Unlike Fukuyama's carefree mood, Hiruzen was overwhelmed by the recent events. While he was feeling depressed, there was someone else in the same boat.
That person was A.
He had already found out that he was rejected by Tsunade. As a man, bringing an outrageously expensive betrothal gift and traveling a long distance to propose, only to be rejected without even meeting the bride-to-be, how could he possibly tolerate that?
If he didn't take this opportunity to stir up trouble, would he still be considered a ninja of Kumo?
So he was racking his brains trying to come up with something that would let him vent his anger without triggering a full-scale war between the two villages.
Just as he came up with an idea, a Kumo ninja suddenly burst into his room and shouted, "Good news!"
"What kind of good news could there possibly be?" A glared at him fiercely, clearly annoyed.
"It is good news!" the man quickly said. "Didn't you ask me to keep an eye on Tsunade and her fiancé? I just saw them, holding hands and walking around the marketplace."
"That guy finally showed up?" A jumped up in excitement, overjoyed.
The idea he had just thought of was to start with Shin. If he couldn't marry Tsunade, then maybe he could target Tsunade's fiancé, an Uchiha who could only serve as a medical-nin.
People at eighteen or nineteen were full of hot blood. As long as he provoked him with the right words, there was a good chance the other guy would impulsively come challenge him.
Then, the real show would begin.
Even if the guy didn't take the bait, rumors would spread far and wide, making it clear Tsunade had married the wrong man, which would still let him vent some of his anger.
He hadn't expected that just as he came up with the idea, the guy would show up himself. That really was good news.
"Let's go find them!" A jumped straight out the window and dashed toward Shin's location.
To make sure Tsunade and Shin didn't slip away, he even activated his Lightning Release Chakra Mode, and within seconds, appeared right in front of them.
"What a pleasant surprise!" A greeted her warmly upon seeing her.
"And who are you?" Tsunade asked, clearly displeased at being stopped.
A's body froze at her words.
"I know your fiancé is here, and it's not convenient for you, so you're pretending not to know me. But ever since we parted in the Land of Whirlpools, I've missed you dearly."
Pfft! Before Tsunade could respond, Shin couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing.
A's rage flared even more as he coldly said, "What are you laughing at?"
"Just thinking about how some people create their own problems. It's fascinating to watch." Shin replied with a smile.
A's jaw tightened. He could no longer hold back. Seeing a crowd had gathered, he shouted loudly, "This has nothing to do with you! I have something to say to Tsunade, so why don't you find somewhere else to be?"
Tsunade glared at A and said, "You're just a prisoner. What exactly do you think gives you the right to make demands here? Get back to Kumo this instant!"
"You're pushing the limits here. Do you really want to risk the peace between our villages over personal issues?" A asked while trying to suppress his rising temper.
"Risk the peace?" Tsunade laughed. "If Kumo's idea of diplomacy is sending defeated prisoners to harass people in their own village, then maybe the peace isn't worth preserving. When that time comes, I'll be charging at the front lines."
She stepped closer, her presence suddenly much more intimidating. "I beat you once before, and that was when I was being nice. If you want to test that restraint, be my guest again. The only question is, will you even have the guts to show up in front of me?"
A hadn't expected her words to hit harder than her fists, just a few sentences left him trembling with rage.
But he didn't lose his reasoning. After all, it wasn't long ago that Tsunade had beaten him to a pulp. If he lost control now and went berserk, he'd likely end up pinned to the ground and beaten all over again. So all he could do was force himself to stay calm as he looked at Shin and said, "You're Shin, right?"
"No." The moment Shin said that, Tsunade couldn't help but cover her mouth and snicker.
As she'd grown older, she had become more and more striking, not just her beauty, but her commanding presence made her stand out wherever she went. Because of that, everything she did had an effect on those around her. At that moment, the entire crowd that had gathered was infected by her mood and broke into laughter.
"I've heard about you," A continued, struggling to regain control of the situation. "People say a lot of things about whether someone like you is really worthy of someone like her."
A's emotions were extremely mixed right now. He wanted to spit some truly cutting words. But judging by how fiercely Tsunade had defended him just moments ago, if he said anything too harsh, she might start swinging fists again. All he could do was test the limits, skirting the edge of a beatdown. But even these insults had no effect on Shin, and that frustrated him deeply.
To his surprise, Shin actually nodded seriously and said, "Plenty of people have said that. But they say a lot of things about a lot of things. Most of it isn't worth listening to."
"So you do have some self-awareness," A said, as if he'd found a lifeline. "Some standards should matter though. Strength, for instance. The ability to protect what's important to you. Don't you feel ashamed?"
"Ashamed?" Shin smiled indifferently. "You're so consumed with envy it's distorted your face and turned you into a pathetic, hateful wretch standing here like a typical Karen screaming at the wind."
A's fists clenched tightly. He didn't know what a Karen is, but it was likely an insult. "Tsunade is a diamond among women. Her future husband should be a peerless warrior. If you're truly worthy of her, prove it. Face me in combat."
He could see the crowd's attention sharpening. This was the moment he'd been working toward.
Shin considered the proposal for a moment, then shrugged. "And what would I gain from that?"
He never acted without a purpose. The reason he and Tsunade had shown up here in the first place was to bait A into taking the bait.
From what he knew about him, the guy could be clever, but his explosive temper was part of his nature and couldn't be changed.
Shin didn't believe for a second that A would just sit quietly and let things go. And the reason for this whole setup?
First, to help Tsunade break out of the trap Hiruzen had set.
Second, to activate the prophecy he had given Hiruzen.