Tsunade came calling

"Damn that old man!"

After leaving the Hokage Building, Tsunade could not help cursing in anger. She had spent so long preparing, only for Hiruzen Sarutobi to reject her proposal at today's Jonin meeting.

"Tsunade..."

Not long after leaving the Hokage Building, Tsunade suddenly heard someone calling her from behind. She turned and saw the man who had supported her at the Jonin meeting. His name was Kato... Dan Katō, was it?

"Oh, it's you. Did you need something?"

Though she was in a terrible mood, Tsunade reined in her temper and greeted him pleasantly enough, since he had supported her earlier.

"My name is Dan Katō. I thought your proposal was excellent. Major reforms to the medical system really would go a long way toward saving the lives of our fellow villagers in Konoha."

Dan Katō smiled at Tsunade, then continued.

"But Konoha really is facing difficulties right now. The war only ended recently, and true peace has yet to arrive. Perhaps the Third Hokage took that into consideration and couldn't commit to carrying out your plan."

Tsunade's mood immediately soured at his words. She knew the state Konoha was in, but the thought of that old man flatly rejecting the Medical System Reform plan she had worked so hard on, without even giving a reason, made her furious.

"Even so, some things take priority over others. The old man simply can't see the situation clearly. That's why he rejected it outright and couldn't even come up with a reason."

Dan Katō gave an awkward smile. Tsunade was the Hokage's student and the First Hokage's granddaughter. She could freely curse him a little, but he could not. "The Third Hokage must have his reasons."

"What reasons? He just has no vision!"

As Tsunade complained to Dan Katō, her thoughts drifted to Karn. When was that guy coming back? She wanted to ask him about the medical system. Though he was an ordinary civilian, she felt he could give her some valuable inspiration.

They walked as they talked, and before long, they arrived near the Karn Food Store.

Dan Katō asked, "Tsunade, do you live nearby?"

"No. Were you planning to walk me home? There's no need. I want to buy a few things before heading back."

As she finished speaking, Tsunade spotted several wagons parked outside the Karn Food Store and immediately realized Karn must be back. What a coincidence. She had wanted to talk to him today, and he had returned just in time.

"Let's talk another day, Jonin Kato. A friend of mine is back."

"A friend?"

Before Dan Katō could say anything more, Tsunade headed straight for the Karn Food Store. Curious, he followed her.

"Karn!"

Karn was giving Kawaki Miwa instructions about moving the goods when he heard a familiar shout from outside.

Then Karn saw Tsunade storm inside, looking as though she had come for revenge.

Karn instinctively backed away two steps, then asked warily, "Tsunade-san, what's this about?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to talk. The old man made me angry today." Seeing Karn's reaction, Tsunade realized she had come in a little too aggressively and offered an explanation.

"And give me a box of chocolate. We can talk while I eat."

"Twenty pieces per box, four thousand ryo. Tsunade-san, you're a thousand ryo short," Karn said bluntly.

Tsunade flushed. She had merely pulled out a random wad of cash, never expecting him to be so particular about it. She quickly added another thousand ryo, lest anyone think she was the sort who refused to pay.

If she had not needed his advice in a moment, Tsunade might have taught Karn a little lesson.

Once he confirmed the amount was correct, Karn handed Tsunade a box of chocolate and asked with a smile, "One box of chocolate. Anything else, Tsunade-san?"

"I wanted to talk about what we didn't finish discussing last time."

Tsunade held up the report in her hand to show him, but Karn acted as though he had not seen it and asked with a bewildered expression,

"Last time? What last time? Tsunade-san, I have no idea what you're talking about."

No idea? At first, Tsunade thought Karn had forgotten. But after studying him closely, she realized he was deliberately pretending not to remember. He simply did not want to discuss Konoha's medical reforms with her.

He was driving her mad. Tsunade had already staked her reputation as a Konoha Jonin on her assurance that Konoha would not target him over this, yet she still could not understand why he was so cautious.

"Don't pretend you don't remember. Isn't meeting your customers' needs the most basic requirement of being a shop owner?" Tsunade said huffily. If he had not been an ordinary civilian, she would have made him experience the power of her monstrous strength.

"That's a hostess's job... All right, all right, we can have a little chat." Seeing Tsunade start to clench her fists, Karn hurriedly waved his hands.

"But the same rule as last time applies. If this involves Konoha's politics, there's no point in continuing. I'm a merchant. By the way, is that man your friend?"

Karn pointed to Dan Katō outside. The blue-haired ninja had been waiting out there the whole time, and Karn's shop was the only one nearby. He could only be waiting for Tsunade.

"Dan Katō? He hasn't left yet..."

Their conversation earlier had been pleasant enough, but Tsunade now had something more important to deal with and could not spare the time to talk to Dan Katō.

Just then, Dan Katō came inside and said to Tsunade with a smile, "Tsunade, so the owner of this shop is your friend. The chocolate here is delicious. I'm very fond of it, too."

"Kato, I need to discuss something with Karn right now... Actually, why don't we let Kato join us? He supported my Medical System Reform at the Jonin meeting just now, too."

Tsunade turned to Karn to ask. It was his shop, after all.

Dan Katō was a little surprised. He had not expected Tsunade to discuss the medical system with an ordinary civilian, even if the man did sell medicine.

"Let's talk in the back."

Karn did not refuse. He led Tsunade and Dan Katō straight to the living quarters behind the shop, then brewed each of them a cup of tea and brought it to the table.

After serving the tea, Karn got straight to the point. "Tsunade-san, what are you holding?"

"The Medical System Reform plan. I compiled it based on the suggestions you gave me last time. Would you like to read it?"

"No need. But you mentioned the Jonin meeting earlier, so it looks like the Third Hokage rejected your proposal."

At that, Tsunade said indignantly, "That's right. That old geezer has no vision at all. If the medical reforms succeeded, Konoha would never have to fear wartime casualties again..."

"That statement is meaningless. If you trained three thousand Jonin right now, Konoha wouldn't have to fear any war, either."

Karn casually rebutted her, then continued, "Tsunade-san, please give me a brief account of what happened at the Jonin meeting. Only the parts related to the Medical System Reform. Leave everything else out."