Chapter 8 – Enticing Tsunade
The third day had arrived. Renjiro had been in this strange world for three days now—the exact time limit given by his mission.
Instead of being woken by the patter of rain like the previous mornings, he was stirred awake at dawn by the sharp chime of the system.
Lines of blue light stretched across the edges of his vision, converging toward the center. Even with his eyes closed, faint crimson subtitles flickered in the darkness before him, illuminating it with a dim glow.
A synthesized electronic voice echoed in his ears, repeating the same urgent message:
[Warning! Warning!]
[Contractor No. 19999999: Renjiro]
[Your mission deadline is about to expire. Complete your objective immediately, or face the consequences.]
Renjiro cracked his eyes open, and with a mere thought, silenced the alarm. The red text scattered into glowing particles and faded away, leaving only stillness once more.
Any other contractor facing the final hours of their mission would be a nervous wreck. But not Renjiro. He had already confirmed everything that needed confirming. Every detail had been accounted for. The script for Ameyashiki Toshio's death had been written to perfection. All that was left was for the actors to step on stage.
He turned his head slightly. Still curled in his arms was Hanako Sakuragi, her delicate face flushed with sleep, her pink lips murmuring dream-words, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist as if afraid he would vanish the moment she opened her eyes.
Outside, raindrops as round as pearls pattered on the soaked earth, each splash sounding like a cheerful melody. Inside, the scene resembled a pair of siblings at peace—the little sister nestled against her brother's chest, the brother gazing quietly down at her. It was a picture that would stir envy in any onlooker.
Sensing his gaze, Hanako's long lashes fluttered, and her bright eyes blinked open. Meeting Renjiro's calm, profound gaze, her cheeks flushed scarlet. Instead of letting go, she clung to him even tighter.
"Big brother… are you leaving now?"
Just as Renjiro tried to gently pry her arms away and rise from the bed, her pale, slender hand caught the hem of his clothes. Her voice trembled with reluctance.
"No. If I leave, I'll tell you."
Renjiro placed a hand on her head and ruffled her hair softly.
The moment his palm touched her, Hanako's face turned even redder, her heart pounding despite the comfort his words had given her.
When they emerged together from the room, the lady of the house gave them a startled look. During breakfast, Hanako kept her head lowered, too shy to meet her mother's eyes, while Renjiro ate calmly, unfazed by the woman's intense, almost appraising gaze.
At the doorway, Hanako asked him over and over when he would be leaving, fearful he might slip away without a proper goodbye. Only after repeated reassurances did she finally settle her anxious heart. She stood there watching him go—like a wife seeing her husband off to war—her eyes full of reluctant longing.
Renjiro walked down the damp, rain-slick streets, now dressed in the old ninja garb of Hanako's late father. His destination: the residence where his shadow clone had tracked Tsunade and Shizune the previous day.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
He rapped firmly on the wooden door. Footsteps shuffled inside. The latch clicked, and the door creaked open, revealing Shizune.
Her eyes landed on a young man in Rain-nin attire, sharp-featured and clean-cut, standing before her.
Shizune frowned slightly in confusion. Could it be? Did Lady Tsunade's troubles yesterday already bring the Rain Village down on us?
Forcing a stiff smile to mask her panic, she asked cautiously, "Hello… young shinobi. What business do you have here?"
Renjiro ignored the question, his voice calm but firm as he asked only one thing:
"Is Lady Tsunade here?"
Shizune's heart lurched. So it's true. He's here because of yesterday's incident…! A cold sweat trickled down her back.
She whirled around and shouted, "Lady Tsunade! Run! A Rain-nin is here looking for trouble!"
Of course, Shizune knew Tsunade feared no ordinary Rain-nin. She was one of the Legendary Sannin, after all. But still—every time, it was the same: Tsunade would end up pounding whoever came knocking, leaving behind another pile of angry enemies.
The bounties on her head kept climbing with each scuffle. And because of that, they had been constantly hounded by bounty hunters all along their journey.
It was exhausting. Truly exhausting.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, Shizune had always made it a habit to run the moment any shinobi came asking questions. She had already half-turned to bolt when a calm voice behind her froze her in place.
"I was sent by Lord Orochimaru. I carry an important message for Lady Tsunade."
Orochimaru?
The name struck Shizune like a bolt. The same man known as the Cold-Blooded Gentleman… one of the Legendary Sannin, just like Tsunade.
From inside the house came a furious voice.
"Orochimaru?! That snake! I still haven't settled accounts with him for defecting, and he dares send someone to me?!"
With a thunderous crash, the wooden door exploded outward, hurled off its hinges by sheer force.
Whish!
The door hurtled straight toward Renjiro. His eyes remained calm, unshaken. With a subtle shift of his body, he sidestepped the flying mass of wood.
Boom!
The door smashed into the wall behind him, leaving a gaping crater.
Tsunade stepped into view, a crimson aura of raw killing intent swirling around her. Her fury was so palpable it seemed to ignite the air.
"You've got good eyes, kid. Not like Orochimaru's filthy, unsettling gaze."
She looked him over—his eyes steady, unclouded, his expression detached. No hint of Orochimaru's cold, serpentine malice. Coupled with how composedly he had dodged her sudden attack, it made her reconsider. A good seedling, she thought.
"But tell me—how do you prove you're really Orochimaru's messenger?"
Tsunade, with her battle-hardened instincts, her title as one of the Sannin, would never accept a stranger's word at face value.
Renjiro's reply was quiet, deliberate.
"Lord Orochimaru used the Reanimation Jutsu… to summon back Dan Katō."
The words had barely left his mouth when Tsunade's aura flared like a storm. In an instant, her hand shot forward, clamping tightly around his throat.
"What?!" Her voice shook with rage. "That bastard dared use that forbidden jutsu… to bring Dan back?!"
Her roar rang in Renjiro's ears, sharp enough to sting. Shizune, frozen to the spot, could only stare—she had never seen Lady Tsunade this enraged, her grief and fury twisting together until it was terrifying.
Renjiro struggled slightly, his air cut off. Another few seconds… and she would've crushed my windpipe. The sheer pressure of Tsunade's strength reminded him that she truly was one of the Legendary Sannin—someone far beyond what he could resist.
Yet even as her grip slackened, sliding to clutch his collar instead, Renjiro's eyes remained calm, steady, fixed on hers.
"And not only Dan Katō," he continued. His voice was strained, but unwavering. "Orochimaru intends to summon the First and Second Hokage as well."
The color drained from Shizune's face. The First and Second Hokage… too? Could it be… is Orochimaru planning to attack Konoha itself?
Tsunade's rage roared higher. She shook Renjiro by the collar, her voice thundering:
"What is he planning?! Does he mean to destroy the Leaf?!"
Renjiro exhaled, regaining his breath, his tone still composed.
"If you want the answer… meet him at noon, today. In the forest by the great bridge. Lord Orochimaru will be waiting for you there."