I, Your Father, Carry a Big Stick

True to his word, the Raikage arrived at the area where Wu had battled the Two-Tails after putting it off for five days. Accompanying him were Darui, C, and two people Wu didn't recognize. The first was a fairly light-skinned man with deep facial contours, a small goatee, and a dumb hat that vaguely resembled a mushroom or the head of a penis. He also had a weird eyepatch over his left eye, so Wu was significantly more interested in the second person he didn't recognize, a woman with tanned, reddish-brown skin, silvery-grey hair, and a fairly voluptuous figure. Appearing shortly after the group's arrival, Wu playfully remarked, "I was starting to think you wouldn't show up. And I see you brought friends..." Nodding his head, the Raikage answered, "You've already met Darui and C. These two are Dodai and Mabui, my attendants. They will be watching our battle from afar." Exhibiting his lack of fear and practiced shamelessness, Wu responded to the Raikage's remarks by giving Mabui a wink, musing, "Shame. I wouldn't mind if at least one of them got a nice, 'close' look..." Though she raised her brows ever so slightly, Mabui didn't respond to Wu's provocation. Instead, A waved for his companions to back off, his gaze firmly fixed on Wu as he asked, "How do you want to do this, Saiko Dadi? If I go all out, you might die..." Adopting a smile, Wu replied, "Then I'll have died an excellent death. But don't worry. After our initial encounter, I'm just slightly more cautious than before. You won't have to worry about killing me and incidentally leaving the other villages unharmed." "Hmmm..." Not expecting Wu to ascertain the actual reason he was worried about killing him, a thoughtful glint flashed across the Raikage's beady, nearly pitch-black eyes. It was easy to assume Wu was just a madman obsessed with strength, but it was apparent he put at least 'some' thought into his actions. Tearing away his white haori, leaving himself bare-chest, a vibrant blue aura began to exude from A's body, accompanied by bands of bluish-white lighting as he said, "Then let's see what you can do..." Following his words, the Raikage's body appeared to move sideways without any initial movement or changes to his posture, dodging the tip of Wu's staff. One of the many benefits of his Lightning Release Chakra Cloak was the ability to move, attack, and evade without telegraphing his attacks. He could also instantaneously react to anything that came into contact with the lightning cloak, regardless of whether or not he sensed or saw it coming. Seeing the Raikage effortlessly evade his sneak attack, achieved by shrinking his staff down to the size of a toothpick and concealing it within his hand, the smile on Wu's face expanded rapidly. His body was unable to keep up with A's almost ludicrous speed, but he managed to follow the man with his eyes while the rest of his body turned to face him in slow motion. Noticing Wu's eyes shift from gold to a fiery red, A immediately dodged to the side a second time, narrowly evading the laser-like beams of light that had attempted to cut through his left arm. Wu wasn't the only one seeing the world in slow motion right now, so he moved around to the boy's back before charging at him and leaping into a dropkick, thundering, "Lightning Drill...!" Unable to turn around in time, Wu used one of his most convenient and tricky abilities, shrinking his size instantly. The technique always scaled him to where his feet were, so unless someone consistently targeted the ground, he could dodge most attacks aimed at his head or body. Flying through Wu's location, the Raikage's face contorted slightly as he wasn't a Sensor. He was well aware of Wu's ability to change size, but he hadn't been able to come up with a measure to counter it. Trying to keep track of a fast-moving object the size of an ant was easier said than done. Opting for the 'safest' approach, A raised his hands over his head, Black Lightning enveloping his fists before he slammed them into the mountain below, shattering the peak and enveloping the area in a destructive dome of lightning. Seeing the Raikage's attack, Wu, standing far outside the range of the dome, playfully mused ("That bastard intended to trap me...too bad he isn't a sensor...") Feeling a 'little' sorry for the Raikage, Wu alerted the man to his failure by heating his eyes and blasting him from the peak of a mountain more than six kilometers away. As the beams from his eyes traveled at light speeds, however, the attack immediately struck A's back, just below where one of his kidneys was located. Expecting his attack to pierce through A's flesh and bone body like a hot knife through butter, Wu was more than a little surprised when it merely left a nasty burn. He knew the Raikage was durable, but the temperature of his heat vision exceeded 5000&deg;C. Even he couldn't endure those kinds of temperatures... Liberating Wu from his stupor, A turned around with a vicious look on his face, growling, "There you are..." before immediately closing the distance between them. "Lightning Bolt Lariat...!!!" Having yet to learn his lesson, A's attack swept through the afterimage of Wu's head. This time, however, Wu tucked himself into a ball, staff in hand as they both shrunk. His mass varied drastically depending on his size, but the weight of his staff remained the same even when shrunken down to its smallest size. A's body might be durable, but Wu refused to believe the man could withstand a hundred-thousand kilograms of force applied to a point the size of a pore. Feeling a sharp pain in the right side of his chest, A's brow twitched as he looked down to find a tiny hole in his right pectoral. The moment he saw it, the pupils of his eyes immediately shrank to the size of pinholes as the report filed by Yugito surfaced within his mind... Before the Raikage could think to reach into his own chest and pull out a chunk of flesh, Wu allowed his staff to return to its original size. He didn't want to kill one of the only 'fun' opponents he had ever found, so he made sure to control the angle so that it passed beneath A's shoulder blade and avoided anything 'too' important... Seeing a red and gold staff spontaneously 'erupt' from the back and chest of the Raikage, Darui, C, Dodai, and Mabui immediately rushed over to his side, the latter shouting, "That's enough! Please cease your attacks, Dadi-sama!" Though he personally felt as though the Raikage could continue, Wu startled Mabui by appearing atop her cleavage, kicking back and enjoying the softness of her moderately sized mountains in a form roughly the size of a thumb as he replied, "Sure, no problem. It's not like this was a fight to the death, am I right?" Resisting her initial urge to grab and attempt to crush Wu, the tensions in Mabui's body gradually relaxed as she calmly replied, "Thank you for your understanding." Then, as if she didn't care Wu was sexually harassing her, she focused her gaze on the staff protruding from the Raikage's back and chest. Preempting the woman's question, Wu extended his hand, reducing the size of the staff and recalling it to him as he inquired, "I'm assuming at least one of you can use Iryo(Medical)jutsu? If not, I have something you might find useful." Though she was one of the more skilled Medic-Nin in her village, Mabui knew she would be capable of fixing a 5cm hole in someone's lung. They needed to get the Raikage into surgery as soon as possible, but, just to be on the safe side, she replied, "If you have something, we would be in your debt..." Bouncing off the woman's boobs, Wu grew to his full size as he replied, "Sure." before narrowing his fiery eyes and musing, "I'm looking forward to seeing how you'll repay me." Turning away from Mabui before he could see the woman's response, Wu ignored the glares directed at him by Darui, Dodai, and C as he pulled out what appeared to be an ordinary peach. However, the moment he pulled it out, everyone present could smell its rich, revitalizing fragrance. Even A, who was on the verge of unconsciousness, became fully alert in response to the peach's aroma. Proferring forth the peach, Wu's eyes narrowed into amusement as he mused, "It was a good fight. I look forward to many more in the future." Though he would ordinarily refuse his opponents' mercy, A accepted the peach without hesitation. Dodai tried to stop him, but he immediately bit into the indescribably juicy fruit, a refreshing chill filling his throat despite a powerful warmth permeating his body. Then, under the stunned eyes of everyone present, his body appeared to shrink slightly as the hole in his chest immediately closed. Far more noticeable, however, was the fact he seemed to be aging in reverse, going from a middle-aged man in his early forties to a young man in his early twenties. Recovering from the brief euphoria brought by the peach's taste, regret marred A's face as he saw the desiccated remains in his hand. As soon as he had taken a chunk out of the peach's indescribably delicious flesh, the rest of it rapidly withered into a nearly unrecognizable husk. Almost like it had been left out in the sun for twenty years... Interrupting the group's stunned silence, Wu remarked, "The last person I gave something similar to ended up tackling me, kissing my cheek, and nearly suffocating me in her bosom. You have fairly impressive pectorals, but I'd rather not experience them against my face. If you feel inclined to 'thank' me, I wouldn't mind you employing a proxy..." Directing his gaze to Mabui, Wu prompted the woman to return to her senses, her expression morphing between various emotions before she asked the question everyone wanted to know, "What kind of peach was that? I've never seen anything like this before..." Shrugging his shoulders, Wu explained, "Just a neat little fruit that can revitalize a person by twenty years. You can only consume one of each kind, but they're useful for extending or preserving the lives of people I find interesting." Though she took note of the fact Wu had said 'one of each kind,' Mabui didn't press him for additional information. She 'really' wanted to, but A had regained his senses, staring at his slightly thinner arms as he asked, "Did I really just get younger...?" Since no one else was qualified to answer the question, Wu explained, "Not really, but the effects are essentially the same. You certainly appear younger, but the fruit doesn't diminish your power or reserves. You're just as strong now as you were a few minutes ago, so you don't have to worry about 'rebuilding' your strength." Meeting Wu's gaze, A had an expression that was a mix of disbelief and thinly veiled greed. If he were sure he could pull it off without a hitch, he would capture Wu and interrogate him for everything he knew about the peach, their effects, and their acquisition. Instead, he narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "I won't thank you. Instead, now that you've returned me to my prime, I'll work hard to get even more powerful. That's what you intended, right?" Adopting a toothy grin, Wu replied, "It's good that you catch on quickly. I don't really mind explaining things, but I prefer people who can figure shit out for themselves." Finished with what he had to say, Wu began his gradual ascent into the sky. Before he could turn around and bound away, however, the Raikage abruptly stated, "Go with him, Mabui. You can return to the village later." Though she was briefly surprised by the Raikage's words, Mabui gave an understanding nod as she lowered her head, calmly replying, "As you will, Rai-" Interrupting the woman's affirmative response, Wu said, "As tempting as the notion is, let's put a pin in that for now. This was the last thing I had on my itinerary in the Land of Lightning, so I'll be departing shortly after leaving here. But no worries. I'll be sure to play with you plentily the next time I visit Kumo." Without waiting for Mabui's or the Raikage's response, Wu bounded into the sky and bounced through the air. Then, moments later, he appeared to vanish, disappearing from the still stunned group's view... ... .. . (A/N: Wu be regretting his promise to Tenten xD...)

Though she had wanted to witness Wu's battle with the Raikage, Tayuya obediently waited for him on a mountain peak several hundred kilometers from the battlefield. She wasn't looking forward to returning to Otogakure, but she still had a part to play in the forthcoming invasion of Konoha. Wu had also entrusted her with an important task, so even though she would have preferred never to return to Orochimaru's side, Tayuya was willing to put her life on the line to secure her future... Interrupting the pensive redhead's thoughts, Wu snuck up behind her and gave her meager breasts a light fondling, asking, "Did you miss me~?" in a teasing tone. In response, Tayuya leaned back her head, hitting the tip of his chin as she flatly remarked, "You're becoming more degenerate with each passing day..." Without missing a beat, Wu adopted a cheeky smile, retorting, "That's an interesting accusation, coming from someone who spends nearly an hour a day masturbating..." Tearing herself from Wu's clutches, Tayuya 'glared' back at him, asking, "And whose fault is that...?" with narrowed eyes and an accusatory tone. Pointing to himself, Wu feigned shock as he replied, "Don't tell me...could it have been me...!?" Exhaling loudly through her nose, Tayuya changed topics, asking, "Are we leaving, or what?" in an irritable tone. Nodding his head, Wu replied, "Yeah." before adopting what appeared to be a concerned expression, asking, "Are you sure you're okay with this? I know I was the one to propose making you a double agent, but-" Before Wu could finish, Tayuya's expression became serious as she said, "I don't need your concern, Wu. I've been doing shit like this since I was six years old. Just don't fuck up on your end." Raising his hands in a gesture of mock surrender, Wu replied, "Okay, okay. I just wanted you to have the option to refuse. If this is the path you've decided, I have nothing else to say on the matter. As for Orochimaru...you can just leave him, her, or however else they refer to themselves, to me..." Nodding her head, Tayuya 'almost' responded by saying she trusted him. Instead, she stared into his eyes for a few seconds, the distance between their bodies gradually diminishing until Wu seized the initiative to wrap his arms around her. Only then did she whisper, "Let's fucking do this..." with a look of conviction on her face. ... .. . Upon returning to Kumo, the Raikage, transformed to resemble his older self, had Mabui compile the records of every Kunoichi between the ages of fourteen and twenty-six. The reports he had received from Samui and Yugito mentioned how Saiko Dadi had openly attempted to flirt with them. He had expressed a similar interest in Mabui and Karui, so A had reason to believe the mysterious youth had a penchant for promiscuity. Seeing the Raikage perusing the records of their Kunoichi with a serious expression on his face, Mabui felt compelled to suggest, "If you're going to choose someone for this matter, please delegate it to those of us with more...experience. The younger generation should be allowed to choose their own partners..." Furrowing his brows, the Raikage raised his gaze to meet Mabui's as he firmly stated, "Times may have changed, Mabui, but Kunoichi do not have the same rights as ordinary citizens. If they are not prepared for this kind of responsibility, then the Academy has failed them. If that's the case, we may as well scrap the entire Kunoichi program..." Bowing her head slightly, Mabui closed her eyes and replied, "Forgive me, Raikage-sama...I have spoken out of turn..." Shaking his head, A returned to perusing the files as he appended, "The lives of Shinobi are not meant to be glamorous and filled with virtue. We are liars, deceivers, and killers who train our very children to possess the same traits. Anyone who can readily claim the lives and futures of others but is not willing to jeopardize their own has no place in this field..." Though she wanted to point out that they were slowly making a transition to more 'honest' work, such as transporting cargo and constructing cities, Mabui kept her head low and replied, "I understand, Raikage-sama. I will ensure that the Kunoichi chosen are well acquainted with what's expected of them..." Without raising his gaze from the files, the Raikage gave a curt nod. At the same time, however, he was also considering Mabui's proposal. He would rather not assign one of their few female Jonin to a seduction mission, but mature women had a 'charm' most younger girls lacked. Mabui even had a prior arrangement with Saiko Dadi, so there was always the possibility of entrusting the matter to her. The real question was, who should he assign as her support? Samui? She certainly wasn't lacking in appeal... ... .. . After touching down a few kilometers from the entrance to Otogakure, Wu playfully remarked, "What happened to 'never, ever' doing that again? You seemed to enjoy it quite a bit this time around." Ignoring Wu's remark, Tayuya regained her previous standoffishness as she said, "We should hurry and report to the Otokage as soon as possible. She will be expecting us." Rolling his eyes, Wu replied, "Yeah, yeah..." before shoving his hands into his pockets and leading the way. Shortly after that, he and Tayuya found themselves at the usual entrance, this time being guarded by the man Wu had once given 'wings.' Seeing Wu, the dark-haired, beady-eyed man, one of the many members of the defunct Fuma Clan, visibly tensed. It hadn't even been three days since he was released from the medical ward, so seeing the person that had forcibly pried apart his shoulder blades caused him to feel a mixture of anxiety and rapidly increasing nausea. Feigning ignorance, Wu raised his hand, a friendly smile on his face as he said, "Yo. Did you join Otogakure just recently? I don't think I've ever seen you before." "..." Amused by the man's hateful glare, Wu was tempted to tease him further when Kagero showed up in her hunchbacked disguise, popping up out of the ground as she stated, "Otokage-sama wishes to speak with you..." Nodding in affirmation, Wu replied, "I was planning to head over there in a moment." before asking, "Is she in her throne room or one of her labs...?" Since it was a fair question, Kagero gave a nod of her own before replying, "She's in her throne room. Guren-sama is also present..." Though Tayuya had warned him about flirting with Guren, Wu responded with a fairly cheeky, "Nice." Then, before Kagergo could retreat into the ground, he added, "I might stick around for a bit before heading out in the morning. You should stop by my room when you're off duty..." Hearing Wu's 'proposition,' the green-haired girl concealed beneath the visage of a buck-toothed hunchback visibly reddened. She immediately 'understood' why he was asking her to stop by, so she began to fidget nervously, a rather disgusting sight for Tayuya and the dark-haired man. Then, instead of responding verbally, she sank into the ground and 'swam' away at her fastest speed. Seeing the little mayfly run off, Wu mused, "And there she goes~" in a sing-song tone. Afterward, he casually made his way into the interior of the underground compound, Tayuya following close behind as they made their way to the Otokage's, Orochimaru's throne room... ... .. . "Welcome back, Dadi-sama, Tayuya-chan. Considering how long you were abroad, I trust your visit to the Land of Lightning was eventful? I certainly heard quite a few rumors while you were away..." Since just about everyone throughout the Mainland had heard about the 'disaster' that had befallen Kumogakure, Wu made no effort to conceal his involvement in the matter, casually replying, "The Raikage was quite a bit stronger than I was expecting. If I hadn't thoroughly trained the muscles of my neck and shoulders, that damned ogre would have taken my head off at the start of the fight." Though her breathing became audible when she heard Wu admit to being the culprit behind Kumo's near destruction, the Otokage forced herself to appear calm as she mused, "As expected of the boy who intends to carve his name into the very foundations of the Shinobi World. Well done, Dadi-sama..." Smiling proudly, Wu made a show of raising his chin and puffing out his chest slightly as he retorted, "Was there ever any doubt? I mean, it's not like I refer to myself as the splendiferous Saiko Dadi just because I like how it sounds. I'm fucking awesome." Exhaling a bone-chilling chuckle, 'Otochimaru' was about to stoke Wu's ego further when the latter interrupted her, saying, "Oh, and while we're on the subject of my badassery, you should probably know I'm planning to head to Suna next. I kind of agreed to give the other villages a taste of the same medicine once I was finished with Kumo." Furrowing her brows ever so slightly, Otochimaru wanted to insist that Wu stick around. However, even if she offered him power through the Cursed Seal of Heaven, the odds of him actually accepting it were slim. 'Dadi' was a prideful, borderline arrogant boy who believed in the power he already possessed. He was also capable enough to contend against someone like the Raikage, so if she intended to make him into one of her future vessels, she would need to employ more...subtle tactics. Fortunately, while Dadi's constant wandering was a mild inconvenience for Otochimaru, his next destination actually served her interests. She had spent the last three and a half years ensuring that tensions between Suna and Konoha were at an all-time high. They had already agreed to support her during the crushing of Konoha, but their cooperation could be assured if she sent Dadi to them as a representative of Oto. Having made up her mind, the Orochikage proposed, "How about visiting Suna as my representative alongside Guren and Tayuya-chan? Otogakure and Sunagakure will be cooperating during the upcoming Chunin Exams. I believe the teams participating at the behest of Sun will be 'motivated' to improve once they witness the power possessed by Oto Shinobi similar to them in age..." Though he originally intended to have Tayuya stick back at the base and see if she could convince the other girls to emigrate to Konoha, Wu didn't hesitate to respond, "Sure, sounds like a lot of fun. Just don't get mad if I accidentally beat up their Kazekage, hahahahaha~." Narrowing her eyes in amusement, the Otokage replied, "I would like you to defer to Guren during the mission, but I won't protest if you 'cut loose' a bit. Just be sure to avoid causing too much damage to their village. It's quite pitiful, you see, being constructed in the center of a desert and all..." Providing a thumbs up, Wu mused, "No worries. If it comes to that, I'll be sure to take things out of the village. I wouldn't want to sabotage our little alliance, now would I~?" Believing that 'Dadi' was just fooling around, the Otokage responded with one of her creepier chuckles. Even if Dadi destroyed the entirety of Suna, she actually wouldn't mind. More accurately, it wouldn't matter so long as he went on to weaken or outright destroy Konoha soon after. Both results served her underlying desire to abolish the existing system in its entirety. Then, while the various nations warred against one another, she would have all the time in the world to research Immortality and her other fields of interest. After that, she could finally rid the world of the very concept of mortality...then no one else would ever have to die... ... .. . (A/N: For those of you who are unaware, Orochimaru wasn't always a monster. He just got tired of watching everyone around him die...)

Though his clone only lasted for a few minutes, it was able to carry Wu well over a hundred kilometers before depositing him in a small nook he had scouted weeks prior. Wu didn't truly trust anyone, so, during his many cuddle sessions with Tayuya, he had his clones preparing secondary and tertiary bases he could retreat to if shit hit the fan. Fortunately, while the Land of Lightning was known for its mountains, it was equally famous for its hot springs. Wu had discovered quite a few in his search for a Chakra mineral vein, so his clone placed him into one that had a particularly high concentration of Chakra. The moment he was fully submerged, the wounds on his body began to heal at a rate visible to the naked eye, permitting him to awaken mere minutes later. "Ugh..." Cradling his head, Wu immediately activated his Mystical Monkey's Palm, alleviating the intense pressure that made his skull feel like it was going to crack open. Black Lightning was an order of magnitude more powerful than regular Lightning-infused attacks, so Wu had sustained significantly more damage than he expected. His unique constitution would allow him to recover in just a few hours, but that was several times longer than his usual recovery time. Intending to pay the Raikage another visit later that evening, Wu closed his eyes and focused on his recovery. He wasn't upset by Kumo's reaction to his rather brazen entry attempt, but he also wasn't the type to let even minor slights go unpunished. A had attempted to kill him and very nearly succeeded, so Wu intended to keep badgering the man until his eventual departure from the Land of Lightning... ... .. . Seeing the destruction wrought by his and Saiko Dadi's brief encounter, A couldn't help feeling responsible. He didn't regret his attempt to kill the boy, but his inability to end the battle immediately resulted in the village sustaining more significant damage than the previous two wars combined. He had the Engineering Corps working tirelessly to repair the damage and strengthen their defenses, but Konoha wasn't the only one to suffer from the slaughter of the Uzumaki Clan. Kumo would recover, but it would take months, potentially even years, to mend some of the seals that had been damaged... Far more troubling than the physical damage the village had sustained, it was the loss of trust that weighed most heavily on A's mind. If the people lost faith in the village, they would begin to leave en masse. The Lightning Daimyo would also view their failure to protect their home as an indication of weakness or ineptitude. Even if he didn't, the faction that opposed the very existence of Kumo was bound to make a fuss, severely reducing their funding at a time when they needed it the most. Exhaling a weighty sigh, A appeared to age several years in an instant as he asked, "Which Teams were we sending to the Chunin Exams this year? We'll need to make a show of force if we are to rekindle the confidence of our Sponsors..." As the Chunin Exams weren't even in the top ten of her priorities at the moment, Mabui found herself caught off guard by the Raikage's question. Fortunately, he didn't hold her accountable, his voice uncharacteristically calm as he added, "No matter...just see to it we have at least a few Aces in the group. Securing first place when the exams are in a foreign nation is probably impossible, but I want at least two people in the Finals..." Bowing slightly, Mabui replied, "I'll see to it immediately following the video conference with the Lightning Daimyo." "Nn..." As he didn't have anything else to say, at least for the time being, A just stared out over Kumo with a profound, contemplative expression on his face. Wu's power was far from the legends that had dominated the First and Second Great Shinobi Wars, but his young age and desire for battle implied he would get there eventually. A doubted the practicality of the notion, but if he could sway the boy into joining Kumo's camp, the other Shinobi Nations wouldn't know what hit them... Nearly as soon as that thought had crossed the Raikage's mind, an alarm began sounding throughout the village, the result of him ordering them to remain on high alert. Shortly after that, Darui and C burst into his office, the latter appearing more than a little disquieted as he shouted, "Raikage-sama! Saiko Dadi has returned...!" ... .. . Deciding to play things a little safer this time around, Wu had one of his clones follow his original path while he, alongside several hundred of his clones, invaded the skies above the village. His clones shared the same 'signature' as himself, so even if Kumo's Jinchurik could sense him, they would need to figure out which of the ant-sized entities he was. Matching Wu's expectations, the Raikage, alongside another muscular, blond-haired man, showed up to confront his clone. This time, however, the Raikage didn't immediately attack. His expression was just as fierce as before, but he lacked his Lightning Cloak as he asked, "How is it you were you able to recover so quickly? You took a direct hit from mine and Darui's Black Lightning Darkness Dragon. You shouldn't even be alive, much less in perfect condition..." Shrugging his shoulders, Wu's repeated the usual, "I'm just built different. Now, ready for round two...?" Answering in the Raikage's stead, the goatee'd man standing next to him began to gesticulate wildly, stating, "Yo, yo! Why you gotta come around here actin' a fool? Can't you see my main man's trying to keep his cool? Ya fool, ya tool." Furrowing his brows, Wu's clone threatened, "The next time you open your mouth and speak in such a ridiculous manner, I'm graffitiing 'ya fool, ya tool' on every surface in the village." Undaunted by the clone's words, Bee was about to respond with another rhyme when A held up his arm, a steely expression on his face as he said, "Not right now, Bee..." Raising his hands in a gesture of mock surrender, Bee took a step back and elected to remain silent while A turned his attention back to Wu and admitted, "Now isn't a good time for our rematch. I have a meeting with the Lightning Daimyo, and the village is in chaos after your most recent attack. Give me a few days to sort things out, and I'll gladly accept your challenge. Just nowhere near the village..." After hearing from Yugito that the only thing Saiko Dadi desired was a good challenge, A attempted to appeal to the boy's 'sensibilities.' There was a chance Dadi would just refuse his request, but, with the state the village was in, it would be negligent of him not to try a more 'diplomatic' approach. Surprising and relieving the Raikage, the clone didn't need to consider his response before answering, "Sure, I don't see a problem with that. It's not as though I came here to attack your village. In fact, before you so rudely tried to give me a haircut, I was coming here to inform your people that I would soon be departing the Land of Lightning. Color me surprised when the Raikage himself came out to 'greet' me..." Hearing Wu's 'admission,' a bit of color drained from A's usually healthy brown face. He still thought he did the right thing by at least attempting to eliminate the person that had been targeting his subordinates, but the cost of his failure... Exhaling a wearied sigh, the Raikage shook his head and muttered, "So that's how it is..." before meeting the clone's gaze and asking, "And where will you be heading next? According to Nagito, you're planning to provoke each of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, correct...?" Nodding his head, the clone affirmed, "Eventually. For now, I'll most likely pop over to Suna. Why, are you planning to take advantage of my actions to benefit from the other nations' plight? I can't say I'm surprised, but I'm not particularly fond of being used. If you want to kidnap children for your little research projects, do it on your own time..." Shaking his head, the Raikage narrowed his eyes and replied, "After what you've done to Kumo, I'm just hoping you'll afford similar treatment to the other villages. The notion of a war breaking out may excite you, but I can assure you there is no 'true' glory to be found on a field of slaughter. You want powerful opponents? Keep doing what you're doing. Trust me when I say you have 'effectively motivated' many people to surpass you..." Adopting a radiant smile, the clone mused, "Is that so~?" before causing the two men to tense as he began ascending into the air, adding, "When you're ready, come to the region I fought the pussycat a few weeks ago. Fail to do so within the week, and...let's just say you won't like my parting gift." Before the clone could leave, A surprised both it and Bee by extending his hand and saying, "Wait, Dadi-sama. I will come to face you, regardless of your response, but what is the possibility of you aligning with Kumo in the future? You'll understand once you visit the other Shinobi Nations, but no other village reveres individual strength and merit as much as Kumo. You have already witnessed the capabilities of myself and our Jinchuriki. Join us, and I will personally see to it that you never want for a worthy foe..." Adopting a fairly amused smile, the clone replied, "As attractive as your offer is, I'm afraid I can't accept it. There is already a place I belong, at least for the time being. Once you discover where that is, feel free to send over someone to try and convince me. I've developed a fondness for fiery redheads these past couple of weeks, so that little burnt tomato you sent after me a few weeks ago might suffice~." Finished with what he had to say, the clone turned away and vanished from the perception of the Raikage. The man next to him, Bee, could still follow him, but that was because he was the Jinchuriki of the Eight-Tails. However, even he lost track of the clone when it suddenly stabbed itself in the chest, forcibly dispersing and transmitting its visual records to the original... ... .. . Feeling a little 'pent up' after his second assault was halted before it could begin, Wu returned to his and Tayuya's love nest to find the zesty redhead doing crunches. He doubted she had been training the entire time he was gone, but seeing a thick layer of sweat covering her naked body brought a smile to his face. Thus, for the better part of an hour, he silently observed her, waiting until she had finished before remarking, "Nice ass..." Though every nerve in her body tensed, Tayuya managed to avoid crying out or startling as she looked back to find Wu staring at her from his bed. Her first instinct was to ask how long he had been watching her, but she quickly suppressed it, asking, "How did it go?" in a genuinely curious tone. Making a so-so gesture with his free hand, Wu casually replied, "Almost got my head chopped off by the Alphabetical Ape but managed to keep myself together when I imagined about how despondent you'd be if I failed to return. So, how was house sitting? Were you a good girl while I was away...?" Furrowing her brows, Tayuya asked, "Did you really fight the Raikage?" Nodding his head, Wu revealed, "And we agreed to fight again in a few days. Until then, let's make the most of our time together. Who knows, I might lose my head for real the next time~?" Exhaling a sigh, Tayuya whispered, "You'd better not..." before making her way over and joining Wu in the bed. He immediately licked the sweat from her shoulder, but instead of getting flustered as she had a few days prior, she reached down and grabbed the appendage resting against his inner thigh as she said, "You're not allowed to die, even after you give me what I want..." Instead of responding with words, Wu surprised Tayuya with a quick peck on the lips. It was a lot tamer than what she did of her own accord, but it caused the tips of her ears to turn red, a precursor to the blush that would follow... ... .. .

Chapter 42: I, Your Father, Give Peaches