"Treasure map?"
In the kitchen, filled with the aroma of cooking, Orochimaru, holding a spatula and constantly moving, glanced out of the corner of her eye at Tsunade, who was peeking around the doorway. She sighed and said, "Believing in such things, are you still a 6-year-old child?"
Did I raise Tsunade poorly?
No, no, no, the current Tsunade is much stronger than in the original story!
Lightning Release: Lightning Stimulation is a genuine A-rank Forbidden Technique. Not only is she proficient in Lightning Release and Water Release, but she also knows a bit of Fire Release and Earth Release.
Aside from her brute force fighting style, what else did Tsunade in the original story know?
I've never seen her use any Ninjutsu from the Five Releases.
When the time is right, I'll teach Tsunade the Regeneration Technique, so she won't have to develop the useless and life-shortening Mitotic Regeneration.
"It's real! It's a keepsake left by my grandpa! The scroll's material isn't like current scrolls, and the location on the map is on a former battlefield of the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan!"
Tsunade leaned her upper body out of the doorway, showing the scroll in her hand to Orochimaru.
"That's indeed not a current scroll."
Orochimaru had seen scrolls of this material in Uzushiogakure's library before and speculated, "This scroll must be about a hundred years old, right?"
"I don't know, but maybe we can find something good! If it's treasure, won't we get rich?"
Tsunade's face broke into a money-grubbing smile.
As long as you're happy...
Orochimaru didn't think anyone would be foolish enough to bury treasure on a battlefield, as with the way Ninja fight, buried treasure would simply be unearthed during combat.
"Orochimaru, come with me to find the treasure! If we find it, you get three, I get seven!"
Tsunade excitedly suggested. Seeing that Orochimaru was unmoved, she made a difficult decision.
"Then how about you get four, I get six?"
Seeing Orochimaru still unmoved, Tsunade said discontentedly, "Hey, this scroll is an heirloom passed down from my grandfather, Orochimaru, don't be too greedy!"
"Money-grubber, can't you see I'm cooking?"
Orochimaru looked at Tsunade with a hint of impatience in her eyes, one hand on her hip, and raised the spatula in her hand, saying, "Or are you saying you don't want to eat anymore?"
"Ah... then I won't bother you."
Tsunade smiled awkwardly and gently closed the kitchen door.
It seems that Tsunade and Orochimaru's relationship has made no progress... Hyuga Mio watched Tsunade quietly close the kitchen door. When she thought about how many years had passed without any progress between them, she found it quite strange.
Based on her understanding of Tsunade, she should be very proactive in such matters, right?
"Mio, what are you looking at?"
Tsunade noticed Hyuga Mio's gaze.
"Haven't you made it clear yet?"
Hyuga Mio's white eyes, which seemed to see through people's hearts, gazed at Tsunade.
"Made what clear?"
Tsunade inexplicably felt guilty.
"If you don't make it clear, Orochimaru won't know. She puts all her energy into research and training."
Hyuga Mio knew very well that Orochimaru's schedule was packed. If Tsunade didn't speak up, it would be difficult for her to think in that direction. Perhaps this was the price of being too precocious; Orochimaru was simply too mature.
"You... what nonsense are you talking about? I don't understand what you're saying."
Tsunade didn't want to admit that her thoughts had been seen through by Hyuga Mio.
"Is that so? Then it means I still have a chance."
Hyuga Mio rested her chin on one hand, her white eyes slightly narrowed.
The 21-year-old Hyuga Mio possessed a charm that the youthful Tsunade couldn't compare to—gentle, beautiful, elegant in manner, and proper in speech, a woman like a noble lady.
"What did you say?!"
Tsunade's eyes widened, looking at Hyuga Mio in shock.
"Do I need to repeat myself?"
Hyuga Mio showed a faint smile on her face.
Tsunade clenched her fists, an alarm blaring in her heart, yet she couldn't act against Hyuga Mio. She never dreamed that her biggest rival in love would be right there in Orochimaru's home.
"Is this the treasure map you mentioned..."
At the dinner table, Orochimaru opened the scroll Tsunade had brought. Looking at the markings on the map, she couldn't help but feel a hint of doubt about her previous judgment.
Would anyone really bury treasure in a place like this?
"Treasure map?"
Hyuga Mio looked over curiously, noticing the unusual scroll in Orochimaru's hand; its material was different from the scrolls she was familiar with.
"Mio! The treasure map has nothing to do with you!"
Tsunade looked at Hyuga Mio warily. She certainly didn't want a two-person treasure hunt to become a three-person one, letting her rival join in—that was absolutely out of the question!
"My treasure hunt with Orochimaru won't include you! You can just stay home and look after Orochimaru's place!"
Hyuga Mio spread her hands, indicating she was just curious.
Why does Tsunade seem particularly resistant to Mio today?
Orochimaru looked at Hyuga Mio and Tsunade with a hint of confusion and said, "Tsunade, whether this scroll is a treasure map or not is still unknown."
She still didn't quite believe that this scroll would be a treasure map.
However, it wasn't impossible to go and see with Tsunade. She was also quite curious about what exactly was buried there a hundred years ago.
Even if it wasn't treasure, it should be something extremely important to the Senju Clan.
Forbidden Technique?
The word 'Forbidden Technique' surfaced in Orochimaru's mind, and her heart rate quickened considerably. Thinking that it might be a Forbidden Technique developed by the ancestors of the Senju Clan, her heart rate accelerated again, and a flush of excited red appeared on her cold, pale face.
What kind of Forbidden Technique would it be? Unheard of and unseen before?
A Forbidden Technique that could be buried in such a way must be extraordinary!
The more Orochimaru thought about it, the more excited she became, and the more interested she grew in what was buried at the location marked on the map.
"Mio, Tsunade and I shouldn't be gone for too long."
After dinner, Orochimaru made some preparations and intended to go with Tsunade to the location marked on the map to see what they could find. A Forbidden Technique would naturally be the best outcome.
If it was treasure... then it would be entrusted to Grandma Mito for safekeeping. Treasure absolutely could not be left in Tsunade's hands; who knew when she might gamble it all away.
"Mio, Orochimaru's home is in your care!"
Tsunade looked provocatively at Hyuga Mio before leaving.
Hyuga Mio watched the two leave, a thoughtful expression on her face.
I wonder if they'll make any progress. Giving up like this feels a bit unwilling... In the forest, Orochimaru and Tsunade, having left Konoha, headed towards the former battlefield of the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan, according to the location marked on the scroll map.
Tsunade walked beside Orochimaru, occasionally glancing at her hand, remembering how she had wanted to hold Orochimaru's hand not long ago but was interrupted by Nawaki.
"What's wrong? Is there something on my hand?"
Orochimaru noticed Tsunade looking at her hand several times. She was sure there was nothing on her hand.
"That... holding hands..."
Tsunade's face flushed, and she stammered, unable to form a complete sentence.
"What about Senju? Are you thinking about something related to the Senju Clan?"
Orochimaru looked at Tsunade's flushed face and guessed, "Could it be something not so convenient to talk about?"
"I've already memorized the map, here you go."
Orochimaru returned the scroll to Tsunade.
That's not what I wanted to say... Tsunade glumly put away the scroll, walking beside Orochimaru, looking at her hand. Remembering what Hyuga Mio had said, she steeled herself and reached out to grasp that cold, pale hand.
"Hm?"
Orochimaru looked at Tsunade in confusion.
"What I wanted to say was 'holding hands', not the 'Senju' of the Senju Clan."
Tsunade turned her head away, her cheeks slightly flushed, even the tips of her ears red.
Her palms were sweaty... It's just holding hands, is there any need to be this nervous?
Orochimaru felt Tsunade's palms were warm and sweaty. Seeing her shy demeanor, she chuckled and said, "Holding hands is holding hands, why are you so shy?"
"None of your business!"
Tsunade angrily tried to shake off Orochimaru's hand.
"Speaking of which, you wanted to hold my hand before, too, didn't you?"
Orochimaru recalled the day Jiraiya left Konoha; Tsunade seemed to have wanted to hold her hand then, too, but was interrupted by Nawaki who ran over.
"What are you talking about?"
Tsunade pretended not to understand.
"The day Jiraiya left Konoha."
Orochimaru reminded her with a smile on her face.
So childish, still so bashful about something like holding hands.
"Who, who wanted to hold your hand? I didn't! Don't think nonsense!"
Tsunade denied it repeatedly, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
"That's your misconception, Orochimaru. Let's go quickly! Let's find the treasure soon!"
Tsunade pulled Orochimaru in one direction.
"Um... Tsunade..."
Orochimaru looked at Tsunade, who was pulling her and walking forward with her head down, and poked her shoulder.
"What is it?!"
Tsunade's cheeks puffed out slightly, glaring at Orochimaru in annoyance.
"You're going the wrong way."
Orochimaru looked at Tsunade, who resembled an angry pufferfish, and pointed out the correct direction.
"I, I know! I was just trying to test you! That's right, I was just testing you! Didn't you just say you'd memorized the map?"
Tsunade's excuse even convinced herself.
Your excuse is a bit too far-fetched, isn't it? Orochimaru said helplessly, "Alright, if we don't hurry, we might not reach the location marked on the map even by nightfall."
In the evening, Orochimaru and Tsunade rested in the forest near the river.
"Lightning Release: Earth Run!"
Lightning flashed on the river surface, and dead fish floated to the surface.
"Ninjutsu is so convenient!"
After Orochimaru processed the fish, she strung them together with steel wire.
Suddenly, a somewhat dazzling firelight lit up in the distant forest.
Fire Release?
Orochimaru noticed the firelight over there, her brow slightly furrowed. That was where she and Tsunade were resting.
Enemy attack?
Impossible, I didn't sense any other Ninja approaching. Could it be a Ninja that cannot be sensed?
Orochimaru was somewhat confident in her sensory abilities, but at this moment, she dared not relax her guard. She used the Flying Thunder God Technique to vanish from her spot and reappeared at a location with a Flying Thunder God Technique formula.
"You... what are you doing?"
Orochimaru looked in surprise at Tsunade, whose hair was slightly frizzled and whose face was like a cat's. The strung fish in her hand dropped to the ground.
"I just wanted to use Fire Release to start a fire. I haven't used it in too long, and I didn't control the power well."
Tsunade coughed, embarrassed to the point of curling her toes.
"Fire Release... Pfft ha ha ha!"
Orochimaru looked at Tsunade, who resembled a cat, and burst out laughing.
"Stop laughing!"
Tsunade wiped her face, and seeing the black on her hand, she realized what she looked like. Hearing Orochimaru's laughter, her face grew redder and redder, like a whistling kettle, and she pounced on Orochimaru in angry embarrassment.
"Damn it! Orochimaru, stop laughing!"
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