Rather than going home to listen to a group of old men drone on with their lectures or staying cooped up in the Medical Department, Tsunade much preferred living at Ronglin's house. Being able to properly torment the kid only made her more satisfied.
However, Tsunade didn't dare touch the food Uchiha Diqin prepared anymore, regardless of how many times Diqin guaranteed it was delicious. Thus, for the next three days, Tsunade basically lived off Ronglin's cooking.
The food itself wasn't the issue; the real point was that she specifically demanded Ronglin do the cooking, which made him wonder if she simply got a sense of achievement from bossing him around.
Fortunately, those three days passed in the blink of an eye. Tsunade eventually had to lead a larger group of medical ninjas to the front lines to provide support. Jiraiya and White Fang had pressed her several times already, prompting her to grumble in complaint. Those two bastards didn't leave anyone any time to rest; they were just like Yanming.
"My Lord, the delegation from Kirigakure has arrived at the village. The Hokage requested your presence."
"So soon?" Ronglin sat up in surprise, stroking his chin as he asked, "Weren't they busy with the election for the Fourth Mizukage? They sent a delegation already?"
"It seems the Fourth Mizukage himself is among them," the Anbu ninja replied with a shake of his head. He wasn't entirely sure of the details; he was merely following orders.
"I'll be there immediately."
Watching the Anbu ninja depart, Ronglin narrowed his eyes slightly. By his calculations, Kirigakure shouldn't have been able to send a delegation for at least four months. It had only been two months, yet they had already reached Konoha. Clearly, they were impatient.
Kirigakure would certainly want to trade back their captured ninjas, including the Three-Tails. To any village, a Tailed Beast was of vital importance. They were just moving a bit faster than expected.
During these past two months, Ronglin had spent most of his time at home, occasionally keeping an eye on the progress of the front-line battles. Unfortunately, things weren't much different from the original story.
The war was still in a state of gridlock, and it would be very difficult to determine a victor in the short term. At this rate, it truly might drag on until Konoha Year 47, just like in the original timeline.
Before sending a delegation, Kirigakure first had to stabilize their village and elect a Fourth Mizukage. He hadn't expected them to settle all that within a single month. It seemed this newly appointed Fourth Mizukage was quite capable. He wondered if it was that unlucky fellow, Yagura, from the original series.
Lost in thought, Ronglin left his home and made his way to the Hokage Office Building. The meeting room, which used to be packed during briefings, was now somewhat empty. It was just the right size to receive the Mist delegation.
"You startled me!!"
The moment Ronglin stepped into the meeting room, he realized everyone's gaze was fixed on him. The members of the Kirigakure delegation, in particular, looked as if they wanted to devour him whole. Ronglin feigned a frightened expression, patting his chest.
This display left the Mist delegation speechless. Everyone knew Uchiha Ronglin possessed heaven-defying strength now; would a man like that truly be afraid of a few glares?
"Ahem!!!"
"Uchiha Ronglin has arrived. Let the negotiations begin," the Third Hokage cleared his throat, gesturing for Ronglin to sit beside him.
Ronglin walked straight to Sarutobi's side and glanced at the delegation. He spotted a somewhat familiar facethe brat, Yagura. He wasn't sure if Yagura was truly that young or if his body was like Onoki's, where his age increased while his appearance remained stagnant.
"Fame is one thing, but meeting in person is another. Hello, Uchiha Ronglin. I am Yagura, the Fourth Mizukage of Kirigakure. It is a pleasure to meet you."
Yagura not only had the height and face of a ten-year-old child, but even his voice sounded like one.
"Hello, it's a pleasure. I am Uchiha Ronglin." Ronglin smiled and nodded, then suddenly leaned forward slightly.
The Mist delegation jumped in alarm, staring warily at Ronglin for fear he might try something against their Mizukage. Countless Mist ninjas had died by his hands, including the Third Mizukage! In other words, Ronglin was a man with a serious criminal record. They couldn't afford to be anything less than hyper-vigilant.
The only one who didn't seem nervous was Yagura. He raised a hand to signal the others to relax, a smile remaining on his face as he looked at Ronglin, completely unconcerned that the boy might harbor ill intentions.
"Apologies, everyone. I am a peace-loving person. I wouldn't do anything untoward to your Lord Mizukage!" Ronglin raised his hands to show his innocence and gave his guarantee, though he emphasized the words "Lord Mizukage" with heavy irony.
Naturally, no one believed him. Their village's Third Mizukage had fallen at Ronglin's hands. Although the Three-Tails had dealt the final blow, the beast had been under Ronglin's control at the time. Therefore, it was practically the same as Ronglin killing the Third Mizukage himself.
"I'm just curious... Lord Mizukage's age couldn't possibly be younger than this child here, could it?" Ronglin asked with the feigned innocence of a child.
His expression made the corners of the Konoha ninjas' mouths twitch. What a performer! They're all just putting on an act!!
"You!!!"
As soon as those words left his mouth, the Mist delegation erupted in fury. This was a blatant provocation against Yagura. It would be strange if the delegation could endure such a slight.
"I simply look and sound like a child due to certain reasons." Yagura himself wasn't angry. Instead, he looked at Ronglin with interest and countered, "I heard Uchiha Ronglin is Konoha's super genius, the strongest man in the village at only eleven years old. However, you don't quite look the part."
Yagura was subtly mocking Ronglin for being all show and no substance. Ronglin let out a grin. "That doesn't matter. As long as I'm that strong when it's time to fight, it's fine."
"Alright, let's get down to business."
The Third Hokage coughed, interrupting their verbal sparring. They weren't sitting here today for petty bickering; they were here to resolve the issue of the Mist captives and the Three-Tails. If the meeting room was already smelling of gunpowder this early on, how could they negotiate?
The Third Hokage also hoped to reach an agreement soon. That way, Konoha could secure a substantial sum in reparations to support the village's ongoing wartime expenditures.
Since the boss had spoken, Ronglin shrugged and fell silent.
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