Shinho's expression froze for a moment, his body instinctively leaning forward.
The air that Ichikishima-hime was breathing suddenly liquefied.
Her eyelashes trembled uncontrollably, and tears welled up in her eyes.
Every inch of her swan-like neck tensed, highlighting the smooth curve of her throat as she swallowed.
Shinho suddenly raised an eyebrow.
He turned his head and saw Hinata, her face flushed red.
"Come here."
Shinho beckoned to her.
Since she had already seen it, there was no point in hiding anymore.
Hinata hesitated for a few seconds before stepping forward.
She instinctively glanced at Ichikishima-hime, who was crouching down and cleaning the…thing. A tremor ran through her heart, and she quickly averted her gaze.
"When did you wake up?"
Shinho gently stroked her cheek.
It was burning hot from the deep blush.
"J-just now..." Hinata murmured softly.
"Did you see everything clearly?"
Shinho smiled slightly. "This will be part of your future training."
Training?
Hinata couldn't help but glance at Ichikishima-hime again.
Her eyes widened in realization.
Only now did she truly grasp how terrifying Ichikishima-hime was.
Could she really handle this?
"..."
Shinho looked at her, unsure of what to say.
She was actually considering it?
Hinata really was the perfect, gentle wife.
"I'll take you home."
Shinho patted Ichikishima-hime's head before standing up.
"Ah... mm..."
Hinata instinctively shut her eyes.
With Ichikishima-hime no longer blocking her view, the scene was even more overwhelming.
With a soft poof, Ichikishima-hime, now satisfied, vanished.
Shinho glanced out the window. The sky was already tinged with the colors of dusk.
After some thought, he decided to leave work early.
There were only an hour or two left, and nothing urgent needed his attention.
Besides, the Hokage's assistant and secretary were still around.
Shinho walked toward the exit.
At the doorway, he reminded her, "Hinata."
Snapping out of her thoughts, Hinata quickly followed behind him.
Shinho avoided the main streets and instead took a quieter alleyway.
The reason was simple.
If they walked through the main roads, they'd attract too much attention.
Especially since he had just announced his marriage. Appearing alongside Hinata now would undoubtedly spark serious misunderstandings.
He was well aware of the power of rumors.
Within a day, all of City of Fire would be convinced that Hinata was his fiancée.
That would be way too dramatic.
Shinho suddenly stopped.
Hinata, unaware, kept walking forward.
Even in pants, her long legs were impossible to hide.
Combined with her graceful curves, just her silhouette was enough to be captivating.
Shinho recalled their earlier training.
He was the only one who had seen that tightly wrapped secret of hers.
"Eh?"
Hinata finally realized something was off and turned to look at him.
"I'll carry you."
Shinho stepped forward and crouched down slightly.
Hinata froze, unable to even think of rejecting him.
She reached out, wrapped her arms around his neck, and lightly leaped onto his back.
Shinho raised an eyebrow.
A soft and warm weight pressed against him, a perfectly shaped curve fitting against his back.
He stood up, his hands supporting her thighs.
Hinata didn't seem to notice, or perhaps she just didn't mind.
She rested her face against his shoulder, the corners of her lips curling into a small, happy smile.
"How are my three students doing lately?"
Shinho asked casually, feeling the gentle rhythm of her breathing against him as he walked.
Since he had been busy these days, Shinho had left Hanabi, Amaru, and Fuu in Hinata's care.
With her current strength, training three genin was more than manageable for her.
And now that the First Ninja Division had settled into a stable routine, she had plenty of free time.
As long as there was no war, there wasn't much to do.
And in today's shinobi world, if anyone wanted to start a war, they'd have to wait until Shinho died of old age first.
"They're learning quickly," Hinata said with a soft smile. "But Hanabi still hopes that you'll be the one to teach her."
Shinho shook his head.
That little sister-in-law had ulterior motives.
But Hinata clearly wasn't aware of it.
Not that it mattered.
Knowing Hinata's personality, she probably wouldn't even stop her.
"I'll teach her when I have time," Shinho said casually.
"She also wants to take on missions," Hinata added after a moment's thought.
"That's not possible for now," Shinho said after a short pause. "But you can take them out yourself."
"Me?" Hinata hesitated slightly. "But you're their teacher."
"So what?" Shinho grinned. "My students are your students."
Hinata blinked in surprise.
Then, after a brief moment, she smiled. "Mm."
"We're here, Hinata," Shinho said as he spotted the Hyuga compound in the distance.
Hinata suddenly felt reluctant.
"Come down," Shinho crouched slightly.
As soon as the soft warmth left his back, he felt reluctant too.
Turning around, he reached out and pulled her into his arms.
Before she could react, he lowered his head and kissed her.
"Mm… mmph…"
Hinata's body softened instantly.
She instinctively leaned against his chest, her lips parting slightly, deepening the kiss.
Then, suddenly, she felt a sharp jolt in her chest, her face turning a deeper shade of red.
Shinho's right hand had already begun its exploration.
Even as dizziness clouded her thoughts, her instincts took over, responding to him.
After a long moment, they finally parted.
Hinata gasped for breath, her head lowering instinctively, only to catch sight of Shinho's right hand still lingering where it shouldn't be.
Flustered, she quickly averted her gaze.
But the unfamiliar sensation coursing through her body made her thoughts a jumbled mess.
"Go on inside," Shinho murmured, retracting his hand and smoothing out her clothes.
"Mm," Hinata whispered, her voice trembling slightly.
Shinho ruffled her hair gently, watching as she disappeared into the Hyuga compound.
Once her figure was out of sight, he turned and headed home.
…
"I'm back," Shinho announced as he opened the door.
"You're home early today," Tsunade remarked, sitting up on the couch, her gaze landing on him.
"There's nothing much to do," Shinho replied as he walked up to her. "How's your movie coming along?"
"It's going smoothly."
Tsunade sniffed the air, then narrowed her eyes. "Whose scent is that?"
"Hinata," Shinho answered without hesitation.
"…"
Tsunade's lips twitched.
She had already accepted this reality, but his blatant honesty still irked her.
"Which of these wedding invitation do you like?" Shinho smoothly changed the topic, pulling out a selection of wedding invitations sent by Mabui.
"You're moving fast." Tsunade blinked in surprise at the invitations.
"Just preparing ahead of time," Shinho explained. "We'll send them out in half a month."
Tsunade pressed her lips together.
She was feeling both anxious and excited.
Anxious about the reactions and scrutiny they'd face once the news became public.
But at the same time, she truly wanted to marry him.
"Are you going to write the invitations yourself, or should I have someone do it?" Shinho asked.
"I'll write them myself," Tsunade exhaled and made her decision.
"Just list the guests you want to invite, I'll take care of the rest," Shinho assured her. "What do you think?"
"Mm." Tsunade nodded without much hesitation.
"Which design do you prefer?" Shinho asked, shaking the invitation samples in his hand. "If you don't like any of these, we can have custom ones made."
"This one's fine." Tsunade casually picked one. "It's just an invitation, no need to overthink it. Besides, this one looks nice."
"As you wish." Shinho chuckled.
"Good boy," Tsunade smirked and kissed him.
"That's it?" Shinho licked his lips.
"I'll reward you tonight," Tsunade rolled her eyes, but her teasing tone carried a sultry undertone.
A mature, seductive air naturally radiated from her.
Shinho felt a warmth stir inside him.
He had shaped this version of Tsunade with his own hands.
He was the final catalyst that brought her to full bloom.
Just then, the sound of the door opening interrupted them.
Shizune walked in, slipping off her high heels, her stocking-clad feet stepping onto the carpet as she entered the room.
Seeing Tsunade and Shinho so close, she couldn't help but sigh.
"You two are glued together all the time, aren't you?"
"Want to join in?" Shinho smirked, beckoning her over.
"…"
Shizune's expression froze, momentarily unsure how to react.
"You're unbelievable," Tsunade scoffed, unable to hold back anymore.
"What? Isn't this a normal interaction?" Shinho asked, feigning innocence.
Tsunade was about to retort when she saw Shizune hesitantly walking toward them.
She sighed, helpless, but at the same time amused. Was she really going along with his antics?
It was all Shizune's fault for letting him do as he pleased, letting him act so shamelessly.
Then again, thinking about it…
She wasn't much better herself.
By the time she snapped out of her thoughts, she found herself in Shinho's embrace.
And his other arm was wrapped around Shizune.
"Welcome home," Shinho said, kissing Shizune lightly before turning and kissing Tsunade.
"…"
Tsunade's expression immediately turned exasperated.
"I-I'll go cook," Shizune stammered, glancing between them.
She couldn't take the strange atmosphere and quickly retreated to the kitchen.
"All right!"
Tsunade brushed away Shinho's hand and said, "Let me think about how to write the invitations."
She looked at the stack of blank invitation cards, recalling a few names in her mind.
Even though this was her wedding, and something undeniably grant, there weren't many people she could invite.
Aside from Orochimaru and Jiraiya, there were only a few medical-nin who had worked under her in the past.
As for the Sarutobi clan, after Hiruzen Sarutobi passed away, she hadn't stayed close with them.
Seeing that she was thinking, Shinho didn't disturb her. He walked over to the kitchen to help out Shizue.
Soon enough, the food was ready and set out.
After dinner, Tsunade returned to her room to keep writing the invitations.
Shinho glanced at her but didn't say anything more.
He focused his thoughts and appeared inside his Immortal Aperture.
Ever since they had discovered the Frost Demon Gu in Amegakure last time, there had been no new findings.
That didn't mean the Immortal Aperture was free of such Gu worms, it was just that nobody had noticed them.
Wild Gu worms each had different uses, and since none of them were proper Gu Masters, it was more difficult to detect them.
Shinho strolled leisurely through an endless expanse of forest.
A huge amount of primeval essence filled the air, making him feel refreshed and clear-headed.
Of course, he was hoping to run into some plant-type Gu that he could present to Tsunade as a wedding gift.
Time passed.
Shinho reached the edge of the forest.
Just when he thought he wouldn't find anything, something caught his eye.
In a nearby valley, a small segment of green bamboo stood out in a very abrupt way.
He took a closer look and realized it was actually a Gu worm.
With a casual wave, he pulled that segment of green bamboo toward him.
In his hand, it felt as smooth and lustrous as jade.
A line of text floated up at that moment:
[Jade Sky Gu: A rank five Gu worm. Highly toxic, and there are few ways to counter it. A single misstep can lead to fatal poisoning, leaving only a flash of green light before death.]
"This is pretty good," Shinho said, nodding with satisfaction.
A rank five Gu worm…other than the Sage of Six Paths or Kaguya Otsutsuki, it's likely no other shinobi could withstand this poison.
In the shinobi world, medical-nin are often experts at both poisoning and detoxification, and Tsunade was no exception.
From that angle, Jade Sky Gu was actually quite fitting for her.
Shinho closed his eyes and returned to the room.
He stood up and walked over to Tsunade. On the desk, several sheets of paper were stacked on top of each other.
He picked them up and flipped through them; all of them were drafts she had discarded.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru were the main guests she planned to invite.
In Tsunade's mind, besides Shinho and Shizune, these two teammates were what mattered most, after all, they'd grown up together and survived countless life-or-death situations.
When he thought about Jiraiya, Shinho couldn't help shaking his head.
He'd tried to offer Jiraiya a department head position out of respect for Tsunade, but Jiraiya had refused.
Right now, Jiraiya had already left the City of Fire and was traveling around because of some prophecy.
Truly pitiful.
From what Shinho could gather, Mount Myōboku already knew who the Child of Prophecy was, but because it involved Konoha, they hadn't told Jiraiya.
"Sensei, let's leave the invitations for tomorrow. We still have plenty of time," Shinho said, looking at Tsunade.
"Ugh, this is such a hassle."
Tsunade set down her pen and ruffled her hair.
"No matter what you write, they won't really mind," Shinho said, coming behind her and leaning in close until his face touched hers.
"You say that, but this is our wedding. It only happens only once for me, so I can't be careless."
Tsunade paused, then threw him a sideways glance. "You, on the other hand, can have more than one go at this."
"Sensei, let me help you take a bath," Shinho said, clearing his throat and changing the subject.
"…"
Tsunade pursed her lips. "Fine. Carry me then."
"No problem."
Shinho stood up and held out his hands.
Tsunade jumped into his arms, her shapely thighs wrapping around his waist, and her arms circled his neck.
Shinho supported her round derriere, feeling a twinge of excitement.
He carried her toward the bathroom.
On the way through the living room, he made eye contact with Shizune. Neither spoke as they didn't need to.
Steam rose in the bathroom.
Shinho swallowed hard as he looked at Tsunade.
Without her clothes, her fair, voluptuous figure was on full display.
Her waist and hips were smoothly contoured, perfect lines leading down to an enticing shape and long legs.
Her golden hair clung together under the steam, cascading from her shoulders down into snowy peaks.
"Don't just stand there," Tsunade urged.
"Yes, Sensei!"
Snapping out of his reverie, Shinho squeezed some body wash into his hands, lathered up, and pressed them to her chest.
Tsunade let out a small hum. Her face soon turned bright red, and her breathing grew rapid.
This little brat is getting more and more skilled…
"Sensei, there's still one last spot," Shinho teased, sliding his hands around her waist and moving in.
Instinctively, Tsunade tilted her head back and parted her lips, only to be met with a sudden kiss.
She felt her body lighten as her feet left the ground.
In response, Tsunade clung to Shinho.
Just then, the door opened.
Shizune stepped in, head lowered.
Tsunade glanced at her for only a second before quickly losing focus again.
Her normally sharp eyes were glazed over, eyelashes quivering in tandem with each breath.
Shizune took a deep breath.
She slipped off her clothes and stepped into the warm mist.
She came closer from behind Shinho, pressing up against his back.
More suds formed as she used a bath sponge to help wash him.
Every motion was as smooth as water flowing in a streamm, and she wasn't the least bit thrown off by the intimacy in front of her.
Practice makes perfect, after all.
Shizune had lost count of how many times they'd done this.
In Shinho's words, the three of them were just one loving family.
"Thanks, Shizune," Shinho murmured, pulling back slightly to end his kiss with Tsunade.
He felt the soft warmth of Shizune's body behind him, exhaling a long breath.
But he knew Tsunade was his main focus now.
He ran his hands over her trembling skin, eventually gripping her backside.
"You jerk!"
Tsunade tensed up for a few seconds.
Shizune glanced over, feeling like the temperature in the room had risen a few more degrees
She bit her lip and continued washing Shinho, although now it was much harder to do so, as he was constantly moving.
Water droplets mixed with sweat and splashed around.
Shizune paused her hands, waiting.
But in that moment, she got pulled forward.
Caught off guard, she instinctively grabbed onto Tsunade.
Teacher and student locked eyes, seeing the same watery sparkle in them.
Shizune's pupils shrank, and she tightened her grip on Tsunade, giving Tsunade a brief moment to catch her breath.
Shinho took a deep breath.
Even with one woman on each side, he found a moment to compare.
Well…they each have their charm, like taking two different winding roads through the mountains.
…
Meanwhile, in the City of Lightning…
While Shinho was busy enjoying a threesome in the bath, Sasuke encountered Black Zetsu.
"You've awakened the Rinnegan?"
Black Zetsu's face registered genuine surprise.
He knew Sasuke had the potential to awaken the rinnegan, but he never expected it to happen so quickly.
After all, even Madara had only unlocked the Rinnegan right before his death.
Could my luck finally be turning?
Once his initial shock passed, Black Zetsu was thrilled.
With the Rinnegan, his plan to rescue his mother was that much closer to fruition.
"How did you awaken it?" Black Zetsu asked, clearly curious.
"It just happened," Sasuke said flatly.
"…"
Black Zetsu's mouth twitched.
Can't anyone from the Uchiha clan just speak properly for once?
Sasuke's attitude reminded Black Zetsu of Madara, Obito, and even Sasuke himself, they were all astonishingly alike in personality.
"Forget it. It doesn't matter," Black Zetsu said with a shake of its head. "You've awakened your Rinnegan, which means it's time to fulfill your promise."
"Can you keep Shinho busy for a while?" Sasuke asked, his face expressionless.
"…"
Black Zetsu fell silent, at a loss for words.
It did have some special tricks up its sleeve, but those required getting in close for a sneak attack.
In a head-on fight, it couldn't do anything to Shinho.
But could it even get close in the first place?
Black Zetsu lapsed into deep thought.
"Collecting the nine Tailed Beasts isn't difficult," Sasuke went on, shaking his head.
"They're basically roaming outside the nine major cities. The real problem is Shinho. I can't beat him."
Black Zetsu thought of Nagato.
He, too, had the Rinnegan, and yet he'd been utterly defeated by Shinho. Sasuke, most likely, would fare about the same.
The dilemma was clear: the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki could defeat Shinho, but you had to beat Shinho first in order to become the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki.
It was a perfect loop of cause and effect.
"I do have an idea," Black Zetsu said after a few seconds of hesitation. "I can merge with you. You'll get close to Shinho, and I'll seize the chance to ambush him."
"Will that guarantee success?" Sasuke narrowed his eyes.
"No," Black Zetsu admitted. "If he realizes what's happening, I'll have to run."
To be honest, launching a sneak attack was extremely risky, it had to be at very close range. If Shinho had some way to keep himself from escaping, centuries of planning and its entire mission to save its mother would go up in smoke.
But if it didn't take risks, they'd be stuck waiting forever.
"That won't work," Sasuke refused without a second thought. "If you run away, you'll be fine, but that leaves me, and my clan, with no way out."
"…"
Black Zetsu opened its mouth, but couldn't speak. Frustration rose in its heart.
This wouldn't work, and that wouldn't work either.
It had never been in such a tight spot.
Even Hashirama hadn't made things this difficult, after all, there was still Madara who could go toe-to-toe with him.
But now, nobody in the entire shinobi world could match Shinho. Except maybe the Sage of Six Paths, but that would be a suicide mission.
"You said you know Shinho closely. Do you have any ideas?" Black Zetsu asked, turning to Sasuke, desperate enough to grasp at straws.
"Shinho, huh…"
Sasuke sank into thought.
Black Zetsu was brainstorming, but so was Sasuke, figuring out how to accomplish Shinho's goals without alerting him.
Oh!
Suddenly, Sasuke's eyes lit up. He had an idea.
"We can just work with Shinho," Sasuke said in a serious tone.
"Work with him?" Black Zetsu frowned. "Why would he cooperate with us? He has no need for our help."
"Like you said, I know Shinho." Sasuke shook his head. "He's someone who sees himself above all others. He won't tolerate any threat."
Black Zetsu mulled this over.
Indeed, when Shinho made himself emperor, he unified the shinobi world and demanded everyone's submission, he didn't accept any challenge to his authority.
"If we tell him that by becoming the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki, I could defeat him," Sasuke continued, "how do you think he'd react?"
Black Zetsu was momentarily stunned.
"He'd never believe that," Sasuke said with a small laugh, "and would probably encourage me to become the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki and then spar with him."
"And from his point of view, letting someone become the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki would be no big deal, as he could reverse the situation at any time he pleases."
The more Black Zetsu thought, the more excited it became. "Brilliant!"
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