Konoha: Gu Master

"It seems a Transport Department needs to be established. The question is, who will manage it?"

Shinho sank into thought.

Although many ninja might see the new Market or Transport Departments as inferior to divisions like the ANBU, their actual importance was equivalent.

Choosing the head of this new department required careful consideration.

"How about letting my father handle it."

Shinho came to a decision.

Previously, there had been discussions about making his father, Aburame Shibi, an assistant to the Hokage. However, with Shizune and the other four aides proving sufficient, it seemed unnecessary.

Instead, Shibi would be perfect to lead the Transport Department.

…

Time passed, and soon it was noon.

Just as Shinho was about to leave for lunch, Yūgao Uzuki hurriedly approached him.

"Hokage-sama," Yūgao said with a respectful bow, "we've received a reply from Neji Hyūga. It concerns the Akatsuki."

Shinho's expression sharpened.

Akatsuki?

He quickly tore open the envelope and relaxed slightly after reading its contents.

Neji hadn't clashed with the Akatsuki, so there was no immediate danger.

The Akatsuki's presence in the land of Fire capital had a simple purpose: recruitment.

After losing Sasori, Deidara, and Hidan in rapid succession at Shinho's hands, they were clearly short on manpower.

"Kazuma?"

Shinho raised an eyebrow thoughtfully.

Kazuma had been one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja, an elite group tasked with protecting the Daimyō of the land of Fire.

The Twelve Guardian Ninja were made up of shinobi from various factions across the land of Fire, including Konoha and the Fire Temple.

Kazuma had served alongside Asuma Sarutobi, but his radical ideology, that the Hokage should be abolished and power should be centralized under the Daimyō, caused a schism within the group.

To be fair, Shinho didn't find Kazuma's stance entirely unreasonable.

However, Asuma had naturally opposed it—after all, his father had been the Hokage.

This ideological divide had led to a battle between the factions, with Kazuma ultimately losing and disappearing from sight.

In the original timeline, Kazuma would later collect Nine-Tails chakra and seal it within his son, Sora, creating a pseudo-Jinchūriki in a bid to destroy Konoha, only to be stopped by Asuma.

The fact that Konan had approached Kazuma was unexpected, but it made sense.

There were only so many named and capable ninja outside the Five Great Villages, and Kazuma just barely fit the bill.

Kazuma's subordinate, Fuka in particular was an anomaly with her soul sealed inside her hair. Shinho found her technique interesting.

"You can leave now," Shinho said, dismissing Yūgao with a wave.

"Yes, sir."

Yūgao bowed again before leaving.

Konan recruiting Kazuma posed no immediate threat to Neji or the others.

Still, Shinho decided to personally pay the land of Fire capital a visit.

With Konoha's jewelry company now shipping out products, it wouldn't be long before they entered the market for sale.

Inevitably, they would face backlash from rival jewelry companies.

Shinho had no interest in playing the games of commercial warfare.

This was where the land of Fire Daimyō came into play.

Shinho wasn't planning to eliminate the Daimyō just yet, just controlling him was enough for now.

Replacing the Daimyō would require a proper justification, after all.

Perhaps the Akatsuki could help?

If the Daimyō were to meet an "unexpected demise" at the hands of the Akatsuki, it would spark a power struggle within the land of Fire.

As for Konan, meeting her wouldn't be a bad idea if the opportunity arose.

Shinho stowed the letter and headed toward the financial department on the left.

He knocked on the door.

"Come in," Shizune called out.

She looked up and blinked in surprise when she saw who it was.

"This is your first time visiting my office, isn't it?"

Shizune stood and poured him a glass of water.

"If it's the first time, shouldn't you bring me a gift?" Shinho asked with a grin.

"..."

Shizune glared at him. "Do you ever seek me out for something serious?"

"Of course," Shinho replied with a slight cough, "I'm planning to make a trip to the land of Fire capital."

"But you just got back, why do you heve to leave again?" Shizune asked, startled.

"I'll be back by tonight."

Shinho planned to use the Rainbow Light Gu and Golden Aroura Gu to travel quickly.

As for controlling the Daimyō, he'd leave it to Sasuke upon his return.

While an ordinary Sharingan could likely get the job done, the Daimyō's unique status called for caution, and using the Mangekyō Sharingan would ensure success.

"Alright," Shizune said, relaxing slightly. "Do you need me to wait for you?"

She froze mid-sentence, realizing the ambiguity of her words.

When she glanced up, she noticed Shinho's heated gaze.

"I-I didn't mean it like that!" Shizune stammered, flustered.

"What did you mean, then?" Shinho asked with a smile as he stepped closer.

Shizune instinctively backed up until she bumped into her desk.

Her tight skirt pressed against the edges, accentuating her curves.

"Shizune, why aren't you answering?" Shinho's voice was soft as he closed the distance.

"I-I meant nothing!" Shizune murmured, her head lowered in embarrassment.

The next moment, a surprised gasp escaped her lips.

Shinho's hand had reached down, lightly pinching her thigh through her black stockings.

"Don't... not here," Shizune whispered weakly, "Someone might come in."

"Then wait for me tonight," Shinho said softly into her ear.

"I... I..."

Shizune's heart pounded wildly. After a long pause, she closed her eyes in resignation and whispered, "...Fine. I'll wait for you."

Nighttime, alone with Shinho…She knew exactly what would happen.

And yet... she didn't resist.

Shinho's heart surged with warmth, and he leaned in to kiss her lips.

Shizune wrapped her arms around him, her face flushed a deep red as his hands wandered.

Her legs weakened until, with a soft push, she broke free and turned away, hurriedly fixing her blouse.

Shinho chuckled.

She's adorable when flustered, he thought.

"Well, I'm off!"

Shinho waved as he left the office.

Finding a quiet spot, Shinho launched himself into the air and disappeared into a streak of light.

…

The land of Fire Capital.

Shinho descended slowly into the bustling city.

He had traveled alone this time, without the support of the ANBU.

Still, he knew where Neji and the others were stationed. They were in the Konoha outpost in the land of Fire capital.

A few minutes later...

Shinho met with Neji, Sakura, Torune, and Yakumo Kurama.

"You're here? Shinho?"

Neji asked with slight surprise.

"Could you all step out for a moment?"

Shinho smiled. "I need to speak with Neji privately."

Sakura and the others nodded and left.

"How's the investigation going?" Shinho asked.

"We've uncovered most of the details."

Neji handed over a scroll. "If you hadn't come, we were planning to return to Konoha in two days."

Shinho opened the scroll and read through its contents.

The current Daimyō of the land of Fire was Enju Madoka, a 67-year-old man. He had four wives who had given him three sons and one daughter.

The most notable among them was his eldest son, Ikkyu Madoka.

In Boruto, Ikkyu Madoka would go on to become the next Daimyō during Naruto Uzumaki's tenure as the Seventh Hokage.

What stood out was his questionable decision to cut funding to Konoha—a policy so baffling it was beyond words.

Whether it was Ikkyu Madoka or Naruto… it could only be described as typical of strange Japanese thinking.

"What are your impressions from the past few days?"

Shinho asked as he closed the scroll.

Neji blinked, momentarily caught off guard. He had focused entirely on completing the mission and hadn't given much thought to anything else.

"Just say whatever comes to mind," Shinho encouraged with a smile. "I'm just curious."

"The Daimyō lives a life of extreme luxury," Neji said honestly.

"And why do ninja protect someone like him?" Shinho asked softly.

"Because… because that's how it's always been," Neji answered hesitantly.

"'Because it's always been so'—does that make it right?" Shinho countered.

"I… I don't know."

Neji's forehead glistened with faint sweat.

"Isn't it strange, Neji?" Shinho pressed on, "Why do powerful ninja serve and protect a weak Daimyō? Just because he provides funding? Couldn't we earn money ourselves?"

That's… true. Why?

Neji's mind reeled with confusion. Shinho's words made perfect sense, but he couldn't quite articulate why.

"I have a task for you," Shinho said, patting Neji's shoulder. "Stay for a few more days and learn about the history of the land of Fire."

Shinho saw potential in Neji.

Not only was he a key member of Heaven's Will, but his calm and collected personality would make him an excellent leader and soldier for the future.

"Understood."

Although Neji didn't fully grasp the reason, he trusted Shinho's judgment. If Shinho wanted him to stay, there had to be a deeper purpose.

…

With their conversation concluded, Shinho left the Konoha outpost.

Raising his hand, he sent a puff of smoke into the sky. The smoke transformed into a small flock of birds, scattering in all directions.

Neji had mentioned that spotting Konan had been a coincidence. They encountered her while investigating the Daimyō, and she had vanished soon after.

Shinho wasn't sure whether Konan had already left the capital, but it was worth a try.

Moments later, Shinho narrowed his eyes and turned northward, walking toward a quiet street.

Soon, he arrived in front of an Izakaya.

"Excuse me," the server at the entrance stopped him. "The establishment has been fully reserved for private guests today."

"I'm one of her guests," Shinho replied calmly.

The server hesitated but stepped aside. Konan had indeed mentioned someone might come to see her.

"Thank you."

Shinho walked into the Izakaya.

"You're one of Kazuma's subordinates?"

Konan looked up, her tone cold.

"I'm not," Shinho replied, giving her a quick once-over.

She wore the Akatsuki's iconic black cloak with red clouds, her body fully covered except for her hands, which were painted with dark blue nail polish.

"Who are you?"

Konan's guard instantly rose.

While she had seen Shinho once before, it had been over ten years ago, and she no longer recognized him.

"White Tiger-san, do you remember that commission on Kusagakure?" Shinho asked in a light tone.

White Tiger… Kusagakure?

Konan's expression flickered.

She remembered now, Shinho had made an impression as a wealthy young patron during that incident, which had left a mark on her memory.

"You're here for a commission?" Konan shook her head, "Apologies, but we're not accepting commissions anymore."

The Akatsuki had lost three of its members and was now focused on capturing the Tailed Beasts, abandoning ordinary missions altogether.

"I'm not here for a commission," Shinho said, extending his hand, "I just wanted to reintroduce myself, Konan-san."

Her brows furrowed. "How do you know my name?"

To the outside world, she was known only by her alias: White Tiger.

"I'm Shinho Aburame," he said calmly.

Konan froze for a moment before stepping back, paper strips spreading over her skin as she prepared for combat.

This was her Paper Jutsu: Dance of the Shikigami, which allowed her to transform into paper, a technique with no known weaknesses, aside from oil.

She wasn't taking any chances.

After all, Shinho had single-handedly killed Sasori, Deidara, and Hidan.

"Relax." Shinho took a sip of water, unperturbed, "You could say we come from the same.. Lineage or tutelage."

"What are you talking about?" Konan's eyes narrowed.

"You were Jiraiya's student, and my teacher is Tsunade," Shinho replied offhandedly.

"How… how do you know that?" Konan's gaze flickered with emotion.

Jiraiya had once trained her, Nagato, and Yahiko for three years, which was a fact known only a to very few people.

"Jiraiya told me," Shinho said with a straight face, effortlessly spinning a lie. "He thought you were dead and spoke of his regret—especially for Nagato."

Konan fell silent.

While Nagato had moved past his bond with Jiraiya, Konan still cherished that connection as a student.

But those days were long gone.

"There's no need to dwell on meaningless stories," Konan said softly, sighing in her heart.

"Jiraiya once told me that the three of you held the grand dream of bringing peace to the ninja world," Shinho tilted his head slightly, "Is that meaningless as well?"

"Our ideals haven't changed," Konan said coldly, her face hardening, "But our methods are now different."

"Capturing the Tailed Beasts?" Shinho pressed.

"Yes."

Konan's expression remained firm. "Only through pain can people understand pain. The world must feel true suffering."

To be honest, Shinho found Nagato's methods far more pragmatic than Naruto Uzumaki's idealistic speeches.

After all, in the original timeline, Naruto never truly achieved the prophecy's vision of lasting peace.

Nagato's downfall, however, was his inability to govern.

This was evident in the Amegakure, which stagnated under the Akatsuki's rule.

A thought crossed Shinho's mind.

Once he completed the reconstruction of the land of Fire and Konoha, he would show Konan whose path was truly correct.