Tsunade strode purposefully into Hiruzen Sarutobi's office, but immediately realized her audience was unexpectedly large.
She found Kakashi and his entire Team 7—Naruto, Sakura, and a still-frail Sasuke—present, alongside Rin.
"Your injuries are clearly not fully addressed, yet you all discharged yourselves?" Tsunade fixed Kakashi with a harsh glare, her healer's instincts overriding her diplomacy. "Especially you, Kakashi! Do you comprehend the severity of your state? That combat style was suicidal! If it hadn't been for the potions, even my healing capabilities would have been insufficient to restore you."
Sasuke's wounds had been the most severe, but Kakashi's systemic exhaustion and the simultaneous explosion of various Jutsu had made his recovery the most challenging. In the old days, such exertion would have left him permanently crippled.
"I feel almost entirely recovered, Lady Tsunade," Kakashi managed to offer, quickly adjusting his response under her withering gaze. "We were summoned to provide a complete, detailed account of the battle, beyond the initial urgency reports submitted from the hospital."
The rest of Team 7 were there merely to corroborate the details.
"Rin, keep a vigilant eye on Kakashi," Tsunade ordered, crossing her formidable arms. "Sakura, ensure Sasuke does nothing reckless. He is absolutely forbidden from engaging in combat until his injuries are fully stabilized."
"Yes! Lady Tsunade!" Rin and Sakura responded with sharp, energized efficiency.
Tsunade performed a quick, professional assessment. Their resilience, undoubtedly aided by the extraterrestrial remedies, had indeed accelerated their healing. She felt a slight measure of relief, despite her gruff exterior. She genuinely cared for her patients' outcomes.
"I have a clearer picture of the incident now," Hiruzen Sarutobi commented, gently tapping the ash from his pipe. He looked at the young team. "The true actors behind the Gato fiasco were the Akatsuki organization. And the intelligence I received this morning indicates that Gato is highly likely dead."
"Dead?" Kakashi echoed, surprised. The Gato they had faced was clearly a Jar opener and a Merchant Guild affiliate. His sudden, inexplicable demise was unsettling.
"Affirmative. We have strong evidence pointing to the Akatsuki organization's direct involvement," Hiruzen confirmed, gesturing toward a set of files. "The scene showed signs of a considerable confrontation... Kakashi, what is your assessment of the young man, Haku?"
The Hokage's sudden shift of focus was deliberate. Zabuza was deceased, and the merchant affiliation badge was now presumably held by his protégé, Haku. With Gato also eliminated, Haku remained the only known Merchant client outside of Konoha.
"Haku..." Kakashi paused, recalling the poignant, fierce loyalty of the ice-style user. "She was an enemy, but the bond between her and Zabuza was genuinely moving. I fear her dedication to reviving Zabuza will lead her to extreme measures."
"That is my concern exactly," Hiruzen sighed, drawing a breath from his pipe. "The drive to protect one's comrade is a source of strength, but overwhelming grief and longing can be easily manipulated..."
Hiruzen left the thought unfinished, signaling he had already made a decision regarding Haku. He skipped the topic entirely and addressed Tsunade with a practiced, grandfatherly smile. "The ninja I dispatched to locate you this morning was unsuccessful. Did something occur?"
Tsunade did not mince words. "Orochimaru has returned."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's kind smile evaporated instantly.
"Orochimaru?!" Kakashi exclaimed, while Rin and Sakura instinctively covered their mouths. The name evoked both fear and the dark legend of Konoha's S-rank rogue Sannin.
"He sought you out?" Hiruzen's voice was edged with pain.
Orochimaru was the failure he carried in his heart—the brilliant disciple who had betrayed his trust and his village.
"He wanted to ascertain the reason for my return, and more importantly..." Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "He has successfully mastered a highly dangerous forbidden Jutsu belonging to my second grandfather. Although I severely wounded him, I failed to capture him."
Hiruzen's expression flickered between disbelief and grave concern. He knew the terrifying power Tsunade wielded now—amplified by her class change, enhancements, and artifacts. Yet, Orochimaru had escaped her grip?
"That man is now lethally dangerous, truly," Tsunade emphasized, a deep weariness entering her gaze. "But my greatest fear is that Shen Mo is likely taking an interest in him."
At the mention of the merchant, the entire room fell into a heavy silence.
Hiruzen understood immediately. The evidence from Zabuza and Gato suggested that the merchant favored those with ambition, or those who possessed a fervent 'desire to defy fate.' Orochimaru's boundless talent and single-minded will made him a prime candidate for Shen Mo's patronage.
"Kakashi-sensei, who exactly is Orochimaru?" Naruto, oblivious to the gravity of the situation, broke the tension.
"He is an incredibly powerful... and unfortunately, very problematic man," Kakashi answered with a strained smile, feeling the weight of Konoha's mounting troubles.
"No challenge, no matter how severe, will break Konoha's resolve," Hiruzen declared, quickly regaining his confident posture. "Kakashi, please escort Sasuke and the others back to rest."
Kakashi nodded, recognizing the cue. The Hokage needed privacy for the true deliberation with Tsunade.
Once they were gone, Hiruzen's smile vanished completely. He took a heavy drag from his pipe, his face etched with bitter regret. "The dangerous forbidden Jutsu you mentioned... is it the one I suspect?"
"Impure World Reincarnation," Tsunade confirmed, her expression grim. "He reanimated both my great-grandfather and my second grandfather to fight me."
"As I feared," Hiruzen muttered, nearly choking on the smoke. "I suspected years ago that he had found a way to observe the original scroll in my office. I never thought he would actually perfect the Jutsu."
Hiruzen's old regret was agonizing. His leniency in letting Orochimaru flee years ago had now created this terror.
"That Jutsu must be eliminated forever!" Tsunade's voice was full of burning indignation. To see the souls of her revered ancestors manipulated into puppets was an unforgivable act, one that even the Holy Light could not absolve.
"Orochimaru is severely wounded and will be forced into hiding for a significant period," Hiruzen reasoned, his tone measured. "The most immediate threat remains the Akatsuki organization. Tsunade, you are aware the Chunin Exams are fast approaching and will be hosted here in Konoha?"
"The Chunin Exams..." Tsunade was startled by the abrupt shift in topic.
"I intend for you and the Hyūga clan leadership to oversee the final stages of the exams," Hiruzen revealed, a strange, calculating light in his eyes. "But more importantly, I plan to leverage this event to establish a crucial alliance with the Hidden Sand Village. We must coordinate to eliminate the Akatsuki organization together!"
Konoha could not win this looming shadow war alone. Hiruzen was moving his pieces, transforming a simple exam into a monumental strategic gambit.