Getting the Better Deal?

A few days later, the ANBU sent word: Tsunade had been found!

Arriving in the capital of the Land of Fire, Doichi Hyuga wandered around aimlessly, looking at the sights.

He was in no hurry to find Tsunade, nor did he plan to try his luck at the casinos.

If he found her, he found her. If not, that was fine too. He could treat it as an official vacation and relax a little!

Doichi Hyuga was the sort of person who went with the flow and disliked forcing things.

After sightseeing all morning, it was nearly time to eat.

After winding through several turns, Doichi Hyuga arrived outside a small courtyard and vaulted over the wall.

Before he even landed, a delicate fist was already thrust toward the side of his face.

Doichi Hyuga caught the other person's wrist and pulled her behind him with the motion.

With a loud crash, the courtyard wall collapsed!

See? What had he said? It had fallen right into his lap. This was fate!

Doichi Hyuga sized up the voluptuous, stunning woman before him and confirmed that she was indeed Tsunade, the target of this trip.

"Brat! You're pretty capable! Take another punch!"

Tsunade raised her right fist and smashed it down with tremendous force.

One hand supported her wrist while the other braced beneath her armpit. Following the force of her downward strike, he threw her over his shoulder.

Tsunade adjusted herself in midair and landed steadily on all fours.

"Brat! Do you dare fight me head-on like a man?"

"This is too much! Lady Tsunade, how could you attack Brother Doichi?!"

Karin stepped in front of Doichi Hyuga and spread her arms to shield him from Tsunade.

"Ah! That? I saw someone break in and thought he was a bandit. Ahahaha!"

Tsunade straightened up and laughed awkwardly.

In truth, the moment she saw his Byakugan, Tsunade realized she had attacked the wrong person.

However, seeing her attack so easily defused had stirred her interest in sparring with him.

"Mr. Doichi! Are you all right?"

Haku ran out as well, his face full of concern.

"Haku! I'm fine! Though, Lady Tsunade is the one who trespassed, isn't she? If I remember correctly, this residence should still be under my name!"

Doichi Hyuga looked at Tsunade with a half-smile.

"Ahahaha! Is that so?"

As Tsunade tried to think of an explanation, Rena Uzumaki and the little black-stockinged Ah... pfft, no, Shizune, walked out together.

"Lord Doichi, Lady Tsunade, lunch is ready!"

Rena Uzumaki and Shizune hurriedly stepped in to mediate, interrupting the standoff between them.

Tsunade truly had no good explanation. Could she say that she had followed them here?

A few days ago, Tsunade had happened to spot Rena Uzumaki and her daughter shopping in town.

She sensed an enormous amount of chakra from Karin. Combined with their unmistakable blood-red hair, Tsunade had secretly followed them.

"I really am hungry!"

Ignoring Doichi Hyuga, Tsunade strode into the living room with her head held high and chest puffed out. She had clearly mastered the principle of "as long as I'm not embarrassed, everyone else will be."

Everyone sat around the table and silently dug into their food.

Once the meal was over, Rena Uzumaki and Shizune cleared the dishes.

Doichi Hyuga and Tsunade sat around to digest their food, reclining on the sofa like a pair of old masters.

"Senior Tsunade, you still need to pay for the wall."

"That? Ahahaha, don't worry about it. I'll definitely pay for it. Tsunade's reputation speaks for itself—I never default on a debt!"

Tsunade's face was slightly red, and her tone lacked confidence.

What a miscalculation! If this fat sheep had money, she wouldn't be hiding out here. I overthought it! Looks like there's no hope of getting compensation!

Doichi Hyuga was somewhat speechless.

"Brat! I received the old man's letter. I heard you wanted to become my apprentice?"

Tsunade crossed one leg over the other and picked her teeth with a toothpick.

"I don't want to become anyone's apprentice anymore."

I didn't say that, I don't mean that, don't make things up!

Doichi Hyuga truly had no such intention. It would make more sense for him to take disciples instead.

Doichi Hyuga had always believed that no one in this world was qualified to be his teacher. After all, there were no great Daoist masters here. When it came to cultivating the Dao, this place was a complete wasteland.

Tsunade frowned. This brat isn't taking the bait! He's a little hard to deal with!

"I read the medical ninjutsu scrolls you wrote and gained some inspiration from them. You have the greatest talent for medical ninjutsu of any ninja I've ever seen. Are you sure you don't want to take your medical ninjutsu further?"

Tsunade considered herself an honest person, so there was nothing to hide. When she saw Karin practicing medical ninjutsu, she could not help feeling a little eager to test her skills.

"Sorry! Senior Tsunade, I really don't. But it isn't very appropriate for you to peek at my ninjutsu scrolls, is it?"

Maybe I'm not as good as you in medical skills right now, but in another two years, who can say who'll be stronger?

Doichi Hyuga thought.

"Brat, do you want another fight?"

Tsunade's face reddened. What a miscalculation. I ran into someone who likes to nitpick.

Reading a junior's ninjutsu scrolls without permission really was not something a senior of her standing should do.

"How about this? Senior Tsunade, I won't make things difficult for you. Let me take a look at your Creation Rebirth and Yin Seal, and we'll call this matter settled!"

Doichi Hyuga smiled pleasantly. He was quite skilled at negotiating too.

"Hehe! Are you dreaming? You really dare to ask! At most, I'll compensate you with some money!"

Tsunade was so angry she laughed, and her fists clenched tightly.

"Is that so? My scrolls inspired even a medical master like you, so they're quite valuable. Let's say fifty million ryo, plus the wall. Round it up to sixty million ryo!"

Doichi Hyuga smiled at the fat sheep as though she were getting an enormous bargain.

"Impossible! That wall is worth five million ryo at most, and the scrolls are worth thirty-five million ryo at most!"

Hah! Damn brat. I'm the great Tsunade—how could I let you take advantage of me? I've always been the one taking advantage of others.

At that moment, Tsunade had completely forgotten her title as the fat sheep and transformed into a shrewd merchant.

"Fine! Forty million ryo, please pay up, Senior Tsunade!"

Doichi Hyuga said with a smile, You dare take advantage of me? I'm afraid you can't bear the enormous karma that comes with it!

The others were watching the two of them face off.

Everyone's eyes were fixed on Doichi Hyuga as they cried out inwardly, Amazing!

Though they did not understand the specifics, it felt like the two were negotiating a huge business deal.

Tsunade's body stiffened as she turned woodenly toward Shizune.

"Shizune! Um... how much money do we have left again?"

Shizune covered her face and said painfully:

"Lady Tsunade! I told you a few days ago—we're already out of money."

"Is that so? Ahahahahahaha... Brat, I can only owe you for now."

Tsunade did not consider herself someone who cared about money. She could quickly earn some by taking on a few medical missions.

Still, it was indeed embarrassing with her junior standing right in front of her.

"Sorry! I don't accept credit. Senior, you should compensate me with ninjutsu instead!"

"Impossible. Pick another condition."

Tsunade folded her arms across her chest and objected loudly.

"How about this? I won't make things difficult for you either, Senior. Give me the Yin Seal. That is my bottom line!"

"Fine, guess I'm just unlucky!"

Tsunade curled her lips into a smile and slipped her hand into her collar. After fumbling around for quite a while, she pulled out a scroll:

If I don't teach him anything at all, it'll be hard to explain things to the old man. This way, the old man won't have any reason to keep bothering me, right? As for whether he can learn it, that has nothing to do with me.

Doichi Hyuga turned his face away, finding the sight a little too much for his eyes. The onlookers also blushed and looked aside, unable to bear watching.