Naruto:The Monkey King

Path of Redemption and The Dark encounter

Naruto glanced down at the unconscious form of Kabuto. Without a second thought, Naruto reached down, hoisting Kabuto over his shoulder as if he weighed nothing.

"Why... why aren’t you going to finish him off? He’s Orochimaru’s subordinate. He’s dangerous." Tsunade

Naruto shook his head, his expression softening for the first time since the battle began.

"He’s confused. He’s been used. I can see it... he doesn’t know who he is anymore. Killing him won’t solve anything." Naruto

Tsunade frowned, still skeptical. "And you think you can fix that? Set him on the right path?"

Naruto nodded, his gaze unwavering.

"I’ll guide him, help him find his way." Naruto

Tsunade wanted to argue, to tell Naruto that it wasn’t that simple, but there was something in his eyes,an unshakable belief, a strength she couldn’t deny. With a reluctant sigh, she nodded.

"Alright, Naruto. I trust you." Tsunade

Together, they made their way back to the hotel.

As they entered, Jiraiya was the first to notice them. His gaze shifted to the unconscious Kabuto slung over Naruto’s shoulder.

"Who’s the baggage?" Jiraiya

"Kabuto?! What is Orochimaru’s right-hand man doing here?" Shizune

Naruto smiled, a hint of amusement playing on his lips.

"Oh, you know. Just dealt with the snake bastard. Figured I’d bring this one back with me." Naruto

Jiraiya’s eyes flickered with a mixture of shock and something deeper, sadness. Despite everything, Orochimaru had once been his friend, a bond forged through years of hardship and battle. It was hard to reconcile the memory of his teammate with the monster he had become.

"You... you got rid of him?" Jiraiya

Naruto’s smile faded slightly, understanding the gravity of what Jiraiya was feeling. He nodded.

"Yeah. He won’t be coming back this time." Naruto

The room fell silent as the weight of those words hung in the air. Jiraiya’s eyes were distant, lost in memories of the past. He knew that Naruto had surpassed him in strength, but hearing that his former comrade was gone stirred a storm of emotions within him.

Without another word, Jiraiya turned and walked toward the bar in the corner of the hotel. Tsunade followed, sensing that he needed someone to talk to. They settled into their seats, the low light casting shadows across their faces as they shared a drink in silence.

Finally, Jiraiya broke the quiet, his voice low and heavy with the weight of the past.

"I always thought... maybe there was still a part of him that could be saved, you know? That the Orochimaru I knew wasn’t completely gone." Jiraiya

Tsunade took a long sip of her drink before setting it down with a soft thud. She looked at Jiraiya, her eyes tired but resolute.

"He was too far gone, Jiraiya. Orochimaru made his choices long ago. He crossed lines that we couldn’t pull him back from." Tsunade

Jiraiya’s lips twitched into a faint smile, but there was no joy in it. He glanced down at the amber liquid in his glass, swirling it absentmindedly.

"Remember when we were kids? He was always the one pushing us(mainly him), the one who wanted to learn everything, be the best. I thought that drive would make him the strongest of us all." Jiraiya