Meeting? I'll meet your head!

Tsunade raised her wrist to examine it, the luster of the pearls complementing her fair skin beautifully.

She put on a cool tone and said, "Don't think this is enough to win me over, brat."

Namikaze Yoru watched her clearly liking it yet forcing indifference, and tactfully didn't call her out on it: "Of course I wouldn't dare. I just think the sapphire on this bracelet is as bright as your eyes."

That line was too direct, almost like a cheesy pickup line, and even Namikaze Yoru felt a little cringe after saying it himself.

Tsunade across from him clearly hadn't expected him to say that either; the tips of her ears flushed slightly as she changed the subject:

"I heard you made quite a haul on this mission, even the old man was full of praise for you."

"I did earn some extra cash, enough to treat you to a big meal." Namikaze Yoru winked, deliberately twisting her meaning.

Tsunade was about to explain when a Medical Ninja hurriedly pushed the door open and said quickly, "Lord Tsunade, there's a situation in the intensive care ward."

Tsunade immediately stood up, reverting to her usual efficient demeanor: "I'll be right there."

She paused at the door, turned back to glance at Namikaze Yoru, and lightly shook the wrist wearing the bracelet.

"Thanks for the gift."

Watching Tsunade's retreating figure, Namikaze Yoru was a little dazed, then cheerfully whistled as he left the hospital, thinking to himself:

"Wearing that bracelet should make her think of me sometimes while she's working."

Pulling himself together, he wasn't in a rush to head back to the Land of Water. As a Traveling Merchant, being too hasty would only leave openings.

He spent several days carefully preparing in Konoha, meticulously selecting the next batch of goods to bring.

During this time, he occasionally sought out Tsunade, but whether intentionally or not, she seemed to be deliberately avoiding him.

Namikaze Yoru understood that too much was as bad as too little; some things really couldn't be rushed.

Setting off again for the Land of Water, this trip wasn't as smooth as the last. Perhaps his luggage was too conspicuous, attracting a band of reckless bandits.

"Kid, you've got a lot of stuff, leave it—"

Before the bandit leader could finish, Namikaze Yoru had already severed his head. He had no interest in wasting words on such people.

After all, every single bandit was not only a bully who preyed on the weak but had also stained their hands with the blood of countless innocent merchants.

He dealt with the remaining bandits one by one, not letting a single one escape.

"When I wasn't strong enough, I had to read the room," Namikaze Yoru wiped the blood off his blade, muttering to himself. "Now that I have strength, others should watch their words. Otherwise, what was the point of getting stronger?"

But even finishing the fight as quickly as possible, the smell of blood still clung to him.

When he reached the Land of Water border again, the sharp-eyed guards immediately sensed something unusual.

"You smell of blood?" the ninja on duty asked warily, eyeing him.

Namikaze Yoru explained calmly, "The journey was long, and I ran into a few blind thieves on the road. A traveler needs some means of self-defense."

With that, he showed the ninja sword he carried—the ancient blade at his waist. It wasn't strange for them to assume he had some samurai-level skill; these days, traveling without any strength was practically being a fat sheep for the taking.

The guard ninja looked him over, saw his composed expression that didn't seem fake, and after a routine check confirming the goods were fine, finally let him through.

Entering the familiar town, this time Namikaze Yoru's goods were more targeted.

Besides the ever-popular "Sidan Kang," there were plenty of other items: skincare products tailored to the Land of Water climate; various precision tools exported from Artisan Country to the Land of Fire; and even some ninja tool accessories that skirted the rules.

Sure enough, these carefully selected goods were snapped up again, even faster than last time—they didn't even last until the next day, netting him another hefty profit.

But what Namikaze Yoru didn't know was that far away in Konoha, Danzo had already leaked his whereabouts through his special channels.

Kaguya Clan Compound.

"Where did this letter come from?" Kaguya Naoto frowned, looking at the envelope addressed "To Kaguya Naoto, Personal," uncertain.

The trusted retainer beside him immediately replied, "I don't know. It was thrown into the mansion courtyard with a Kunai this morning."

"Besides you, has anyone else seen this letter?"

The retainer wasn't sure: "Probably not. As soon as I saw it, I brought it straight to you."

Kaguya Naoto tapped his fingers lightly on the desk, then after a long pause said, "Don't spread this around. Have... no, forget it. I'll handle it myself."

He initially thought of sending a clan member, but then remembered his clan's universally battle-hungry nature and gave up.

Tucking the letter into his robe, Kaguya Naoto pushed open the mansion door and stepped out.

"Today's a good day, everything I wish for comes true," Namikaze Yoru hummed a tune under his breath, in high spirits.

After all, the goods he'd brought this time were more than double the previous batch, and they sold out in just one day—completely beyond his expectations.

With time to spare, Namikaze Yoru naturally wanted to explore the Land of Water properly. Kirigakure itself wasn't convenient to enter, but the surrounding towns and local customs were more than enough to enjoy.

Walking down the main street, a person dressed as a Land of Water villager subtly bumped into him while passing by.

Namikaze Yoru suppressed his instinct to counterattack and keenly noticed a slip of paper had been pressed into his hand.

He pocketed the note without changing expression, continuing to stroll casually down the street, occasionally buying small trinkets.

Only when he reached a secluded corner did he glance at the note's contents from the corner of his eye.

It read: Come to the woods northeast of town tonight. Important intelligence exchange.

He naturally crumpled and destroyed the note, acting as if nothing had happened, continuing to wander the streets until dusk fell, then returned to his inn.

He deliberately chose the same inn he had stayed at last time—it was close to the woods mentioned in the note.

What's more, within the range of his Mind's Eye of the Kagura, the entire forest was under his surveillance.

Namikaze Yoru pretended to sleep, but in truth, he was constantly monitoring the movements in the woods. It wasn't until midnight that a figure quietly appeared at the agreed-upon spot.

Sensing no ambush around him, and that the person had indeed come alone, everything matched the intelligence rendezvous perfectly.

Only then did Namikaze Yoru relax, drifting peacefully into sleep, leaving the other to wait bitterly in the forest.

That figure stood motionless through the night, tormented by mosquitoes and bugs, and only slunk away at dawn, disgruntled.

Listening closely, one could faintly hear the other cursing his parents under his breath.