Chapter 103: Chapter 38: Weren’t You Just Calling Me?
"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune rushed out from the sidelines, her face a mix of disapproval and embarrassment as Tsunade knocked their opponent to the ground.
"Tsunade-sama, how could you do something like this? If it gets out, it'd be so humiliating!" She flushed crimson, as though already imagining the strange looks they'd get from others.
Tsunade dispelled her transformation technique with a casual wave of her hand.
"Relax, Shizune. No one's going to find out about this."
She chuckled, rubbing her hands together as her gaze flicked to the box sitting beside Deidara's unconscious body. Her amber eyes gleamed with anticipation.
"Let's see what kind of treasure we've got here."
With barely contained excitement, Tsunade hauled the box onto the table, expertly unlatched the clasp, and began to open it, savoring the moment as though it were the peak of her existence.
"Hiss!"
Suddenly, dozens of clay serpents burst from the box, darting toward her with lightning speed.
"What the—?!"
Tsunade reacted instantly, her palms glowing with chakra as she cleaved the serpents in half, slicing through the clay as though it were paper.
But while Tsunade was occupied, Deidara stirred. The effects of the drugged liquor Tsunade had forced down his throat earlier dissipated as he expelled it from his system—a benefit of having replaced his insides with clay.
"Who are you?" Tsunade demanded, stepping back to put distance between herself and her revived opponent.
Deidara ignored her question, flexing his fingers as he formed a clay serpent that coiled tightly around Shizune before she could react.
"Listen up, Tsunade. Orochimaru sent me to bring you to treat one of his subordinates," Deidara said calmly.
"Not interested." Tsunade crossed her arms, her voice sharp with disdain. The name "Orochimaru" alone brought a surge of complicated emotions—resentment, regret, and anger. And after learning that he had killed Sarutobi-sensei, there wasn't even a sliver of reason for her to cooperate.
"Unfortunately, you don't have a choice," Deidara replied with a smirk. "Your little apprentice here is in my hands. If you refuse, I'll just take her with me. Who knows what kind of 'hospitality' she might receive from Orochimaru?"
"Tsunade-sama, don't worry about me!" Shizune said, her voice trembling slightly. She glanced nervously at Tsunade. The fear was evident—Tsunade's hemophobia made it dangerous for her to confront someone like Orochimaru or his associates.
Tsunade's jaw tightened. While abandoning Shizune was out of the question, she wasn't about to let Deidara dictate the terms. After all, she hadn't survived this long in the shinobi world by letting others push her around.
"How about this," Tsunade countered, taking the initiative. "Arm-wrestle me. If you win, I'll go with you."
Deidara's eyebrow twitched. "Seriously? Everyone knows you're the strongest woman in the shinobi world. Arm-wrestling you is asking to lose."
Tsunade smirked inwardly. His reaction told her everything she needed to know. Deidara wasn't the ruthless type, at least not entirely. His threats were a means to an end, not genuine malice.
Deidara scowled. "Don't look at me like that. I might not kill her, but if you push me, I'll take her straight to Orochimaru. What happens then is out of my hands."
"Tch. Fine. Let's settle this with a sparring match," Tsunade suggested, raising the stakes again. "If you can beat me, I'll go with you."
Deidara hesitated for a moment before nodding.
"Deal. Let's take this outside."
They moved to an open field on the outskirts of the city. Tsunade stood tall, her golden hair flowing in the breeze as she placed one hand on her hip.
"Come on, brat. Show me what you've got. I'm not like those amateurs you've fought before."
Deidara smirked. "Heh, you say that now, but weren't you just calling me your 'handsome brother' a moment ago?"
Tsunade's face turned bright red. "You little—! Go to hell!"
Her fist slammed into the ground with a thunderous boom, sending shards of rock flying. The earth trembled, and a massive crater appeared where Deidara had been standing.
From within the rising cloud of dust, Deidara's voice rang out. "C1: Serpent Swarm."
A flurry of clay serpents shot toward her, their white bodies glinting ominously. Tsunade clicked her tongue. There were too many for her chakra scalpel technique to handle. Instead, she stomped on the ground, lifting a chunk of earth and using it as a makeshift barrier.
"You're Orochimaru's lackey, aren't you?" Tsunade sneered, peeking out from behind the rock wall.
"Always pulling out disgusting tricks like this."
Deidara grinned. "Wrong. I'm not his lackey—I'm his business partner. And my 'art' is anything but disgusting. It's explosive!"
Boom!
The rock wall shattered as an explosion tore through it. More serpents slithered forward, forcing Tsunade to retreat.
"Watch your step, sis," Deidara called mockingly as clay insects erupted from beneath the ground.
"You're dead, brat!" Tsunade roared, slamming her fist into the ground again. The earth caved in, crushing the insects before they could attack.
But Deidara wasn't done. His voice carried a chilling confidence. "C2: Spider Queen."
Tsunade froze as an enormous clay spider emerged, its countless legs spreading across the battlefield. Smaller spiders began crawling off its body, swarming across the landscape.
"Your strength is impressive," Deidara said, his grin widening. "But can brute force really stop a horde of spiders?"
Tsunade's expression darkened as she stared at the sea of clay creatures.
"Where the hell did Orochimaru find a lunatic like this?" she muttered.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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