"Is there something inside Lord Raikage's body draining his chakra? Could it be...?" On the opposite side, Amai's expression changed dramatically upon hearing Kakashi's words.
That's right! It had to be the same worm-shaped mass that caused Nigai to self-destruct and turn Karai into a living bomb.
He had previously suspected that the Raikage—who had traveled with the two—might also be infected. But seeing no visible changes, he dismissed the thought.
Yet now it seemed the Raikage had also been parasitized by that thing—only it hadn't reached the point of external manifestation.
"Lord Raikage, stop using your chakra! Otherwise, you'll end up in the same dangerous state as Karai…" Realizing the truth, Amai shouted without hesitation.
Their opponents were Konoha's legendary Sannin and the Sharingan-wielding Kakashi—not enemies to be taken lightly. Forcing Tsunade to provide treatment through combat had already been a gamble, and continuing like this could lead to disaster.
The Raikage's importance was far greater than that of Karai. Even if they succeeded in subduing Tsunade and forcing her to heal him, there was no guarantee she wouldn't exploit the chance to strike during treatment.
Worse yet, who could say what would happen first—the parasite inside the Raikage exploding, or the Raikage defeating his enemies?
In short, they were in no position to take risks.
"Damn it…" The Fourth Raikage's face darkened. Gritting his teeth, he glared at Tsunade and Kakashi, then reluctantly suppressed his chakra.
Looking down at his chest, which still showed no external abnormalities, the Raikage's fury only intensified. "You bastards of the Nokizaru Group... I'll kill you all!!"
Nokizaru Group? The Raikage's roar made Kakashi and Tsunade exchange a sharp glance—surprise and realization flashing across both faces.
"The Nokizaru Group… could it be that mercenary group that targets and hunts ninjas? I never thought they'd go so far as to target the Raikage. Looks like the tide has turned," Kakashi said with a smirk. The oppressive pressure that once emanated from the Raikage vanished in an instant.
A Raikage who couldn't release chakra was still formidable in taijutsu—but without his full strength, he was far less dangerous. Even occasional chakra bursts could now be countered with their combined power.
"I get it now! That Cloud ninja said the Raikage would be in danger if he kept releasing chakra—and the guy he mentioned, Karai, must be the one they asked me to treat earlier. That means the creature inside the Raikage that Kakashi saw... must be the root of the problem, connected to both cases."
"In other words, Karai's current state is what awaits the Raikage in the near future." Tsunade turned to Kakashi and nodded, confirming the obvious deduction.
The balance between both sides had indeed shifted.
"As expected of Lady Tsunade… your analysis is as sharp as ever." Kakashi smiled as he praised her, though he'd already come to the same conclusion himself.
"Tch, cut the crap, Kakashi." Tsunade snorted, arms crossed, clearly proud but unwilling to show it. She didn't believe for a second that Kakashi hadn't figured it out already.
Then her gaze sharpened, and she frowned slightly, red lips pursed. "Tell me the location of that thing. I want to feed it some chakra—see what kind of reaction it has."
"Eh? Lady Tsunade, you…" Kakashi blinked, a bit taken aback. He nearly blurted out, "Isn't that a little too sinister? You're really going to provoke it while he's down?"
Still… this method was more effective. There was no good reason to object.
"You bastards are pushing it too far!!" On the other side, the Raikage was trembling with rage, ready to explode after hearing Tsunade and Kakashi so casually plotting in front of him.
But no matter how furious he was, the Fourth Raikage had no choice but to face cold, hard reality. In his current state—unable to use chakra—if Kakashi and Tsunade truly went through with their plan, he wouldn't be able to resist at all.
But if he did use chakra to fight them, he'd only be feeding that thing inside him more energy to grow. Two deadly choices. No matter which path he chose, the final result would be the same—self-destruction and death!
This impossible situation made the normally unshakable Fourth Raikage reveal a rare look of frustration. Gritting his teeth, he stood helplessly, unable to do anything...
'Is this the difference between me and elite ninjas?' Ishikawa, observing the rapidly evolving situation, sighed inwardly. 'They analyzed so much in such a short time... I still have a long way to go.'
But thankfully, he still had the advantage that others didn't—knowledge of the plot.
"I get it now, Kakashi-sensei! They came to ask Lady Tsunade to treat their companions because of that thing inside. Which means, if we do nothing, the Raikage will fall into a fatal crisis!"
"So now, it's them begging us, begging Lady Tsunade. As long as the Hidden Cloud Village doesn't want chaos to erupt after losing their Kage, they'll have no choice but to agree to any of our demands."
Taking a deep breath, Ishikawa suddenly dropped a bombshell—his voice calm but the implications explosive. A single statement that stirred a thousand waves.
That's right! After the Nokizaru Group name jogged his memory, he finally remembered! During the Fourth Great Ninja War, there was indeed a similar plotline involving Tsunade and the Raikage.
He didn't remember the full details, but he was pretty sure Tsunade didn't get any major reward back then when Shizune performed the removal procedure.
But this time? He wouldn't miss the opportunity. He was going to milk it. And more importantly—he'd make Kakashi and Tsunade look at him in a new light!
"Damn Konoha brat, you're asking for death!!" Almost before Tsunade or Kakashi could respond, the Raikage blew up. His beard bristled with rage as he glared furiously at Ishikawa.
The dignified Raikage of the Hidden Cloud Village, being oppressed by a Genin? It was an insult beyond reason.
"Don't scare me! You're in no position to threaten us now." Ishikawa was trembling slightly under the Raikage's furious pressure, sweat pouring from his face—but he still stood firm, no fear in his words.
"In any case, don't even think about getting Lady Tsunade to save anyone without paying a reward that satisfies us."
In the face of the Raikage's murderous glare, Ishikawa threw out another brutal line—then immediately ducked behind Kakashi and Tsunade.
"Teacher, Lady Tsunade, this is a perfect chance to extort some cash! We can't let it go! He's the Raikage—Kumogakure's leader! If we don't charge at least 1 billion ryo, it won't reflect his status as a Kage!"
"One billion ryo?!" Kakashi and Tsunade gasped in unison, eyes wide and jaws dropping. Ishikawa's outrageous demand nearly gave them whiplash.
This kid really had some nerve!
"Ahem, Ishikawa, you..." Kakashi coughed awkwardly, about to scold him—worried it might spark diplomatic tension between villages.
But before he could get the words out, he saw Tsunade staring at the Raikage with gleaming eyes, like she was looking at a pile of gold bricks.
"Kakashi, actually... I think he's got a point." For Tsunade—currently drowning in gambling debt—nothing was more appealing than cold, hard cash.
"One billion... one billion ryo, and I'll treat you. That includes your subordinate too. What do you say, Raikage?" Tsunade's expression changed on a dime. She flashed a beautiful smile and casually quoted the most expensive medical bill in ninja history to the stunned Raikage.
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