Would I Be Taking a Loss if I Offered Myself to You?

Jingyi wagged a finger at Tsunade. "With enough profit on the table, I think Hanzō, a man of tremendous ambition, wouldn't mind working with Shimura Danzō once. With his strength, if he infiltrated and carried out an assassination, ordinary people simply couldn't stop him."

Shimura Danzō could not act personally, because the risk of exposure was too great. If word got out that he had assassinated a ninja from the same village, he would be utterly finished.

That was also why the Third Hokage would not allow him to borrow the village's resources. He was worried that Shimura Danzō might botch things.

If things went wrong and Mito Uzumaki flew into a rage, the aftermath would be difficult to contain.

That made hiring outside help Shimura Danzō's only option.

And Hanzō was the most suitable candidate. Besides, Jingyi was stationed at the Land of Rain border camp, which was close by, so there was no need to travel far.

"Hanzō."

Tsunade frowned deeply. He was no ordinary person, but someone known as a demigod. That alone showed just how formidable he was.

To put it bluntly, Hanzō's strength absolutely placed him among the very strongest in the Shinobi World.

If he made a move, Jingyi would be in great danger.

Judging from the strength Jingyi had displayed on paper, being targeted for assassination by someone as powerful as Hanzō would indeed be extremely dangerous.

"Before I left, I specifically asked around. Shimura Danzō claimed that his old illness had relapsed and that he was resting at home to recover. He could leave the village at any time and persuade enemies beyond the borders to deal with you."

Resting and recovering?

It was just an excuse to make it easier for him to leave the village in secret.

After stuffing the last piece of meat into her mouth, Tsunade set down her plate and said seriously,

"Then what do you plan to do? Find a way to get transferred back to the village?"

"No."

Jingyi rejected the suggestion.

If Mito Uzumaki stepped in, even if the Third Hokage was unwilling, he would still give her that courtesy and transfer Jingyi back.

"Why?"

Tsunade did not understand. Knowing that someone was plotting against him in secret, why was he not trying to get transferred back?

Jingyi said gravely, "Is it possible that Shimura Danzō wants Lady Mito to step in and have me transferred back?"

"Tsunade, people who excel at conspiracies have filthy hearts. So long as they can achieve their goal, people like Shimura Danzō do not mind using dirty methods."

Though the Third Hokage stood firmly on Mito Uzumaki's side, if a situation arose that benefited him, he would not mind pretending to know nothing.

"Lady Mito definitely isn't afraid of Shimura Danzō, but if she does certain things and unpleasant rumors spread, they can cause plenty of misunderstandings."

Hatake Sakumo was the perfect example.

Tsunade hesitated, but Jingyi cut her off and continued, "Lady Mito's status is very special. Shimura Danzō definitely wouldn't dare target her openly, but I can't escape. As long as I return to the village, he'll come after me. By then, the ninjas stationed at the border camp definitely won't be happy, and their families will have grievances too."

Sometimes, public opinion was more terrifying than assassination.

"So we can only passively take whatever comes?" Tsunade hated this feeling of being unable to control the situation.

It was far too passive.

"Not exactly."

Jingyi smiled. "Think about it. As long as I stay in the camp, he can't manipulate public opinion against me. As for assassination, he first has to persuade someone capable of killing me. After all, no one is an idiot. Without enough profit, who would risk doing something like this?"

Hanzō was indeed very strong, but was Hanzō stupid?

Of course not.

Without enough profit, no one would pay Shimura Danzō any attention.

The awkward part was that Shimura Danzō happened to be at a stage where he had been stripped of his position and could no longer control the village's resources or benefits.

Without sufficient benefits in hand, persuading Hanzō to act would be extraordinarily difficult.

"If you were Hanzō, would you help Shimura Danzō for nothing?"

Without enough benefit, only an idiot would take on that kind of favor.

Tsunade decisively shook her head.

She was not stupid, and neither was Hanzō.

It all depended on what Shimura Danzō could offer to entice Hanzō.

"So, your safety won't be a problem in the short term?" Tsunade asked.

"Right." Jingyi nodded.

"Then shouldn't we talk about what happened just now?" Tsunade narrowed her eyes, walked to the door first, and locked the wooden door from the inside.

"Uh..."

What was this little wench planning? Was she going to settle the score afterward?

"Ahem."

Jingyi tried his best to defend himself. "Tsunade, you can't blame me for this. You were the one who pulled the blanket over my head, and I was holding a plate. I couldn't exactly let it fall, could I?"

"Then what do you suggest? Did it look good?"

"It looked good."

Jingyi felt he was an honest young man. He could not lie. If it looked good, then it looked good.

"You..."

Tsunade had meant to launch straight into an attack, but his answer threw her off instead. Was Jingyi Hyuga really this blunt?

"How about I take the loss and offer myself to you?"

"..."

"Jingyi Hyuga, get over here and die!!"

"Wait, don't hit me. We can talk this out. Damn, you're serious? I'm fighting back!"

"Wait, I'm still a child! You can't do this!!"

Tsunade's furious roar woke the entire camp. Everyone rushed out of their wooden huts and headed for the infirmary.

"Wait!!"

The others were not familiar with Tsunade, but Sarutobi Mishima was different.

Realizing that the voice he had just heard sounded familiar, Sarutobi Mishima thought back for a moment, and his expression abruptly changed. He hurriedly stopped the others.

"Mishima, the people in the infirmary..." Little Honda turned around.

Sarutobi Mishima raised a hand and rubbed his face, saying helplessly, "It's Tsunade. I'm certain it's her. Come on, go back to sleep. Those on duty should continue their watch. Don't go disturb them."

When had Tsunade arrived at the camp? And she was in the infirmary.

Combined with Tsunade and Jingyi's shouting, a group of grown men in the camp wore looks of mutual understanding. A few particularly lecherous fellows chuckled, not forgetting to cast envious glances toward the infirmary.

"Ahem. Other than those on duty, all of you get back to sleep. This has nothing to do with you."

He drove away the group that was eager to watch the spectacle.

Little Honda pulled Sarutobi Mishima aside and asked quietly, "Are you sure that was Tsunade? She and Jingyi..."

"Don't meddle in things that don't concern you. Let's go."

Sarutobi Mishima had no desire to discuss such matters with Little Honda. If Little Honda could not keep his mouth shut, Sarutobi Mishima would be the one suffering in the end.

The camp, which had suddenly become lively, quickly quieted down. Only the ninjas on duty continued to glance curiously toward the infirmary, eager to know what was happening inside.

"Tsunade, enough already. Kissing is one thing, but you even bit me."

Jingyi rubbed his lips. It seemed the skin had broken.

Tsunade licked her lips as though savoring the taste, then shook her head after a moment.

"Doesn't seem like anything special. Is it because you haven't grown up yet?"

You little...!!

If the great River Crab weren't watching, I'd make sure you learned what stick-based education was!

"Sleep!"

Taking out a brand-new cotton quilt, Jingyi did not want to bother with Tsunade. He pulled the quilt over himself and prepared to sleep. As for Tsunade, she could either join him or sleep sprawled over the table.

Fortunately, he had had the foresight to prepare several extra quilts, knowing that the harsh weather in the Land of Rain might leave the quilts damp and moldy when winter came.

In this awful weather, only an idiot would sleep on a table.

She had already seen it, and she had already kissed him. Who the hell would still sleep on a table?

In the darkness, Tsunade felt a pair of restless hands slip into her clothes and sneered.

"Didn't you say I was rough and not womanly? Why are you reaching out now?"

"Ahem!"

Jingyi coughed and changed the subject. "When are you going back?"

"I can't stay too long."

Tsunade had originally planned to remain at the camp for a while, but after talking with Jingyi, she realized there was no point in her staying.

Jingyi's safety would not be a problem in the short term.

Even if their guess was right, it would not be easy for Shimura Danzō to persuade Hanzō to assassinate Jingyi.

"Then go back tomorrow. If you stay too long, I'm afraid some people in the camp will become dissatisfied."

With the New Year approaching, everyone missed the village and their families. He alone had someone by his side, and she was the only female ninja in the entire camp. People might merely be curious at first, but if it went on too long, some would inevitably grow dissatisfied.

"Alright."

Tsunade was not the type to drag things out.

Early the next morning, Tsunade left the camp ahead of time and returned to the village, not even coming face-to-face with anyone in the camp.

In her words, there was no need. She was not staying anyway. It had only been one night, so she could just leave.