"What's wrong?"
"This restaurant's specialty tea soup and fresh fish cuisine are very famous in the Land of Tea," Tsunade said, turning back with a puzzled look.
Sigh... Even though Tsunade was the princess of the Land of Fire and Konoha, due to her years of activity as a ninja, she had never eaten anything truly exquisite.
Of course, this was also partly because the culinary style of the ninja world was very similar to that of modern-day Japan.
"This doesn't count as a big meal. Forget it, I'll treat. Follow me."
Tsunade and Shizune exchanged a glance, then turned and followed Kageyama Kogetsu...
A moment later, Tsunade couldn't help but say, "This is the way out of the city."
"I know. I'm taking you for a picnic."
"To be honest, the 'big meal' at that shop isn't even as luxurious as the bento boxes I usually eat to fill my stomach," Kageyama Kogetsu said without turning his head.
"Heh, I'd like to see what this 'big meal' of yours is like," Tsunade said, a little unconvinced.
A meal at that shop cost a considerable amount of money, enough for her to play half a game at a small casino.
Compared to the price of Ichiraku Ramen, it was indeed a luxurious feast.
The group of three humans and one pig arrived at a stream in the outskirts of the Land of Tea.
The scenery was quite nice. The stream was crystal clear, and one could easily see the small fish, shrimp, and various pebbles at the bottom.
The banks of the stream were carpeted with green grass, dotted with wildflowers of various colors. The nearby forest was lush and verdant, and in the distance, green mountains were faintly visible. A gentle breeze blew under the sun, and the temperature was just right.
Kageyama Kogetsu took off his shoes and stepped into the cool stream. He formed hand seals, and under the effect of his chakra, the mud in the water quickly solidified into a long table and four chairs.
The surface was covered with dry, clean mud that hadn't been soaked, ensuring their clothes wouldn't get dirty.
Next, Kageyama Kogetsu took out two sealing scrolls. With three puffs of white smoke, a full table of dishes, complete tableware, and drinks were neatly arranged on the table.
The most eye-catching dish on the table was the whole roasted lamb in the center. Its skin was golden-red and shiny, resting on a bed of green banana leaves. There were two types of dipping sauces, wet and dry, and the rich aroma of meat wafted over.
Besides the roasted lamb, there were chicken, duck, fish, beef, pork, seafood, mountain delicacies, vegetables, fruits, and dried nuts. Every dish was of excellent quality, whetting one's appetite.
The wines and drinks were also high-end, with one bottle of wine costing over one hundred thousand ryo.
Whether he was on a long journey or not, Kageyama Kogetsu would not neglect himself. Anyway, most of the time, his shadow clones did the cooking.
Gulp...
It was unclear who among the stunned two humans and one pig had swallowed.
"Don't just stand there. Take a seat," Kageyama Kogetsu said, sitting down himself.
Tsunade took off her shoes. Her fair, round feet, with red-painted toenails, stepped onto the grass and into the stream. She sat down next to Kageyama Kogetsu.
Shizune sat opposite Kageyama Kogetsu, and the pink piglet named Tonton sat opposite Tsunade.
"I say, aren't you going a bit overboard, kid?"
"I remember attending a court banquet in the Land of Fire before, and it wasn't this extravagant."
"Spending so much on food, are you even living your life?"
As Tsunade spoke, she used a small knife to cut three slices of lamb. She ate one directly and dipped the other two in each of the sauces.
"I'm not short on money," Kageyama Kogetsu said, tearing off a lamb leg with his bare hands and taking a bite.
Tsunade's eyes lit up. "Then lend me some money," she said quickly.
"How much do you need?" Kageyama Kogetsu asked casually, swallowing a piece of crispy, fragrant, and flavorful lamb skin.
"So straightforward?"
"Didn't I say I'm not short on money?"
"So confident. I haven't heard of you owning any businesses."
Kageyama Kogetsu grinned and said bluntly, "The unscrupulous wealthy merchants of the ninja world are my personal ATMs."
Tsunade and Shizune were shocked, their movements freezing.
"Wait, you're stealing and robbing in secret. That's highly immoral and against the rules of a ninja. If word gets out, it will greatly damage Konoha's reputation," Tsunade said with a frown, her tone unfriendly.
"It's robbing the rich to give to the poor. I haven't touched any conscientious merchants."
"Word won't get out. Do you think some ordinary people and a bunch of useless ninja can track my movements?"
"Instead of letting them squander their ill-gotten gains, it's better for me to use it for food, drink, and things that benefit myself and Konoha, like funding orphanages," Kageyama Kogetsu said with a disdainful and dismissive expression.
As his strength grew, Kageyama Kogetsu became less and less inclined to hide certain things.
It was one thing to hide when you weren't strong enough. But to still hide when you were, what was the point of getting stronger?
"I'm not eating anymore."
"Kogetsu, your thinking is a bit dangerous. You've gone astray," Tsunade said with a serious expression.
"I don't think so. It's abnormal for beings with extraordinary power to be casually commanded by ordinary people with money," Kageyama Kogetsu said coolly.
"It's been this way since the birth of ninja."
Kageyama Kogetsu smiled and retorted, "Just because it's always been this way, does that make it right?"
"Master Tsunade, do you think that if Master Dan and Nawaki had the status, power, and wealth of the nobles of various countries, they would still have died in the war?"
"If all ninja replaced the nobles, big and small, of the ninja world, would that solve the tragic cycle of the ninja world?"
"In all the past Great Ninja Wars, including the wars of the Warring States period, the number of noble deaths has been negligible."
Tsunade fell silent, at a loss for words for a moment...
Shizune and Tonton were silent, their expressions tense, not daring to make a sound.
"You are truly audacious, and too dangerous. The entire world would be dragged into war," Tsunade said in a deep voice after a moment.
"Heh... I'm not an idiot. How could I let ninja replace the nobles from the very beginning?"
"Even if I were to do something like that, it would have to be after Konoha has eliminated the other ninja villages, integrated them, and become the sole dominant power."
"To act rashly would be to put Konoha in the terrible position of being an enemy to the entire world."
Tsunade said in a deep voice, "It's good that you have a plan."
If Konoha could truly become the sole dominant power, then it might be worth a shot. The chances of success would be quite high.
"For now, it's just a dream. I'm not even Hokage yet. Konoha's policy is not for me to decide," Kageyama Kogetsu said, feigning emotion.
"If you wanted to be Hokage, I would have supported you before. But now, I don't know if I should," Tsunade said with a complicated expression.
"You're afraid I'll lead Konoha into an abyss?"
"Yes."
"Heh... It seems Master Tsunade still cares about Konoha a lot," Kageyama Kogetsu teased.
Tsunade's face flushed slightly. "After all, it's the village my grandfather founded. I still care about it, more or less," she said defensively.
"Perhaps. But I think it would be better for you to support me, Master Tsunade."
"Because I am determined to obtain the position of Hokage. I will take it sooner or later, and I won't be polite to anyone who dares to stand in my way."
"You like to gamble, don't you? Why not go all-in and give it a try? The risk is extremely high, but the reward is even greater."
Tsunade had a huge gambling streak, which could be seen from her various outrageous actions after becoming Hokage in the original story.
If not for Naruto, the Child of the Prophecy, and fate favoring Konoha, allowing her to win all her bets, a single mistake would have had extremely severe consequences.
"Hmph, what makes you so confident that you can become Hokage?" Tsunade downed a cup of sake, snorted lightly, and toyed with the delicate, snow-white cup.
"Weren't you not eating anymore?" Kageyama Kogetsu said with a half-smile.
"I'm not eating, I'm drinking."
Tsunade's voice grew quieter, then suddenly became loud again.
"Anyway, you'll be responsible for all the consequences. Am I not robbing the rich to give to the poor?"
"Shizune, Tonton, eat up! Rob the rich to give to the poor!"
Only then did Shizune and Tonton dare to continue eating.
"Tell me, what makes you so confident?"
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