunade when she recovered.

"Thank you," Jiraiya said, exhaling in relief.

Natsuro moved to the room where Shizune was resting, intending to treat her injuries. To his surprise, she was awake, her eyes wary until she recognized him.

"Don't worry. Lady Tsunade's wounds are stable," Natsuro assured her.

Seeing Natsuro's face, Shizune recalled him aiding her in treating Tsunade and visibly relaxed.

"That's a relief. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Let me treat you too," Natsuro offered.

"No, I'm alright…" Shizune began, but winced as pain flared in her face.

"Leave it to me," Natsuro said firmly, beginning his treatment.

"Thank you."

Compared to Tsunade's injuries, Shizune's were minor. As he worked, Natsuro had enough focus left to ask about the current situation, which Jiraiya explained without reservation.

Soon after Jiraiya and Naruto had left Konoha, he had received a message from Natsuro, quickening their pace. However, along the way, Jiraiya had sensed someone observing them and stopped to investigate, but the hidden individual had not shown themselves and eventually disappeared. Natsuro guessed it was likely Kisame and Itachi but suspected they chose not to confront Jiraiya to avoid complications. Once certain they were gone, Jiraiya resumed his search for Tsunade.

They finally found Tsunade's trail, but before they could act, Orochimaru had beaten them to her. The ensuing battle was fierce, and by the time Jiraiya arrived, Tsunade was in her current state, with Shizune wounded while defending her.

Hearing all this, Natsuro asked, "So, Jiraiya-sensei, do you have any information about who was with Orochimaru?"

"I can answer that," Shizune replied. Orochimaru had three powerful allies in total. Aside from Orochimaru himself, already a fearsome Sannin, one of his followers used his own bones as weapons, although his body seemed weak, as he frequently coughed up blood. The last person didn't fight but wore a headband and seemed highly knowledgeable in medical ninjutsu, treating the bone user.

Orochimaru, Kimimaro, and Kabuto…

Natsuro's face grew serious. These were no ordinary foes. Kabuto was a skilled medic and strategist who would later become a formidable force, rivaling top shinobi. Facing him was something Natsuro didn't take lightly, as he recalled the measures he had taken against Itachi, not underestimating any potential techniques that might arise from Kabuto's arsenal. Meanwhile, Kimimaro was another story. A descendent of the Kaguya clan, he wielded their powerful bloodline, making him a formidable opponent, possibly stronger than Kabuto at this stage. His condition would eventually catch up to him, but with Kabuto's aid, it would take time before he succumbed.

"Jiraiya-sensei, what's your plan?" Natsuro asked.

Jiraiya hesitated, feeling an intense anger that clouded his mind. "What do you think we should do?" he asked, trusting Natsuro's judgment.

Natsuro thought for a moment, then suggested, "One option is for me to teleport everyone back to Konoha. But if we retreat now, finding Orochimaru again will be almost impossible."

Jiraiya nodded in agreement, having spent years chasing Orochimaru and knowing how elusive he was.

"If we want to deal with Orochimaru, this might be our best chance," Natsuro said. Not confronting Orochimaru now would mean letting him continue his experiments, and that was not a comforting thought.

"After all, Jiraiya-sensei, you're here, and so am I. Once Lady Tsunade wakes up, she can heal herself. With her medical expertise, she'll be ready to fight soon," Natsuro added, hesitating briefly since he wasn't supposed to know about Tsunade's hemophobia.

Sure enough, Jiraiya sighed and revealed Tsunade's fear of blood. If not for this phobia, Orochimaru and his subordinates wouldn't have been able to wound her so severely.

Natsuro frowned, wondering if this life-threatening incident might help Tsunade overcome her phobia.

"I could teleport only Tsunade back to Konoha, but I suspect Orochimaru would refuse to engage us without her present," Natsuro added.

"Yes, our location is already compromised. There are several snakes around us, watching…" Jiraiya noted, hearing a chorus of frog calls. "Oddly enough, they haven't attacked yet."

It wasn't surprising, though. With Tsunade's injuries needing immediate attention, Jiraiya hadn't taken them far. Orochimaru likely sensed Natsuro's arrival but wasn't prepared to withdraw just yet.

"Perhaps Orochimaru is aware of my presence here but hasn't made a move…" Natsuro considered calling for backup, but most capable shinobi, like Kakashi, were currently on missions or occupied.

"We'll wait until Tsunade wakes up. Right now, it seems they aren't planning an attack," Jiraiya said, his attention suddenly caught by a toad hopping into the room.

The toad spat out a scroll, which Jiraiya read, his face darkening before he silently passed it to Natsuro and Shizune.

Three days later, at Autumn Wind Plains—the final battle!

Both Shizune and Natsuro's expressions shifted instantly, shocked that Orochimaru would openly declare battle.

"From what I know about Orochimaru," Jiraiya said, puzzled, "if he's found our location, he would usually try to strike while Tsunade is still injured."

"Because he's worried that if he attempts a sneak attack, I'll just teleport Tsunade back to Konoha. Even if he succeeds, his plan to cause turmoil would ultimately fail," Natsuro replied with a smirk.

"Giving us three days to prepare is basically inviting us to heal Tsunade's injuries and bring her into this fight."

"That means Orochimaru has already made up his mind about how to deal with Lady Tsunade."

After Natsuro finished, Jiraiya and Shizune looked uneasy. Tsunade, always so formidable in their eyes, was now considered a weak link and that was an uncomfortable realization.

"Well then, if that's the case, at least these three days should be safe. We don't need to rush. Let's wait until Lady Tsunade wakes up and plan from there," Natsuro suggested.

"Yes, that's all we can do," Jiraiya agreed with a nod.

Although Orochimaru had sent a message, they couldn't completely trust it. Necessary precautions would still be taken.

Shizune, however, had a different thought in mind. She wanted Natsuro to take them all back to Konoha and abandon the conflict with Orochimaru entirely. But she knew her opinions held little weight here.

Worry filled her as she glanced in Tsunade's direction. If the conflict escalated, how would Lady Tsunade face it? Orochimaru was aware of Tsunade's hemophobia...

No. No matter what happened, Shizune was determined to protect Lady Tsunade, even if it cost her life...

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Currently on Chapter 208 - The Third Hokage and Konohamaru