After a long moment, Konan stepped back half a pace.
Her cheeks were flushed. She took a few quick breaths—then vanished without warning.
Kitazawa shook his head, a wry smile tugging at his lips.
She'd started it herself, yet after teasing him senseless, she'd fled.
Only then did it hit him.
Given Konan's personality, she probably had no idea just how lethal those small, casual gestures were to him.
July arrived in the blink of an eye.
The Genius Class reached the end of the term, with summer vacation looming ahead.
On July 14, the final exams officially began.
The first day was the written theory test. Kitazawa didn't head to the Ninja Academy—instead, he reported to the ANBU base.
Seated at a desk, he pulled out a blank training schedule.
Summer break was nearly here. It was time to design an intensive program for the genius class.
After a brief pause, he took out a second sheet.
Calling it a "summer camp" was generous—it was really a consolidation of everything they'd learned so far, tailored to their current growth stage.
He divided the training into two categories.
One group would continue along their existing paths.
The other would shift to new directions entirely.
Pen in hand, he began listing those remaining on their original track.
Kurama Yakumo—her talent for genjutsu was exceptional, but her progress with the Konoha Body Flicker lagged behind.
The reason was simple: her body.
Though healed, she'd lost too much time in physical conditioning. Any form of body flicker placed enormous strain on the body.
Akimichi Choji remained focused on the Super Multi-Size Technique.
There were still several clan secret techniques he hadn't learned—not due to lack of ability, but lack of permission.
Akimichi techniques were deeply dependent on physique. Take Expansion Jutsu: the same technique produced wildly different effects depending on the user's body.
For Choji, the priority remained unchanged.
Eat. Grow. Repeat.
Rock Lee would continue pure physical training while further refining the Konoha Dragon God.
Tenten, like Yakumo, was studying the Konoha Body Flicker—but her progress was noticeably faster.
Hyuga Hinata and Hyuga Neji were practicing the World-Ending Arrow.
However, the technique was simply too demanding. They wouldn't linger on it for long.
With that in mind, Kitazawa decided to introduce a new bow-based Secret Technique.
He named it Phantom Arc Arrow.
Though less destructive than Spiral Arrow, it could alter its trajectory mid-flight, making it far harder to anticipate.
In essence, it curved—an idea inspired by the Uchiha clan's Manipulating Shuriken Technique.
Ino continued refining Ninja Art: Mind Telepathy.
Nara Shikamaru was still polishing Shadow Replacement Technique; his training plan remained unchanged.
Sakura Haruno was under Maruboshi Kosuke's guidance. There was little need for Kitazawa to intervene.
Karin was focused on Medical Ninjutsu, while Kimimaro trained in Shikotsumyaku: Iron Flower Dance.
As Kitazawa worked through the list, Konan quietly appeared behind him.
She placed her bare hands on his shoulders and began kneading them gently.
Once the first sheet was complete, Kitazawa switched to the second.
This list contained those requiring a shift in curriculum.
At the top was Shion.
She'd already mastered Finger Carving Seal and One-Line Light Formation.
Over the summer, he planned to teach her Sealing Barrier Formation and Fūka Hōin.
Sealing Barrier Formation was relatively straightforward, and with her strong foundation, she could manage the added complexity of Fūka Hōin.
More importantly, she carried a system mission: master five sealing techniques within a year.
Kitazawa had no intention of letting her fall behind.
Second was Uchiha Sasuke.
Having already mastered Rasengan, his next step was Yin Release: Rasengan.
Third—naturally—was Uzumaki Naruto.
His path led toward Yang Release: Rasengan.
Once successful, he and Sasuke could combine their techniques into Taiji Rasengan.
That alone would allow Kitazawa to clear another system mission.
Fourth came Inuzuka Kiba.
He'd recently learned Earth Release: Earth Fang Bullet, but Kitazawa had no plans to teach him further Earth techniques.
The reason had four legs.
Kiba finally had a dog—Akamaru.
His summer task was simple: raise the pup while learning authentic Inuzuka clan secret techniques.
Fifth was Haku.
Having mastered Water Release: Water Formation Wall, he was now ready for Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique.
Sixth: Tayuya.
She'd already grasped Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique. Next came Fox-Heart Technique and Mystical Illusion: Place Transfer Technique.
Both were low-level C-rank genjutsu—she should learn them quickly.
Seventh was the newest addition: Chino.
While consolidating Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique, she would also begin learning Water Release: Heavenly Cry.
At present, Chino relied far too heavily on the Ketsuryugan's genjutsu.
But genjutsu wasn't infallible. When it failed, she needed reliable ninjutsu to fall back on.
Water Release: Heavenly Cry fit her perfectly—low chakra cost, difficult to defend against, and lethal in the right hands.
Time slipped by unnoticed.
When he finished organizing everything, Kitazawa tucked both sheets away and turned to Konan.
"Come sit."
He patted his thigh.
"No more massage?" Konan shot him a cool look.
"You've been working for almost an hour. That's enough—rest."
He smiled at her tone.
Konan nodded.
She stepped in front of him, rose onto her toes, and settled her soft hips onto his lap.
Kitazawa wrapped his left arm around her waist.
Konan lifted one bare leg, crossing it over the other, and leaned back against his chest. Her gaze lingered on his face, silent but attentive.
"So," Kitazawa said, choosing a topic, "how's Akatsuki's business lately?"
With Konan's temperament, if he didn't start the conversation, they could sit in silence all day.
"Neither good nor bad," she replied evenly. "Smooth enough."
"So the Hidden Sand is making moves?"
His right hand rested on her bare leg, kneading gently.
"Mm." Konan nodded. "They're copying our publicity."
"No wonder," Kitazawa murmured, inhaling her faint scent.
"It's annoying."
"They can't truly compete," Konan said calmly.
"We have the advantage of being first."
Kitazawa paused.
"But if they copy everything, we can't crush them outright."
"Any ideas?" Konan tilted her head.
"Not really." He shook his head.
"Hidden Sand is one of the Five Great Villages—more manpower, more connections."
Konan bit her lip.
Those strategies had been Kitazawa's ideas. Seeing them stolen left a sour taste.
"As long as we stay ahead, I'm not worried," Kitazawa said, then leaned in and kissed her.
"Tell you what—I'll teach you a few more tricks."
"Thanks," Konan blinked.
"And keep an eye out for any drastic moves from Hidden Sand."
"Mm." She nodded, unconcerned.
Kitazawa then began explaining marketing strategies from his past life.
The longer Konan listened, the more astonished she became.
She already understood business well. With competitors emerging, she'd even sent people to investigate.
Yet his ideas didn't align with the current market at all—almost as if they came from another era.
She couldn't fathom where he'd unearthed them.
"It's noon," Kitazawa said, glancing at the wall clock.
"Let's stop here."
"I made lunchboxes," Konan said immediately, snapping back to herself.
"You'd make a great secretary," Kitazawa teased.
He lifted her chin and asked lightly, "Want to be my Hokage secretary?"
Konan's heart skipped. Her lips parted, but no words came.
"All right, all right—just teasing. Let's eat."
He gave her thigh a light pat.
Konan stood quietly.
She glanced back at him, a flicker of loss passing through her eyes.
She wanted to say yes—but reason told her it was impossible.
"Tomorrow begins summer break," Kitazawa said as he picked up the bento and sat on the sofa.
"You can return to the Akatsuki and put the publicity plan into action."
"Mm."
Konan sat across from him, and the two ate together.
That afternoon, Kitazawa headed to the Forest of Death to train.
He needed to seize every moment—to grow stronger, to drag Konan back to Konoha—ahem—to deal with the Akatsuki Organization, that ever-growing headache.
The next day, at exactly nine in the morning, the final exams' team battles officially began.
Last time, the arena had been a forest.
This time, it was a lake of molten lava.
Kitazawa had constructed footholds above the magma—discs, trampolines, waterbeds, and more.
One misstep during combat meant plunging straight into searing lava.
Because of the terrain, the team battles moved at a blistering pace. There was no forest to hide in, no room to stall.
In less than half a day, five rounds concluded.
With the final exams complete, summer vacation officially began.
For Kitazawa, this summer was much like any other.
He trained the Genius Class while refining the Flying Thunder God and Wood Release Hobi.
The only real difference was the length—forty-five days, from July 15 to September 1.
He was confident he could master Hobi before the new term.
Flying Thunder God, however, would take another two or three months.
August settled over Konoha in full force, the heat oppressive.
Sunagakure, by contrast, felt like this year-round.
The moment Yura returned from the Land of Wind's capital, he headed straight for the Kazekage's office.
"Where in the world did the Hidden Rain Village come up with these publicity stunts?"
Rasa frowned as he leafed through the documents in his hand.
"No idea," Yura shook his head. "I questioned several well-known merchants across the Land of Wind. None of them had ever seen methods like these."
After a brief pause, he added grimly, "They all praised the approach—and admitted they couldn't come up with anything better."
"Can we track down the person who invented it?" Rasa looked up sharply.
"That will be difficult," Yura replied, clearly troubled.
"All the ninja we sent to investigate Hidden Rain have vanished without a trace."
"No. Not Rain."
Rasa set the papers down.
"I mean the merchants. Investigate the traders selling water on their behalf."
Yura froze—then his eyes lit up.
"Brilliant, Kazekage-sama!"
Their attention had been too narrowly focused on Rain itself, blinded by traditional shinobi thinking—and by Hanzo's shadow.
They'd overlooked the civilians enabling Rain's business.
"Anyone capable of devising such unconventional marketing schemes is not a ninja," Rasa said coolly.
"If we capture—or eliminate—that person, Rain loses its greatest advantage."
"I'll dispatch investigators immediately!" Yura said without hesitation.
"Dismissed."
Rasa waved him off.
Once Yura departed, Rasa reached for another file.
A smile tugged at his lips as he read.
It detailed Sunagakure's earnings since entering the water trade.
The profits were staggering—more than ten times what he'd earned mining gold.
And that was with only a small portion of the market.
Rasa hadn't targeted Rain for petty rivalry.
He wanted the entire market.
Only then could Sunagakure sever its reliance on subsidies from the Land of Wind.
Setting the file aside, a thought crossed his mind.
He rummaged through the desk and pulled out a thin report.
Its contents were summarized in a single, chilling line:
"Nine assassination attempts on Gaara this week. Five ninja killed in retaliation."
Rasa sighed and shook his head.
Gaara—his son, Sunagakure's Jinchūriki—hosted the One-Tailed Beast, Shukaku.
Jinchūriki were meant to be a village's ultimate weapons.
To test Gaara's stability, Rasa had ordered assassins after him since the boy turned four.
At six, he'd gone further—commanding Gaara's uncle, Yashamaru, to strike.
Gaara killed him.
Shukaku rampaged.
From that day on, Rasa had labeled his own son a failure.
A fortnight passed in the blink of an eye.
Back in the Kazekage's office, Rasa clenched his fist.
Sunagakure had followed Rain's example—but being even one step behind meant falling further with every move.
Rain continued unveiling new tactics, each worsening Suna's position.
There was another complication.
Seeing the staggering water profits, merchants across the Land of Wind rushed in.
Merchants followed money.
To Rasa, they were more troublesome than Rain itself.
He couldn't touch them—they were Sunagakure's employers, or would be soon.
Many had direct ties to nobles and even the daimyo.
Fortunately, none were ninja. Their higher operating costs limited them to scraps.
The true problem was still Rain.
If not for fear of Hanzo—and of other villages exploiting the resulting chaos—Rasa would have already marched on them.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
"Enter."
Rasa looked up as Yura stepped inside.
"Well? Results?"
"We couldn't identify the mastermind behind the publicity," Yura admitted, then took a deep breath.
"But we discovered something else."
Rasa's gaze sharpened.
"The ninja transporting water for Rain… is Biwa Jūzō."
Rasa shot to his feet.
"The Hidden Mist defector? One of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen?"
"Yes," Yura said firmly.
"Our scout clearly saw him carrying the Executioner's Blade."
"Excellent!"
Rasa's lips curved into a cold grin.
"Our opportunity has arrived."
Now they had a legitimate excuse.
Villages hunting rogue ninja was standard practice.
Hidden Mist could move against Biwa Jūzō.
And if Hanzo interfered, Rain would be openly violating the unspoken rules every village abided by.
Of course, if Hanzo declared war outright, Suna alone would be vulnerable.
Other villages would seize the chance to exploit them.
But that assumed only Suna and Rain were involved.
Now Hidden Mist had entered the equation.
Rasa intended to ally with Mist, using the hunt for Jūzō as a pretext to dismantle Rain's business entirely.
Would Rain dare challenge both Sunagakure and Hidden Mist?
Rasa was certain Hanzo wouldn't.
These were two of the Five Great Villages.
Even Konoha—or Kumogakure—would hesitate to declare war on two great villages at once.
And if Hanzo truly did…
Then with Suna and Mist combined, crushing Rain would be trivial.
They only needed to break Rain's resistance swiftly—before other villages could interfere.
"Send an envoy to Hidden Mist immediately," Rasa ordered without hesitation.
"Inform the Fifth Mizukage that Sunagakure seeks cooperation."
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