"Yagyu-kun, you're finally back."
"I thought you were in danger in Konoha!"
Terumi Mei used the Body Flicker Technique to appear in front of Yagyu, speaking excitedly.
"Why are you guys here?"
Yagyu was somewhat surprised; he hadn't even entered the base yet!
"Since we returned, this girl Mei has been worried about you constantly."
"She's been waiting here these past few days. Finally, she waited long enough for your return."
Genji said with a smile, explaining why they appeared outside the base.
"Is that so?"
"Worried about my safety? You guys really lack confidence in my strength."
"I thought you would be worried about Konoha's safety!"
Yagyu drawled lazily, pointing at Tsunade beside him.
"Princess Tsunade of Konoha? Why has she come with you?"
"Seeing how harmoniously you were walking earlier, I thought she was sent by Konoha to escort you!"
"But looking at it now, that doesn't seem to be the case."
Genji glanced at Tsunade and spoke with some surprise.
"Konoha sending someone to escort me? You're overthinking it!"
Yagyu glanced at Genji and replied lazily.
"What exactly is going on?"
Seeing Tsunade's cold face and her "strangers keep away" expression, Genji could only continue questioning Yagyu.
"After you guys left, Konoha made a move on me."
"Even though they had prepared five different strategies to deal with me, they still fell short in the end!"
"I taught them a harsh lesson and grabbed Tsunade to bring back as a hostage."
Yagyu spoke casually, as if recounting a trivial event.
Genji was instantly stunned and asked in disbelief, "Are you saying... Konoha attacked you, and you defeated them?"
"Even one of Konoha's Kage-level powerhouses, one of the Sannin, Tsunade, was captured by you as a hostage?"
Yagyu nodded calmly. "Of course!"
Genji looked at Tsunade. From her expression, it was clear Yagyu wasn't lying.
"Sorry, give me a moment."
"The world is changing too fast; my brain can't quite keep up."
Genji let out a breath and gave a wry smile.
...
A short while later.
Kirigakure Base, Genji's Office.
Holding a teacup, Yagyu sipped his tea calmly while recounting the events that had taken place in Konoha.
He didn't hide anything because there was simply no way to hide it.
Precisely because of this, Genji and Terumi Mei were shocked.
"Unbelievable!"
"If all of this is true, I will report to the Third Mizukage immediately."
"There is no need for us to sit on the sidelines anymore. We should send troops to attack the Land of Fire at once."
Genji straightened his expression and spoke seriously.
"Hm?"
Tsunade, standing to the side, changed her expression slightly, staring at Genji warily.
"Princess Tsunade, please stay here for now."
"When we negotiate peace with Konoha, they will likely ransom you back."
Genji looked at Tsunade coldly.
"What are you blabbering about on your own authority?"
Yagyu glanced at Genji and spoke in a casual tone.
"Attacking Konoha!"
"With your strength alone, you could crush Konoha. Combined with Kirigakure's ninja forces, we might be able to annex Konoha entirely."
"Even if we can't annex it, we could still seize a large chunk of land in the Land of Fire and gain substantial benefits."
Genji stared at Yagyu with burning eyes, his tone almost impatient.
"Are you joking?"
"I did so much in Konoha, and the village hasn't even paid my commission yet!"
"Besides, I'm tired now. I'm going on vacation!"
Yagyu shook his head and spoke sluggishly.
Genji was frantic. "Is this really the time for jokes?"
Yagyu's expression changed, and he said solemnly, "I'm not joking with you. I will not make a move against Konoha right now."
Genji calmed down a bit and asked, "The reason?"
Yagyu smiled. "Because the current Kirigakure doesn't have the strength to annex Konoha."
"Even if we conquer Konoha and seize the Land of Fire's territory, expecting to hold onto it securely is unrealistic."
As long as one has enough strength, conquering territory is easy.
But capturing territory isn't the goal; digesting it and making it truly your own is.
At this point, Konoha has only been established for a few decades and is in its prime, holding a significant advantage in terms of public support.
Even if Kirigakure conquered the Land of Fire, they couldn't effectively utilize it.
Suppressing internal rebellions is far more troublesome than fighting on the battlefield.
If you want to occupy it by force, you need absolute superiority—overwhelming power.
Regrettably, Yagyu was able to thrash Konoha thanks to his extraordinary abilities, not because of sheer, overwhelming power.
If Yagyu could display a level of strength that made Konoha ninjas despair, then ruling by force might be an option.
Absolute power crushes everything, and internal conflicts can be suppressed.
Unfortunately, he didn't have that kind of power yet.
So, he chose the strategy of disrupting Konoha, letting them squander their own reputation through internal strife, and making the people lose faith in the village.
Later, when he suppressed everything with absolute power, the hearts of the people and the territory would fall into his hands without issue.
Genji frowned slightly. "Those are matters for the Mizukage to consider. We just need to conquer the territory."
Yagyu shook his head. "Sorry, I refuse!"
Genji was helpless but didn't say much more.
Yagyu's formidable strength gave him the capital to negotiate with the village.
"Fine!"
"Since you're unwilling, then forget it!"
"Go back to Kirigakure in a few days; the Mizukage wants to see you."
"By the way, what should we do with Princess Tsunade?"
Genji looked at Tsunade. "Should we have someone lock her up?"
Yagyu said lazily, "No need! She's very strong; you guys can't watch her effectively."
"Let her live with me. I'll watch her personally to ensure she doesn't try anything funny."
Tsunade's expression changed as she stared at Yagyu. "What did you say?"
Yagyu replied casually, "I said you'll live with me. What's wrong with that?"
"It just so happens I'm short a maid. Maybe you can fill the role. A princess as a maid... sounds kind of interesting."
Tsunade retorted angrily, "In your dreams!"
Yagyu shrugged indifferently, then had a sudden thought. "Oh, right! Kirigakure's medical standards aren't very high. Since you're a famous doctor from Konoha, you can help us out in that department."
Tsunade sneered. "You must be joking. Medical ninjutsu is precious knowledge. How could I possibly hand it over to enemies like you?"
Yagyu drawled slowly, "Not enemies! Young Tsunade, the current Kirigakure is an ally of Konoha!"
"To ensure the friendship between the two villages doesn't sour, Konoha specifically sent you here!"
"You have to shoulder your responsibility and prove the reality of the 'Kirigakure-Konoha Family' by spreading medical ninjutsu through practical action."