Tsunade had acquired the Wood Release talent, so she needed time to master Wood Release techniques.
Fortunately, with her abilities, she didn't need to struggle like an ordinary beginner. She could progress at an accelerated pace compared to regular novices.
Natsume escorted her back home. In the coming days, she'd have no time to get bored.
After all, learning Wood Release was merely a side benefit for Tsunade. Because Natsume would never allow her to be placed in harm's way.
In the Hokage's Office.
Kurenai Yuhi knocked and entered.
"It's the report from the Three Serpent Goddesses."
She placed the document on the desk and said, "During this period, they had already screened all of Konoha's ninjas but hadn't detected anyone with the potential for [Sage Mode]."
"Hmm."
Natsume had expected that and wasn't too disappointed.
He opened the report and quickly glanced through it. It mainly listed newly added contractees—nearly one-fifth of Konoha's total ninja force.
Ryuchi Cave had become little more than a labor center.
"What about the Immortal Lineage's talent?" Natsume closed the file and asked, "Has anyone successfully learned it yet?"
"There is one currently." Kurenai replied immediately, "Might Guy."
Natsume pondered thoughtfully.
He had seen the talent of the Immortal Lineage before. It resembled a counterfeit version of [Sage Art], focusing more on spiritual energy.
Its power was decent enough but couldn't compare to true Sage Art.
Because it involved spiritual energy, it demanded considerable willpower—what Chiriku called *a sincere heart*.
Might Guy was a very pure-hearted ninja. That might be why he managed to master it.
Natsume stroked his chin thoughtfully.
The original form of the talent from the Immortal Lineage was actually better suited for monks.
Therefore, learning it was quite challenging.
If that were the case, perhaps he should make some modifications.
Natsume thought of the versatile Kaguya Otsutsuki.
Promoting the talent of the Immortal Lineage would be quite beneficial for Konoha.
His own strength was more than adequate now.
But he couldn't handle everything on his own, could he?
Take Kurenai, for example.
She was somewhat lacking in strength.
However, genjutsu had its limitations.
Amplifying it with [Sage Art] seemed promising.
"Sister Kurenai, you may leave first," Natsume returned the documents to her and said.
Kurenai gave a slight nod and exited the room.
Activating the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Land of Snow.
The moment Natsume opened the door, he found Kaguya Otsutsuki immersed in a video game.
He had previously acquired several single-player games for her.
As for online multiplayer games, those would be unnecessarily complicated and inefficient.
The technology in the ninja world hadn't reached that level yet.
Only by using destiny values could he afford such exchanges.
One console was fine, but acquiring dozens or even hundreds would be pointless.
Natsume approached closer.
Kaguya Otsutsuki was playing Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice—an extremely difficult game requiring skillful control.
Yet in her hands, it might as well have been Go.
Natsume realized the issue.
Mastering games fundamentally required three key elements:
Hand speed, reaction capability, and intelligence.
Kaguya had them all.
This made all single-player games feel effortless to her.
The only thing that could bring her joy anymore was the story itself.
That's why being too perfect could make one lose a lot.
"Fun?"
Natsume asked.
"Not really."
Kaguya Otsutsuki answered.
She had never lied to him before.
Suddenly, Natsume got an idea.
When it came to novelty, his past life was far more exciting than the ninja world.
Maybe he could build a modern city?
Of course, not just for Kaguya Otsutsuki.
The current ninja world was indeed too backward.
Improving the environment would feel like reliving his past life.
And maybe even some online games could work.
After all, there was that saying:
Playing games with friends is fun.
"Something happened?"
Kaguya Otsutsuki stood up, hugged him, and caught a faint scent after a slight sniff.
It was from another woman.
She snapped her fingers, and the scent disappeared instantly.
Natsume felt his body go cold for a moment, shivering slightly.
But warmth quickly returned—after all, he was wrapped in Kaguya Otsutsuki's arms.
"There is something."
Natsume pulled out a scroll and said, "Help me improve this."
"What's my reward?"
Kaguya Otsutsuki didn't mind helping, but she always expected something in return.
Before, she was obsessed with chakra, but after obtaining the Heavenly Network, she no longer cared as much.
Now, she preferred that pleasurable activity instead.
Natsume understood this well.
But he hadn't even repaid his previous debts yet.
"How about I take you somewhere fun?"
Natsume looked into her snow-white eyes and asked.
Fun?
Kaguya Otsutsuki was somewhat surprised.
Actually, Natsume rarely took her out.
Partly because he was busy,
and partly because they'd draw too much attention.
"Where to?"
Kaguya Otsutsuki thought for a moment before asking.
"The Land of Fire's Metropolis."
Natsume wasn't making this up randomly.
Since he had taken control of the Daimyo, the Land of Fire technically belonged to him.
He naturally didn't want to waste that opportunity.
So he let the Thousand Sunny Merchant Guild open many stores there.
They had even come up with some new creations that might interest Kaguya Otsutsuki.
"And then?"
Kaguya Otsutsuki asked again.
For her, playing around didn't have much meaning.
She was basically a veteran shut-in.
This chapter isn't over yet—more excitement coming!
She could remain in one place for thousands of years while cultivating the God Tree.
In the end, she liked Natsume more.
"Then we rest."
Natsume knew what she was thinking and spoke up.
Kaguya Otsutsuki's eyes lit up. She shut off the computer, grabbed him, and rushed outside.
Suddenly eager.
Natsume couldn't help but smile wryly.
It had to be said—Kaguya Otsutsuki was genuinely pure-hearted.
Without such overwhelming power, she would've been tricked long ago.
Wait, actually…
Even now, she could still be easily deceived.
Of course, except when it came to Natsume himself.
Take the Great Toad Sage, for example.
According to the normal storyline, that guy could fool Kaguya Otsutsuki endlessly.
In the metropolis of the Land of Fire,
Natsume and Kaguya Otsutsuki strolled down the street.
Because he didn't want to draw attention, Natsume did some light disguising.
"Let's go grab something to eat."
Earlier in the Land of Water, Natsume had established a brand, crafting high-end delicacies tailored specifically for aristocrats.
The results were extremely good.
Soon, both merchants and commoners flocked to try these dishes.
Even ninja sought it out by word of mouth.
After arriving in the Land of Fire, he repeated the same process once again.
He opened restaurants in many locations.
Natsume used his ID card to book a private booth.
The dishes were brought to the table quickly.
"Try this."
Natsume pushed the glass in front of him toward her. "Coconut milk."
Coconut milk was a drink made by blending coconut water and grated coconut pulp.
It was once extremely rare in the Land of Fire.
Because coconut trees weren't suitable for growing there.
In the Land of Water, they had coconuts, but people just drank the juice directly.
Kaguya Otsutsuki lifted the glass and took a sip.
It was a new and unusual flavor.
But it wasn't bad at all.
She gave a small nod. "Not bad."
"Glad to hear that."
Natsume glanced at the delicious food on the table and picked up a serving of chocolate ice cream.
Kaguya took a bite, chewed, and swallowed.
The chocolate tasted slightly bitter.
But the texture of the ice cream felt nice.
Looking at her, Natsume instinctively licked the corner of his mouth.
Her pale lips had a faint smudge of crumbs—they looked oddly tempting.
"Want some?"
She noticed the look in Natsume's eyes and paused mid-bite.
"You eat. There's more on the table."
Natsume coughed lightly and replied.
Kaguya hesitated briefly before leaning forward toward him.
A sweet, syrupy flavor flooded his mouth.
Natsume froze for a moment but resumed chewing normally, giving no sign of shock.
A moment later,
Kaguya caught her breath and asked, "Is it good?"
When she asked, her face was slightly flushed; her pale eyes looked unusually glistening.
Natsume nodded.
He couldn't help but think of her as a giant ice cream.
Natsume reached out, gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and said, "Keep eating."
In truth, Kaguya felt like devouring the man before her even more.
But since these outings were rare, she didn't want to spoil the atmosphere.
"What do you think about Hamura's descendants?"
Natsume brought up the figure on the Moon—Toneri Otsutsuki.
In the original story, he had committed countless atrocities.
He stole Hanabi Hyuga's eyes, took Hinata Hyuga away.
After awakening the Tenseigan, he tried to control meteors to destroy the ninja world.
Still, he was Hamura Otsutsuki's descendant—in fact, part of Kaguya's own bloodline.
Natsume wanted to know what she thought about him.
"That's not my concern."
Kaguya tilted her head slightly and said, "If you feel like dealing with it, go ahead."
Clearly, she understood what Natsume was implying.
Undoubtedly, after so many encounters, the two understood each other completely.
Sometimes unintentionally, she could guess many things correctly.
"I'm kind of curious."
Natsume suddenly thought of a question. "If I end up fighting both brothers Hamura and Hagoromo, who would you support?"
At this moment, he sounded somewhat like a mischievous girlfriend.
Asking the classic dilemma: Who would you save if your mother and girlfriend both fell into water at the same time?
Ahem.
Natsume said that he was really just curious.
"You."
Kaguya Otsutsuki replied without hesitation.
Upon hearing this, Natsume felt deeply moved. He hadn't expected to hold such a high place in her heart.
"Losing them wouldn't bother me," Kaguya said, staring at him intently. "But it'd be really boring without you."
Natsume couldn't help but feel sorry for Hamura Otsutsuki and Hagoromo Otsutsuki. Still, he felt a quiet sense of satisfaction inside.
It was lunchtime.
Natsume gave Kaguya Otsutsuki a thoughtful look. Meeting her puzzled gaze, he said, "Go change your clothes."
Without further explanation, he grabbed Kaguya and headed toward the hot spring.
After renting out the entire place, he pulled out a kimono. Kaguya took it and glanced at it before saying, "You dress me."
She began undressing. Her skin was fair and delicate, like that of a doll. Natsume took a moment to study her before reaching for the kimono.
Kaguya extended her arms and allowed him to dress her. She looked at Natsume, her expression mostly unchanged. Yet, deep down, she felt a flicker of confusion. She didn't understand why they needed to change clothes—just like how she didn't understand why bathing was necessary. A goddess had no reason to do such things. But in front of Natsume, she was willing to comply.
The kimono was quite complicated. Luckily, Natsume had experience. Previously, he often helped Ena Uzumaki and Mikoto Uchiha with similar tasks. One could even call him a textbook example of helpfulness.
"Ohhh..."
Once dressed, Kaguya's entire demeanor shifted slightly. She appeared like an elegant queen now. Her original attire had been far too simple.
After admiring her for a bit, Natsume started his little costume-changing game—maid outfits, sailor uniforms, cheongsams, school uniforms... He insisted Kaguya try each one on. With her beautiful face and tall figure, she naturally looked good in everything. Truthfully, they all suited her well.
Natsume found that the best fit for her was a school uniform paired with a pencil skirt. How unfortunate that she couldn't be the Hokage's secretary.
Evening arrived. The two soaked together in the hot spring. The steam thickened around them.
"Come closer."
Kaguya said. Natsume swam forward a little—like a dragon diving into the ocean. The water rippled softly.
Kaguya's silver hair floated on the surface, drifting gracefully with the waves.
Morning arrived.
Natsume woke up, finding Yukie Kazahana standing right before him. He hesitated before asking, "Where is Kaguya?"
Given his current power level, there was no way he'd mix up memories. So, it must have been that Kaguya left first, and Yukie came in afterward. This wasn't a case of one arrow bringing two blessings.
"She's taking a bath," Yukie answered softly.
Her cheeks flushed red while her eyes kept sneaking glances at Natsume from beneath her lashes. He lay under the covers but revealed his muscular upper body, making her heart flutter.
Taking a bath?
Natsume couldn't help smiling slightly. It seemed Her Highness the Goddess had indeed grown fond of soaking in the bath. Still, it was a good thing overall. She now exuded a touch of worldly charm. Before, Kaguya had always seemed distant, indifferent to almost everything.
"Lord Natsume, I... I'll assist you in changing your clothes."
Yukie Kazahana spoke up bravely.
Looking at her flustered expression, Natsume let out a soft chuckle.
But he did not refuse her kindness.
He got off the bed.
Yukie Kazahana's eyes immediately widened.
The flush on her face spread all the way to her ears.
Her head spun dizzily.
She opened her mouth slightly, then picked up the outfit lying nearby.
Moments later, Kaguya Otsutsuki reappeared.
She wore the same kimono from the previous day.
When Yukie Kazahana saw this, admiration appeared on her face.
Words could not describe it—it was stunningly elegant.
She became even more curious about Kaguya's true identity.
Because of her, Yukie dared not even dream of an official position with Lord Natsume.
After all, she could not compete.
Besides, as the Daimyo of the Land of Snow, she couldn't afford to fall in love like a commoner.
Producing an heir would be sufficient.
"That... I'll take my leave now."
Feeling inappropriate staying here, Yukie Kazahana decided to leave.
"Good morning."
Kaguya stepped forward, her lips—warm and soft—pressing gently against his.
Natsume kissed back with equal eagerness.
Not until noon did he leave the Land of Snow.
Upon returning to Konoha Village, Natsume summoned Kurenai Yuhi.
"I have several ideas. Take notes and execute them accordingly."
"Understood."
Kurenai took out paper and pen and spoke quietly.
"First, establish a new department—the Research Division."
Natsume raised one finger as he spoke.
"The Research Division?"
Kurenai blinked, somewhat puzzled. "What's its function?"
"It has two primary functions. First, researching Ninjutsu and ninja tools. Second, studying modern technologies such as computers."
Natsume casually explained, "The first will be handled by Orochimaru, and for the second, you'll recruit people across different countries."
Since computers were already known in the ninja world, no further explanation was necessary.
Kurenai naturally understood whom she needed to recruit.
"Second, expand the Hokage's bodyguard team."
After becoming Hokage, Natsume had continued using Tsunade's original bodyguards.
Namely Kakashi Hatake, Might Guy, Kurenai Yuhi, and Shizune.
However, each of them now had separate duties.
Kakashi Hatake led Gaara, Temari, and Kanpo.
Shizune was either beside Tsunade or at Konoha Hospital.
As for Kurenai, she was now a full-time secretary.
Only Might Guy remained largely free of duty.
Natsume intended to merge the Providence Organization with the Hokage's bodyguard team.
And cultivate two additional elite members.
Four thousand words. P.S.: If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider supporting my new book to help boost its visibility.
(End of Chapter)
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