Gulp!

Shikaku and Inoichi stared at the scene in disbelief. Shikaku felt like he should really abandon the thoughts that were running through his mind.

"You bring a gift like this the moment you arrive… that's just like you," Kaito said, holding Tsunade's smooth fist with a slight smirk.

"Hmph. Judging by your smug face, I take it the Sand Ninja were defeated?" Tsunade scoffed.

"Yes, they were. I've fulfilled everything I promised you. I hope you'll uphold your end."

"Your conditions? What exactly are they, Kaito-sama? Don't tell me it's about marrying Lady Tsunade?" one of the Konoha higher-ups joked, smiling as he approached alongside Shikaku.

"You're reading too much into it," Kaito replied flatly, shaking his head.

"What are your conditions?" Tsunade asked, frowning in confusion.

Kaito: [...]

Seriously? I knew she was tough, but this tough? Kaito nearly felt like coughing up blood from frustration.

It was as if all his efforts had been for nothing. For a moment, if Shikaku and the others hadn't been present, Kaito would've grabbed Tsunade and—well—taught her a lesson.

Just as he was about to speak through gritted teeth, he caught a sly glint in Tsunade's eyes.

She was messing with him.

Without another word, and in front of everyone, Kaito picked up Tsunade and vanished from sight.

"This guy… seriously just left like that?"Yuhi Shinku muttered with a look of amused regret.

Everyone else rolled their eyes, ignoring him.

---

Meanwhile, in the Sand Ninja camp

Rasa walked solemnly toward Chiyo, Bunpuku and Ebizo by his side.

The moment they appeared, the Sand Ninja warriors stepped aside respectfully. Their expressions were heavy with sadness. The result was obvious.

"Rasa-sama, Ebizo-sama," Pakura greeted as she bowed. Then, without waiting, she carefully took Bunpuku's body from Rasa and carried it himself.

"Granny Chiyo... we lost," Rasa said bitterly. "Give us a few days to sign the peace agreement with Konoha."

"You mean to tell me that even the three of you combined couldn't win?" Chiyo demanded, though the tremble in her voice betrayed the answer she already knew.

The Sand Ninja behind her leaned forward, listening with bated breath.

"It was his white lightning... it naturally counters Rasa's gold sand and other metallic chakra constructs," Ebizo explained. "He couldn't even use half his strength in that fight."

Rasa remained silent, his face grim.

"That man—he wasn't sent by fate, he was sent by the gods to protect Konoha," Ebizo said after a pause. "We can't win, not against someone like him. Surrender is the only choice."

Chiyo's fists clenched. Her body trembled with frustration and resentment, but deep down, she knew. No one in their ranks could match Kaito's strength.

After a long silence, she exhaled, and her shoulders slumped. It was as if she aged ten years in that single moment.

"Fine... surrender. What else can we do?"

She turned to Rasa. "After the agreement is signed with Konoha, return to the village. You'll be recognized officially as the Fourth Kazekage. From now on, I won't involve myself in the village's decisions."

"I understand, Grandma Chiyo," Rasa said, joy and sorrow mixing in his expression.

---

At the Fire Country border, ten miles from the Konoha encampment…

"You bastard! You forgot again! And why do you keep smacking my butt?!" Tsunade's angry voice echoed through the forest.

Kaito didn't slow his pace. "You forgot something important. How long has it been since I reminded you? Half an hour? Tops?"

"In that time, you completely forgot. Unbelievable! Your brain must be in your chest!"

Kaito's irritation flared, and his palm strikes landed a little harder.

That's right—despite the drawn-out feeling of the battles, from Chiyo to Rasa and Bunpuku, it had all happened within half an hour.

In that short time, Kaito had crushed the Sand Village's elite. A clear display of how overwhelming his power had become.

"Enough already! I forgot, okay? It's not like I did it on purpose!" Tsunade growled. If only I could beat you, I'd have done it already!

Ugh, my poor butt… I just finished healing it with medical ninjutsu!

After a few more smacks, Kaito noticed some swelling and sighed.

Without saying a word, he used the Mystic Palm Technique to heal her.

Tsunade blinked as the pain faded into a cooling relief. She turned her head to find Kaito silently treating her.

"You... you can use the Mystic Palm Technique? Is there anything you can't do?!" she exclaimed.

The fact that he was healing her butt was completely forgotten. At this point, she'd been embarrassed by him so many times, what was one more?

She looked at him with a complicated expression, somewhere between anger and resignation. Her future reputation… was already shattered.

Kaito remained silent, focusing on the treatment with his usual calm.

After a moment, he retracted his hand and asked, "How does it feel?"

"Hmph. It's fine," Tsunade muttered, shooting him a glare that could've cracked stone.

"So that's it? Just helping Hoshigakure get my assistance? No hidden agenda?"

She couldn't understand it. Just for a request for Hoshigakure Village, this man had taken down the Sand Village's upper echelon. The implication was obvious—Sunagakure would surrender.

It didn't feel real.

"No, I told you already," Kaito said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Our relationship is... special. You're the only one I can really trust in this era."

Tsunade's eyes widened, and her face turned pink. "A special relationship... with me?"

Kaito saw the shift in her expression and quickly clarified, "Not like that!"

"Oh? Then what kind of special relationship is it, Kaito?" she asked sweetly—too sweetly. Her chakra flared and dark wisps began to rise behind her.

Kaito took a step back.

Uh oh.

---

Read ahead of WN on patreon.com/Zphyr_