"Do I look like some lowly lackey to you?" Jimo asked calmly.
Behind him, Temari's face had gone bright red. She wished she could find a hole in the ground and hide from this mortifying situation.
Jimo was a remarkably skilled medic, and even Chiyo knew it well. He had mastered Tsunade's Medical Ninjutsu and brought it to the highest level.
A year ago, while traveling around Sunagakure, he had used his exceptional medical skills countless times to ease the villagers' suffering.
Now, under Jimo's piercing, almost judgmental gaze, even Chiyo looked unusually embarrassed. She instinctively avoided his eyes, inwardly cursing her luck.
Just then, Temari hurriedly chimed in, "That doesn't count! Of course it doesn't! You're the Fifth Hokage's personal disciple, a distinguished A-rank Jonin of Konoha! Who would dare treat you like some lowly lackey?"
Jimo didn't seem inclined to let them off so easily. Putting on an exaggeratedly surprised expression, he raised his voice. "Oh? Is that so? Because I distinctly heard someone expressing great dissatisfaction with Konoha just now! I wonder who said that?"
As he spoke, his gaze swept pointedly over Chiyo and the others.
Baki panicked at once. He frantically signaled to Chiyo, urging her to explain herself.
Chiyo understood what Baki meant and quickly put on a smile. "No! Absolutely not! Sunagakure and Konoha have always been friendly allies. Why would we say anything bad about Konoha?"
Seeing how awkward Chiyo looked, Jimo finally burst out laughing. "All right, all right, I won't tease you anymore. But saving lives comes first. Where exactly is Kankuro?"
Jimo jumped straight in through the window.
"This is bad... Has the poison already reached his lungs and organs?"
Jimo's brows drew together tightly. The grave, serious look on his face made everyone around him tense up.
"You