🚨Insert Some Funny Memes or GIF🚨
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After a while, Hikaru walked out of the tent.
Tsunade and Shizune were leaning against a tree trunk, enjoying the spring breeze and basking in the sunlight.
It was probably best not to provoke Tsunade too much right now.
So, he turned and walked toward A and Killer Bee.
He snatched the jar of sake straight from Killer Bee's arms, then leaned close to A and shouted in his ear:
"Can you drink or not? If you can't, just pass out already!"
"Shh—shh!"
Both of them jerked upright, shouting in reflex.
"Drink! Whoever doesn't drink will have a grandson!"
They didn't even open their eyes.
The loud yelling roused every shinobi from the Hidden Cloud Village. Even Naruto and Jiraiya, still resting in the tent, were jolted awake.
"Hahaha!"
Tsunade burst into laughter at the sight of the Raikage and Killer Bee's drunken antics.
Even Shizune covered her mouth, trying her best not to laugh aloud. After all, this was the Raikage. Laughing at him openly would be improper.
Just as A and Killer Bee were about to stand and argue with Hikaru again, they realized Tsunade and Shizune had already exited the cave.
They immediately turned and rushed after them.
"Karai! Karai, how is he?!"
Shizune stepped forward, standing protectively in front of Tsunade.
"You'll find out when you go inside the cave."
The Raikage and Killer Bee bolted back inside without even waiting for her to finish.
"He just needs a month of rest to recover..."
Shizune sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.
Ugh, they didn't even let me finish. What if they assume he's already dead?
Killer Bee dashed over to C, yanking him upright.
C had been half-awake from the Raikage's earlier shouting. Still groggy and disoriented, he felt a powerful force tug at his arm, flipping his entire body sideways in the air.
"Aaahhhh!!!"
A, Killer Bee, and C all burst into the cave in a frantic rush.
They were greeted by the sight of Karai lying on a white cloth, his chest visibly sunken, torso wrapped in bandages with blood faintly staining the gauze red.
Killer Bee collapsed to his knees before Karai, looking down at his still body. Tears welled in his eyes.
"Karai, no! You died so miserably! You've never even been in love, never kissed a girl! Damn, this is so tragic—wuwuwu!"
Even the Raikage lowered his head in silence.
Not even Tsunade had been able to save him...
His fists clenched involuntarily.
But just then, Karai stirred, his voice barely audible:
"...I'm not...dead yet."
The air inside the cave froze.
C immediately knelt beside Karai, beginning to channel medical ninjutsu to check his condition.
Killer Bee slowly got to his feet, trying to tiptoe toward the exit along the cave wall.
WHACK! A fist landed squarely on his forehead—A had struck again.
"Bee! Don't pull that crap again!"
Killer Bee rolled on the ground, clutching his head and howling in pain.
The Raikage ignored his brother's over-the-top reaction. Luckily, he hadn't done anything too humiliating just now—or that would've been a real mess.
C finished his examination using chakra. Aside from a dangerously weak pulse, Karai's vitals were stable.
Still, much of the flesh on his chest had been destroyed by the spider curse mark. The necrotic tissue had been removed surgically. He'd be bedridden for at least a month.
Once the report was delivered to the Raikage, the tension in the room finally eased.
C remained in the cave, continuing to accelerate Karai's recovery with medical chakra.
The Raikage stepped outside and walked up to Tsunade and Shizune.
He bowed slightly in gratitude.
Tsunade felt a little embarrassed. She hadn't done much—in fact, because of her hemophobia, she hadn't even participated in the operation. All she could do was force a polite smile.
At that moment, Hikaru walked over to the Raikage.
"Lord Raikage, I believe you haven't forgotten what you promised me last night?"
The Raikage blinked, confused.
"What did I promise?"
Hikaru graciously offered a reminder.
"It concerns Naruto's future training in the Hidden Cloud Village."
Suddenly, the Raikage's memories of last night hit him like a wave.
They had been drinking—him daring to ask, Hikaru daring to respond—and the entire exchange now replayed in his mind like a drunken flashback loop.
A sharp headache hit him. Was it a hangover? Or just a surge of regret?
No—this was Hikaru's doing, the damn schemer!
But he had no choice. It was his own fault for throwing pride aside and drinking with the guy.
He couldn't even decide who to blame more—Hikaru for manipulating him, or himself for falling for it.
In the end, he gritted his teeth and nodded.
"...Of course. No problem."
Hikaru gave a sly smile.
Serves you right. You think you can just drink my sake for free?
I'm Hikaru, after all—not some fool you can charm with a bottle.
...
Soon after, the Raikage ordered his men to carry Karai back to the Hidden Cloud Village on a stretcher. They gave their farewells to Hikaru and his group.
As for Naruto, after waking up, he dragged Jiraiya out, demanding more training in taijutsu. But deep inside, he was still thinking about Hikaru's Serious Punch.
Shizune returned to the cave to clean up the medical gear. After all, that equipment wasn't cheap—a decent scalpel set alone could run a million ryo. All told, everything in there was probably worth over three million. No way they could just throw it away.
By this point, only Tsunade and Hikaru remained, sitting quietly beneath a tree.
A butterfly fluttered by and landed on the end of Tsunade's ponytail. She sat there, hugging her knees, lost in thought—or perhaps just gazing into space.
Hikaru looked at her serene, elegant profile and couldn't help but reach out, cupping the butterfly gently in his palm.
His hand brushed through her soft, golden hair.
Tsunade turned her head instinctively to see him.
Hikaru held out his hand.
Tsunade slowly extended hers, gently prying open his fingers. Their fingertips touched—warmth passed between them.
Love was taking root, quietly and naturally—soft and tender like a flower yet to bloom.
The butterfly rested in Hikaru's palm, its vibrant wings slowly flapping, then fluttered down onto Tsunade's delicate fingers.
Their eyes met.
And for a moment, the world was still.
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