Tsunade! Don't Run!

More and more people arrived at the scene. Several squads from the Police Force had already cordoned off both ends of the street, and members of the Konoha Garrison Force had also arrived to maintain order.

The collapsed storefronts had been cleared, and many people were pulled out from within. Some had fractures, broken limbs, or head and hand lacerations, but Ichiro Nagasaki was the only one who was truly critically injured and on the verge of death.

There was also a hotel nearby where the exterior wall of the fifth floor had been struck, leaving a massive hole and turning the interior into a scene of utter chaos.

Quite a few ninja had already rushed up to assess the casualties inside.

Tsunade and her two companions hurried across the street and arrived before the ruins.

Around Ichiro Nagasaki, more than a dozen ninja had gathered, forming a loose circle. They were deathly silent, watching motionlessly.

Hum—

Tsunade heard a familiar sound; it was the chakra vibration produced when the Mystical Palm Technique was being performed. Tsunade let out a sigh of relief. It seemed that elite medical ninja capable of using the Mystical Palm Technique had already arrived.

"The aura of the Mystical Palm Technique," the pale-faced, cold-mannered young man to Tsunade's right said indifferently.

"It's fine now," the tall, fair-skinned young man to Tsunade's right laughed. He raised his hands to clasp behind his head with a relaxed expression and looked around. The damage to the street wasn't too severe, and there were enough rescue personnel; it seemed they were no longer needed.

"Thank goodness, there weren't any major casualties," Tsunade also breathed a sigh of relief. Judging by the damage to the street, as long as ninja who knew the Mystical Palm Technique arrived on the scene, any injury could be healed—excluding those who were already dead, of course.

Moreover, more than a dozen medical ninja had already arrived on the scene, and it looked like they had the situation under control.

"It's getting dark," the fair-skinned young man glanced at the setting sun and smiled at Tsunade. "Shall we go train together?"

"No way!" Tsunade put her hands on her hips and revealed a playful smile. "I have to go find that deadbeat and check if he's actually learned the Mystical Palm Technique."

"That's impossible. Aren't you just messing with him?"

"Of course I know it's impossible, but he's the one who said it! I didn't force him! Bragging to me, hmph!"

"You're so boring. Why bother with a brat? It's so stupid."

Slap!

Tsunade jumped up and smacked the fair-skinned young man on the back of his head. He stumbled, then crouched down while clutching his head.

He started a fight without even a proper reason!

"Jiraiya, who are you calling boring? Who are you calling stupid?" Tsunade kicked the young man again, huffing. She hadn't told the others about the Hypnosis Technique or the Gambling Technique; the former she wanted to learn herself first, and the latter simply couldn't be mentioned, or else no one would gamble with her anymore.

"I was wrong, I was wrong!" Jiraiya acted like a punching bag, clutching his head and not daring to stand up.

"If there's nothing else, I'm heading back to train," the cold young man said.

"Alright, Orochimaru, let's go together!" Jiraiya jumped up, enthusiastically hooked his arm around the cold young man's neck, and then glanced cautiously at Tsunade.

"Go on then. I'm going to find that deadbeat," Tsunade waved her hand.

"See you tomorrow afternoon."

"Right!"

The three turned at the same time; Tsunade headed west, while Jiraiya and Orochimaru headed east.

"Let's go get a drink first. I know a great place, hehe..." Jiraiya whispered, his arm still around Orochimaru's neck, laughing strangely.

"No," Orochimaru replied coldly, glancing at Jiraiya. "You should show some restraint."

Jiraiya's habit of frequenting brothels was well-known throughout Konoha.

"Eh? Ehhh?" Tsunade's successive exclamations of surprise suddenly rang out from behind them. She looked as if she had seen something incredible.

Both men turned around simultaneously to see Tsunade standing there, staring at the crowd gathered in front of the ruins.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Both men lunged forward, turning into blurs. A moment later, they were on either side of Tsunade, following her gaze.

The gathered crowd consisted mostly of ninja—some from the Anbu, some from the Police Force. They were gathered in a loose circle, and through the gaps between people, one could see a blood-soaked casualty lying on the ground. Beside the injured man, an eleven or twelve-year-old ninja was kneeling.

The ninja's hands were glowing with a faint blue light, pressed against the casualty's wound.

The Mystical Palm Technique!

It was this ninja who was using it!

"No, impossible, this is impossible!" Tsunade muttered to herself and suddenly dashed forward. Jiraiya and Orochimaru followed her immediately.

The three arrived at the edge of the crowd and squeezed in. Those pushed aside were moved by an irresistible force, but none of them looked to see who was pushing them; their eyes remained fixed on the ninja treating the casualty.

They were all stunned!

Chen He's eyes flashed with a strange light. This matter had to be reported to the Anbu Captain, White Fang—no, it should be reported directly to the Hokage. To learn the Mystical Palm Technique at that age... he had to watch, to see the entire healing process, so he could make an accurate report.

Mikoto Uchiha looked dazed. She felt as if the whole world had gone mad; otherwise, such a thing shouldn't be happening.

She had naturally heard the rumors that Li Tong claimed to have learned the Mystical Palm Technique in one day.

"I'm going back to report to Father. You stay here," Fugaku Uchiha regained his senses and whispered quickly. "Li Tong might become a target we need to win over at all costs. Keep a good attitude."

Mikoto Uchiha blinked and turned to look at Fugaku Uchiha. Before she could speak, Fugaku Uchiha performed a hand seal and vanished from the spot.

On the other side of the crowd, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru stood—one with a blank expression, one with a strange look on his face, and one as cold as ever.

"To learn the Mystical Palm Technique at such a young age, he really is a genius. His medical talent is probably not much worse than yours," Jiraiya whispered with a laugh. He glanced at Tsunade and noticed her state was very wrong. He frowned, thought for a moment, and his eyes suddenly widened.

He had realized it!

Tsunade's extreme emotional instability was definitely related to this bratty medical ninja, but while Tsunade might be amazed that an eleven or twelve-year-old had mastered the Mystical Palm Technique, it shouldn't have reduced her to this state; after all, a medical ninja of that age would have been training for at least six or seven years, and with enough talent, anything was possible.

However, it was clear that Tsunade did not accept such a possibility.

So...

It had to be that brat with the Dual-Colored Eyes from the Land of Rain who had defected to Konoha!

Jiraiya had never met Li Tong, and since Li Tong was wearing sunglasses, he couldn't see the color of his eyes, but he could guess!

Learned the Mystical Palm Technique instantly?

"No, it couldn't be that..." Jiraiya asked in a very uncertain tone.

Tsunade didn't answer, secretly clenching her fists.

She was already considering whether to punch Li Tong to death; that way, she wouldn't have to fulfill the bet, as the stakes were far too high!

Li Tong could make her do anything, and she would be forced to agree!

This matter had already spread throughout Konoha, and everyone knew about it.

"Cough! Cough, cough, cough!" Ichiro Nagasaki suddenly coughed violently; he was waking up. The wound on his abdomen had basically healed. Although it was a puncture wound, it hadn't damaged any bones, and without elemental or toxic damage, it was merely a flesh wound that the Mystical Palm Technique could fully cure.

"Whew..." Li Tong let out a long breath, the light on his hands fading. He stood up, covered in sweat, and took out a handkerchief to wipe his temples. "It's done!"

Although he had only used the Mystical Palm Technique for a few minutes, Li Tong had still consumed nearly 8% of his chakra and felt somewhat exhausted.

The atmosphere in the surroundings was extremely bizarre.

Tsunade was standing not far behind Li Tong, and as her gaze flickered, she began to retreat cautiously; she was very worried that if Li Tong saw her, he would make an unreasonable demand in front of everyone.

Those who noticed Tsunade's presence looked at her with strange expressions.

"Tsunade, where are you going?" Jiraiya asked.

Tsunade really wanted to slap him to death!

Li Tong heard him and spun around abruptly.

Tsunade turned and bolted!

"Tsunade! Don't run! Tsunade, you stop right there! You dead woman! Don't you run!" Li Tong reacted immediately. "Bastard, are you trying to welch on the bet? Stop right there! You shameless woman!"

"Help me stop him!" Tsunade's voice faded into the distance in an instant, and leaving only a few afterimages, she vanished into the street.

Just as Li Tong rushed out of the crowd, someone grabbed him, hooked an arm around his neck, and patted his shoulder with practiced familiarity, laughing in a low voice: "Brat! You won, how about transferring that winning bet to me? I'll give you one hundred thousand ryo!"

Li Tong glanced over; it was a strong man with white hair and red markings under his eyes.

Jiraiya!

"One hundred thousand isn't enough?" Seeing Li Tong didn't respond, Jiraiya immediately laughed eagerly again: "Then two hundred thousand! Final offer, how about two hundred thousand?"