Chapter 133 : Fighting Again, Orochimaru Who Refuses To Admit Defeat
Riku had brought it up earlier, but Jiraiya just gave a wry smile.
"Tsunade won’t listen to any of that. It’s her regret, and you bringing it up... well, there’s no way she’d be persuaded."
Riku didn’t mind. He’d only said it on the off-chance it might sway her.
He didn’t think there was anything wrong with trying to convince her.
Soon, the four of them arrived at the place where Tsunade and Orochimaru were fighting.
"It seems Lady Tsunade refused," Shizune said.
She sounded genuinely relieved—Tsunade hadn’t made a choice that could’ve brought massive harm to Konoha.
Jiraiya also let out a sigh of relief. But the current problem was even more urgent—Tsunade was in danger. From the sheer intensity of the chakra clashing ahead, it was clear that a real battle was underway.
Shizune released Fūbuki, her tracking pig, to help sniff out Tsunade’s exact location.
Before long, Riku and the others reached the mountains at the back.
As soon as they arrived, they saw a shocking sight: Tsunade was kneeling on the ground, blood on her face, in front of Yakushi Kabuto.
Orochimaru stood beside him, unmoving and watching with cold eyes.
Seeing Tsunade trembling, bloodstained, and barely conscious, Jiraiya’s face darkened with fury.
"Orochimaru! You actually attacked her?"
Shizune darted forward without hesitation, and Naruto sprinted in right behind her.
Riku, however, remained still, eyes fixed on Tsunade from several dozen meters away, brows furrowed.
She seemed completely oblivious to the outside world—utterly consumed by the traumatic memory of Dan and Nawaki’s deaths.
Riku had always been curious: what exactly was this illness of hers?
He’d heard of people returning from war traumatized, fearful, and broken—but nothing like this.
She had entirely lost her will to fight.
Just then, Tsunade lifted her head with a shudder, as if sensing a familiar presence nearby.
Her gaze met Riku’s.
For a moment, she looked confused.
But then, her expression shifted—Tsunade clutched her cloak with trembling fingers and lowered her head, an emotion flickering in her eyes: guilt.
Perhaps she was remembering how she’d drugged Riku just the day before.
Riku couldn’t quite understand what she was thinking.
But Kabuto wasn’t about to wait for Jiraiya and the others to reach her.
He drew a kunai and began walking toward Tsunade.
She, in response, hung her head and trembled even harder—frozen in place.
Riku’s mouth twitched.
"How the hell did she survive traveling around the shinobi world like this?"
Even with Shizune by her side, surely they’d have encountered powerful enemies before.
It made no sense to him.
But he couldn’t let Kabuto kill Tsunade.
Whether he liked it or not, she was meant to become the next Hokage—and Riku wasn’t about to let her fail now.
Because if Tsunade became Hokage, it would take a huge weight off his shoulders.
With her in charge, Riku wouldn’t have to hide anything.
He activated his Sharingan. If not for the seal suppressing his dojutsu, the Mangekyō Sharingan’s intricate pattern would’ve been visible to anyone watching.
"Teleportation."
Of course, that wasn’t its real name—it was just a more impressive-sounding term Riku had chosen.
In an instant, he appeared in front of Tsunade.
Jiraiya, Shizune, and Naruto—who were all still running toward her—froze in stunned disbelief.
"That speed... it’s too fast," Jiraiya murmured. "That’s definitely not the Body Flicker Technique. The Shunshin no Jutsu isn’t anywhere near that quick."
The standard Body Flicker was only a D-rank technique—practically every shinobi knew it. But at high levels, masters used chakra-enhanced variants tied to their elemental affinities.
Still, even Jiraiya hadn’t been able to see what Riku had done.
That could only mean one thing: time-space ninjutsu.
"Did he really mark her with the Flying Thunder God Technique...?" Jiraiya muttered.
But he couldn’t recall any moment where Riku would’ve tagged Tsunade with a formula seal.
Riku, now standing between her and Kabuto, smiled casually.
"Didn’t expect to see you again so soon."
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes. "I didn’t expect you to be here, either."
He still remembered their previous encounter in the Forest of Death—that had been the first time he’d truly felt fear from a child.
Tsunade slowly lifted her head. Her breath was ragged. "You... why are you here?"
She sounded alarmed, fearful that Riku might face Orochimaru and get himself killed.
Orochimaru was one of the Legendary Sannin, after all—and Tsunade knew exactly how strong he was.
Even if Riku had Kage-level strength, he was still only thirteen. He lacked experience—something crucial in battles at this level.
As Riku turned slightly to glance at her, Orochimaru and Kabuto used the opportunity to leap back and put distance between them.
Orochimaru frowned.
"Be careful. He uses Flying Thunder God—watch for his kunai. Don’t get close."
Last time, Orochimaru had underestimated the boy, caught off guard by the space-time jutsu and Riku’s devastating Lightning Style.
But this time, he was ready.
Riku turned his attention back to Tsunade, still kneeling and trembling violently.
He smirked.
"Come on, Lady Tsunade. You’re seriously this shaken by a little blood?"
She didn’t react—her mind still lost in that traumatic memory.
Riku sighed.
"Looks like I’ll need your help, Naruto."
He turned toward Naruto, who was sprinting toward them with Jiraiya.
It was Naruto, after all, who’d nearly sacrificed himself to get through to Tsunade and push her past her fear of blood.
Riku was confident he could have done the same if he had to—but the cost would’ve been too steep.
So he smiled.
"Naruto. I’m leaving Lady Tsunade to you. I’m going to deal with Orochimaru."
Naruto didn’t quite understand, but nodded seriously.
His whole reason for mastering the Rasengan had been to earn Tsunade’s acknowledgment.
As Riku strode toward Orochimaru and Kabuto, he passed Shizune.
"Miss Shizune," he said. "Go check on Lady Tsunade."
She nodded, still shaken. She didn’t know the full extent of Riku’s power, but what she’d just witnessed... that speed—it was far beyond anything she could replicate.
Jiraiya stepped up beside Riku, frowning.
"I haven’t fully recovered my chakra yet. You’ll have to handle this part of the battle on your own."
Riku nodded. "Sounds like Lady Tsunade gave you the real poison then. Good thing she didn’t give it to me. Otherwise, we’d both be screwed."
Jiraiya nodded grimly. He knew exactly how dangerous Orochimaru was.
Their strength was close—Jiraiya didn’t think Orochimaru was weaker than him at all.
This battle was going to be rough.
And Riku knew it.
Last time, he’d won because Orochimaru had underestimated him.
That wouldn’t happen again.
Orochimaru stared Riku down, expression serious.
Yes—he’d been careless before. But the fact that Riku had managed to injure him so badly...
That alone proved how terrifying the boy really was.
Even more threatening than Jiraiya.
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