In this long-anticipated battle between two of the legendary Sannin, Shen Mo was perhaps the only, most contented spectator. He had his gourmet coffee, his exotic beverages, and his comfortable bougainvillea chair ready for the show.
This was no messy scramble like the fight with Gato. This was a true duel between master players. One player, Orochimaru, had meticulously developed his character through years of forbidden research. The other, Tsunade, had achieved rapid development through immense financial investment, effectively creating a powerful second class layered upon her original medical-ninja expertise.
Shen Mo focused his remote surveillance, zooming in on Tsunade. Beneath her slightly loose gray vest, there was a visible outline of specialized gear.
—Plate Armor.
It was simple, yet clearly met the full requirements for the Plate Armor Expertise skill.
A total professional.
Shen Mo was ecstatic. Tsunade had clearly spent the intervening time not merely acquiring power, but diligently mastering her new abilities and equipment, seamlessly integrating them with her established battle tactics. This was the mark of a perfect customer.
Now, an invisible, potent aura of combat readiness collided between the two Sannin, causing the surrounding grass and trees to tremble.
"I had hoped to avoid this, but you even mastered that repulsive forbidden technique," Tsunade said, her smile gone, replaced by cold resolve. "Since you refuse to state your true intentions, I will extract them in my own way."
The current Tsunade would never permit anyone to threaten Konoha again. Orochimaru's focused, manipulative approach—using resurrection as a twisted bargaining chip—meant he had a dangerous, destructive purpose for being here. She would teach him a lesson first, before he even got the chance to purchase a Jar.
"Well, let us see if Princess Tsunade's temper is the only thing that has changed after more than a decade of exile," Orochimaru scoffed, dismissively raising his arm.
Suddenly, dozens of large, mottled brown snakes with gaping maws exploded from his sleeve.
Ninjutsu: Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!
The attack was precisely calculated, with some snakes used for distraction, others for binding, and a few possessing venomous gas, designed to quickly overwhelm and capture a conventional Jonin.
"Just as predictable as ever, still relying on cheap tricks and sneak attacks instead of proper hand seals."
Tsunade stood her ground. Despite being instantly surrounded by the writhing mass of giant snakes, she showed no hint of fear or repulsion.
Orochimaru frowned slightly. The Tsunade he knew would have been crippled by fear alone, standing paralyzed among the serpentine coil.
Paff!
A sound like a massive steel piston hitting raw meat erupted. All the giant snakes were instantly pulverized by a ferocious, concentrated force, erupting into a cloud of blood and gore.
A howling gale of wind blew the viscera toward Orochimaru.
Standing over the pulverized, bloody remains, Tsunade held an immense, heavy-looking cross-shaped hammer. A single strike had shattered the serpentine mass, and when she casually dropped the hammer, it crushed a millstone-sized rock into dust like fragile pottery.
Orochimaru's eye twitched uncontrollably.
What in the world is that weapon? He had no prior intelligence on it.
Furthermore, he watched her wade through the blood and guts without the slightest adverse reaction. Tsunade's crippling hemophobia was definitively cured.
More complications.
"This is called Divine Grace," Tsunade stated, gripping the cross. Her gaze was sharp and unforgiving, like a seasoned general on the field of battle. "Orochimaru, you are the reason I was forced to put it on."
Should I feel complimented? Orochimaru quickly regained his composure. It was not unexpected for Tsunade to develop new techniques in the intervening years.
He snapped his hands together with incredible speed. A shuriken was launched, accompanied by rapid hand seals.
Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!
The single shuriken multiplied into a vast, swirling cloud of metallic death, blotting out the sky. There was literally nowhere to hide.
He continued to prepare his next, more powerful Ninjutsu with his free hand.
"Do you still rely on those simple academy Ninjutsu your teacher taught you?"
Tsunade raised the massive cross, stomped her foot with a roar that shattered the ground, and propelled herself toward Orochimaru like a cannonball. The sheer shockwave of the explosion dispersed every single shuriken!
Orochimaru's pupils constricted violently.
What speed and what sheer power is that?!
His composure cracked instantly. He was forced to abandon his planned Ninjutsu and instinctively leaped backward.
BOOM!
A deafening detonation followed. Where Orochimaru had stood, the ground rippled like liquid, trees were violently uprooted, and mud and rock flew dozens of meters into the air. From above, the strike looked like a meteor impact, instantly carving a massive, jagged crater into the earth.
"That force... it's impossible!"
Orochimaru felt himself flung back through the air, his eyes wide in genuine terror. Tsunade was renowned for her super strength, but this surpassed the very definition of superhuman.
He had no doubt that a direct hit from that hammer would turn any normal body into instantaneous, screaming pulp.
"I will not tolerate you testing my capabilities or trying to trick me," Tsunade emerged from the swirling dust cloud, the extravagant cross held steady, pointing directly at the tree where the stunned Orochimaru had landed. "You are utterly outmatched now!"
Her enhanced strength—achieved through her medical expertise, coupled with the profound increases in her raw physical attributes, skills, and gear from the Jars—had effectively multiplied her power by at least three times.
Her dominance was absolute.
"Incredible..." Orochimaru struggled to find the right expression. "How could your strength have increased so exponentially? This power should be far beyond the limits of what your body can endure!"
"Hmph. It's not too late for you to surrender!"
Tsunade's words were sharp, and her movements were even faster. With another earth-shattering burst of power, she rushed Orochimaru again!
No complex Ninjutsu. No clever traps. Just pure, terrifying physical aggression. This direct assault created an overwhelming sense of pressure on Orochimaru, as if he were facing a relentless natural disaster.
Orochimaru quickly evaded the crushing blow with a flicker of his own Ninjutsu, his hands blurring into a rapid sequence of seals.
Rearing Snake Mandate!
Suppressing the Serpents of Chaos!
The Formation of Ten Thousand Snakes!
His counter-attack was a cascade of summoning Jutsu; suddenly, the sky filled with the undulating shadows of countless summoned snakes.
"Such attacks are pointless!"
Tsunade swung her cross. Each blow produced a sonic boom and an earth-trembling roar, possessing the power to instantly reshape the terrain. Every snake that approached her weakened and melted into mud before the absolute, raw force.
The spectacle was terrifyingly beautiful.
Shen Mo watched, thoroughly pleased. While Tsunade hadn't entirely transitioned to a traditional Paladin, her violently aggressive style—a female Crusader armed with divine might and brute strength—was uniquely compelling.
Would you like to see Orochimaru deploy his ultimate defense or Shen Mo contact Tsunade to offer assistance?
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Merry Christmas to you all. Hope u all are Healthy and Happy 😊