The five of them, including Yugito Nii, shared a meal together.
The atmosphere was quite pleasant, a perfect example of harmony and joy.
Afterward, Natsume helped Ena Uzumaki stretch out her muscles before returning to Konoha with his black cat.
In the Hokage's office,
Natsume had ANBU ninjas bring in several masks.
Yugito Nii took a quick glance and picked up a cat mask to put on.
Hmm, quite proactive.
Natsume thought she might have chosen a mask resembling another animal.
After all, cats likely didn't bring back pleasant memories for her.
"Come here."
Natsume gestured closer.
Yugito obeyed obediently, crawling forward on all fours.
"Stand up."
Seeing that she'd misinterpreted his intention, Natsume said, "From now on, within the Hokage Building, you're part of the Hokage's bodyguard team. Understood?"
"Mm-hmm."
Startled at first, Yugito quickly straightened up to reply.
She had assumed joining the Hokage's bodyguard team would be just another way for him to tease her.
But apparently, Natsume was serious about this.
If that were the case, life would be significantly better than before.
Natsume extended his hand, placing it on her shoulder, infusing chakra into her.
The seal was instantly released.
Not just freeing Yugito Nii, but Matatabi as well.
In other words, she was once again the perfect jinchuriki.
Shock flashed across Yugito's face.
This action had truly caught her off guard.
Even though Matatabi had been a traitor, she was still extremely powerful.
If she wanted to cause trouble, she absolutely could.
Yugito's expression turned contemplative.
For a moment, uncertainty clouded her mind.
She couldn't decide on her next move.
It was an indescribable feeling.
"You can choose a codename for yourself."
Natsume examined her mask and suggested, "What about 'Black Cat'?"
Coming back to her senses, Yugito gave a slight nod.
"You should change your outfit as well."
Natsume pulled out an ANBU uniform and added, "Save that catgirl outfit for after work hours."
"Mm."
Yugito stepped forward to take the uniform but paused mid-motion, asking, "After work, where should I go?"
That indeed posed a problem.
Natsume rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
There was no way he could let her stay at his place.
For now, he'd have to ask Mikoto Uchiha to keep an eye on her.
"After work, follow me to your new place."
Natsume said, relaxing his previously furrowed brows.
"Okay."
Yugito acknowledged softly.
Right in front of him, she changed clothes.
Her alluring figure was instantly hidden, making her appear ordinary.
Natsume nodded approvingly.
He was particularly satisfied that she hadn't hesitated to change in front of him.
A knock on the door interrupted the moment.
Natsume glanced at Yugito.
Immediately slipping into her role, she vanished from sight.
In truth, she had simply moved nearby to carry out her guarding duties.
The door opened, and Kurenai Yuhi entered.
As always, she wore black stockings and a pencil skirt.
"Natsume."
Kurenai handed over a file and said, "This is the list of candidates for the Hokage's bodyguard team."
Natsume briefly scanned it.
Wow, there were far more than expected.
Over a dozen applicants.
All of them Jonin-level.
Natsume took out his pen and began reviewing the names.
The first name was Izumi Uchiha.
She already had a fully developed Three-Tomoe Sharingan, her power surpassing that of an average Jonin by far.
With the right emotional stimulus, she might even awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan.
Plus, she was a survivor of the Uchiha clan.
Appointing her to the Hokage's bodyguard team would raise no objections.
Her case bore similarities to how Tobirama Senju once took Kagami Uchiha as his student.
Second name, Yugao Uzuki.
A former apprentice of Orochimaru.
Previously, he had offered her to Natsume.
Yet until now, she had remained in the Anbu.
Now, she was being transferred into the Hokage's bodyguard team.
Third name, Anko Mitarashi.
When Natsume saw her name, he felt slightly surprised.
Upon further thought, though, her abilities weren't bad at all.
Empowered by the Cursed Seal of Heaven, few could match her.
Plus, Orochimaru could further enhance her abilities.
Fourth name, Akimichi Shito.
An Akimichi Jonin who once taught Natsume the Partial Multi-Size Technique.
Initially, he considered selecting someone from the Yamanaka clan, partly because of Ino Yamanaka.
But the only prominent figure from the Yamanaka clan in the original story was Inoichi Yamanaka.
As the Yamanaka clan head and leader of the Analysis Team, he would never join the Hokage's bodyguard team.
After thinking it over, Natsume realized the Yamanaka clan wasn't suited for solo combat.
The same applied to the Nara clan.
Only the Akimichi clan was more suitable.
"So that's four so far?"
Kurenai Yuhi asked, slightly surprised.
She hadn't expected two of them to be former apprentices of Orochimaru.
As for the other two, they were understandable choices.
They represented Konoha's Uchiha clan and the Ino–Shika–Cho trio.
But wouldn't other clans take offense?
Like the Hyuga, Sarutobi, Aburame, or others.
"There's also one more—an Anbu member."
Natsume clapped his hands.
Yugito Nii appeared.
Kurenai paused briefly.
A completely unfamiliar face.
"Her codename is Black Cat."
Natsume offered no further explanation, and Kurenai didn't press him.
She was a smart woman—she knew where not to push.
"I'll announce this publicly now."
"Oh… Right."
Kurenai gave a polite nod before turning to leave.
[Due to your decisions, the fates of Yugito Nii, Akimichi Shito, Yugao Uzuki, and Anko Mitarashi have shifted. You've earned 220 Destiny Points.]
A total of five people.
Unsurprisingly, this move caused widespread discontent.
Sarutobi clan.
"Indeed."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's weary eyes momentarily sharpened.
Long ago, he had sensed that Natsume seemed particularly targeted toward the Sarutobi clan.
But he couldn't find any evidence.
After all, everything Natsume did seemed perfectly above board.
Nothing seemed off.
Still, this decision over the Hokage's bodyguard confirmed his suspicions—Natsume clearly had no intention of showing him respect.
After all, he was even Tsunade's mentor.
"Old man."
Jiraiya glanced at the report and said, "Looks like your hopes won't be coming to pass."
He had been staying in Konoha lately.
After the destruction of Mount Myoboku, he'd lost all desire to search for the Child of Prophecy.
Looking at the current situation, was there even such a thing as the prophecy child?
Natsume's power was great enough to kill the Great Toad Sage.
Could the prophecy child truly save them?
"As long as the Sarutobi Clan doesn't make mistakes, Natsume won't find an opening."
Hiruzen Sarutobi turned down Jiraiya again.
He understood his student's thoughts.
He wanted Natsume to step down.
But how easy could that be?
One misstep and everything could fall apart.
Lately, Hiruzen had lost his drive. Without complete confidence, he wouldn't gamble with the fate of the Sarutobi Clan.
Jiraiya fell silent.
Defeat flickered across his face.
Mount Myoboku had shown him great kindness.
If he didn't seek revenge, his conscience wouldn't let him live it down.
But how to exact revenge was another story altogether.
"Maybe you could get in touch with Naruto."
Seeing this, Hiruzen spoke after a pause.
Minato's son?
Jiraiya fell into thought.
"And he's the jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails."
Hiruzen added, "You know well how powerful the Nine-Tails is. It's a tailed beast no human can defeat."
Certainly, the Nine-Tails stood no chance against Natsume.
Jiraiya understood that clearly.
Still, what Hiruzen said wasn't without merit.
Every bit of strength they could ally with counted.
Possibly, Uzumaki Naruto was the prophecy child?
"How should I approach him?"
Jiraiya pondered for a moment before asking.
"You were Minato's teacher, and you could help Naruto learn to control the Nine-Tails."
Hiruzen chuckled. "Approaching him would make perfect sense."
Jiraiya nodded.
That was indeed true.
Even if Natsume tried to stop him, he'd need a valid excuse.
As a last resort, he could reach out to Tsunade first.
Hyuga Clan.
Hiashi Hyuga betrayed uncharacteristic panic.
He had assumed the Hokage's bodyguard team would include a Jonin from the Hyuga Clan.
After all, with both Hinata and Hanabi involved, it only made sense for them to be considered.
But it didn't happen.
Perhaps it was a warning.
Hiashi frowned.
He had previously discussed the Caged Bird Seal matter with Natsume.
But since he hadn't decided, he hadn't reached out again.
Thinking this, Hiashi headed to the courtyard.
Because Naruto Uzumaki remained in Ryuchi Cave,
and Natsume had been quite busy lately,
Hinata Hyuga had stayed home for quite some time.
Her day revolved around training and teaching Hanabi.
Yet, she never revealed the [Void Fist], the technique Kaguya had taught her.
Hiashi silently watched Hinata.
Her current strength was almost at Jonin level.
With the bow Natsume had given her, she could outmatch regular Jonin.
Perhaps it was time she took on more family responsibilities.
"Hinata."
Hiashi spoke.
"Father."
Hinata stopped her movements and stepped forward.
"Elder Hiromasa Hyuga has always pushed to place the Caged Bird Seal on Hanabi."
Looking at her, Hiashi asked, "What do you think we should do?"
This was clearly a test of character.
Hinata Hyuga's strength had already reached the required level. Yet ultimately, it was her personality that remained a concern. Fortunately, over the past two years, this had improved—thanks to Natsume.
"I believe there should be no distinction between main and branch families."
Hinata had long prepared for this very question. After all, she had often discussed these very issues with Natsume.
"In other words, you mean not placing the Caged Bird Seal on Hanabi at all?" Hiashi Hyuga asked in a deep voice.
"No," Hinata shook her head. "Everyone should have the Caged Bird Seal. It simply needs refinement—retaining only the part that safeguards the Byakugan."
"Refinement?"
Hiashi looked slightly surprised. It was a path he had never considered before.
"Refining the Caged Bird Seal won't be easy," Hiashi mused, pausing before shaking his head again. "It won't be practical in the near future."
"But if we never try, nothing will ever change," Hinata declared resolutely.
"Even if I agree, the elders won't," Hiashi said, watching her closely. "And what exactly are you planning to do?"
"Let power speak."
Hinata raised her head and answered.
...
Hiashi's expression briefly wavered.
Such words from Hinata's mouth felt completely jarring.
Was it due to Natsume's influence?
After all, that Hokage did prefer resolving matters through sheer strength.
Thinking of this, Hiashi spoke seriously, "Hinata, you should discuss this with your teacher."
Oh?!
Hinata nodded. "I understand."
Where there were concerns, there were also moments of joy.
For instance, the Ino–Shika–Cho trio.
Akimichi Shito had joined the Hokage's elite guard.
This was beneficial for all three clans, further solidifying their status.
As for Yugao Uzuki and Anko Mitarashi, although they were Orochimaru's apprentices, they lacked backing from any ninja clan, so their presence wouldn't greatly alter Konoha's existing balance of power.
A new day arrived.
The Hokage's Office.
Natsume greeted the five newly appointed Hokage guards.
The one who drew the most attention was Yugito Nii.
Though the others weren't particularly close, they at least knew each other existed.
Only Yugito Nii wore a mask, which made her seem particularly enigmatic.
Natsume offered no explanation. After some casual conversation, he sent them to the adjacent office.
Naturally, the happiest among them was Might Guy.
Initially, the Hokage Bodyguards' Office had been quite lively.
But after Kurenai Yuhi, Shizune, and Kakashi Hatake left, only he remained.
Now, with four new companions joining, his youthful spirit flared up again.
A bright and sunny morning.
Natsume lounged in the Hokage's chair like a lazy catfish.
Indeed, there was absolutely nothing to do.
The Black Cat curled up on his thighs, purring as if trying to channel energy into him.
Natsume petted her cat ears as a reward.
As for those cat ears—Matatabi had crafted them himself. They had become an actual part of the Black Cat. Of course, they could be removed anytime.
That was the magic of Chakra.
A knock on the door sounded.
Startled, the Black Cat flinched slightly.
"It's alright."
Natsume patted her head, motioning for her to continue.
Meanwhile, he casually concealed Black Cat's presence.
The one who walked in was Kurenai Yuhi.
"The Research Division has already been established. As per your instructions, we've promoted the Mission Hall as well."
She handed over a document.
Natsume quickly scanned the document until his gaze stopped on the final line.
Currently, four thousand ninjas have begun using the Heavenly Network Log-in Device.
For only one day, that was an incredible number.
He could already picture Kaguya Otsutsuki smiling with satisfaction.
"You've worked hard, Sister Kurenai," Natsume said with a smile.
"It's my duty."
Kurenai gathered the documents and suddenly sniffed the air. "Is there... something strange in here?"
"No, not really," Natsume shook his head.
Kurenai didn't pursue the matter further, dismissing it as a mere illusion.
She turned around and left—both the Research Division and the Heavenly Network Log-in Devices had piles of work waiting for her.
Moments later, the Black Cat rose, his throat rippling briefly, then curled into Natsume's lap.
An hour passed.
Yugito Nii wrapped up work early and returned to the Uchiha residence.
As for Natsume, he went to the Land of Snow and received [Immortal Art], modified by Kaguya Otsutsuki.
Well, more accurately, it was an Immortal Art.
He found it somewhat amusing.
But ultimately, he came back again.
In this situation, the only viable solution was the Cursed Seal.
Combined with [Immortal Lineage], the effect would not fall far short of Sage Mode.
Returning to Konoha Village, Natsume immediately summoned Yugao Uzuki.
She and Anko Mitarashi both carried cursed seals.
However, the latter was more associated with Orochimaru.
So for now, he'd hold off on giving it to her.
"Yugao."
Natsume handed her a scroll inscribed with [Immortal Lineage], saying, "Don't let anyone else see this. Study it yourself first, then report back to me."
Yugao gave a nod.
Though confused, she obeyed without question.
After she left, Natsume headed home.
Tsunade lay sprawled on the sofa, her collar half unbuttoned.
"Sister, what's wrong?"
Natsume approached and asked.
"I'm burning up."
Tsunade tilted her head slightly, replying, "I need a long soak in a hot spring."
"What about Senka?"
Natsume paused briefly before asking.
"You're the Hokage—you can find someone reliable to watch over her," Tsunade replied casually.
It was obvious—she just wanted a break today.
Shizune hadn't returned yet.
So Natsume decided to call Mikoto Uchiha instead.
Four thousand words.
(End of Chapter)
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