Naruto: Wooing Tsunade from Day One!-Chapter 413: A Misjudgment

"I'm sorry, but you have no right to negotiate with me."

"If you won't accept it, I'll beat it out of you."

Nagato almost thought the Two-Tails had been beaten senseless. How could it still be laughing?

But he felt no sympathy and still refused to give it a choice. He couldn't allow the Two-Tails to roam freely in the Land of Rain. It would be too unstable, introducing too many unpredictable variables.

Before his words had even finished, Nagato was already airborne.

Against the backdrop of the red barrier, the Two-Tails gazed up at him as if he were a god. Fear gripped the beast, forcing it to retreat. There was no fight left in its eyes.

What kind of attack would come next?

Would it die?

These thoughts pushed its spirit to the brink of collapse.

"Water Release: Water Dragon Biting Explosion."

Nagato didn't leave the Two-Tails waiting. With a few swift hand signs, he unleashed one of Tobirama's secret Water Release techniques.

The immense chakra fluctuations made those outside the barrier gasp in awe. The Two-Tails, its body tense, glanced downward uneasily. The deep pit beneath it created a perfect battlefield for Nagato, and his Water Release naturally suppressed the beast's Fire Release.

Before the Two-Tails could react, a small lake rapidly formed, submerging it.

In the next instant, a massive upward-swirling vortex flung the beast like a ragdoll. As it tumbled through the air, the blue flames coating its body dimmed significantly. With nothing to brace against, it could only endure the pain, grateful it was still alive.

But Nagato wasn't finished. The rising vortex coalesced into a ferocious water dragon, which came crashing down from above.

"Noooo—!"

The Two-Tails' screams were drowned out as the dragon struck, slamming it back into the deep pit. The water churned violently, and for a long moment, the beast was nowhere to be seen.

"Its chakra seems weaker," Nagato muttered, frowning. Had he accidentally killed it? That wasn't his intent.

Lowering himself toward the battlefield, he prepared to disperse the water and confirm its condition.

But before he could act, a massive energy sphere tore through the surface.

Another Tailed Beast Ball!

This time, however, it wasn't aimed at Nagato—it was targeting the barrier.

The Two-Tails followed closely behind, its movements sluggish, its body covered in wounds. It no longer carried the imposing presence it had at the start.

"Is this your last resort?"

Nagato could see that the Two-Tails was too severely injured—its chakra recovery could no longer keep up with its consumption.

This Tailed Beast Ball was its final hope.

A slight smirk curled Nagato's lips. He had no intention of interfering. He could already picture the despair on the Two-Tails' face. Did it really think a Tailed Beast Ball could break the Four Red Yang Formation?

It wasn't that Nagato had faith in the jutsu itself—it was that he had faith in Kawakaze.

If Sensei said it was unbreakable, then it was.

Floating in the air, arms folded, Nagato simply watched in silence.

He watched the Tailed Beast Ball hurtling toward Kakuzu and saw the moment Kakuzu's pupils contracted.

"Trying to use us as a weak point?"

"Dream on."

"That's right!"

Yahiko and the others were eager—it was finally their turn to contribute.

Kakuzu, however, didn't share their enthusiasm. His gaze remained locked on the Tailed Beast Ball, now halfway up the mountain. Cold sweat dripped down his forehead.

Was he afraid of death?

Absolutely.

He was terrified.

The older you get, the more fear grips you. If he hadn't feared death, he would have died long ago.

He swallowed hard. The Tailed Beast Ball was almost upon him.

"I'm sorry. I'm not willing to gamble."

Kakuzu clenched his eyes shut, trying to pull his hands away.

But they wouldn't move.

For some reason, his body refused to obey. His hands remained fixed, continuing to channel chakra into the barrier.

"Damn it, just die already!"

His eyes flew open—

A thunderous explosion erupted.

Smoke and dust engulfed the barrier once more.

...

"The barrier can be removed."

Before the smoke had even cleared, Nagato's voice reached the others.

Yahiko and the rest didn't hesitate and immediately took down the barrier.

As the scene became visible, Two-Tails lay motionless on the ground, thick black rods piercing its body.

"That's it?"

Yahiko looked at the defeated beast and gave it a playful kick. It wasn't easy to mess with someone conscious, but the unconscious were fair game. Now, he could count himself among those who had taken down a Tailed Beast.

Konan seemed to share the same thought and joined in, while Nonō remained the most composed.

"It should work," Nagato muttered, though he didn't sound entirely convinced. His mind had already wandered to something ominous.

Then, despite being barely able to open its eyes a moment ago, Two-Tails suddenly stood up.

"Whoa!" Yahiko and Konan jumped back, startled.

"Hahaha~"

Nonō burst into laughter, easily catching the glint of mischief in Nagato's expression.

"You're good, tricking us again."

"You two are the worst!" Yahiko and Konan fumed, venting their frustration. The sight made Kawakaze and Tsunade laugh uncontrollably.

Amidst the commotion, no one noticed that Kakuzu's mood had shifted.

"If there's nothing else, I'll be heading home," Kakuzu said flatly before turning to leave. Nagato and the others didn't think much of it.

Heh, even someone like me can have attachments?

Walking alone, Kakuzu shook his head in self-mockery. He barely recognized himself anymore.

"Sensei's wife, Two-Tails won't die if we just leave it here, right?" Nagato asked Tsunade. Tailed Beasts weren't ordinary creatures, and he wasn't sure if it needed medical attention.

"Don't worry, it won't die," Tsunade said with a casual wave of her hand. "Just find a decent place to toss it." Wild Tailed Beasts weren't so easy to kill.

"Got it."

Nagato nodded, planning to dump Two-Tails deep in the forest and summon it when needed.

"Since the Tailed Beast issue is settled, we'll stay in contact for any updates from Kumo," Kawakaze said, giving his orders. "It won't be long before the Third Raikage makes his move."

"Understood, Sensei," Yahiko responded, while Konan nodded beside him.

"Sensei, are we supposed to join forces with Kumo?" Nagato asked. He wanted to understand the extent of Akatsukigakure's cooperation. They couldn't just assist Kumo indiscriminately.

"Hmm..." Kawakaze took a moment to gather his thoughts.

"We covered this in the meeting, and the general consensus was clear. Kumo didn't seek you out because they lack confidence in their own strength. Rather, they see you as an extra layer of security."

"If they weren't strong enough to invade a village on their own, there'd be no point in an alliance with you."

"Our prediction is that Kumo's first target will be the Land of Wind. Once they make their move, that old fox Ōnoki won't sit idly by. That's where you come in."

"You won't be needed for the attack itself, but you'll likely be called upon to hold off Iwagakure's retaliation."

"As for whether you'll be allowed to join an invasion of Iwagakure after the Land of Wind falls... that remains uncertain."

Kawakaze's analysis was thorough, and Nagato's group listened intently, nodding as they absorbed the details.

They all agreed—under Rasa's leadership, Sunagakure wouldn't stand a chance against the might of Kumo's brothers.