A New Path

Ch. 13 Team Sarutobi Re-Unites

Kabuto sighed as he watched Shizune's unconscious form. Tsunade's assistant was locked in a cell, with her arms cuffed to the wall. It was a real shame that Orochimaru had discouraged any type of experiments on this woman, it did make sense since Tsunade was a medic ninja and would check on Shizune the minute she got her hands on her. It was true that precautions needed to be taken when dealing with someone of Tsunade's caliber but he didn't understand why they should delay his experiments if they were going to kill Tsunade in the end.

"A real shame…" Kabuto muttered with a smirk. Shizune was a powerful ninja, she had been able to counteract the poison he put into her when she and Tsunade were busy with Orochimaru. It was a tricky plan to pull but it was thanks to the senbon's small size that the plan succeeded. If only he could experiment on someone so close to his own power, then he would gain the strength he needed.

Kabuto chuckled. "Who knows? I might be able to make Lord Orochimaru keep her," he said before leaving the holding cell with a smirk on his face.

Tsunade panted, it had been a long time since she had ran for so long using chakra and it was straining her body. She stood in front of a cave and held a paper with the location of the base on her right hand. This was the place where Shizune was being held, this was Orochimaru's base and she would kill the bastard for threatening Shizune's life. She didn't have many things left and she would be damned if anybody took them away.

She prepared to enter but was stopped by two Sound ninja with masks covering their faces, they wore outfits similar to that of the ANBU and she guessed that Orochimaru had his own kind of ANBU squad. She didn't know how powerful they were but she knew that they were not the level of Konoha's, it was a given since he hadn't been able to deal a powerful blow to the village.

"State you're business," one of the masked ninja said in a threatening tone.

"I was told to come here by Orochimaru," Tsunade responded, "I am Tsunade."

The two got quiet for a minute until one of them stepped towards her. "Very well, I will take you to lord Orochimaru," he said as he took out a chakra suppressing seal, "You are to wear this if you wish to enter."

Tsunade snarled. "I won't put that damned thing on!" she snapped with anger on her eyes, "He should be grateful I came here."

The masked ninja growled and took out a kunai, "Listen you, this is not your petty little village. You are to follow our rule-"

"Is there a problem here?" came a voice from inside the cave. The two masked man instantly froze and kneeled down.

"N-not at all Lord Kabuto," answered one of the ninja, "She just disagreed to put on a chakra suppressing seal."

Kabuto sighed and stepped out of the cave. "You two should show more respect to Lady Tsunade. She was Lord Orochimaru's teammate after all," he said with a frown. The two man froze and stood still, knowing that the slightest movement might get them killed. Kabuto was the second in command and he would use Sound ninja for his experiments if angered, "Come with me Lady Tsunade, I assure you that you will be treated with respect."

Kabuto gave Tsunade a fake smile and motioned for her to follow. Tsunade frowned but followed after Orochimaru's assistant, he was a strange one and she found him to be very similar to Orochimaru. She would play along for now, she still needed to get Shizune out of there and meeting with Orochimaru was the only way she could.

Jiraiya and Naruto watched Tsunade enter the base from afar. They were hidden among the trees and kept their chakra levels low as not to be spotted. The two Sound ninja went back to their spots and guarded the base, unknowingly giving the two Leaf ninja a perfect angle in which to strike.