"My, my…"
The front gate of the Shimura residence had collapsed onto the ground, and even the nearby walls had been reduced to rubble.
Kizaru stood not far from the entrance, hands tucked into his pockets as he leaned lazily against the trunk of a large tree.
"Oh… looks like someone's gate didn't survive the morning." he sighed as he looked at the small ruin in front of him.
"You brat, have you figured out whose fault this is?" Danzō snapped. A bruised eye stood out clearly on his face, and Kizaru's words nearly made him lose his composure again.
Pfft—
The moment Kizaru turned to look at his uncle, he failed to hold it in and burst out laughing.
Veins bulged at Danzō's temple, and for a second he felt dizzy from sheer irritation.
"I'm truly sorry, Uncle. I just happened to think of something amusing," Kizaru said, his apology utterly lacking sincerity.
"That crazy woman…" Unable to vent his anger at Kizaru, Danzō could only curse Tsunade under his breath.
"Thank you for your hard work, Uncle." Seeing the look on Danzō's face, Kizaru even took the initiative to comfort him.
Danzō looked at his nephew and said earnestly, "Don't provoke that lunatic again in the future. Do you hear me, Kizaru?"
After scratching his head, Kizaru nodded with a smile. "I know."
Then he turned and began walking out of the street.
"Where are you going?" Danzō called after him.
"To the hospital."
Kizaru slowed slightly and answered without turning around.
Danzō's expression twisted at once, and he coughed from anger, aggravating the injuries on his body.
He had just told him not to provoke Tsunade, and Kizaru had agreed so readily—only to turn around and head straight for the hospital?
"Wait! Why are you going to the hospital?"
"I heard Jiraiya-senpai was admitted last night. I'm going to visit him."
Hearing that explanation, Danzō immediately felt much better, and even his tone softened.
"Come back soon."
"I know."
With that, Kizaru quickened his pace and left the street in front of the Shimura residence.
Watching him disappear from sight, Danzō turned back toward the wreckage at his door.
His cheek twitched uncontrollably.
With a dark expression, he turned and went back inside.
About twenty minutes later, Kizaru arrived at the hospital with a cup of tea in his right hand and breakfast in his left.
By then, the warm morning sun had already climbed past the Hokage Rock and was shining high above Konoha. Many patients were out walking through the hospital grounds.
Smiling as he greeted doctors and nurses along the way, Kizaru made his way into the inpatient ward.
After reaching the third floor and asking around a bit, he finally found Jiraiya's room.
"Good morning, Jiraiya-senpai."
Pushing open the door, Kizaru walked in and greeted Jiraiya, who had only just gotten out of bed.
"You really did me in this time," Jiraiya said with a wry smile, both hands still wrapped in bandages.
"My, my… looks like Tsunade-nee-san was in top form," Kizaru said with a lazy smile as he handed Jiraiya the breakfast and sat on the edge of the bed.
"That woman Tsunade is ruthless," Jiraiya grumbled as he accepted it.
Still smiling, Kizaru sensed someone approaching from outside the room. Without missing a beat, he suddenly said, "That's not fair, Jiraiya-senpai. Tsunade-nee-san is a wonderful person. She's kind, passionate, and beautiful too."
Tsunade, who had quietly come over after hearing from her subordinates that Kizaru had arrived, had originally intended to settle accounts with him.
But the moment she reached the door and heard that evaluation, most of the anger in her chest vanished on the spot.
"Tch." Jiraiya snorted in disdain while eating.
"You're still too naive," he said, looking at Kizaru. "That woman Tsunade may be pretty, but her personality is awful. Once she gets mad, she turns into a full-blown tyrannosaurus."
After saying that, Jiraiya raised both hands toward Kizaru.
"Look at this. She did this to me last—"
Bang!
Before he could finish, the door to the room slammed open.
Anger never really disappeared. It simply shifted targets.
Tsunade strode in with a dark expression, killing intent practically radiating off her.
"Who told you to eat this stuff?"
She walked straight to Jiraiya and snatched away the breakfast Kizaru had brought.
"The hospital already prepared a proper meal for you. Don't eat whatever you feel like."
She didn't spare Kizaru so much as a glance. Her eyes were fixed entirely on Jiraiya.
"Kizaru brought it for me," Jiraiya explained carefully, unsure how much of that conversation Tsunade had heard.
After saying that, he looked at Tsunade, then secretly flicked a glance at Kizaru, his eyes full of helpless pleading.
"Lie down."
After scolding Jiraiya, Tsunade finally turned toward Kizaru.
Though most of her anger had already faded, she still deliberately kept a cold face as she asked, "How many of those scrolls have you gone through?"
"I'm almost done," Kizaru replied with a smile.
Scrolls?
What scrolls?
Jiraiya's gaze shifted back and forth between the two of them, curiosity obvious on his face.
"Good. I don't have anything else to do today. You're coming with me to Training Ground later."
"Thank you very much, Tsunade-nee-san."
Tsunade raised her right hand and smacked Kizaru on the arm—not too lightly, not too hard—then glared at him.
"Talk properly when you speak to me."
"Alright," Kizaru answered with an easy smile.
Jiraiya looked up at Kizaru's arm, then down at his own hands and arms, which were wrapped up with broken bones still healing.
For some reason, his whole chest suddenly felt sour.
"Someone will bring you breakfast later. Just lie there and rest," Tsunade said as she withdrew her hand and lowered her gaze to Jiraiya again.
"I know…" Jiraiya replied weakly, watching helplessly as Tsunade led Kizaru out of the room.
He's only ten years old, Tsunade!
After bringing Kizaru out of the ward and walking through the corridors and down the stairs, Tsunade returned to her office.
She took off her white coat, revealing the fitted training clothes she wore underneath, then turned to look at Kizaru behind her.
Casually tossing the coat onto a chair, Tsunade said, "Come here."
Kizaru took two unhurried steps forward until he stood right in front of her.
Crossing her arms, Tsunade looked up at his smiling face and frowned.
"Lower your head."
Having already guessed what she was thinking, Kizaru bent slightly and lowered his head.
Tsunade reached out with her right hand and roughly rubbed his hair in retaliation. At last, the cold expression on her face gave way to a smile.
"There. Now we're even."
Still keeping his head lowered, Kizaru said jokingly, "How about a few more times, Tsunade-nee-san?"
Tsunade punched him in the shoulder, then straightened back up and rolled her eyes.
"That's a fine idea, brat."
"What a shame," Kizaru said with a smile.
"You really are something," Tsunade muttered in exasperation. Then she turned toward the door.
"Let's go."
"Alright, alright."
Still smiling, Kizaru followed Tsunade out of the office once more.
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