Arm Wrestling

A torrential rainstorm had lasted all night, only gradually clearing by noon the next day.

Warm sunlight poured over the land, washing even the air clean and leaving behind the distinctive freshness after rain.

Drops still fell from the eaves, striking the bluestone pavement with crisp sounds, while birdsong drifted from distant treetops, making everything feel especially refreshing.

"That damned woman!!!"

A roar exploded through the air, startling every bird from the trees.

In an open space behind the commercial district, the Fourth Raikage threw back his head and roared, his golden hair seeming ready to burst into flames beneath the sunlight.

He had waited here all night.

All night.

He had stood in the torrential rain for an entire night.

While that damned woman had slept in a warm tavern until now.

"R-Raikage-sama..." Amai said cautiously. "Should I go check again?"

"No!"

The Fourth Raikage ground out those two words through clenched teeth and strode toward the tavern.

His footsteps were heavy. Every step splashed the puddles high into the air.

His white cloak had long since been soaked by rain and dried again, now hanging wrinkled around him without a trace of last night's imposing presence.

But his gaze was sharper than it had been last night.

Inside the tavern.

"Lady Tsunade... Sister Shizune... are you awake?"

There was no response.

Sōji sat in a corner with a bowl of porridge that had already gone cold before him.

He had kept watch until the latter half of the night before dozing against the wall. His eyes beneath the black cloth were clear now, but all he could hear were two steady sets of breathing.

Tsunade lay facedown on the table, still in the position in which she had collapsed the night before. Her golden hair was scattered everywhere, covering her entire face.

Shizune was curled up on the tatami beside her, hugging Tonton, with a trace of drool still hanging from the corner of her mouth.

Neither showed the slightest sign of waking.

Sōji sighed and was about to get up to wake them.

Bang!

The door was shoved open violently. The two wooden panels slammed hard into the wall, shaking dust down from the beams.

"Tsunade—"

The Fourth Raikage's roar exploded through the small tavern, making the liquor bottles on the table jump.

Sōji's eye twitched. That voice was seriously loud.

"Mmh...?"

Shizune was the first to react.

She groggily opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw was a tall, muscular figure standing in the doorway.

Sunlight streamed in behind him, leaving his face hidden in shadow. Only his eyes shone with a terrifying brightness.

Shizune blinked.

Then blinked again.

Her gaze fell to the forehead protector on his brow—the emblem of Kumogakure—and then moved up to his sharply defined face, now dark with fury.

"Ah..."

Shizune opened her mouth, but her voice caught in her throat and would not come out.

She stiffly turned her head toward the golden head lying on the table.

"L-Lady Tsunade..."

Her voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz.

Tsunade did not move.

"Lady Tsunade!"

Shizune raised her voice, obvious trembling in it.

Tsunade still did not move.

"Lady Tsunade!"

The Fourth Raikage barked again, making even the window frames hum.

This time, the golden head finally stirred.

Tsunade slowly raised her head, golden hair falling aside to reveal a face still heavy with sleep.

Her eyes were half-open, her gaze unfocused as she stared at the imposing figure in the doorway for a full three seconds.

Then she spoke with a puzzled expression, her voice hoarse like sandpaper against wood. "Who are you?"

Amai helplessly introduced him again. "This is the leader of Kumogakure, the Raikage-sama!"

Hearing that, Tsunade rubbed her eyes, yawned, then lazily propped up her chin as she looked at the dark-faced man in the doorway.

"Oh? Quite the big shot has come to visit..."

"You said that last night!" A vein bulged on the Fourth Raikage's forehead.

"Lady Tsunade."

Then his voice dropped low, as low as the dull thunder before a storm. "You agreed last night."

"What did I agree to?"

Tsunade tilted her head, looking utterly innocent.

"You..." The Fourth Raikage narrowed his eyes.

"Oh dear, I drank too much last night. I can't remember."

Tsunade waved a hand dismissively, sounding as though she were shooing away a beggar. "Besides, you say I agreed, and that makes it true? What proof do you have?"

Amai's face turned red with anger.

"Y-You can't act like this! Raikage-sama personally waited in the rain all night, and yet you..."

"Amai." The Fourth Raikage raised a hand to stop him.

His gaze settled on Tsunade's face, dangerous light flickering in those hawk-like eyes.

"Lady Tsunade, what exactly do you want?"

Tsunade smiled at that, her smile carrying a trace of laziness and teasing amusement.

"What do I want?"

She braced herself against the table and stood, swaying slightly. Clearly, she had not completely recovered from her hangover.

"Simple, Fourth. When I, Lady Tsunade, save someone, I never look at their status. I look at my mood."

As she spoke, she went around the table and walked toward the doorway step by step.

Sunlight streamed in from outside and fell over her. Her short grayish-white kimono was wrinkled, its collar still open to reveal her delicate collarbones and a stretch of snow-white skin.

Her golden hair hung loose and tousled, several strands clinging to her cheeks while others fell over her chest.

Lazy.

Alluring.

But her eyes were clear.

"You stood there all night. That's your business. I never told you to stand there."

She stopped three steps before the Fourth Raikage and crossed her arms as she looked at him.

"Still, since you're so sincere, how about a wager?"

The Fourth Raikage said nothing. He merely stared at her.

"Arm wrestling."

Tsunade raised one hand, spread her fingers, then slowly curled them into a fist.

"If you win, I'll immediately go save your people. If I win, you take your people and get the hell out of the Land of Gold. Never show your face in front of me again. How about it?"

"L-Lady Tsunade..."

Shizune wanted to say something, but swallowed the words before they left her mouth.

Looking at Tsunade's smiling face, she suddenly did not know what to say.

The Fourth Raikage looked at Tsunade as well.

His gaze moved from her face to the hand she had raised.

That hand was fair and slender, looking as though it had nothing whatsoever to do with strength.

But who was she?

One of Konoha's legendary Three Ninja.

The First Hokage's granddaughter.

He fell silent for a moment, then spoke. "Fine."

Amai froze. "R-Raikage-sama?!"

The Fourth Raikage ignored him and simply stared at Tsunade. "Good. A deal is a deal!"

Seeing this, Sōji finally remembered this part of the story.

The secret technique of the Land of Cedar... the ninja-killing Xuan Yuan Corps... the contest of strength and speed between the Fourth Raikage and Tsunade...

This part of the story had only been a minor episode in the original work. In the end, Shizune had performed the operation and treated the Hidden Cloud ninja.

And what could he gain from this?

Yamada Soji looked at the Fourth Raikage, silently calculating something in his heart.