"The ninja academy…" Shizune suddenly stopped in her tracks.
Her toes instinctively curled, and her sleek black-stockinged legs tensed up.
This was because Shinho 's hands were gently pressing against the soft soles of her feet.
His nimble fingers toyed with the stockings, sending waves of tingling numbness through her.
"Why aren't you saying anything, Shizune-nee?"
Shinho's face lit up with a faint smile.
"You... What do you plan to do with the ninja academy?" Shizune tried her best to remain composed as she asked.
"Simply put, I aim to cultivate more versatile ninjas."
Shinho released her foot, prompting Shizune to instinctively let out a sigh of relief.
However, in the next moment, his hands crept upward, brushing against her thighs.
The two of them were now much closer.
Unable to avoid him, Shizune slightly bent her legs and placed them atop his lap.
Her body froze, and beneath her form-fitting skirt, her hips arched into a graceful curve.
"Implementing this plan is somewhat of a complex task," Shinho murmured as he gently stroked her soft, shapely thighs. "But let's begin with the first step."
"Wha-what step?" Shizune's voice trembled slightly.
His hands were inching closer to the edge of her skirt.
"Gathering information," Shinho explained. "I need a detailed understanding of the ninja academy's students, including their chakra natures."
"How... How will that be useful?" Shizune asked, confused.
Determining chakra nature usually required chakra paper, and in the past, it was only done after students graduated from the academy.
"It's absolutely crucial," Shinho replied, lifting his hand to lightly tap the hem of her skirt, causing a delicate arc to appear.
Though her figure couldn't rival Tsunade's voluptuousness, it was undoubtedly attractive in its own right.
Shizune's body shivered as though ripples were coursing through her. A faint blush quickly spread across her cheeks.
Shinho licked his lips as he stared at her, captivated.
If Tsunade was a ripe peach, Shizune was a tender, unripe apple.
Caught in Shinho's fiery gaze, Shizune instinctively clamped her legs together, feeling utterly powerless.
It had been almost a week since she had last engaged in any intimacy with Shinho, ever since she stumbled upon his secret meeting with Tsunade.
Despite herself, a hint of daze and longing flashed in her eyes.
"Shizune-nee."
Noticing her state, Shinho casually waved his hand, setting up a barrier.
Shizune realized what was about to happen.
Normally, she would never allow something like this to occur in the Hokage's office.
But today, she remained silent.
Shinho extended his hand.
Her tailored suit, blouse, and pencil skirt fell to the ground in succession.
Shizune shivered from the cold at first, but warmth enveloped her soon enough as Shinho drew her into his embrace.
"Shizune-nee," Shinho sighed deeply, "You haven't changed a bit."
Shizune, feeling muddled and dazed, couldn't understand what he meant. She instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck.
Gazing at her flushed cheeks, Shinho lowered his head and kissed her.
Their lips parted within seconds, as Shizune's current state was too unstable.
Her black hair swayed in the air, and beads of sweat began to form on her forehead.
Shinho glanced around.
Her black stockings clung to her fair skin, glistening faintly. Her ten toes flexed and relaxed with her shifting mood.
He couldn't help but chuckle.
She was truly adorable.
The only downside was her reserved nature.
Unlike Tsunade, who spoke her mind freely and unabashedly, often to the point of hoarseness, Shizune was far more restrained.
But nothing was impossible.
Shinho abruptly stood up.
"What are you doing?" Shizune asked, her voice tinged with nervousness as if she feared falling from a great height.
"I'm just admiring the beautiful scenery," Shinho replied, taking slow steps toward the nearby window.
"You… you…!" Shizune's anger bubbled up, but before it could fully surface, with each of his steps, something else replaced it.
Shinho nodded in satisfaction.
Yes, this was just perfect.
The melodic tones of her voice only spurred his productivity.
What a capable secretary for the Hokage, indeed.
…
The Hokage's office was located on the top floor of the Hokage building. From the window, one could view nearly all of Konoha.
With the barrier in place, there was no worry about being seen by outsiders.
However, in her panic, Shizune had momentarily forgotten about this.
Flustered, she clung tightly to Shinho, burying her face in his chest, refusing to look up.
Shinho grimaced slightly.
After all, when someone was this tense, their body had all sorts of reactions.
Shizune was no exception.
"There's no need to worry, Shizune-nee," Shinho reassured her, gently stroking her smooth back.
Shizune bit her lip tightly and remained silent.
"Such radiant sunlight, it would be a shame to not bathe in it," Shinho said, lifting her up.
Instinctively, Shizune struggled, and in the process, slipped down again.
Both of them froze momentarily.
A hint of pain flickered across Shizune's face.
Fortunately, being a skilled medical ninja, she wasn't seriously hurt.
"Are you alright?" Shinho asked.
With his physique, he was unfazed.
Shizune gave him a slightly aggrieved look, clearly displeased with his playful teasing.
This guy just loved tormenting her!
"Apologies."
Shinho extended his hands, wrapping them gently around her waist.
Shizune arched her back slightly.
She felt a wave of comfort ripple through every inch of her skin.
"Shizune-nee."
Shinho's voice softened as he asked, "Could you help me with something?"
"Wha... what is it?"
Shizune wiggled her hips slightly, her thoughts muddled as she replied.
Leaning close, Shinho whispered a few words into her ear.
"Mm-hmm," Shizune responded instinctively. But then she froze as realization dawned on her.
What would she even say to Lady Tsunade?
Shinho didn't give her time to think, though. His gaze and proximity made any protests dissolve into oblivion.
Her mind went blank, and even the specifics of what she had agreed to slipped from her memory.
…
As September passed, the cool October breeze settled in, making people drowsy with its crisp touch.
Shizune shut her eyes.
"Rest well," Shinho said as he laid her down on the bed.
Shizune didn't respond.
Her body, in a half-asleep state, finally succumbed to slumber.
Before long, she drifted into a peaceful dream.
Shinho closed the door behind him.
He glanced down and frowned slightly.
Time for a little cleanup.
After all, Shizune hadn't allowed him to fully exert himself earlier.
He would need to turn to a less... delicate companion.
Shinho donned his robe and took a seat in the Hokage's chair.
Revealing the serpentine tattoo etched on his arm, he activated it with a faint flash of blue light.
A moment later, Ichikishima-hime, clad in a traditional kimono, materialized before him.
"Clean this up," Shinho commanded.
"Understood!"
Ichikishima-hime sniffed the air, her expression lighting up in delight.
Squatting down, she took a deep breath, her cheeks puffing adorably as she got to work.
Shinho watched her wagging motions with mild amusement and a smile.
Though she was a snake spirit, her diligence couldn't be faulted.
Shinho turned his attention back to his desk, tossing his ceremonial Hokage cloak over her head with a casual flick of his wrist.
Grabbing pen and paper, he began drafting his ideas for restructuring the ninja academy.
The central proposal involved dividing students based on their chakra natures, a concept Shinho deemed essential, as testing after graduation was simply too late.
Most ninjas exhibited the elemental affinities of fire, water, wind, earth, or lightning. Rarely, some displayed the unique yin or yang chakra attributes.
He outlined a plan to split the academy into two major divisions:
The Martial Academy - Focused on traditional ninja training, producing warriors and combatants.
The Scholarly Academy - Dedicated to innovating new applications of chakra, such as engineering-based ninjutsu.
Shinho paused mid-sentence, shaking his head as he glanced at Ichikishima-hime.
Her antics with her forked tongue, while typical of her kind, tested even his patience.
Still, he found it oddly entertaining.
…
Time slipped by.
Putting down his pen, Shinho reviewed his notes.
While the framework was solid, he left the finer details for his subordinates to figure out. After all, with the salary they drew, they should be earning their keep.
Suddenly, Shinho frowned.
Reaching out, he ruffled Ichikishima-hime's hair.
A few moments later, he released her, and she coughed lightly, her fair neck tinged with a faint purple hue.
"You've worked hard. Go freshen up," Shinho said, tossing her a Hidden Scale Gu as she left.
…
The sound of a door opening broke the silence, not from his office door, but from the adjacent rest area.
Shinho instinctively turned his head.
Shizune entered, her high heels clicking against the floor as she walked up to him, impeccably dressed.
"Shizune-nee," Shinho greeted her with a smile, handing her a scroll. "This outlines my proposal for the ninja academy reforms."
"…"
Shizune hesitated, torn between words she wanted to say and what she ultimately kept to herself.
Her thoughts weren't about the academy—they were on Tsunade.
Earlier, she had remembered the outrageous request she had agreed to from Shinho.
Yet, absurd as it seemed, it made sense in its own twisted way.
She couldn't tear Tsunade and Shinho apart.
The only solution was to join them.
Still, just thinking about such a scenario sent her heart racing with unease.
"Who will oversee the academy?" Shizune asked, taking a deep breath to steady herself.
"Iruka Umino," Shinho replied after a moment of thought.
Though Iruka's combat abilities were average, his dedication to teaching and genuine care for students made him an excellent candidate.
"I'll make the arrangements now," Shizune nodded slightly.
In Konoha's current administrative structure, the ninja academy was temporarily under the Research Division. While Iruka wasn't suited to head an entire department, he was more than qualified to be the academy's principal.
In fact, in the original timeline, after the Fourth Shinobi War, Iruka had risen to that very position, the pinnacle achievement in his career.
Shizune turned to leave.
Just as she reached the door, Shinho called out.
"Shizune-nee," he reminded with a smile. "Don't forget what you promised me."
With a bang, Shizune bolted out, leaving behind only her retreating figure.
Shinho, however, didn't seem upset.
If her promise was fulfilled, shaving a few years off his lifespan would be a small price to pay.
…
"That shameless pervert!" Shizune gritted her teeth, stomping her foot in frustration.
Her high heels thudded against the floor.
Thankfully, she had returned to her office, where no one could witness her flustered state.
Taking a deep breath, she opened the scroll Shinho had handed her.
While anger simmered within her, she couldn't ignore her duties.
Reading through the proposal, Shizune's mind wandered.
Why was Shinho doing this?
Could it be to shift ninja roles toward more productive fields?
No one had ever attempted such a change before.
For a moment, Shizune felt a flicker of hope.
What might the future hold?
If ninjas stopped fighting and killing, perhaps peace could finally take root in the world.
Shizune hummed lightly, brushing the thought aside.
That scoundrel, despite his penchant for stirring trouble, was undeniably capable.
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