The sudden turn of events caught Shiranaka off guard.
First, Hotaru was snatched away by an unfamiliar ninja. Then, Ephemeral broke free from his Ink Sealing Technique.
Things that were about to be in his grasp had vanished into thin air.
Shiranaka burned with rage.
He ignored Ephemeral and turned his attack toward Mei Terumī.
In his eyes, Hotaru was the most important.
Besides that, for reasons unknown, Ephemeral remained motionless.
But in the next moment, he understood.
Mei frowned slightly, quite displeased, her hands forming seals rapidly.
Potent chakra surged through her, coalescing within her mouth.
She opened her mouth, expelling a grayish-white mist.
[Boil Release: Skilled Mist Technique!]
In the original story, even the mighty Susanoo could be melted by this technique.
As soon as the mist appeared, the temperature around sharply rose.
Shiranaka's composed mask shattered instantly.
His pupils constricted.
His prized Ink Sealing Technique was now completely useless.
He took a decisive step back—but it was already too late.
No sooner had the thought entered his mind than the mist surged forward, enveloping him completely.
Not even a scream escaped his lips.
In an instant, he was vaporized—leaving absolutely nothing behind.
Shiranaka's subordinates, witnessing this, turned and fled in terror.
Mei didn't bother chasing them—it wasn't necessary.
They were just ordinary men.
She held no regard for them.
Mei turned her gaze toward Ephemeral, who had not fled, pausing momentarily in mild surprise.
The girl she held, Hotaru, must be a key figure.
"Shin, long time no see."
Mei smiled slightly as she greeted.
She was roughly the same age as Shin.
Before becoming Mizukage, they had known each other.
Though their interactions had been limited.
After all, as a jinchuriki, he was under constant watch.
Unless one was like Karatachi Yagura, who was also a Kage.
"Mizukage-sama."
Ephemeral fell silent for a moment before asking, "Have you come here to capture me again?"
Hotaru, who had barely begun feeling relieved after witnessing Shiranaka's death, was quickly shocked by their conversation.
She understood exactly what the title Mizukage meant.
Precisely because of that, she suddenly broke free from Mei's binding and ran toward Ephemeral.
"Teacher, run quickly!"
Hotaru declared firmly.
"I'll hold them off."
Her confidence stemmed from her kinjutsu.
Upon hearing this, Ephemeral's face darkened with conflicting emotions.
If it were only Mei Terumī alone, perhaps he might have had a chance.
But there was another ninja present who hadn't moved yet.
He doubted the other had merely come to observe.
Plus, Ephemeral couldn't bear to abandon his student for his own survival.
"She is your apprentice?"
Mei had allowed Hotaru to break free intentionally. She smiled and said, "Not bad."
Ephemeral felt puzzled.
What exactly had this Mizukage come here for?
If she had come to capture him, she should've made her move long ago instead of engaging in casual conversation now.
"I've been organizing documents recently and found something unusual."
Mei took out a scroll and tossed it to him, saying, "I think you should take a look."
Frowning, Ephemeral struggled to decipher her intentions.
But since things had gone this far, there was little harm in taking a look.
He opened the scroll and skimmed through it, then froze.
After a moment, his body began to tremble uncontrollably.
What he was reading was exactly the research left behind by his teacher.
"This can't be real!"
Ephemeral raised his head, his expression frozen in disbelief.
For years, he had been certain his teacher had tried to kill him.
Now you're telling him his teacher had actually been trying to help?
Naturally, he couldn't accept it.
Because it would mean he had killed his own teacher with his own hands.
"Why would I lie to you?"
Mei Terumī shook her head lightly and said, "Although your teacher didn't explicitly tell you, from spending time with him, you must have sensed something."
Ephemeral sank into a deathly silence.
"Teacher?"
Hotaru didn't understand what was going on, but she knew something was clearly wrong with Ephemeral.
His face twisted with pain.
"There's nothing more to be said on this matter."
Mei Terumī spoke solemnly. "I told you this so you'd come back to Kiri with me."
Ephemeral snapped out of it and looked at her.
For a moment, he didn't know what to say.
He'd been gone from Kirigakure far too long, and now he wasn't really willing to return.
Yet right after killing his teacher, he had defected immediately afterward.
And in all these years, he hadn't even visited his teacher's grave a single time.
Plus, his teacher still had family members.
As these thoughts churned in his mind, Ephemeral's expression darkened with complexity.
"Lord Mizukage, I'll return with you."
Relief washed over Mei Terumī at once.
At least they wouldn't end up fighting each other.
She also didn't want to lose another Jinchūriki.
Kiri simply didn't have any viable candidates.
Even Zabuza Momochi had barely worked out before.
And currently, negotiations with Sanbi were still at an impasse.
Mainly because of his personality—he'd never yield.
Therefore, he could never become friends with the tailed beast.
But Ephemeral was different.
Over these years, his control over the tailed beast's power surpassed even that of Zabuza Momochi.
Once he returned to Kirigakure, he would become an incredibly powerful ninja.
A genuine power boost.
"Teacher, I'm coming too!"
Hotaru spoke up at once.
Being the last of the Tsuchigumo clan,
she had nothing anchoring her here anymore, and staying held no meaning.
Ephemeral glanced instinctively at Mei Terumī.
He wanted Hotaru to come along.
Because he understood her situation.
Besides, the forbidden technique sealed inside her was a ticking time bomb that needed immediate attention.
This mini-chapter isn't over—more excitement coming!
"That's fine."
Mei Terumī readily agreed.
Gaining access to the Tsuchigumo clan's forbidden technique for free.
Though dangerous, its power was undeniably impressive.
In war, it could play a very useful role.
Most importantly, Kiri was desperate for talent.
Hotaru wasn't a ninja from Konoha anyway.
Might as well claim her now.
Mei cast a sidelong glance at Natsume and saw no reaction at all, which instantly eased her worries.
Internally pleased, she soon sighed again.
Konoha had plenty of capable individuals.
They wouldn't care much for someone like Hotaru.
Otherwise, Zabuza Momochi and Haku wouldn't have ended up here in Kiri in the first place.
Privately, Mei wondered if she was being manipulated precisely by this generosity.
She wasn't some ordinary young maiden easily moved by flowers or sweet words.
Yet faced with how Natsume handled things, she found herself oddly powerless to resist.
After all, the benefits for Kirigakure were simply too great.
Mei Terumī felt as though she was drinking poison to quench her thirst.
She clearly knew their motives weren't pure, but she couldn't refuse.
"I'll send you back."
Natsume, seeing that things had been settled, spoke up.
"Troublesome."
Mei Terumī shook herself from her thoughts and gave a slight nod.
Foam and Hotaru both regarded Natsume with curiosity.
None of them recognized him.
They had heard of him before, but had never met him in person.
Without explanation, Natsume activated the Flying Thunder God Technique.
The four of them appeared inside the Mizukage's office.
Foam and Hotaru wore shocked expressions.
"I'll come back some other time."
Natsume glanced at the two and then turned to leave.
Mei Terumī had plans to arrange their affairs next; she didn't have time to flirt or exchange sweet words with him right now.
[Because of your actions, Foam, White Wave, Saiken, and Hotaru's fates have changed. You have gained a total of 230 destiny points.]
That's a decent gain.
The main source of those destiny points was Foam and the Six-Tails, Saiken.
Due to Natsume's intervention, they would no longer encounter Pain as in the original storyline.
Thus, their destinies had undergone significant change.
It was still early in the day.
Natsume returned to the Hokage's office.
He lazily picked up some documents from the desk and flipped through them half-heartedly.
Hmm, nothing important going on.
Shortly afterward, a knock sounded at the door.
"Come in."
Natsume arched a brow.
If it had been Kurenai Yuhi, the knock would have been gentler.
This one felt more casual.
It was Shizune.
The door opened.
Sure enough, it was her.
Alongside her stood three of her students.
Sakura Haruno, Shino Aburame, and Kiba Inuzuka.
"Hokage-sama."
In unison, the three of them spoke respectfully, bowing slightly.
But Shizune did not.
She used to pretend a bit in front of others, but since getting close to Natsume, she had become far more relaxed around him.
"Ms. Shizune, are you done with your mission?"
Natsume smiled, unfazed.
"Yeah."
Shizune met his gaze for a few seconds, her eyes brimming with subtle affection.
Only two days apart, and she was already feeling restless.
Maybe the nights without company had become difficult to get accustomed to.
That feeling had actually been quite enjoyable.
"It looks like things went well."
Natsume set down the documents and asked, "You don't need to come looking for me anymore to complete missions. So, Ms. Shizune, do you have something to discuss?"
"Mm."
Shizune nodded and said, "I want to teach Yin Seal to Sakura."
Natsume was somewhat surprised.
He never expected that, after stepping away briefly, Shizune would develop such high regard for Sakura Haruno.
But truth be told, her talent truly was impressive.
Especially considering the guidance she'd received previously from Nonou Yakushi.
Among her peers, only Ino Yamanaka could match her.
It was perfectly natural for Shizune to want to cultivate her.
Natsume thought for a moment and replied, "I'm planning to revise the Ninja Academy training system recently."
Shizune looked at him questioningly.
She didn't understand why he suddenly brought this up.
"The Ninja Academy currently focuses mainly on training Genin, taking six years to do so—which feels quite wasteful."
Natsume wasn't just making this up.
Spending six years to produce average Genin graduates wasn't very efficient.
Most of them only know the Three Basic Ninja Techniques.
So much time has passed—it's as if nothing's been accomplished all this time.
Well, it's not entirely the school's fault either.
It's more about lacking talent.
True geniuses are incredibly rare.
Natsume believes it's time to introduce specialized tracks for students.
After all, ninja don't necessarily have to be combat specialists.
Becoming a Medical Ninja or technical specialist is equally valuable.
Considering chakra's versatility, it could even replace many machines from his past life.
Perhaps we can call it "Scientific Ninja Tools" or something similar.
"I plan to add a Medical Ninja track at the Ninja Academy,"
Natsume continued. "Would you mind handling this?"
Shizune had a general idea of what he meant.
She nodded and said, "That would be great."
Previously, Tsunade had already established a Medical Team.
This helped Konoha establish a robust medical system,
a rarity in the entire ninja world.
Take Sunagakure as an example.
In the original story, Kanpo was poisoned.
The entire Sunagakure was powerless.
Eventually, Sakura Haruno cured the poison.
That became one of her defining moments.
"The Yin Seal is a precious S-ranked Ninjutsu. If you want to learn it, Sakura, you must work hard."
Natsume chuckled lightly.
"Yes!"
Sakura Haruno already knew what she needed to do.
Helping Shizune establish the Medical Track at the Ninja Academy would give her a chance to learn the Yin Seal.
This mini-chapter isn't over yet—more excitement ahead!
She didn't think Natsume was being unreasonable.
After all, she currently had no achievements, and wasn't even Tsunade's direct apprentice. It was only natural that such a precious technique wouldn't be given away so easily.
Shizune led the three students away.
Natsume picked up his pen and jotted down some ideas, drawing inspiration from how universities functioned in his past life.
Later, he summoned Kurenai Yuhi to handle things.
Once everything was done, it was already quitting time.
Natsume returned home.
He opened the door and removed his sandals.
A delicious aroma came from the kitchen.
It was probably Shizune cooking again.
Natsume got to slack off for the evening.
"Back already?"
Tsunade glanced at him briefly.
In the stroller, Senka gave him a smile.
Instantly, warmth filled Natsume's heart.
He poked Senka's little face and asked, "Was my daughter good today?"
"She behaved okay."
Tsunade thought for a moment before replying, "But only today."
Natsume couldn't help shaking his head.
Senka definitely inherited Tsunade's personality—
Lively, energetic, and with outstanding talent.
Combined with an energy level far exceeding that of normal children.
"Isn't that because your father never takes responsibility?"
Seeing his expression, Tsunade let out a light snort.
"You're always out and about."
"I am Hokage after all. I don't really have a choice."
Natsume felt slightly guilty.
Even though he was Hokage, he wasn't actually that busy.
Well, maybe "not busy" isn't exactly accurate.
Constantly traveling between regions drained a lot of energy, not to mention the countless lives depending on him.
Without the Sage Body, he'd already be dead.
Come to think of it, his destiny value had recently exceeded four thousand.
Theoretically, he could now acquire the physical constitution of the Otsutsuki Clan.
This was all thanks to Kaguya Otsutsuki's constant assistance, which saved him a significant amount of destiny points.
Natsume hesitated for a moment.
Should he spend his destiny points now and reap the benefits early?
Or wait a few years and let the Sage Body naturally evolve on its own?
It would take longer, but it would save a massive amount of destiny points.
After some contemplation, Natsume decided to wait.
According to the original storyline, the Akatsuki would start moving and officially begin hunting the tailed beasts in three years.
Until then, there wouldn't be much happening.
"Maybe I should get some help from others?"
Natsume asked tentatively.
"No need,"
Tsunade immediately shook her head.
She had only said it half-jokingly.
In truth, she quite enjoyed it.
Plus, involving others might risk exposing their secret.
Seeing her reaction, Natsume dropped the subject.
Before long, Shizune brought out dinner.
After dinner, their romantic evening began.
Senka slept soundly inside the barrier.
Meanwhile, not far away, a brutal battle was raging.
Morning came.
Natsume opened his eyes.
The outside air felt a bit chilly, making him reluctant to leave the warmth of the blankets.
Especially since Tsunade's warm body was snuggled up next to him—there was no way he wanted to get up.
He thought for a moment. There was nothing urgent today.
So he decided to be a little playful.
Tsunade let out a soft snort—she saw through all his little tricks.
But she wanted to stay in bed.
A short while later, she finally opened her eyes.
Because Natsume was getting bolder by the second.
Tsunade abruptly sat up, her face filled with anger.
And just like last night, she fell into the abyss once again.
Outside the door,
Shizune shook her head helplessly.
This wasn't the first time this had happened.
But it wasn't going to stop anytime soon either.
To take care of Senka, she had no choice but to arrive late.
Thinking about it, she sent a message to her three students using the mission bracelet.
Letting them know she had urgent business to handle and would arrive in two hours.
Shizune gave a thoughtful sigh.
This mission bracelet really was quite convenient.
If they'd had one back then, maybe during the Great Ninja World War, countless lives could have been saved.
With a soft sigh, she picked up Senka and stepped out of the room.
A long while passed before Natsume finally emerged into the living room.
Still wrapped in his pajamas, he made his way to take a shower.
As for Tsunade, she'd probably sleep a little longer.
"Thanks for helping out, Ms. Shizune."
After bathing and changing clothes, Natsume headed straight for the Hokage Building.
Four thousand words.
(Chapter end.)
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