Akatsuki's actions had sent shockwaves across the ninja world.
With Jinchūriki being captured one after another, the great ninja villages began to realise the overwhelming power of Akatsuki.
What was their ultimate goal in capturing the Tailed Beasts?
World domination? Or perhaps something even more terrifying?
While the ninja world was in turmoil, Konoha remained undisturbed.
Shinho's reforms were gradually taking shape.
The Finance Department and Market Development Department were now fully operational.
Ninjas working in the Hokage's building had just received their first-ever paychecks.
They realised Shinho wasn't all talk. The tangible benefits had ignited their enthusiasm, and for the first time, the Will of Fire burned brightly within them.
…
Hokage Building.
Neji Hyūga observed the branch family members hard at work, their faces filled with a sense of purpose.
For ninjas burdened with the Caged Bird seal, this was no longer about serving the main family.
Neji snapped out of his thoughts and made his way to the Hokage's office.
Now, only one thing remained—the abolition of the Caged Bird.
Without it, the branch family wouldn't truly be free.
"Shinho," Neji said, knocking and entering.
"I have a mission for you," Shinho said with a smile, handing him a scroll. "You'll be heading to the capital of the Land of Fire."
Neji opened the scroll, and his eyes widened.
The mission was to investigate the Daimyō's household.
He instinctively looked up at Shinho.
What is he planning?
"Do you remember what I told you before?" Shinho said, thinking back to his younger days, "The root of this world's problems lies in its system."
"Of course, I remember," Neji replied, but then a thought struck him. He stepped back in shock and asked, "You… you don't just want to change Konoha?"
One of the things that had stuck with him the most was Shinho's assertion that everything from the Will of Fire to the Caged Bird was flawed.
Years had passed, and the changes Shinho had promised for Konoha were happening.
But Neji hadn't expected that Shinho's ambitions extended beyond the village…He intended to challenge the entire Land of Fire.
"Since the First Hokage, many have believed that ninjas are the greatest obstacle to peace in the ninja world," Shinho said, shaking his head, "But they've ignored the fact that the five great nations are the real pillars of this world."
Neji was at a loss for words.
It felt like he was back in their conversations from years ago.
Something felt fundamentally wrong, but he couldn't refute it.
"Truth comes from practice," Shinho said, "Neji, give it a try."
Neji trembled slightly, then nodded resolutely after a few moments.
Shinho smiled.
Easy to convince, he thought.
But it wasn't entirely manipulation.
The outcome would align with what Neji wanted.
While Sasuke Uchiha might have been a better fit for this mission, given his Sharingan, Sasuke's focus was solely on growing stronger.
Besides, he was already on a mission to the Land of Snow with Kakashi and Team Seven.
"You're now a Jōnin, which means you can lead a team," Shinho continued, "Take Team Nine with you for this mission."
Team Nine consisted of Sakura Haruno, Torune Aburame, and Yakumo Kurama.
Yakumo's powerful Genjutsu bloodline limit, which rivalled the Sharingan when it came to genjutsu, would be invaluable for gathering intelligence.
Torune, with his foundation in the roots, was strong, while Sakura's medical skills would ensure the team's survival if push comes to shove.
Even if they encountered the Twelve Guardian Ninja, they'd manage.
"I'll assign an ANBU team to shadow you," Shinho added, "If anything unusual happens, have them report to me immediately. There is no room for failure in this mission, do you understood?"
"Yes!" Neji said, taking a deep breath.
"Thank you for your efforts, Neji," Shinho said with a smile.
"It's my duty," Neji replied. He hesitated briefly before asking, "Shinho, has there been any progress on the Caged Bird research?"
"There has," Shinho said after a moment's thought, "It'll take some more time, but not too long."
His initial plan had been to wait for Ino Yamanaka to mature enough to assist with the research.
However, with Orochimaru now in the picture, he didn't need to divert Ino's time and effort.
Recently, he had thought of an even faster solution—the Tenseigan.
The Tenseigan, was a more powerful evolution of the Byakugan, which rivalled even the Rinnegan.
On the moon, a massive Tenseigan guarded by Toneri Ōtsutsuki existed.
In the original story, Toneri descended to Earth, stole Hanabi's eyes, and kidnapped Hinata, attempting to force her into marriage.
That's not going to happen, Shinho thought.
The only problem was finding a way to the moon.
"Understood!" Neji said, his voice uncharacteristically excited, "Please notify me as soon as there's news."
The Caged Bird was Neji's greatest source of anguish.
Now that hope was within reach, he couldn't contain his anticipation.
"I will," Shinho assured him.
Once Neji left, Shinho returned to handling documents.
After their establishment, the Finance Department and Market Development Department had faced numerous difficulties.
As these reforms were completely new and unfamiliar to Shizune and others, they had often sought his guidance. Which only served to increase his workload further.
By noon, after finishing lunch, Shinho felt a sudden reaction from the Moving Perspective Cup Gu.
It meant Izumi and Guren had successfully received the gold from Sunagakure.
"Yūgao-nee," Shinho called out, heading to the door, "Please fetch Sensei for me."
"Yes," Yūgao said, leaving promptly.
A few minutes later, Shinho perked up as he heard approaching footsteps.
Tsunade appeared before him.
"Follow me, Sensei," Shinho said, walking toward the stairs without further explanation.
"What are you planning?" Tsunade asked, following behind, "Kid, you'd better not waste my time—I could be out winning money right now."
"You'll see soon enough," Shinho said nonchalantly.
They descended into an underground hall beneath the Hokage's building.
Tsunade glanced around.
The space was vast and empty, except for the metallic walls that looked unusually sturdy.
"What's with all the secrecy?" Tsunade crossed her arms, curious, yet with a threatening edge to her tone, "Don't disappoint me, or there'll be consequences."
"And if I make you happy?" Shinho asked, stepping behind her.
"If I'm happy, I'll let it slide," Tsunade huffed.
"Three seconds," Shinho said, covering her eyes with his hands.
Tsunade was baffled but didn't resist.
In front of her, the space suddenly distorted.
A heavy, dull sound echoed through the hall.
Tsunade raised an eyebrow, feeling as though something heavy was falling to the ground repeatedly.
Where is it coming from?
Moments later, the sound stopped, and silence returned.
Shinho removed his hands from her eyes.
Tsunade blinked and froze.
The underground hall was bathed in golden light.
Countless piles of gold sparkled before her, filling the space.
"Is this… is this real?"
Tsunade hurried forward and grabbed a handful of gold.
With her expertise, she quickly confirmed its authenticity.
And she knew Shinho wouldn't dare deceive her.
A grin spread across Tsunade's face, one only a true lover of money could display.
"Happy?" Shinho asked with a chuckle.
"Where did all this gold come from?" Tsunade asked, scooping handful after handful, reluctant to let go.
Her mind was already calculating how much it was worth and how long she could gamble with it.
"From Sunagakure," Shinho replied.
Shinho waved his hand with a grand gesture and declared, "It's all ours!"
"Does that mean I can take as much as I want?" Tsunade turned to him with a curious look.
"You can, but that would be waste," Shinho explained, "If we craft it into jewellery and sell it to the nobility, it'll make us even more money."
"Then you'd better be careful," Tsunade warned as she let go of the gold, "I remember that the largest jewelry company in the Land of Fire is backed by the Daimyō's wife."
"I know." Shinho nodded.
In normal circumstances, no matter how high the quality, breaking into that market without the right connections would be difficult—unless he resorted to bribing the Daimyō's wife.
But there was no need.
As a ninja, he believed in solving problems the ninja way, which was why he had sent Neji and his team to investigate.
In this feudal era, especially outside the five great ninja villages, Daimyōs and nobles were often steeped in corruption and bloodshed.
For Shinho, dealing with them carried no moral burden.
"Once you make money, remember to sponsor my gambling," Tsunade said with a playful smile, extending her hand.
Most of her gambling funds had come from Shinho in recent years.
Before taking him as her student, her debts had been an endless burden.
But now, with Shinho as her reliable benefactor, her financial woes were a thing of the past.
"Sponsoring you isn't a problem, but what will you give me in return?" Shinho asked, wrapping his arms around her and letting his hands wander downward to her hips.
Tsunade's body softened as she leaned into his embrace.
Her voluptuous figure yielded slightly under his touch.
"Later tonight," she murmured, her eyes glinting, though she kept her composure.
"Tonight won't work," Shinho said, his tone serious, "I need to head to Takigakure this afternoon."
"Then… let's go home," Tsunade said, trembling slightly, her eyes widening.
"Right here in the Hokage's office," Shinho whispered, leaning closer, "We can set up a barrier outside."
"No… no way!" Tsunade gritted her teeth, resisting his heated gaze.
But in the next moment, she let out a startled gasp.
"You little brat!"
She felt a tingling sensation, like a jolt of electricity.
Shinho's hands had already slipped beneath her clothes.
"Someone might see us…" Tsunade stammered, clutching him for balance, barely keeping herself from collapsing.
Her body weakened, her bright hazel eyes losing focus, giving her an irresistibly alluring appearance.
"They won't," Shinho said in a sooting tone as he lifted her into his arms.
Hidden Scale Gu!
In an instant, Tsunade disappeared.
Golden light shimmered around Shinho as they returned back into the Hokage's office.
He closed the door and erected a barrier.
"You bastard!" Tsunade clenched her fists, realizing they were really in the Hokage's office.
"Sensei, is it really that bad?" Shinho asked, feigning disappointment.
"..."
Tsunade hesitated.
What was done was done. Arguing wouldn't change anything.
She softened in his embrace.
"Brat!" she said coldly. "You're dead meat!"
Her green jacket slipped to the floor, followed by her sleeveless top.
Seeing her storm toward him, Shinho couldn't help but feel his heart race.
Generous.
What a combination!
And… the scent.
Before Shinho could gather his thoughts, Tsunade grabbed him and pushed him onto the sofa.
Looking down at him, she said sternly, "You're the Hokage, not some pervert. Don't let this happen again!"
Shinho's attention was entirely elsewhere, captivated by the sight before him.
Golden hair cascaded over her shoulders as her breathing quickened in anger.
Tsunade noticed his distracted expression and grew even more irritated. Her chest heaved with frustration as she grabbed his head.
Smack!
She pressed his face into her chest, rendering him speechless.
"Well? Did you hear what I just said?" Tsunade asked, shifting slightly.
But Shinho didn't respond.
Glancing down, she saw her student climbing the mountain to find some necter.
"You little brat! You'll regret this!" Tsunade growled, pushing him away.
"I'm the Hokage!" Shinho blurted out instinctively.
But then he realized the warmth was gone and felt momentarily lost.
He turned to look at her.
Tsunade's flawless, jade-like skin now carried a faint pink hue. Her long legs were taut, her slender waist was perfectly arched.
Her face, however, was twisted in ferocious expression.
Shinho froze.
Is she about to unleash some terrifying jutsu?
The next second, he felt a heavy weight press against him as if he were being crushed.
"I'm… the Hokage!" Shinho exclaimed, finally snapping.
A fiery aura erupted between them.
The volcano was rolling.
Tsunade's hazel eyes glistened with tears, her body trembling as if caught in a storm.
"Damn it!" Tsunade muttered weakly, collapsing like a beached fish, "I… I lost…"
The Hokage's office fell silent again.
"What are you going to do in Takigakure?" Tsunade asked softly, resting against his chest with her eyes closed.
"To escort Takigakure's Jinchūriki," Shinho replied, gently stroking her hair.
"Jinchūriki?" Tsunade frowned, "Will you run into the Akatsuki?"
"Not sure," Shinho admitted, his gaze drifting to her smooth, snow-white skin.
Her faint fragrance filled his senses as he held her closer.
She was his treasure, his alone.
"What are you doing?" Tsunade kicked him lightly with her delicate foot, reminding him, "You still need to leave for Takigakure this afternoon."
"Just don't move too much," Shinho muttered, coughing awkwardly.
"And now it's my fault?" Tsunade said, pinching his waist.
"..."
Shinho responded by capturing her soft lips in his.
Tsunade released her grip, returning his kiss as her breath grew heavier.
After a few minutes, her eyes regained clarity.
"That's enough. We can't waste any more time!" Tsunade stood up abruptly, stepping back with a stern expression.
Shinho lay on the couch, watching her intently.
From his angle, the view was… remarkable.
Her long, snow-white legs glistened faintly with a light sheen of sweat. A faint hint of pick covering her skin as from the exercise.
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