Kawakaze's days are monotonously repetitive: he is either at home or in the Hokage's Office. Using the Flying Thunder God Technique to travel back and forth, he is like a dragon whose head is always visible but whose tail is never seen.
Despite many days of investigation, Kakuzu hasn't even caught a glimpse of him.Kawakaze heads out early in the morning and returns late at night, yet his efforts have yielded nothing. Kakuzu, now anxious, sits uneasily in his hotel room.
"This can't go on. I need to do something about it."
With these words, a determined glint appears in his eyes, as though he's made up his mind.
Meanwhile, Kawakaze was gently pressing against Tsunade's stomach, occasionally leaning over to listen for the baby's movements. After so many days, the assassination attempt had long slipped from his mind.
"It moved, it moved!" Kawakaze exclaimed excitedly, even though he'd just received two hard kicks to the face.
"Look at you," Tsunade said with a smile. Her figure had grown noticeably more plump since her pregnancy.
"You'll give birth in a few months. Why haven't you told me if it's a boy or a girl?" Kawakaze asked as he lay down beside her. He had asked this question countless times.
"It doesn't matter if it's a boy or a girl; it's still your child," Tsunade replied, once again leaving him in suspense.
"Oh, come on, just tell me," Kawakaze said, pouting for the first time, a gesture that made Tsunade grimace slightly.
"Stop making a spectacle of yourself."
"Should I tell you?" Tsunade winced, clearly defeated.
"Tell me!" Kawakaze beamed, looking triumphant. His uncharacteristic tactic seemed to work on everyone, regardless of gender.
If he had known this earlier, he might have tried the same trick before—but it was undeniably a bit revolting.
"A boy, you're going to have a son."
This wasn't exactly a well-guarded secret; Tsunade had just been teasing Kawakaze before. She didn't feel particularly emotional about revealing it now.
"A son is fine, too," Kawakaze replied, though a flash of regret crossed his face—he had really wanted a daughter.
"What, are you unhappy about it?" Tsunade asked, noticing his miserable expression as she grabbed his ear.
"No, no, a son is fine," Kawakaze quickly relented, his head swaying with Tsunade's grip.
"That's more like it," Tsunade said, letting the matter drop as she seemed satisfied.
"What about the name?" Kawakaze asked, already starting to fret over what to call his son.
"That's your business. I'm not getting involved," Tsunade replied lazily, handing over the naming responsibility to him.
"Then it's Yuto. Yuto Hatake. I hope he can live a long life," Kawakaze announced, choosing a name filled with his own good wishes. He didn't care if his son became a great ninja—he just wanted him to live a peaceful and long life.
"It's got a nice meaning, but it doesn't sound very nice," Tsunade said, shaking her head in disagreement.
"You just said you wouldn't get involved," Kawakaze muttered under his breath, clearly annoyed.
"What did you say? Speak up," Tsunade said, not catching his words but assuming he was addressing her.
"Nothing. I was just thinking of a name," Kawakaze replied hastily, not daring to repeat himself.
After Tsunade rejected ten names in a row, Kawakaze finally gave up.
Who cares who comes up with the name? he thought in frustration.
"Let's stop for today. There's still plenty of time ahead of us," Kawakaze said. "I don't think there's any rush when it comes to naming." His tone was diplomatic—mostly because he was afraid of getting a beating.
"I always told you to read more, but you wouldn't listen. You can't even come up with a decent name," Tsunade scolded, completely unaware that she might have been part of the problem.
"You're right, I'll read more," Kawakaze replied. He had been about to retort but thought better of it. As the saying goes, "Take a step back, and you'll find peace; take a step forward, and you might regret it." He valued his health too much to argue.
"Okay, go to sleep if you're fine," Tsunade said as she pulled Kawakaze's arm under her neck, settled into a comfortable position, and closed her eyes.
She had long since abandoned the idea of seducing Kawakaze. The man was resolute in his decision to stay celibate during her pregnancy and had held firm for months. Judging by his determined expression, he'd likely last until her delivery without issue.
"Good night," Kawakaze said softly, kissing her on the side of her face before lying down and drifting off to sleep.
The night deepened, and all of Konoha fell silent.
Meanwhile, Kakuzu tiptoed out of his room, ready to act. Without alerting anyone, he slipped out of the inn and onto the street.
The deserted streets were dimly lit, with only a few scattered lights. A cool breeze swept through, ruffling his clothes.
"Konoha, prepare to receive my surprise!" he murmured before leaping into motion.
He sped across the rooftops, his figure vanishing into the darkness. It wasn't long before he reached his destination.
The Hokage Building.
A fitting choice of destination. If anything happened there, Kawakaze would undoubtedly appear. However, great risks came with the potential for great rewards. Kakuzu could still sense the presence of ninja patrols inside the building.
But they were all Jōnin—none of them would be able to stop him.
Kakuzu waited for the right moment, biding his time. When the patrols passed by, he slipped silently into the Hokage Building.
He had initially planned to set fire to an important office, but not being familiar with the layout, he had to settle for a random room. Stacking combustible materials, he pulled out the Explosive Tags he had brought and carefully attached them.
If his pursuit of art had been about explosions, he might have quoted, "Art is explosion." But that wasn't his style.
After completing his preparations, Kakuzu sneaked out of the building. Finding a hidden corner, he let out a smile of satisfaction.
"Explosion!"
At his low command, a deafening blast erupted from the Hokage Building.
Rumble!
"Put out the fire!"
"There are spies causing trouble. Notify Lord Kawakaze!"
...
The ninjas in the Hokage Building scrambled at the sound of the explosion, while Kakuzu laughed quietly to himself, his joy only growing. Watching the thick smoke rise and the flickering flames in the Hokage Building, he stayed hidden, concealing himself even further.
It didn't take long for the building to be swarmed with people. Leading the group was Kawakaze, and even Tsunade was with him despite her noticeably large belly. Kawakaze hadn't been able to refuse her; otherwise, he wouldn't have let her come. He knew he'd regret it if the baby was harmed.
"Lord Hokage, Lord Kawakaze," the duty captain began, bowing deeply, his face full of shame. "The fire has been extinguished, but we haven't found the culprit. It's our fault for not noticing the infiltrator."
The situation was unprecedented. For the Hokage Building to be set on fire was a humiliation Konoha had never experienced before—a great stain on its reputation.
"What are the losses?" Kawakaze asked, frowning. This wasn't the time to assign blame.
"The fire was most intense in the utility room. The losses are within acceptable limits," the captain reported, his tone steady despite the embarrassment.
It was clear that Kakuzu's unfamiliarity with the building's layout had been a blessing. If he had known where to strike, the damage could have been catastrophic.
"Have you found anything?" Tsunade's voice cut through the air, sharp and commanding. She fixed the captain with a piercing glare, her tone leaving no room for excuses.
The captain visibly wilted under the pressure, cold sweat beading on his forehead. "Not yet. The intruder moved very quickly," he managed to say, his voice strained. He wished for the ground to swallow him whole. Why did this have to happen during my watch?