The water rippled gently as Shinho entered the tub, seating himself face-to-face with Tsunade.
The tub was neither too big nor too small, leaving the two slightly pressed together.
For Shinho, however, it was just perfect. A glance downward revealed Tsunade's long, shapely legs, soft and toned beneath the water.
"Sensei, let me wash you," Shinho offered, swallowing hard. "Turn around."
Tsunade complied. They had already crossed numerous boundaries in the past month; there was no need for shyness at this point.
Shinho reached out and carefully pulled her into his arms. Startled, Tsunade tumbled back against his chest, a flicker of annoyance crossing her face.
However, as Shinho's careful hands danced across her, her body soon relaxed into his hands.
…
An hour later, Tsunade, thoroughly cleansed and refreshed inside out, returned to the living room in her pajamas.
"Tsunade-sama," Shizune called out, startled, "why is your face so red?"
"It's the bathwater… it was particularly warm tonight," Tsunade mumbled, seating herself on the couch and rubbing her slightly sore legs.
"Is that so?" Shizune said, holding back her skepticism, "Let me dry your hair."
With a blow dryer in one hand and Tsunade's golden locks in the other, Shizune began her work. Warm air wafted over Tsunade as she exhaled deeply.
That insufferable brat! Without her Yin Seal, she truly felt at a disadvantage.
Once her hair was dry, Tsunade retreated to her room. Shizune headed to the bathroom, emerging later in a yukata-style nightgown.
Shizune never truly liked her professional attire of suits and tight skirts, particularly when paired with high heels and stifling nylon stockings.
"Shinho," Shizune called softly, knocking on his bedroom door.
The door swung open, and Shinho stepped out.
"Go take your bath," Shizune reminded.
"Of course," Shinho replied with a smile, "Thank you, Shizune-nee."
"You're welc—" Shizune paused mid-sentence, narrowing her eyes, "Wait… have you already bathed?"
"No, not yet," Shinho said evenly, though his heart skipped a beat.
"But you smell strongly of soap and shampoo," Shizune pointed out, sniffing the air curiously.
A cold sweat broke out on Shinho's back. He had forgotten to account for that.
"Shizune-nee," Shinho said, stepping closer and wrapping her in his arms. His hands slid lower, cupping her soft, curvaceous bottom.
"What are you doing?" Shizune's body instantly went weak, her legs trembling slightly beneath her yukata's hem.
"I have a question," Shinho murmured, leaning in close to her ear. "When will you…"
Shizune's eyes flew open, her mind going blank.
Though she had often been scolded by Shinho verbally, she had never expected such a direct confrontation. Her heart pounded in her chest.
"I…" she stammered before somehow mustering the strength to push him away and flee to her room.
Shinho exhaled deeply, relieved. He wasn't quite ready for her to say yes, either.
He proceeded to the bathroom, filling the tub to create the illusion of bathing before sneaking off to Tsunade's room.
…
The next morning, Shinho received a message from Sunagakure, delivered by a messenger hawk.
Shino Aburame had discovered suspicious behavior from Yura.
Early that morning, Yura had left for Sunagakure's gates under the pretext of an inspection. However, given his status, this task was far beneath him.
Clearly, he was heading out to lead Sasori and Deidara into the village.
This signalled the start of the battle for Gaara.
Akatsuki would mobilized four of it's members, Sasori and Deidara in person, with Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki supporting via shapeshifting Jutsu of Nagato with their strength limited to only 30% of their real power.
In the original timeline, Konoha had dispatched Kakashi's Team 7 and Might Guy's team.
After brief deliberation, Shinho made his decision. He would use the Rainbow Light Gu and Golden Aroura Gu to reach Sunagakure quickly and assist Gaara in fending off Sasori and Deidara. Meanwhile, Kakashi and Team 7 would handle Itachi and Kisame.
This arrangement would also help Sasuke confront his brother, fulfilling his wish. Itachi, no doubt, would be astonished by Sasuke's growth, potentially unlocking some new achievements.
Victory was not a concern for Shinho.
With Itachi and Kisame at only 30% strength, and Sasuke, Naruto, and Kakashi operating as stronger versions of themselves, the odds were in Konoha's favor.
"Shizune-nee, I'm heading out for a bit," Shinho announced, choosing not to explain further. It would only worry her unnecessarily.
"All… all right," Shizune replied distractedly.
Shinho's question from the previous night had left her tossing and turning in bed.
"Yugao-nee," Shinho called out as he left the Hokage office, "Where's Kakashi-sensei?"
"He's at Training Ground 1," came Yugao's prompt reply.
"Is of Team 7 all there?" Shinho asked.
"Except Karin."
"Let Karin know to head to Training Ground 1 immediately."
With a leap, Shinho vanished across the rooftops.
At Training Ground 1, Sasuke and Naruto sparred fiercely.
Neither had used their full power. Sasuke refrained from activating his Mangekyō Sharingan, and Naruto withheld the Nine-Tails' chakra.
Watching them, Kakashi nodded in approval. The one who surprised him most was Naruto.
His 's fundamentals had grown solid, transforming him from a class dunce into an exceptional shinobi.
At that moment, the sparring halted abruptly.
KAkashi raised an eyebrow and turned around, and saw Shinho approaching.
"Kakashi-sensei," Shinho said, stepping forward, "I have a mission for you."
"What mission?" Naruto asked excitedly.
Even Sasuke's eyes gleamed with anticipation. Since acquiring his Mangekyō Sharingan, he had yet to face a worthy opponent in a full battle. Naruto, as his teammate, didn't count.
"Sunagakure," Shinho began, "and it would be An S-rank mission."
"S-rank?!" Naruto raised his voice.
"What's the objective?" Kakashi asked, his tone serious.
"Itachi Uchiha," Shinho replied, meeting Sasuke's gaze.
"What did you say?!" Sasuke rushed forward, his eyes boring into Shinho's.
"Itachi Uchiha has been spotted in Sunagakure," Shinho said firmly, "Your task is to find him."
Without hesitation, Sasuke turned and sprinted away.
"Wait for me, Sasuke!" Naruto called, running after him.
"Are we going alone?" Kakashi asked, his expression heavy.
"I'll join you," Shinho reassured him, "but I'll take a different route."
"That's a relief," Kakashi was realy relieved. He was still a bit skeptical about Team 7's ability to deal with Itachi. He was too powerful, afterall.
But with Shinho there, things would be different.
Activating the Rainbow Light Gu, Shinho shot like a beam of light in the direction of Sunagakure.
When he came to a stop, he found himself in the desert. The location was slightly off, but that was expected, the Rainbow Glow Gu was notoriously difficult to control.
Switching to the Golden Aroura Gu, Shinho was soon engulfed in a golden glow before vanishing entirely.
…
Sunagakure.
Beyond the gates stretched an endless desert, its vast expanse shimmering under the blazing sun. Heatwaves distorted the horizon, making the air seem alive.
Suddenly, two figures appeared where there had been only empty sands. Both were clad in black cloaks adorned with red clouds.
To the left stood Sasori of the Red Sand, his small and bulky frame concealed within his puppet body.
To the right was Deidara, chewing something absentmindedly as they approached the village entrance.
The guards who had been stationed at the gate now lay unconscious on the ground.
"Sasori-sama!" Yura approached them with a deferential expression, bowing deeply.
"As expected of Sasori-dono!" Deidara praised, his tone not hinting at any praise.
"Let's begin," Sasori said, his voice devoid of emotion.
"Leave it to me." Deidara spat out a lump of clay from his hand-mouth.
The clay hit the ground and quickly morphed into a large white bird.
"Sasori-dono, wait for my good news!" Deidara leapt onto the bird's back, which immediately took to the skies.
Although Akatsuki members often worked in pairs, each had their pride. Before the mission began, Deidara had already declared his intention to capture Gaara single-handedly.
"Don't keep me waiting too long," Sasori said, his gaze cool, "You know how much I hate waiting for others."
"Relax!" Deidara called back, maneuvering his white bird until it soared high above Sunagakure.
In the shinobi world, the ability to fly offered a tremendous advantage, as most ninjutsu had limited range. At this altitude, only a rare few could touch Deidara, one of them being Gaara.
In the original story, Ttheir strength could objectively be said to be about the same, but Gaara was the Kazekage, and it was his duty to protect Sunagakure.
Since Deidara didn't have a moral compass dictating his actions, he carpet bombed Sunagakure and forced Gaara to be stretched thin. With such a handicap, it was inevitable that Gaara would be easily captured.
…
Kazekage's Office.
"He's here. An Akatsuki member," Shino Aburame reported, adjusting his glasses.
"Please convey my thanks to the Hokage," Gaara said, raising his hand slightly.
A month ago, through Shikamaru and Shino, he had first learned of Akatsuki.
At the time, he had been skeptical. What kind of organization would dare target the Tailed Beasts? Such audacity seemed suicidal.
But with Yura's betrayal and the current invasion unfolding before his eyes, Gaara now fully trusted Konoha's intel.
Even so, he remained confident.
With a soft whoosh, streams of sand materialized around Gaara.
Moving like rivers, they surged upwards, aiming for the white bird in the sky.
"How did you notice me so soon?" Deidara murmured, a hint of surprise in his voice, "Not bad."
He skillfully maneuvered the bird to evade the streams of sand, weaving through the air with surprising agility.
The commotion woke the villagers. Baki, Kankuro, Temari, and others quickly assembled at the Kazekage's office.
"He can fly?" Temari remarked, her face grim.
Gaara glanced at them briefly before a wave of sand lifted him into the air. Once airborne, he extended his hands.
The ground trembled as a massive surge of sand gathered below.
Sand Binding Coffin!
"Impressive," Deidara muttered as the sand enveloped him, cutting off his view.
Just as the sand was about to seal completely, the white bird abruptly accelerated, breaking free.
Gaara's sharp eyes narrowed as two small white birds suddenly appeared in front of him.
A deafening explosion followed.
"Gaara!" Tamari's heart dropped as she shouted.
"He's fine," Shino said calmly.
When the dust cleared, a massive sand sphere hovered in the sky.
Gaara's absolute defense.
"What now?" Temari asked instinctively, turning to Shikamaru, "None of us can fly."
Sunagakure's Magnet Release theoretically allowed flight, but aside from past Kazekage, no one in the village possessed the skill.
"I can fly," Shino said, bringing his hands together in a seal.
Natural energy swirled around him as he activated Sage Mode—or rather, his Kikaichu Bugs did. Countless wings began to flutter as Shino ascended into the air.
Deidara frowned slightly. "Who are you?"
His intel on Sunagakure didn't include a shinobi like Shino Aburame.
Gaara didn't give Deidara a chance to linger on the question though. With a motion of his hand, a massive sand arm reached for the airborne Deidara.
"It's really troublesome," Deidara muttered, standing on top of the giant white bird.
At that moment, two clay birds shot out from his hand-mouth.
Explosive Clay: Twin Birds!
The birds shot forth at incredible speed, but before they could reach the sand arm, a swarm of black insects surrounded and consumed them.
Two explosions rocked the sky, obliterating the insects.
'Aburame clan?' Deidara didn't have the time time to ponder too much, as he tossed out more clay figures, which detonated on contact with the sand arm, creating deep craters.
His white bird flapped its wings, carrying him out of range of Gaara's assault.
Deidara exhaled lightly.
But then, from all directions, swarms of Kikaichu Bugs surged toward him.
Deidara flicked his wrist, sending out four streaks of light that exploded consecutively. The bugs perished en masse, their burnt remains releasing a faint charred scent into the air.
Deidara smirked coldly, The bugs are easier to handle compared to the sand.
Shino adjusted his glasses slightly.
Kikaichu Bugs: Explosion!
At that moment, Deidara felt an ominous sensation in his heart.
A sudden and violent glow emanated from the remains of the bugs surrounding Deidara.
Boom.
Nine violent explosions erupted simultaneously, engulfing Deidara and his white bird.
The bird let out a mournful cry as it began to plummet.
"Did it work?" Temari couldn't help but ask.
"I can't tell," Shikamaru replied, squinting into the distance.
Gaara, observing the scene, was silent.
Shino was indeed worthy of being called the brother of the Hokage.
From the flames of the explosions, a white owl emerged, battered and scorched but still flying. Standing atop it, Deidara glared at Shino, his face dark with anger.
When did the aburame clan started using explosions?
…
Sunagakure's Gates.
"Seems like he's having some trouble," Sasori muttered, shaking his head.
Though he hadn't witnessed the battle directly, with Deidara's strength, the prolonged engagement clearly indicated resistance stronger than expected.
Turning toward the village, Sasori began to walk forward.
Unbeknownst to him, a someone was watching him silently from behind.
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