"Oh my, it's been so long! Lord Hashirama, you look as dashing as ever! Just look at your face and hair-you look even younger than I do! Who would ever guess you already have a granddaughter?"
Hozuki Gengetsu, with his little mustache, charged ahead and successfully claimed the honor of being the first to flatter Hashirama, immediately drawing a wave of jealous looks.
But the moment those words left his mouth, the other three Kage and their deputies, who had been glaring at him, nearly burst out laughing.
This single-minded idiot! Years have passed, so why is he still so terrible at flattery?
Standing behind Ishikawa, Mu showed him no courtesy whatsoever and snorted with laughter. Mustache glared viciously at him, thinking-
What the hell are you laughing at? I'm the goddamn Mizukage, and you haven't come anywhere near becoming Tsuchikage!
You're nowhere near my level! How dare you laugh at me?
"The Mizukage is absolutely right. Lord Hashirama truly does grow younger with every passing year."
Ishikawa stroked his increasingly long, increasingly gray beard. He seemed to be joining in the praise, but he had his own agenda:
"Alas, I'm getting old. I can barely walk properly anymore. I truly envy you."
With that, he wistfully tapped his battered lower back and said dejectedly:
"Who knows how many years I have left..."
"Lord Ishikawa, you must take care of yourself!"
Hearing that, Hashirama immediately looked at Ishikawa in alarm, a trace of sorrow in his eyes. He genuinely did not want to lose this "good companion."
"If there's anything I can do, I'll help!"
The other three Kage stared wide-eyed. This time, they were united against a common enemy. They even wanted to rush over, grab Hashirama by the collar, and shake some sense into this softhearted god-
*They