The crisis was over.
Gaara let out a long sigh of relief.
But his task was not yet complete.
Clenching his teeth, he began dispersing the protective sand barrier hovering over Sunagakure.
It was a massive amount of sand.
If it fell, it could destroy half the village.
After moving it outside the village boundaries, Gaara slowly descended to the ground. His face was pale, and his chakra reserves were almost depleted.
If it weren't for Shinho and Shino Aburame today, Gaara could hardly imagine the disaster that would have ensued.
Even with Sunagakure's full strength, dealing with Deidara alone was already a stretch.
Adding Sasori of the Red Sand into the mix made the odds of victory nonexistent.
"Lord Kazekage!"
The Sunagakure shinobi swarmed towards him, their faces filled with excitement and newfound respect.
Although Shinho was undoubtedly the day's biggest hero, Gaara's efforts hadn't gone unnoticed.
Previously, some ninjas had expressed doubts about his suitability as Kazekage.
Now, after this incident, no one would dare question him again.
Looking at the changed expressions of his people, Gaara felt a wave of emotion.
His efforts had not been in vain.
…
"Lord Hokage."
Gaara walked up to Shinho and bowed slightly. "Thank you very much for Konoha's assistance."
"You're welcome," Shinho replied nonchalantly, "Take care of your affairs, and we'll talk later."
"Temari, take Lord Hokage to rest," Gaara instructed with a nod.
Though they had tried their best to fight away from the village, the battle had still caused significant damage.
As Kazekage, Gaara couldn't just walk away.
"Lord Hokage, please follow me."
Temari's tone was respectful as she guided Shinho to the inn prepared for Konoha's guests.
Shino Aburame and Shikamaru accompanied him, leaving the area together.
Temari didn't linger, bidding them a quick farewell.
First, she knew the Konoha trio likely had business to discuss.
Second, she needed to assist Gaara.
…
"You both did well," Shinho said, addressing Shikamaru and Shino.
"I didn't do much," Shikamaru said, waving off the compliment. "It was mostly Shino."
"Everyone contributed. You'll get your rewards once we're back," Shinho promised with a smile, "For now, get some rest."
After the two left, Shinho returned to his room.
The accommodations were decent but far inferior to those in Konoha.
Understandable, given the harsh environment here.
A flash of blue light appeared.
Ichikishima-hime fell to the ground from Shinho's sleeve, reverting to her human form.
She had been hiding in Shinho's sleeve, hoping to lend a hand if needed, though it turned out she was unnecessary.
"Master."
Ichikishima-hime walked over to the sofa, carrying a teacup, and handed it to him.
"Thank you."
Shinho drank it all in one gulp and set the cup aside.
He patted his thigh.
Beaming with delight, Ichikishima-hime perched herself on his lap.
One arm around her waist, Shinho rested his other hand on her silk-covered thigh, his fingers lightly caressing the fine material as he sank into deep thought.
The fight with Sasori had ended far too quickly, lasting barely half an hour.
Ordinary shinobi would take three days to travel from Konoha to Sunagakure.
Even Kakashi Hatake and Team 7, moving at full speed, would need at least a few hours.
In other words, they hadn't arrived yet.
Shinho was uncertain whether Itachi and Kisame would appear as they had in the original story.
"M-Master…"
Ichikishima-hime's thighs tensed, her toes curled, and her eyes grew hazy as she felt the warmth of Shinho's hand.
Shinho glanced down instinctively.
Her fair cheeks flushed pink, cute at the same time charming.
"You really are a greedy little cat," Shinho said with a chuckle.
This snake princess had grown increasingly insatiable while accompanying him.
"I…"
Ichikishima-hime started to retort but stopped when she felt a pang in her chest, silencing her.
Shinho shook his head.
As a mountaineer, he much preferred hanging out with Tsunade.
Ichikishima-hime's presence was a separate matter entirely.
Still, given their stay in Sunagakure, he wasn't opposed to "playing the role of Xu Xian" for a while.
"Sit properly," Shinho admonished, swatting her silk-covered rear.
Startled, Ichikishima-hime adjusted her posture, sitting upright.
But her frame left her feet dangling in the air.
"Hng…I'm sorry, Master."
Her voice was tearful.
"Forget it," Shinho grumbled, biting his lip.
She noticed his dissatisfaction and panicked, stiffening her body to sit straighter. She pushed herself
"Have you ever heard the story of the 'Flooding of Jinshan Temple'?" Shinho suddenly asked, his gaze drifting.
"No, I haven't," Ichikishima-hime replied, staring at the ceiling.
"Let me tell you a tale involving a white snake," Shinho began.
"A white snake? From Ryuchi Cave?" she asked curiously, her eyes regaining a bit of clarity.
"No."
He raised an eyebrow. As expected, she was no ordinary snake princess.
Shinho's hand brushed her smooth stomach as he started telling the tale:
"A long time ago, there was a monk named Fahai who lived at Jinshan Temple. He captured the lover of a white snake, so the white snake flooded Jinshan Temple in her rage."
"What?" Ichikishima-hime's expression contorted.
"What's wrong? Thinking of flooding Jinshan Temple yourself?" Shinho took a deep breath as he asked.
"No, no!" she quickly denied, flustered. "But… I can't believe a white snake could have a lover, much less a human!"
"Not just any human, but one with whom she bore a child," Shinho added.
"A child? Between a human and a white snake?" Ichikishima-hime rolled her eyes, disbelief evident on her face.
"You doubt me?"
Leaning closer, he whispered into her ear, and her body shuddered.
"I… I don't dare!" she said loudly, "I can also bear a child for you, Master!"
"..."
Shinho winced, deciding to let the matter drop.
Flooding of the Jinshan Temple was a myth.
In the shinobi world, no white snake could achieve such a feat.
Even Ichikishima-hime, a thousand-year-old serpent demon, wasn't cultivating immortality.
"Quiet," Shinho said, his nerves were quite sensitive today.
"Yes… yes, Master," she whispered, trembling.
Shinho sighed.
This snake princess was all too eager to give up. But at the same time, she never hesitated to be bold.
Shinho had long since grown accustomed to it.
He stood up, and walked to the window, peering out at the vast desert. Thirty minutes had passed, yet, there was no sign of Team 7.
During this time, Ichukishima-hime had heard the story of flooding of the Jinshan temple, at least five times.
With this position, Ichikishima-hime wasn't tall enough to peer out of the window. Adjusting his posture so she could have a view of the desert, Shinho pondered.
With White Zetsu's speed, Akatsuki may have already got wind of what happened to Sasori and deidara.
At that time, Ichikishima-hime leaned forward. To prevent her from falling, Shinho held her with both of his hands.
He raised his eyebrow. He could already see the bloodvessels on her fair skim bulging, yet there were no achievements.
He felt like his 'grassroots hero' achievement was trigger far too early. When was the last time someone played the role of Xu Xian in the Shinobi world?
"I...It's my first time being in a desert." Ichikishim-hime stammered and Shinho touched her sweat covered forehead.
She suddenly focused her gaze.
"It's quite hot here, eh?"
Shinho too was feeling it. He nodded vigorously, "It's like being in a suna, surrounder by hot air and feeling stuffy."
Soon, Shinho's saw something in the distance.
In the desert, a fox was running.
But soon, it was bitten by a lone wolf. The incredible bite strength, coupled with sharp teeth, killed the fox instantly.
Blood splattered everywhere, painting the ground red.
"How cruel," Shinho Aburame muttered with a sigh.
"Master... I want to rest…"
Ichikishima-hime closed her eyes and went limp in Shinho's arms.
"Have you fainted from the heat? The sunlight here is indeed overwhelming," Shinho said, somewhat surprised.
He gently laid her on the bed, then headed for the bathroom.
After a shower and a change of clean clothes, he felt rejuvenated and completely relaxed.
"Get some good rest. I'm stepping out for a bit," Shinho said to the frail-looking Ichikishima-hime, his tone warm.
Despite being a snake princess imbued with the effects of serpent mastery Gu, she was obedient and well-mannered—though entirely unversed in worldly matters.
Shinho closed the door behind him as he left the inn.
Before leaving, he informed Shino Aburame to tell Gaara that he was resting and shouldn't be disturbed if Gaara came looking.
Normally, no one would dare neglect the Kazekage.
But now, such formalities hardly mattered.
…
Fog Sparrow Gu!
A misty haze morphed into a sparrow that hovered above Shinho's head.
Although its range wasn't as vast as Karin's Mind's Eye of the Kagura, it was still highly effective for locating people.
"Are they already engaged in battle?"
Shinho was slightly taken aback.
As in the original storyline, Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki had employed the cloning technique that used a living sacrifice.
Undoubtedly, they were here to back up Sasori and Deidara.
But now, they had encountered Kakashi Hatake and Team 7.
Shinho made his way there immediately, not to intervene but to observe and ensure no new Akatsuki members appeared.
The circumstances were already drastically different from the original timeline.
..
[Achievement Unlocked: Ninja World's Xu Xian. Reward: River-Swallowing Toad.]
[River-Swallowing Toad: A Rank 5 Gu insect that feeds on water. It houses a river within its body and can unleash it to create a swampy domain or devour an entire river in an instant.]
..
The sudden appearance of text startled Shinho.
Though he had anticipated this achievement, the timing and the reward caught him off guard.
The River-Swallowing Toad was extraordinary—a wild Gu insect of immense size, unlike the typically compact Gu insects.
Its offensive potential was immense.
It could summon a river in a moment or swallow one just as quickly.
"This arrived at just the right time," Shinho mused.
What did Sunagakure lack the most?
The answer was undoubtedly fresh water.
With the River-Swallowing Toad, Shinho could initiate a water diversion project.
Of course, he would evaluate what Sunagakure could offer in exchange.
Adding the leverage of Sasori's defeat, Shinho could demand quite a hefty sum.
…
Half an Hour Earlier
Itachi Uchiha and Kisame ventured deep into the desert.
According to Akatsuki's plan, Sasori and Deidara would head to the Land of Rivers after capturing Gaara.
There, the Akatsuki members would perform the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path: Phantom Dragon Nine Consuming Seals to extract and seal the One-Tail, Shukaku, within the Gedo Statue.
The ritual required ten ninjas to perform simultaneously and would take several days to complete.
Although clones could substitute for physical presence, top-tier ninjas were mandatory.
The fewer participants, the longer it took.
In the original timeline, the ritual with nine participants consumed three days.
Because of the time it took, Akatsuki members used Clones to delay pursuers.
Kisame, known as the "Tailless Tailed Beast," possessed an astonishing amount of chakra.
Even a fraction of it was enough for him to fight at full strength.
Thus, Kisame and Itachi were dispatched as reinforcements.
"Itachi-san," Kisame asked, "do you think their mission succeeded?"
"With their abilities, capturing Gaara shouldn't be difficult," Itachi replied calmly.
He was pondering a different matter.
If Gaara were captured, would Sunagakure request aid from Konoha?
Upon careful consideration, it seemed likely.
Sunagakure and Konoha had allied recently.
Without Konoha's help, they would have no chance of recovering Gaara.
So, who would Konoha send?
Itachi wasn't considering Sasuke Uchiha.
Instead, he was planning how to hold himself back and subtly leak more information.
"With the One-Tail captured, the other tailed beasts will follow," Kisame grinned, "Do you think the leader will send us to capture the Nine-Tails?"
"I don't know," Itachi replied with a sidelong glance.
"Do you want to capture the Nine-Tails?" Kisame asked pointedly.
"To me, all tailed beasts are the same," Itachi answered, his expression unreadable.
At that moment, something stirred beneath the sands nearby.
Kisame instinctively gripped his Samehada.
"It's Zetsu," Itachi said, his brow furrowing slightly. "Did something happen?"
White Zetsu emerged from the ground.
Standing before the two men, it spoke in a grave tone: "Deidara and Sasori are dead."
"What?" Kisame's eyes widened in shock.
The Akatsuki members were all exceptionally powerful and fiercely independent nature.
Though Kisame wasn't fond of them, he acknowledged their strength.
"What happened?" Itachi too, asked with tone that betrayed his surprise.
"It was Shinho Aburame, the Sixth Hokage of Konoha," Zetsu explained, "He arrived unexpectedly, killed Sasori, and forced Deidara to self-destruct."
"Shinho Aburame?" Kisame asked in confusion, "Alone?"
"Yes." Zetsu nodded.
"That's impossible," Kisame exclaimed, his voice filled with incredulity.
Defeating Sasori was difficult, even for him
Not to mention dealing with Deidara at the same time.
Itachi's heart stirred.
That boy had grown into such a formidable force without anyone noticing.
Recalling his past conversations with Shinho, Itachi felt a flicker of nostalgia.
"And he wasn't injured," Zetsu added, "It's meaningless for you to go ther now."
"Not injured?" Kisame repeated, "You're not joking?"
"I saw it with my own eyes," Zetsu answered with certainty.
join my patreon for 155+ advanced chapters: patreon.com/HyppoTL