Chapter 154: The Banquet

Under the veil of night, the Village Hidden in the Mist was brightly lit, the dazzling lights scattering the mist that usually shrouded the settlement year-round.

In the open space before the Mizukage building, a dozen or so giant barbecue racks had been set up to roast the meat of Manda. The rich aroma of roasted meat quickly permeated the entire village, making everyone's mouths water.

Thousands of villagers from the Mist had gathered in the center of the village. Accompanied by music, they sang and danced freely, celebrating the victorious return of the Fifth Mizukage and the triumph in this Shinobi World War amidst a lively and jubilant atmosphere.

Tonight was a night of revelry for the people of the Mist.

As outsiders—or rather, "captives"—Tsunade and Shizune, master and apprentice, were extremely reluctant. Yet, under Kisame's pressure, they had no choice but to leave their small courtyard and head toward the banquet hall next door.

Along the way, they drew the attention of many Mist ninja and villagers.

All sorts of whispers drifted from both sides of the street, falling into Tsunade's ears.

"Is that blonde woman Tsunade-hime, the princess of Konoha? Just like the rumors say, she's gorgeous and has an amazing figure. What a great beauty."

"I heard Tsunade was invited by Lord Mizukage to help us build the Mist's medical ninja system. It's so exciting. I wonder if I'll have the chance to become a medical ninja myself."

Two young girls whispered to each other, their eyes filled with adoration for Tsunade.

Hearing these words, Tsunade maintained a calm expression on the outside, but inwardly she felt quite pleased.

However, her satisfaction was short-lived.

Soon, her composure shattered.

A group of male villagers had gathered together, lewdly discussing some rather unpleasant rumors.

"I bet it's not that simple. There's a high probability that this Tsunade-hime is already Lord Mizukage's woman. I heard they've known each other for a long time and even filmed a movie together in the Land of Water. Who knows, maybe they hooked up back then."

One man spoke with absolute certainty, as if he had witnessed Tsunade and Kisame together with his own eyes.

"But Lord Mizukage isn't even fifteen yet, and Tsunade is over thirty. She's older than him by two full cycles; she's an older woman. Looked at that way, Lord Mizukage is getting the short end of the stick," another person questioned.

"What do you know? Lord Mizukage is young and promising. Would his taste and standards be lower than yours? Sure, Tsunade is a bit older, but she takes great care of herself and has a unique, mature, and charming appeal. How else could she have caught Lord Mizukage's eye?"

"..."

As these men discussed with great relish, they suddenly felt a chill behind them, causing every single one of them to shudder and break out in goosebumps.

Turning around, they saw Tsunade glaring at them with murderous intent, rolling up her sleeves as she marched over, clearly intending to use her fists to shut them up.

"Yikes, run! Tsunade's punches are no joke."

Frightened out of their wits, the group scattered instantly like birds and beasts.

"Lady Tsunade, please don't be impulsive!" On the other side, Shizune was exerting every ounce of her strength, desperately holding Tsunade back.

This was not Konoha; Tsunade could not afford to throw a temper tantrum here.

"Hmph."

Tsunade let out a cold snort, suppressing the anger in her heart, and walked with a dark face toward the entrance of the banquet hall.

Terumi Mei was in charge of reception here. Upon seeing Tsunade, she immediately hurried over to greet her.

"Lady Tsunade, please come with me. Lord Mizukage and everyone have been waiting for you for a long time."

She bowed to Tsunade and made a polite gesture of invitation.

Like the other villagers, Terumi Mei held deep respect for Tsunade, the renowned "Medical Saint" of the shinobi world. Moreover, she had heard the rumors circulating between Tsunade and Kisame, and could not help feeling deeply curious about their true relationship.

The three of them entered the banquet hall.

Tsunade's eyes immediately landed on Kisame, who was seated at the head of the table in a luxurious, oversized chair, heartily devouring pieces of roasted snake meat.

He cut the exact figure of a bandit chieftain holding court in a mountain stronghold.

*Glug, glug, glug.*

Kisame picked up a pitcher of fruit juice nearby, drained it in one breath, and let out a burp before noticing Tsunade at the entrance.

He instantly broke into a smile, stood up, and clapped his hands to signal the crowd in the hall to quiet down.

"This beautiful woman is Tsunade-hime. She is here to help us train medical ninjas. Over the next few years, everyone must treat her as one of our own people in the Mist, and respect her just as you respect me. Understood?"

Kisame raised his voice and instructed the crowd.

"Understood, Lord Mizukage!" The Mist ninja in the hall responded in a thunderous roar.

"Let us give a round of applause to welcome Lady Tsunade into the Mist's big family," Elder Ao proposed, taking the lead in clapping the moment his voice fell.

*Clap, clap, clap, clap.*

The others joined in, applauding enthusiastically to extend a warm welcome to Tsunade.

As the saying goes, it is hard to refuse such warm hospitality.

Faced with the enthusiastic welcome of the Mist people, Tsunade could not bring herself to put on a sour face, so she managed to force a smile. Afterward, Terumi Mei led her to the seat of honor on Kisame's right and had her sit down.

"I don't eat snake meat."

As soon as she sat down, Tsunade made her stance clear, signaling that no dishes of that kind needed to be served for her. She was merely going through the motions and had no intention of staying a moment longer than necessary.

However, Terumi Mei said very thoughtfully, "Lord Mizukage already anticipated your dietary preferences and specially prepared fine aged sake and tender chicken for you."

With that, she had attendants bring over a plate of fragrant, tender chicken and a jar of rice wine.

"Oh, these are all Lady Tsunade's favorite things!"

Shizune chimed in from the side, casting a surprised glance at Kisame, not expecting him to remember Tsunade's preferences so clearly.

The moment she finished speaking, she received a glare from Tsunade.

"Nonsense, they're just average."

Tsunade said indifferently, putting on an appearance of having no appetite, but her stomach immediately betrayed her, emitting a loud rumble.

"Hee hee." Terumi Mei covered her mouth with her hand to stifle a giggle and stepped back.

Tsunade blushed. In truth, she couldn't really be blamed; after all, she had been locked inside the Box of Ultimate Bliss by Kisame for many days. At this moment, she felt like an animal waking up from hibernation, filled with an overwhelming craving for food.

Right at that moment, Kisame spoke up.

"Tsunade, are these foods not to your liking? Shall I have someone take them away?" He looked at Tsunade with a half-smile, deliberately teasing her.

"Don't."

The word slipped out of Tsunade's mouth before she could stop it. Driven by her intense appetite, she simply gave up on pretending. She reached out with her bare hands, grabbed the tender chicken, and began to devour it voraciously.

In just a few huge bites, she finished the entire chicken, and then she picked up the entire wine bottle, draining it in a wild, uninhibited chug.

Such a "bold and unrestrained" manner of eating left the gathered Mist ninja dumbfounded.

"Everyone, don't just sit there staring! Enjoy this lavish banquet together. Tonight, eat your fill, drink your fill, and have a good time!"

Kisame raised his cup of tea, drinking the first toast on behalf of everyone.

Hearing this, the crowd raised their cups and downed their drinks in one gulp. The atmosphere in the banquet hall grew increasingly lively, filled with laughter and cheerful chatter.

After polishing off several bottles of wine in one go, Tsunade's face flushed red, and she grew slightly tipsy.

Given her naturally bold and hearty disposition, combined with the effects of the alcohol, she gradually let down her guard and quickly mingled with the people of the Mist.

An hour later.

"What a bunch of useless lightweights."

Tsunade staggered slightly as she held a wine bottle, looking at the group of Mist ninja she had drunk under the table, and burst into hearty laughter.

"Lady Tsunade, please drink a little less. It's bad for your health," Shizune advised with a helpless expression, though her words clearly had no effect.

By this time, Tsunade, thoroughly intoxicated, set her sights on Hoshigaki Kisame sitting nearby, insisting on challenging him to a drinking contest to see who could hold their liquor better.

"I'm a minor and cannot drink alcohol," Kisame replied with a firm and steadfast expression.

"Boring." Tsunade instantly felt greatly let out, set the wine bottle down, and let out a loud hiccup.

The banquet was drawing to a close.

"Everyone's had a good time today, so head home and get some rest."

Following Kisame's words, the people of the Mist rose from their seats, bowed to him respectfully, and filed out of the banquet hall.

Seeing this, Shizune hurried over to support the heavily intoxicated Tsunade, preparing to guide her back to her room to rest.

Suddenly, a large hand reached out and blocked Shizune's path.

"Shizune, you go on ahead. I have some personal matters to discuss with Tsunade alone." Kisame gazed at Shizune with a faint smile, addressing her in a tone that brooked no argument.

The moment his voice fell, the masked Yura stepped forward and escorted Shizune outside the door.

"I want to stay here and wait for Lady Tsunade!" Shizune refused to leave, worried that Kisame might do something harmful to her master.

Yura did not respond, nor did she force Shizune away. Instead, she stood like a mute sculpture right by the threshold, barring anyone from entering.

After everyone else had departed, only Kisame and Tsunade remained inside the grand banquet hall.

"Stop acting; I know you aren't drunk," Kisame suddenly spoke up.

Hearing this, Tsunade instantly shed all signs of intoxication. A sharp gleam flashed in her eyes, and her gaze turned fierce.

"Were those rumors spread by your orders?" She glared at Kisame, launching a preemptive strike.

"What rumors?" Kisame blinked, looking genuinely puzzled.

"Don't play dumb with me. I refuse to believe you haven't heard a single word of it." Tsunade sneered.

"Oh, you mean the rumors about you and me?"

Kisame shrugged in sudden realization. "Those are just misunderstandings on other people's part. Auntie Tsunade, I think it's best if you don't overthink it."

That single word—"Auntie"—instantly caused Tsunade's expression to freeze.

Kisame chuckled and continued, "By the way, let me tell you some good news. Your old flame, Jiraiya, has become the Fourth Hokage. Rest assured, once you finish your mission in the Mist, you can return to Konoha and happily live as the Hokage's wife."

Upon hearing that Jiraiya had become the Hokage, Tsunade was momentarily stunned, but she quickly knitted her brows and responded coldly, "How could I ever fancy a dissolute freeloader like Jiraiya? Compared to you, he's no better."

"Tsk, tsk. So picky that you look down on both a Mizukage and a Hokage. No wonder you've ended up an old maid. By the way, how was the combination of snake meat and aged sake? Not bad, right?"

After tossing out a couple of sarcastic remarks, Kisame teased her further.

Initially, Tsunade had refused to touch the snake meat, but after tasting a single bite, she had eaten more than anyone else, consuming over a dozen pounds all by herself.

"Not particularly good," Tsunade stubbornly retorted, unwilling to engage in any more verbal sparring with Kisame here. The moment she finished speaking, she turned to leave.

"Is that so? I heard slug meat is also quite delicious. Shall I host another banquet tomorrow and treat you to some roasted slug meat?" Kisame called out from behind her.

Hearing this, Tsunade turned back with a gloomy expression, pointing a finger at him and warning word for word, "You'd better not try anything funny. When Katsuyu gets angry, she's far more terrifying than any toad or snake."

"Can't be helped. Who told you to be so unwilling to introduce me to the Slug Sage so I could learn Sage Jutsu? I'm simply forced to go all out and take desperate measures."

Kisame said with a helpless shrug, finally steering the conversation to the main point.

It was still about the cultivation of Sage Jutsu.

Seeing how persistent Kisame was, Tsunade knew in her heart that she had to give a definitive answer today; she could no longer use excuses to stall.

She let out a heavy sigh, wore a deeply serious expression, and asked Kisame:

"Do you have any idea that practicing Sage Jutsu is no simple matter? It carries immense risks and can even cost you your life."

"I've heard that if you fail to master Sage Jutsu, you turn into a stone statue at Mount Myoboku, or get eaten by the snake sages at Ryuchi Cave. But I have yet to find out what happens to failures in Shikkotsu Forest." Kisame stated truthfully.

"It seems you've done your homework."

Tsunade looked at him with a hint of surprise, and then earnestly admonished him, "I can tell you responsibly that among the three sacred lands, Sage Jutsu cultivation in Shikkotsu Forest is by far the most difficult. Furthermore, failure means certain death—even I wouldn't dare to attempt it. For all these years, only my grandfather, Senju Hashirama, managed to master the Sage Jutsu there."

She had hoped this information would make Kisame recoil from the difficulty, but to her surprise, his eyes lit up upon hearing it, his interest only growing stronger.

"Oh? Then I truly can't wait. I simply must take a trip to Shikkotsu Forest."

He said with bubbling enthusiasm, radiating immense and unshakable self-confidence.

"Hoshigaki Kisame, you surely don't think your talent and willpower can compare to my grandfather's, do you?"

Tsunade crossed her arms and sneered, attempting to pour cold water on his enthusiasm.

Hearing this, Kisame suddenly threw his head back and laughed out loud, his laughter echoing throughout the cavernous banquet hall.

"What are you laughing at?" Tsunade frowned.

Kisame cut short his laughter, reached into his pouch, pulled out a living sample of Hashirama's cells, and tossed it straight toward her.

"What is the meaning of this? I already told you, I won't agree to your transaction." Tsunade said as she caught the sample, placing it down on a nearby table.

"I'm not doing this to make a deal with you. It's just that after hearing what you said, I simply felt it would be a terrible waste for Senju Hashirama's Wood Release to be lost to history. Since you are his only granddaughter, I hope you will use these cells to inherit your grandfather's Kekkei Genkai, giving me a chance to witness the glory of the former God of Shinobi once again someday."

Kisame looked down at Tsunade and spoke slowly.

Her eyes widened in disbelief at his words.

"Really? I don't believe you'd be so generous."

She still furrowed her brows, harboring a lingering suspicion that Kisame must be plotting some scheme. How could he possibly hand over such precious Hashirama cells to her?

Tsunade simply could not believe that Kisame's ambition and vision extended to such heights.

"Ah, that's just because you don't understand how truly lonely it is to be invincible."

Seeing through her thoughts, Kisame sighed and suddenly stepped closer to her.

In that instant, his gaze turned intensely predatory. With a swift movement, he grabbed Tsunade's wrists and, using the weight of his towering frame, pinned her firmly against the dining table.

"Bastard, let go of me!"

Tsunade roared in fury, struggling fiercely, but her legendary brute strength was completely suppressed by Kisame's overwhelming physical power.

"Lady Tsunade!" Seeing this scene from outside the doorway, Shizune turned pale with fright, assuming Kisame was attempting to violate her master. She tried to rush inside, but was blocked by Yura's chilling kunai.