Senju Nawaki, who had been yelling at the entrance of the examination room, gradually calmed down under the reassurance of Raiden Uzumaki. Taking advantage of the time while Kushina Uzumaki was examining Mariko's body, Raiden Uzumaki asked Naomi Senju about what had happened between him and Mariko.
Thus, an old-fashioned story of a hero saving a damsel in distress was recounted by Senju Nawaki to everyone present. However, unlike the heroines in traditional tales who fall in love with the prince at first sight, Mariko did not immediately fall for the Konoha prince. On the contrary, she remained wary of Senju Nawaki.
Despite this, Nawaki remained undeterred. Mariko's gentle nature and tragic experiences deeply touched his heart. By now, it seemed that Nawaki had become completely captivated by her.
"Although Nawaki can still be considered a young man, with his experience, he shouldn't have fallen for an unknown kunoichi so easily."
"And what's with this desperate, eager look?"
"It's supposed to be a story of a hero saving a Mary Sue, but why does it feel so strange to me?"
Raiden Uzumaki muttered a few perfunctory words to the excited Senju Nawaki and then sat down on a stool in the corridor, lost in thought. Nawaki's behavior raised his suspicions. True, Mariko's appearance was striking, and her tragic past naturally invoked Nawaki's desire to protect her.
But Nawaki was a Jonin of Konoha, having experienced numerous battles over the years. Despite his straightforward nature, it was hard to believe that he was completely without emotional restraint. The time from Konoha's declaration of war against the Land of Grass to the war's end and Mariko's capture had been very short.
Raiden found it hard to believe that Nawaki could have formed such a deep connection with her in such a brief period.
"I'll have the Yamanaka clan look into it again."
With that thought in mind, Raiden Uzumaki called over a female ninja guarding the door and whispered a few words to her before returning to his seat to await the examination results.
The inspection arranged by Kushina for Mariko was thorough. Every possible area, from internal organs to the body's surface, was carefully examined, and no traces of any spells were found. Mariko had several wounds on her body, many of which had already healed. Some bite marks on her arms were not severe and would heal completely with simple treatment.
Apart from mild malnutrition, Mariko had no other health issues. Kushina, having completed the examination, reviewed the report, then pushed open the door and stepped outside.
"Mariko!" As soon as the door opened, Senju Nawaki couldn't wait to walk in. This time, however, Kushina did not stop him, allowing him to enter the examination room. She then approached Raiden, handing him the report and saying:
"She's malnourished and has symptoms of excessive chakra depletion. With proper care, she'll recover in time."
"There are no signs of spells or illusions, so everything should be fine."
As she spoke, Kushina glanced back into the examination room, listening to Nawaki's concerned voice. Curiously, she asked:
"What's the deal with Nawaki? Does he know Mariko?"
"Is there something going on between them?"
With a gossip-loving expression, Kushina looked at Raiden, who was reviewing the report. As he recounted what Nawaki had shared about Mariko's tragic experiences, Kushina became emotional. By the time Raiden finished, she was covering her mouth, tears welling in her eyes.
"."
"Why are you crying?" Raiden closed the report, held it in his hand, and looked at Kushina in confusion.
"What a tragic girl. Raiden, as a member of the Uzumaki clan, we must take her in!"
"Let her stay with me. She was a medical ninja in the Grass Village before, so she can definitely help me."
"Such a poor girl surely harbors no loyalty toward the Grass Village anymore."
Kushina covered her mouth, earnestly advocating for Mariko. Even the female ninjas escorting Mariko to the hospital nodded in sympathy and echoed:
"Yes, Lord Hokage, we must help her."
"Her experience is truly heartbreaking!"
Looking around at the women outside, Raiden's expression darkened slightly. Just then, the female Jonin he had sent earlier returned with two young men.
"Lord Hokage!"
The two youths approached Raiden and bowed slightly in greeting. Recognizing them, Raiden's expression relaxed. Both were senior officials from Konoha's Torture and Interrogation Force. Their purpose here was to verify Mariko's safety and assess whether she could be formally integrated into Konoha.
Despite his desire to welcome Mariko into the village, Raiden remained cautious. He wanted to ensure her reliability before taking such a step.
"I've already explained the situation. Work with Fugaku to confirm there's no issue, and report back to me."
As soon as Raiden finished speaking, Senju Nawaki stepped out of the examination room, holding Mariko's hand. He looked around at the people gathered outside with a wary expression.
"Hokage-sama, is this the person?" Morino Ibiki glanced at Mariko and asked.
"Yes," Raiden replied firmly.
Morino Ibiki walked up to Nawaki and Mariko and said in a businesslike tone:
"Master Nawaki, we need to take this kunoichi from the Land of Grass with us."
"Please do not interfere."
However, Yamanaka Inoichi stepped forward with a gentler approach and said, "Lord Nawaki, we need her assistance for a few matters..."
Inoichi gave Nawaki a meaningful glance, hoping he would understand and allow them to take Mariko without resistance. Nawaki, realizing they were acting on Raiden's orders, glanced over at him and spoke in a low voice:
"Don't hurt Mariko. She'll be fine!"
Turning to Mariko, he reassured her, "Don't worry, it's okay."
"No one will harm you in Konoha!"
After gently letting go of her hand, Mariko nodded gratefully to Nawaki and voluntarily followed Inoichi and Ibiki.
Nawaki watched them leave in silence for a long time.
"This isn't life and death; don't look so down."
"Come to the old house for dinner tonight. If everything checks out, I'll invite Mariko too."
"She doesn't have a place to stay in Konoha yet. I'm planning to arrange for her to stay at the old house. Any objections?"
Raiden patted Nawaki on the shoulder and suggested. Without hesitation, Nawaki nodded enthusiastically. "Okay! You can handle it!"
A bright expression spread across Nawaki's face, his eyes full of excitement. Watching him, Raiden couldn't help but shake his head.
"He really is like Jiraiya when it comes to women. If you didn't know better, you'd think his master was Jiraiya instead of Orochimaru."
With the examination concluded, Raiden took the report on Mariko and left the hospital after bidding farewell to Kushina and Nawaki. After checking on several construction projects, he returned to his office.
Later that evening, Uchiha Fugaku entered the Hokage's office, placing a file on Raiden's desk.
"Raiden, there are no issues," Fugaku reported. Since they were alone, he spoke frankly.
Raiden nodded without even glancing at the report and turned to Minato. "Minato, come have dinner with me later."
(End of chapter)