Chapter 38 — A Meet-Up? I'll Meet Your Head
Tsunade lifted her wrist and studied it for a moment. The soft luster of the pearls complemented her fair skin perfectly.
She said coolly, as if unimpressed,
"Don't think a little gift like this is enough to curry favor with me, kid."
Watching her clearly pleased yet stubbornly composed expression, Namikaze Yami wisely chose not to call her out on it.
"Of course not," he replied lightly. "I just thought the sapphire on this bracelet shines as brightly as your eyes."
The line was far too direct—borderline cheesy. Even Yami felt a faint shiver after saying it.
Tsunade clearly hadn't expected that. A faint flush crept up her ears, and she promptly changed the subject.
"I heard you gained quite a bit from this last mission. Even the old man's been praising you."
"I did make a little extra on the side," Yami blinked, deliberately misunderstanding her point.
"Enough to treat you to a big meal."
Tsunade was about to explain when a medical ninja hurried in, pushing the door open.
"Tsunade-sama! There's an issue in the intensive ward!"
She rose at once, all traces of fluster gone, her usual crisp efficiency returning.
"I'm coming."
At the doorway, she paused, glanced back at Yami, and gently shook the wrist wearing the bracelet.
"Thank you for the gift."
Watching her leave, Yami was momentarily lost in thought. Then, in an excellent mood, he whistled as he headed out of the hospital, thinking to himself:
With this bracelet on, she'll probably think of me every now and then while she's working.
Settling his emotions, he decided not to rush back to the Land of Water just yet. Acting too hastily as a traveling merchant would only invite suspicion.
Instead, he spent several days in Konoha carefully preparing—meticulously selecting the next batch of goods he'd take with him.
During that time, he tried to see Tsunade now and then, but whether intentionally or not, she always seemed to avoid him.
Yami understood. Too much pressure spoiled the balance.
Some things, after all, couldn't be rushed.
On his way back to the Land of Water once again, things were far less smooth than last time. Perhaps his cargo was simply too eye-catching—he ended up attracting a band of bandits who clearly had no sense of self-preservation.
"Kid, that's quite a haul you've got there. Leave it—"
Before the sentence could finish, the bandit leader's head was already flying.
Namikaze Yami had no interest in exchanging pleasantries with trash like this.
Anyone who lived by banditry was the same—preying on the weak, bullying the defenseless, their hands long since soaked in the blood of innocent merchants. There was no need for mercy.
The remaining bandits were swiftly dealt with, not a single one escaping.
"When I was weak, I had to watch my words and read the room," Yami muttered as he wiped the blood from his blade.
"But now that I have strength, others should be the ones choosing their words carefully. Otherwise, what was the point of getting stronger?"
Even though the fight ended quickly, the scent of blood lingered.
When he arrived at the Land of Water's border checkpoint, the sharp-eyed guards immediately noticed something off.
"You smell like blood," one of the patrol ninjas said warily.
Yami replied calmly, "The road's long. Ran into a few blind thieves along the way. When you travel alone, you need some means of self-defense."
As he spoke, he casually displayed the ninja blade at his waist. The simple, time-worn weapon made him look like someone with genuine martial skill—hardly strange in an era where traveling without strength was no different from advertising oneself as prey.
After a brief inspection and confirming the goods posed no problem, the guards let him through.
Back in the familiar border town, Yami's merchandise this time was far more targeted.
In addition to the ever-popular "Oil", he brought:
Skincare products designed specifically for the Land of Water's damp climate
Precision tools exported from the Land of Crafts via the Land of Fire
And—walking the edge—several ninja tool components
As expected, the carefully selected goods sold out even faster than before. They didn't even last until the second day. Another massive profit.
What Yami didn't know was that far away in Konoha, Danzō had already leaked his movements through a private channel.
---
Kaguya Clan Territory
Kaguya Naoto frowned at the letter in his hand, hesitating.
"Where did this come from?" he asked.
A trusted aide replied immediately, "Unknown. It was thrown into the courtyard with a kunai early this morning."
"Who else saw it?"
"Probably no one. I brought it to you the moment I found it."
Naoto tapped the table lightly, thinking for a long moment.
"Don't spread this," he said finally. "…No. Forget it. I'll handle this myself."
He had considered sending a clansman—but recalling the Kaguya clan's universally aggressive temperament, he dismissed the idea.
Tucking the letter into his robes, Kaguya Naoto stepped out of the estate.
---
"♪ Today's a good day—everything I wish for comes true ♪"
Yami hummed cheerfully as he strolled through town, in an excellent mood.
This time, he had brought more than double the previous shipment—and it had all sold out in a single day. Even he hadn't expected that.
With time to spare, he decided to properly enjoy the Land of Water. While Kirigakure itself wasn't convenient to enter, the surrounding towns and local customs were more than enough to satisfy his curiosity.
As he walked down the main street, a local villager brushed past him in passing.
Yami suppressed his instinctive counterattack—but instantly felt something slip into his hand.
Without changing expression, he pocketed it and continued strolling, casually buying small trinkets.
Only after reaching a quiet corner did he glance at the note.
"Come to the northeastern forest outside town tonight. Important intel exchange."
He crumpled the paper and destroyed it without hesitation, then resumed wandering until dusk before returning to his inn.
He deliberately chose the same inn as last time—it was close to the forest mentioned.
Within the range of Kagura Mind's Eye, the entire forest lay under his surveillance.
Yami lay down as if asleep, while closely monitoring the area.
At midnight, a single figure quietly appeared at the designated spot.
No ambush. No backup. A genuine solo meet-up—everything matched the note perfectly.
Only then did Yami relax… and promptly fall asleep.
The unfortunate figure waited in the forest all night, unmoving as mosquitoes feasted upon him.
At dawn, he finally left—muttering colorful curses about someone's ancestors as he went.
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