Inside the bridal chamber.
Ino gazed at the night outside the window, a dazed expression on her face.
Had it finally come to this?... marriage?
She reminisced about her first encounter with Shinho at the Ninja Academy, a wave of nostalgia washing over her.
It felt like yesterday, yet also like a lifetime ago.
"What are you thinking about?"
Shinho closed the door, walked over, and embraced Ino. Her waist was even more slender than Hinata's and Tsunade's after their pregnancies.
His hand naturally found its way to her flat abdomen.
It was a pity the kimono fabric dulled the sensation.
"It feels...unreal," Ino said, glancing down.
She had noticed long ago Shinho's particular fondness for her lower abdomen. Of course, she was pleased; it was a proof to her unique charm.
"Unreal?"
Shinho turned her around to face him and kissed her rosy lips.
Ino froze for a moment before responding. Thanks to Shinho's previous guidance, she was no longer as inexperienced, engaging him in a passionate duel of tongues.
A long while later, they parted. Ino gasped for breath, a blush blooming on her fair cheeks.
"Does it feel real now?" Shinho asked, gently caressing her face.
"N...No," Ino replied instinctively. Her mind was a complete blank.
"Then how about this?"
Shinho's eyes twinkled.
His right hand trailed down from her face to her obi, effortlessly untying the white wedding kimono.
As the traditional garment fell to the floor, it revealed a breathtakingly exquisite body.
He hadn't left the kimono on because it was his first time seeing Ino on all her glory and he wanted to admire it to his hearts content.
In terms of figure, Ino's proportions were absolutely perfect. Any more would be too much, any less too little; she was just right.
A gust of cold wind swept in. Ino shivered, her naked body exposed to the air. She crossed her arms over her chest, the blush on her face deepening.
Shinho closed the window. And with a wave of his hand, he circulated his immortal essence, filling the room with warmth.
"Ino, you're beautiful," Shinho said, tucking a strand of her golden hair behind her ear.
Ino's blush intensified at his praise.
She stepped forward and buried her face in his chest, too shy to look up.
Her weight pressed against him.
Shinho realized with surprise that she was not much different from Hinata in this regard.
Seeing this, he didn't wait any longer. It was quite cold in the middle of winter, after all.
He needed to warm Ino up.
Shinho lifted her into his arms and slipped under the covers.
He propped himself up and looked down at her.
Ino's flushed face was turned to the side, her hands fidgeting nervously, unsure where to place them.
Like a snow-capped mountain collapsing, revealing hidden blossoms, the sight was breathtakingly beautiful.
"Ino," Shinho said, placing his hand on her abdomen.
Ino instinctively looked up at him.
"Don't worry," Shinho reassured her with a smile.
He was quite experienced, after all.
Ino bit her lip. Soon, she felt a slight rising and falling in her flat abdomen, mirroring her quickening breath.
She instinctively grabbed the pillow and squeezed it tightly, the veins in her hand becoming visible.
"Ino," Shinho asked softly, diverting her attention, "Do you want a daughter or a son?"
"Huh?" Ino was momentarily stunned.
The pain brought her back to some semblance of clarity. She thought of the pregnant Hinata; she was finally catching up.
"I... I don't mind either way," Ino said after a moment of thought.
"Then let's leave it to fate," Shinho said with a smile.
Ino nodded, her face growing redder and redder, as vibrant as a blooming rose.
A gentle night passed.
The young woman, overflowing with happiness, had fully blossomed into adulthood.
…
A new day.
Hinata awoke and looked out the window, her eyes lighting up with delight. It wasn't because of Shinho, who hadn't returned all night; it was because a heavy snow had begun to fall outside.
The white snow blanketed the earth, erasing all other colors.
It was the first snow of the year in the Land of Fire. Hinata recalled the snow that fell on the day she met Shinho; it was the starting point of her happiness.
After watching the snow for a while, she got up and dressed.
Yesterday was her wedding day; from today onward, she would be a proper wife and mother.
Her first task was to move.
From the Hyuga clan compound to the rear palace of the royal palace.
From now on, her status would be just below the Emperor and Empress.
She would keep this room, however, to use when she visited her family.
But the move itself would be handled by others. She had something more important to do: wake Shinho up.
Hinata quickly changed and made her way to the Yamanaka compound.
With her current status and identity, no one dared to stop her. She arrived at Ino's room and was about to knock when the door suddenly opened.
Hinata was slightly taken aback.
There was only one explanation: Shinho had detected her. With his strength, it was to be expected. Without hesitation, she stepped inside.
The first thing she saw was Ino, fast asleep.
She lay peacefully on the bed, a faint blush on her cheeks, her golden hair disheveled.
Shinho was already awake, a slight smile playing on his lips.
Just as Hinata was about to speak, he placed a finger to his lips, silencing her.
She nodded and walked over to him.
At that moment, Shinho pulled back the covers.
Hinata froze, glancing at Ino, a wave of embarrassment washing over her. But after a few seconds of hesitation, she slipped under the covers.
She was his wife now; she shouldn't refuse him.
"Good girl," Shinho murmured, pulling her into his arms. His hand found its way to her breast.
Hinata trembled, her face burning.
Especially with Ino so close by. Even though she was still asleep, it filled Hinata with trepidation.
In the next second, Hinata felt a chill as her kimono was removed and placed aside. Her eyes widened in surprise; she hadn't expected him to be so bold, even after knowing full wel he'd do this kind of things in a heartbeat.
Hinata clenched her jaw to avoid waking Ino.
There was no sound, but a faint scent lingered in the air.
Ino's eyes fluttered open.
The sight that greeted her was Shinho's restless body.
She focused her gaze and saw Hinata in his arms. For a moment, Ino didn't know whether to laugh or be angry.
"Awake, Ino?" Shinho asked casually.
"How could I not be?" Ino retorted, a hint of annoyance in her voice. "You two seem quite busy."
Hearing Ino's voice, Hinata's drowsy mind snapped back to alertness.
A wave of shame washed over her, and she trembled, clenching her fists.
Shinho winced.
He caressed Hinata's abdomen for a few seconds before releasing her and turning to face Ino.
"You... bastard!" Ino exclaimed, her face crimson after seeing his arousal.
"It gets worse," Shinho replied with a smirk.
Seeing this, Shinho pulled her into his arms.
"Wait...ah, you damned scoundrel!" Ino cried out, rolling her eyes.
Now she couldn't really blame Hinata; they had, after all, shared a common experience.
A rather intimate one.
…
Another hour passed. The sky had grown even darker as the snow fell more heavily.
Shinho stood in the courtyard, stretching languidly. He turned and saw a heartwarming scene: Ino was carefully helping Hinata down the stairs.
After their shared experience, they had truly become close friends.
Ino seemed even more concerned about Hinata's pregnancy than Hinata herself.
Shinho approached them, a faint fragrance wafting in the air.
He smiled and asked, "How come you two are using the same bath soap?" He had initially intended to bathe them himself but had been promptly kicked out.
"Is there a problem with that?" Ino glared at him.
She was still harboring some resentment. Her wedding night had been interrupted by waking up to find Shinho with Hinata.
Such scandalous behavior, especially so soon after marrying her, naturally displeased her.
"Of course not," Shinho said, easily guessing her thoughts.
He leaned in and kissed her.
Ino instinctively tried to push him away, but it was too late. It wasn't that she disliked it; she was simply mindful of Hinata beside her.
However, Shinho surprised her.
He turned and kissed Hinata as well.
"..." Ino was once again left speechless.
She wanted to bite him out of frustration.
After a moment, she sighed inwardly.
She needed to learn to adapt.
fter all, it wouldn't just be the two of them anymore. If she was constantly jealous, it would only upset their relationship.
Just then, a knock came from the front door. Shinho turned to see Samui.
Unlike Hinata and Ino, who were dressed in kimonos, Samui wore a professional suit.
Her black pantyhose stretched from her ankles, past her knees, and disappeared beneath her tight skirt, which strained to contain her full, rounded hips.
"Lord Hokage," Samui said, stopping before him. "The moving crew is outside."
"Moving crew?" Shinho was slightly taken aback.
"For Hinata and Ino's belongings," Samui explained.
"Oh, that," Shinho nodded in satisfaction. "You're always so thoughtful." He had completely forgotten about it.
"It's only my duty," Samui replied with a faint smile.
"Are you cold?" Shinho asked, reaching out to squeeze her thigh.
"No," Samui shook her head. "I'm a ninja, and these are thermal tights."
"They do feel thicker," Shinho commented, feeling the texture of the pantyhose.
"Let's go," Ino said, unable to stand Shinho's flirtatious behavior any longer.
She pulled Hinata towards the door.
The so-called "moving crew" consisted of ninjas from the Hyuga and Yamanaka clans, who bowed deeply upon seeing them.
"Follow me," Ino said, leading the Hyuga ninjas to her room.
Hinata did the same.
"Anything important happening lately?" Shinho asked Samui, retracting his gaze and behaving more appropriately with others present.
"The Skynet's development is complete," Samui replied after a moment of thought.
"Oh?" Shinho raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
He had given Kaguya quite a few game concepts from his past life; it seemed they were finally ready after all this time.
"The Skynet" refers to a vast, interconnected network possibly powered by the God Tree or another powerful source, similar to the internet.
It would allow users to access the virtual world Shinho created using Infinite Tsukuyomi.
"Organize a group to test the content," Shinho instructed.
In the terms of his past life, these would be the beta testers.
"Yes," Samui nodded.
"Not too many people though," Shinho added. "The main focus is to test whether their bodies experience any adverse effects after logging into the Skynet."
"Understood," Samui said. "I'll have the Konoha Hospital oversee it."
"Good," Shinho said. Then, he suddenly remembered something. "Have Karin and Konan moved in yet?"
"Not yet," Samui replied, studying him. "Should I have them all move in?"
"Yes, have them all move in," Shinho said with a wave of his hand.
As of last night, they were all his women, intimately connected to him. Come to think of it, Ino had been the last.
No, perhaps not.
He remembered his sister-in-law. Hanabi.
"I'll inform them right away," Samui said with a slight bow. A strong fragrance lingered in the air.
Seeing that no one was paying attention, Shinho pulled Samui's soft and curvaceous body into his arms.
He lowered his head and nipped at her lips before releasing her.
"Lord Hokage," Samui asked, a hint of seduction in her normally cool demeanor. "When will you be returning to the office?"
"Soon," Shinho replied, his blood stirring at her suggestive tone.
"I understand," Samui said with a faint smile, turning to leave.
"What a temptress," Shinho murmured to himself.
Samui was a very perceptive Hokage's secretary, always subtly enticing him.
Time passed.
December ended, and a new year began.
Thanks to the efforts of Shinho and others, the Shinobi world continued to prosper, especially in the realm of commerce.
In January, the Skynet officially launched.
Using leaves from the God Tree as login devices, people could enter the Infinite Tsukuyomi and experience the game world Kaguya had created.
The most popular game was the Shinobi Arena.
The reason was simple. Even in a peaceful world, conflicts and friction between people were inevitable.
In the past, disagreements would often lead to sparring or deadly duels, resulting in injuries or deaths.
But in the Infinite Tsukuyomi's Shinobi Arena, there was no need to worry about getting hurt.
Everyone could vent their frustrations without holding back. Winners could boast and gloat, while losers could strive to improve and challenge again.
In short, it wouldn't disrupt the peace of the Shinobi world.
In June, early summer, Shinho received three pieces of good news:
First, Tsunade and Hinata had each safely given birth to baby girls, less than a week apart.
Second, Ino was pregnant.
After so much effort, he had finally been rewarded.
Third, he planned to marry Shizune on the fifteenth.
After Tsunade, Hinata, and Ino, Shinho placed Shizune fourth in line.
After all, she was the older sister who had grown up with him.
Following her were Karin, Konan, Samui, and Mabui.