Sasori hurled insults, but Orochimaru remained unbothered.
"If you don't let me help, you might die."
"I don't mind… but explaining that to the Leader would be troublesome."
Sasori's face darkened.
This slimy snake was as irritating as ever.
"Get. Lost."
Orochimaru merely shrugged and stepped aside.
Then—
He turned toward Tsunade.
"I hadn't planned to kill you."
"But for the sake of uncovering the truth of this world… you'll have to sacrifice yourself."
Before anyone could react—
He stabbed a kunai straight through his own palm.
Blood flowed.
For most people, meaningless.
For Tsunade—
A fatal blow.
Her pupils shrank.
Her body trembled violently.
Memories.
Her brother.
Her lover.
Blood on the battlefield.
She collapsed to her knees.
"Lady Tsunade!"
Genma and the others shouted in panic.
She couldn't even form words.
Sasori narrowed his eyes.
So that's it…
Orochimaru smiled.
"You're correct."
"She suffers from severe hemophobia."
"A secret known only to a few within Konoha."
Genma finally understood.
That was why they had been assigned to guard her.
Even a Kage-level shinobi—
Could fall to a single weakness.
Sasori sneered.
"So the great medical master fears blood."
"How ironic."
He stepped forward.
"You destroyed the Third Kazekage."
"I'll make you my masterpiece in compensation."
A blade aimed at her throat.
Genma and the others attacked desperately—
Senbon.
Fire Release.
Blade techniques.
Meaningless.
Sasori's puppets crushed them.
Then—
Chakra threads snapped onto their bodies.
"Human Puppet Technique."
They became marionettes.
Helpless.
Sasori turned back to Tsunade.
"To make a puppet… it's best if the subject is dead."
The blade descended.
"That's Enough."
A chakra-metal blade intercepted the strike.
Clang.
Sasori's eyes went cold.
"Who are you?"
Orochimaru froze for half a second.
Then smiled.
"Akihito. We meet again."
Uchiha Akihito stood between them and Tsunade.
Genma exhaled in relief.
If anyone could turn this around—
It was him.
He had fought the Raikage and the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki head-on.
Saving Tsunade?
That should be possible.
"Akihito-sama! Lady Tsunade's illness has relapsed!"
He nodded calmly.
So she finally paid the price for that weakness.
Sasori prepared to attack—
Orochimaru raised a hand.
"Careful."
"That's Konoha's 'Flame Oni'—Uchiha Akihito."
Sasori's gaze sharpened.
The Flame Oni.
A name rivaling the Yellow Flash.
Recently appointed Hokage Advisor.
Interesting.
Orochimaru licked his lips.
Two against one.
And Akihito had to protect Tsunade.
A perfect opportunity.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
"Poison Barrage!"
The assault came instantly.
Akihito didn't hesitate.
He scooped Tsunade into his arms—
And vanished from the attack zone.
They pursued relentlessly.
"Don't think you can escape!"
Blades and senbon rained down.
Ordinarily—
Akihito could ignore them via elementalization.
But with Tsunade in his arms—
He drew his sword instead.
Steel flashed.
Weapons clattered to the ground.
Tsunade, barely conscious, flushed faintly.
She had never been held like this before.
Not even by her former lover.
She tried to pull away—
But her limbs were weak.
Akihito smirked.
"I can put you down."
"But I can't guarantee your safety against two Kage."
She froze.
Then instinctively tightened her grip.
Fine.
Just win.
Don't lose to those two bastards.
True Power Unleashed
Despite the burden—
Akihito remained composed.
Since advancing to the realm of the Great Sword Saint, his combat power had surpassed ordinary Kage.
With the Eternal Mangekyō nearing completion—
He was stepping into demigod territory.
Orochimaru drew the Kusanagi Blade from his throat.
If Akihito wanted weapons—
He'd oblige.
They clashed.
Steel rang sharply.
Within moments—
Orochimaru was suppressed.
Akihito's swordsmanship had transcended conventional Kage level.
"Red Secret Technique: Twin Puppet Strike!"
Sasori intervened, stabilizing the field.
Two Kage versus one—
Yet they couldn't gain advantage.
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed.
He hadn't expected Akihito to improve this much.
Weapons weren't working.
He shifted tactics.
"Secret Technique: Ten Thousand Snakes Formation!"
Snakes flooded the battlefield.
A sea of blades and fangs.
Akihito frowned slightly.
Disgusting.
He raised his sword.
"One-Sword Style: Horizon Sever!"
A massive crescent slash exploded outward.
Boom—
The snakes disintegrated instantly.
Orochimaru was caught in the blast.
Half his body obliterated.
Yet he smiled.
His mouth split open—
And a new body crawled out.
Orochimaru-style Substitution.
He retreated smoothly.
Akihito's thoughts were calm.
Kage-level opponents were never easy.
And now—
They were coordinating.
Defeating them would take effort.
But—
His true strength—
Had yet to be fully revealed.
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