Deidara traveled at a blistering pace, reaching Amegakure in just a matter of days.
Years ago, when Diarmuid first took over Amegakure, the hidden village, and indeed the entire Land of Rain, had been completely isolated from the outside world. Forget the free flow of information; even commercial trade was entirely locked down, with almost zero goods passing through the borders. As a result, the Land of Rain had been in a wretched state, and Amegakure itself was a picture of absolute desolation.
However, after a few years of lockdown, the international political climate began to shift for the better. The suffocating tension of impending global warfare gradually dissolved, and no major powers dared to actively provoke the Yorozuya. Consequently, the isolationist policy was lifted, and both the Land of Rain and Amegakure quickly shed their closed-off nature.
The Land of Rain was a landlocked nation. While it couldn't compare to the vast territories of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, it was by no means small, and it possessed a formidable geographic advantage: it was a global crossroads.
The Land of Rain shared borders with three major powers—the Land of Wind, the Land of Earth, and the Land of Fire—as well as several smaller nations.
Because of this strategic position, it had always been a highly contested battlefield in times of conflict. Whenever a war erupted, major hidden villages like Konohagakure would frantically attempt to occupy its key topography to secure a military advantage. But in times of peace, this geographic position yielded an immense economic advantage.
Merchants traveling between the major nations almost always had to pass through the Land of Rain. This reality ensured that once the lockdown was lifted, the economy naturally skyrocketed at a breakneck pace, even though Diarmuid rarely ever meddled in the internal administration of the country.
By now, the dedicated commercial districts within Amegakure were exceptionally prosperous. Despite the unrelenting downpour, the streets were constantly bustling with pedestrian traffic and endless streams of merchant caravans. The entire area hummed with a unique cultural atmosphere native to the Land of Rain.
At that moment, inside a teahouse located in one of these bustling commercial sectors, two figures sat near the window, quietly observing the vibrant scenery outside.
"Tsunade-sama, I never imagined this place would change so dramatically in just a few short years," Shizune remarked softly, cradling her pet pig, Tonton, in her arms.
A pot of premium tea and an assortment of delicate pastries sat on the table before them. Seated directly across from Shizune was a woman with smooth, cascading blonde hair, a jaw-droppingly curvaceous figure, and an undeniably striking countenance. It was none other than Tsunade herself.
Ever since Diarmuid had forcibly "traded" for the Spirit Transformation Jutsu all those years ago, Tsunade and Shizune had never set foot in Amegakure again. In fact, they had completely avoided the Land of Rain altogether. Even when traveling to other nations where cutting through this country would have been the fastest route, they intentionally chose long, circuitous detours just to steer clear of it.
There was no helping it; Diarmuid had thoroughly outmaneuvered Tsunade during their last encounter, leaving her with a lingering sense of psychological trauma. Furthermore, the Land of Rain was a place of deeply complicated, painful memories for Tsunade, it was the very soil where the fires of war had claimed both her younger brother, Nawaki, and her former lover, Katō Dan.
Tsunade snatched a pastry from the table, entirely discarding any semblance of traditional feminine grace as she popped it into her mouth. In a thoroughly irritated tone, she grumbled, "Hmph. It certainly has changed a lot."
Despite her breathtaking beauty and her prestigious lineage as a descendant of a founding clan, Tsunade possessed a distinctly rugged, unrefined aura that belonged to a seasoned wanderer rather than a highborn lady.
She truly embodied her reputation as the Legendary Sucker of the gambling world.
Seeing Tsunade's sour disposition, Shizune chuckled softly and asked, "Tsunade-sama, are you still holding a grudge over what happened back then?"
"Of course I am!" Tsunade snapped, looking highly displeased. "I, Tsunade, have never suffered such a massive loss in my entire life. Speaking of which, Shizune, it was your family's secret jutsu that got stolen! Aren't you the least bit angry about it?"
Shizune's gaze drifted slightly as she recalled the past. She lifted her teacup, took a gentle sip, and shook her head. "In the beginning, I did harbor some resentment. But looking back, I don't feel like we were truly cheated. Diarmuid-sama did offer to compensate us, didn't he? Besides, considering his terrifying level of strength, the fact that he was willing to negotiate rather than just take it by force shows he possesses a decent amount of humanity."
Tsunade stared at Shizune in utter disbelief, her eyes wide. "Hey, hey! Whose side are you on anyway, girl? How dare you defend that complete bastard!"
Just as the words left Tsunade's mouth, a voice tinged with surprise and delight drifted over from behind them.
"Tsunade-sama???"
Hearing the voice, Tsunade gave up her argument with Shizune, whom she now viewed as a text-book victim of Stockholm syndrome, and turned around to look toward the entrance of the teahouse.
The initial blank confusion in her eyes rapidly gave way to shock. "Hizashi? Is that you? Look how much you've grown!"
The man who had called out to her was indeed Hyuga Hizashi.
Hearing Tsunade's choice of words, Hizashi couldn't help but feel a wave of awkwardness wash over him. The elder energy radiating from her is just way too intense!!!
To be fair, the twin brothers of the Hyuga clan belonged to a generation below Tsunade; technically speaking, they shared the same generational standing as Minato. However, in terms of actual age, the gap between them and the likes of Tsunade and Jiraiya was only a little over a decade. Still, Hizashi found it difficult to formulate a smooth response to being talked to like a child, so he decided to just stick to his own rhythm.
Taking a few polite steps toward Tsunade and Shizune, Hizashi bowed respectfully. "It has been a long time, Tsunade-sama. I have missed your presence dearly. I never expected to cross paths with you in a place like this. Ah... of course. I recall Diarmuid-sama mentioning before that the two of you are exceptional friends. May I assume you have come to Amegakure to meet with Diarmuid-sama?"
Tsunade's jaw tightened. Since when the hell did that bastard Diarmuid and I become 'exceptional friends'?! Is that the kind of garbage rumors circulating in Konoha right now? This is straight-up slander!
And if my memory serves me correctly, Diarmuid is globally classified as an S-rank rogue ninja, right? Given his status... you are a prominent scion of one of Konoha's ultimate noble clans! How can you casually address him as 'sama'? Has Konoha's relationship with Diarmuid genuinely deteriorated to this level of absurdity?
In truth, while Hizashi was certainly surprised to run into Tsunade here, he wasn't completely blown away. It was true that Tsunade hadn't returned to Konohagakure in years, but running into acquaintances outside the borders of the Land of Fire was something that happened to her quite frequently.
The only people who never crossed paths with her were individuals like Hiruzen or the village elders, who literally never left the village for years at a time. Active, high-ranking clan members like Hizashi, however, occasionally encountered her during external operations.
Her mind a chaotic mess of confusion, Tsunade chose to gloss over the matter entirely. She waved her hand dismissively and questioned, "Hizashi, what are you doing here? Are you leading a Hyuga clan merchant caravan? You seem remarkably familiar with the Land of Rain. Do you actually know that guy Diarmuid?"
Since this wasn't classified intelligence and Tsunade was fundamentally one of Konoha's own, Hizashi didn't see any harm in being transparent.
He nodded calmly, offering a warm smile. "The Hyuga clan's commercial ventures within the Land of Rain have always been highly lucrative, and I have personally visited this country numerous times. However, I rarely have the privilege of disturbing Diarmuid-sama myself. As for our clan's relationship with him, my elder brother, Hiashi-sama, shares an incredibly deep friendship with Diarmuid-sama. It is precisely because of this bond that our clan's business operations in the Land of Rain receive such exceptional protection and care."
"Hiashi and Diarmuid are close friends?" Tsunade asked, her eyes widening in astonishment. "Based on what you're implying, Diarmuid's relationship with Konoha is genuinely excellent?"
Years ago, before her brief clash with Diarmuid, she had heard the man boast about his political connections to her home village. However, at the time, Tsunade had dismissed it entirely as arrogant bluster, and she had never gone out of her way to investigate the S-rank rogue ninja's background afterward.
Now, it appeared this particular S-rank criminal was entirely different from the wild renegade she had envisioned.
Hizashi looked genuinely surprised by her reaction. "Did Diarmuid-sama never mention these matters to you, Tsunade-sama?"
Tsunade put on a sophisticated front, waving her hand with practiced nonchalance. "He and I have never bothered to discuss such trivial political affairs."
She delivered the line with an air of casual intimacy, making it sound as though she and Diarmuid were so close that their conversations transcended mere political talk, focusing entirely on deeper, more personal matters.
If it had been anyone else, Tsunade's transparently vague excuse might have raised an eyebrow or sparked immediate suspicion. But Hizashi didn't overthink it for a second. In his mind, Diarmuid had already explicitly affirmed that Tsunade was a dear friend of his, so Hizashi completely misread her deflection as a confirmation of that deep bond.
"Ah, I see." Hizashi nodded, a look of understanding dawning on his face. "I expected nothing less. To think that Diarmuid-sama and you, Tsunade-sama, possess such a noble, elevated dynamic. However, since we have chanced upon each other, I suppose there is no harm in shedding some light on the situation. In truth, Diarmuid-sama has maintained an incredibly amicable relationship with the village since the very beginning. Jiraiya-sama and Diarmuid-sama are exceptionally close, and the Third Hokage holds Diarmuid-sama in very high regard. From what I gather, Diarmuid-sama has stepped up on two separate occasions to assist the village with monumental crises. Ultimately, while he technically retains his status as an S-rank rogue ninja on paper, he faces no hostility whatsoever when entering Konoha. In fact, he occasionally visits the village as an honored guest."
Tsunade listened to his explanation, her expression shifting through various shades of sheer bewilderment.
Her enduring impression of Diarmuid was that of a monstrously powerful, thoroughly unreasonable brute who had forced her into an unwanted transaction for the Spirit Transformation Jutsu, leaving her with a bitter taste in her mouth. She had never given a single ounce of credence to his claims about being on good terms with Konoha.
But now, it seemed she had fundamentally misjudged the situation. This is just ridiculous. How can a listed rogue ninja be running around playing best friends with the hidden village's administration?!
"Is that so? Hahaha... he really never brought any of that up with me," Tsunade laughed tightly, before quickly adopting a natural, haughty tone. "The next time I see him, I'll have to give him a piece of my mind. We're supposed to be such great friends, yet he kept all of this hidden from me."
In truth, Tsunade's journey to the Land of Rain had been motivated by a desire to see Diarmuid. However, she had been feeling incredibly self-conscious about the meeting because her underlying objective was embarrassing: she had come to extract money from him.
The Legendary Sucker had accumulated an astronomical mountain of gambling debt over the last few years. While being ruthlessly hounded by loan sharks not long ago, a sudden realization had struck her, didn't Diarmuid still owe her a major favor or a massive compensation from their last encounter?
Thus, she had traveled to the Land of Rain with the sole intention of cashing in that promise for cold, hard funds. But because the nature of the request was so deeply humiliating, she had been hesitating on the borders for days, unable to resolve whether she should actually swallow her pride and demand the cash.
It was precisely during this bout of indecision that she had run into Hizashi, leading to this current conversation.
"The next time you see him?" Hizashi blinked, looking slightly dazed. "Wait... do you mean you didn't schedule a formal meeting with Diarmuid-sama here today?"
Tsunade froze, a look of sharp alertness flashing across her features. "What do you mean by that? Is Diarmuid coming here?"
"Yes, I—" Hizashi started to explain, completely bewildered.
Before he could finish his sentence, a smooth, resonant voice carrying a trace of pleasant surprise echoed from the entrance of the teahouse.
"Tsunade? When did you arrive? You didn't even give me a heads-up. Hahaha! It's been a long time. How have you been keeping lately?"
As the words drifted into the room, Diarmuid's strikingly handsome figure stepped smoothly through the doorway, his eyes locked onto the blonde kunoichi.
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