Chapter 100 Continuous Rain
In the evening, a sudden rainstorm descended upon Konoha Village, instantly quenching the scorching heat that had persisted there for days. After the storm passed, the rain did not fully cease, instead shifting into a continuous, drizzling rain that pattered down, steadily bringing the villagers of Konoha the cool summer air.
This rain not only brought refreshing coolness to the villagers of Konoha, but also extinguished the anger burning in Kato Yufeng's heart, allowing his mind to grow even calmer.
Kato Yufeng had just left the dark, underground Spring Base. As for the woman Shimura Danzo had given him today, Kato Yufeng ultimately decided not to kill her. He had originally wanted to kill that woman when he was in Shimura Danzo's office that afternoon, but after leaving the office, as his emotions gradually returned to true calm, the murderous intent in his heart was set aside for the time being.
Killing that woman would have been easy for Kato Yufeng—it would have readily vented the fury in his heart, the anger born from Tsunade being offended. But what would be the justification? He couldn't very well kill her simply because she resembled Tsunade and deliberately imitated her appearance and manner of dress, could he? If he killed that woman, how would Shimura Danzo perceive it? And this was hardly the time for him and Shimura Danzo to completely fall out.
Besides, that woman was clearly sought out by Shimura Danzo specifically as a gift for Kato Yufeng—a token meant to win his allegiance. Kato Yufeng had probed her with his senses; there was not the slightest fluctuation of chakra within her body. She was not a ninja, merely an ordinary civilian. As for whether she was a spy that Shimura Danzo had arranged at his side—a commoner with no ninjutsu and no chakra could hardly stir up much trouble.
A new desk had appeared in the corridor outside Kato Yufeng's office, clearly prepared by the logistics department for that woman. When Kato Yufeng brought the woman back, outside his own office he also encountered An, the base's internal affairs supervisor, who had been waiting there specifically for him. An didn't say much, only coming over to arrange the woman's future work post. Before leaving, An shot Kato Yufeng a look that any man would understand.
After settling the woman in, Kato Yufeng paid her no further mind. Afterwards, Kato Yufeng went to look for Orochimaru, hoping to discuss some matters with him, but found that Orochimaru hadn't come to the Spring Base that afternoon either. With his mood still somewhat restless, Kato Yufeng no longer wished to linger in the Spring Base. The moment he hurriedly left it, he encountered the sudden rainstorm of the evening.
Kato Yufeng stretched out a palm, letting his hand feel those nearly imperceptible fine droplets, then raised those listless, salted-fish eyes to gaze at the bustling Konoha streetscape beyond the curtain of drizzling rain. His mood suddenly began to lift. Kato Yufeng was growing fond of this kind of rainy weather.
Previously, Kato Yufeng had detested rainy days, because they would delay his daily training time, and after the rain soaked his clothes, wearing them would make him feel quite uncomfortable. As for now, Kato Yufeng channeled the chakra within his body, and a faint cyan breeze swept past, restoring the clothes that had just been drenched by the rainstorm to a dry and comfortable state. Kato Yufeng deliberately controlled his chakra, leaving his hair and face—those places the rain could reach—untouched. The amount of rain drifting down from the sky now was just right, neither too heavy nor too light, as comfortable as a sun-dried salted fish encountering long-awaited sweet dew. Letting the fine drizzle fall freely upon his hair and face, Kato Yufeng's mood gradually improved as well.
Kato Yufeng decided not to follow his original plan to report to the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen. He suddenly felt like going to see Tsunade instead, to share this drizzling rain with her, to be with her...
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Outside Konoha Hospital, Kato Yufeng did not go inside as he usually did to wait for Tsunade to finish work in her office. Instead, he chose to notify her through their soul link that he had arrived, then waited for her beneath the continuous drizzle.
Tsunade ran out from the entrance of Konoha Hospital, calling out to Kato Yufeng as she ran, all the while lifting her fair, delicate hands to shield her forehead from the persistent rain.
"What's the matter? It's still raining, and you're hurrying me out like this."
Kato Yufeng reached out to steady Tsunade, who was rushing toward him in a fluster. Grasping her arm, he drew her before him and looked at her with a gentle smile.
"Slow down, don't be so reckless. Whatever happened to that princess-like, ladylike demeanor of yours?"
"Huh? Kato, you're so funny. Wasn't it you who urgently summoned me out through the soul link?" Tsunade extended a fair, delicate hand, clenched it into a little fist, and gave Kato Yufeng's chest a light thump before continuing, "And now you're blaming me for being hasty and unladylike! If you want a lady, didn't you go to the old Third's place today? That female ninja secretary from the Yamanaka clan—now there's a real lady."
"But I didn't go to the Third's place today." Kato Yufeng spoke with a cheerful grin, teasing Tsunade, while reaching out a hand to pinch her fair, tender cheek, trying to squeeze her face into a little bun shape. "You wouldn't happen to be an enemy ninja in disguise, would you? A spy? Then I'd better give you a thorough inspection—we can't let a spy sneak into Konoha Hospital."
"Pah, how annoying! You're the one who's jealous! Go wherever you want—this princess couldn't care less. People who like me could line up all the way from here to the village gates, and you think I'd be jealous of you? Don't even dream about it." Tsunade slapped away the salted-fish hand that was making mischief on her face, and still unsatisfied, raised her little fist to thump Kato Yufeng's chest again. "And don't you forget what happened in my office at the hospital this afternoon. If you make me angry again, be careful—I'll really hit you!"
Kato Yufeng paid no mind to Tsunade's chest-massaging, instead taking her other hand and drawing her even closer to him, until she was almost leaning sideways against his chest. Hearing Tsunade bring up what had happened in her office that afternoon, a ripple stirred in Kato Yufeng's heart, and the smile on his face grew even wider. Clearly he was thinking of something pleasant, and he couldn't help continuing to tease Tsunade with his words.
"Hmm? Did I do something in your office this afternoon? Wasn't it you who threw yourself into my arms? As I recall, I was lying obediently on the sofa, practicing our Kato clan's secret taijutsu. Then someone sneakily pounced right onto me, pressing a big white rabbit against me—I remember it was the one with the pink nose..."
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