"What a pain."
Leaving the Hokage Office, Tsunade looked back at the Hokage Office Building and the Hokage Rock that represented Konoha. She shook her head with a bitter smile and walked away.
"What do you want with me?"
Having received the message, Rong lin arrived at the location Tsunade had specified: a small tavern.
"Can't I come find you unless there's an emergency?"
Tsunade sat in her chair and waved a hand dismissively. She looked quite irritated, and a flush had already crept onto her fair cheeksshe had clearly been drinking quite a bit.
Gently moving the empty bottles to one side, Rong lin looked at the mess on the table and nodded.
"Of course you can. You're always welcome to find me. Right now, I don't have much else, but I have plenty of time."
Rong lin grinned as he spoke. His leisurely attitude made Tsunade itch with annoyance.
"Drink!! Don't you dare tell me you aren't drinking!!"
Tsunade poured him a glass directly. Let's see if I can't handle you, kid!!
"Alright, I'll drink."
Rong lin picked up the glass and took a tiny sip. As usual, a single glass was basically enough to last him until the end of the night.
However, Tsunade clearly had no intention of letting him off easy today. She kept nagging him to drink, but no matter how she goaded or prodded, Rong lin remained unmoved, taking only a tiny sip each time.
Consequently, despite her constant urging, he hadn't consumed much at all.
"Can't we just wait until everything is over before settling accounts?"
Looking at the stubborn Rong lin, Tsunade felt helpless. She was almost at the point of being dead drunk, yet this guy was still the sametaking tiny sips, never drinking an extra drop.
If you want to drink, that's your business. I'm just having a sip.
Tsunade was at her wit's end dealing with someone like Rong lin.
"Heh..."
Rong lin put down his glass and leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed. He looked at the flushed, even more alluring Tsunade.
"First, let me clarify. I'm not settling scores with anyone right now. I've already gotten enough of what I wanted on the Hidden Mist Village battlefield, so there's no need to push that hard."
"Second, I don't want to make enemies. Like I said, I just wanted to rest, so I'm simply taking a break for a while."
"I understand the principle of looking at the big picture. So, before everything is settled, I won't launch any retaliation against the Hyuga Clan and Shimura Clan. After all, I'm a part of Konoha too. A defeat for Konoha wouldn't do me any favors."
"Do you think I'll believe that?"
Tsunade narrowed her eyes, staring at him.
"You will believe it. In fact, you have no choice but to believe it," Rong lin smiled confidently.
Tsunade's mouth twitched, and she fell silent.
"Drink!! Drink like you mean it!! This meal is on me!! If you don't get drunk, nobody's leaving!!!"
After a long while, Tsunade grew furious. I can't outtalk you, but surely I can outdrink you?
"What?"
Rong lin's eyes widened. "Are you telling me that after dragging me out to drink, you were planning to make me pay for it the whole time?"
"Of course!"
Tsunade arched an eyebrow, her expression practically daring him to challenge her.
Tsunade was going full rogue. Rong lin immediately raised his hands in surrender, saying through gritted teeth, "You'd better not push me. When I get drunk and go crazy, even I'm afraid of myself!!!"
"Pfft"
Tsunade scoffed, shaking the bottle. "Oh, I'd really love to see how 'scary' you are when you're drunk. One word: are you drinking? If not, I'm bringing out the big guns."
"..."
Two hours later...
The streets of Konoha were silent at night. A dizzy Rong lin was carrying Tsunade on his shoulder as he walked down the road. His head was spinning, and he muttered under his breath, "Tsunade... you damn woman... drunk again. Let me carry you home to rest."
How long had it been since he'd been this drunk?
Rong lin didn't know; he hadn't kept track. It seemed that in his previous life, after a drunken mistake caused him to miss something vital, he had never let himself get drunk again. Today was the first time.
"What are you following me for? Get lost!!"
Feeling two "little tails" behind him, Rong lin couldn't help but roar at them. He wasn't lying; when he got drunk, even he feared his own drunken madness.
This wasn't a joke, but Tsunade hadn't believed him. Now, a little chaos-bringer was about to be bornat least until he sobered up.
Sensing the Anbu ninjas trailing them, Rong lin would usually have ignored them, but now he just roared at them.
The two Anbu ninjas following Rong lin and Tsunade felt incredibly wronged. We're just following you because we're worried you'll run into trouble! Why are we getting yelled at out of nowhere?
You have to understand, this kind of situation had never happened before, right?
The two Anbu ninjas, after being cursed at for no reason, looked at each other with aggrieved expressions, unsure if they should keep following.
But before they could make a decision, Rong lin started shouting again. "Get back there and tell the Hokage that while I'm grateful to him, I also despise him! For a man of his stature, the Hokage doesn't have a shred of courage! No wonder Konoha is fighting on so many fronts and being run in circles!!!"
"You brat!!!"
The groggy Tsunade was jolted awake by Rong lin's words, her drunkenness dissipating quite a bit.
Hooking her arm around Rong lin's neck, she rubbed her throbbing forehead and said to the Anbu behind them, "It's fine. You guys go back. This kid is drunk. I'll take him home."
Someone like Tsunade would maintain a sliver of sobriety even when drunk. It was just that, without realizing it, she had developed a sense of dependency and simply didn't want to move. If you dared to touch her, you could see if she would suddenly "rise from the dead" and beat you to death.
"Yes, ma'am!!"
The two Anbu ninjas had strange expressions. Wasn't it Lord Rong lin who was supposed to be sending you home?
"..."
For some reason, Tsunade felt herself sobering up. She was literally being irritated into sobriety by this kid!!
"Go back and get some rest!!!"
With a dark expression, Tsunade gave Rong lin a slap. Instead of moving, Rong lin just sat down on the ground and shouted:
"If you don't carry me back, I'm sleeping right here!!!"
"..."
"Seriously... kid, stop acting. Don't think I don't know."
🚨 Note: Consider supporting this story on Patreon.com/Flokixy to access 400+ advance chapters and 2 new chapters daily! (Full story bundles also available without a subscription).