Light-Weight Rock and Added-Weight Rock

"Stop looking."

Tsunade said lazily, "You controlled it well, so of course you can't see them now. In their early stages, Explosive Insects are even smaller than bacteria. They're invisible."

The Fourth Raikage stood there without lowering his head or checking himself. He only looked at Tsunade.

"Then why am I fine? I used a lot of chakra when I arm-wrestled you."

Tsunade smiled as she explained, "Because you use chakra too quickly."

"Explosive Insects feed on chakra, but they need time to absorb it and grow. Every time you refined chakra, you used it before they had time to absorb any."

As she spoke, Tsunade could not help laughing. "Fourth, your Lightning Release Chakra Mode unexpectedly became your lifesaver."

Amai listened from the side, dumbfounded. "Th-then Lord Raikage is all right?"

"Being fine now doesn't mean you'll be fine later."

Tsunade's smile vanished. "As long as you keep refining chakra and keep fighting, the Explosive Insects will absorb it bit by bit."

"One day, you'll become like him too."

The stone house fell silent. Only Karai's weak breathing and the sound of rain dripping from the roof remained.

The Fourth Raikage stood in the doorway, sunlight shining in from behind him and leaving his face hidden in shadow.

The silence lasted a long time before he spoke. "You can cure them, right?"

Tsunade glanced at Karai and nodded. "Yes, but our wager only covered him. It didn't include the rest of you."

The Fourth Raikage understood. "Your terms."

Tsunade smiled. "Smart."

As she spoke, she raised a hand and held up one finger.

"First, fifty million ryo. Not a single ryo less."

The Fourth Raikage nodded. "Worth it."

Then Tsunade raised a second finger.

"Second, prepare five ninjutsu scrolls each for Wind, Water, and Earth Release. Common ones will do."

The stone house went quiet for a moment.

Sōji's fingers tightened slightly around his cane.

Wind, Water, and Earth were his chakra natures.

He then looked at Tsunade's profile. Her face remained lazy and casual, as if she were discussing what to eat for lunch.

Her golden eyes did not even glance his way. She merely looked at the Fourth Raikage with apparent indifference.

The Fourth Raikage fell silent for a moment.

His hawk-like eyes fixed on Tsunade, his gaze as still as water, revealing neither pleasure nor anger.

"That's too much." His voice was low, but unquestionable.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow without speaking.

The Fourth Raikage continued, "Fifteen ninjutsu are too many, but I can trade two techniques."

"Which two?"

"Iwagakure's Light-Weight Rock Technique and Added-Weight Rock Technique."

Sōji's breathing paused slightly.

The Light-Weight Rock Technique was a secret Earth Release technique that could alter an object's gravity, making oneself or anything one touched lighter, allowing flight or high-speed movement.

The Added-Weight Rock Technique was the opposite. It could drastically increase an object's weight, making attacks heavier and opponents unable to move.

These two techniques were Iwagakure's signature Earth Release arts, secret techniques that even touched upon the domain of gravity. In all of Iwagakure, only a handful of shinobi could wield them proficiently.

How had Kumogakure obtained them? But after another thought, Sōji understood.

The Land of Lightning bordered the Land of Earth, while Kumogakure and Iwagakure were hereditary enemies. Iwagakure had killed Kumogakure's Third Raikage, and Kumogakure frequently harassed Iwagakure's borders. They stole resources, intelligence, and ninjutsu from each other.

After fighting for so many years, it was not difficult for Kumogakure to acquire a few core secret techniques from Iwagakure.

Besides, Kumogakure's shinobi primarily specialized in Lightning Release and taijutsu. Earth Release users were scarce to begin with.

Now, exchanging these two techniques—useless yet too valuable to discard for Kumogakure—would not be a loss for them.

In fact...

Sōji's brow twitched slightly.

They could even use this to shift Iwagakure's attention toward the Land of Fire. After all, if Iwagakure learned that its secret techniques had fallen into the hands of Konoha's Three Legendary Ninja, the hatred involved...

They would kill two birds with one stone.

The Fourth Raikage's move looked like a concession, but it was actually shrewd.

However, Tsunade had clearly thought of that as well. She stared at the Fourth Raikage for two seconds, then suddenly smiled.

"Deal."

She agreed cleanly, as though she had not taken those calculations to heart. Or rather, as though she simply did not care.

Sōji's gaze beneath the black cloth fell on Tsunade.

Tsunade wanted those three types of ninjutsu for him. Wind, Water, and Earth were exactly his chakra natures.

Fifteen ninjutsu would be enough to expand his ninjutsu arsenal and fill the gaps outside of his taijutsu and Jujutsu.

After the Fourth Raikage bargained, the two secret Earth Release techniques were worth even more.

The Light-Weight Rock Technique would let him fly. Combined with the Six Eyes' advantage in vision, it would be a qualitative improvement for pursuit, retreat, and reconnaissance alike.

The Added-Weight Rock Technique could increase the destructive power of his Shikotsumyaku. Just imagine it: a bone spear enhanced with the Added-Weight Rock Technique might weigh ten or even dozens of times more than before, combined with the explosive force of Black Flash...

Even he did not dare estimate that level of destructive power.

But did Tsunade know all that?

She did not know the Six Eyes' exact abilities, his Jujutsu system, or even his true fighting style, but she knew his chakra natures.

Tsunade knew he wanted to become stronger, and she knew what would be useful to him. That was enough.

Sōji raised his head and looked at Tsunade's back.

She still looked lazy, arms folded as she leaned against the stone wall. The way she bargained with the Fourth Raikage was no different from how she acted in a casino.

But Sōji suddenly realized that in the original story, Tsunade had not charged Kumogakure's shinobi for treatment.

Back then, she had lost Dan and Nawaki. Disheartened and indifferent to everything, she had been approached by Kumogakure, made a bet, lost, and treated them. That was all.

But now, she was asking for payment, and what she wanted was precisely something useful to him.

Was it because of him? Had this year together turned him from a troublesome patient into a dependable companion?

At that moment, Sōji felt as if something in his chest had stirred slightly.

It was very faint, so faint that it was almost imperceptible.

Even after transmigrating to another world, he seemed to be the same as before, inexplicably moved by small acts of kindness from others.

"Then it's settled." Tsunade clapped her hands and straightened away from the stone wall.

"We'll treat him first, then you deliver the goods. Fourth, you have no objections, right?"

The Fourth Raikage nodded. "Fine."

After receiving his confirmation, Tsunade quickly walked to the stone bed and looked down at the unconscious Hidden Cloud shinobi.

Karai's breathing was weaker than before, and the spider-shaped swelling on his chest seemed to have grown another circle.

"You're Amai, right?"

Amai froze, then hurriedly nodded.

"Y-yes!"

"Go boil water, as much as possible. Find a few clean containers too. Clay jars are best; if there aren't any, use bamboo tubes."

"Yes!" Amai turned and ran.

"Kid."

Tsunade did not turn around, but her voice carried over. "Come here. I'll teach you how to handle this."

Things had changed again. In the original story, after Tsunade made her diagnosis, she had clearly left the entire operation to Shizune. But now, she was teaching him instead.

But was Tsunade's hemophobia really not a problem?

Holding his cane, Sōji walked to her side.

Before Sōji could speak, Tsunade looked down at the swelling and suddenly lowered her voice, speaking quietly enough that only the two of them could hear.

"I've already diagnosed the details. Next, you'll be the lead surgeon. Shizune will assist you from the side."

"This is your first surgery. Do a good job!"

Sōji was slightly startled.

Tsunade turned her head, her golden eyes looking at him, the corner of her mouth carrying a faint, ambiguous smile.

"This is a secret technique of the Xuan Yuan Corps. There are only a few people in the Shinobi World who can undo it. Understand it, and if you encounter something similar in the future, you won't be helpless."

Sōji was silent for a moment, then nodded slightly. "Yes."

Tsunade withdrew her gaze and looked at the swelling again. Her hand covered it, pale green medical chakra slowly flowing out.

"Shizune, go prepare the medicine needed for the operation."

"Yes!"

Shizune glanced at Sōji, then hurried out.

Outside the stone house, sunlight spilled through the clouds.

The Fourth Raikage stood at the doorway, his tall figure motionless like a statue.

His gaze passed through the stone house and fell on the silver-haired youth.

The boy stood beside Tsunade with his eyes covered, his expression impossible to read. Yet his stance, the slight angle at which he tilted his head, and where his fingers gripped the cane...

All of it was the posture of someone ready to strike at any moment. Even while learning, his body remained alert.

The Fourth Raikage recalled the instant that boy had rushed into the clearing earlier.

The timing, the position, the angle—everything had been perfect. It was absolutely not luck!

The Fourth Raikage narrowed his eyes slightly.

Where had Tsunade found a boy like this? Then he remembered the name the boy had given.

Yamada Sōji. He had never heard it before, but those covered eyes had constantly given him the feeling of being watched.

Not simple.

The Fourth Raikage withdrew his gaze and looked toward the distant sky.