Confronted with Orochimaru's sudden appearance, the Kumo ninja were momentarily paralyzed with shock.
They couldn't comprehend how he had managed to materialize in front of them so swiftly. A teleportation jutsu? Impossible. No teleportation jutsu could cover that distance or happen that fast.
Instinctively, the leader tightened his grip on the kunai, aiming to press it into Kushina's neck. But to his horror, he realized he couldn't move. His limbs felt like they were encased in iron; even a simple twitch of a finger was impossible.
"Paralysis Jutsu?" he thought, eyes wide with disbelief.
How could this be happening?
But there was no time for answers. Orochimaru's hand was already on the Kumo ninja's wrist, wrenching it away from Kushina and, in a fluid motion, guiding the kunai against the man's own throat.
A thin line of blood sprayed into the night as the Kumo ninja's strength ebbed away, and darkness claimed him.
Orochimaru, with his honed instincts from years on the battlefield, had become a master of swift, lethal efficiency.
The other two Kumo ninjas, shaken from their stunned paralysis, leaped back to create distance between themselves and this unexpected threat.
But the gap in power between them and Orochimaru was insurmountable.
Before Kushina fully registered what was happening, the other two Kumo ninjas had also collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
She stared up in shock as Orochimaru's pale hand extended toward her. He had saved her swiftly, without hesitation.
"So... strong…" she whispered, her voice trembling.
"It's alright now, Kushina," Orochimaru's voice, rough yet reassuring, seemed to push away the fear that had gripped her heart. She felt her consciousness waver, the adrenaline subsiding and fatigue taking its place.
Before she could stop herself, Kushina leaned against him, comforted by the warmth of his chest and the security of his embrace. It was a peace she hadn't felt in a long time.
Trying to fight off the exhaustion pulling her under, she looked up at Orochimaru, confusion clouding her eyes. "Lord Orochimaru… why... why did you come to rescue me? I'm just... an outsider," she murmured, the weight of those words evident.
Orochimaru's eyes softened slightly. "Outsider? Tsunade and I have always thought of you as part of our family."
"Family?" The word echoed in her mind, leaving her stunned.
---
In the Hokage's office, dawn was just breaking, casting a warm glow over the village rooftops. Tsunade stood before Sarutobi Hiruzen, her face set with urgency.
"Hiruzen-sensei, why did the Kumo ninja come to Konoha to capture Kushina?" she demanded.
The Third Hokage's brows knitted in confusion as he processed her question. "Kumo ninja captured Kushina?" he echoed, quickly masking his shock with a look of composed authority. "Explain, Tsunade. What happened?"
Tsunade recounted the events in concise detail, omitting certain parts that could complicate things. Orochimaru had acted on a hunch, she explained, noticing something off about the Kumo visitors. Though she didn't know exactly why Orochimaru had been monitoring Kushina, she trusted him implicitly and covered for him where needed.
As Hiruzen listened, his expression darkened. "Where is Orochimaru now?" he asked.
"He's pursuing the Kumo ninjas and ensuring Kushina's safety," Tsunade replied confidently.
The Third Hokage nodded, reassured. If Orochimaru was on the case, he trusted the matter would be handled. He summoned the ANBU to investigate immediately, and soon, other village advisors began to arrive as the gravity of the situation became clear.
The abduction of the Nine-Tails Jinchuuriki was no small matter. It was a glaring security breach and could potentially unravel the alliance between Konoha and the Land of Lightning. The implications were staggering.
Konoha had underestimated the lengths to which the Kumo ninja would go. They had considered them allies, visitors who had already come to Konoha once before without incident. No one expected a move this bold or calculated.
The meeting room fell silent as Koharu spoke up, her voice edged with worry. "Kidnapping the Nine-Tails' host? What does the Cloud Village hope to gain from this?"
Danzo, ever the pragmatist, scoffed. "An alliance contract? It's just a piece of paper. When it comes to the power of the Nine-Tails Jinchuuriki, they'd risk anything."
Hiruzen's expression was grim. "It complicates matters, especially now when we need Kumo's military support against Iwa. Breaking our alliance could shift the entire war in Iwa's favor."
Koharu sighed. "If we're forced to fight both Iwa and Suna, even with the strength of the major clans and the Sannin, we'll be stretched thin. And if Kumo turns its attention to us... that's the real danger."
"Indeed," Hiruzen agreed, the weight of leadership pressing heavily on him. "We must proceed cautiously."
"The real issue," Danzo added in his usual cold tone, "is that Konoha has grown too weak. If we were strong enough, the war wouldn't have dragged on, and we wouldn't be forced into these compromising positions."
Hiruzen turned to Danzo, eyes narrowing. "Your point?"
"Let Tsunade learn the First Hokage's Wood Release. If she can wield it on the battlefield…"
***
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