The Land of Fire's grand capital sprawled beneath the afternoon sun, its wealth evident in every gilded roof and manicured garden. Hanekawa followed Tsunade through the Daimyo's mansion with practiced composure, though his internal monologue was far less diplomatic.
Here we go. Politics and pageantry. At least the food should be decent.
The Daimyo received them in his private dining hall—a cavernous space designed to remind visitors of his importance. Tsunade bowed with the respect the position demanded, and Hanekawa mirrored her movement. In name, the Daimyo outranked even the Hokage, a reality that never ceased to amuse Hanekawa. Ordinary people ruled the ninja world through purse strings rather than power.
"Long time no see, Tsunade," the Daimyo greeted warmly, gesturing to cushioned seats. "Please, sit."
The meal that followed was predictable theater. The Daimyo praised Konoha's recent victories, Tsunade accepted the compliments with measured grace, and servants circulated with wine and delicacies. Hanekawa ate quietly, observing the dance.
"The Hidden Cloud?" the Daimyo asked, swirling his wine. "I heard they're in trouble."
"They are," Tsunade confirmed. "With the Third Raikage dead, three villages have them surrounded. It's only a matter of time."
The Daimyo smiled with genuine pleasure. "Excellent. When I see the Land of Lightning's Daimyo next, I'll have something to boast about."
And there it is, Hanekawa thought. Wars are just bragging rights with body counts.
The conversation shifted to supplies. Tsunade made her request, and the Daimyo agreed without hesitation—the spoils of victory came with generous rewards. As they discussed logistics, the Daimyo's attention turned to Hanekawa.
"Ah yes, I remember you. We met once before, didn't we? When that mission went poorly?" The Daimyo's eyes brightened with recognition. "You captured the Four-Tails alive, I'm told. Remarkable. Your great-grandfather would be proud—Hashirama himself couldn't have done better."
Tsunade's expression tightened almost imperceptibly. Hanekawa caught it and suppressed a smile. The Daimyo had just credited her with a feat she'd barely participated in, and worse, he'd compared it favorably to Hashirama Senju. The man clearly didn't understand the gap between capturing one tailed beast and capturing nine.
"Has your next Hokage been decided?" the Daimyo asked, his tone casual but his eyes sharp.
Tsunade's hesitation lasted only a fraction of a second. "Not yet. My teacher is still in his prime."
"He must be over fifty by now," the Daimyo observed. "That's advanced age for a ninja."
Hanekawa watched Tsunade's jaw tighten. He understood immediately what was happening. The Daimyo was already thinking about succession—and he clearly preferred Tsunade. From a political standpoint, it made sense. She was legendary, she'd just pulled off a major victory, and she was familiar with the Daimyo's family. The math was simple.
After three rounds of drinks and increasingly flowery toasts, the lunch concluded. The Daimyo stood, slightly unsteady, and raised his glass one final time.
"To Konoha! May your victories continue!"
Everyone echoed the sentiment. As they filed out, the Daimyo mentioned that someone would contact them about the supplies.
The carriage ride back to Konoha was efficient. With Tsunade's strength and Hanekawa's presence, no bandits or rival ninja dared approach. The supplies were loaded without incident, and they made good time on the return journey.
Back in the village, Tsunade dismissed the others with two days' rest and instructed Inuzuka Tsume to oversee the supply distribution. Then she headed for the Hokage's office, Hanekawa in tow.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's face lit up when he saw the supply manifest. "This is more than I expected. Excellent work."
"The Daimyo was satisfied," Tsunade reported. "No other instructions."
"Good. Chiyo has agreed to send reinforcements to the Kawakuni front. The Mist Village remains quiet—I suspect they're pressuring the Hidden Cloud to delay their own movements."
Sarutobi dismissed them with a nod. "Rest well. I'll contact you if anything develops."
Back at home, Tsunade collapsed onto the sofa with the grace of a falling log.
"Wake me for dinner," she mumbled, eyes already closing.
Hanekawa watched for a moment—her clothes had shifted with the fall, and he found himself appreciating the view before his better judgment kicked in. He turned away and headed outside to practice.
Lightning crackled across his skin as he pushed through the Lightning Chakra Mode training. The sensation was like being struck repeatedly by a gentle storm, numbing and energizing in equal measure. His body adapted slowly, the pain becoming background noise.
Between lightning bursts, his mind wandered to the Konoha Knowledge Bookstore. He hadn't published anything in weeks. The "Master of Books" entry demanded constant output, and he had an idea—an elf-themed story. Perfect for Rai Kaen's portfolio.
By evening, he'd finished training and prepared dinner. Tsunade was still asleep, so he did what had become routine: he poked her face until she woke.
"Teacher, open your mouth," he said, offering a piece of fried shrimp.
She took it without comment, sat up, and ate dinner with him in companionable silence. No questions asked. No explanations needed.
---
A week later, Hanekawa submitted his outline for "Elf Quest" to Tsuchihashi at the bookstore. The story was solid—adventure, mystery, and just enough romance to keep readers engaged. Rai Kaen's reputation was growing steadily.
Seven days after submission, a notification appeared:
```
[B-Rank Talent Entry: Novel Master]
[Trigger Condition: Synthesis of B-Rank Novelist + C-Rank Article Cartoonist]
[Effect: Memory increases by 100%. Eyesight increases by 100%.]
[Note: Can synthesize with S-Rank Entry "Fifth Raikage" to create S-Rank Entry "Book Raikage"]
```
Hanekawa stared at the notification for a long moment.
Book Raikage?
He laughed out loud, earning confused looks from nearby villagers. The system had just suggested he combine his novelist abilities with the Fifth Raikage's power to create something called "Book Raikage."
What does that even do? Write enemies to death? Publish them into submission?
The absurdity was almost beautiful. But the entry itself was solid—doubled memory and eyesight would be invaluable for both writing and combat. And the synthesis hint was interesting. The Fourth Raikage was now officially in power after the Third's death. If Hanekawa ever needed to become a Raikage for some reason, he could trigger that synthesis.
One problem at a time, he thought, synthesizing the entry without hesitation.
The doubled memory and eyesight took effect immediately. The world seemed sharper, colors more vivid. He could read text from twice the distance. His recall became photographic.
This is broken, he thought with satisfaction. I'm going to write so many books.
He had no idea what "Book Raikage" would actually do, but he was genuinely looking forward to finding out.
---
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