"Smack!"
Tsunade slapped away Jing Hang's "demonic hand" as it reached for her.
"You're supposed to be recovering! Behave yourself, or I'll give you something to cry about!" she scolded, continuing to peel an orange.
"Do you really think I need to recover? You know me better than that," Jing Hang teased, winking at her.
Without a word, Tsunade shoved the entire peeled orange into his mouth.
Unfazed, Jing Hang chewed enthusiastically, orange juice dripping down his chin.
When the news of Jing Hang's assassination attempt reached her, Tsunade had been conducting experiments in the underground research lab. She had immediately dropped the test tube in her hand and rushed to the scene. Seeing Jing Hang unconscious on the ground, she panicked, grabbing his wrist to check his pulse.
She froze for a moment.
Who was Tsunade, if not the most skilled medical ninja in the shinobi world? A single touch was all it took for her to understand the situation. Moreover, the chakra-weakening agent used in the attack was her own creation. She knew its symptoms better than anyone.
As Jing Hang's index finger gently tapped the back of her hand, she instantly understood his intent.
A setup? Well, two could play at that game.
Taking charge of the situation, she instructed the medical ninjas on-site, "Quick! Get him to the Medical Division's emergency room immediately! Prepare the VIP suite!"
The outcome, of course, was "not ideal."
For the next few days, Tsunade stayed by Jing Hang's side in the VIP suite, tirelessly "tending" to him. Her image as a devoted and virtuous wife quickly gained the admiration of Sunagakure's women.
After Jing Hang finally managed to swallow the orange, he sighed, "What else could I do? Those moles are deeply hidden, and they might even have ties to foreign forces. Without bait, they wouldn't have taken the hook."
"Fine, play your little games of intrigue all you want, but now you've dragged me into this. I can't even leave the hospital! The Medical Division is swamped, and no one's around to take care of Jing Yan either," Tsunade complained.
"Relax, I've taken care of everything. Jing Yan will stay with Granny Chiyo for a couple of days. With her watching over him, no one would dare make a move. As for work, it's endless anyway. Take a break; you deserve it," Jing Hang said, lounging with his hands behind his head and his legs crossed.
"Foreign forces? Who?" Tsunade asked.
"Not sure yet. We should have news in a few days. Don't worry—it's definitely not Konoha," Jing Hang replied with a smile.
Suddenly, a thought struck him. "Has Bai Fei returned yet?"
"No. A month ago, following your instructions to the Medical Division, I sent him to the Moon Lake New Area branch of Silver Sand Pharmaceuticals to oversee the construction of the medicinal herb fields and research facilities. He probably won't be back until next month. Oh! I get it. Has he appeared again?" Tsunade immediately grasped Jing Hang's implication.
"Yes. The Intelligence Division spotted his trail in Iwagakure. I suspect these events might be connected. It's possible Iwagakure is stirring up trouble."
"Iwagakure? But isn't the Fourth Tsuchikage, Purple, on good terms with us?" Tsunade asked skeptically.
"Heh, who knows? We'll find out soon enough," Jing Hang said cryptically.
Understanding her position as an outsider and the wife of the Kazekage, Tsunade knew better than to press further. She understood what questions were appropriate and which were not.
"I have something important to discuss with you," Jing Hang said seriously.
"What is it?" Tsunade asked.
"My dear wife, we've both been so busy. Now that we finally have some downtime, why don't we try for a second child?"
"You scoundrel!" Tsunade laughed, her cheeks flushing.
With a mischievous grin, Jing Hang used his Magnet Release to lock the door, pulling Tsunade onto the bed...
Ripple Effects Across the Shinobi World
The news of Jing Hang's assassination attempt was like a stone cast into the calm lake of the shinobi world, sending ripples far and wide.
Konohagakure, Hokage Office
In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi puffed on his pipe as he addressed Homura Mitokado, Koharu Utatane, and Danzo Shimura.
"What do you all make of this situation?"
Homura and Koharu exchanged glances before turning to Danzo. It was clear that, as the head of the ANBU, Danzo had the most insight into such matters.
Expressionless, Danzo slowly said, "Sometimes, doing nothing is better than acting rashly."
Hiruzen exhaled a smoke ring. "Explain."
"The assassin is Eizo, the grandson of the former Military Affairs Minister, Dust Sand. This is clearly a retaliatory act against Jing Hang's recent anti-corruption campaign. Whether it was a personal vendetta or orchestrated by someone remains unclear, as Sunagakure has tightly sealed off information.
Ultimately, this is an internal matter for Sunagakure. Any deliberate action or statement from us at this time would be inappropriate. It's better to observe and wait."
Homura nodded in agreement. "Danzo makes a good point. However, a formal diplomatic gesture is still necessary. I suggest the Hokage send a letter of condolence to Jing Hang to express our concern."
Hiruzen nodded thoughtfully and turned to Danzo. "What's your take?"
Still expressionless, Danzo replied, "Diplomatic matters are not my concern. Do as you see fit."
Koharu chimed in, "With Jing Hang's ninjutsu nullified, he likely won't remain Kazekage for long. His successor will undoubtedly be Rasa. We should prepare to engage with him. A letter expressing goodwill from the Hokage might be a good start."
"I volunteer to deliver it," Danzo interjected.
Hiruzen raised an eyebrow. "Danzo, I thought you weren't interested in diplomatic gestures?"
Danzo nodded. "I'm not. But as a man of intelligence, I am very interested in the chakra-weakening agent that incapacitated Jing Hang."
Standing up, he continued, "We all know Jing Hang's strength. For a single vial of this agent to reduce such a powerful shinobi to an ordinary man, it qualifies as a strategic weapon. Konoha must acquire it."
The room fell silent as the others pondered his words. Danzo had a point.
"It won't be easy to obtain," Homura remarked.
"Nothing worth having comes easy. Besides, the developer of this agent is our very own princess, Tsunade. Of course, we may need to trade something of equal value," Danzo said.
"Like what?" Koharu asked.
Danzo shook his head. "I don't know yet. Check the archives. Whatever it is, it must be of equivalent value. Rasa and Yamashita Tetsu aren't fools. Let's prepare for all possibilities. Who knows? We might not need to trade anything at all."
Kumogakure, Raikage Tower
"Kōichi, take 5,000 shinobi and station them at the border with Iwagakure. Create the impression of a massive force preparing to invade," the Third Raikage ordered after reading the intelligence report brought by Tsuchidai.
"Father, why are we mobilizing troops to the Iwa-Kumo border over the Kazekage's assassination?" Kōichi asked, puzzled.
The Raikage chuckled. "Trust your father's judgment. I'm certain Iwagakure is involved in this. By stationing troops at their border, we're sending a clear message: don't act recklessly. If they make a move, they'll have to deal with us first. Whoever's targeting Jing Hang will have to think twice before proceeding."
Little did he know, this single move would become the spark that ignited the Third Shinobi World War.
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