Chapter 31: Betraying the Traitor
Several days passed as Naruto continued to try and perfect the Rasengan. Sasuke and Sakura watched as well as trained with him and each other. But Naruto was still having trouble maintaining the spin and power of chakra together, he could produce an orb of it, but as soon as he landed the blow against something even slightly it would dissipate. Tsunade smirked everytime she saw this, sure he was destined to fail. Though there was else she needed to decide, something that would be happening tomorrow. Her answer to Orochimaru's request.
Flashback:
He stood before her with his right-hand man, Kabuto. His arms had been blacked, like they were dead.
"I require your assistance, Tsunade," he said. "Restore to me my arms, and I will restore your little brother, and your beloved back to life. But it will require a human sacrifice in order to do so."
She was shocked to hear this.
End Flashback.
Her mind returned to the present. She was at the house she was renting with Shizune and had Jiraiya and the kids stay as guests, at least until the bet was concluded, then she would send them back on their way to return to the Leaf Village and a new Hokage would have to be selected. Also she had to make a choice about Orochimaru's offer. It was certainly tempting to have her brother and lover returned to her, she knew there were forbidden jutsu that could reanimate a corpse, though those were locked away. Of course, Orochimaru would have dabbed into them. Could he really be capable of such a thing, as far as she knew it was impossible to bring someone completely back to life without sacrificing another.
She would likely have to provide that, and her mind immediately went to Jiraiya. He was her former teammate, but either Dan or Nawaki was worth at least three Jiraiya's to her. At the very least, she would want to keep him out of the way. And she had just the idea for that. She went to her medicine cabinet and soon found a drug that would put him to sleep for all night, and leave him unable to control chakra for several hours afterwards. That would do nicely.
"Tsunade," a voice said behind her.
She looked and saw Jiraiya himself.
"Why don't we grab a drink?" he suggested.
"Fine," she said.
They headed to the tavern.
"You know, if Orochimaru asked you to do him a favor, I'd advise you not to," Jiraiya said.
Her silence only confirmed that their old friend had.
"Orochimaru is an enemy of the Hidden Leaf, I know you claim not to care for it anymore, but your brother and Dan both did," Jiraiya said. "You help him, you spit on their legacy."
She shuddered.
"If you do that, I'll have no choice but to kill you," he added.
A bartender soon took their drink order and went off to make them.
"I'm going to be bathroom," Jiraiya said.
He went off and the drinks soon arrived. Tsunade looked at Jiraiya's and drew the drug she'd brought along, slipping into the drink. She'd made her decision.
"Don't worry, Jiraiya. I'll stop Orochimaru myself," she declared. "But I can't have you getting in the way."
…
Jiraiya soon collapsed and she had to carry him back to her house, which was no problem with her insane strength. She rested after she set him in bed and early the next morning she headed out while everyone was asleep. She found him outside.
"So have you made up your mind, my dear?" Orochimaru asked.
"Yes, I'll help you," she lied. "In return for my loved ones being brought back."
He raised his arms and she began running her chakra through them. If she could perform her medical ninjutsu right, she could turn the treatment deadly. That would rid her home village that her loved ones died for of one of their greatest enemies. She channeled chakra for a few minutes, it traveled up the arms and into Orochimaru's body. If she could reach his organs and stop them, she could kill him. To the untrained eye it would look like she was healing, but a medical expert would spot the tiny change in chakra from light green to dark, almost like poison.
"Lord Orochimaru!" a voice exclaimed.
Kabuto stepped out of his hiding place nearby. "It's a trap she's trying to use reverse medical jutsu to kill you!"
Orochimaru pulled his arm away and leapt back.
"So you refuse," he stated.
"Yes, I miss my loved ones, but I won't let you live to destroy the village they died for!" Tsunade stated. "I'll stop you myself!"
She lunged at them, destroying the wall next to them. They retreated and she gave chase, destroying much in her pursuit.
…
Jiraiya awoke feeling groggy and weak as well as someone pulling on his cheek. He opened his eyes to see Team 7 looking at him.
"Hey Pervy Sage, wake up!" Naruto said. "This is the last day before the bet is off! If I lose I have to quit being a Shinobi! You got to help me!"
"Ah," Jiraiya grunted and rubbed his eyes. He pulled himself out of bed but struggled to keep his balance.
"Hey what's wrong with you, Master Jiraiya?" Sakura asked.
"I think I've been drugged!" he exclaimed. "Tsunade!"
They found Shizune and asked,
"Alright, what's going on between Tsunade and Orochimaru?" Jiraiya said.
"He needs her to heal his arms that were wounded when he killed the Third Hokage," Shizune said. "He offered to bring the two people she loved most back to life."
"No way!" Naruto exclaimed. "Is that really possible?"
"Through forbidden jutsu maybe," Sasuke said. "But those always have a cost."
He felt tempted to look into the possibility of bringing his parents back, but he had to do with morals in mind. He couldn't betray the leaf, the village his family was sworn to protect. They wouldn't want that, or the lives of innocents being sacrificed for them.
Shizune led them to where Tsunade had been told to meet Orochimaru. When they arrived they saw a nearby wall had been damaged.
"Looks like something put Tsunade in a bad mood," Jiraiya said.
"She didn't accept his offer!" Shizune said in relief. "Come on we have to go and help her! Even if his arms are disabled Orochimaru is still a force to be reckoned with."
They chased after the sandal prints on the dirt road which led them out to a open field several miles away from town. When they got there they saw Tsunade being attacked by a man as she helpless for some reason. The group put themselves in front of her and Naruto looked at the man in front of them. To his surprise he recognized him.
"Hey, Kabuto!" he exclaimed.
The olden genin gasped. "Naruto, good to see you! I wasn't expect you to join us just yet."
"Well, well, if it isn't the Nine Tailed boy and his friends," Orochimaru stated as he looked at them. "And Jiraiya too! Long time old friend."
Jiraiya looked at him with a frown. "Indeed."
Sasuke, Sakura and Shizune didn't say anything. Shizune was battle ready, but Sasuke and Sakura both quivered at the sight of the man they'd seen before. The one that had caused them both to freeze in total terror and promised to make Naruto join him.
They both had a feeling this was a moment of truth.
"Enough!" Tsunade exclaimed as she got up and charged at Kabuto.
He leapt back and managed to hold his own against her for the most. Naruto and Sakura both gasped in surprise. Sasuke, meanwhile being the perceptive one, had noticed something.
"What the? What are you doing Grandma Tsunade?" Naruto asked. "Kabuto's a ninja from the village!"
Tsunade stopped for a moment and looked at him. "You idiot!"
Kabuto grinned malevolently. "You're still slow Naruto."
"Look at his headband," Sasuke said.
They did so, seeing not the Leaf symbol but the Sound.
"He serves Orochimaru," Jiraiya said.
"That's right, I'm a spy from the Hidden Sound Village," Kabuto said.
"A spy?" Naruto said in disbelief. "No! It can't be!"
"It is," Kabuto said.
"You helped us though," Sakura said.
"That was part of the act," Kabuto replied.
Sasuke glared at him. "I had a feeling there was something off about you! You'll pay for this, traitor!"
He was reminded of Itachi as he looked at Kabuto. Both of them had betrayed the Hidden Leaf and become Rogue Ninja.
"Yes, now its time to finish this! Yaah!" Tsunade charged.
Kabuto drew his kunai knife, but instead of cutting at her, he cut himself in the hand. A large amount of blood immediately spilled and he flung his hand out at her, getting it on the Sannin who froze.
"Lady Tsunade!" Shizune exclaimed running to her mistresses side.
"What's wrong with her?" Sakura asked in concern as she and the others followed.
"She's afraid of blood!" Shizune said.
"Well, that takes care of one Sannin," Kabuto said. "Not permanently but it will do."
Orochimaru smiled as he stepped forward. "This might be just what I need. I can eliminate my fellow Sannin and acquire a new vessel. That should heal my arms, with a Jinchuriki as my host."
It was time for the biggest battle Team 7 had ever been in to get underway.
I had to improvise this scene as I don't remember most of it from when I first watched Naruto like 15 years ago, half my lifetime! I did manage to look up what happened through the Naruto wiki so I just did what I could with that. There wasn't a name of the drug but I know Tsunade spiked his drink.
