Tsunade ripped the two purple stripes off Roshi's cheeks with a sharp flick.
"What's with sticking these things on your face? Looks ridiculous."
Then she set him down, scanning him from head to toe.
"This," she said, nodding approvingly, "looks much better than that stiff, old-fashioned ninja uniform."
The Fourth Raikage stepped closer, his presence heavy.
"You're also a ninja from Konoha?" he asked gruffly. "What are Konoha shinobi doing here?"
Tsunade snorted, dropped back into her seat, and grabbed the sake flask beside her.
"This isn't the Land of Lightning," she said flatly before taking a long swig. "So where a Konoha ninja shows up is none of your concern, Raikage."
This scene was not what Roshi had imagined—he had expected Tsunade to be cornered by Kumogakure shinobi, not drinking comfortably with their leader.
He answered calmly, "I am from Konoha, yes—but I'm currently on vacation."
Without missing a beat, he glanced at the wall menu and ordered several dishes: yakitori, simmered daikon, and stewed meat. Then, sitting cross-legged opposite Tsunade, he noted the dozen small sake flasks on the table. The aroma was faintly sweet—ordinary sake.
"Brat, didn't I tell you not to drink anymore?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow at him.
"I was just checking how strong the alcohol is—the same alcohol that made you throw a fit earlier," he replied evenly.
The flasks held about 150 ml each—filled to roughly 120. By his count, Tsunade had downed at least two to three catties' worth.
At 10–19% alcohol, sake wasn't particularly strong. But for someone with a ninja's constitution…
"If you can't hold your liquor, maybe ease up a little," Roshi said. "Honestly, I expected to find you passed out in some basement by now."
"What was that?!" Tsunade slammed the table, veins rising on her hand. "That mouth of yours—still as annoying as ever! Who do you think you're talking to?!"
"Uh… madam?" The nervous waiter approached with their food.
Tsunade exhaled sharply, forcing down her temper.
Roshi gestured for the waiter to set the dishes down and thanked him, then looked at the Raikage.
"If you don't mind, please join us."
A's brow twitched. He couldn't tell if this boy was being polite or subtly mocking him—but he still sat down.
"As I mentioned," Roshi said calmly, "I'm a Konoha shinobi on leave. When I discovered Lady Tsunade's whereabouts and noticed Kumogakure's movements, I decided to investigate."
"Konoha and Kumogakure have already signed an alliance," the Raikage replied stiffly. "While we're not allies in spirit, we're no longer enemies either."
Then his sharp eyes fixed on Roshi's face again. It seemed familiar.
"Roshi you've indeed misunderstood," Shizune interjected gently. "Lady Tsunade had a wager with Raikage-sama, and then…"
"I forced her to treat me and my subordinates," the Raikage said bluntly, cutting her off. "That's all there is to it."
"Roshi…" A's eyes narrowed slightly. "I've heard of you. You were the envoy Konoha sent to the Hidden Sand last year, weren't you?"
"Just a minor assignment," Roshi replied, picking up a skewer of yakitori. "I didn't expect it to reach the Raikage's ears."
"As someone who's survived such missions, you should know that's no simple matter," A said, before glancing at Tsunade. "And as for our agreement—though I won the bet that made you treat my men, I'll make sure you receive proper payment."
He stood up.
"Tsunade, I've already dispatched someone to clear your debts with those loan sharks in the Land of Gold. With that done, I'll take my leave."
"Wait—what?!" Tsunade slammed her hand on the table again. "Why not just give me the money directly, damn it?!"
Without looking back, A said coldly, "Giving money to a gambler who never wins is meaningless. You'd only lose it again."
He paused at the door.
"Whether you borrow again is your own problem. I've fulfilled my part."
Then he was gone.
Tsunade clicked her tongue. "Tch. Arrogant as ever."
"Still," Roshi said, wiping his hands on a napkin, "for a Kumogakure shinobi, he's not wrong."
"Get lost too!" Tsunade shot him a fiery glare. This brat had a real talent for getting under her skin.
"Lady Tsunade, that's too harsh," Shizune quickly said, hugging the piglet in her arms. "Roshi came here because he was worried about your safety."
She turned to him. "It all started in the Land of Cedar. Raikage-sama led his team there to seize a secret ninjutsu scroll from the Hidden Cedar Village."
At that, Roshi nodded slightly. Of course. Typical Kumogakure behavior—stealing other villages' techniques, even with their Raikage leading the raid himself.
"To retrieve the scroll," Shizune continued, "Hidden Cedar hired a mercenary group called the Nokizaru group. During the battle, they used a secret technique—Exploding Insect. One Kumo-nin died, another was parasitized by insects, and even Raikage-sama was affected, though only mildly."
So that explained the traces Roshi had seen in the forest earlier.
"By chance," Shizune went on, "one of their medical-nin found Lady Tsunade nearby and sought her help."
"Given the history between Konoha and Kumogakure, I can guess her answer," Roshi said.
"Raikage-sama initially tried to force her," Shizune admitted in a whisper, "then challenged her to decide it with a duel. But Lady Tsunade was drunk and made him wait in the rain all night."
Tsunade coughed lightly and looked away.
"The next day, he came again," Shizune continued, "so she proposed an arm-wrestling bet. If he won, she'd agree to help."
"The result?" Roshi asked.
"Lady Tsunade's strength was greater, but the Raikage was faster. He pretended to relax midway, then suddenly exerted his strength and won."
Roshi sighed. "And she kept her word."
"I performed the actual surgery," Shizune said softly.
Roshi raised a brow. "Didn't the Raikage notice?"
Her expression turned sheepish. "…He did."
Roshi glanced at Tsunade. She looked utterly unfazed, sipping her drink.
Old grudges aside, the Fourth Raikage had shown remarkable restraint—even after discovering her hemophobia, he hadn't taken advantage of it.
"Eventually, Kumogakure's reinforcements arrived," Shizune finished, "and the Nokizaru Squad withdrew."
"The story's over," Tsunade said with a yawn, waving a hand. "Kumo's gone. When are you leaving brat?"
Roshi calmly finished his last bite, set down the skewer, and met her eyes.
"I didn't just stumble across you by coincidence," he said.
Tsunade gave a dry laugh. "I figured as much."
"I need your help," Roshi said plainly. "This trip isn't just a vacation. I'm training to master Sage Mode—and I've reached a stage where your guidance could make the difference."
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