Tsunade's lips parted slightly, and the breath she exhaled carried the rich fragrance of sake.
He leaned down and gently kissed her forehead.
Tsunade's eyelashes trembled before her amber eyes slowly opened.
"You came back."
Her voice was slightly hoarse. When she saw Kiyohara crouching in front of her, she was startled for a moment before raising a hand to rub her eyes.
"Check the clock for me. What time is it?"
"It's still early. Go back to sleep."
Although he said that, Kiyohara had no intention of giving her the chance to continue sleeping.
He scooped Tsunade up from the sofa in one motion, turned around, and sat down in her place. He settled her comfortably in his arms, with her legs resting on either side of his body.
The sudden movement woke Tsunade a little more. She instinctively tried to push him away, but the moment she raised her hand, Kiyohara caught her wrist.
With his other hand, he gently pressed against the small of her back.
"Don't move. Let me massage you and help you relax."
His fingertips slowly kneaded the muscles around her lower back. He could clearly feel the tension gradually leaving her body beneath his touch.
Tsunade's stiff body slowly relaxed. She leaned against his shoulder, her nose brushing lightly against him.
"I'll probably be rather busy for a while."
Kiyohara spoke casually as he continued massaging her.
"There are some things that need to be arranged regarding Kaguya. The Akatsuki has also been making some moves recently, and then there are the matters concerning the Moon."
"Hmph."
Tsunade let out a muffled snort.
"You really are a busy man. When are you ever not busy? You were busy before, then you became even busier after becoming Hokage. Now you've got yourself a Otsutsuki Goddess to deal with, and you're still busy. I suspect that even if you became the Sage of Six Paths someday, you'd still have a mountain of troublesome matters waiting for you."
"It won't be like this forever. Once these matters are settled, I'll take you out somewhere. A large portion of the desert in the Land of Wind has already been transformed into grassland. I still haven't taken you there to see it."
Kiyohara smiled.
At this point, the largest grassland in the entire shinobi world might very well be in the Land of Wind.
Tsunade raised her head and looked at Kiyohara's face with her brown-gold eyes.
She reached out, pinched his cheeks, and pulled them gently in opposite directions.
"You little brat. All you know how to do is paint me a pretty picture."
Kiyohara smiled faintly and pulled her a little closer into his embrace.
His hand followed the curve of her waist downward before giving her a light pat.
Tsunade's body stiffened slightly, and a faint, muffled sound escaped from deep in her throat.
Kiyohara's hand did not stop. It moved from her side to the outside of her thigh before sliding back up toward her waist.
Tsunade's breathing gradually became more disordered. She placed both hands against Kiyohara's chest, wanting to push him away, but she could not seem to summon the strength.
She lowered her head until her forehead rested against the hollow of his shoulder, then squeezed several words through clenched teeth.
"You rebellious disciple..."
Kiyohara kissed her, silencing the rest of her words before she could finish.
Tsunade's golden hair was spread messily across Kiyohara's shoulder, swaying gently with the movement of her body.
Before long, traces of the two of them could be found throughout the living room.
The night grew deeper.
Tsunade lay limp in Kiyohara's arms, her entire body covered in a thin sheen of sweat. Her long golden hair was damp, clinging to her cheeks and neck, while a lingering flush remained on her face.
A faint layer of moisture clouded her amber eyes, yet the corners of her lips carried a trace of satisfaction that she herself did not seem to notice.
Meanwhile, far away.
Kaguya was kneeling on the tatami, faint veins protruding slightly around her Byakugan.
She should never have spied on them.
But she had been unable to resist.
When Kiyohara activated his "Dragon Vein Chakra Mode," the purple chakra fluctuations that leaked from his body had stirred something within Kaguya.
The sensation of Dragon Vein Chakra was something she had never experienced before.
Out of curiosity, Kaguya had continued watching Kiyohara.
Who would have expected that the moment he started, he would immediately put on a scene that was completely inappropriate for children to witness?
However, Kaguya soon noticed that her heartbeat had become slightly faster than usual, while an unfamiliar warmth had begun to rise within her chest.
"What is the meaning of this kind of thing?"
Kaguya was puzzled.
Wasn't it simply a matter of exploring Yin-Yang Release and creating offspring?
Why did it look so strange?
Several days later.
When Kiyohara walked out of the Hokage Tower, a fine drizzle was falling from the sky.
The rain was not heavy, but it was dense, like an extremely thin layer of gray gauze woven across the heavens, enveloping the entire Konoha in a hazy mist of water.
Today, Kiyohara had surprisingly chosen not to use a space-time ninjutsu. Instead, he simply stood beneath the eaves.
Before long, the crisp sound of high heels striking the stone pavement came from behind him.
Kurenai hurried out of the building.
Several strands of her slightly curled black hair had been dampened by the mist and rain, clinging lightly to the corners of her fair forehead.
She held a dark red oil-paper umbrella in her hand. Several pale golden clouds had been painted across its surface.
When she reached Kiyohara's side, she opened the umbrella.
The red canopy blossomed against the gray curtain of rain like a flower suddenly opening in the middle of a gloomy landscape.
"You didn't bring an umbrella, did you?"
Kurenai smiled.
Kiyohara shook his head and naturally moved half a step closer to her, his shoulder gently brushing against hers.
Kurenai raised the umbrella slightly higher and tilted it toward him, covering the two of them together beneath that small, dry world of red.
They walked side by side into the rain.
Kurenai was wearing a pair of red high heels today. Each step of her heels against the wet stone pavement sent tiny droplets of water splashing outward.
The arm holding the umbrella gradually began to ache, and the canopy swayed gently with each step she took.
Kiyohara glanced sideways at her before reaching out and taking the umbrella handle from her hand.
Then his right hand left the umbrella handle and naturally wrapped around her waist.
His hand pressed against her waist through the damp fabric of her clothes. Kurenai's body stiffened slightly before slowly relaxing again.
She turned her head and gently rested her cheek against Kiyohara's shoulder.
By the time they returned home, the lower hems of both their clothes had been slightly dampened by the rain.
Kurenai bent down in the entryway to take off her shoes. The red high heels had been soaked by the rain, making their color appear several shades deeper.
She bent over and removed one shoe.
Standing behind her, Kiyohara could see the fabric of her clothing stretched tightly across her figure, revealing her graceful curves.
The sight struck him with such force that his hand instinctively reached around her waist from behind.
Kurenai's breathing suddenly became hurried.
She instinctively grabbed Kiyohara's wrist, trying to push him away.
"Wait, wait until tonight..."
Her voice was extremely soft, carrying a slight tremble that she could barely suppress.
"Tsunade-sama might be upstairs..."
Kiyohara ignored her words and pulled her closer into his embrace.
He rested his chin against her shoulder, his lips close to the edge of her ear.
Kurenai's cheeks visibly reddened, and a fine shiver ran through her body.
She bit down hard on her lower lip to keep herself from making a sound. Both hands were braced against the shoe cabinet, her knuckles turning slightly pale from the force.
When footsteps could be heard coming from upstairs, Kurenai finally managed to break free from Kiyohara's embrace.
She hurriedly bent down, removed her other high heel, and ran barefoot into the living room.
Her feet made a series of quick, soft sounds against the wooden floor.
As she ran, she used the back of her hand to wipe her cheeks, trying to suppress the burning heat there.
Instead, the more she wiped, the redder her cheeks became.
At that moment, Tsunade arrived downstairs.
She was wearing a loose-fitting house kimono, while her long golden hair hung casually over her shoulders.
She raised her eyes and looked over Kurenai's face.
Her ruby-like eyes still seemed to carry a thin layer of moisture that had not completely disappeared.
Tsunade gave a soft hum, picked up her teacup, and took a sip without saying anything.
"Kiyohara your little disciple is looking for you."
Tsunade placed the teacup back on the low table, her tone carrying a hint of teasing amusement.
"Hinata?"
Kiyohara walked in from the entryway, the hem of his robe still carrying a few droplets of rainwater.
Tsunade nodded toward the kitchen with her chin.
Hinata happened to walk out of the kitchen at that moment, carrying a tray with several cups of freshly brewed hot tea.
Today, she was wearing a light purple little kimono. Her short dark blue hair had been tied into two small buns with a white hair ribbon, leaving the back of her delicate neck exposed.
When she saw Kiyohara, her footsteps suddenly stopped.
Her pure white eyes immediately lit up.
"Sensei!"
Her voice was several times louder than usual.
Only after shouting did she realize how loud she had been. She immediately lowered her head, two distinct blushes appearing on her cheeks as her fingers tightened slightly around the tray.
"I... I was just helping Shizune-san in the kitchen."
Kiyohara walked over and crouched down in front of her.
Hinata placed the tray on the low table and brought her small hands together in front of herself.
"How is your progress with the technique I taught you last time?"
Hinata raised her head, a moment of seriousness flashing through her pure white eyes.
"I... I have already learned it."
Her voice was soft and delicate.
Kiyohara reached out and gently pinched her soft cheek, pressing a small indentation into her fair skin.
"Very good. Once you're a few years older and your foundation is more solid, I'll teach you 'Sage Art.'"
With her cheek being pinched, Hinata's voice became slightly muffled, but curiosity had already filled her pure white eyes.
"Sage Art... What is that?"
"A power that is more advanced than ordinary ninjutsu."
Kiyohara withdrew his hand and gently patted the top of her head.
"To put it simply, it involves drawing natural energy from the air into your body and combining it with your chakra. This allows the power of your ninjutsu to increase several times over. You're still young right now, so you should focus on building a strong foundation first. Once your chakra pathways and physical system have developed enough to withstand natural energy, I'll teach it to you."
Hinata nodded as though she understood, her pure white eyes reflecting Kiyohara's face.
Then her cheeks suddenly turned red again, even the tips of her ears becoming pink.
Kiyohara had praised her and told her that she had done very well.
Those few words repeatedly echoed inside her mind.
Each time they replayed in her thoughts, the temperature of her face seemed to rise another degree.
She suddenly turned around and hurried back toward the kitchen to continue helping Shizune.
Kiyohara watched her figure disappear behind the kitchen door, and the corners of his lips curled upward slightly.
"What a steam princess."
Kiyohara sighed.
One week later.
Kaguya was kneeling on the tatami with a detailed map of the shinobi world spread out in front of her.
The map had been drawn with remarkable precision. The mountains, rivers, chakra ore veins, and branches of the Dragon Vein throughout the Five Great Nations had all been clearly marked with different colors of ink.
Kiyohara sat cross-legged opposite her, lightly tapping the location of Shikkotsu Forest on the map with his finger.
"Once the God Tree is planted, its absorption of the natural energy in the surrounding area will be continuous and enormous. Shikkotsu Forest is one of the Three Great Sage Regions, and its concentration of natural energy is among the highest of all known locations in the shinobi world. I can go and negotiate with the Slug Sage."
"Anything is fine."
That was Kaguya's response.
Kiyohara noticed that she seemed somewhat distracted.
Kaguya's gaze was resting on the map, but the focus of her pure white eyes was not actually fixed on any of the markings. Instead, her attention seemed to float somewhere above the surface of the paper.
Her thoughts had once again drifted back to what had happened one week ago.
The scene of Kiyohara and Tsunade together on the sofa.
Those images had no practical significance whatsoever, yet they had repeatedly surfaced in her mind for an entire week.
"Is there any way to accelerate the growth of the God Tree?"
Kiyohara's voice pulled her out of her daze.
Kaguya raised her eyes and quickly returned to her usual indifferent expression.
"Simply sacrifice more lives. The God Tree's nourishment has never consisted of natural energy alone. The chakra of living humans, especially the chakra of a large number of living humans, can cause it to grow rapidly within an extremely short period of time."
"Back then, when I activated Infinite Tsukuyomi and suspended the entire human population of the shinobi world from the God Tree, it was precisely because I needed to feed it."
"That option is rejected immediately."
Kiyohara answered without the slightest hesitation.
"I'm researching another method. Shinobi revived through Edo Tensei possess an endless ability to regenerate chakra. Although the upper limit of their chakra output during any single moment is restricted, their chakra can be extracted repeatedly."
"If we can uncover the secret behind the endless regeneration of an Edo Tensei body and apply it to the God Tree's feeding system, then we could provide it with a continuous supply of chakra without harming living people."
Kaguya remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking.
"What is Edo Tensei?"
"It's a type of ninjutsu. Simply put, it summons the soul of a deceased person back from the Pure Land and binds it to a special living vessel, allowing the dead to return to the world in a form that can neither truly die nor decay."
He paused before adding another question.
"What is ninjutsu?"
"Hmm..."
Kaguya looked at him.
"Through the use of hand seals, chakra can be released in the form of techniques. That is what we call ninjutsu."
"The founder of ninjutsu was Indra."
Kiyohara explained.
Kaguya's brows furrowed slightly.
Indra.
Her eldest grandson, the one who had inherited powerful chakra.
Although Kaguya had never personally met him, after she had been sealed on the Moon, Hamura would occasionally tell her about what had happened on Earth.
She had never expected that the descendants of Hagoromo would actually invent something like this.
What she was even less familiar with, however, was the shinobi system itself.
In the era when she had descended upon this planet, there had been no concept of ninjutsu at all. Humanity was still living under a feudal system, and when members of the Otsutsuki Clan used chakra, they had never needed to form hand seals.
"Shinobi only need to form hand seals to release techniques that are somewhat similar to the abilities of the Otsutsuki Clan. Although their power is inferior to that of Kekkei Genkai, they make up for it with their enormous variety and flexible combinations."
"Hand seals are essentially a method of guiding chakra. They can improve the stability and precision of a technique, while different combinations of hand seals can also produce countless additional applications."
"If you want to learn, I can teach you."
Kaguya remained silent for a moment before giving a slight nod.
"All right."
Several days later, an unprecedented high-level meeting was held inside the Hokage Tower of Konoha.
The core members of Konoha filled both sides of the long conference table. Department heads, clan leaders, and several elders who had already retired from active positions were all present.
Even Hiruzen was among them.
The atmosphere in the conference room had initially been fairly relaxed.
However, the moment Kiyohara announced his plan, the entire room seemed to freeze.
"The daimyo system of the Land of Fire has long since become rotten beyond repair. They sit safely in the rear and enjoy the fruits of other people's labor while controlling the country's economic lifelines. Shinobi bleed and die on the battlefield, while the daimyo drink and indulge themselves within their mansions."
"This kind of system no longer has any reason to continue existing."
Kiyohara's voice remained calm.
"I will replace the daimyo, unify the military, political, and financial authority of the Land of Fire, and become the Emperor of the Land of Fire."
Kiyohara's words shocked everyone present.
A deathly silence descended upon both sides of the long table.
Several older department heads looked at one another in disbelief.
Hyuga Hiashi's eyes widened.
Nara Shikaku was the first person to stand.
His expression was considerably more solemn than usual.
"Hokage-sama, please allow me to speak frankly. Managing an entire country is far more difficult than managing a shinobi village. A shinobi village primarily operates through mission commissions and military deployment, but governing a country involves taxation, food supplies, irrigation, commerce, diplomacy, and maintaining a balance of power with the surrounding great nations."
"Although the daimyo system is corrupt, the existence of the daimyo itself has long been one of the foundations supporting the stability of the Land of Fire. If the Hokage replaces the daimyo, the other four great nations will inevitably use this as a reason to impose sanctions or even launch a war."
"Konoha's military strength may be formidable, but if we have to face an alliance of all four great nations at once, the consequences would be unimaginable."
Several jonin team leaders immediately voiced their agreement.
Another person stood up to oppose the proposal, arguing that such a move would shake the very foundations of Konoha.
The objections came one after another throughout the conference room.
On the other side, Hiruzen's aged face was filled with worry.
As the former Hokage, he had always believed that the Hokage and the daimyo should each perform their respective duties.
The Hokage protected the village, while the daimyo provided the village with resources.
There was even a trace of pain in his voice when he finally spoke.
"Kiyohara, you are the Fourth Hokage. You are the symbol of Konoha. Replacing the daimyo with the Hokage is something that has never happened in the history of the shinobi world. This is simply too... too outrageous."
Hiruzen had never imagined that Kiyohara would become like this.
This idea was even more extreme than what Uchiha Madara had proposed back then.
Kiyohara waited patiently until everyone had finished speaking.
Only then did he slowly open his mouth.
"Who supports me? Who opposes me?"
The conference room fell silent once again.
Tsunade crossed her arms over her chest and spoke first.
"I support it."
Her voice was not loud, but every person in the room heard her clearly.
Shikaku turned his gaze toward her, his eyes carrying a trace of helplessness.
As expected of Tsunade-sama.
She was once again the first person to stand up and support him.
Kurenai immediately raised her hand after her.
Rin closed the folder in her hands and quietly said,
"I support it."
Konan leaned against the window and merely nodded lightly.
As Kiyohara's women, they naturally expressed their support for him without hesitation.
Then Minato also stood.
"I agree with Kiyohara's judgment. The daimyo system has indeed become so corrupt that it can no longer be fixed. Rather than endlessly patching up an old system, it would be better to reform it completely. I believe Kiyohara has both the ability and the restraint necessary to accomplish this."
Kushina sat beside him and grinned.
"I support it too! I've disliked that daimyo for a long time. Every time he comes to Konoha for an inspection, he wears that miserable expression as if all of us shinobi owe him money."
Kakashi also lazily raised his hand.
Guy did not completely understand the political implications of the matter, but he slammed his palm against the table and loudly declared,
"Youth does not allow us to cling stubbornly to outdated traditions! Since the Hokage-sama has decided to do this, then it must be the correct choice!"
Hiruzen looked around as more and more people raised their hands.
In the end, he could only sigh helplessly.
Kiyohara was not a puppet Hokage.
He possessed genuine authority.
Moreover, all of these people were what Hiruzen considered the new generation.
The people who had served under him during his own administration had already been completely replaced by Kiyohara.
Kiyohara placed both hands on the surface of the table.
The result of the vote had already been decided.
Yet the people who had raised their hands still had varying degrees of concern in their eyes.
Supporting the proposal was one thing.
Figuring out how to implement it was another.
"There are several things I need to make clear in advance."
Kiyohara spoke calmly.
"I will not allow shinobi to completely replace ordinary people. Governing the Land of Fire requires all kinds of talents. It is not true that only shinobi who know how to fight can become officials."
"Ordinary people with ability, whether they are merchants, scholars, craftsmen, or professionals in other fields, can still hold important positions."
"What I intend to change is not who becomes an official. What I intend to change is where those officials come from and whom they are responsible to."
Shikaku had already sat back down in his chair.
Hearing those words, however, he raised his head once again.
A trace of surprise flashed through his normally calm eyes.
He had originally assumed that Kiyohara intended to establish nothing more than a purely military regime.
He had not expected Kiyohara's very first statement to demonstrate such a broad vision.
"Next, the curriculum of the Shinobi Academy will undergo a comprehensive reform."
Kiyohara opened a document that had already been prepared in advance.
"We will introduce a Shinobi Middle School system. Four new compulsory subjects will be added: politics, economics, law, and engineering. Chunin and above will be eligible to enroll."
"The Anbu will also undergo expansion. After the expansion, the Anbu will no longer be merely a force responsible for assassination, infiltration, and covert missions."
"Outstanding members of the Anbu will be selected and transferred into the administrative system of the Land of Fire, where they will serve as officials at various levels."
"There will be three evaluation criteria: loyalty, ability, and achievements."
"Your background does not matter. Your bloodline does not matter. What matters is whether you can actually get things done."
A faint stir passed through the conference room.
Several clan leaders exchanged glances.
The Anbu had always been the Hokage's direct military force.
Turning the Anbu into a pool from which government officials could be selected meant that, outside the existing system of clan-based politics, a completely new path for advancement would be created.
For shinobi from ordinary backgrounds, this was an invaluable opportunity.
For the traditional shinobi clans, however, it meant that the existing distribution of political power would be reshaped.
At that moment, Tsunade leaned back against her chair and crossed her arms over her chest, the corners of her lips curving upward.
"So, if I understand correctly, as the princess of the Land of Fire, does that mean I am going to become your subject?"
Her tone was half teasing and half serious.
Her brown-gold eyes slowly moved across Kiyohara's face.
Tsunade was the granddaughter of Senju Hashirama, the First Hokage.
Many members of the Senju Clan had eventually integrated into the nobility, and the clan had once been one of the most prestigious families in the Land of Fire.
Because of this, Tsunade's bloodline itself carried a symbolic connection to the legitimate heritage of the Land of Fire.
Kiyohara looked at her, his tone remaining unchanged.
"The daimyo will not disappear completely. They will simply step down from the position of supreme decision-maker and become one component of the new system."
"The daimyo will still retain a certain degree of local autonomy and taxation rights. However, military authority and diplomatic authority will both be transferred to the central government and placed under the unified command of the Emperor."
"If you want, you can continue using the title of Princess of the Land of Fire."
"But the supreme commander, meaning me, will be called the 'Emperor.'"
Tsunade let out a soft snort and turned her head away.
It seemed that Kiyohara had no intention of completely abolishing the old system.
Instead, he intended to integrate every existing faction into an entirely new framework at a higher level.
The daimyo would remain.
The shinobi clans would remain.
The Senju bloodline would remain.
Everything would be preserved.
But everything would also be reduced in rank.
At the very top, there would be only one position.
That position would be the Emperor.
(End of Chapter)