Outside the door.
Yugito stared blankly at Takumi, as if something unbelievable had just happened before her eyes.
What had she just heard?
A Konoha's Shinobi, standing up for her, an outsider, against the Hokage and another Konoha's Jonin?
'Was this real?'
'Was I dreaming?'
'Or was I under a Genjutsu?'
'No, if I were under Genjutsu, Matatabi would help me dispel it.'
'So, this was reality?!'
But that confused her even more.
'Was there really a Shinobi who dared to openly confront the Hokage?'
'Wasn't he afraid of getting on the wrong side of things?'
For a moment,
Yugito's face was a mix of emotions.
"Don't overthink things."
Takumi glanced at her, able to guess her thoughts from her expression. "I said all that because of you, but because they were misunderstanding me."
"Don't flatter yourself."
"Hmph!" The hint of emotion on Yugito's face instantly vanished, replaced by a speechless look. "Who was overthinking? I just thought you were an idiot for daring to talk to the Hokage like that. Aren't you afraid he'll hold a grudge?"
"Then he could just assign you a few high-difficulty missions, and you might die out there."
"The Hokage isn't that shortsighted."
Takumi chuckled lightly. Given Hiruzen's regard for him, why would he do something so foolish, killing the goose that lays the golden eggs?
This wasn't like the heyday of Konoha, when there were so many geniuses to squander.
Who was there in Konoha now?
Him, Tsunade, Kakashi... and then?
No one.
No one else who could really stand out.
Sasuke was still too green. He had a certain level of strength, but his mind hadn't settled; he was still in a state of frenzy.
Losing it every now and then.
So, he could say those things to Hiruzen because he had nothing to fear.
He was confident that Hiruzen wouldn't have any other thoughts about him.
"Say what you want. Don't expect me to be grateful to you."
Yugito turned her head away, not wanting Takumi to see her slightly flushed face.
Though she said that, her mind was filled with the image of Takumi passionately speaking in front of Asuma and Hiruzen.
He was just a young man, but at that moment, his back looked like a giant's in her eyes.
A Jinchuriki, sacrificing themselves for the village, having a monster sealed inside them since childhood.
How terrifying was that for a child?
Although outsiders might think that sealing a Tailed Beast grants immense power and a path to becoming a strong Shinobi.
For the person involved, they might not necessarily want that power.
With that power, in the eyes of others, they become the monster itself.
Who would want to be friends with a monster?
So, Jinchuriki were very lonely from a young age, living in constant fear that the Tailed Beast would go berserk and kill them.
Yet they had to strive to control the Tailed Beast, making it their source of power to protect the village.
But after all that effort, people around them wouldn't praise or comfort them.
All they faced was distance and coldness, the looks as if they were monsters deeply piercing their young hearts.
What Jinchuriki needed most was understanding.
But many people wouldn't try to understand them.
At this moment.
Yugito's heart was filled with many thoughts.
Takumi simply tugged on the chain in his hand, snapping her back to reality.
Snapping back, Yugito suddenly found a pillar right in front of her and quickly stepped back two paces.
"What are you daydreaming about?"
Takumi frowned. "I called you, but you didn't hear me?"
"I, I was just thinking about what to eat for dinner..." Yugito said, blushing.
"Oh?"
Takumi raised an eyebrow. "What, you want to be picky? No way. I'll cook whatever I make tonight, and you'll eat it."
"Don't forget your status. You're my prisoner now."
As he spoke, he rattled the chain in his hand.
"You!"
Yugito was furious, but the current situation was just as Takumi said.
But before, Yugito had felt anger and fear inside.
Now, she surprisingly found herself feeling a faint sense of security.
This made her shamefully lower her head.
"Watch where you're going!"
Takumi frowned and tugged the chain.
"Ah!"
Yugito let out a short yelp, then her cheeks flushed as she walked behind Takumi.
Bowing her head like a quail hiding behind its mother.
Seeing this, Takumi couldn't help but smile faintly.
His plan seemed half-successful.
It all depended on whether he could achieve the other half in the coming days.
Taking Yugito to the main gate to meet the other patrol members, they meticulously patrolled the village's outer perimeter.
By the time they got home, it was already getting late.
"It's getting late, so we'll just make do with a simple dinner."
Takumi changed into comfortable loungewear, then frowned as he sniffed the air around Yugito, his expression turning disgusted.
"You stink!"
"You!!"
Yugito's face instantly turned bright red.
She was a woman, after all.
Calling her smelly was too much of a blow to her pride!
"Looks like you need a wash."
Takumi casually flicked the chain in his hand, and the chains tightly binding Yugito automatically loosened, leaving only her wrists and ankles restrained.
"Wait, what are you going to do?"
Yugito's expression changed dramatically, sensing an extremely unfavorable situation.
"What am I going to do?"
Takumi raised an eyebrow and said matter-of-factly, "Wash you, of course. You're this smelly now; how am I supposed to sleep next to you later?"