Wen Lan tossed the document onto the desk and said coldly,
"Reject them.
Tell Sunagakure this: the peace treaty was signed by the Third Hokage.
If they want to keep it, then keep it.
If they don't, then start a war.
We will not be the ones to tear up the agreement—but we will never fear any provocation."
Tsunade's brows snapped together. She turned sharply toward Wen Lan.
"So this is how a Hokage's aide does his job? Gambling the lives of so many Konoha ninja just like that?"
"Heh—" Wen Lan let out a cold laugh.
"Relax. Sunagakure doesn't dare start a war.
Right now, Sunagakure's high-end combat power is severely lacking.
What do they have? Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage. Chiyo. Ebizō.
Who else is even worth mentioning?
You think they dare fight? I'd scare them to death."
"But have you considered—what if Sunagakure allies with other villages?" Tsunade slammed her palm onto the edge of the desk, her voice trembling with restrained anger.
"The situation is unstable. One wrong move and it's total catastrophe!
Konoha's ninja are not chess pieces for you to wager with their lives!"
Her words made Wen Lan instantly displeased. He turned to her with icy eyes.
"So our Lady Tsunade—who once fled Konoha—comes back and suddenly starts worrying about the village?
Then where were you during the Third Great Ninja War?
Why weren't you here protecting Konoha back then?"
Tsunade froze. Her face went pale in an instant, nails digging deep into her palm.
If this had been a few days ago, Wen Lan might have spoken more gently—because he still needed the Slug Clan's summoning contract.
But now?
He already had it.
Tsunade had nothing left that he wanted.
"Lady Tsunade," Wen Lan said flatly as he turned to leave,
"instead of worrying about other matters, maybe you should think about how to cure your own hemophobia."
The door shut behind him.
The soft click echoed through the silent room for a long time.
Wen Lan headed straight for Orochimaru's laboratory.
Under dim lights, Orochimaru was bent over his notes, pen scratching softly across paper.
"How's the progress?" Wen Lan asked.
Orochimaru looked up. His golden slit pupils flashed with fatigue.
"The sunlight issue is completely resolved.
As for the problem of eating humans—we've just begun tackling it."
Wen Lan looked surprised. He hadn't expected Orochimaru to move this fast.
Orochimaru licked his lips.
"Don't worry, Wen Lan-kun. I used your flesh very sparingly. I still have half left."
"I'm not here for that." Wen Lan patted his empty left hip.
"I want to ask—do you have any good ninja blades?"
Orochimaru closed his notebook slowly, tapping the table with his fingers before smiling.
"Coincidentally, I have two. Come with me."
They left the laboratory and headed toward Orochimaru's residence.
On the way, a familiar voice rang out:
"Sensei!"
A small Mitarashi Anko came running over, cheeks puffed out from stuffing dango into her mouth. Her eyes were slightly red.
"Sensei, where have you been lately? I haven't seen you at all!"
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, lips twitching—but he didn't respond.
Wen Lan glanced at him and said,
"Experiments need moderation. If you've taken on a disciple, don't end up like Jiraiya—ruining your student."
Orochimaru looked at Wen Lan in surprise. He hadn't expected him to speak up for Anko. After a brief pause, he nodded.
"Anko, I received a secret mission from the Hokage's aide.
Once this period is over, I'll resume your training."
Anko pouted unhappily but still nodded. Then she looked at Wen Lan.
"I didn't expect you to become the Hokage's aide. We're about the same age."
Wen Lan shrugged helplessly.
"I really didn't want this scapegoat position. But what choice did I have?"
"Tch—cheap bragging," Anko said with a look of disdain.
Wen Lan could only shrug again.
In Konoha, every child dreamed of becoming Hokage.
Someone of Wen Lan's age becoming Hokage's aide was something everyone envied.
To others, his words sounded like pure humblebragging.
But Wen Lan was speaking from the heart.
Orochimaru originally wanted Anko to leave, but she stubbornly followed anyway, so he let her come along.
Inside Orochimaru's home, he laid out a scroll and formed hand seals.
"Release!"
Smoke billowed, and two weapons appeared on the scroll.
Strictly speaking, one was a sword and the other a blade—but in this world, swords and blades were treated as the same category.
Orochimaru licked his lips.
"Both are part of the Kusanagi Sword series.
This one can extend and retract freely.
The other is unimaginably sharp—even capable of cutting through chakra."
Wen Lan recognized them immediately.
One was Orochimaru's extendable Kusanagi from the original story.
The other was Sasuke's future sword.
In the Naruto world, Kusanagi wasn't a single blade—it was a series, each possessing unique abilities and terrifying sharpness.
Wen Lan picked up the blade.
It felt icy cold in his hand. The blade shimmered with a faint blue glow, its pattern flowing like water.
Just its craftsmanship alone far surpassed a chakra blade.
The sword trembled slightly, resonating with Wen Lan's chakra as if alive.
"I'll take this one," Wen Lan said, gripping it tightly, a spark of excitement in his eyes.
Orochimaru chuckled softly.
"If fate wills it, then it's yours."
Anko pouted, unable to hide her envy.
Wen Lan sighed inwardly.
Once again—no scabbard.
And in three days, he'd be heading to Kirigakure.
Which meant…
He was about to get fleeced by Granny Cat again.
A blade this sharp without a scabbard was dangerous and inconvenient. He couldn't exactly carry it around bare-handed.
But this time—
A glint flashed in Wen Lan's eyes, and a mischievous grin appeared.
Anko shivered when she saw that smile.
She had a very bad feeling.
And she was right.
After getting the blade, Wen Lan returned home.
But as soon as he entered the courtyard, he froze.
Ye Cang was there.
Hikari was there.
And so were Tsunade and Shizune.
Wen Lan looked at Tsunade in surprise, set the sword down on the table, and asked,
"Lady Tsunade… why are you here?"
Tsunade glanced at the blade and snorted.
"Stop pretending.
Without your order, no one can see Danzō in the Konoha prison.
And my place hasn't been cleaned in ages. I don't feel like doing it.
So—I'll stay here."
Wen Lan stared at her speechlessly.
Shizune, on the other hand, gave him an apologetic smile.
"Orochimaru's sword?" Tsunade tapped the blade lightly.
"Yes. I lost my old weapon. Took one from him." Wen Lan replied.
"I'll take you to see Danzō tomorrow."
Then he turned to Hikari and said softly, "In a bit, you're coming with me to see the clan head."
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