A few days later, Makoto and his group had long since returned to Konoha.
And the humiliating defeat of Kumogakure had become the biggest topic in the Ninja World.
In the Hokage's office, everyone was discussing the next target.
There wasn't really much to discuss... it was set in stone that it would be Iwagakure.
After all, among the Five Great Ninja Villages, the ones with the worst relationships with Konoha were Kumogakure and Iwagakure, splitting the honors.
However, the enmity with Iwagakure involved direct conflict, while with Kumogakure, it was about betrayal.
During the first two Great Ninja Wars, Konoha and Iwagakure were the two villages that fought head-on and suffered the most brutal losses.
Wasn't Kakashi's left eye lost during a battle against Iwagakure? He later received Obito's Sharingan as a transplant.
And in the previous Great Ninja War, Tsunade's younger brother, Nawaki, as well as her first love Kato Dan, were also killed at the hands of Iwagakure's Ninjas.
Makoto sat on the sofa, legs crossed, glanced at Tsunade, and deliberately omitted Kato Dan's name, only mentioning Nawaki.
"Senpai, do you want to go to the battlefield to avenge your younger brother?"
Tsunade couldn't help but roll her eyes at him, naturally aware that the kid didn't want to mention her ex-boyfriend.
However, Tsunade fell silent.
Only then did Makoto remember that because Jiraiya hadn't brought Naruto when he went to find Tsunade, her hemophobia hadn't been cured yet, even up to now.
Over the past few years, any surgeries requiring incisions were performed by her disciple, Mai, acting as her substitute.
Jiraiya scratched his head and recommended that Tsunade go.
"I think it's an opportunity. Maybe you can overcome your hemophobia through this."
Makoto held the opposite opinion. "If you don't want to go, Senpai, then don't. It's fine if it's not cured."
Jiraiya didn't quite agree with this reasoning, 'Surely you can't avoid the issue of hemophobia forever, right? You still need to find a way to cure it.'
"It's not some terminal illness. If it can't be cured, then don't cure it. The comfort zone is so comfortable, why leave it?"
Makoto's tone was casual, adding another line: "Besides, Senpai, if you want Onoki's head, I can get it for you."
Upon hearing this, Tsunade felt a warmth in her heart, and the way she looked at Makoto changed slightly.
Jiraiya was busy arguing with Makoto and completely missed this.
Shizune, standing quietly behind Tsunade observing, couldn't help but inwardly sigh: 'If Jiraiya-sama could speak as well as Makoto, how could he have spent half a century chasing after Tsunade-sama without success?'
Jiraiya, still oblivious to the change in Tsunade's gaze, continued his impassioned speech:
"Is there really a need to kill Onoki? Hasn't your goal of intimidating the Ninja World already been achieved?"
In Jiraiya's view, Makoto's continued killing of Kages was truly unacceptable.
A Kage is the head of a village. Killing one is equivalent to forging an irreconcilable blood feud with that village, which would be inconvenient for future management.
Although Jiraiya had also witnessed the terrifying nature of Nayuta's ability, he believed that such a rule through fear was completely unacceptable, and that people should understand each other.
Hearing the words 'understand each other', Makoto had a look of utter disgust on his face.
Understand each other?
For god's sake, in his previous life, people couldn't even understand each other over whether to put cereal first or milk first, and Jiraiya wanted Ninjas from villages with deep-seated blood feuds to understand each other?
However, Makoto couldn't be bothered to argue this point with Jiraiya and asked with a smiling face:
"So, in your view, Jiraiya-senpai, Senpai's grudge is nothing important?"
Shizune blinked.
'Why did that remark sound so passive-aggressive and manipulative?'
Upon hearing this, Jiraiya was left speechless. The corner of his eye caught Tsunade's somewhat gloomy expression, and he quickly tried to change the subject:
"N-No, th-that's not what I meant... I-I..."
Jiraiya couldn't form a complete sentence for a long time.
Seeing him like this, Shizune couldn't help but roll her eyes again.
The gap in level was just too vast.
Afterward, Jiraiya didn't dare face Tsunade anymore and left on his own.
Makoto also signaled Shizune that she could go rest.
Shizune's expression was a bit strange.
She always felt that leaving Makoto and Tsunade alone in a room would lead to something bad happening.
But she didn't dare say anything more. She smiled wryly and quickly left.
The door closed.
Only two people remained in the room.
Makoto walked behind Tsunade and slipped his hand inside her collar.
"You brat... why do you always like doing it here..."
Before Tsunade could finish her sentence, Makoto's large hand made her moan involuntarily.
Fortunately, Tsunade suffered from hemophobia, not megalophobia. Otherwise, it would have been inconvenient to get things done.
Just then, Makoto took a photo frame from his bosom and placed it on the office desk.
The person in the photo was Kato Dan.
Tsunade's area visibly contracted. Her face flushed as she turned her head and glared at him:
"Wh-Why did you take out his photo of all things?"
Makoto smiled wickedly: "To let him feel involved."
Tsunade rolled her eyes furiously.
Far away in Konoha's cemetery, a crack suddenly split open on Kato Dan's tombstone, and a green sprout emerged from within.
"Outrageous!"
Iwagakure.
The Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, as if possessed by the Fourth Raikage, shattered his office desk with a single palm strike.
Books scattered all over the floor, revealing the unsightly contents within—
[The Adulterous Copulation of Onoki and A]
Author: Kashiwagi Eri
Story Supervisor: Sawamura Sayuri
This was the latest masterpiece by the number one artist in the Ninja World, Kashiwagi Eri, starring the Third Tsuchikage Onoki and the recently deceased Fourth Raikage A.
Doujin genre: Small horse pulling a big cart (Shotacon/old man with younger, larger character).
Seeing those unsightly images inside, Onoki's blood pressure instantly exceeded its limit. He shouted outside the door:
"Kitsuchi!"
The office door quickly opened, and a sturdy, middle-aged man walked in quickly. It was Onoki's son and the father of Kurotsuchi, the future Fourth Tsuchikage.
"Father, what's wrong?"
Kitsuchi scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
Onoki floated in front of his son and hit him with a depression-fist on the head.
"Call me by my title during working hours!!"
Kitsuchi quickly lowered his head, looking aggrieved. "Y-Yes, Third Tsuchikage-sama. Um... did something happen?"
Onoki let out a cold snort, pointed at the unsightly picture book, and said sharply:
"Has the identity of this Kashiwagi Eri been investigated yet?"
Kitsuchi nodded.
"Yes, it was leaked when the Ninja World Government attacked Kumogakure... It's a little girl named Sawamura Eriri under Nishikawa Makoto."
"Damn Konoha! Using this method to crush our army's morale!"
Onoki roared in uncontrollable anger.
"Send orders throughout the village! Prepare the entire village for war! We will fight Konoha to the death!"
Kitsuchi was startled.
"I-I don't think that's possible, is it? The Ninja World Government is so strong. Given our strength... Maybe we should just surrender directly?"
"After being humiliated like this, you expect me to swallow my pride and endure it?!"
Onoki got even angrier, his voice trembling.
"Do you think I'm Sarutobi Hiruzen?!"
Kitsuchi had no choice but to bow his head in response. "Yes, yes, yes... my fault, Third Tsuchikage-sama. I'll relay the orders immediately."
Onoki snapped at him again: "You brat, not even calling me 'Father' anymore, huh?"
Kitsuchi: ...