"Let me think it over carefully."
Chiyo sighed. She had thought a lot in just a few minutes but still couldn't make up her mind.
"I'll stay in Sunagakure for a few days."
Haruki heard this and knew she was hesitating.
Hesitation meant there was a possibility of her consent.
If Chiyo refused without listening to any reasons, what would Haruki do? He really would have considered abducting Sasori quietly.
But after all, she was Sasori's grandmother and a high - ranking official in Sunagakure.
Unless necessary, Haruki didn't want to strain the relationship.
He looked up and saw the dining hall.
Meanwhile, music with a strong desert flavor wafted through the air.
Haruki looked around.
A rough estimate showed there were nearly forty or fifty ninjas in the hall.
The dinner was in the form of a buffet.
Long tables were set up on all four sides of the hall.
There were all kinds of delicacies and fine wines on them.
At the same time, Haruki also saw some familiar faces.
For example, Chiyo's younger brother, Ebizo, and Karura, Rasa's future wife.
During the early construction days, he had gotten on very well with the high - ranking officials of Sunagakure, as they had fought side by side.
Haruki was the main character of the dinner. As he arrived, the atmosphere immediately became lively.
The Third Kazekage noticed his figure and immediately left Rasa, who he was talking to.
"Haruki, come to the middle," The Third Kazekage waved.
"No need for such formalities," Haruki replied with a smile.
The Third Kazekage didn't insist and announced the official start of the banquet.
After having a few drinks with him, Haruki found Tsunade and the others' seats.
"Busy man, you finally decided to come over."
Tsunade snorted. Since arriving in Sunagakure, she hadn't seen Haruki.
"Tsk tsk, look at you"
Haruki leaned in front of her, sniffed, and said with a smile, "Are you jealous?"
"Is your nose acting up?"
Tsunade picked up a chicken leg and stuffed it into his mouth.
After taking a bite, Haruki held it out in front of her.
"You want me to eat what you've bitten?"
Tsunade gave him a disdainful look. "Eat it yourself."
But Haruki just looked at her with a smile.
Tsunade was a bit helpless. She leaned forward and instead of eating the chicken leg, kissed him on the corner of his mouth.
Haruki was slightly stunned.
He quietly placed his hand on Tsunade's thigh and asked, "What's the plan for tonight?"
"Stop it!"
Tsunade slapped his restless left hand. "If others see this, your glorious image will be ruined."
"I don't need an image in front of you."
Haruki smiled and withdrew his hand, then poured her a glass of wine.
Tsunade subconsciously took the glass and remembered some crazy things from the past.
She was sure that if there were no other people around, this guy would do God - knows - what.
"Let me tell you something. In a few days, you take Kakashi and the others back to Konoha. I have something to do in Kusagakure," Haruki said while eating.
"Kusagakure?"
Tsunade only remembered that it was a small ninja village with no special features. She asked warily, "What do you have to do there?"
"What? Do you suspect me?"
Haruki turned his head and blinked. "Come on, as punishment for not trusting me, how many times tonight?"
"I never didn't trust you!"
Hearing "how many times," Tsunade immediately trembled and quickly said, "You're slandering me!"
As soon as she finished speaking, she couldn't help but let out a yelp.
Someone slapped her somewhere, making a dull thud.
"It's too late to say that now."
Haruki moved his hand up and patted her on the back, teasing, "What's wrong? Choked?"
"Asshole!"
Tsunade gritted her teeth. Angrily, she lifted her leg and stepped on him.
Haruki gasped slightly.
"Ouch, you really had the nerve to step on me?"
"Same to you. We're square."
Tsunade lifted her chin, gave him a smug look, and the corners of her mouth curled up into a happy smile.
"Just wait for me tonight!"
Haruki glared at her fiercely.
Tsunade's smile immediately froze. Thinking about what might happen tonight, she quickly changed the subject.
"You haven't said what you're going to Kusagakure for."
"I heard there's a member of the Uzumaki clan in Kusagakure. I want to go and have a look."
Haruki was naturally talking about Karin's mother.
An extremely pitiful member of the Uzumaki clan.
After the Uzumaki clan was destroyed, she ended up in Kusagakure.
The high - ups of Kusagakure took her in.
As an exchange, she became a mobile blood bag for the Kusagakure ninjas.
The Uzumaki clan has a powerful constitution and a huge amount of chakra, so it has an effect similar to healing Ninjutsu.
The crudest and most direct way is to bite their bodies and absorb chakra.
But this way of fishing to exhaustion caused more damage to them than their bodies could recover from, and they ultimately died tragically.
The evil of human nature was laid bare in all its glory.
Haruki felt extremely uncomfortable when he saw this plot in his previous life.
Now that he thought about it, he definitely had to go and save them.
The Uzumaki clan clearly had greater uses, but they were just treated as tools.
In the end, the ninjas of Kusagakure didn't regard them as their own people, but more like items that could save lives.
"The Uzumaki clan?"
Tsunade was a bit surprised when she heard this, but she understood Haruki's actions.
After all, he had an apprentice from the Uzumaki clan.
If he met Kushina, she would probably be very happy.
"Kusagakure is a bit far away. Taking you guys with me would take some time. It's not necessary. Moreover, if I'm alone, someone might take action."
Haruki pinched Tsunade's cheek. "After you go back, go and visit Hokage - sama right away."
"Do you want Tanzo to take action against you again?" Tsunade asked.
She already knew from Haruki about Tanzo's several assassination attempts, so she knew who the "someone" he mentioned was.
"Yes. This time it won't be that simple."
Haruki planned to collect evidence of Tanzo's crimes, give him a big surprise, and give Hiruzen Sarutobi a decent exit.
After all, he was Tsunade's teacher.
"Go ahead and do it. I'll support you."
Tsunade didn't hesitate. After Tanzo tried to assassinate Haruki, she was completely disappointed. If Konoha continued like this, it would sooner or later squander the foundation left by her grandfather.
In that case, let her and the man she loved most clean up the mess within the clan!
"After we get back, you can help me gauge the attitudes of the major ninja clans."
Haruki didn't hide anything and told her what he planned to do.
Tsunade was momentarily stunned. "Alright. I'll also try to figure out what my teacher is up to. If it really is..."
Suddenly, she seemed at a loss.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had treated her well.
After her grandfather's death, aside from Mito Uzumaki, the relatives she valued most were Hiruzen Sarutobi and her two teammates.
"Don't worry. He'll live on in people's hearts as the Hokage," Haruki said, squinting his eyes.
But he might turn out to be the most pitiful Hokage.
Since you're so fond of the Will of Fire, then add another spark to it.
Halfway through dinner, Haruki remembered something else.
He said to Kakuzu, "After this month is over, if you want to leave, I won't stop you."
"Really?"
Kakuzu looked at him in surprise.
Has this guy finally got a conscience?
"Of course it's true. It's up to you whether to stay or go," Haruki said with a smile.
Kakuzu nodded, half - believing and half - doubting.
If it were true, only a fool would stay!