The moment Hiruzen Sarutobi heard Orochimaru ask for an A-rank classification, his brows twitched violently. He truly didn't want to give away such a mission tier—not for this request. It was only a matter of helping purify the poisoned shinobi of Kusagakure in the Grasslands. There was no need to battle the Land of Iron's samurai, and no enemy ninja were expected to appear.
But missions required money—real money.
The endless frictions between shinobi villages were draining Konoha's treasury at an alarming rate. Ninjas needed payment, and in case of casualties, severance pay was another heavy burden. Even a single A-rank operation could create a gap in the budget.
Still… Orochimaru was clearly unwilling to go. And Tsunade, for some reason, insisted on dragging him along.
Hiruzen inhaled sharply before finally relenting.
"…Fine. An A-rank mission to support Kusagakure."
The moment the words left his lips, Tsunade's expression shifted from impatience to exaggerated urgency. She seized Orochimaru's wrist without hesitation.
"There's no time to waste! Let's pack and get going!"
Orochimaru stumbled slightly as he was dragged out of the Hokage Building, looking as if he had just been sentenced to unpaid labor. He really did not want to revisit Kusagakure. The place held memories steeped in unpleasantness—particularly due to Karin's mother's death and the abuse Karin herself suffered there.
As soon as they stepped outside, Tsunade finally slowed down. She folded her arms, thinking back to Hiruzen's pained expression.
"Orochimaru… Sarutobi-sensei even hesitated to call it A-rank. Doesn't Kusagakure normally have to pay us? Konoha and Kusagakure don't have special ties or anything like that, right?"
Orochimaru lifted two elegant fingers.
"Two possible reasons. First—Kusagakure probably didn't offer enough money. Second—Konoha, as one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, cannot openly demand payment from a small village asking for help. You know Sarutobi-sensei's principles: prestige matters."
Tsunade scratched her head. "Prestige, huh."
"Indeed. Whether we help or not, nobody can accuse Konoha. Kusagakure provoked the Land of Iron first and then tactfully shifted the battlefield into the Land of Rain. Hanzō's retaliation was justified. They weren't annihilated only because he was merciful."
Orochimaru spoke calmly, but the implications were chilling.
"If Hanzō had been a little less restrained, Kusagakure could have been wiped off the map. The poison Ibuse spreads is terrifying. Surrounding them for a few days would be enough."
Tsunade frowned. "…Then why us?"
"Sarutobi-sensei wants you to go. You insisted on dragging me along." Orochimaru pinched her cheek. "Don't forget that."
Tsunade blushed and swatted his hand away. "You—! Well… I didn't want to go alone!"
"If not for you," Orochimaru sighed, "I'd be in my laboratory right now. Because of you, I have to pack, prepare, and travel to the Grass Country."
Still, he understood Hiruzen's reasoning.
He and Tsunade were the only ones in Konoha with high-level medical ninjutsu and enough raw strength to survive enemy encounters. The poisoned Kusagakure ninjas needed expertise—real expertise, not field medics.
Tsunade's strength alone could threaten even a Kage in close quarters. Orochimaru himself possessed a complete arsenal of elemental ninjutsu—Fire, Earth, Lightning, Water—and had only minor weaknesses in sensory and genjutsu ability.
"I get it, but ugh…" Tsunade groaned.
"You accepted first," he reminded her. "If I hadn't stepped in, this mission would've been classified B-rank. Producing Ibuse's antidote isn't difficult for you."
Orochimaru had spent a considerable amount of time analyzing Ibuse's toxins. He knew them intimately; he had even developed a version of Hanzō's antidote. Given the chance, he could probably modify Ibuse itself into a different poisonous species.
Tsunade flushed red with frustration and embarrassment.
"You—! Don't say weird things so casually!" She impulsively bit Orochimaru's cheek before realizing what she'd done. "I—I mean… the mission would've been A-rank even without you!"
Orochimaru blinked at her and deadpanned, "Is there a place in the Inuzuka Clan where you're storing this newfound habit of biting?"
Realizing what she had just done, Tsunade froze. Then her face rapidly turned scarlet—from ears to neck.
"I—I'll meet you at the Konoha gate!!"
She vanished in a blur, Lightning Release enhancing her movement.
Orochimaru wiped her saliva off his cheek.
"…She left in quite a hurry."
He used the Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport home, landing quietly in the living room.
Hyuga Mio, who was watching television, turned it off immediately. "A new experiment?"
Orochimaru exhaled. "I have to head to Kusagakure for a mission. I'll leave the next experiment to my shadow clone."
"Then I'll help pack your things."
Mio efficiently began gathering his belongings—fresh clothes, ninja tools, soldier pills, the Reverse Cursed Seal Blood Mark scroll, spices for cooking during travel—then paused thoughtfully and retrieved a sealed box of Chakra explosive tags.
Orochimaru's eyes widened. "Wait—why are you packing those? This mission doesn't involve combat. And I'm certainly not blowing up Kusagakure!"
Mio looked at him solemnly. "…If Kusagakure dares harm you or Lady Tsunade, then you should blow them up."
Orochimaru gave her a thumbs-up. "You've become even more cautious than me."
He created a shadow clone to handle things while he was away. Mio immediately moved to assist the clone.
"Come back safely, my love."
Orochimaru nodded once and headed to Konoha's main gate, where he arrived before Tsunade. With time to spare, he sat on a stone bench, thinking about Kusagakure.
They were insignificant.
Barely mentioned.
Forgettable—aside from Karin's tragic past.
He sighed.
When Tsunade finally arrived, she spotted him immediately—white robe, black hair, magatama earrings, unmistakable presence. She approached on tiptoes, trying to surprise him.
"You're slow," Orochimaru said without lifting his head. "I've been waiting ten minutes."
She froze, their faces suddenly close—too close. She could feel his breath against her skin.
Her brain short-circuited.
"Are you practicing performance art?" Orochimaru asked dryly.
Tsunade didn't hear a word. All she could see were his lips moving. Something in her chest thumped violently.
Kiss him.
Just do it.
She leaned forward a fraction.
Orochimaru flicked her forehead.
"We need to go. The longer we delay, the more Kusagakure shinobi die."
Tsunade snapped back to reality, face blazing.
I must've been influenced by his forbidden books!
Orochimaru remained blissfully unaware of the accusation forming in her mind.
They departed Konoha at high speed, heading toward the northwestern border of the Fire Country.
After some time, Tsunade asked, "Should we wear our forehead protectors?"
"A headband clearly announces our identity—but it also makes us an obvious target for anyone hostile toward Konoha." Orochimaru said, landing on a branch. He took her headband and tied it smoothly around her head.
Tsunade blinked. "…Then why give it to me?"
"Because you look suspicious without it."
Her eyes widened. "Wait. Orochimaru… are you using me as bait?"
He smacked her forehead. "Don't be ridiculous."
"Hey! That still hurts!"
"You're talking nonsense. Explain yourself properly."
He removed his own headband, placed it on his forehead, and adjusted the angle.
Tsunade burst into uncontrollable laughter.
"Hahaha! Orochimaru—you put it on backwards!"
His eye twitched. "…"
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)