"Sensei, what took you so long to answer?"
As the visual link through the slug clone connected, Konan's voice rang in Kawakaze's ear.
"How was I supposed to know you'd be contacting me this late?" Kawakaze replied, sounding a bit annoyed. Then again, only Konan would dare talk to him like that.
"Where are you guys?"
"Everything going well lately?"
Tsunade was lying next to Kawakaze, both of them half-sitting on the bed, partially in frame.
Though, for some reason, Kawakaze's pajama buttons seemed to be fastened incorrectly.
"Sensei."
Nonō greeted him respectfully, sitting up straight.
"Sensei's wife, we're all doing well."
"We're currently in the Land of Hot Water," Nagato answered Tsunade's question, though his eyes, hidden beneath his bangs, kept darting between Kawakaze and Tsunade.
"Sensei, your buttons are done up wrong," Yahiko pointed out bluntly.
"Oh?" Kawakaze glanced down. "Doesn't matter."
Too much effort to fix. Whatever.
"Sensei, what were you and Sensei's wife doing?"
"Trying to give us a little sister?"
Konan wasted no time cutting straight to the point.
"You little brat, since when do you meddle in your sensei's business?"
"Have I been too lenient with you? Is that why you're acting up?"
Even with his thick skin, Kawakaze couldn't help but feel embarrassed.
Being teased about this in front of his students—his face actually turned red.
"Now that's rare."
"Didn't think anything could make Sensei blush."
Tsunade, on the other hand, was completely unfazed. Sure, they had been... busy just moments ago, but they were already an old married couple, and their students were adults now. Nothing to make a fuss over.
"Haha~"
"I want to hold my new junior sister!"
Konan, far away, had nothing to fear from Kawakaze's words. If they were in Konoha, she might've thought twice before speaking.
"Me too," Nonō chimed in, quietly raising a hand to join in on the fun.
"I think having a junior sister sounds great."
Yahiko and Nagato both nodded in agreement.
"If you want a kid to hold, go have one yourself."
"What are you making wishes with me for?"
Kawakaze had recovered by now, and his counterattack landed hard.
In just two sentences, he managed to turn the tables, leaving all four of them blushing.
Though they had all confirmed their relationships, none of them had crossed that line yet.
"Alright, enough joking around."
"Konan and Nonō are still young—there's no rush to have kids."
Tsunade's first comment made the group breathe a sigh of relief.
But her second comment only made their faces even redder.
"Haha~"
"You're all so easily embarrassed. Maybe don't joke about your teacher next time."
"You'll only end up on the losing end."
Kawakaze laughed shamelessly, showing absolutely no dignity as an elder.
"Nonō, you don't look too good."
"Are you hurt?"
Tsunade examined them carefully and finally noticed something off about Nonō.
"No, no."
"I just overused my chakra a little."
"There were a lot of severely injured today."
Nonō waved her hands, quickly explaining.
"I see…"
"Looks like you all went through a tough battle today."
Tsunade frowned. She could imagine the kind of fight her students had endured.
"Actually, it wasn't too bad," Yahiko said.
"Nagato took down the Mizukage by himself."
"Kakuzu killed the Six-Tails Jinchūriki."
"Our victory was fairly easy."
"The only issue was that regular ninja still can't compare to the Kiri ninja."
Yahiko's summary was spot-on.
If their forces had been stronger, Nonō wouldn't have had to push herself so hard.
"Akatsukigakure hasn't been around for long."
"Reaching this level of strength already is no small feat."
Kawakaze knew all too well—great nations weren't just strong in name. Their foundations ran deep, something Akatsukigakure couldn't yet compare to.
"Yeah, we understand," Yahiko nodded. He was well aware of the gap, but that didn't stop him from feeling frustrated.
"I heard that the Mizukage was a perfect Jinchūriki."
"How was he? Tough to deal with?"
Tsunade directed her question at Nagato. She knew they had won—there was never any doubt—but she was curious about the details.
"Not really. Nowhere near your level, Sensei's wife."
"He went down before I even had to try."
Nagato spoke casually, and it was the truth. He hadn't even needed to use his strongest techniques.
As for saying Yagura wasn't on Tsunade's level—that wasn't just flattery.
Even back when he fought Tsunade, he knew she hadn't gone all out. Yet even at that level, she was already leagues beyond Yagura.
"You've got a sweet mouth. That's exactly what I like to hear," Tsunade chuckled, her laughter shaking the bed.
"How about me, then?"
Kawakaze jumped into the conversation, clearly enjoying himself. His question left Nagato momentarily stunned.
"Uh… is that even a fair comparison?"
After a brief pause, Nagato simply shrugged.
A perfect Jinchūriki? Against his sensei? Not even worth mentioning.
"You little punk~"
"You're really getting better at talking."
Kawakaze didn't need anyone's approval for his strength, but hearing Nagato say it still made him happy.
"Nah, I'm just telling the truth."
Nagato said it matter-of-factly, but he soon realized everyone was staring at him.
"Nagato-sensei, start the lesson already."
"I'm willing to pay."
Yahiko was the first to stir things up, while Konan and Nonō each grabbed one of Nagato's arms and shook him playfully.
"You three are too slow-witted for me to teach."
"Go find someone else."
Nagato heartlessly pulled his arms free, only to be met with a merciless beating.
"That's for acting cool."
"That's for being arrogant."
"That's for showing off."
Yahiko, Konan, and Nonō took turns repeating their scolding as their fists rained down on him.
"Alright, alright! I was wrong!"
"I'll stop acting cool, I swear!"
Nagato covered his head and admitted defeat, finally escaping their grasp.
"You guys are such troublemakers. Just like kids."
Tsunade put on a look of exaggerated annoyance, but the smile at the corner of her lips wouldn't go away.
...
"When are you planning to move into the Land of Water?"
With the playful banter over, Kawakaze brought the conversation back to business.
"I want to rest for a few days first."
"Everyone's exhausted, and crossing the sea to get there won't be easy."
"I'd rather let our forces recover first."
Yahiko wasn't in a rush. In his mind, the Land of Water was already as good as taken.
Even if they met resistance, it was only a matter of time before the country fell.
"Yeah, take a few days to rest."
"The Land of Water is currently under the rule of that old man, Genji."
"I actually know him from way back."
Kawakaze recalled the times he had extorted money in the Land of Water, and a smirk crept onto his face.
"I remember that old guy too," Nagato added.
Back when Kawakaze had rescued him from the Land of Water, he had witnessed firsthand just how skilled his sensei was at squeezing people dry.
"That old man really values his village."
"Try talking to him first. If negotiations don't work, then you can resort to force."
Kawakaze offered his advice. If they could take the Land of Water without bloodshed, that would be the best outcome.
"Got it. I'll keep that in mind."
Yahiko nodded, taking Kawakaze's words to heart.
"Anything else?"
"No? Good. Then I'm off to make babies with your sensei."
Tsunade wrapped her arms around Kawakaze and, without a hint of shame, said something that made all of her disciples freeze.
"You guys carry on. See you later."
Before they could react, Yahiko and the others hurriedly cut the connection.
As they looked up, they realized everyone's faces were red.
Did she really have to say that out loud?
Married women really are shameless.
Yahiko and Nagato exchanged a glance, the same thought running through both their minds.
Will she turn out like Sensei's wife in the future?