The light on the ceiling blurred into a hazy halo, as if the entire world were spinning.
"Water Style..."
His voice was low and dangerous, chakra vibrating in the air. In the next heartbeat, a surging torrent swept forth—a paradoxical blend of icy chill and searing heat. The current washed over every inch, draining the last vestiges of strength.
"Ngh...!"
Her voice was swallowed by the rushing tide, leaving her consciousness to drift and sink. When everything finally stilled, her body slumped, twitching reflexively. Her eyelashes fluttered like the wings of a butterfly on the brink of shattering.
But he didn't stop. Shadows loomed as a new round of offensive began... One had to wonder, with Hiruko's now-enhanced physique, could even Tsunade keep up?
Recently, the Jonin exams for the Uchiha clan had been packed. Five candidates were scheduled at once, with a long line of others waiting their turn. It was a literal queue, as many ninjas had applied for multi-person evaluations. As the first clan to be processed, the Uchiha's growing number of Jonin was a testament to Hiruko's influence.
Mikoto Uchiha had been particularly busy. she had recruited several of the clan's brightest minds to begin preparations for various new ventures.
Today was the day the Grass and Waterfall Villages sent envoys to sign peace treaties with Konoha. Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado couldn't sit still and hurried to the Hokage's office. Upon arrival, they found the room already crowded. Shikaku Nara and Inoichi Yamanaka were present, and Choza Akimichi sat leisurely nearby—though he didn't seem as stiffly formal as the two elders.
🌟 The story is already written… waiting to be unleashed. Claim early access on Patreon: [email protected]/c/wildsparkstudios
🔓 You hold the keys to bonus chapters:💬 10 reviews ignite 1 bonus chapter🔷 100 Power Stones summon another
🔥 Your power determines how fast the tale unfolds.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was the last to arrive. Minato and Jiraiya followed with the Mission and Summoning squads. Minato had been personally brought in by Hiruzen. As soon as the elders arrived, they took seats flanking Minato, signaling everyone to settle in.
The envoys from Grass and Waterfall were ushered in. Their requests were largely identical, so they were handled together. After introductions, they cut straight to the chase.
The Grass envoy spoke first: "Fourth Hokage, our village was deceived and coerced by the Hidden Stone. We went to war with the Leaf in total ignorance. Fortunately, we woke up in time and rejected their unreasonable demands. We are here at our leader's behest to sign a peace treaty."
The Waterfall envoy chimed in immediately: "Lord Hokage, our situation is the same—coerced by the Hidden Cloud. we seek peace and wish to join Konoha's United Merchant Guild."
Both shifted the blame to the major villages, seeking only peaceful coexistence. Minato smiled and nodded. "Konoha has always yearned for peace. We welcome friends who share that desire. However, do your leaders have any supplementary clauses?"
The envoys exchanged a subtle glance. The Grass envoy continued, "Simply put, both sides drop all war-time grievances and sign a non-aggression pact. We also ask that Leaf ninjas do not enter our territories for missions at will. Conversely, please open your borders for our ninjas to take missions in the Land of Fire and open your markets to our local specialties."
Minato maintained his trademark smile as the negotiations continued smoothly.
Meanwhile, the pharmaceutical business Hiruko initiated was now managed by Mikoto Uchiha. It was hard to tell what Fugaku's game was, insisting on sending his wife to assist Hiruko with business affairs. The profits from the medicine were staggering, and with the fried chicken franchises pouring in money like a tide, Hiruko was amassing a fortune. Mikoto, following Hiruko's advice, had hired several assistants to keep from being overwhelmed.
"You're back."
As Hiruko entered his residence, he saw Pakura and Nono Yakushi stepping out of the bath, drying their hair. After a morning of training and a hot soak, the girls' cheeks were flushed like lotus blossoms, faint wisps of steam clinging to them.
Hiruko flopped onto the sofa, feigning total exhaustion. "Meetings all morning... I'm falling apart. I'll leave the rest to you two, Pakura, Nono."
Nono's face turned bright red. Pakura looked shy but stomped her foot, huffing, "You lecher!" before "storming" back into the room.
A moment later, Nono and Pakura re-emerged. Pakura preferred pristine white stockings, while Nono always chose black. Red-faced and stepping as if on hot coals, they approached the sofa to give Hiruko a massage.
Their soft, rounded feet pressed into his back. Beneath the initial layer of softness, Pakura felt as if she were stepping on a solid steel plate. No matter how much pressure she applied, he seemed unfazed.
"Truly... human desire knows no bottom," Pakura muttered under her breath.
Nono simply smiled and continued her service. Hiruko, eyes closed in bliss, murmured, "What are you talking about? This is just normal relaxation. This kind of thing is common all over the shinobi world."
After a while, Hiruko dropped the "gentleman" act. He hoisted one girl onto each shoulder and bolted for the bedroom. What followed was a night-long "battle of ninjutsu," leaving the house covered in the metaphorical traces of "Water Style." Little Rin and Maki tried to peek, only to be spotted by Hiruko.
The next morning, Hiruko awoke amidst the lingering scent of the night. Remembering his duties, he headed to the lab.
In Amegakure, Danzo entered the village shrouded in perpetual rain. Following the war, the Fourth Raikage had retreated from the public eye after losing his arm to Hiruko. Amegakure, as a loser, fared no better. Hanzo had been forced into a harsh treaty, and as the actual ruler, his defeat was the village's defeat.
Danzo was granted an audience. The escorts treated him with immense respect—not because of him, but because of the Leaf's burgeoning power. This rankled Danzo; he hated that his prestige was a byproduct of Minato's success. He realized that internally, he couldn't beat Minato. The youth had the support of the new generation and the Great Clans. Even the elders of Danzo's era were being relegated to "honored advisors," losing their grip on real power.
With Minato controlling the purse strings and Hiruko as his right hand, Danzo was cornered. He turned to external aid, first looking to Suna—but Suna was now "family" with the Leaf. Stone was terrified of Hiruko, and the Cloud was crippled. Even the Mist was too busy playing both sides for profit.
Thus, Danzo turned to Amegakure. But when he saw Hanzo, he was disappointed. Hanzo reeked of blood. Hiruko was merciless to men, and despite the time passed, Hanzo's wounds hadn't healed. In a world of medical ninjutsu, this meant the damage was permanent—both physical and psychological.
"Danzo," Hanzo rasped in the dim light. "Are you feeling desperate?"
Danzo found no words. He felt a dark kinship with Hanzo; two old ninjas watching their era slip away.
As the first snow fell, Hiruzen's estate was warm with new heaters. Koharu and Hiruzen chatted inside. Intelligence suggested Doto Fenghua of the Land of Snow was still hostile and ambitious, eyeing his brother's throne.
Homura Mitokado adjusted his glasses, a cold glint in his eyes. "Based on the situation, shouldn't we take action?"
Hiruzen sipped his tea. "Let's observe a bit more. He is the Daimyo's brother and a talented researcher. If he repents, we can spare him."
He tapped his pipe. "Zaoxue is a beloved Daimyo, peaceful and kind to the Leaf. But Doto is a hawk. He believes we are colonists eroding their sovereignty."
Well, he's actually right, Hiruko thought. That's exactly what I'm doing.
To the Leaf elders, Doto was an unstable variable. They wanted to eliminate him for the sake of "peace." Even the indecisive Hiruzen agreed that if Doto made a move, he would be erased.
Koharu noticed that Hiruzen and Homura were starting to act more like Danzo lately. Whether it was policy or market trends led by Hiruko, the shadow of Root seemed to linger everywhere.
"Asuma is causing trouble again," Homura noted. "He almost went after Shisui Uchiha before his brother stopped him. Watch him, Hiruzen."
Hiruzen's eyes dimmed at the mention of his son. "I'll talk to him."
The next morning, Hiruko crawled out of his "tender nest." He planned to enjoy the snowy mountain views before returning to his research.
He saw Tsunade buried in medical scrolls. He smiled. "If I were you, I'd learn the Sage Art of Shikkotsu Forest first. With natural energy, your Mystical Palm technique will truly live up to its name."
Tsunade paused, surprised. "You know about the Sage Art of the Forest?"
"Heh."
🌟 The story is already written… waiting to be unleashed. Claim early access on Patreon: [email protected]/c/wildsparkstudios
🔓 You hold the keys to bonus chapters:💬 10 reviews ignite 1 bonus chapter🔷 100 Power Stones summon another