The Land of Stone was not far from the Land of Rain to begin with, separated only by the small Land of Birds. Coupled with the sheer anxiety gnawing at both Tsunade and Shizune, they traveled at an incredible pace, stopping for nothing. Within three or four days, Tsunade had already reached the Land of Rain.
In a small wooded area not far from Amegakure, Tsunade and Shizune stood atop a jagged rock, clad in raincoats, peering at the hidden village in the distance.
"People are actually lining up at the gate?" Tsunade murmured, her brow furrowed in confusion.
"Tsunade-sama, what should we do? Do we join the line?" Shizune asked hesitantly.
Tsunade shot Shizune a sharp look. "Hanzo of the Salamander might have killed Orochimaru. I'm here to scout intelligence and see if this is true. Do you really think I can just walk up and register like a law-abiding citizen?"
"I... suppose not?" Shizune stammered.
"Of course not. We're infiltrating!" Tsunade declared bluntly.
She crouched down, pressing a hand against the rock and closing her eyes tightly. Shizune watched from behind; though she felt no obvious change, she knew Tsunade was utilizing a sensory technique.
The Senju Clan boasted a long history as the undisputed premier clan of the shinobi world, possessing an immense treasury of inherited ninjutsu. While Tsunade usually seemed to rely solely on her Yin Seal, Strength of a Hundred Technique, Monster Strength, and summoning, that was far from her entire repertoire. She rarely used other methods simply because she usually worked in a team; with teammates present, there was no need to waste chakra on various elemental releases when she could focus on her specialty and create openings. Furthermore, her temperament was somewhat hot-headed, as she preferred the visceral feel of fist-to-flesh combat.
Looking at her chakra nature, Tsunade possessed all five basic elemental affinities except for Wind. She was anything but a one-trick pony. Among her auxiliary skills, the Senju Clan benefited from their massive chakra reserves to fuel a potent sensory jutsu. The Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, had once used this technique to detect the Gold and Silver Brothers and their pursuit force from a vast distance. Tsunade was now employing that very same technique.
The large-scale sensory pulse spread rapidly, blanketing all of Amegakure. After a moment, Tsunade's brow knit together. She opened her eyes in surprise.
"The village doesn't have an outer barrier? What is Hanzo thinking?"
In her perception, save for a few key locations, there were no defensive barriers guarding the village perimeter. Those key locations were indeed shielded, blocking her senses and preventing her from seeing inside, but that itself exposed exactly which areas were important. Without an outer barrier, their infiltration would be effortless.
"Perhaps... Hanzo is just that confident?" Shizune offered.
"Impossible. That man is the definition of cautious," Tsunade said, shaking her head. She paused, her gaze hardening with resolve. "Forget it. Whatever his game is, I have to go in and see for myself. This makes things easier."
Tsunade's senses hadn't failed her; there was indeed no massive defensive barrier around Amegakure. Largely, it was unnecessary. However, Tsunade had failed to detect the Rain Tiger at Will Technique that Diarmuid was releasing twenty-four hours a day. This technique was far more effective and convenient than any barrier, and infinitely more discreet.
"Let's go!" Tsunade signaled. With a blur of a Body Flicker Technique, she vanished from the rock. Shizune followed suit instantly. They bypassed the main gate, choosing to scale the walls instead.
…
Meanwhile, atop the tallest spire in Amegakure, Diarmuid sat cross-legged on the ledge, deep in meditation.
It was the power of Senjutsu. He had already perfectly mastered Senjutsu Chakra and Natural Energy; now, he was silently further developing the applications of this power. The moment Tsunade and Shizune infiltrated the village, Diarmuid's eyes snapped open.
Through the Rain Tiger at Will Technique, he sensed the two intruders. He wasn't surprised; ever since the news of Orochimaru's death and the "evidence" of the body had been released, foreign shinobi had been constantly sneaking into Amegakure to verify the intel. Initially, he had used Observation Haki to check their identities, but since they were all nobodies, he had stopped bothering.
Still, he couldn't let them roam free, or people would start thinking Amegakure was an inn where anyone could come and go. Diarmuid suppressed his aura and extended a finger, tapping the ledge. A strange force, accompanied by a faint chakra ripple, transmitted outward.
In a storage room filled with various ninjutsu scrolls, Jūzō was busy studying a new Water Release jutsu when he looked up at a flowerpot by the window. From the previously empty soil, a sapling sprouted rapidly, growing into a branch the thickness of an arm in seconds. Characters naturally etched themselves into the bark.
This was a specialized application of Wood Release developed by Diarmuid, which he called "Communication Wood." Within the range of Amegakure, he could use this method to transmit his will to others. He had been forced into this development because the communication methods in this world were abysmal – there were no Den Den Mushi, and most intel relied on physical messengers. While some communication ninjutsu existed, like the Summoning-based shared-beast method, they required specific conditions. Higher-level techniques like the Akatsuki's Astral Projection required the Rinnegan, which Diarmuid obviously didn't have.
Jūzō glanced at the bark. It detailed the infiltration of Tsunade and Shizune and predicted their likely destination. He sighed, placing the scroll back on the table.
"One after another... it never ends."
This wasn't his first time receiving such an order. Over the past few days, he had dealt with plenty of "little mice." He snatched his Executioner's Blade (Kubikiribōchō) from the wall, slung it over his back, and opened the window. With a cool breeze, he vanished from the room.
…
Having avoided a patrol squad, Tsunade's expression grew more puzzled.
According to existing intel, the Land of Rain was supposed to be in the midst of a civil war. Yet, the state of Amegakure didn't feel like a war zone at all. She felt something was fundamentally wrong with the village, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Deciding it didn't matter, she focused on her goal: confirming Orochimaru's status.
She didn't search aimlessly. She locked onto the tallest building in the village. In her previous scan, that building was a "Forbidden Zone" that her senses couldn't penetrate. Given its height, it was likely the core of Amegakure.
"The patrol passed. Let's—"
Before Tsunade could finish, her face paled. She grabbed Shizune and lunged backward with explosive speed.
The next second, Jūzō descended from the sky. His Executioner's Blade carried a momentum capable of cleaving mountains as it slammed into the spot where they had just stood. Even the falling rain seemed severed by the pressure of the blade. The edge hit the ground like a knife through butter, sinking deep into the solid stone without resistance.
"What a sharp blade... Is that the Executioner's Blade of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist?!" Tsunade recognized the weapon instantly. Surprised, she looked up at the owner. Sure enough, it was Biwa Jūzō!
"Fast reflexes for a couple of mice... Hm?" Jūzō hoisted the Executioner's Blade onto his shoulder with a bit of flair. When he saw who he was facing, he froze.
Is that... the Slug Princess, Tsunade? One of the Sannin, equal to Orochimaru?
He remembered that the Boss had orchestrated this whole "death" ruse specifically to lure Tsunade here. That meant he probably didn't need to fight. Besides, he wasn't sure he could win anyway.
Jūzō opened his mouth to explain the situation.
But before a sound could emerge, Tsunade's figure blurred. She appeared abruptly in front of him, her fist flying straight toward his chest.
There was no time for explanations. At the critical moment, Jūzō swung the Executioner's Blade in front of him to block.
The next second, his face went pale. Is this the Senju Clan's secret, Monster Strength?
It was a force he felt was impossible to resist. The impact hit the Executioner's Blade first; cracks spider-webbed across the metal instantly. Then, the force traveled through the blade into Jūzō's arms and body. The ground beneath his feet shattered instantly as he tried to anchor himself, but he was still sent flying like a cannonball.
Jūzō hurtled backward out of the alley, smashing through the wall of a distant house and causing the entire structure to collapse.
The commotion would undoubtedly draw every ninja in the vicinity. However, from the moment she recognized Jūzō, Tsunade had prepared to be exposed. Jūzō wasn't some grunt; she couldn't kill him silently. If things were going to get loud, she decided to take him down as quickly as possible, then find a way to retreat and hide to observe the situation.
Tsunade was decisive. Without pause, she surged forward like a rampaging beast into the wreckage of the collapsed house. This time, her hands glowed with chakra.
Chakra Scalpel!
This technique was developed for battlefield surgery and medical use, but in the hands of a medical ninja, it was lethal. It worked like a true scalpel, but it killed without drawing blood, destroying the body from the inside. This made it the preferred weapon for the current Tsunade, who suffered from Hemophobia.
"Die!" Tsunade snarled.
She lunged at Jūzō's silhouette in the rubble, thrusting her palm toward his heart. If the strike landed, it would instantly liquify his heart.
"Dammit!" Jūzō cursed. Just before the palm connected, a burst of lightning erupted from his body.
Lightning Release Chakra Mode!
Tsunade's palm struck. Her Monster Strength instantly shattered the hurried armor of lightning, but it bought Jūzō the split second he needed to trigger a Substitution Jutsu.
Tsunade's strike hit his chest, but in the next second, smoke exploded, leaving only a log in his place.
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