Chapter 93: Sunasuke, You're Not Getting Any Younger
Time rewinds to Hidden Sand Village.
Seven in the evening.
After being chased by Anbu Ninja, they finally caught up with Sunasuke halfway and dragged him back.
At this moment, inside the Kazekage's office.
"So, that's the situation."
"I see. Who'd have thought the diligent girl in the hospital is actually the legendary Priestess? Truly, you can't judge a book by its cover."
"Right? Just like who'd have imagined the mighty commander of Hidden Sand Village's Second Legion walking into my office with his legs still trembling—heh!"
Sunasuke: "…"
"Heh, yeah. After all, the last time Lord Kazekage summoned me, I was left without a single hair on my head!"
You could hear the thick resentment in Sunasuke's voice.
"So why did Lord Kazekage haul me back? Surely not just for this?"
"Of course not! Do I look that idle to you?"
[Aren't you? The whole village knows you're the one with the most free time—who knows if you're just bored!]
Watching Sunasuke opposite him fall silent,
Saito felt… his fist clench.
"A-hem. I called you here to hand this matter over to you."
"Hand it to me?"
"Mm."
"You yanked the Second Legion's commander back mid-mission just for this trifle—for a woman?"
"It's no trifle, Sunasuke."
"Heh! Why not? Any Anbu could solve it with one slash…"
"This is your life's big event!"
Sunasuke and Saito spoke at once; for a moment both stared in shock.
"You want me to woo her!"
"You're planning to destroy that flower!"
After a brief daze, they blurted out together again.
"A-hem! Sunasuke, you're getting on in years; it's time to settle down.
Sure, she's a spy—but after you woo her, she won't be, right?
And look, she's gentle and has a great figure—you'd come out ahead!"
"Then why don't you marry again?"
"What talk is that! Me, of all people!"
"Aren't you?"
"Nonsense! Everything I do is for Hidden Sand Village!
Back then, the village had just reformed and was in shambles. To help the Uzumaki and the Chisato clans integrate quickly, I gritted my teeth and endured!
In short, I am absolutely not someone who chases beauty!"
Sunasuke: [Heh, I don't buy it!]
Ten minutes later.
Hoarse from talking, Saito looked at Sunasuke, who only answered with cold laughs.
He admitted he was out of ideas.
"Fine. If you really refuse, I'll call someone else; in a bit you'll help me persuade him."
"Deal, no problem. I'll make sure he goes woo the girl willingly."
The moment Saito stopped pestering him, Sunasuke perked up.
He plopped onto the sofa, crossed his legs, and waited for the next victim.
Five minutes later.
The office door opened.
A middle-aged man stepped in, holding the hand of a red-haired woman.
Sunasuke: "???"
"Lord Kazekage, you summoned me?"
Ten minutes later.
Looking at Sunasuke chained by golden bonds to a stool,
Ebizo urged earnestly,
"Sunasuke, you're not getting any younger… it's time. I've read Yakushi Nonō's file—she'll do; you'd come out ahead."
Sunasuke: "???"
To Sunasuke, Ebizo's nagging was nothing but noise.
He tilted his head back in protest, resisting the darkness of Hidden Sand Village.
"Sigh…" Seeing Sunasuke's stubbornness, Ebizo gave a helpless sigh and walked out alone.
Ten minutes later.
Ebizo returned—not alone this time, but with the entire Sand Elder Council and Second Kazekage Shamon.
"Little Sunasuke, Saito's right. He sprang it on you, but it's for your own good! That girl is fertile—you'd come out ahead!"
Shamon walked up to the bound Sunasuke and counseled him earnestly.
Sunasuke: "!!!"
——
Eight at night, outside the emergency building of Sunagakure Hospital.
Sunasuke's figure appeared.
After an hour of psychological persuasion, he finally surrendered.
He had no choice—if he kept refusing, those idle elders would have him castrated.
Elder Yuuto especially.
Looking back now, Sunasuke can't help but feel scared.
[Ahem, allow this old man to say a word—we must respect Sunasuke's wishes. If Sunasuke is unwilling, we really can't force him.]
Listen, doesn't that sound considerate?
[Still, this old man never imagined Sunasuke wouldn't be interested in such a pretty girl. I'm certain he's simply not into women—so let's pickle him!]
!!!
In the end, with most elders voicing approval, Sunasuke compromised—for the sake of his own happiness.
Recalling what happened in the office, Sunasuke steeled himself and strode into the emergency ward for the sake of happiness.
Thanks to the generally robust physiques of civilians in the Ninja World—and the lack of recent conflict—the emergency room was empty tonight.
Only a blonde woman sat in the swivel chair, chin propped on one hand as she dozed.
"Ahem, doctor."
Sunasuke's voice roused Yakushi Nonō from her daze.
"Ah, ah—seeing a doctor, right? Tell me what's bothering you."
Startled awake, Yakushi Nonō wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth, lowered her head, and hurriedly grabbed pen and paper to take notes.
Afraid someone might report her for napping on the job.
"I'm sick."
"Mm-hmm, I know you're sick—go on, what illness?"
"The kind where I can't stop thinking about you."
Yakushi Nonō: "??!!"
Hearing this odd complaint, Yakushi Nonō froze for a second, then realized she was being teased.
She immediately looked up, ready to curse him out.
"Hehe, so it's Lord Sunasuke—rest assured, I'll write you two prescriptions right away."
"I need an IV."
"Ah! The hospital doesn't stock medicine for that condition!"
"Yes, it does."
"Then what fluid would Lord Sunasuke like?"
"Fluid that misses you."
Yakushi Nonō: "..."
"All right, I'll fetch two bottles of Glucose to sweeten you up, Lord Sunasuke."
Sunasuke: "..."
[This isn't working—Ebizō's method is useless!]
[Ebizō: Sunasuke, remember—when courting girls you must be shameless, wrap her in sweet talk, make her blush.]
[Could it be I'm still not sweet enough?]
"There we go, Lord Sunasuke. If two bottles aren't sweet enough, call me and I can add more sugar."
After deftly inserting the needle, Yakushi Nonō told him.
Just as she turned to leave, Sunasuke called her again.
"Wait!"
"?"
"Is there something else, Lord Sunasuke?"
"No—I just have a gift for Miss Nono."
With that, he manipulated his Magnet Release, forming a flower in the hand that hadn't been pricked, and offered it to Yakushi Nonō.
"Fair lady! My name is Sunasuke, but you can call me Big Brother Jie!"
Yakushi Nonō: [Eww~Õ_Õ]
Sunasuke at this moment.
Seeing Yakushi Nonō frozen in place, Sunasuke thought: when it comes to picking up girls, Sunasuke's way works better.
[Sunasuke: Listen, as a spy she's been through a lot; deep down she lacks security. Show her you're reliable, sincere—take her to see the quiet side of life, the birds and the blossoms...]
Thinking that, Sunasuke pushed the flower closer to her again.
Yakushi Nonō stared at the black, iron-made flower before her. "Hehe! Lord Sunasuke, you'd better keep it yourself."
Sunasuke: "???"
[What's going on—she didn't even take the flower?]
Without looking back, she walked away.
Meanwhile, in the Kazekage's office.
Sunasuke, who had spied on the whole thing, pressed a hand to his forehead.
He couldn't bear to watch—really couldn't.
---
The next day.
Obito returned to Hidden Sand Village with the decryption method and a black snakeskin bag.
Sunasuke then used the method to decode the intel Yakushi Nonō needed to send back.
As expected, it contained news that Hidden Sand Village's elders were quite young.
But that information took up only a tiny portion of the whole report.
Most of it was Yakushi Nonō's greetings to Root leader Danzo Shimura.
Tsk tsk~
Konoha really is dark!
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