"No need to ask, Tsunade. Those are the Xuanyuan Clan's Exploding Bugs. They're an insect technique similar to the Aburame Clan's. Once the bugs enter the body, they remain dormant as long as the host doesn't use Chakra. But the moment Chakra is used, they begin feeding on it, growing larger and larger until they eventually explode."
Before Ameyuri or the others could explain, Isamu answered the question himself.
"How do you know so much about them?"
Tsunade looked at him curiously.
"Because I ran into the Xuanyuan Clan on my way here and fought them."
"I see. So… you have a way to deal with these bugs?"
"Heh. They're just a few insects. Getting rid of them is easy."
"Good. Then you can handle it."
"…"
Isamu froze for a moment.
The timing couldn't have been worse.
Only last night, he had flatly refused to help them, and now Tsunade had casually volunteered him. It felt like she'd slapped him in the face without lifting a finger.
Still, Isamu understood why.
Tsunade couldn't bear the sight of blood anymore, so naturally she'd push the procedure onto someone else.
When Fourth Raikage Ai and Ameyuri heard her words, both looked at Isamu hopefully.
Compared to Tsunade, they trusted Isamu's abilities far more. After all, he had already removed an Exploding Bug once before. If anyone could save Karai, it was him.
Unfortunately for them, Isamu had no intention of doing it himself.
Instead, he looked at Shizune.
"Shizune, you've been by Tsunade's side for years. You've learned more than enough. I'll leave the Exploding Bug extraction surgery to you."
"Uh… alright."
Without much hesitation, Shizune nodded.
"Why, Lord Isamu? Why won't you do it yourself?"
Seeing Isamu hand such an important operation to the young medic, Fourth Raikage Ai immediately became anxious.
"Relax, Raikage. Shizune is an outstanding medical ninja. A procedure like this is well within her abilities. Besides," Isamu said with a faint smile, "I'll be standing right here. What exactly are you worried about?"
"…Very well."
In the end, Ai reluctantly agreed.
It wasn't because he trusted Shizune.
It was because he trusted Isamu.
If a powerhouse like him said she could do it, then she probably could.
"Shizune, prepare for surgery. Itachi, take your grandmother for a walk."
Knowing Tsunade's hemophobia, Isamu deliberately sent her away.
Itachi obediently escorted Tsunade outside, and she offered no objections.
As Shizune prepared the operation, Ai watched Tsunade leave before asking,
"Lord Isamu… why did you send Lady Tsunade away?"
"Because she can't handle the sight of blood anymore.
"To be more precise… she suffers from hemophobia."
"Afraid of blood…"
Ai fell silent before nodding.
"So that's it. For a medical ninja… that's a fatal weakness."
Once everything was ready, Ai asked another question.
"Lord Isamu… may I ask you something?"
"Go ahead."
"Tsunade is one of Konoha's Legendary Sannin alongside Jiraiya and Orochimaru. She's also your wife. What could possibly have happened for someone like her to develop hemophobia?"
Acting as Shizune's surgical assistant, Ameyuri couldn't help asking as well.
"I'd like to know too. Lady Tsunade has always been the role model of medical ninja everywhere. How could someone like her…"
The question made Isamu's expression darken.
Shizune, who was preparing for the surgery, also lowered her head.
Before Isamu could answer, Shizune spoke quietly.
"I'll explain.
"Lady Tsunade once had three people who meant everything to her.
"The first was Lord Isamu.
"He was gravely wounded while carrying out a mission on the northern border, fell into a coma, and remained unconscious for decades.
"The second was her younger brother, Nawaki, who died shortly after the Third Great Ninja War began.
"The third… was my uncle, Kato Dan—Lady Tsunade's closest companion during her darkest days.
"He also died in the war.
"After suffering so many losses… Lady Tsunade finally broke."
Hearing those words, Isamu sighed helplessly.
He had started that war for the sake of his clan and to complete the system's mission.
Yet the person who had suffered the most because of it… had been Tsunade.
Fate truly had a cruel sense of humor.
Garuda quietly listened, deeply shaken.
She had never imagined that someone as powerful as Isamu had once been so badly injured that he nearly died.
Nor had she realized just how much Tsunade had endured.
Compared to Tsunade's life…
Her own hardships suddenly didn't seem nearly as unbearable.
After hearing the story, even Fourth Raikage Ai couldn't help feeling moved.
"Hmph… Seeing Karai on the verge of death made me panic. I ended up placing all my hopes on someone whose career as a medical ninja had already ended…"
"Lady Tsunade's career isn't over!"
Shizune suddenly shouted.
At that exact moment, she increased the force in her hands and successfully extracted the Exploding Bug from Karai's body.
"The Exploding Bug has been removed.
"The rest is up to you."
"Yes!"
Standing up, Shizune looked Ai directly in the eyes.
"Lady Tsunade's path as a medical ninja hasn't ended.
"I'll inherit everything she's taught me.
"And Lady Tsunade herself will stand up again.
"For Lord Isamu.
"For Lord Nawaki.
"And… for my uncle."
Ai stared at the determined young woman before him.
He hadn't expected someone so young to possess such unwavering resolve.
She truly was remarkable.
"Well said, Shizune."
Isamu smiled faintly.
"Tsunade will recover.
"The Exploding Bug has been taken care of, Fourth Raikage.
"It's time for us to leave.
"Garuda, Shizune—let's go."
The three walked outside, where Tsunade was happily playing with Itachi.
Watching her smile while holding her grandson, Isamu quietly relaxed.
Perhaps bringing Itachi along this time hadn't been a mistake after all.
His presence allowed Tsunade, if only for a little while, to forget the pain of the past.
"The matter's settled. Let's go."
Just as Isamu turned to leave with his family, a voice called out from behind.
"Lord Isamu!"
Recognizing Fourth Raikage Ai's voice, Isamu stopped and slowly turned around.
At that exact instant—
Lightning erupted around Ai's body.
His Lightning Release Armor reached full power as he vanished in a flash.
Lightning Release: Lariat!
His fist shot toward Isamu's head.
Seeing the attack only half a meter away, Isamu merely smiled.
He moved even faster.
Grabbing Ai's wrist with one hand, he drove a kick into the Raikage's abdomen before slamming a crushing fist into the back of his head.
Boom!
In a single exchange…
The Fourth Raikage was knocked flat onto the ground.
Itachi and Shizune stared in stunned silence.
The Raikage—
A Kage of one of the Five Great Nations—
Had been defeated in a single move.
What terrifying strength.
Garuda and Tsunade, however, weren't surprised in the slightest.
They knew Isamu's true strength.
If he couldn't defeat the Fourth Raikage that easily…
That would have been the real surprise.