"I…"
I'm going to die! I can't even put my finger on it.
I chickened out! I actually chickened out!
But they didn't dare say anything directly to his face.
"Tch!"
With a cold snort, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu turned and left.
Perhaps that little snort was the last scrap of defiance they could muster.
"Tsk."
Yugito Nii watched them with open disdain, unable to comprehend how a village that had someone as terrifying as Aoyama Ryuun living in it…
Could still have pests like them crawling around.
The thought reminded Yugito that Aoyama Ryuun was still standing beside her.
Immediately she dropped her arrogant posture and spoke to him in a soft, almost gentle tone.
"Actually, I'm usually very gentle."
"…"
What does that have to do with me? Why are you telling me this?
Could this woman… actually have a crush on me?
Aoyama Ryuun's expression showed mild suspicion, and the more he looked at her, the more the possibility seemed to make sense.
Cough, cough.
At last, Hiruzen Sarutobi stepped in, breaking the tension.
Truth be told, Hiruzen was becoming increasingly envious of Aoyama Ryuun.
Not only is he absurdly powerful… women also flock to him like this?
I'm jealous to the point of madness.
"Jonin Yugito," Hiruzen said with a polite smile, "since you'll be staying in Konoha for a while, I'll arrange lodging for you."
"This is troublesome," Yugito replied, returning to her usual cool demeanor when speaking to others.
Hiruzen didn't mind. In fact, his smile deepened.
"In that case… how about arranging a house next to Ryuun's residence?"
"This—!"
Her eyes widened slightly, a hint of joy leaking through her composure.
"Thank you so much, Hokage-sama!"
A good man. Definitely a good man.
At least in Yugito's current view.
Yugito was pleased… and Hiruzen was even more pleased.
In his mind, Aoyama Ryuun lived with Tsunade.
Given Tsunade's explosive personality, she would absolutely blow up the moment she saw Yugito suddenly living next door.
And when that chaos erupts… Aoyama Ryuun will be far too busy to bother me.
"What a brilliant plan," Hiruzen thought, smug and self-satisfied.
Meanwhile, Aoyama Ryuun didn't think much of it.
Whatever Yugito thought of him didn't matter much.
He wasn't particularly interested either way.
…
Meanwhile, after leaving Konoha Village, A looked troubled as he walked beside his father.
"Leaving Yugito in Konoha is a dangerous move. Why aren't we even encouraging her or saying anything to reassure her?"
"…"
A's conflicted expression left the Third Raikage speechless.
So this boy truly is that slow?
At that moment, Killer B stepped forward, his tone falling into a rhythmic rap.
"Yo! Idiot bro, don't ya know?
Yugito's got feelings for Golden Lion, fo' sho!"
"WHAT?!"
A nearly jumped, staring at his father in disbelief.
To confirm it, he looked at the Third Raikage.
The Third Raikage let out a long, helpless sigh.
"I genuinely question whether choosing you as the next Raikage was the right decision."
"…"
How did that turn into questioning my qualifications as Raikage?
But clearly A's brain was elsewhere right now.
Panic crept across his face as he asked,
"If that's true… Father, why did you agree to let Yugito stay in Konoha?!"
If Yugito were an ordinary jonin, that would be one thing.
But she is the Jinchūriki of the Two-Tails, the village's greatest military asset.
Could his father really be so careless as to let a Jinchūriki live in another hidden village?
"Do you honestly think you've thought of something I haven't thought of?"
The Third Raikage shot him an exasperated glare.
Of course he had considered it.
But—
"Konoha's higher-ups are rotten to the core. First they crushed White Fang, and now Yellow Flash. They say Konoha is a cradle of geniuses… I say it's a graveyard for geniuses."
His tone dripped disdain.
Upon arriving in Konoha, they'd received the news that Minato Namikaze had died.
Even A felt something break at the thought.
Minato was one of the few shinobi faster than him.
A had hoped to challenge him again someday.
Now that would never happen.
"So?" A asked, eyes full of questions.
"So," the Third Raikage answered, "Konoha will eventually fall into Aoyama Ryuun's hands. A man like the Golden Lion will never allow himself to be chained by weaklings."
He scoffed.
A bunch of useless bureaucrats thinking they can control the strong?
What a joke.
He had once respected Minato Namikaze, but that died the moment he heard of Minato's end.
To the Third Raikage,
The strong die on the battlefield.
Suicide is an act of weakness.
Killer B, dropping the rap for once, added calmly,
"So the Raikage lettin' Yugito stay is takin' advantage of her bond with Ryuun. But she's still one of ours—loyal to the Cloud, yo. She won't betray us."
"Hm. Not bad."
The Third Raikage nodded, clearly satisfied with B's analysis.
At least someone here was using their head.
A stared at Killer B like he had grown a second head.
You figured that out?!
"Didn't you figure it out?" Killer B asked.
"…"
If I figured it out, would I be asking these stupid questions?!
"Yo! Idiot bro, dummy bro, no brains at all, you already know!"
B mocked him with a rhythm and a dismissive gesture.
"Get lost."
Rolling his eyes, A snapped back and turned away, done with Killer B for the moment.
He looked back at his father.
And the Third Raikage simply kept walking forward…
Silent, expression unreadable.
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