Though it usually treated Kakashi and Obito poorly, it still remembered them in critical moments.
This Lightning Blade was crucial for Kakashi and had to be retrieved.
'Hmm... wait, wasn't this originally Black Lightning Kiba's blade? I should say we seized it.'
Raj corrected its thinking.
Earning Points was important, but it couldn't let that distract it from the real mission.
"Let's take the bodies back. Huh? He's still alive! Quick, get him to the Medical Corps!"
Shikuro Aburame had assumed both were dead, but upon closer inspection, he discovered that the severely wounded Juzo Biwa was still alive - despite his horrific injuries!
'Wait, this pattern...'
Hiashi Hyuga stroked his chin, racking his brain to recall where he'd seen such injuries before.
After a long moment, he finally remembered why the wounds looked so familiar.
'Isn't this the kind of injury Lord Jiraiya always gets when Tsunade catches him being reckless? Superhuman Strength, passed down through generations!'
"By the way, Lord Raj," Hiashi Hyuga suddenly said as they were returning to the village, his voice calm but audible to all the Jonin present. "If you ever come back to Konoha, would you honor us with a visit to the Hyuga Clan? We owe you a great debt for your help with Sowa's situation. The Hyuga Clan wishes to express our sincere gratitude."
"Meow~ I'm free anytime, but I'm not sure when I'll be able to return," Raj sighed regretfully.
Currently, the other four great nations were eyeing Konoha warily.
Even Tsunade, who had only been passing through, had been forcibly stationed in the east to oversee defenses.
Returning to the village anytime soon was out of the question.
"No matter."
Hiashi smiled faintly.
"This is just a preliminary invitation."
Shikuro Aburame remained silent, simply leading the way forward.
After traveling a short distance, Shikuro parted ways with Hiashi Hyuga, heading south.
As the commander of the southern camp, his mission was complete, and he needed to return to his post.
Moreover, few people liked Root, including Hiashi.
Those people were too cold and sinister.
"Hiashi, thank you for everything."
Minato gave a slight bow.
Raj didn't understand at first, but after careful consideration, he realized why Hiashi had spoken those words.
Hiashi's true purpose wasn't to invite Raj as a guest, but to declare his stance: the Hyuga Clan owed Raj a debt of gratitude.
If Root were to target Raj, they would need to think twice.
The merits of the Byakugan should not be underestimated.
These were the Byakugan of the main family, flawless in every way.
Moreover, with a successful transplant, even outsiders could wield them.
It was precisely to protect the Byakugan that the Hyuga Clan had developed the Caged Bird seal.
If Waka Sohe's corpse were to be stolen, it wouldn't just be a matter of the Hyuga Clan's honor being tarnished.
This debt alone was enough for Hiashi to speak up for Raj.
Furthermore, given Raj's formidable strength and Tsunade's favor, befriending him would only benefit the Hyuga Clan.
Despite this, Raj still felt deeply grateful.
Having someone speak up for him was far better than living like early Naruto, with no one openly offering help.
With Tsunade and the Hyuga Clan's support, Danzo would have to think twice before making a move against him.
'Still, jonin are truly cunning - so much hidden meaning in just a few words... I'll never be able to learn that.'
"So, in the end, even though you could have captured Black Lightning Kiba alive, you chose to kill him?"
'Meow? Is that really the main point here? Shouldn't the focus be on how I systematically defeated Raj's Exquisite Play Troupe of Six, one by one, to seize their Twin Swords? If Kishimaru and the others hadn't fled, I could have gone even further and eliminated them all. But unfortunately, my strength and Teacher Minato's were simply too overwhelming...'
Raj pondered for a moment, then said with a hint of regret, "Teacher Minato panicked. If he hadn't followed me, and I'd been left to fight the six of them alone, I could have slowly worn them down and marked each of them with the Flying Thunder God Seal.
That way, we could have captured them all in one fell swoop."
"Hahahaha, we weren't thinking that far ahead at the time."
"Minato, don't indulge this brat! I'm going to beat him senseless!"
Tsunade's furious roar echoed across the camp, sending shivers of fear down everyone's spines.
The mere sound conjured vivid images of Lord Jiraiya's past beatings, a legendary source of amusement.
To be fair, Tsunade's volatile yet occasionally gentle nature was quite appealing.
It allowed for easy point-farming while occasionally enjoying her tender and beautiful side.
Of course, when her rage erupted, Jiraiya would have to take the brunt of...
Only he could withstand such iron fists.
This was both a natural talent and the result of rigorous training.
"Alright," Tsunade said, propping her chin on her hand and producing a document.
"Even though you accidentally killed Black Lightning Kiba in his panicked escape, capturing Juzo Biwa alive is a major accomplishment. Combined with acquiring Executioner's Blade and the Thunder Blade: Kiba, you should theoretically qualify for promotion to Jonin."
"However, rapid advancement isn't always wise. I have an alternative proposal here you should review."
Raj glanced down at the document.
At first, he was puzzled, but after a closer look, he was stunned.
'Sent to Mount Myoboku for further training? That's the territory of that shamanistic giant toad! What's Tsunade playing at? Is she trying to get me killed?'
Raj stared blankly at Tsunade, its expression utterly bewildered.
Tsunade paused, flipped the document over, and calmly tucked it away.
"Oh, that's just an old draft. This is the current version."
She produced another document.
Raj glanced at it.
The list contained Tsunade's known Ninjutsu, including the Hundred Healings Technique, Mitotic Regeneration, and others.
The implication was unmistakable: become Tsunade's disciple.
'Medical Ninjutsu?'
It fell into deep thought.
Medical Ninjutsu was generally inexpensive in the shop, ranking just below hair-based techniques, Water Release, and Wind Release in terms of cost-effectiveness.
By price, it would be considered a second-tier talent.
'But... would training in that stuff even be useful?'
Raj had its doubts.
Of the techniques Tsunade had listed, only the Hundred Healings Technique, Mitotic Regeneration, Yin Healing Destruction, and a few other Forbidden Techniques piqued its interest.
Sage Mode would be useful, but Tsunade didn't know it.
Aside from these, the only real benefit would be the status of being Tsunade's disciple.
With such a connection, Danzo and his ilk might think twice before making a move.
But... Raj wasn't afraid of Danzo.
If Danzo dared to provoke him, he could easily prevent Root operatives from ever leaving their hideouts.
But becoming a Jonin didn't seem particularly appealing either.
Raj fell into contemplation.