Konoha: Gu Master

"Do you really think your Akatsuki will succeed?"

Shinho looked at the cold and elegant Konan as he posed the question.

"Of course," Konan replied without hesitation. "Because we have already experienced true pain."

"How about we make a bet?"

Shinho's thoughts drifted briefly to Tsunade, and he smiled as he made the suggestion.

"A bet?"

Konan paused, then shook her head firmly. "The Akatsuki and Konoha are destined to clash. There's no need for a bet."

She understood Nagato well and knew his resolve. For the sake of achieving his goal he wouldn't stop.

"Let's bet on who wins this war," Shinho continued, following her train of thought.

"You want us to spare Konoha?"

Konan frowned slightly, realizing what he meant..

In her mind, Nagato was unbeatable. Konoha's defeat was inevitable, which is why she assumed Shinho was trying to negotiate for leniency.

"Congratulations… you guessed wrong, Konan-san."

Shinho snapped his fingers with a grin.

"..."

Konan was silent for a few moments before asking, "What's the bet?"

"If Konoha wins, you'll become my secretary," Shinho said with a smile.

Konan looked at him in confusion.

What kind of weird bet is this?

"And if we win? What will you offer?"

Konan's tone turned colder.

"I'll heal Nagato."

Shinho replied casually.

"What did you say?!"

Konan's expression changed drastically, and she instinctively stepped forward.

But a second later, suspicion flickered in her eyes.

How does he know about Nagato's condition?

More importantly, Nagato's illness was caused by the strain of the Rinnegan—how could it possibly be cured?

"You don't believe me?"

Shinho asked, reading her conflicted expression.

"I don't," Konan said, taking a deep breath to steady herself.

"Why not give it a try?"

Shinho chuckled and added, "You're confident Akatsuki will win anyway, aren't you?"

Konan frowned slightly.

Shinho's confidence puzzled her. Where does his certainty come from?

But he was right.

If Akatsuki won, there would be no harm in letting him try. If he failed, Nagato wouldn't spare him anyway.

"Fine," Konan said after a moment of hesitation.

"I'll look forward to that day."

Shinho stood up and smiled. "Goodbye, Konan-san."

In the original story, both Nagato and Konan were people who honored their promises.

And even if she reneged on her word—so what? By the time Konoha defeated Akatsuki, escaping would no longer be an option for them.

As for Kazuma, Shinho didn't give him a second thought.

Once Kazuma joined the Akatsuki, they would meet again sooner or later.

Konan remained frozen in place, staring blankly even after Shinho had left the Isakaya.

This Hokage was a strange man.

But no matter what, the Akatsuki would not lose. The path Nagato had chosen was the correct one.

Peace would come to the ninja world in the end.

…

Evening.

Shizune absentmindedly chewed her shrimp tempura.

With Shinho away in the Land of Fire's capital, dinner consisted of just her and Tsunade.

Yet her thoughts kept drifting to his imminent return later that night.

When he comes back…

Shizune quickly shook her head, pushing the thought away.

If Tsunade noticed, it would spell disaster.

She glanced at Tsunade instinctively and paused.

Tsunade looked distracted too.

"Lady Tsunade, is the food not to your liking?"

Shizune asked.

"No."

Tsunade shook her head. "It's just… I'm not used to it without that brat here."

Tsunade bit her lower lip gently, her long, pale legs shifting slightly as a faint tremor passed through her abdomen.

"You're right," Shizune said, nodding. "The house feels emptier without him."

"Did he say when he'll be back?"

Tsunade set her chopsticks down, clearly having lost her appetite.

"..."

Shizune hesitated.

"Tomorrow," she said softly.

It was her first time lying to Tsunade.

Tomorrow?

Tsunade's body tensed faintly with heat.

How should I punish that brat when he gets back?

Given her age and the fact that she had only recently begun to indulge, she couldn't get enough of Shinho's presence.

What was that phrase again? Something about 'Vacuum cleaner…'—she cut off the thought abruptly.

Shizune blinked in confusion.

Tsunade's flushed cheeks and distant gaze made her look impossibly alluring and mature.

What's going on?

Am I imagining things?

Tsunade had looked similarly flushed after drinking, but this felt… different.

"I'm full," Tsunade said, rising smoothly from her seat.

She left the table and headed toward the couch.

Shizune rubbed her forehead.

Clearly, she wasn't the only one feeling uneasy because of Shinho's absence.

Carrying the dishes, she returned to the kitchen, having lost her own appetite as well.

…

Time passed.

After taking a bath, Shizune returned to her room.

Restless, she paced back and forth in her yukata.

Suddenly, an idea struck her, and she set up a barrier around her room.

It was a precaution to ensure Tsunade wouldn't notice anything.

Sitting on her bed, Shizune glanced down at her yukata. She hesitated, then slipped it off and buried herself under the covers.

Her face turned crimson as she muttered to herself, "I'm such an unrestrained woman…"

Minutes later, the door creaked open.

Shizune's heart pounded furiously in her chest.

Through the moonlight, she saw Shinho enter.

Their eyes met briefly before she squeezed her eyes shut, feigning sleep.

"Shizune-nee…"

Shinho stopped and raised an eyebrow.

There's a barrier?

She's thorough.

Shinho sat on the edge of the bed and looked down at her.

Her face was rosy with a layer of pink covering her skin. She was extremely shy at the moment.

Gently pulling back the covers, Shinho froze momentarily.

Her slender body lay there, soft and beautiful.

Her pale skin rose and fell rhythmically with each breath, her legs perfectly straight and her delicate toes curled slightly.

Other than her black hair, her body was pure white against the sheets.

"D-Don't look…"

Shizune turned her head away and whispered weakly.

"We shouldn't waste time."

Shinho paused briefly, then said, "But we're missing one thing."

Shizune instinctively opened her eyes and watched as Shinho walked to her wardrobe. He pulled out a pair of black stockings.

She blinked, before muttering, "You're such a pervert…"

"Shizune," Shinho said with a calm smile. "Stretch out your legs."

Unable to refuse, Shizune reluctantly obeyed.

Shinho carefully held the stockings and slid them up her delicate feet, pulling them gently over her smooth calves and up to her thighs.

The contrast of the black fabric against her pale skin was breathtaking.

Swallowing hard, Shinho stepped forward and cupped her flushed face.

"Shizune."

She barely managed to look at him through her embarrassment, her body growing weak under his gaze.

Finally, she closed her eyes, surrendering herself to the moment.

Seeing this, Shinho leaned in and kissed her lips gently.

Shizune let herself fall back against the bed.

Shinho held Shizune's waist gently, gazing down at her with a smile.

"Shizune-nee, you're so adorable."

Resting his head on her chest, his hand traced her thigh over the black stockings, feeling the softness beneath.

Though she couldn't compare to Tsunade, Shizune's proportions were perfectly balanced, just right.

"Shizune-nee?"

Shinho paused his movements, his face showing genuine concern.

"I… I'm fine," Shizune said softly, her face pale, her eyes turning misty.

"I'll heal you," Shinho said, preparing to form hand seals.

"No!"

Shizune gritted her teeth, stopping him. "At least… not tonight."

Shinho blinked. He hadn't expected Shizune to be so insistent.

"Shizune-nee, you're so kind."

His voice softened. "I really like you."

"D-Don't confess… at a time like this…"

Shizune flushed deeply with embarrassment.

"I know a way to ease things," Shinho said moments later, lifting her stocking-clad legs.

Shizune's eyes widened. How come you are so skilled?!

However, half an hour later, Shinho paid the price for his recklessness.

Unlike Tsunade, Shizune didn't possess the Yin Seal.

Her strength was already at its limit; she shook her head weakly, eyes pleading with him.

Reluctantly, Shinho sighed and stopped, gently stroking her to soothe her discomfort.

His hand moved unconsciously until it rested on her lower back.

"Shizune-nee," he murmured softly into her ear, "I know another way."

Shizune's face changed, about to refuse, but then she sighed quietly.

Feelings were mutual.

It wasn't fair to take her own satisfaction and leave him hanging.

Turning over slowly, Shizune lay with her back to him, and closed her eyes.

…

The moon set, and the sun rose.

A new day began.

Shinho opened his eyes.

Before him, two lines of text appeared:

..

[Achievement Unlocked: "The Three Links Legend" — Reward: Battle Space Gu.]

[Battle Space Gu: Rank 5 Gu. Pulls an opponent into a separate space for a decisive duel. Ends only when one is defeated or their true essence is exhausted.]

..

His system was still as bizarre as always with it's titles.

Shinho couldn't help but twitch his lips.

Still, the reward itself was excellent.

Battle Space Gu essentially created a fair one-on-one duel, which could be incredibly useful.

For example, if the Deva Path Pain attempted to destroy Konoha with Shinra Tensei, Shinho could use Battle Space Gu to isolate him, ensuring the massive jutsu only affected Shinho.

Snapping back to reality, Shinho turned his gaze toward Shizune.

She lay nestled against his arm, her chest rising and falling with deep, steady breaths.

The faint blush on her face had faded, though her tousled hair clung to her damp skin. She had indeed worked hard last night!

Reaching out, Shinho placed his hand over her heart.

A soft, green glow of chakra enveloped her body.

Though using the Mystical Palm Technique to relieve fatigue was a waste of chakra, Shinho didn't mind.

Warmth spread through her body.

Shizune stirred, her eyelids fluttering open.

For a few moments, she stared at Shinho, only to suddenly recall the events of the previous night.

Her face flushed crimson at once.

Last night had been a complete defeat, one she hadn't anticipated.

"Feeling better?" Shinho asked gently.

"I'm fine."

Shizune shook her head, realizing the soreness had vanished.

As a ninja, her body was far tougher than a civilian's, and with Shinho's healing technique, she was already fully recovered.

"What time is it?"

Shizune's expression shifted slightly, "I need to wake Lady Tsunade; otherwise, she'll sleep the morning away."

"I'll wake her," Shinho said with a smile. "You can sleep in for once."

Shizune blinked, stunned.

Under his gaze, her cheeks turned red again.

"Mm…"

Her heart felt inexplicably full of warmth.

…

Shinho climbed out of bed, cleansing himself with a burst of chakra before putting on his clothes.

Shizune stared blankly.

Is chakra really supposed to be used that way?

"Get some sleep," Shinho said, looking at her.

Shizune ducked under the blanket, covering her flushed face, leaving only her head exposed.

Shinho chuckled, ruffling her hair, and planting a kiss on her forehead before leaving the room.

…

Arriving at Tsunade's door, Shinho didn't bother knocking. He simply turned the handle and walked in.

"Still such a sloppy sleeper," he muttered with a smile.

Tsunade was sprawled across the bed, arms and legs splayed out, the blanket having fallen to the floor.

She wore her usual nightgown, her golden hair fanning out messily.

Picking up the blanket, Shinho draped it over her gently.

Tsunade stirred, opening her eyes briefly. After a few seconds, she blinked in confusion.

"Get in here."

Shinho slipped under the blanket, only for Tsunade to immediately pull him into a tight hug.

Her soft, warm body entwined with his like a set of ropes.

"You don't want to sleep, do you?"

Shinho slid his hands around her waist, fingers brushing against her smooth skin beneath the hem of her nightgown.

"Wait!"

Tsunade suddenly woke up completely. "Shizune will be here any minute."

"It's fine," Shinho said, his hand stroking the curve of her back. "I told her I'd make breakfast today."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow thoughtfully.

Then, without another word, she sat up and gave him a direct look. "Half an hour."

Before he could reply, Tsunade had already taken charge.

…

Meanwhile, Shizune woke up and hummed softly to herself as she dressed.

For some reason, she felt unusually cheerful.

Glancing at the clock, she realized it was already 8 a.m.

If it were a normal day, she would have been up at 7, finished breakfast, and left for the Hokage's office by 7:30.

I wonder how Lady Tsunade is doing.

Shizune thought to herself as she approached Tsunade's room.

The door was still closed.

That was odd—if Tsunade had woken up, the door would usually be open.

"Huh?" Shizune murmured, puzzled.

Had Shinho not woken her up?

"Lady Tsunade," Shizune called out as she knocked gently.

The door opened, and Tsunade appeared.

She still wore her nightgown, her golden hair tousled messily like an irritable cat.

"Didn't Shinho wake you up?" Shizune asked curiously.

"I wanted three-color dango for breakfast, so I sent him out to buy some," Tsunade replied with a yawn.

"Oh… then I'll go make breakfast," Shizune offered after a moment of thought.

"Go ahead."

Tsunade waved her off, suppressing another yawn.

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