Naruto: You Call This A Medical Ninja?

After Black Zetsu left, Pakura walked over to Rasa's side.

"Kazekage, those members of the Uzumaki clan could still be of great use," she said.

"Why give them up so easily? Moreover, the actions of the major ninja villages back then might still provoke the Uzumaki clan's hatred. On top of that, the wife of Konoha's Hokage, the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, is also from the Uzumaki clan. This might lead to revenge!"

Pakura spoke with concern.

Even though their generation didn't directly participate in those events, they were still connected to them. In this situation, handing over the Uzumaki clan members seemed unwise.

"It won't happen," Rasa replied calmly.

"And I must give them up. Do you really think Black Zetsu offered this potion in exchange for those Uzumaki clan members purely for their value?"

Rasa picked up the potion on the table. It looked peculiar, but regardless of its function or rarity, it was worth giving up the Uzumaki clan members.

This was a representation of Reiki's intentions. To put it bluntly, Reiki couldn't directly threaten them, so he had Black Zetsu do it instead. It was a method of diplomacy—courtesy before coercion.

If they refused to comply, then their village could face retaliation during the special training camp.

"You're saying this is Reiki putting pressure on us?" Pakura asked.

"But if we compromise this time—"

"It's fine," Rasa interrupted.

"Reiki is a medical ninja with a straightforward nature. He prefers direct action. So, there's no need to worry!"

Rasa held Pakura's hand, reassuring her. Konoha already had the upper hand, and if they wanted to harm Sunagakure, they didn't need such elaborate methods. They could do it openly if they wished. Why not give face and avoid unnecessary trouble?

"Alright, I understand," Pakura said.

"I'll head back. There are things I need to handle at home."

With that, she left the Kazekage's temporary office.

Similar scenes played out in other villages—Onoki, Yagura, the Third Raikage, and even the Takikage were all visited by Black Zetsu.

At this moment, Black Zetsu sat on a rock, visibly frustrated. His head, now larger due to his fusion with White Zetsu, felt heavy with questions.

He had presented the potion and made his request, yet none of the Kage had objected. Instead, they handed over scrolls and directed him to retrieve the Uzumaki members himself.

It was too smooth, too easy.

"Mr. Black Zetsu, when should we set off?" Maji asked, interrupting his thoughts.

"Once we finish here, we need to return to the special training camp for more training."

Black Zetsu waved his hand dismissively.

"You go. I'll send a clone to follow you and bring them back," he said indifferently.

He raised his hand, summoning several clones, which then departed with Maji and his team.

The task assigned by Reiki was complete, but Black Zetsu felt no sense of accomplishment. Instead, he felt a deep frustration.

"Black Zetsu, what are you doing?" Orochimaru's voice called out as he emerged from the ground.

"Come on, I've discovered something new that might be helpful for you. Let's go—I might even help your brain develop further."

Ignoring Black Zetsu's current state, Orochimaru dragged him away.

Meanwhile, Reiki, Shizune, and Yuhi Kurenai had returned to Konoha.

"Let's go. I promised to spend the day shopping with you," Reiki said.

"But remember, it's just for today. Tonight, we're heading back to the special training camp, and Anye will join us. I promised him we'd train in space-time techniques."

"Alright!" Kurenai said excitedly.

"Anye, let me show you all the great food in Konoha—meatballs, ramen, barbecue..."

Grabbing Anye's hand, Kurenai led him away like a protective older sister.

Reiki wasn't surprised to see them run off.

"Senior Brother Reiki, let's get something to eat. I'm hungry," Shizune said, looking at him expectantly.

"I want barbecue, but we'll need a private room. I've never been to one before."

"Alright, let's go," Reiki said affectionately, leading her to a barbecue restaurant.

As they began to grill their food, Reiki smiled and asked, "Shizune, is there something you want to tell me?"

"W-what!? N-no, I..." Shizune stammered, her face turning bright red.

Finally, she blurted out, "Senior Brother Reiki, I like you. Kurenai likes you too. We're good friends, but we don't know what to do."

Shizune confessed that she and Kurenai had originally teamed up to fend off other girls pursuing Reiki. But over time, their bond deepened, and their feelings for him grew.

Reiki smiled bitterly.

"Shizune, I like both you and Kurenai. What should I do?" he said after a moment's thought.

Shizune and Kurenai were both precious to him, each in their own way. Choosing between them would feel like a betrayal.

"A scumbag it is, then," Reiki muttered.

"It's better than being worse than an animal."