After dinner, laughter still lingering in the warm air, the group made their way to the large living room. The couches were plush and inviting, the lighting soft.
Kushina excused herself to check on something at her house, while Shizune helped clean up the table. While the remaining group, Kakashi, Tsunade, Kurenai, Anko, and Mei, gathered on the couches with full bellies and content smiles.
Kakashi stretched a little, cracking his neck before settling beside Tsunade. She was swirling a glass of sake, and her eyes were fixed on him.
"So," Tsunade began, breaking the silence with her usual commanding voice, "what's your next step?"
"First, I'll start ANBU training for Naruto and Sasuke. They're ready, and with me leading, I can shape them properly. After that… I plan to begin training in Sage Mode." Kakashi leaned back as he replied calmly,
"Like my grandpa. But with your chakra capacity now… and your mastery over it… I believe you can pull it off." Tsunade nodded slowly, eyes thoughtful.
Mei, sitting to Kakashi's other side, perked up slightly, listening intently. She hadn't been expecting such a bold plan, but knowing what she knew now about him, it wasn't surprising.
"That Sage Mode stuff… is it like what you put in the Serpent Seal?" Anko, lazily sprawled across the opposite couch, glanced toward him and asked.
Kakashi shook his head. "No. The Serpent Seal has senjutsu enzymes from Garaga, yes, but it doesn't grant Sage Mode. It enhances your chakra, and gives you physical boosts, and snake traits… but true Sage Mode requires harmony with the nature chakra. That's a different process altogether, and it's a lot more complicated."
Anko gave a hum of understanding, stretching like a cat. Mei watched her with mild curiosity, especially when the talk of the seal continued.
"You all talk so casually about senjutsu… It's rare to see a group like this outside of the major clans." Mei tucked her legs under herself and gave a graceful smile.
"Well, when Kakashi's involved, strange becomes normal." Kurenai smiled gently.
"Thanks, Kurenai." Kakashi chuckled softly.
As their banter continued, Kakashi glanced toward Kurenai again. A thought struck him, the Second Mizukage's summon: the Giant Clam.
It was perfect for genjutsu. The Giant Clam produced a dense mist, refracting light itself to create realistic mirages that even Sharingan struggled to pierce. It wasn't just mental genjutsu, it bent actual reality, which made it almost impossible to break unless the summoning source was found and dispelled.
Kakashi leaned toward Kurenai slightly.
"I've been thinking… that Giant Clam summons from your village," he said, glancing at Mei. "It'd be the perfect base to create a seal for Kurenai. A genjutsu seal using its enzymes."
Mei's brow arched with interest, impressed. "Ah… the Giant Clam? That's a powerful summon. Difficult to locate and even harder to extract anything from it. But," she added with a sly smirk, "if you're serious, you'll have to come to Kirigakure with me to get access. Our ANBU protects them."
"Fine by me. I'll go."Kakashi chuckled.
"Good. I'll make the arrangements then." Mei's smile widened, her green eyes shining slightly.
From across the room, Anko and Kurenai exchanged a look, followed by a sigh and a playful eye roll. Tsunade didn't say anything, but her smirk gave her away. They all understood the look Mei gave Kakashi. Bold, flirtatious, and clearly invested.
Still, there was no tension, only quiet amusement. After the last few days and after observing Mei during dinner, all three women decided to give her a chance.
Tsunade no longer minded the "older woman" comment, and Kurenai liked that Mei had an appreciation for genjutsu. Anko, of course, wanted to see if she had enough bite to match her flirtatious bark.
"Seems like you're collecting more women than forbidden jutsu lately," Anko teased, her tone light.
"I'm just trying to study Sage Mode, I swear." Kakashi raised his hands in mock surrender.
"Oh, I'm sure," Tsunade said dryly.
Then Mei turned to Anko, curiosity in her eyes. "You mentioned the Serpent Seal earlier… I've never heard of it, but I would like to see it in person. May I?"
Anko's eyes gleamed. She stood proudly and stepped forward. "Watch closely."
With a single hand sign, purple-blue chakra surged around her body. Scales slowly formed over her arms and collarbone, and her eyes gained slitted pupils.
Two small, sharp horns rose from her temples, and the shadows beneath her eyes darkened like markings. A long, whip-like snake tail extended briefly behind her before fading again.
The chakra around her felt wild, raw, and dense. Mei's eyes widened in surprise as she felt it. Her trained senses immediately noticed the unique balance within Anko's chakra.
"That's… impressive," Mei said softly, walking a circles around Anko, examining. "That's not just a seal. It looks… alive."
"It's based on Garaga's blood, Kakashi's summon," Anko said with pride. "It boosts reflexes, endurance, even healing. And I can still go into a second stage transformation, scaly wings and all."
"You created this?" Mei turned to Kakashi, genuinely stunned.
Kakashi gave a modest shrug. "Modified Orochimaru's base. Improved it, made it safer. I wanted to give Anko a gift… and a new path, after everything she went through."
Mei blinked, looking at Anko, who smiled gratefully, then back at Kakashi. For a long moment, she didn't say anything, just admired him.
Finally, she breathed, "Is there anything you can't do?"
"I still burn toast." Kakashi gave her a half-smile.
The group laughed, and the tension dissolved into warmth.
As the women started chatting among themselves, about seals, training techniques, village politics, Kakashi quietly stood and made his way downstairs.
He didn't go to escape, he wanted them to bond. Mei was serious about staying, and Tsunade had given her approval. The least he could do was give her the space to get to know the others.