Adopted by Tsunade [50-60] (Patreon)

Chapter 50: The Lure of Going Home

Although the Fourth Raikage was furious, he did not pursue.

One, he feared an ambush.

Two, over a hundred ninja were being electrocuted—there was still a chance to save them.

Natsume and the others ran for an hour before stopping.

"Lady Tsunade," Shisui looked grim. He had almost lost his Mangekyo Sharingan.

If Kotoamatsukami fell into the wrong hands, it would be a disaster.

"My squad has some issues to resolve. Please give us some time, Lady Tsunade."

"Alright."

She was curious, but Shisui made it clear he wanted her to stay out of their team's business.

Natsume wanted to eavesdrop, but wasn't invited.

He could only watch as Shisui and Itachi carried the unconscious Yugao into a tent.

Jealous? No, just sympathetic.

Two Sharingan users—no one could withstand their combo of hypnosis and interrogation.

But knowing Orochimaru, he would probably erase any traces.

Natsume didn't want trouble for now—he just wanted to focus on his experiments.

…

"Wake her up," Shisui said coolly. He had grown cold toward Yugao.

Itachi knelt beside her, worked for a few minutes, and Yugao woke up.

"What happened?"

She looked confused.

"Do you remember what just happened?"

Shisui frowned.

"I remember fighting Cloud ninja with you—and then I used the curse mark jutsu my teacher gave me, and blacked out."

She held her head, shaking it, but remembered nothing else.

Orochimaru.

Both Shisui and Itachi thought of that name.

He had planted the curse mark. Its loss of control must be connected to him.

"Look into my eyes," Itachi said, his three-tomoe Sharingan spinning.

Yugao looked up blankly, her eyes losing focus.

"Who was it?"

He asked.

Hypnosis could push her into her subconscious and overcome some jutsu.

"I don't know," she shook her head.

Clearly, Orochimaru had covered his tracks well.

"Shisui, what do we do?" Itachi said heavily. "We have no proof. We can't accuse Orochimaru."

He'd lost the last bit of respect for his former teacher.

Orochimaru had treated him well, but now he saw his true colors.

"Even if we had proof, just Yugao alone wouldn't be enough to bring him down," Shisui mused.

Orochimaru's position in Konoha was too high. Unless the Third Hokage ordered it, no one would dare touch him.

"Should we tell the Hokage?" Shisui hesitated.

If Sarutobi Hiruzen knew, he would surely investigate, and the Mangekyo Sharingan would be exposed.

"Let's wait. The Uchiha clan hasn't reached the breaking point yet," Shisui thought.

If the Uchiha did rebel, he would reveal Kotoamatsukami to Hiruzen, control Fugaku, and prevent a pointless fight.

"For now, we put this aside," Shisui said worriedly. "Now that I'm on guard, he won't get me. But you're in danger."

Itachi fell silent.

Now, it was clear—Orochimaru had taken him as a student with ill intent.

If he stayed, he'd likely be betrayed.

"Shisui, now that I've awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan, can you tell me how to get the Mangekyo?"

To handle Orochimaru and the Uchiha, he needed more power.

He believed, as in the original story, that with enough power, he could save everyone.

In the end, this thinking led to the Uchiha massacre.

He thought his way was right.

He endured disgrace, became a criminal, and bore all the village's and Sasuke's hatred and darkness.

Natsume could only think: Stay away from the Uchiha, cherish your life, and read more books.

"Mangekyo Sharingan?" Shisui fell silent.

Itachi was gifted, and likely to awaken it.

But that pain was not for everyone.

To gain it meant to gain and lose love—awakening could happen because of his parents, brother, or his best friend—Shisui himself.

"You've just awakened three-tomoe, and you're still young. It'll be hard to get Mangekyo soon," Shisui smiled gently. "And the method won't work if I say it out loud. You'll know when the time comes."

…

Natsume calculated his Fate Points.

After the windfall just now, he had about 900 points total.

Not a lot, but not little.

In the Fate Shop, a Sage Body cost 3,900 points.

Even more than Wood Release.

But it made sense.

This wasn't Hashirama's Sage Body, but the Sage of Six Paths' body.

With it and Wood Release, Natsume would be nearly invincible.

Well, except for the Otsutsuki—aliens from space.

Sage Mode was much cheaper—1,500 points.

If Natsume hadn't learned Sage Mode in Shikkotsu Forest, he'd consider redeeming it.

As for other things, there were too many.

His real favorite was the Flying Thunder God Jutsu.

It cost 1,000 points.

Very tempting.

After redeeming, he'd be fully proficient.

It was handy, but he could try learning it first.

Before long, as Natsume was mulling it over, the three came out, Yugao still dazed.

"Lady Tsunade, it's resolved," Shisui reported.

"Let's head back," Tsunade said.

She didn't ask for details—everyone had secrets, and she wasn't that nosy.

If it were Natsume's secret, though, she might peek.

When the group returned, they were greeted like heroes.

Konoha's spies had already sent word.

The war had lasted nearly three years, but this was the biggest victory.

They'd wiped out dozens of Cloud ninja in one go.

Even if most were genin, it was a huge blow to the Hidden Cloud.

Now, they had two choices: reinforce and escalate the war, or accept defeat and sue for peace.

The latter was more likely.

Better to cut their losses.

Uchiha Fugaku was thrilled—two Uchiha geniuses were key contributors, and Itachi was his own son.

His son's glory was his own.

Proof of his excellent parenting.

Hyuga Hiashi, on the other hand, was upset—he'd only gained minor credit.

If the Uchiha had done as poorly as he had, it'd be fine. But both Shisui and Itachi had outperformed everyone.

Seeing the Uchiha thriving was harder to bear than death.

"Fugaku, tell our spies in Iwagakure to stir up some trouble," Tsunade said. The war's goal was met; it was time to pressure Hidden Cloud into suing for peace.

"No problem," Fugaku replied. He didn't want to keep fighting either.

He'd been away for two years—his younger son, Sasuke, might not even recognize him.

Itachi had grown so much—it was Sasuke's turn now.

…

…

Three days later, the Fourth Raikage formally requested peace.

Cloud's envoys would soon arrive in Konoha to negotiate.

With the war over, Tsunade and company could finally go home.

Honestly, after half a month away, Natsume missed home.

Maybe that's the lure of returning home.

PS: Some readers felt the Fate Shop was too vague. This chapter lists some things the MC wants to redeem:

Sage Body: 3,900 Fate Points

Six Paths Sage Body, not just Hashirama's.

Sage Mode: 1,500 points.

Flying Thunder God: 1,000 points, instantly mastered after exchange.

Other items omitted.

Chapter 51: The Village’s Best Sword

The news reached Konoha and caused quite a stir among the upper ranks.

But reactions varied.

Sarutobi Hiruzen was pleased.

Tsunade was his student, so he was glad to see her shine.

The other seven involved, except for Shisui, were all his students' students.

In other words, all from the Hokage's line.

But some were closer than others.

No matter how well Shisui and Itachi did, Tsunade was his true successor.

Natsume's performance also pleased him.

Finally, a genius not named Uchiha.

Some were happy. Others, not so much.

Like Orochimaru and Shimura Danzo.

Orochimaru was just one step from his goal—enraged.

Danzo thought Tsunade's reputation was rising too fast; she might become the next Hokage soon.

On the way back, Fugaku received a message from the ANBU.

The Third Hokage would hold a welcome parade for them in Konoha.

Sarutobi understood public opinion.

After all, the White Fang died because of it.

The parade would boost Tsunade's prestige and dispel the Uchiha clan's doubts.

…

Two days later, morning at Konoha's gate.

It was a huge event.

But Natsume didn't want to join the fun.

"You all go ahead," Tsunade said after the parade. She still had to report their mission.

"You did great. The old man will reward you—just ask for anything you want."

"Okay."

The three left the group.

"I'm off to Tanzaku Quarters," Natsume said.

Kabuto and Shizune already knew about the Gunma Company, so they weren't surprised.

Natsume waved goodbye and left.

Soon, he arrived at the Gunma Casino.

"I'm back!"

He opened the door.

Inside, Karin and Uzumaki Hinaee froze, then broke into smiles and ran to him.

"Big brother!"

Karin was first, or maybe Hinae hung back to let her daughter go first.

"Have you been studying hard?" Natsume picked her up.

He smiled reassuringly at Hinae.

"What's with that?" Karin pouted, hands on hips. "You ask about studying as soon as you get back—do you not like me?"

She was so cute, Natsume couldn't help but laugh.

Hinae chuckled too.

She patted Karin's head. "Nonsense—your brother loves you most."

"Yes, and I got you a present," Natsume said, handing her a small shuriken.

Most girls her age preferred toys or dolls.

But Karin was different—hot-tempered and loved martial arts.

She examined the shuriken, noticed the intricate carvings, and smiled in satisfaction.

"Alright, you're forgiven," she said, tilting her head. "Now put me down and hug Mom."

Hinae looked at her in surprise.

"Mom, you wanted to hug brother, but I beat you to it—now it's your turn," Karin said, acting proud.

Natsume couldn't help but laugh.

Kids are so smart.

He didn't refuse.

He put Karin down and opened his arms.

Hinae hesitated, looked at Karin, then shyly stepped forward to hug him.

She'd been worried sick lately, afraid of bad news.

Now, surrounded by his familiar scent, she felt all her emptiness fill, pure joy and contentment.

Because of their height difference, it was more like Natsume hugging her.

Not that she minded.

Natsume nuzzled her smooth cheek, making her dizzy.

But she didn't push him away.

Until Karin huffed, "That's longer than me!"

Hinae snapped out of it, embarrassed, and let go.

She felt like she'd stolen something precious from her daughter.

"Have you eaten?" Hinae asked, checking the time.

"Nope," Natsume grinned. "I've been eating pig food out there—please cook something nice for me."

"Just a moment," Hinae smiled warmly and headed to the kitchen.

Natsume sat with Karin in his lap, picked up a book.

"Time for a quiz. What does 'Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar?' mean?"

"It means it's great when kindred spirits come from far away!" Karin recited.

"Not bad."

"Next: 'A gentleman loves wealth but gets it by proper means.' How do you translate that?"

"I like money, so I'll just take yours. That's perfectly reasonable!" Karin said, totally serious.

Kakuzu would approve.

Natsume couldn't refute her logic.

"Dinner's ready!" Hinae called, carrying the dishes.

Karin jumped up and ran to the table.

If you don't eat well, your thinking is problematic.

But really, she was just happy to avoid more studying.

…

After dinner, Natsume headed home.

He'd have liked to stay, but there was business in the afternoon—the team had to see the Hokage.

He didn't know what kind of reward to ask for.

Thanks to Tsunade, he lacked for nothing.

Even the Scroll of Seals was accessible.

What he truly wanted, Sarutobi couldn't give.

Hokage's Office.

Tsunade barged in and sprawled on the couch, showing no respect.

The rest bowed politely to Hiruzen.

He nodded, then beamed at Tsunade.

"Well done. If not for you, the war wouldn't have ended so soon. Compared to Orochimaru and Jiraiya, you give me much less to worry about."

"It wasn't just me," Tsunade waved it off. "Enough with the flattery—let's talk real rewards."

She didn't care for herself, but wanted to get something for her students.

The old man had plenty of goodies—it was time to hand them out.

"Alright," Hiruzen tapped his pipe. "You infiltrated enemy lines and flooded the Cloud ninja—an S-rank achievement. You'll be rewarded as for four S-rank missions."

"And?" Tsunade asked.

Four S-rank missions meant at least a million ryo per person.

But money was the least important thing.

"What do you want? Jutsu or ninja tools—name it," Hiruzen said generously.

Not just for Tsunade—anyone with great merit got lavish rewards.

Usually, it was jutsu.

"Hokage-sama," Kabuto had prepared his request. "I hope you'll increase support for the Konoha Orphanage."

Hiruzen was taken aback.

But it left a good impression—Kabuto was sentimental and soft-hearted.

Rare among ninja.

Hiruzen liked ninja like that.

Because the soft-hearted cared about others.

That was the Will of Fire.

"No problem," Hiruzen said with regret. "The orphanage should have been repaired long ago, but due to the recent chaos and war, it's been delayed. Thank you for reminding me."

Now that's the art of conversation!

Natsume couldn't help but admire it.

Come to think of it, Naruto had probably been talked into coming back by now.

"Hokage-sama, I'd like a set of custom medical ninja tools," Shizune requested.

She could have used Natsume's money, but wasn't that type.

"Of course," Hiruzen nodded, then turned to Natsume. "And you, Natsume? Your performance was outstanding—feel free to make a special request."

He was hinting that Natsume could ask for more.

And honestly, Natsume deserved it.

He was the one who blew up the riverbank; Shizune and Kabuto just played messenger.

Natsume hesitated, unsure what to ask for.

"The Sword of the Thunder God," Tsunade suddenly said. "Natsume, you need a good weapon. The Sword of the Thunder God is Konoha's best sword."

Chapter 52: Completely Irresistible

The Sword of the Thunder God?

That sounds familiar.

Natsume instinctively glanced at Tsunade.

"The Sword of the Thunder God is a ninja tool once used by my grand-uncle, Tobirama Senju," Tsunade explained, thinking Natsume was confused. "It has two properties: first, it possesses lightning attributes; second, the more chakra you input, the stronger it becomes."

Natsume nodded in realization.

No wonder it felt familiar.

There's a plotline about the Sword of the Thunder God: Aoi Rokushō instigated Idate Morino to steal it, after which he defected to the Village Hidden in the Rain. He eventually ran into the protagonists, was defeated by Team 7, and turned into their leveling fodder.

The sword suffered consecutive hits from Sasuke's Chidori and Naruto's Rasengan, and it cracked.

A great village sword—snap, broken.

But it wasn't the sword's fault, it was Aoi Rokushō's.

He didn't input enough chakra, so the sword wasn't hard enough to withstand the combined attacks of Sasuke and Naruto.

"This sword is a relic of my teacher and has always been kept by the Konoha. I don't mind giving it to you, but based on your current achievements, you haven't earned it yet," Hiruzen Sarutobi interjected. "Natsume, you know that as Hokage, the most important thing is fairness. I can't reward you just because you're my grand-disciple."

How do you define fairness?

Natsume was impressed by Hiruzen's straight-faced delivery.

No wonder he could be Hokage for so many years and earn the title of the strongest.

"Old man, give him my share of the reward as well," Tsunade spoke up. "I don't need any rewards anyway."

At her current level, she was already at the pinnacle of medical ninjutsu.

Ninjutsu or ninja tools meant nothing to her now.

"You really do dote on your student," Hiruzen sighed, glancing at her. "If you insist, then take the sword."

Technically, all Senju clan heirlooms should go to Tsunade, including the Sword of the Thunder God. But after she left the village due to her hemophobia, she stopped caring, so the village kept everything in trust.

So many years have passed, it's all tangled and unclear now.

But putting that aside, Tsunade's contributions are more than enough for any reward.

Now that she'd given her share to Natsume, Hiruzen was quite happy.

If he kept rewarding her, she'd eventually become the Hokage.

"Thank you, Grandpa Hokage!"

Natsume quickly thanked him, then shot Tsunade a look, meaning he'd thank her properly later.

"Shisui, go fetch the Sword of the Thunder God," Hiruzen instructed.

"Yes."

A voice replied—no one visible.

"Shisui's joined the Anbu now?" Tsunade asked.

"Yes," Hiruzen said with a satisfied smile. "He's inherited Kagami's will. He's strong and well-known, and is now an Anbu squad leader."

"He's very impressive," Tsunade recalled his fight with the Fourth Raikage; few jonin could fight to a standstill like that.

A few minutes later, Uchiha Shisui flashed into the Hokage's office and handed a sword hilt to Natsume, quietly saying, "I'll find you tomorrow."

Natsume looked at him in confusion, but Shisui didn't explain and quickly disappeared.

Natsume focused on the sword, channeled chakra into it, and the blade materialized.

Seeing it for himself, Natsume thought it looked even more like a lightsaber.

Perfect. From today on, he was a Jedi.

[Because of your actions, Aoi Rokushō's fate has changed. You gain 39 Fate Points.]

[Because of your actions, Idate Morino's fate has changed. You gain 28 Fate Points.]

Not bad.

After all, they were just minor side characters.

"Tsunade, soon the Cloud Village will send envoys for peace talks. Why don't you represent the Konoha and negotiate with them?"

"No."

Tsunade flatly rejected Hiruzen's suggestion.

"Let's go."

She got up, waved her hand, and left with Natsume and the others, not leaving a trace behind.

Hiruzen sighed.

He had already intended Tsunade to be the Fifth Hokage.

But she clearly wasn't interested.

Apart from her student, she couldn't care less about anything else.

How could someone like that govern the Konoha well?

"Looks like this old man will have to hold on for a while longer," Hiruzen mused.

As for Jiraiya—not even worth mentioning.

Fooled by an old toad, wandering the world looking for the Child of Prophecy.

Hiruzen had long realized that while Jiraiya listened to him, he always put Mount Myoboku first.

This annoyed him.

Are you a Konoha ninja, or a Mount Myoboku ninja?

…

Kabuto, on the way, detoured to the Konoha Orphanage to see Nonou.

Tsunade, Shizune, and Natsume returned to Senju's old house.

"I'm going to train. I'll cook dinner later," Shizune said, feeling inadequate after going out and determined to work harder.

"Thank you, sis," Natsume said, now that only the two of them were left.

"You're welcome."

Tsunade rubbed his head, her pleasant voice sounding, "If you keep being good, I'll give you more rewards."

Details, please.

What kind of rewards?

Anything… adult?

Natsume hugged her right arm, resting his head on her side, and said, "I'll do my best!"

Tsunade smiled with satisfaction, pinched his cheek, and enjoyed how soft it felt.

She couldn't help squeezing it again.

"Sis, I have a present for you," Natsume released her arm and, under her curious gaze, took out a necklace.

Compared to the First Hokage's necklace, this one looked much fancier.

Tsunade, being a woman, was immediately drawn to its beauty.

"Sis, you're a great beauty—how can you be without a necklace?" Natsume said with a smile. "Consider it our exchange of necklaces."

If any other man said that, Tsunade would think he was up to something.

But this nine-year-old, with sincere eyes, just looked at her.

She felt like she couldn't resist.

After a moment, Tsunade happily patted his head, smiling as warmly as spring.

"Help me put it on."

She turned around and crouched in front of him.

Natsume lifted her twin tails, fastened the necklace around her delicate neck, and clasped it.

"How does it look?"

Tsunade examined the necklace.

So big—no, so white.

Natsume nodded, "It's beautiful."

"You've got a sweet mouth," Tsunade poked his forehead, but her smile gave her away.

How do you know it's sweet?

You have to test it to know.

Natsume criticized her lack of rigor in his mind but said, "I'm speaking the truth."

"I believe you," Tsunade yawned. "Unsealing the Yin Seal used up a lot of chakra, so I've been kind of tired lately."

"I'll give you a massage," Natsume said, patting his lap as he sat on the sofa. "Sis, lie down."

Tsunade hesitated for a few seconds.

She didn't want to give in, but in this situation, it was impossible to refuse.

It's just a massage.

After fighting for so long, can't she enjoy herself a little?

Chapter 53: Tsunade’s Weakness

Tsunade rested her head on Natsume's lap and closed her eyes.

"I'll start," Natsume said, brushing her bangs aside and beginning the massage.

He didn't really know how to massage, but kneading and rubbing couldn't go wrong.

He pressed her forehead in a steady rhythm.

After a few minutes, Tsunade's body relaxed.

She was already a bit tired, and with someone gently massaging her, she quickly drifted off.

Natsume soon moved to her face.

Very soft, but not chubby.

Just the right build—a woman like this didn't feel bony at all.

Suddenly, Tsunade turned, facing him.

Natsume found it awkward to continue.

After a moment's thought, he looked at her delicate ear and blew gently.

In his previous life, this was called ASMR.

Natsume sometimes listened to it, but it never cured his insomnia—if anything, it made him more excited.

Still, it was quite pleasant.

He just lacked the right tools, like cotton swabs.

"Don't!"

Tsunade shivered, waking up to see Natsume's bewildered face.

"My ears don't need a massage," she said softly, cheeks a little red.

Natsume was startled.

So soft-spoken… wait, that's not Tsunade's usual style.

Oh, so that's it.

Sensitive spot.

If this were a game—like Sekiro—there'd be a red dot on her ear.

Natsume made a mental note and nodded, "Got it."

Tsunade closed her eyes again.

Soon, her breathing became slow and regular.

Natsume enjoyed the smooth softness until his hands got tired and he stopped.

"I—"

Shizune had just walked in and saw Tsunade sleeping.

A teacher and her student should act like teacher and student.

But looking at them, you'd never guess they had that relationship.

Still, thinking about how Tsunade and Natsume normally interacted, it made sense.

Shizune quietly slipped into the kitchen.

Natsume continued gently stroking Tsunade's hair.

A little revenge—after being patted on the head so many times, he finally got to return the favor.

When mealtime came, Tsunade woke up.

She'd slept well.

Ever since being cured of her hemophobia and returning to sleeping alone, she'd suffered occasional insomnia from the change.

Natsume stood up, but his legs were numb after sitting still all afternoon and he fell backward.

Tsunade quickly reached out to steady him.

But something embarrassing happened—Natsume instinctively grabbed for something as he fell and ended up grabbing her chest.

Tsunade gasped as she felt Natsume's hand close around her ample breast. The thin fabric of her shirt did little to dull the sensation of his fingers pressing into her soft flesh. A jolt of electricity shot through her body, making her nipple harden instantly against his palm.

Natsume's eyes went wide as he realized what he was gripping. He could feel the warmth of her skin, the pliable give of her breast, the stiff peak of her nipple. For a moment, he was frozen, unable to let go.

Tsunade's face turned bright red. She let go, letting him fall onto the sofa.

"Come eat," she muttered, vanishing.

Natsume looked at his left hand.

I swear, it was an accident.

Then it was time for dinner, training, and sleep.

Natsume fell asleep easily.

But Tsunade didn't—her mind was too clear, and she couldn't sleep at all.

After a long while, she got up and quietly went to Natsume's door.

The door was closed, but not locked.

Using her excellent stealth skills, Tsunade made it to his bedside without waking him.

Natsume slept soundly, his face peaceful.

With his looks, he seemed as fragile as porcelain to Tsunade.

She felt a surge of unfamiliar emotion.

Tsunade was confused.

She knew keeping her distance was right, but she couldn't control her feelings.

Suppressing them too much would only make them explode later.

Tsunade sighed softly, stood there for a bit, did nothing, and left.

After calming down, she finally made it through the long night.

…

…

The next day.

There was a knock at the door.

"Lady Tsunade, is Natsume home?"

Uchiha Shisui asked when Tsunade answered.

"Shisui? What's your business with him?"

Tsunade asked, raising an eyebrow. She had no prejudice against the Uchiha, but preferred Natsume not get too close to them.

Typical parent behavior.

"I'd like to treat him to a meal to thank him," Shisui said, sensing Tsunade's guardedness, though he couldn't understand it.

"I'll ask him," Tsunade decided not to refuse.

She went to the study.

"Shisui wants to thank you with dinner. Will you go?"

"Thank him?"

Natsume realized why Shisui had said that in the Hokage's office yesterday—it was for stopping Orochimaru.

"I'll go," Natsume agreed.

Soon, he and Shisui arrived at a barbecue place.

Uchiha Itachi was already there, having ordered the food.

"This meal is to thank you for your help. Otherwise, I might have lost my eyes," Shisui said, raising his cup. "Since we're underage, let's drink juice."

The three clinked their glasses.

"I've read your essay on the Will of Fire," Shisui added after finishing his drink. "It's rare to meet someone so like-minded. Let's be friends."

Well, well!

Returning kindness with danger.

Everyone knows Uchiha friends are the most dangerous—who knows when you'll be used as sacrifice for their Sharingan.

Natsume smiled and picked up his chopsticks, "Sure, let's talk."

The meal went well for all three.

Though he'd gained some temporary trust from Shisui and Itachi, Natsume's life didn't really change.

…

Another week passed.

The Cloud Village envoys arrived.

To show sincerity, Hiruzen himself led the major clans to receive them.

In the Hokage Tower's reception hall—

"Why isn't Hiashi here?"

Hiruzen asked, noticing the Hyuga clan was absent.

"The clan head is busy preparing for Lady Hinata's third birthday and couldn't get away," the Hokage's guard replied.

Hiruzen frowned.

A show of dissatisfaction.

In the previous war, Tsunade and Fugaku were front and center; the Hyuga clan wasn't mentioned.

He took a puff of his pipe. "No matter."

The Hyuga had always been loyal to the Hokage.

Whoever's in charge, they support.

That's why they've lasted so long.

Annoyed or not, their loyalty was unwavering.

Hiruzen didn't mind Hiashi's little protest.

He'd make it up to them later.

Soon, the Cloud Village envoy entered—their leader was jonin Samoya.

As both sides began their verbal sparring over terms, Natsume received an invitation.

From the Hyuga clan, personally written by Hiashi with great sincerity.

An invitation to Hinata's birthday banquet.

Of course Natsume wouldn't miss it.

The Cloud Village envoys had just arrived, and that incident was about to happen—the Hinata kidnapping.

Fate Points were calling.

It was a turning point not just for her, but also for Hizashi and Neji.

If he could save them, maybe he'd even trigger the main house/branch house conflict and get more Fate Points.

But the Caged Bird Seal would always be a shackle.

No matter how much trouble they caused, the branch house could never escape their fate.

Chapter 54: Only Those Who Know, Know

"That's a bit ticklish,"

Natsume shivered.

Uzumaki Hinae paused her massage, took a sip of water, then continued.

A warm, moist sensation kept coming from his ear.

Natsume thought—this was the real way to enjoy life.

Real-life ASMR was great.

After massaging Tsunade last time, he'd wanted to try it himself. Now, with Hinae doing it, it truly was enjoyable.

She wasn't very skilled yet, but serious enough.

With this attitude, her proficiency would improve in no time.

Then he could have her try other spots.

All according to plan.

Natsume lay sideways on Hinae's lap, admiring her clothes.

Today, she wore an outfit he'd designed.

Not the previous Ram or Ishtar—this time, it was an elf named Celestine Lucross.

Let's just say, those who know, know.

And those who don't—don't ask, just stay innocent.

The dress was white, but not much fabric.

Natsume's eyes wandered appreciatively over Hinae's scantily-clad form as he reclined in her lap. The white "dress" - if you could even call it that - left very little to the imagination. Its sheer fabric clung to every curve, the plunging neckline exposing a tantalizing amount of cleavage.

From his vantage point below, Natsume had an unobstructed view up the dangerously short skirt. Only that teasing black strap stood between his gaze and Hinae's most intimate areas. His breath caught as she shifted slightly, causing the strap to slide to the side.

Hinae's face was crimson, like a cat, as she kept massaging his ear.

Gentle, helpless, but obedient—hard not to feel sorry for her.

Natsume felt his body responding to the erotic sight above him. He longed to reach up and caress Hinae's trembling thighs, to slide his hands beneath that flimsy excuse for a dress. But for now, he simply enjoyed the view, drinking in every detail of her barely-concealed body.

After half an hour, Natsume finished his happy time, looking very satisfied.

Hinae wiped sweat from her brow, feeling parched, and drank another cup of water.

"Thank you."

Natsume pinched her blushing cheek—felt warm.

"As long as you like it,"

Hinae replied shyly, but her tone was still gentle—like a mother who didn't mind a child's mischief.

Natsume didn't stay; tonight was Hinata's birthday banquet.

…

Four days had passed since the Cloud Village envoys arrived, but negotiations still weren't done—neither side's demands had been met.

Cloud wanted maximum benefit.

Hiruzen, as the war's real winner, also made demands.

So things were at a standstill.

But negotiations are always a tug-of-war—rarely settled instantly.

Tsunade, Natsume, Shizune, and Kabuto arrived at the Hyuga estate.

It was dusk, but the place was lively—guests coming and going, Hyuga clan members busy everywhere.

As one of the Sannin, Tsunade was treated differently.

"Lady Tsunade,"

Hiashi quickly greeted her. "We've prepared special sake for you tonight—please enjoy."

"Good sake? Then I'll have to try it. If it's not good, I'll hold you responsible," Tsunade's eyes lit up at the mention of good alcohol.

"Don't worry, it is,"

Hiashi promised, leading the four into the courtyard.

He favored Tsunade not just for her title, but because as a medical ninja, she increased everyone's chances of survival.

"Lady Tsunade, you and your three disciples can sit anywhere. I need to greet more guests, so please excuse me," Hiashi apologized and left.

"Quite a crowd,"

Tsunade looked around—most were familiar faces: major clan ninjas and jonin civilians.

At least several hundred people—very lively.

Reasonable, though.

The Hyuga were not just one of Konoha's founding clans, but one with deep roots since the Warring States period.

Strong and, unlike the Uchiha, easy to get along with—so they had good relations with other clans.

Now it was Hinata's birthday, so everyone showed up.

Even the Uchiha sent someone—Uchiha Mikoto, who came because of Hyuga Rinka.

The men fought, but their wives were close friends.

"Lady Tsunade, Kabuto, Natsume—"

A familiar face approached: Yakushi Nonou.

"Director,"

Natsume and Kabuto stood up and greeted her.

"Sit, no need for formality,"

Nonou smiled kindly.

Natsume was now being promoted as Konoha's new genius.

And Kabuto, staying true to his roots, had secured more funding for the orphanage.

Both fame and money—Nonou felt proud of her two foster sons.

"Director, now that Konoha manages the orphanage, why not work at the hospital?" Natsume suggested during small talk.

"Why do you think that?"

Nonou was surprised.

"You're a medical ninja—being at the orphanage is a waste,"

Natsume looked to Tsunade for support.

"True,"

Tsunade caught his drift. "I know your skills. If you want, I can get the old man to make you vice director at the hospital. What do you think?"

Natsume gave a thumbs up.

Nice one, sis.

Staying at the orphanage always left her vulnerable to Danzo's threats—it wasn't valued. But the hospital was central to the medical system, and as vice director, Hiruzen wouldn't send her on dangerous missions.

Plus, with Tsunade's recommendation, even Danzo would hesitate.

Previously, Natsume hadn't brought it up—he hadn't thought of it, and they'd been too young.

Also, Nonou wouldn't abandon the orphanage at first.

But now, with the village's help, her burden was much lighter.

At least she didn't have to struggle to make ends meet.

"But the orphanage…"

Nonou hesitated.

"Leave it to me," Kabuto said. "I'll look after it, and if there's trouble, we'll ask Tsunade-sensei or the Hokage for help."

With Tsunade as backup, Nonou was reassured.

[Because of your actions, Yakushi Nonou's fate has changed. You gain 49 Fate Points.]

With that, Natsume's Fate Points broke a thousand.

Worth celebrating.

But he didn't spend any—saving up for Sage Body or for emergencies.

"Why are they here?"

"So bold…"

"The villages are at war, but we can't just attack the envoys."

Suddenly, whispers made Natsume look up.

At the door stood twelve Cloud ninja, their headbands on display.

At the front was the Cloud envoys' leader, Samoya.

Natsume raised his eyebrows.

He'd long wondered how Samoya got close to Hinata in the ultra-secure Hyuga estate.

As the saying goes, the most dangerous place is the safest.

Hinata's birthday banquet had gathered almost all of Konoha's elite.

No one would expect trouble now.

But thinking outside the box—that's exactly why the Hyuga let their guard down.

In the party's later stages, with everyone eating and drinking, it would be easy to sneak into the inner house and take Hinata.

No matter what, Natsume decided to keep an eye on Samoya.

Chapter 55: Miss, Want a Chicken Leg?

Samoya and the others knew they weren't welcome, so they found a remote spot to sit.

The others glanced at them a few times but paid no further attention.

This was the Hidden Konoha, not the Hidden Cloud Village.

Just a few Cloud ninjas—would they dare cause trouble?

Even if they did, look at the ninjas all around; if they made a move, their hands would be chopped off.

Half an hour later, all the guests had arrived, and the birthday banquet officially began.

Before eating, there was Hiashi's speech.

It was the usual "Thank you all for taking the time to come, eat and drink well" kind of thing.

After that, the star of the banquet made her appearance.

Hinata.

She was wearing a kimono today, looking quite cute.

Especially with her shy expression.

But Hiashi frowned.

This timid, hesitant demeanor really infuriated him.

Look at Neji—at three years old, his performance even made Hiashi a bit jealous of Hizashi.

If only he'd been born into the main family—how great that would be.

No, let's have another child.

That thought suddenly popped into Hiashi's mind.

Previously, he hadn't been willing.

Because of the Hyuga clan's rules, the main family could only have one per generation.

For example, he and Hizashi were brothers, but he was the main family, so Hizashi had to be branded with the Caged Bird seal.

If Hiashi gave up on Hinata, it would mean she'd become a branch family member, with a curse seal on her forehead, her fate in someone else's hands.

He hated the Caged Bird, but he was a beneficiary of it, unable to defy the rules, let alone abolish it.

Hinata stammered a couple of sentences, and Hiashi quickly took over, announcing that they could start eating.

Tsunade immediately picked up the sake jug, poured a cup, took a sip, and her eyes lit up.

It really was fine sake.

Because of her debts, the sake she usually drank was cheap stuff.

Later, after Natsume started earning money, he bought better sake.

But the Hyuga clan's stored sake was obviously more precious—who knows how many years it had been aged? The flavor was exceptionally mellow.

Natsume picked up his chopsticks, grabbed a piece of meat, and tossed it into his mouth.

Not bad.

The Hyuga clan was the most traditional ninja clan in the Konoha, maintaining an aristocratic style in everything they did.

Even the food was like that.

Natsume turned his head and saw Tsunade had already downed several cups, so he said, "Don't just drink; eat some food too."

He was worried she'd get drunk and say something crazy, leading to social death.

Tsunade glanced at him and obediently picked up her chopsticks.

But even so, she gradually got tipsy and drank more and more.

When it came to drinking, Natsume couldn't stop her.

Halfway through, the night had grown deep.

Hinata had long since left with her mother, Rinka.

But the guests were still enjoying the lively banquet.

Natsume suddenly narrowed his eyes—the two tables from the Hidden Cloud Village were missing one person: Samoya.

"Shizune, take care of Sensei. I'm going to the bathroom."

He quickly stood up, then paused and grabbed a plate of roasted chicken from the table.

"…?"

Shizune and Yakushi Kabuto exchanged glances, full of confusion.

Going to the bathroom, and you're bringing food? What are you doing?

You're acting weird.

Natsume left the hall, formed hand seals with both hands, and transformed into a Hyuga ninja.

He carefully sneaked toward the inner courtyard.

Sure enough, because of the banquet, security was more lax than usual.

After all, most of the Hyuga clan members were in the hall drinking.

Natsume scanned around but didn't spot Samoya—he must be using some kind of stealth technique.

In that case, find Hinata first.

He'd done his homework before coming and knew the general location.

Once he reached the area, he realized it was a bit hasty—there was a row of buildings.

"Rich folks, huh."

Natsume muttered as he approached the windows of the rooms, planning to check them one by one.

Luckily, his luck was good; in the third room, he spotted Hinata.

He hesitated for a few seconds, then flipped through the window.

This was saving someone, not a crime.

He figured he was fine.

Worried that Hinata might scream instinctively.

After entering, Natsume used the Body Flicker Technique to get in front of her, covered her mouth, and said, "Don't be afraid, it's me."

Hinata's raised heart finally settled, her eyes showing surprise.

Earlier at the birthday banquet, because of her shyness, she'd kept her head down and hadn't dared to look at the guests, so she hadn't noticed Natsume.

Seeing this, Natsume let go and stepped back.

He pulled out a chicken leg and asked with a smile, "Miss, want a chicken leg?"

Hinata's eyes uncontrollably fell on the chicken leg.

She really hadn't eaten her fill.

Or rather, she'd never eaten her fill.

In the Hyuga clan, rules were strict, and eating was just enough to get by.

Natsume found it amusing and shook the chicken leg; Hinata's little head bobbed up and down with it.

Cute, so cute.

It reminded him of teasing a dog in his previous life.

Cough, cough, it's just a metaphor, no other meaning.

"Want to eat it?"

Natsume repeated, asking.

Hinata nodded subconsciously, then quickly shook her head, refusing.

"No means yes."

Natsume declared that no one understood women better than him. He handed her the chicken leg and said, "Eat up."

Hinata subconsciously swallowed, smelling the aroma, looking at the appetizing chicken leg, and finally couldn't resist, taking a bite.

Even at this point, she didn't gobble it down but ate elegantly, in small bites.

However, being watched by Natsume made her obviously embarrassed, her face gradually turning red.

The chicken leg was soon finished.

"Th-thank... you."

Hinata placed the bone aside and said softly.

"Are you full?"

Natsume asked.

Hinata shook her head, then nodded vigorously.

Before this, she'd never sneaked a chicken leg; for her, it was already stimulating enough.

Eating more felt like it didn't align with the Hyuga clan's rules, seeming too rude.

But when she looked up, she saw Natsume pulling out a whole plate of roasted chicken.

Hinata paused, her face showing a bit of panic, and she quickly waved her hands: "I... I really... am full."

"Shh."

Natsume placed a finger on her lips, signaling her to be quiet. "Lying isn't what good kids do. Are you a good kid?"

"I... I..."

Hinata didn't know how to answer.

"It's fine."

Natsume ruffled her hair and said, "In front of me, you don't need to worry about formalities. Just be free and easy."

Hinata looked up, noticing the gentleness in his eyes.

Warning, warning, system overheating.

Her face seemed to steam up, turning bright red.

Natsume quickly let go, looking at this shy princess, and said, "Don't overthink it, eat."

It took Hinata a while to recover without fainting.

She hesitated for a moment but didn't want to waste Natsume's kindness, so she tore off a piece of chicken and ate.

Normally, with her personality and upbringing, she'd never eat chicken with her hands in her life, but breaking the rules felt surprisingly good.

Hinata inexplicably felt happy.

Chapter 56: There Are Always Fine Horses

Hinata, the big eater of the ninja world, could out-eat even the Akimichi clan next door.

After ruling out the possibility that Hiashi or Rinka were playing around too much, there was only one truth.

Her bloodline was purer.

Maybe even atavistic.

The Hyuga clan's ancestors were the Otsutsuki clan, with immense power and terrifying bloodlines.

According to the law of conservation of energy, the purer the bloodline, the harder it is to develop.

Hunger was undoubtedly a signal from the body—it needed energy.

As the saying goes, fine horses are common, but a good judge of talent is rare.

No one understood Hinata's situation, plus her introverted personality, so she'd never eaten her fill.

If you're not full, you lack strength.

Her potential couldn't be unleashed.

In Hiashi's eyes, she was worthless, her talent far inferior to Neji's.

As the heir to the main family, this was unacceptable.

Pretty pitiful.

Natsume glanced at her oil-smeared mouth, pulled out a tissue, handed it to her, and said, "Wipe it off."

Hinata nodded embarrassedly.

It was her first time losing composure.

Especially in front of an outsider, acting so rudely—eating chicken with her hands instead of chopsticks.

After wiping her mouth, Hinata wiped her hands, removing the oil.

"Are you full?"

Natsume asked again.

Hinata hesitated for two seconds, remembering what he'd said earlier—that she could be free in front of him, no need to lie.

"No."

She nodded. Though honest, admitting her appetite made her extremely embarrassed.

As expected.

Natsume felt a bit apologetic and said, "I don't have more food right now. I'll bring you some later."

He'd only taken one plate of roasted chicken when he left.

But he didn't dare leave, afraid Samoya would show up and kidnap the little girl.

If because of his butterfly effect, Hiashi didn't stop it, that would be ridiculous.

Hinata nodded obediently.

But a moment later, she suddenly realized the issue.

Why was Natsume here?

And it seemed like he'd sneaked in.

"You... are you... here specifically... to bring me food?"

Hinata lowered her head, not daring to look at him, her two fingers poking each other anxiously.

Your reaction time is really long.

Good thing you met me.

Natsume thought for a moment and said, "I saw a Hidden Cloud ninja acting suspiciously, possibly targeting you, so I came to see you."

"Eh?"

Hinata's eyes widened.

It was a reason she hadn't thought of.

But after the shock came gratitude.

This was already the third time he'd saved her.

She didn't even consider the possibility of lying.

Being stared at with such pure eyes made Natsume feel pressured.

He suddenly understood Tsunade—no wonder she couldn't resist.

"Th-thank... you."

Hinata glanced at him, then quickly looked away.

"You're welcome."

Natsume stroked her smooth hair, then had a sudden idea and summoned a fist-sized slug.

"What's this?"

Hinata looked at the white, soft thing and couldn't help asking.

"My summoning beast. I'll leave it with you for now."

Natsume didn't explain further and said, "Remember to hide."

He turned and went to the door.

The early warning he'd set up had been triggered.

Samoya was nearby.

It wouldn't take more than a few seconds for him to find Hinata.

Natsume flipped out of the room through the window again.

Hinata instinctively wanted to run over, but remembering his words, she hid in the closet.

Originally, she was quite scared.

But now with the slug, her tense emotions eased a lot.

"He's really kind."

Hinata realized the purpose of Natsume leaving the slug.

She placed her hand on her heart, feeling it beat quickly.

Though she didn't know what emotion it was, she knew she was happy.

As the young lady of the Hyuga clan, she'd received many precious and rare gifts tonight.

But in her heart, none compared to that chicken leg.

"Who's there?"

Samoya suddenly turned and saw a somewhat familiar boy.

Natsume looked regretful—his stealth still wasn't perfected.

He'd planned to sneak behind him and give him a kidney shot.

"It's you!"

Samoya's face turned ugly. "Tsunade's disciple, Natsume."

"Am I that famous now?"

Natsume was a bit stunned to have his name called out.

Samoya didn't bother explaining.

He recognized Natsume not because he was famous, but because he'd participated in that battle where the Cloud ninjas were flooded.

Unfortunately, he was one of the flooded ones, but luckily, he survived and saw this kid again.

The next moment, his figure melted into the night, drawing his blade at high speed and slashing at Natsume.

Samoya didn't use ninjutsu.

He still thought he could quickly deal with Natsume and then find Hinata.

But facts proved he was dreaming.

In an instant, Natsume drew the Sword of the Thunder God, infusing it with chakra, revealing its golden blade.

Samoya's eyes widened.

The Sword of the Thunder God cut through his long blade like tofu, and with momentum to spare, aimed to bisect him at the waist.

But his reaction was quick; he slid backward, then flipped to avoid the attack.

Natsume pressed forward, raising and swinging the blade.

Samoya sensed the danger, gritted his teeth, lightning bursting from his body as he dodged the Sword of the Thunder God and ran outward.

He couldn't take down Natsume quickly, which meant failure.

No matter how lax the Hyuga clan was, they'd notice.

"Intruder!"

Natsume shouted directly, giving him a little help.

At the same time, he formed seals at high speed for Water Style: Water Fang Bullet, the spinning water turning into bullets that flew out, slowing Samoya's speed.

The next moment, several shadows appeared, surrounding him.

In the middle was none other than Hiashi.

He glanced at Samoya, then at Natsume, and asked, "What's going on?"

"Why is a ninja from your village attacking me without reason? Are you trying to start another war?"

Samoya, seeing he couldn't escape, played the victim first.

He'd dared to come kidnap Hinata because he was betting the Konoha wouldn't want to fight again.

And that was indeed the case.

But in the original story, Sarutobi Hiruzen and Hiashi's actions were brain-dead.

They actually let Hizashi pay with his life.

Ridiculous.

Had Sarutobi Hiruzen not considered how that would chill the other ninjas' hearts?

Now, because of Natsume's intervention, Samoya hadn't died, and the Hidden Cloud was at fault first, with no excuse.

Next, they just needed to prove it was his fault.

Hiashi naturally didn't believe Samoya. He looked at Natsume, waiting for his explanation.

"I went out to the bathroom and saw him running into the inner courtyard. I got suspicious and followed him, but I didn't expect him to target Miss Hinata, so I stopped him."

After Natsume spoke, Hiashi and the others' anger maxed out, surrounding Samoya with killing intent.

A Cloud ninja versus a disciple of the Sannin.

Who to believe was obvious.

"He's slandering me!"

Samoya shouted.

"Then please explain why you were in the inner courtyard?"

Natsume easily delivered the killing blow.

Samoya immediately stammered.

The inner courtyard was where the women lived.

Why would a normal guest wander there?

"Lord Hyuga, please hand this over to the Hokage to handle, to avoid affecting the peace talks between the villages."

Natsume was afraid Hiashi would kill him in anger.

You're not killing a Cloud ninja—you're killing your own brother.

Hiashi, who was fuming, immediately calmed down. Samoya wasn't an ordinary Cloud ninja; he represented the Hidden Cloud Village now.

He gave Natsume a grateful look and ordered the twelve Cloud ninjas at the banquet to be captured and sent to the Hokage Building.

[Because of your actions, Hizashi's fate has changed. You gain 80 fate points.]

[Because of your actions, Neji's fate has changed. You gain 29 fate points.]

[Because of your actions, Hinata's fate has changed. You gain 69 fate points.]

[Because of your actions, Hiashi's fate has changed. You gain 17 fate points.]

A huge harvest.

Natsume's mood immediately brightened.

One last thing tonight: deliver takeout to Hinata.

Chapter 57: Feeding the Cute Creature Mini-Game

A crisis was averted thanks to Natsume's efforts.

Unfortunately, no one knew.

Hiding merit and fame.

Because of Samoya's actions, Hinata's birthday banquet ended there.

The guests left one after another.

Continuing the party at this point would be tactless.

Only the drunk Tsunade was clueless.

"More sake! Why aren't you all drinking?"

"Shizune-nee, help me take Sensei home."

Natsume sighed, supporting her on one side as they left the Hyuga residence.

Kabuto returned to the orphanage to rest.

Back home, Natsume placed Tsunade on the bed and said, "Shizune-nee, help Sensei change clothes."

He wanted to do it, but to avoid Shizune questioning life, he left it to her.

Natsume returned to his room and communicated with the slug for visual sharing.

He needed to deliver food to Hinata without being seen, or he'd have trouble explaining.

A few seconds later, he linked to the slug's vision.

It was a bit dark.

He scanned around and saw the slug was in the closet.

Hinata hadn't revealed that he'd been there tonight.

Natsume looked out through the closet gap.

What he saw was Rinka hugging Hinata.

The lady's face was full of lingering fear—just a little more, and she might have lost her daughter.

"It probably won't end anytime soon."

Natsume thought as he disconnected the visual share, then went out to the barbecue shop.

"Boss, open up!"

"Who is it? It's the middle of the night."

The boss opened the door grumpily and said, "We're closed. Leave!"

"100,000 ryo."

Natsume held up a finger. "Give me ten portions of barbecue."

"Oh, customer, please come in, come in!"

The boss instantly enthusiastic as if seeing a brother. "Please wait, I'll fire up the grill right away!"

Natsume smiled—money talks best.

An hour later, he left the barbecue shop with ten plastic bags in hand.

"Come again!"

The boss called out with a grin.

Natsume got home, summoned a second slug, and linked to the first one's vision again.

Rinka had left, leaving Hinata alone in the room.

Reverse Summoning Technique!

He vanished from his room.

Summoning Technique is when a ninja summons a summoning beast.

Reverse Summoning is when the summoning beast summons the ninja.

But this jutsu has major limitations; ordinary summoning beasts can't learn it.

Even in the three great holy lands, few can.

However, the Forest slugs are all one entity—the Slug Sage.

It naturally could.

With a puff of smoke.

Natsume appeared in Hinata's room.

She was sitting on the bed edge, her little head nodding off in drowsiness.

She should have been asleep, but because of Natsume's words, she'd been waiting.

"So obedient."

Natsume opened a plastic bag, took out a skewer of barbecue, and held it under Hinata's nose.

He thought she'd wake up startled, but she didn't.

In her sleep, Hinata licked her lips—the aroma was too strong, like it was real.

Saliva glands secreted, and it dripped down, forming strings.

Natsume couldn't help but laugh.

What kind of adorable creature is this?

"Hinata."

After calling a few times, Hinata woke up.

Seeing the barbecue in front of her, she realized it wasn't a dream—it was real.

"Come eat."

Natsume reached out and wiped the saliva from her mouth.

Hinata reacted, immediately steaming up and turning into the steam princess.

Both shy and embarrassed.

For an elegant young lady, being seen drooling in her sleep was too mortifying.

Natsume didn't mind; he quite liked raising a steam princess.

…

While Natsume played the feeding mini-game, the sleeping Sarutobi Hiruzen was woken by an Anbu.

"What did you say?"

The initially groggy Sarutobi Hiruzen instantly woke up.

"Lord Hyuga is escorting Samoya and the other twelve Cloud ninjas to the Hokage Building, waiting for you."

The Anbu ninja repeated.

Sarutobi Hiruzen stared in disbelief.

Capturing the Hidden Cloud delegation—you want to start a war?

Is it because you didn't get merits in the last war and want another?

In those few seconds, Sarutobi Hiruzen's clever brain raced.

But he quickly dismissed the guess.

Play is play, but Hiashi wouldn't joke with war.

Sarutobi Hiruzen changed clothes and rushed to the Hokage office.

He glanced at Samoya and the others, asking, "Hiashi, what happened?"

Hiashi immediately explained.

Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned.

At this critical moment of peace talks, how did this complication arise?

Troublesome.

In that moment, he wasn't thinking of Hinata's safety but the Konoha's peace.

After fighting so long, they couldn't continue; they needed rest and recovery.

But he couldn't ignore the Hyuga clan either.

"Samoya, is this the Hidden Cloud Village's sincerity?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen asked with dissatisfaction.

"This was my momentary lapse; it has nothing to do with the Hidden Cloud Village."

Samoya, knowing he was at fault, took all the blame.

"But you're a Hidden Cloud ninja—how can you escape responsibility?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't believe his nonsense, slamming the table in anger. "Your village must give our Konoha an explanation!"

"For this peace talk, our Hidden Cloud Village is willing to concede and accept the Konoha's conditions. What do you think, Lord Hokage?"

Samoya had discussed with the Fourth Raikage before coming—what to do if caught.

Sarutobi Hiruzen was immediately tempted. Konoha's proposed conditions were excellent, enough to recoup losses handsomely.

He'd thought the Hidden Cloud wouldn't agree, as they'd been haggling for days.

Truly, heaven blesses the Konoha.

Sarutobi Hiruzen cleared his throat and said, "Hiashi, Hinata wasn't hurt, and now the Hidden Cloud has offered compensation, so let's end it here."

Hiashi was full of question marks.

What do you mean since Hinata wasn't hurt, we can end it?

Does it have to be a death to be serious?

In that moment, Hiashi felt disheartened.

He believed the Hyuga clan had been diligent and loyal since following Sarutobi Hiruzen.

But he hadn't expected this treatment.

"As Lord Hokage says."

Hiashi left listlessly.

Sarutobi Hiruzen warned, "Samoya, I don't want to see this happen again."

"Lord Hokage, I won't repeat it."

Samoya kept a low profile. "We'll sign tomorrow and leave immediately."

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded satisfied.

Though it created a rift with Hiashi, exchanging it for such favorable terms was worth it.

He could just take better care of the Hyuga clan later.

With Hiashi's wisdom, he should understand that the Hokage must have a big-picture view and not let one clan affect the entire Konoha's safety.

Chapter 58: Genius Naruto

The peace talks between the Konoha and Hidden Cloud Village, under Sarutobi Hiruzen's personal supervision, ended smoothly with massive war reparations.

The good news spread quickly, known to all.

Sarutobi Hiruzen solidified his title as the strongest Hokage.

Natsume suddenly recalled the original story's Konoha Crush plan, where he fought Orochimaru, and no one helped.

Even Might Guy was stopped by Hatake Kakashi.

Perhaps because in their minds, their Hokage was invincible and couldn't possibly lose.

"Big brother!"

Natsume stopped.

Not far away, Naruto was waving at him.

His face beamed with joy.

But because of his appearance, nearby villagers immediately scattered.

The once lively street instantly cleared.

Natsume thought secretly that in crowded times, he could bring Naruto along.

Naruto's smile froze, and he apologized, "Sorry, big brother."

"Why care about others' opinions?"

Natsume smiled indifferently. "If you care, you lose yourself."

"Big brother always says things that make sense, but sometimes I don't understand."

Naruto's eyes showed some thought, but soon he scratched his head goofily.

"It's fine. Once you start school and read more, you'll understand."

In his previous life, Natsume thought Naruto suffered from not studying properly.

Just tak no jutsu without concrete methods was useless.

Setting aside strength, Naruto's level as Hokage was average.

Diligent, yes, but without wisdom, it was blind busyness.

"The Hokage grandpa said the same."

Naruto's eyes lit up. "He said I can go to school next month."

"School? You're only three—what school?"

After asking, Natsume remembered the original mentioned Naruto failed the graduation exam three times.

In other words, he started school three years early.

Analyzing it, it made sense.

Now he was an orphan, idling at home every day; better to go to school and receive the Will of Fire education.

"The Hokage grandpa said starting early means getting strong early."

Naruto mentioned Sarutobi Hiruzen every other sentence.

Natsume wasn't surprised.

This little fox spotting the old fox's flaws would be the anomaly.

Good, this way, easier to gain fate points.

"School does make you stronger."

Natsume's eyes turned.

Naruto repeated grades not because of poor talent, but because the Nine-Tails inside messed with his chakra control.

Setting aside the Nine-Tails, his talent was terrifying.

Few in the ninja world could match him.

For example, the Rasengan series.

Though many mocked using one Rasengan to the end, normal people couldn't develop so many versions.

The Nine-Tails' interference could be solved with sealing jutsu.

Though it'd temporarily prevent Naruto from communicating with the Nine-Tails, he could use his own chakra freely.

The Uzumaki clan's chakra was naturally abundant.

No Nine-Tails, no big deal.

Besides, it was temporary.

He'd eventually be taught by Jiraiya to use the Nine-Tails.

Natsume wondered, if he helped Naruto become a super genius at school, how would his fate change?

Would he still meet Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, and form bonds?

Interesting.

Natsume asked, "Naruto, are you going shopping?"

"Yeah, buying instant ramen. Want to come, big brother?"

Naruto looked up expectantly.

"I have things to do, but you can wait for me at the store."

After parting with him, Natsume headed to the Tanzaku Quarters's Gunma Casino.

He didn't know sealing jutsu, but Uzumaki Hinae did.

And it was Uzumaki clan sealing jutsu, same as the one sealing the Nine-Tails.

Reinforcing it would be simple, with low chance of detection.

But Naruto had Anbu watching from afar.

Not close protection, but distant.

Natsume could use blind spots.

"Brother!"

Same address, but he preferred Karin—cuter and sweeter.

Natsume pinched her cheek. "Where's your mom?"

Karin pointed to a nearby room. "She's inside."

What was she doing in a room in broad daylight?

Natsume approached, pushed the door open, curiously looked, and froze.

 A bare body curve entered his view.

 Red, white.

 This scene felt familiar.

 Natsume stared for a moment, realizing Uzumaki Hinae was probably training the Yin Seal.

But now, with the door open, every detail was clear. Hinae stood in the center of the room, completely naked—her pale skin almost glowing in the light. Her long, red hair spilled loosely down her back, but did nothing to hide the rest of her. Across the soft curves of her breasts, the flat of her stomach, and even along her thighs and hips, black runes were etched like living tattoos, pulsing faintly.

He remembered in the original, releasing the Yin Seal showed such patterns on the face. Didn't expect them elsewhere too. Here, the marks snaked from her collarbone, down between her breasts, circling her navel, and twisting around her waist.

 Her nipples were a flushed pink, rising slightly in the cool air. The runes continued down, dark lines accentuating the smoothness of her lower belly, even tracing the gentle dip between her legs.

Natsume's face heated. He didn't disturb her, lest something go wrong. But naked training like this wasn't good. What if someone else saw? He'd lose out big time.

Natsume closed the door, played with Karin, and waited.

A few minutes later, the door opened.

Uzumaki Hinae saw Natsume, paused, then smiled joyfully.

"Waited long?"

"Not really."

Natsume looked at her smile, feeling happy.

Every time he came, Uzumaki Hinae showed him what gentleness and affection were, like a devoted wife.

"Next time you cultivate the Yin Seal, call me."

Natsume said righteously. "Your state is too dangerous; you need someone watching."

Uzumaki Hinae listened, lowered her head, cheeks flushing, understanding his implication.

But she didn't refuse. "Okay, I got it."

"Can you use the Four Symbols Seal without being detected?"

Natsume got to the point.

Waiting longer, Naruto's side might notice something off.

Uzumaki Hinae pondered, then said, "It's hard."

"If there's already a Four Symbols Seal, just reinforcing it—can you?"

Natsume thought and asked again.

"Yes."

Uzumaki Hinae nodded. "Is there something you need me to do?"

She was quite expectant.

After being cared for by Natsume for nearly three years and learning sealing jutsu, she could finally be useful.

If not, she'd feel like she was being raised into a useless person.

"Yes."

Natsume looked at Karin, stroked her red hair. "Be good at home. Mom and I are going out; we'll be back soon."

"Okay."

Karin nodded obediently.

In front of her brother, she was always the good sister.

Uzumaki Hinae used Transformation Technique to hide her eye-catching red hair, disguising as a Gunma Casino employee.

Under Natsume's direction, she delivered a packed barbecue portion to Naruto as a meeting gift.

During contact, Uzumaki Hinae reinforced the seal.

[Because of your actions, Naruto's fate has changed. You gain 58 fate points.]

[Because of your actions, Haruno Sakura's fate has changed. You gain 99 fate points.]

[Because of your actions, Hatake Kakashi's fate has changed. You gain 99 fate points.]

[Because of your actions, Kurama's fate has changed. You gain 7 fate points.]

Natsume immediately received four notifications.

Beyond his expectations.

Chapter 59: Got a Wife and Forgot the Mom

Naruto and Kurama—that is, the Nine-Tails' fates changed.

Natsume could understand.

But why Haruno Sakura and Hatake Kakashi?

Since those two were affected, what about Uchiha Sasuke?

Natsume pondered and guessed.

If Naruto became a super genius, he'd graduate smoothly without repeating.

Thus, his teammates and teacher might change.

Meaning Haruno Sakura and Hatake Kakashi would miss out on him.

But Uchiha Sasuke didn't.

Truly a millennium-spanning tragic love.

Can't separate you two.

Were Asura and Indra gay?

Cough.

Natsume recalled a saying from his previous life.

If Uchiha Sasuke were a girl, there'd be no room for Haruno Sakura or Hinata.

Naruto happily left with the barbecue.

Natsume and Uzumaki Hinae returned to Tanzaku Quarters.

After lunch, he went to train.

Wood Style, Water Style, plus Earth Style.

Natsume was learning a lot.

If he didn't work hard, how could he get promoted, marry a beautiful rich girl, become the future CEO of the Konoha, and reach life's peak?

At night, he used Reverse Summoning again to sneak—er, no, secretly deliver food to Hinata.

"Guess who?"

Natsume covered Hinata's eyes with his hands, asking in a playful tone.

"I-It's... it's..."

Hinata stammered, unable to say the full name.

And Natsume already felt his palms heating up rapidly.

Next moment, it seemed steam would burst out.

Natsume stopped teasing and took out tonight's supper.

Ichiraku Ramen.

He remembered in the original, Hinata ate over forty bowls in one go, making Akimichi Choji question life.

But she wasn't grown yet, so her appetite shouldn't be that huge; he brought ten bowls.

Hinata saw the ramen, her eyes lighting up uncontrollably, like a squirrel spotting a pine nut.

"Here, chopsticks."

Natsume sat across from her, smiling. "Eat up; it's not good cold."

"Th-thank... you."

Hinata lowered her head and ate.

"Have you gone out lately?"

Natsume worried she'd be bullied by brats again.

Hinata slurped a noodle, swallowed, shook her head. "Father has been teaching me fist techniques; no time."

At that, she shivered.

Hiashi's angry and disappointed expression scared her.

But she couldn't change her personality.

She also felt Hiashi increasing the training intensity, seeming urgent.

Natsume frowned.

Hiashi and Uchiha Fugaku were both tiger dads.

Too strict to make their children strong.

But blind strictness didn't work much.

Hinata's personality was partly due to fearing Hiashi.

Natsume had no short-term solution.

He could only see if feeding Hinata full would change anything.

After all, for a Hyuga, such a big appetite was abnormal.

And unlike the Akimichi fatties, she didn't gain weight.

Natsume could only think it was bloodline-related.

"In a couple days, I'll take you out to play."

"Really?"

Hinata immediately perked up.

Being scolded daily by Hiashi, she felt she'd go crazy if it continued.

Going out for fresh air was good.

And with Natsume, even better.

"When have I lied to you?"

Natsume smiled. "Keep eating."

Hinata nodded.

Half an hour later, all ten bowls were gone.

Natsume subconsciously glanced at her belly—no change, like her stomach was a dimensional pouch.

"Full?"

"Mm."

Hinata nodded hesitantly.

"Not good."

Natsume tapped her forehead with his finger. "Tell the truth, or say how many more bowls you can eat?"

Hinata's face turned bright red; she held up one finger.

"One bowl?"

Natsume raised an eyebrow.

"T-Ten... ten bowls."

Hinata said softly.

"..."

Natsume's mind was left with two words: Admirable!

Good thing he had Gunma Casino and Gunma Bank, or he couldn't afford it.

"Alright, tomorrow night I'll bring twenty bowls."

Natsume said earnestly. "You must eat your fill; no full stomach, no body energy."

Hinata nodded obediently.

"Okay, I won't disturb your sleep."

Natsume stood, took the trash, left her a slug.

Reverse Summoning activated.

He returned to his room and fell asleep.

But he didn't know there was a bad woman lurking outside.

Tsunade.

She couldn't sleep, came to check on Natsume, but found him gone.

Pondering, she summoned a slug, learned the details, and felt sour.

As expected.

Natsume had a new little girl.

Tsunade should be happy, but she couldn't.

She returned to her room, sleepless.

Finally, considering factors, she decided it was time to cut off the overly intimate relationship with Natsume, keeping it to mother-son or master-disciple.

…

The next day.

"Natsume, Rinka said to thank you for your help, she's inviting you to dinner. Hinata will be there too."

Tsunade said nonchalantly.

"Oh?"

Natsume thought, what a coincidence.

He'd planned to invite Hinata out through Rinka anyway.

From active to passive.

"Sure."

Natsume nodded.

Tsunade noticed his mood change and felt a bit sad.

Got a wife and forgot the mom.

She silently repeated: I'm not sad; I should be happy, because I can't accompany him to old age.

"One more thing."

Tsunade changed topics timely. "With you and Kabuto's strength, you're ready for the Chunin Exams, so I signed you up."

Natsume was stunned, a bit unexpected.

But good.

Becoming Chunin raised status and pay.

In the original, Chunin Exams were joint.

The classic one hosted by Konoha, inviting Sand, Rain, Grass, etc.

Of course, villages could hold internal ones.

If the Hokage approved.

Sometimes only a few apply per year.

A joint exam would be wasteful.

Waiting a year or so was unnecessary, so internal it is.

"Since Shizune is already Chunin, you need another teammate."

Tsunade glanced at Shizune, then at him. "Any picks? If not, I'll find one."

"Does Inuzuka Hana have a team? She's my classmate, familiar."

Natsume thought around and could only pick Inuzuka Hana, a side character who might yield fate points.

"I'll ask."

Tsunade nodded.

Natsume was a combat ninja, Kabuto medical—missing a sensor.

…

Meanwhile, at Mount Myoboku.

Jiraiya looked around, his face nostalgic.

Among the Sannin, his ninjutsu talent was the worst.

Tsunade aside, comparisons with Orochimaru always ended in his defeat.

This changed after he accidentally entered Mount Myoboku.

He learned sage arts and sage mode, his power skyrocketing; even Orochimaru might not beat him.

Because of this favor, Jiraiya respected Mount Myoboku, especially the Great Toad Sage.

He followed its words without question.

"Long time no see."

Jiraiya said sentimentally.

After learning of the Child of Prophecy from the Great Toad Sage, he'd been wandering the ninja world, gathering info.

So far, two candidates.

Namikaze Minato and Nagato.

The former was dead, so not.

The latter had the Sage of Six Paths' eyes, great talent—possible.

Pity he wasn't a Konoha ninja.

Chapter 60: All Toads Will Die

Mount Myoboku, Ryuchi Cave, and Shikkotsu Forest are the three great holy lands of summoning beasts.

They existed before Otsutsuki Kaguya arrived in the ninja world.

Origins of the special system: sage arts.

In the original, Mount Myoboku had the most screen time.

Especially the Great Toad Sage, the ancestor of troublemaking.

It taught Otsutsuki Hagoromo, the Sage of Six Paths, sage arts.

And gave the Sage Talisman, saving his brother Otsutsuki Hamura.

The brothers fought Kaguya and sealed her.

Though the Great Toad Sage never fought, its power was unfathomable.

Plus, extremely accurate prophecy.

Jiraiya seeking the Child of Prophecy was at its behest.

In short, a behind-the-scenes mastermind.

Jiraiya walked the path lined with toad statues.

These were ninjas who failed sage mode training.

He almost became one.

Luckily, he was fortunate.

"Little Jiraiya, you're here."

A green toad in a gray robe appeared.

"Shima Boss."

Jiraiya greeted quickly.

"Follow me to see the Great Lord."

Shima Sage didn't say more, turning into the hall.

Jiraiya followed immediately.

Soon, he saw the Great Toad Sage.

Wearing a doctoral hat, orange body, necklace with beads, central gem engraved with "oil."

Huge size.

At least one pot couldn't stew it.

Of course, Jiraiya wouldn't think such blasphemy. He stood below, respectfully calling, "Great Toad Sage."

The Great Toad Sage seemed asleep, no response.

Shima Sage sighed, expected, took a deep breath, and roared, "GREAT LORD!"

Jiraiya instinctively covered his ears.

Why yell so loud?

The Great Toad Sage woke leisurely. "Who comes?"

"Fun playing this every time?"

Shima Sage spat without hesitation.

"Jiraiya."

Jiraiya didn't dare spit, answering honestly.

"Jirai-what?"

"Jiraiya!"

"What-iya?"

"Jiraiya!"

Just as Jiraiya thought the Great Toad Sage was toying with him, it nodded, as if just waking.

"Little Jiraiya, sorry, it's been so long, I almost didn't recognize you."

"It's fine."

What could Jiraiya say? Couldn't curse or fight it.

"Great Toad Sage, you called me—what is it? A new prophecy?"

He respected it for teaching sage arts and mode, and its prophecies were too accurate.

Seeing the future—who isn't a sage?

"I once told you the Child of Prophecy has incredible power, might bring peace or destruction to the ninja world, so you must guide as teacher."

The Great Toad Sage's tone unchanged. "But now, destruction outweighs peace."

"How?"

Jiraiya was shocked. "Great Toad Sage, know why?"

"Don't know."

The Great Toad Sage shook its head. "But speed up finding the Child of Prophecy."

Jiraiya smiled bitterly.

Knowing nothing, how to speed up?

The ninja world is huge; finding the Child is like a needle in a haystack.

"One more prophecy."

The Great Toad Sage opened its squinted eyes, showing rare seriousness. "I dreamed of Mount Myoboku's destruction."

"? ? ?"

Jiraiya and Shima Sage showed shock.

Mount Myoboku's history was ancient, so old they didn't know its origin.

Its location special, not in the ninja world.

Entry only via reverse summoning.

Thus, no matter the chaos, it never affected Mount Myoboku, let alone destruction.

"Great Toad Sage, is destruction what I think?"

Jiraiya asked uneasily.

"All toads will die, including me."

The Great Toad Sage puffed its pipe, smoke rings drifting in the hall.

"Great Lord, impossible?"

Shima Sage was horrified. "Even the Sage of Six Paths might not destroy Mount Myoboku—who has such power?"

"Don't know."

The Great Toad Sage shook its head.

"..."

Shima Sage and Jiraiya were speechless.

You're so good at prophecies, but can't see who kills you?

"But I have a clue."

The Great Toad Sage recalled. "He has special eyes."

"Eyes?"

Jiraiya first thought of bloodline limits.

Like Sharingan and Byakugan.

Or his temporary disciple Nagato's eyes.

But unlikely—those are the Sage of Six Paths' eyes.

"Little Jiraiya, this person is evil; find and kill him early, or Mount Myoboku ceases to exist."

Involving its safety, the Great Toad Sage wasn't calm.

"I understand, Great Toad Sage."

Jiraiya nodded gravely.

Destroying Mount Myoboku—what power?

Even if found, could he kill him?

He didn't know, but he'd complete the task even at the cost of death.

Leaving the hall, Jiraiya felt lost.

Where to start?

He stroked his chin, deciding to check the Konoha.

Not that he distrusted Uchiha or Hyuga, but special eyes—they were famous for it.

Their clans totaled thousands; maybe a bad apple.

Besides, Jiraiya wanted to see Naruto.

Busy with the prophecy, he didn't know how his grand-disciple was.

But with teacher Sarutobi Hiruzen, Jiraiya believed he'd be fine.

As Hokage, he'd treat the hero's son well.

Even as Nine-Tails jinchuriki, at most keep it secret, like Uzumaki Mito and Kushina.

Jiraiya sighed.

Poor kid, orphaned at birth.

"Shima Boss, any toads near Konoha that can reverse summon?"

Jiraiya asked.

"Yes."

Shima Sage nodded. "I'll contact it."

Soon, with smoke, Jiraiya returned to the Konoha.

….

"Boss knows me well."

Jiraiya looked around, realizing he was at Konoha Hot Springs, smiled, and rubbed his hands excitedly.

"First a soak, then find little Naruto. Hehe, beauties, I'm coming!"