"What's so funny? Hurry up and leave."
Kawakaze knew Tsunade was laughing at him. Glancing back, he casually fixed his hair.
"Haha, it's not funny at all."
If Kawakaze, wearing only his backless combat uniform, was already amusing, his attempt to save face by fixing his hair made him even funnier. Tsunade laughed out loud without restraint.
"You're laughing too? Hurry up and leave."
Kawakaze awkwardly ran a hand through his hair, taking out his irritation on the Konoha ninja behind him.
"Yes, Lord Kawakaze."
The Konoha ninja suppressed his laughter and followed as Kawakaze and Tsunade pursued the retreating troops.
"I wonder if Ōnoki will be furious when he gets back," Kawakaze said, changing the subject. He donned a combat uniform contributed by one of his subordinates.
The supplies they carried included everything imaginable, and one subordinate had packed ten combat uniforms into a single storage scroll. The man was practically a late-stage obsessive-compulsive. Still, Kawakaze couldn't complain; if not for that, he would still be shirtless.
"I don't know if he'll be furious, but I do know the Jinchūriki won't recover anytime soon."
Tsunade had examined Han's injuries when she sealed him with the Four Symbols Seal. Even with top-tier medical-nin on hand, his recovery would take time.
"Haha, even if he does recover, he won't be able to use the Tailed Beast's power," Kawakaze remarked confidently. He understood the power of the Four Symbols Seal—without the solution, the Jinchūriki's strength would be halved, limited to the minimal chakra the Tailed Beast could leak.
"Next time we meet, I'll show him," Tsunade declared confidently. If she encountered Han again, she would handle him without difficulty.
"But there's still the Fourth-Tails Jinchūriki in Iwagakure. We need to stay cautious," Kawakaze cautioned.
He knew Rōshi, the Fourth-Tails Jinchūriki, was even stronger than Han. Unlike Han, Rōshi possessed Lava Release independently of Son Gokū. When he tapped into the Tailed Beast's power, he could activate the Lava Release Chakra Mode, greatly enhancing both his attack and defense. He would be a far greater challenge than Han.
"I know. I'll be careful," Tsunade promised with uncharacteristic obedience.
Seeing her unusually docile demeanor, Kawakaze's index finger twitched instinctively.
He couldn't wait to return to the Land of Fire, where the real opportunity to "spar" with her would present itself. It had been far too long since their last encounter, and he genuinely missed those "training sessions" that left him feeling strangely victorious.
"What are you thinking about?"
Tsunade noticed Kawakaze had been silent for a long time, simply staring at her. The familiar light in his eyes made her face flush, and without hesitation, she punched him.
This bastard—he's really hopeless.
"Ah~"
Caught off guard, Kawakaze was sent flying by her punch. The Konoha ninjas behind him stood frozen in shock.
What just happened?
Several of them instinctively looked up at the sky, and a few almost stumbled into trees.
"Why did you hit me?" Kawakaze got up and quickly chased after her, questioning her indignantly.
"Hmph, you know exactly why," Tsunade replied, not even sparing him another glance. She was already tired of his antics.
"What do you mean? You just hit me for no reason!" Kawakaze persisted, stubbornly sticking out his neck as if to prove his innocence.
Tsunade didn't bother to continue the argument. Instead, she gave him a pointed look, then turned and resumed walking.
"I forgive you! Just wait for me~"
With a shameless grin, Kawakaze followed after her, stumbling in his eagerness to catch up. This time, however, he kept a safe distance—getting hit by Tsunade still hurt.
The journey took slightly longer than expected, but they finally caught up with the retreating Konoha troops near the border of the Land of Rain. The group had been moving at full speed, racing for their lives.
Kawakaze saw the two young boys each carrying an injured comrade on their backs as they rushed forward at full speed.
The two Konoha shinobi they were carrying were so heavy that their feet nearly dragged on the ground.
It was a heavy burden for two young people to bear, yet they managed it without complaint.
"Sensei, Sensei's wife!"
"Sister, Brother-in-law!"
Beaming with relief, the two young shinobi greeted the familiar pair. Their arrival meant that the pursuing enemy troops had been dealt with, and for now, the team was safe.
"I told you my sister and brother-in-law could handle it!" Nawaki said proudly, giving a small laugh to show his confidence in them.
"Sure, but wasn't it you who almost cried?" Minato teased, his tone neutral but sharp.
"You're no better than me!" Nawaki shot back, his face falling as he glared at his friend.
"If you run any faster, your pants will fall off," Minato retorted.
"None of your business!" Nawaki huffed.
...
Kawakaze was full of black lines; these two kids seemed to have gone a bit too far.
"What's all the noise?"
He gave each of them a firm slap, startling the wounded behind the two young shinobi.
"Haha~"
Tsunade laughed out loud beside him, clearly amused. She was genuinely happy to see her younger brother and Minato getting along so well.
"This time, we got you Earth Release techniques—really powerful ones," Kawakaze said. "When we get to the Land of Fire, you two should try to see if you can learn them."
As Kawakaze followed the two young boys, the entire team's pace slowed. Running hard was too much for the injured, and the two young shinobi were freed when the wounded on their backs were carefully transferred to stretchers.
"What kind of secret technique is it, Brother-in-law?"
Nawaki's excitement was palpable. With his talent in both Earth Release and Water Release, he was eager to learn something new. Tobirama hadn't left behind any powerful Earth Release techniques, so hearing about this opportunity thrilled him. If Kawakaze called it a powerful secret technique, it had to be on par with the Flying Thunder God Technique.
"One of them allows you to fly," Kawakaze revealed.
Nawaki's face lit up at the mention of the Light-Weight Rock Technique.
"Really? Is it that powerful?"
He asked eagerly, his expectant eyes fixed on Kawakaze. The thought of flying, especially when combined with his grandfather's Water Release, opened up endless possibilities.
"It's true, but it's very difficult to learn," Tsunade interjected, answering her brother's question. She genuinely hoped Nawaki could succeed.
"Okay, I'll work hard!" Nawaki cheered, determined to master it no matter the difficulty.
"Sensei, am I suitable for these two secret techniques?" Minato asked after Nawaki had finished.
"These are unique secret techniques of the Third Tsuchikage," Kawakaze explained. "If you can learn them, then they're suitable for you."
He believed that with Minato's exceptional combat intelligence, mastering these techniques could lead to extraordinary results. Someone who had mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique would surely grasp the significance of gravity and weight reduction.
"Yes, Sensei." Minato nodded, understanding Kawakaze's words—it all depended on his talent. If he couldn't learn them, it wouldn't matter.
"Aren't you going to practice them yourself?" Tsunade asked, noting the supplementary benefits of the techniques. She believed they would suit Kawakaze as well.
"Cough, cough~ I'll try, I'll try," Kawakaze replied, hesitating. He knew his own limits too well to make bold claims.
"Aren't you interested? I remember you have Earth Release."
These techniques were also well-suited to Tsunade. With the Light and Heavy Rock Techniques, her speed and strength could be enhanced significantly. Combined with her Taijutsu, the effects would be even more pronounced.