Witch Tsunade

"Your Mizukage really has it... rough." Jing Hang wiped the sweat from his forehead, then instinctively glanced at Chiyo seated beside him and Pakura standing by in attendance. The two women looked at each other, equally astonished.

The baby-faced man before him carried a hint of shyness and unease in his mannerisms, but Jing Hang did not dare underestimate him in the slightest. This was a genuine powerhouse, and a respectable man willing to sacrifice himself for his village.

As the future Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi's strength was not to be underestimated. Even Naruto, with all his outrageous advantages, had found his Coral Palm troublesome. As Mizukage, he had been willing to sacrifice himself and become a jinchuriki, even taming the Three-Tails to become its perfect jinchuriki. That alone showed his capabilities. Unfortunately, he had later fallen into Obito's genjutsu and become a puppet completely, while the Hidden Mist Village entered the cruel Blood Mist Era.

This time, Yagura Karatachi had not come to seek battle or peace, but to deliver a warning! After the Seven Ninja Swordsmen's failed assassination attempt last time,

Fuguki Suikazan's militant faction had tried to provoke another war. They had gathered a group of hotheads and rogue ninja and were rushing toward Sunagakure, intending to create a war through a surprise attack before anyone could stop them. The Mizukage had obtained this intelligence through his own channels and simply sold Fuguki Suikazan out. That took considerable nerve.

"The Mizukage truly has it difficult. He greatly cherishes the friendship between Sunagakure and the Hidden Mist Village, but our systems of government differ. The Mizukage has no way to stop these rebel ninja, so he sent me to Sunagakure in advance to communicate with you. He hopes the Kazekage will understand." Yagura Karatachi gave Jing Hang a deep bow. His manner was exceedingly humble and put people at ease.

Jing Hang raised a hand in a token gesture, signaling that he need not stand on ceremony, while rapidly piecing the matter together in his mind.

The Third Mizukage was quite the ruthless character as well. Since taking office, he had constantly been hindered by domestic opposition. This time, after intercepting intelligence about the opposition's cross-border attack, he neither objected nor made it public. Instead, he directly sold the information to Sunagakure. That would let Sunagakure clean house for him while also earning goodwill from the Kazekage, all without moving a single soldier. Killing two birds with one stone.

"Fine jade may be beautiful, but it cannot avoid minor flaws; a precious tree may stand tall, but it may still bear yellow leaves. I hope Your Excellency will tell the Mizukage not to trouble himself too much over this. Also, I accept the Mizukage's friendship on behalf of Sunagakure.

"I also hope that no such incidents occur between our villages again. After all, there has never been much enmity between us!" The meaning was clear: fine, he would handle this matter for him, and they could be friends, but the Hidden Mist Village still needed to keep its own house in order and stop letting such things happen.

"The Kazekage is wise indeed. I hope that when you have the time, you will visit the Hidden Mist Village as well. The Mizukage will surely receive you warmly," Yagura Karatachi said, still exceedingly courteous.

"Certainly, certainly." Visit the Hidden Mist Village? Forget it. How was that any different from visiting a mental asylum? They were all battle-crazed lunatics. He would not consider it before the Fifth Mizukage.

After sending Yagura Karatachi away, Jing Hang kept Chiyo behind and had Pakura prepare two cups of tea.

"When you arrange the personnel later, go to the Ninja Academy and bring Hidden Leaf Village's Might Duy along."

"Oh?" Chiyo seemed to search her memory for the man.

"Heh, he has a technique that is Fuguki Suikazan's nemesis. One hit, one kill."

"Heh, is that so? Very well." Chiyo did not take this ambush too seriously. Yagura Karatachi had just explained the time, place, and people involved in the attack almost completely. The question was no longer whether they could win, but whether they wanted the attackers dead or alive.

"Also, I need to tell you something important." Jing Hang suddenly grew serious.

Seeing Jing Hang's solemn expression, Chiyo realized it was no minor matter and became serious as well.

"Ah!—Ah!—Ah!"

In a glass chamber within the Sunagakure medical unit's secret underground laboratory, a White Zetsu lay on the floor with his hands bound behind his back. He let out horrifying screams, his eyes bloodshot as if he were enduring immense agony.

Several people in white coats stood nearby, observing and recording something on clipboards. At their head was the princess of Hidden Leaf Village—Tsunade.

"Raise it by another two atmospheres." An inexplicable excitement showed on Tsunade's face as she stared fixedly at the White Zetsu in the glass chamber.

"More? No, we can't! He'll explode!" one of the staff members kindly warned.

"Do it! It's fine." Tsunade licked her lips excitedly.

"This is the place? Why is that crazy girl here?" Jing Hang brought Chiyo into the underground laboratory.

"I was invited by your Kazekage, you old hag," Tsunade retorted, never one to lose out verbally.

"What did you say?! You crazy girl, say that again if you dare! Believe me, I'll poison you mute!" Chiyo instantly flew into a rage.

"Come on! Come on! You old hag, I bet your poison couldn't even kill the chickens in my family!" Tsunade refused to yield.

The two began quarreling right in front of Jing Hang. Jing Hang stood between them with a placating smile, trying to mediate, when he suddenly seemed to notice something.

"Quiet! Stop!" Jing Hang pointed in shock at a white head soaking in a large formaldehyde jar.

"This... has already been made into a specimen?! How many are still alive?!"

Following the white head with his gaze, he saw a row of jars on the shelf, each containing different organs. It seemed the four White Zetsu were in grave danger.

"Only this one is left." Tsunade pointed awkwardly at the White Zetsu still struggling in the glass chamber.

"You... you're really ruthless. Don't increase the pressure yet. If you play him to death, there won't be any left. These things aren't easy to get right now." Jing Hang hurriedly told the staff to reduce the pressure.

"Reduce it slowly. It's at sixty atmospheres. If you drop it suddenly, his blood vessels won't be able to take it. Remember to measure Number Four's blood pressure when he comes out," Tsunade reminded them.

"Sixty atmospheres? He can withstand that much pressure? The White Zetsu you mentioned is this thing?" Chiyo pointed at the White Zetsu in the glass chamber.

"It's not just sixty atmospheres. This thing's poison resistance and ability to withstand blows are vastly different from those of normal humans," Tsunade said proudly.

"Poison resistance?!" Chiyo's interest was immediately piqued.

"You there, bring over File C," Tsunade ordered.

"Look, this is the clinical report on Test Subject Number Two taking three times the lethal dose of Qianji Poison." Tsunade proudly handed Chiyo a document.

Chiyo put on her reading glasses and carefully examined the papers in her hands.

"What! After taking three times the dose of Qianji Poison, his spasms only occurred once every three minutes? You... that's impossible!"

"Nothing is impossible. After taking the antidote, he recovered in two days. But he did not survive twice the dose of Peacock Gall."

"Although this result seems exaggerated, I think it is normal. In terms of toxicity alone, Peacock Gall is more potent than Qianji Poison."

"I don't think it is merely a matter of stronger toxicity. This creature itself has greater resistance to plant-based toxins than to mineral toxins and biological viruses."

"We need to examine this creature's tissue section data. We cannot jump to conclusions."

"How am I jumping to conclusions? You there, bring over the tissue section data."

Watching the two women, who had just been baring their fangs and ready to fight, now getting along as though they were one person, Jing Hang shook his head helplessly. The two had crossed paths once in the Land of Rain. Poison arts and medical arts led to the same destination by different paths, and their contest had revealed them to be evenly matched, worthy opponents. They actually admired each other greatly.

"Pakura."

"Yes!"

"You'll have to make a trip. Go to ANBU later and arrange the ambush. Have Akasuna Guimu assign the personnel, and remember to bring Might Duy. As for on-site command... hmm... you handle it."

"Yes, I'll arrange it immediately."