Riser continued his path without changing his pace, crossing the village streets naturally until approaching the Hokage tower. The people around didn't react in any relevant way, simply following their routines as he moved straight toward the most important point of that place.
Kenbunshoku Haki remained active during the route. The reading revealed hidden presences strategically positioned within the structure, all with a constant surveillance pattern and disciplined behavior. It was clear they were ANBU members, observing any unusual movement.
Riser didn't react to it.
He maintained a neutral posture and kept moving forward, passing through the tower entrance without interruption. His presence was noticed, but not immediately contested, which indicated the evaluation was still in progress.
The interior of the tower was organized and functional, with clean corridors, controlled flow and a structure entirely focused on administration and command. There were desks with documents, work areas distributed efficiently and clear signs of constant activity, but without disorder.
Riser advanced to the main area.
'Shizune… and that little pig must be Tonton.'
Shizune was sitting at the desk, focused on papers, when she noticed his presence. Her gaze naturally lifted, interrupting what she was doing, and the reaction came even before any deeper analysis.
'He's… handsome.'
Tonton made a small sound as she noticed the change in her owner's attention.
Shizune quickly adjusted her posture, trying to maintain composure even with the slight change in her expression.
"Hi…" She forced a professional tone, still with a faint blush on her face. "How can I help?"
Riser stopped at a comfortable distance, keeping his gaze on her without changing his posture.
"I would like to speak with Lady Tsunade." He kept a direct tone. "I have a proposal for her. I just arrived in the village and believe I can contribute in several ways."
Shizune listened carefully, regaining control of her expression before answering.
"It's not that simple." She lightly crossed her hands over the desk. "The Hokage doesn't receive just anyone without prior evaluation."
She kept her gaze steady.
"You need to leave your name and your objective clear." She added. "That way we can check for an appropriate time for a possible meeting."
Riser nodded slightly, without showing annoyance.
"Makes sense." He answered naturally. "Someone in her position would certainly have that kind of control."
He kept his gaze on her.
"My name is Riser Phenex."
Shizune registered the name immediately.
'Phenex… that name isn't common.' She kept a neutral expression while analyzing. 'But he doesn't look like a ninja… probably a civilian from another country.'
She spoke again.
"My name is Shizune." She introduced herself formally. "So, what exactly would be the proposal you have for the Hokage?"
Riser didn't answer immediately.
He took a short step forward, slightly reducing the distance, without invading her space aggressively, but enough to shift the dynamic of the conversation.
"I'm offering something simple." He kept his tone steady. "Myself."
Shizune slightly furrowed her brow.
"I'm not talking about money or resources." He continued. "I'm talking about capability, power and usefulness."
He kept his gaze firm.
"I can be useful to this village in ways you still can't measure."
Tonton let out a louder sound, as if reacting to the change in tone.
Shizune blinked, clearly surprised by the direction of the conversation.
"Are you serious?"
Riser didn't step back.
"Completely."
Shizune took a deep breath, regaining control.
"This isn't a formal proposal." She answered, firmer now. "You can't just show up here and offer yourself like that."
Tonton followed with another sound, reinforcing the reaction.
"Are you joking?" Shizune crossed her arms slightly, keeping her gaze on him, making it clear she wouldn't take that forward without a concrete basis.
"Just words aren't enough, then watch this." Riser kept his tone steady as he activated the Sharingan, the red replacing the natural tone of his eyes and the three tomoe spinning with precision.
Shizune froze instantly.
"You… are a member of the Uchiha clan?" The reaction came without control, her body automatically adjusting its posture while her gaze locked completely onto his eyes.
She had heard that story before. The massacre, the name Itachi, the survivor, the silence that remained after it. An entire clan erased from existence, reduced to a single remaining line that still carried that power.
Riser deactivated the Sharingan.
"You figured that with this you should take my proposal to Lady Tsunade now." His voice came out without pressure, but without room for refusal.
Shizune didn't answer immediately.
Her body was still slightly rigid, and her gaze took an extra second to leave his eyes. The change wasn't just in impression, it was in priority, and she knew it.
"Yes… you're right." She uncrossed her arms, reorganizing her posture. "Stay there and don't move."
She took half a step and stopped.
"No… better come with me."
Riser didn't hesitate.
"Of course, let's go together."
Shizune turned her body immediately and began to walk, already assuming responsibility for leading the situation to the next level of the village's hierarchy. Her pace was direct, without pauses, making it clear that the decision wasn't light, but also couldn't be ignored.
Riser followed right behind, maintaining the same posture as before.
The environment of the tower changed as they advanced, with more internal corridors and less civilian circulation. The structure was organized, functional, with discreet surveillance presence at strategic points.
In the middle of the path, something changed.
Riser didn't look directly.
But he felt it.
Kenbunshoku Haki captured the movement clearly, a presence that wasn't there by chance, hidden, observing and reacting to the situation with precision. The pattern wasn't common, wasn't casual.
It was trained.
'This one must be going to Danzō to report that a Uchiha appeared… anyway, it's not like I'm afraid of him.'
The reading was quick.
The decision as well.
Riser didn't change his pace, didn't alter his breathing and didn't shift his gaze. He simply continued following Shizune as if nothing had happened, allowing the movement to follow its natural course.
"A living Uchiha… besides the one who ran away three years ago." The thought crossed Shizune's mind at the same moment she kept walking, without showing anything externally, but with her attention completely altered.
Three years ago, Sasuke Uchiha had abandoned the village, taking with him not only the weight of a massacred clan, but also one of the last remaining ties of that past. The departure wasn't silent, and the consequences were still present within the village.
"And he took Naruto on his journey of vengeance against Itachi." The thought came heavier this time, as she kept her gaze forward, trying not to let the internal change affect her behavior.
The image came clearly.
"Naruto… why did you go with him?" The question didn't come out loud, but its weight was enough to alter the internal rhythm of her breathing. "Lady Tsunade is so sad without you… so guilty."
Silence returned to dominate the path, but now carrying something that wasn't there before. Shizune maintained control, adjusting her focus so it wouldn't interfere with what needed to be done.
'What happened…?' Riser kept his gaze forward, but his perception was already active, capturing the change in her emotional state without effort. 'She suddenly became sad… could it be about the Uchiha massacre?'
The reasoning continued, direct.
'No… she handled that well. It must be something else.'
The movement continued without interruption, but now with a more precise reading of the environment and the people around. Riser didn't need to look directly at her to understand that something had changed, and he also didn't show interest in questioning it.
The structure of the tower became more evident as they advanced, with organized corridors and controlled movement, clearly indicating the importance of the location. The proximity to the central point of the village was not just symbolic, but functional.
They arrived.
The door to the Hokage's office was ahead.
Shizune stopped.
The movement was clean, direct, without hesitation. She didn't turn immediately, but her body already indicated that this was the final point of the initial route.
"Wait here." She said without changing her tone, maintaining a firm posture before stepping forward, fully assuming responsibility for the next step.
"Of course." Riser answered without hesitation, maintaining his position where he stood, without trying to move forward or alter the already established dynamic.
'The biggest breasts in fiction, hm…' The thought came directly, without interfering with his posture or gaze, as he kept his focus on the door ahead.
His perception was already active, reaching the other side of the wall without effort. The reading was clean, precise, capturing the presence of someone inside the room even before any external confirmation.
With Kenbunshoku Haki, Riser could already identify a firm presence on the other side, marked by stable energy, but clearly irritated, as if dealing with something that required constant attention.
Shizune didn't take long.
She took two short steps forward and stopped in front of the door, slightly adjusting her posture before raising her hand. The gesture was direct, without hesitation, and the knock came firm, without exaggeration.
KNOCK. KNOCK.
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