Warning!

The Kusagakure Jonin leading the team was hesitating in the street, wondering whether he should go take a look near the Forest of Death, when he heard a commotion coming from the far end of the street.

He looked over, then froze.

At the end of the street, Ryūsetsuna and Chiyo were walking this way, chatting and laughing amid a crowd of shinobi from the various villages.

"What's going on?!"

The Kusagakure Jonin leading the team furrowed his brow.

He had already been prepared to go to Konoha Hospital and bring them back. After all, Chiyo had challenged Kurama Yakumo, the clan princess who wielded Wood Release. Forget a mere Genin like Chiyo—even he himself had no confidence in winning.

Yet Ryūsetsuna and Chiyo looked as if they'd won.

"If they managed to avoid getting hurt at Kurama Yakumo's hands, then even if they lost the match, they'd have every reason to be pleased with themselves!"

With that thought, the Kusagakure Jonin hurried over to meet them.

After rejoining Ryūsetsuna and Karin, he said nothing more and led them straight to Kusagakure's temporary lodgings.

On the way, he noticed Konoha ANBU following them, which made him even more worried.

Once they were back at the lodgings, the Kusagakure Jonin shut the courtyard gate and could no longer hold back. He demanded of Ryūsetsuna, "Didn't I warn you not to leave the lodgings without permission? Why did you disobey orders and sneak out, then challenge a Konoha ninja without authorization?"

Knowing she was in the wrong, Ryūsetsuna quickly apologized. "I'm sorry. We were wrong!"

Ryūsetsuna was Ryūran's younger sister, so the Jonin didn't want to reprimand her too harshly. He could only say, "This is Konoha, not Kusagakure! Everything we do and say here will affect Konoha's opinion of us, and