The Sealing Team tensed to intervene, but Raj stopped them.
'It's just a brief meeting,' he reasoned.
Even if the Raikage tried to rescue her, the sealing techniques on Yugito would allow them to easily recapture her - and the Raikage himself would face dire consequences.
This was Konoha's Main Camp, after all.
"Yes, Lord Raikage," Yugito replied.
The Third Raikage's words were an order to Yugito, so she obediently sat down.
The Sealing Team members began to fret. If Raj ordered them to release her, should they comply?
Tsunade's orders hadn't arrived yet...
But while they were pondering, Raj had already returned to the Raikage's shoulder, waving his paw and saying, "Even though Lord Raikage said that, you should still keep a close watch. Don't let the Two-Tails escape, meow!"
"I'm not called Two-Tails! I have a name - it's Yugito! And it has a name too!"
"Meow~ Okay, Two-Tails. I'll come visit you again later."
Raj waved his paw, ignoring Yugito's face, which had flushed crimson with anger, and then pointed outward.
The Third Raikage's mustache twitched slightly.
'That little paw was pointing... Am I a mount?!'
'The Konoha bastards really know how to get under your skin. Tsunade's like that, and now even this cat. Is this some kind of Konoha tradition?'
"Yugito, get some rest. I'll have Tsunade release you later."
The Third Raikage smiled at Yugito.
In front of Yugito, the Third Raikage maintained his tough, domineering, and imposing demeanor.
But the moment he turned away, his expression darkened.
Given Tsunade's insistence on medical fees, convincing her to release Yugito for some fresh air would likely require some "materials" of his own.
'Konoha has nothing but scoundrels! Especially the Hokage's disciples. Whether it was the Second or Third Hokage, none of their students turned out well.'
'Just look at Danzo, Orochimaru, and Tsunade. The people of Kumogakure are far more genuine and honest.'
"Where's Tsunade?"
"Please follow me," Rin said with a slight bow.
Tsunade was likely calming herself in the main camp. That was why Raj had taken the Raikage out for a stroll without her interference, to spare him from seeing her vulnerable side.
A message had just arrived from the medical team: Tsunade was ready to begin treatment.
Raj wasn't particularly interested in medical procedures, but he was curious about the extent of the Third Raikage's necrotic damage, so he decided to accompany them.
When they entered the Medical Room, the Third Raikage's eyes widened in disbelief.
'This is Konoha's Medical Room?'
"The camp's facilities are relatively basic, Rin. Remove the bandages," Tsunade said casually, her words stinging the Third Raikage deeply.
'Even Kumogakure's best hospital probably can't match the equipment in your frontline camp. If Konoha calls this "basic," what does that make our Kumogakure? Konoha is truly wealthy!'
As the Third Raikage underwent treatment, he observed the surrounding equipment, trying to memorize some of the designs to ask his own engineers if they could replicate them.
But after studying for a while...
"Meow~ Do you understand any of this?"
"Huh?"
Tsunade glanced over curiously. Who was Raj talking to?
The Third Raikage awkwardly glanced at Raj before shaking his head and sighing.
"To be honest, I don't understand a thing."
"Do you understand it?" Tsunade glared disdainfully at Raj.
"Of course, meow! I'm omnipotent!" Raj retorted, then urged her to examine the injuries.
A test subject like the Third Raikage wasn't something they came across every day.
Tsunade put on her gloves, and after Rin removed the bandages, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
The injuries were so fine that there was no bleeding. This made treatment easier; blood would have complicated matters.
Tsunade began her initial examination, appearing to treat the Third Raikage.
In reality, she was simultaneously recording his body data and the destructive power of the Rasenshuriken.
Raj merely glanced over. Perhaps it hadn't been long enough, but the hand appeared perfectly intact from the outside.
Yet Tsunade's grave expression made it clear the damage was severe.
It watched for a while.
Though the Third Raikage was amiable and held no I'll will toward Raj for injuring him, the fact remained: he had been beaten, forced to pay exorbitant medical fees, and would ultimately have to thank Konoha for it all... It all sounded absurd.
As it watched from the sidelines, its thoughts drifted further and further away.
Snapping back to reality, Raj noticed the Third Raikage asleep in the medical chair, his sleeping posture eerily reminiscent of how it used to doze off in class back in its previous life.
'Well, might as well get some sleep too.'
Raj stifled a yawn.
The night's battle had been exhausting, but at least the Kumogakure side was finally settled.
Next up was Kirigakure.
But dealing with the Kirigakure would be tricky.
Their maritime sealing techniques were a real headache, and their main base remained a mystery.
Just locating it would take ages.
'All this is such a pain.'
The next morning, Raj was sound asleep when a burst of loud laughter erupted outside.
A figure rapidly approached, shouting as he hurried, "Raj! You little brat, come out!
This old man wants a rematch!"
"Meow?"
Raj spotted the Third Raikage and swiftly used the Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport to Tsunade's side.
'Fighting? Only an idiot would take you on. Aside from the Sage Art version of the Rasenshuriken, I can't think of any other techniques that could actually harm this guy.'
'Fighting him is just asking for trouble.'
"Aren't you bothered by all this commotion?"
"Nope."
When Raj arrived at Tsunade's side, she was beaming as she held up a scroll.
A quick glance revealed it was the trade agreement the Third Raikage had signed that morning after being healed.
The scroll listed the quantities of weapons to be traded: kunai, shuriken, and Fuma shuriken.
'Well, that's that. Now that she's secured her benefits, she doesn't care if he shouts all day.'
'How typical.'
Raj rolled his eyes inwardly.
"Oh, by the way, the Kiri Ninja attacked our defenses last night. Shikuro secretly planted Parasitic Destruction Insects on them and tracked them back to their main camp. Do you want to come along?" Tsunade set down the scroll.
With this scroll, she could essentially clear her debts in the village. If she could also earn some merit from the Kiri Ninja, she might even get the old man to cover her gambling debts outside the village.
The thought made her wish she could join the mission herself.
"Meow?"
"Of course there'll be rewards."
"Meow!"
"As for specifics? Well, anything but money is negotiable. I know about the situation with Jiraiya, so I won't pursue the sequel to your book. Even if you write something outrageous, I'll only hold Jiraiya accountable.