"Don't worry, Sensei. I've got it covered," Shinho replied with a confident smile.
In the original timeline, Pain's Six Paths caused massive destruction during their invasion of Konoha.
If not for Naruto Uzumaki's persuasion, which led Nagato to use the Rinne Rebirth Jutsu, the death toll on konoha would have been catastrophic.
But in a one-on-one scenario, Pain wasn't as terrifying. Shinho could use the Battle Space Gu to shift the battlefield away from Konoha, significantly reducing Nagato's threat level.
Tsunade blinked in surprise. She could sense the unwavering confidence in Shinho's voice, and her worries began to ease.
"Even so, you mustn't let your guard down," she reminded him.
"Of course," Shinho replied, exhaling a soft breath.
The motion caused a slight tremor in Tsunade's body, drawing his gaze to the curves of her chest.
A second later, his forehead was flicked hard.
"Brat!" Tsunade scolded, "Don't fidget while we're talking!"
Shinho grinned, leaning forward to steal a quick kiss. "Maybe later tonight?"
The boldness of his actions left Tsunade no choice but to shove him away.
Shinho inwardly sighed at the missed opportunity. Since playtime was over, he switched to business.
"Sensei," he said, extending his hand, "do you remember this Gu?"
"The Longevity Gu?" Tsunade's eyes lit up with recognition.
Since opening her aperture, she had grown familiar with the concept of Gu.
Of course, Tsunade still believed Gu was a result of Aburame Clan's insects mutating.
Among them, the Longevity Gu was one of the rarest types.
Having used one before, it had left a deep impression on her.
"Perfect, you can use this one now," Tsunade said with a smile.
Since she had already used one Longevity Gu before, it seemed only natural to her that this one should go to Shinho.
"No, this one's for you," Shinho replied, grabbing her wrist and placing the Longevity Gu in her palm.
"You're not using it?" Tsunade frowned in confusion.
"I have another," Shinho said with a casual shrug, pulling out a Thousand-Year Longevity Gu. "Let's use them together."
Although he was still young, using it now wouldn't hurt. Plus, it would help put Tsunade's mind at ease.
"Alright," Tsunade agreed with a sigh of relief.
Since the Longevity Gu looked identical regardless of its age, she didn't suspect Shinho of lying.
"Wait," Shinho suddenly interjected.
"What now?" Tsunade asked, tilting her head in confusion.
"Before using it, I need to increase your luck," Shinho said seriously.
The Ten-Year Longevity Gu had random effects. The last one granted 66 years, but if this one only gave 10 years, it would be a major letdown.
Tsunade gave him a skeptical look, assuming he was just looking for an excuse to take advantage of her.
"Come here," she said, curling her finger to beckon him closer.
Without any hesitation or shyness, she leaned forward, embodying a mature and confident demeanor.
Shinho lowered his head, expecting a kiss on the forehead. To his surprise, it landed on his lips.
He froze for a moment.
Was this a lucky kiss?
Then he remembered that every time Tsunade had kissed his forehead in the past, it hadn't brought him any luck. Perhaps changing the spot would make a difference.
As he savored the jelly-like softness of her lips, he activated the Ten-Year Longevity Gu.
[Ten-Year Longevity Gu successfully used. Lifespan increased by 90 years.]
Ninety years?!
The maximum possible result for a Ten-Year Longevity Gu!
Shinho was stunned.
Meanwhile, Tsunade shuddered as she felt changes taking place within her body. It was as if she were returning to her 18-year-old self.
Though her Strength of a Hundred Seal kept her body at its peak, a 50-year-old body was still fundamentally different from an 18-year-old one.
"This is… unbelievable!" Tsunade exclaimed, her eyes wide with astonishment.
"Looks like the luck boost worked," Shinho said, glancing at her glistening lips.
"Want another?" Tsunade asked, licking her lips suggestively.
Shinho froze, feeling the allure radiating from her. She was like a ripe peach begging to be savored.
"But… not now," Tsunade said, wagging her finger playfully, a smile on her face.
"..."
Shinho's heart nearly stopped.
"Wait for me tonight," Tsunade whispered, leaning close to nibble his ear.
Shinho shivered, almost losing his composure right there.
But it was nearly dinner time, so he had to refocus. He quickly activated the Thousand-Year Longevity Gu.
Unlike the random Ten-Year Longevity Gu, the Thousand-Year Longevity Gu directly added 1,000 years to his lifespan.
…
[Achievement Unlocked: "A Thousand Years in the Making." Reward: Homing Pigeon Gu.]
[Homing Pigeon Gu: A Rank Five Gu that transforms into a small white pigeon to deliver messages directly to the recipient.]
…
Shinho blinked in surprise.
He hadn't expected an achievement to trigger from this.
Still, rewards were always welcome.
The Homing Pigeon Gu, though not for combat, was incredibly useful.
As Hokage, it would save him from having to send ANBU messengers for every little thing.
For long-distance communication, it would be especially convenient and much faster.
Its safety wasn't a concern, either. As a Rank Five Gu, it could only be intercepted by someone on the level of Uchiha Madara or Ōtsutsuki Kaguya.
"What are you thinking about?" Tsunade asked, pinching his cheek with a smile.
"I have something for you," Shinho said, pulling out a flask, "Do you know what this is?"
"The Hero Water?" Tsunade asked, examining it. "I've heard it boosts chakra when consumed."
"It was part of my reward for protecting their Jinchūriki," Shinho explained, handing it to her.
"I don't need it," Tsunade said without hesitation, "You're Hokage. You need it more than I do."
"I have plenty of chakra," Shinho replied with a grin.
Of course, what he had wasn't chakra but Primeval Essence.
His statement wasn't false, though. Thanks to his system's support, his Primeval Essence reserves were enormous, allowing him to control a vast number of Gu.
And once he reached Rank Six, he would have infinite Primeval Essence.
Him drinking the Hero Water would be a waste.
Tsunade narrowed her eyes and studied him for a moment before reluctantly taking the flask.
For a ninja, power often came down to chakra and jutsu.
While jutsu could be learned—apart from kekkei genkai—chakra had a fixed upper limit.
The more chakra a ninja had, the more jutsu they could perform, and the more powerful those jutsu became.
Take Uchiha Madara, for example. His Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame required over 20 Mist ninja to block.
Yet other Uchiha using the same technique couldn't achieve such devastating effects.
The primary difference was chakra.
The same applied to Hashirama Senju.
His absurdly high chakra reserves allowed him to dominate with Wood Style, but his other elemental jutsu—Water, Fire, and Lightning—were just as overwhelming.
Tsunade took a sip of the Hero Water and immediately froze.
A massive surge of chakra coursed through her, expanding her chakra capacity to seven times its original limit.
At the same time, she felt her lifespan decrease by at least ten years.
That's why Shinho gave me the Longevity Gu, she realized.
Her eyes opened, filled with a mix of emotions, and finally settled on gratitude.
Tsunade pulled him into a tight embrace, then stood on tiptoes and kissed him deeply.
Instinctively, Shinho wrapped his arms around her waist.
Minutes passed before they separated.
"Let's have Shizune take the first bath after dinner" Tsunade said, her breathing slightly uneven.
Shinho caught the meaning in her words and nodded.
"For now, you'll just have to endure," Tsunade teased, her cheeks flushed as she glanced at him.
"..."
Shinho sighed, deciding to change the subject. "How much did it increase?"
"Seven times," Tsunade said, taking a deep breath, "I feel like I don't even need the Yin seal anymore."
"That's not an option," Shinho said firmly. "You still need the seal."
"What are you thinking now?" Tsunade asked, her blush deepening.
"You're the one thinking nonsense," Shinho retorted with a smirk.
Shinho realized that Tsunade had completely fallen for the te sweetness after tasiting it once. In fact, she seemed even more obsessed than he was.
"Shut up!" Tsunade snapped, glaring at him.
Her anger betrayed her embarrassment, she couldn't deny the truth in his observation.
Thankfully, Shizune's arrival broke the tension between them.
Dinner was exactly what Shinho had requested: tempura.
After the meal, it was time for the evening routine.
"Shizune, you acan bathe first," Tsunade said casually, still watching TV.
"Alright," Shizune replied, not thinking much of it.
Half an hour later, Shizune returned in her pajamas and went straight to bed.
Seeing this, Tsunade turned off the television and headed for the bathroom.
The moment she stepped inside, Shinho embraced her from behind.
"Help me wash up," Tsunade said with a playful smile.
With her permission, Shinho's hands slid over the curves of her body, tracing along her hips and stopping at her slender waist. With a gentle tug, he loosened her black sash.
Her sleeveless yukata-style top slipped free, revealing her smooth, flawless skin.
Shinho turned her around, and under her curious gaze, he lifted her and placed her on the washing machine.
Her black pants hung loosely at her ankles as she rolled her eyes at him and waved a hand to activate the hot water in the shower.
As the warm water hit her skin, Tsunade let out a soft gasp, instinctively wrapping her arms around Shinho.
The rising heat created a thick mist, and soon the room was shrouded in steam.
The fog on the glass blurred their reflections, though faint outlines of their figures remained visible, one large, one small, intertwined.
Minutes passed, and a pair of handprints suddenly appeared on the glass.
Through the condensation, Tsunade's flushed face could barely be seen, pressed against the glass.
Her expression shifted rapidly, contorted by waves of sensation, as though a massive force was pursuing her relentlessly.
Her legs dangled, and her toes curled before dropping limply.
Tsunade instinctively raised her head and let out a cry muffled by Shinho's invading palm.
Her body lost strength and her body hung down in Shinho's embrace.
"Sensei," Shinho said, steadying her by the waist, "we're done here. Let's head back to the room."
Tsunade didn't respond verbally, only giving a faint nod.
…
While Shinho was sound asleep, the Raikage's office erupted with a loud bang.
"This is outrageous!"
The Fourth Raikage's fist slammed into his desk, splitting it cleanly in half. Papers scattered everywhere.
"What does he mean by this? Does he think so little of Kumogakure?"
Unsatisfied, he stomped on the desk, reducing half of it to splinters.
"Shinho is young and has defeated several Akatsuki members; it's natural for him to be a bit arrogant," Samui said coldly.
"This isn't arrogance!" Mabui frowned, "While Shinho is undoubtedly proud, he's not stupid. An alliance would benefit him greatly. There's no logical reason for him to refuse."
"Do you really think that highly of him?" Samui crossed her arms, emphasizing her irritation.
"He's the Hokage," Mabui replied evenly, "and the youngest Hokage at that."
"Enough with the praise. What's our next move?" The Raikage growled, "Why don't we just deal with Akatsuki ourselves?"
"Raikage-sama, Akatsuki's full strength is still unknown. Acting impulsively would be unwise," Mabui advised in her usual calm tone, "If Konoha refuses, we can still consider Iwa and Kiri as allies."
Suna was a nonstarter; they would undoubtedly side with Konoha.
"Ōnoki of the Stone is powerful and likely to help us," Samui added, "Iwa is more desperate than we are since both of their Tailed Beasts have already been captured."
"Agreed," Mabui said, turning back to the Raikage, "Please exercise patience, Raikage-sama."
"I understand," the Raikage sighed, his anger cooling slightly, "I wonder how Yugito is doing."
Having fought Uchiha Itachi and his comrades personally, the Raikage knew just how dangerous they were.
Such powerful ninjas, controlled by Akatsuki, made it clear that caution was necessary.
Samui and Mabui remained silent, their concern for Yugito evident. Their close friendship with her made the uncertainty surrounding her fate all the more painful.
"Have we gathered any additional intel on Akatsuki?" the Raikage asked, breaking the silence.
"There's no doubt their target is the Tailed Beasts," Mabui replied, "Their base of operations seems to be spread across the Land of Waterfalls, the Land of Grass, and the Land of Rain."
"Good," the Raikage said darkly. "We must locate them!"
"I'll draft letters to Iwa and Kiri immediately," Mabui said, "With their help, tracking Akatsuki will become much easier."
"Has Killer Bee reached Turtle Island yet?" the Raikage asked, his tone softening.
"He arrived last night," Mabui confirmed.
Turtle Island was a secret location of Kumogakure, home to the so-called "Falls of Truth," a place where Jinchūriki could train to become perfect hosts for their Tailed Beasts.
Notably, Turtle Island wasn't an island at all but an enormous, constantly moving turtle. Only a select few in Kumogakure knew its exact location.
"That's good," the Raikage said with a nod.
…
In Amegakure, Uchiha Itachi guided Yugito Nii into a specially crafted prison.
The Gedo Statue absorbed the Tailed Beasts in order, starting with Shukaku, the One-Tail.
Killing Yugito now would mean finding a replacement Jinchūriki, which was unnecessary.
"Let's go," Itachi said to Kisame, glancing briefly at his partner, "We need to meet with the leader."
They ascended to the tallest building in Amegakure, where others were already gathered.
Kakuzu, Konan, and Tobi were present, along with an unfamiliar young ninja.
"This is Kazuma," Konan introduced him, "He specializes in Earth Release."
Kazuma's abilities had surprised her, particularly his Earth Release Ressuruction Jutsu: Corpse Soil.
Using a special type of soil, the jutsu allowed him to resurrect the dead as puppets under his control.
The revived maintained their appearance and strength from life, though their corpses were required as mediums.
Unfortunately, this technique couldn't revive Akatsuki members like Sasori, Deidara, or Hidan since their bodies had been destroyed.
"The Three-Tails is about to be resurrected," Konan continued, "Itachi and Kisame will be handling it once again."
Itachi nodded slightly.
Perhaps it was time to return to Konoha.
His health had deteriorated further since the battle at Kumogakure, and he wasn't sure how much longer he could hold on.
This opportunity could serve multiple purposes: relaying information about the Three-Tails and advancing his plans for Sasuke.
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