Haruto Saito was now certain—the unsettling feeling he experienced stemmed from his telepathic connection with Tsunade!
Whenever Tsunade was in danger, the feeling of unease would be transmitted to Haruto Saito through their telepathic link.
Boom... Boom...
The tremors continued, one after another, in an unrelenting sequence!
However, the treasury was built with extreme sturdiness. These tremors, while intense, were not enough to cause significant damage—only dust continuously fell from the ceiling.
"Tsunade... Tsunade..." Haruto Saito muttered, his body suddenly flickering as he turned into a blur!
He dashed straight toward the massive door he had passed through earlier!
The door remained tightly shut, but the moment he reached it, Haruto Saito activated his Barrier-Breaking Technique and phased right through it! Emerging into the pitch-black cavern, he ran while pulling a luminous gemstone from his spatial backpack.
With its faint glow, he could make out the path ahead!
Haruto Saito was searching for an exit from the treasure vault!
He had tunneled his way in. If he were to escape using the same method, it would be incredibly risky—he might end up buried underground. Even if he managed to reach the surface alive, he would likely be severely injured.
Who knew what the situation on the surface was like at this moment?
He needed to find an exit!
Since the treasury had an entrance, it certainly had an exit as well. Haruto Saito knew that if he simply followed the correct path outward, he would eventually find his way out!
...
On the surface, under the darkened sky of the Poison Torture Forest...
Flames roared, their wild brilliance illuminating the horizon. Waves of violent chakra fluctuations rippled through the air, distorting space itself.
The twenty-two-year-old trio—Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru—were locked in battle against the legendary Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist!
Though the fight had yet to reach a decisive outcome, the trio's disadvantage was growing.
It wasn't that they were weak—it was that the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were too strong, and they had the numbers advantage!
If Tsunade's group had been given a few more years—reaching their peak around twenty-five or twenty-six—they would have had the strength to utterly crush the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. But at this moment, they were still lacking. If not for their masterful teamwork and tactical coordination, they would have already lost!
The battlefield was a chaotic frenzy!
Momochi Akihara, wielding the Executioner's Blade, darted through the forest like a shadow. Within two breaths, he closed in on Tsunade with deadly intent!
The massive blade swung down!
Boom!!!
The ground beneath Tsunade's feet exploded, sending dust and debris flying. She crossed her arms, kunai in hand, blocking the ferocious strike from Momochi Akihara!
"Damn it!" Tsunade gritted her teeth, glaring at him.
"You're really beautiful! Tch!" Akihara smirked.
Their battle became a whirlwind of violent clashes!
Both fighters moved simultaneously, their movements like two raging storms colliding in an intense melee!
"Get lost!" Tsunade roared!
Boom!
Momochi Akihara was blasted away like a cannonball. In one-on-one close combat, no one could match Tsunade—her sheer physical power was terrifying!
Two figures launched surprise attacks from her left and right, aiming to overwhelm her!
Boom! Boom!
The ground on either side of Tsunade suddenly erupted, and two massive serpents emerged, spraying venom from their fanged maws!
Tsunade seized the opportunity to retreat! "Earth Release: Rock Spire Thrust!"
Jiraiya's chakra surged violently. The ground ahead of Tsunade shattered as countless rock spikes burst forth, as if mimicking the Dance of the Clematis Bone technique!
Jiraiya's attack successfully disrupted the Seven Ninja Swordsmen's assault, allowing Tsunade to retreat safely back to Jiraiya and Orochimaru's side.
Their teamwork was flawless!
Each of them was capable of countering attacks from the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, and they always found ways to support one another with precision. As a result, no matter how aggressively the Seven attacked, Tsunade's group never found themselves isolated or vulnerable.
They refused to face the enemy alone!
However, their strategy had a major flaw—chakra consumption!
Tsunade was unconcerned about chakra depletion, but Jiraiya and Orochimaru had their limits!
"What now?"
"The longer this fight drags on, the worse our chances of victory!"
The trio huddled together, speaking in rapid whispers.
"If I go all out, I can take down at least two of them," Orochimaru said coldly, his tone calm. "But in doing so, I will lose my ability to continue fighting."
"Don't act recklessly! We're not at that stage yet!" Tsunade immediately rebuked him.
"What I meant is... I can hold them off for a while," Orochimaru continued, his eyes flickering with calculation. "You two can escape first. I can stall them for some time..."
A sacrifice strategy.
To ensure his comrades' survival, he was willing to stay behind!
Though Orochimaru had the coldest personality among the three, his bond with Tsunade and Jiraiya was no less deep than theirs with him.
And the reason he was the one to suggest this plan...
Firstly, he was the strongest among them!
In terms of overall combat ability, Orochimaru surpassed both Jiraiya and Tsunade. He was the most naturally gifted of the three.
Secondly, only he had the ability to stall the Seven Ninja Swordsmen for a significant amount of time!
Orochimaru was a genius in research, mastering countless forbidden techniques and secret arts—there was nothing he couldn't do!
Comparatively, Jiraiya and Tsunade had their limitations. Jiraiya was a traditional ninjutsu specialist with a vast repertoire, but he was still just one person. If he tried to hold off the Seven using conventional jutsu, they would overwhelm him instantly.
As for Tsunade, her combat style revolved around close-quarters combat. She was devastating up close, but she lacked the means to engage multiple enemies simultaneously!
Only Orochimaru could do it!
They understood each other deeply, which was why Orochimaru made the suggestion.
"Don't say such things!" Tsunade snapped. "We haven't lost yet!"
Her gaze remained locked on Momochi Akihara!
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen had momentarily ceased their attack, slowly tightening their encirclement. Both sides were locked in a tense standoff.
"Do you blame me?" Tsunade suddenly asked.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru were puzzled by her question, but she continued, "If I hadn't insisted on chasing after that brat, we wouldn't be in this mess."
"It was just bad luck—we ran into them. It's not your fault," Jiraiya reassured her.
Still, Tsunade clenched her fists tightly, her expression darkening.
This battle had turned into a life-or-death struggle, and she felt responsible!
...
Several kilometers away, at the base of a small mountain.
In the darkness of the underbrush, a faint glow appeared on a stone wall as sealing patterns activated.
Whoosh!
Haruto Saito materialized before the stone wall, having phased through it with his Barrier-Breaking Technique!
Wasting no time, he immediately scaled the rocky slope, reaching the cliffside in mere moments. Concealing himself within the vegetation, he pressed his hands together—Byakugan activated!
Three kilometers to the southwest!
Haruto Saito spotted Tsunade and her group—surrounded by the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist!