Jūzō landed nearby and greeted the newcomer with a slightly embarrassed expression. "Boss... Sorry, I let you down."
The man standing there was indeed Diarmuid.
Diarmuid smiled and waved his hand dismissively. "There's nothing to be ashamed of. After all, your opponent is one of the Sannin, famous throughout the entire shinobi world."
It was true. While Jūzō was quite capable, having been one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, the gap between him and Tsunade was simply too vast. Currently, Tsunade was a Sannin, and once she eventually overcame her hemophobia, her combat prowess would skyrocket to the level of a Hokage. It was only natural that Jūzō couldn't defeat her.
In almost every respect, he was far inferior to Tsunade. Even if he mastered the Water Release techniques of Hanzo of the Salamander, his foundation couldn't compare to the direct lineage of the Senju Clan, the undisputed premier clan of the shinobi world.
"Boss?" Tsunade's brow furrowed, her confusion deepening.
She hadn't followed news in the shinobi world for a long time and wasn't aware of Jūzō's defection. However, seeing the slashed headband on his forehead, she could infer he was a rogue ninja. It seemed Jūzō had joined this man's service after fleeing Kirigakure.
But who was he?
Even someone like Jiraiya, who kept a close eye on the world, hadn't guessed Diarmuid's identity upon their first meeting. How could Tsunade, who didn't follow current events at all, possibly know?
Nonetheless, she felt a powerful pressure emanating from this man who had suddenly appeared. It was the instinct of a warrior. Even though he hadn't made a move, her gut told her he was a major threat.
Diarmuid shifted his gaze from Jūzō to Tsunade, a smile playing on his lips. Finally, they had met.
Truth be told, he had a very favorable impression of Tsunade. She was a woman who loved and hated with conviction, and her personality aligned perfectly with his expectations. More importantly, her beauty and figure were beyond reproach. Seeing her in person, Diarmuid was even more pleased, she was perfect.
"A pleasure to meet you, Tsunade-sama," Diarmuid greeted her warmly, his tone respectful.
Tsunade frowned but didn't attack. Instead, she asked, "Apologies, but whom am I speaking to?"
"Rodriguez Diarmuid. You can just call me Diarmuid. I am the leader of the mercenary organization, the Yorozuya. It seems my subordinate had a misunderstanding with you. My apologies," Diarmuid said with a smile.
"Yorozuya?" Tsunade looked bewildered. What kind of organization is that? Why haven't I heard of it?
At that moment, Shizune ran to Tsunade's side in a panic and whispered, "Tsunade-sama, the Yorozuya is a mercenary group that has risen to power in the last two or three years. They are incredibly strong. It's said they killed the Third Raikage during the war. This man, Diarmuid, also killed a Daimyo in the Land of Earth. We must be careful."
Tsunade was stunned. Killed a Raikage? Killed a Daimyo?
Despite her surprise, she now had a general idea of who he was. Still, it didn't concern her much; she was no longer active in the shinobi world. She was the "Legendary Sucker" of the gambling circuit; none of this really mattered to her.
Ignoring his pedigree, Tsunade asked directly, "Where is Hanzo of the Salamander? Are you here because he hired you for the civil war?"
Diarmuid scratched his head slightly. "It seems Tsunade-sama hasn't returned to Konoha in a while, nor have you seen Jiraiya. Otherwise, you wouldn't be asking that."
"What do you mean?" Tsunade's frown deepened.
"Hanzo of the Salamander fell at the hands of the Yorozuya some time ago. Currently, Amegakure, and indeed the entire Land of Rain, is under our control. If you came looking for Hanzo, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed," Diarmuid explained calmly.
Tsunade's heart skipped a beat. She looked at him with genuine shock. Hanzo was dead? She found it hard to believe because she had fought him personally and knew exactly how powerful he was. The title "Demigod" wasn't just for show. To the shinobi of her generation, Hanzo was a legendary figure. Even if he wasn't quite at the level of Hashirama Senju, he was still a legend.
Her instinct was to doubt him, but looking at Diarmuid's composed demeanor, a voice in her head told her he wasn't lying. However, she quickly snapped out of it. Who cares if Hanzo is dead? Since the Land of Rain now belonged to the Yorozuya, she could just ask him directly!
"In the Land of Stone, I heard rumors that my former partner, Orochimaru, defected from Konoha and died here in the Land of Rain. What's the story?" she asked sternly.
She now suspected Orochimaru might have died at this man's hands. If he could kill Hanzo, he certainly had the strength to kill Orochimaru. Her gaze turned hostile.
Diarmuid grinned. He didn't plan on wooing her just yet; there would be time for that later. His priority was the Spirit Transformation Technique.
He looked at the young girl beside Tsunade. "And this must be the Shizune-san that Orochimaru mentioned, right?"
Without waiting for a response, he continued, "I apologize. Those rumors were false reports we spread intentionally. Orochimaru isn't dead. He is a dear friend and a partner with similar goals. He is currently a member of the Yorozuya, busy with his research."
Tsunade stared at him, connecting the dots. "So you spread those lies specifically to lure me here?"
Diarmuid didn't hide it. He nodded. "Correct. I knew the bond between you and Orochimaru was deep. I calculated that if you heard such news, you would come to the Land of Rain to see for yourself. My deduction proved correct. My apologies for the deception, but honestly, I simply couldn't find any other way to track you down."
Tsunade took a deep breath. It made sense; she had too many creditors and had to keep her movements hidden. But based on Shizune's intel and this brief encounter, she judged Diarmuid to be a very dangerous man. What would such a man want with her?
"Why? Why were you looking for me?" she asked.
Diarmuid's grin widened. "On one hand, I have long admired you, Tsunade-sama. I wanted to see your grace for myself and speak with you."
Tsunade blinked. A confession? Not quite. To use the word 'admire' with such a straight face... She looked him over. He was certainly handsome, at least more pleasant to look at than that idiot Jiraiya.
But that wasn't enough to sway her. "And the other reason?"
"The other reason," Diarmuid said, "is that I wanted to find Shizune-san to make a trade."
"Shizune?" Tsunade looked at her assistant, who was equally confused. Why would he want anything from a nobody like her?
"Yes, Shizune-san. It's somewhat bold of me to ask, but this matter is vital to my future plans. I desire the Spirit Transformation Technique in Shizune-san's possession. Would you be willing to part with it? I'm not looking to steal it; this is a trade. Whatever you need, just name it," Diarmuid said, his tone turning serious.
"That bastard Orochimaru..." Anger flared in Tsunade's eyes.
Her reaction delighted Diarmuid. It confirmed that she believed Orochimaru had given him this information. More importantly, it confirmed Orochimaru's suspicion: the Spirit Transformation Technique was indeed in Shizune's hands!
"And here I was, worried he was dead and rushing here to collect his corpse. I didn't expect that creep to be so despicable, selling me out like this," Tsunade cursed. She turned back to Diarmuid. "The Spirit Transformation Technique is a secret art of the Kato Clan. My apologies, but I cannot give it to you."
"But as I understand it, Tsunade, the Kato Clan is no longer active in shinobi affairs. In that case, the technique has little value to the clan. If things continue this way, it might even be lost to history. I hope you and Shizune-san will reconsider. I am truly acting in good faith," Diarmuid said. This time, he dropped the "sama" when addressing her.
"Are you threatening me?" Tsunade asked, her eyes flashes with fury.
She had every right to be angry. She had worried about Orochimaru, rushed here to confirm his safety, only to find she'd been played by her old friend and then accosted by this stranger demanding a secret technique. Anyone would be livid, let alone someone with Tsunade's temper.
"Tsunade-sama..." Shizune tugged nervously at Tsunade's sleeve.
"Quiet!" Tsunade snapped.
Anything else might have been negotiable, but the Spirit Transformation Technique held a special meaning for her. To some extent, it carried the will of Dan Kato.
"I don't mean to threaten you. I just want you to understand that this technique is very important to me. Honestly, I would much prefer a friendly exchange," Diarmuid sighed.
He liked Tsunade, but the Spirit Transformation Technique was more important. If it came down to it, he would have to take it by force. After all, he was no saint.