[Read up to Chapter - 123.1 on P atreon at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]
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Kushina's House, Konohagakure
DING-DONG~
The sound of the doorbell echoed softly through the small home.
'Are they here?' Kushina thought, straightening up. She had been expecting her doorbell to ring any time, and now, it seemed someone really had come.
She ran her fingers through her red hair, tying it loosely to give herself a relaxed, casual look. On the dining table behind her lay an open scroll and a notebook, carefully arranged to make it appear as though she'd been studying fūinjutsu.
In truth, she had been far too nervous, frightened, angry, and anxious to focus on studying at all.
'Okay, calm down,' she told herself. 'I've already prepared a proper story. It'll be fine. They won't find anything. Nothing will happen.'
Satisfied, she exhaled softly and rose from her seat.
"Hisss…" A sharp pain shot through her abdomen, the lingering ache from earlier activities, but she gritted her teeth and forced herself to ignore it as if it wasn't there at all and moved toward the door.
Just then, the doorbell rang again—
DING-DONG~
"I'm coming, just a moment!" she called out, raising her voice so whoever was outside would stop pressing the bell repeatedly. Step by step, she steadied her breathing and finally reached the door, hesitating only for a heartbeat before opening it.
"Who's there?" she called out, her tone edged with irritation at being disturbed so late in the evening.
When she opened the door, her breath caught. Standing outside, a smoking pipe in hand, eyes half-shadowed in thought, was none other than the Sandaime Hokage himself, flanked by two silent ANBU operatives.
She immediately recognized one of them; his mask belonged to the ANBU who regularly kept watch over her. And seeing him there now, alongside the Hokage, made it clear why they had come.
"Hokage-sama?" she said, feigning surprise as though his visit were the last thing she'd expected. Then, she added awkwardly, "Um… good evening?"
"Haha, good evening," Hiruzen said with a faint smile, though he paused briefly to press a finger to his temple, as if steadying a fleeting throb, then continued, "Apologies for the late visit, Kushina. I only just managed to get free."
He didn't seem the least bit offended by her awkward greeting; in fact, there was a hint of warmth in his expression as he added, "Kushina, may I come in? I'd like to talk to you about your… Jōnin promotion."
"Jōnin promotion?" Kushina echoed, raising an eyebrow. Then it struck her, she had been scheduled for assessment and promotion, though with everything that had happened to her in the past twenty-four hours, it had completely slipped her mind.
"Oh… right," she said quickly, nodding. "Yes, of course, please, come in."
She opened the door, and Hiruzen stepped inside. After the Hokage and his two ANBU escorts removed their sandals, Kushina led them into the dining hall. She gestured for Hiruzen to take a seat, which he did, while the two ANBU remained standing silently beside him.
As he settled, he rubbed the back of his neck subtly, his gaze lingering a moment too long on the flickering light.
"I'll get some tea," she said, moving toward the kitchen. "Hokage-sama, would you like some? Well… I only have tea for a beverage, so that's the only thing I can offer... There are some cookies to go along."
Hiruzen chuckled softly at her straightforwardness and nodded. "Tea will be just fine."
"Alright," Kushina replied, setting a kettle of water on the stove to boil.
While she prepared tea, she also thought about the Jōnin promotion thing.
'Why isn't he directly asking about Uchiha Kanzou's visit?' she wondered, her mind racing. But she quickly forced the thought aside and began planning how to respond to his questions about the promotion.
Under normal circumstances, she would have been thrilled. Becoming a Jōnin was something she had long dreamed of, as it would be proof of her independence and strength, a chance to finally spread her wings and escape the restrictions that bound her.
But right now, none of that mattered. She couldn't bring herself to care. All she wanted was for this questioning to end quickly, so she could be left alone.
'Still… I can't let my guard down,' she reminded herself, her nerves a little tense. She knew that even if Hiruzen was talking about her Jōnin promotion, he would eventually bring up Uchiha Kanzou's visit. And if she relaxed for even a moment, she might slip, say something she was desperate to keep hidden.
As she prepared tea with those thoughts in her mind, Hiruzen watched her quietly. 'She…. seems fine… just a little tense?' he thought, feeling a measure of relief, trying to ignore a dull pulse echoing faintly at the base of his skull, like the distant rumble of an approaching storm.
He exhaled a breath, shifting to the dining table, where scrolls and a notebook lay open. Recognizing some of the seal formations sketched there, he nodded to himself. 'Hmm… studying the Reverse Tetragram at her age… impressive. She really is gifted in fūinjutsu.'
Once Kushina had finished preparing the tea, she carried the tray to the dining table, setting the cups along with some cookies down carefully before taking a seat across from Hiruzen, who seemed to be wincing slightly in pain.
Watching him like that, Kushina couldn't help but question, "Hokage-sama… are you… um… alright?"
"Yes, it's fine… just a headache…" Hiruzen replied, not wanting to reveal the problem.
"I see…" murmured Kushina, not pressing further.
"And what about you, Kushina… You seem a bit tense and rather tired," Hiruzen observed with concern, his brows knitting slightly. He couldn't help but wonder if her unease and fatigue were aftereffects of being trapped in one of Kanzou's powerful genjutsu.
"I just didn't sleep well last night…" Kushina replied lightly, similarly, not wanting to reveal the problem.
"Another nightmare because of the Nine-Tails?" Hiruzen asked tentatively, knowing that Kushina often suffered from nightmares brought on by the beast sealed within her.
And he hoped that the cause of her exhaustion was nightmares, because exhaustion from having nightmares is much better than exhaustion from being tortured for hours.
"Huh? Y-yeah…" Kushina answered automatically, then immediately cursed herself inwardly. 'Idiot… he'll know that's not true. I was at the Uchiha Compound last night… he should know that. Now that I've agreed so easily, he'll realize I'm lying…'
She got worried and afraid that everything was over before it could even begin, and now Hiruzen would directly call her out for her lie… but unexpectedly, he didn't and even apologized, "I apologize for what you have to go through being a Jinchūriki…"
He seemed relieved to hear that her exhaustion was simply due to a restless night and another nightmare.
'Huh?' Kushina was taken aback when Hiruzen didn't call out her obvious lie. For a moment, she couldn't make sense of it.
By all logic, he should've scolded her for spending the night at the Uchiha Compound, but he didn't. That inconsistency unsettled her. 'Is he testing me?' she wondered. Yet even that didn't fully make sense. The matter involved the Nine-Tails; it wasn't something he would normally overlook… and yet, she couldn't be sure what he was thinking.
Unable to make sense of the situation, Kushina spoke cautiously, "As for being tense… I'd say I'm just nervous, and maybe a little excited… about the Jōnin promotion."
"I see… well, that's understandable," Hiruzen replied with a nod, noticing nothing unusual in her tone.
Under normal circumstances, he might have picked up on the oddities in her behavior… and even felt that she might be lying or trying to cover up something. But with his head still clouded by a splitting headache, his perception dulled, and that worked in Kushina's favor.
Although Kushina still couldn't figure out what was going on, she decided to change the subject. "So… about this Jōnin promotion," she said quickly, "I've heard it's different from the Chūnin Exams. Will there be some sort of assessment or written test? Or… something else I should prepare for?"
Hiruzen took a sip of the tea while shaking his head. "No, the Jōnin promotion works differently. Once the Hokage deems a shinobi suitable, and if there's a proper recommendation, they're promoted directly."
"I see…" Kushina nodded, pretending to think it over. Then, leaning forward slightly, she asked quickly, "So, what do you think, Hokage-sama? Am I suitable? And… who's going to recommend me?"
Her tone was a bit too eager, a hint of nervousness slipping through as she tried to keep him from noticing anything unusual.
Hiruzen, naturally, wasn't surprised by Kushina's mix of excitement and nervousness, and indeed, he failed to notice the true reason behind it. Smiling kindly, he nodded. "Indeed, I've reviewed your file. You're more than qualified for Jōnin promotion. As for the recommendation, I'll be the one endorsing you personally. Besides," he added, reaching into his robes, "I also have a letter of recommendation from Mito-sama, one she left behind specifically for this occasion. So, there's no issue with your credentials."
"Mito-obaasama left a letter?" Kushina asked, momentarily taken aback.
Hiruzen nodded and placed a sealed envelope on the table, sliding it gently toward her. "Yes. Here it is."
"C-can I read it?" she asked hesitantly, her voice trembling just a little.
"Of course," Hiruzen replied with a warm smile. "Go ahead." And continued to drink the tea, though each swallow now carried a faint undercurrent of strain, the warmth doing little to blunt the insistent pressure building at his temples.
Kushina quickly unfolded the letter and began to read. The moment her eyes traced the familiar handwriting, her chest tightened; it was unmistakably Mito's. It had been nearly a decade since Mito passed away, yet the warmth in those carefully penned words was the same as she remembered.
Though the letter wasn't addressed to her directly, Mito's recommendation was sincere, praising her skills in Fūinjutsu and affirming her worthiness for promotion to Jōnin when the time comes.
Although the letter is technically not valid, considering Mito is dead… and can't probably assess her current skills, her recommendation still counts considering her important status.
And as she read those contents, emotion welled in her chest.
"Mito-obaasama… I'm… not as capable as you thought," she murmured under her breath, biting her lip. 'If I were truly strong… how could that bastard, Uchiha Kanzou, have taken advantage of me like that?'
A pang of guilt struck her. She felt as though she'd failed Mito's expectations. But now wasn't the time to sink into self-loathing; she still had to face the Hokage sitting across from her and not let him suspect what had happened to her.
Quickly wiping away the tears that threatened to spill, she set the letter down and forced a faint smile. "Then… there shouldn't be any problem with my promotion, right, Hokage-sama?"
Kushina's reaction to the letter was exactly what Hiruzen had expected. Smiling faintly, he nodded. "There's no problem at all. Your promotion is well-deserved."
Kushina exhaled softly, feigning excitement. "Alright… that's good! So, that means I'm officially a Jōnin now, right?"
"Yes," Hiruzen confirmed, then added, shifting slightly in his seat, "But there's a small caveat."
"A caveat?" she repeated, frowning slightly. "What do you mean?"
Hiruzen folded his hands on the table. "I can promote you to Jōnin, but I can't permit you to leave the village on missions. The situation between the nations is growing increasingly tense, and I can't risk sending you outside Konoha for now."
Kushina fell silent for a moment before simply nodding. "Fine."
Her easy acceptance caught Hiruzen off guard. He had expected her to argue, to protest being confined to the village, perhaps even throw one of her usual tantrums. Normally, she would have. But today, she just wanted this conversation over with, wanted him and his ANBU gone so she could finally be alone.
Though slightly puzzled by her calm acceptance, Hiruzen chose not to question it. Perhaps, he thought, Kushina had simply matured with time.
And in a way, he was right—she had matured… just not in the way he imagined.
Setting that thought aside, he continued, "You'll remain in the Barrier Division. I'll have your duties adjusted to match your new rank."
"Alright," Kushina replied quietly, nodding once more.
Hiruzen found this calm, agreeable version of Kushina rather unusual. For a brief moment, he was even at a loss; he'd prepared a handful of explanations and reassurances to convince her, yet it seemed he wouldn't need any of them.
A quiet lull settled over the dining hall until Kushina finally broke it. "Well…" she prompted softly, as if asking whether there was anything else.
"Oh, right," Hiruzen said, blinking as he turned to the ANBU beside him. "Give her things."
The ANBU nodded, retrieving a sealed scroll from his pouch and placing it neatly on the table.
"Your Jōnin vest, forehead protector, new license plate with your updated rank, and other official items corresponding to your new rank are inside," Hiruzen explained.
"Got it," Kushina said, nodding as she accepted the scroll. Though she didn't really want to open it just yet, she knew not doing so might raise a few eyebrows. So, she unfolded it anyway and took out the contents, feigning curiosity as she examined them.
Hiruzen smiled faintly, watching her expression as she unrolled the scroll and revealed the neatly sealed items inside. She looked appropriately eager, just as he had hoped.
And as she appeared distracted, Hiruzen seized the moment to steer the conversation toward what truly concerned him.
"By the way, Kushina," he began casually, "I heard you visited the Police Station earlier this afternoon. And afterward, Uchiha Kanzou briefly visited your house…"
'Sure enough… It's coming,' Kushina thought, instantly alert. She had been expecting this question all along; that was why she had never let her guard down. Even now, though she appeared distracted by the Jōnin vest, her mind was razor-sharp.
"Yeah," she said casually, her tone steady as she turned the vest over in her hands. "That did happen. What about it?"
Hiruzen sighed quietly. "Well… he's a troublesome man. I just wanted to advise you to keep your distance from him; he's not someone you should befriend."
"Who'd even want to get close to that bastard, let alone be friends with him?" Kushina snapped, her tone laced with barely contained anger.
Hiruzen blinked, momentarily taken aback by the intensity in her voice. It was clear something serious had happened. "Did he do something?" he asked quickly.
"Of course he did!" Kushina burst out, slamming her fist on the table. "He imprisoned Minato-kun! And when I went to the Uchiha Police Station to demand his release, he refused! Minato-kun's innocent, he'd never do something like that, I know it! But Uchiha Kanzou wouldn't listen. He said he'd 'investigate first' and only release Minato-kun once he was absolutely certain of his innocence!"
"I see…" Hiruzen murmured, unsurprised to hear the reason behind her visit to the Police Station. He had already suspected as much, considering that Namikaze Minato had also been imprisoned.
What he didn't understand, however, was why Kanzou had come to her house afterward, and asked her about it, "Then how did you end up bringing him here from the Police Station?"
Kushina frowned, her irritation flaring. "Hokage-sama… don't your ANBU have better things to do, like protecting the villagers from people like Uchiha Kanzou and his Police Force, instead of watching from the shadows all the time?" She glared the two masked figures standing silently beside him.
Hiruzen looked a bit embarrassed. "It's for your safety, Kushina… you should understand, considering your identity."
Kushina snorted. "Whatever… I still think your ANBU are useless." Her gaze lingered on them coldly. In her heart, the resentment ran deep. If they were truly competent, how had Uchiha Kanzou managed to take advantage of her right under their watch? These fools hadn't protected her at all… and for that, she despised them.
"Now, now, Kushina," Hiruzen said gently, trying to calm her down. "The ANBU are only doing their job, protecting you. Look, you're safe and unharmed, aren't you?"
'Safe and unharmed, yeah right,' Kushina scoffed inwardly. The sharp ache pulsing from her core would like to argue about just how 'safe' or 'unharmed' she really was. Still, she kept her expression composed. Fixing Hiruzen with a sharp look, she said aloud, "If they're really doing their job, then why don't you ask them what Uchiha Kanzou was doing at my house? They should at least know that much, right?"
Deep down, she was also desperate to hear their answer. Part of her needed to know how much they had seen, or worse, heard. If they had overheard what happened inside her bedroom… the story she had prepared would turn out to be useless.
One of the ANBU stepped forward and spoke respectfully. "Hokage-sama instructed us to maintain distance so as not to interfere with your personal life, Kushina-sama. We only observed from afar. Since you were the one who brought Uchiha Kanzou to your residence, we did not intervene immediately. However, we were prepared to act if anything happened and had already dispatched a messenger to inform Hokage-sama as soon as we saw you bring him here. But within just two or three minutes, Uchiha Kanzou had already left, so we didn't take any further action."
"Huh? Just two or three minutes?" Kushina repeated, startled.
"Give or take," the ANBU replied with a short nod. "Perhaps a few seconds more or less."
Kushina froze, disbelief flashing across her face. 'Just two or three minutes? That bastard was here for over an hour!'
There was no way the ANBU could have mistaken such a long visit for just a few minutes. Yet he'd said it so confidently, as if it were fact. The contradiction sent a chill through her.
'Why… why is he lying?' she thought desperately, suspicion tightening in her chest.
"What's wrong? Is there some discrepancy in the ANBU's report?" Hiruzen asked, sensing something off, his voice carrying a subtle hitch as he leaned forward, the motion sending a fresh spike through his skull that he masked with a slow blink.
"No…" Kushina shook her head, then added quickly, "I wasn't really paying attention to how much time he stayed, but it was probably about that long."
Hiruzen was still suspicious. From Kushina's earlier reaction, it hadn't seemed like she believed Uchiha Kanzou had stayed for only two or three minutes. Yet the ANBU insisted that he seemed to have stayed over for only that period of time.
Normally, such a discrepancy would have been impossible to explain, but Hiruzen knew of Kanzou's unique genjutsu, one capable of distorting perception of time itself, making mere moments feel like hours within that Genjutsu plane.
'Could Uchiha Kanzou have…?' Hiruzen wondered grimly before asking aloud, "Did Uchiha Kanzou use any genjutsu on you?"
"Genjutsu?" Kushina repeated, frowning slightly. "I don't think so…" She shook her head after a moment's thought. If Kanzou had used a genjutsu on her, she was certain she would have noticed.
"Are you sure?" Hiruzen pressed again, his tone cautious. He went on to describe the kind of genjutsu that Uchiha Kanzou possesses, drawing from his own experience of being hit by it. The recollection stirred the embers of his own past torment, and with it, the pain in his head flared subtly, a warning thread pulling taut.
Kushina blinked, taken aback by both his insistence and the details he shared. She couldn't help but wonder if such a genjutsu was really possible, and if Uchiha Kanzou could truly use something so powerful.
But after thinking it through carefully, she nodded firmly. "Yes, I'm absolutely sure, Hokage-sama. No such genjutsu was used on me by Uchiha Kanzou. I'd definitely remember if it had been."
"I see…" Hiruzen murmured, pursing his lips, though his expression remained uncertain.
Meanwhile, Kushina's gaze flicked toward the ANBU once more, an uneasy feeling settling in her chest. She was certain Kanzou hadn't used any genjutsu on her, but the ANBU…
'Could that bastard have used genjutsu on them instead?' she wondered.
That would explain why the ANBU had lied about how long Kanzou stayed in her home. It would also explain why Hiruzen seemed completely unaware that she had spent the previous night at the Uchiha Compound.
'Then… does that mean he wanted the Hokage-sama to know he'd visited me?' she thought, uncertainty clouding.
Her instincts told her that this was likely the case, yet she couldn't understand why he would want to do something like that. Isn't that tantamount to kicking himself on the leg?
While she was still trying to piece together a reason, Hiruzen broke the silence. "Anyway, about what we were discussing earlier," he said, his tone calm but probing, "why did you end up bringing Uchiha Kanzou to your house?"
"Well… that…" Kushina faltered, momentarily at a loss for words.
She had prepared a story beforehand, but that story was based on the assumption that Hiruzen knew Kanzou had spent over an hour in her home. Now, however, the ANBU's account had completely changed things. If she stuck to her original story, it would immediately expose her lie. She needed a new one, and fast.
'What do I say… what do I say?' she thought frantically, her mind racing to improvise something believable.
Her silence made Hiruzen uneasy. 'Did something happen?' he wondered anxiously, the question amplifying the relentless thrum in his temples, each beat now echoing like footsteps in a narrowing corridor.
Just as he was about to question her, Kushina broke the silence with an awkward smile. "That… actually, when I went to his office at the Police Station to demand Minato-kun's release, I kind of… smashed his office door and table in anger. So, he demanded compensation. He said that if I didn't pay up, he'd frame Minato-kun unjustly."
She wasn't entirely lying; the events had indeed unfolded something like that, just not exactly as she described.
"I see…" Hiruzen said slowly, then leaned forward slightly. "And what kind of compensation did he demand?"
"What else? He demanded… um… Money," Kushina said with a shrug, trying to sound casual. "Said it was to replace his broken door and table."
Her tone hardened as she gritted her teeth. "But the price he asked for was ridiculous! You could replace a hundred doors and tables with that amount. Still… I had no choice but to agree. I didn't have that much money on me at that moment, so I told him I'd go home to get it. But that bastard said he didn't trust me and insisted on coming along."
She exhaled sharply, as if recalling the irritation of the moment. "After I gave him the money, he just left."
As Kushina gave her explanation, she felt uncomfortably self-conscious. The story she'd spun was hastily made up, and she wasn't sure if it sounded convincing.
"That's it? Is that really all that happened?" Hiruzen asked, a trace of doubt in his voice.
"Yeah, that's it!" Kushina shot back, anger flashing across her face. "And you say it like it's nothing! That bastard took all my savings! I don't even have enough left to last the month!"
Hiruzen chuckled softly. "Hahaha… don't worry, I'll have some money sent to you," he said lightly, though his mind was already turning. 'Is that really all that happened?'
Given Kanzou's reputation, extortion was hardly surprising; he'd even been a victim of it himself, as had several others in the village. So, on the surface, her story made sense. Still… something didn't sit right with him.
'Did Uchiha Kanzou really not touch the Nine-Tails at all?' he thought, finding the idea hard to believe. The speculation tugged at him, each mental thread yanking harder against the vise gripping his skull.
Suspicious, he couldn't hold back from asking directly. "Tell me, Kushina," he said suddenly, his tone turning serious, "is the Nine-Tails' seal… stable?"
Kushina frowned. "Huh? The Nine-Tails' seal? Of course, it's stable. Why wouldn't it be??"
Sensing that her confusion seemed genuine, Hiruzen quickly waved a hand dismissively. "Forgive me. Just an old man worrying too much."
'The Nine-Tails' seal… if it's really stable, then was Uchiha Kanzou's visit truly just about money?' Hiruzen frowned. That explanation didn't sit right with him.
After all, how much money could Kushina possibly have? Half a million ryō at most. Would Kanzou really bother going all the way to her house for such a trivial amount? He could easily extort far more through other means.
'And he didn't even stay for long… what exactly is he planning?'
Hiruzen sighed inwardly. He simply couldn't make sense of Kanzou's actions.
But then, a sudden thought struck him. 'Wait… could it be that Uchiha Kanzou left something behind in her house, something he intends to use when her guard is down?'
The idea unsettled him. "Kushina," Hiruzen said carefully, "perhaps I should have my ANBU take a quick look around your home, just to make sure Uchiha Kanzou didn't leave anything dangerous behind. Knowing his personality, I wouldn't rule out this possibility." His words trailed slightly, the suggestion requiring a deliberate push past the fog now clouding the edges of his focus.
"Take a look around my house?" Kushina repeated, her frown deepening in clear distaste. She had expected this possibility, and even prepared for it, but the thought still made her uneasy. After a brief pause, she forced a reluctant sigh. "If Hokage-sama feels it's necessary… fine. But my bedroom is off-limits. I don't want strange men poking around in there. Besides," she added quickly, "I didn't let him go there anyway."
That, of course, was a lie; Kanzou had spent most of his time in her bedroom, on her bed.
In anticipation of this very situation, she had already cleaned the room thoroughly, but the thought of more men stepping into that space made her stomach turn.
In fact, it already felt so defiled that she doubted she'd ever be able to sleep there peacefully again, but she still didn't want anyone else there because the bottle of contraception pills given to her by Kanzou was still in that room…
Noticing her clear reluctance, Hiruzen decided to let it go. He could sense her discomfort, and the old man had no intention of pressing her any further because he knew she'd explode if he did.
"Alright… her bedroom is off-limits," he said finally, turning to his ANBU.
The ANBU ninjas nodded and began checking the rest of the house.
Meanwhile, Kushina spoke up, her voice slightly pleading. "Hokage-sama… about Minato-kun. He's still imprisoned. Can't you order Uchiha Kanzou to release him? I swear he's innocent. Minato-kun would never do something as vile as peeking at the bathing women in the bathhouse…"
Kushina's plea made Hiruzen feel a bit helpless.
To be honest, he knew he couldn't do anything.
Hiruzen's headaches had been getting worse, and even if he wanted to, he wasn't in any condition to confront Kanzou directly. If he had the strength to free anyone, it would be Jiraiya first and Minato later, but even that was beyond his reach right now. Still, he couldn't afford to show weakness in front of Kushina.
"I'll… see what I can do," he said with a nod, forcing composure into his tone.
He was the Hokage, the leader of the village, and the Hokage couldn't appear helpless or frail, especially not under the shadow of the Uchiha Patriarch's growing influence. So, he gave the only answer he could: that he would "see what he could do."
Kushina, however, wasn't convinced. His words felt hollow, his tone too careful. She could tell it was little more than polite reassurance, and that thought unsettled her.
'Even the Hokage… is helpless against that bastard?'
A heavy silence fell between them, broken only when the ANBU ninjas returned. They approached Hiruzen and whispered a few words. His brows furrowed, but after a moment, he nodded.
"Well," he said, turning back to Kushina, "your home, aside from your bedroom, has been checked thoroughly. There's nothing unusual." The assurance came out measured, each syllable now laced with the effort of holding back the swelling tide within his skull.
Kushina let out a quiet sigh of relief. "That's good," she said quickly, then added, "I'll check my bedroom myself, just in case."
"Alright…" Hiruzen nodded, though unease lingered in his expression. After a pause, he said, "If you'd like, you can stay at my house for the next few days. There's an empty room available; you can use it." He felt that having Kushina close by would put his mind more at ease.
"I… I think I'll be fine here," Kushina murmured, politely declining his offer.
She was in no state of mind to stay at the Hokage's residence. In fact, the very thought made her uneasy; she feared that the Hokage's wife might notice something she was desperately trying to hide.
Hiruzen pressed his lips together, thinking, 'No… this won't do…' and was about to press her again, when a sudden wave of pain struck. "Aaah…" he gasped, clutching his head with both hands as a sharp throb ripped through his skull. Blood began to trickle from his nose, and his vision blurred, his mind pounding as if struck by a thousand hammers.
His breathing quickened, and his consciousness started to slip.
The ANBU immediately reacted. "Hokage-sama!" one of them shouted in alarm.
Kushina also shot to her feet, panic flashing across her face. "Wh-what's happening to him?" she cried.
The ANBU didn't answer Kushina directly. Instead, they exchanged quick words with each other. "He needs his medication immediately… and rest," one of them said urgently.
Seeing that Hiruzen was in no condition to make it home on his own, Kushina hesitated before speaking up. "I-I… if he needs rest, then he can… stay here," she offered awkwardly. She didn't really want anyone staying in her house, but this was the Hokage, after all.
One of the ANBU, however, shook his head firmly. "He needs more than just a bed to rest on," he said, before turning to his companion. "Hokage-sama needs to be escorted back to his residence and have those medical devices attached to him."
It was clear they intended to take him there immediately, after all, all the proper medical equipment was already prepared at the Hokage's home.
One of the ANBU gave a sharp nod. "I'll escort Hokage-sama back to his residence. As for you," he said to his comrade, "continue monitoring the Jinchūriki's security, and make sure Uchiha Kanzou doesn't come near this place again."
"Understood, sir," the other ANBU replied.
With that, the first ANBU lifted the still-gasping Hiruzen into his arms and swiftly departed, leaving Kushina alone with the remaining guard.
Now that she was left with the ANBU ninja, Kushina wanted to question him about his previous lie, but the ANBU ninja didn't give her the opportunity and also disappeared, leaving her alone in her house.
And standing there alone in the silence of her small living room, Kushina's hands trembled, not knowing what to do.
She felt completely helpless.
…
Patriarch's Mansion, Uchiha Compound,
When Kanzou returned home, Mikoto gently helped him remove his jacket. But as she slipped it off his shoulders, she caught a familiar scent.
Her expression froze.
That scent, it was Kushina's!
"Kan-sama… were you with Kushina-chan earlier?" she asked.
"Hm? Yeah," Kanzou didn't deny it.
"I see…" Mikoto murmured, the thought of him spending time with Kushina stirring a sharp bitterness in her chest.
Noticing Mikoto's bitter state and easily guessing the cause, Kanzou pulled her into his arms and whispered softly into her ear, "To me, you are far more important than some casual flings."
"Mm." Mikoto nodded, her heart settling a little as she felt his warmth.
Still, part of her wanted to know how he managed to succeed in having his way with Kushina this time?
Given Kanzou's nature, Mikoto could guess it probably hadn't been anything honorable. It was likely similar to the way he had once taken her.
'It must have been through coercion…' Mikoto thought, but she didn't dwell on it.
"…It's time we got some rest," said Kanzou as his hand slid down her to her hips.
Though he had done a lot of exercise with Kushina, Mikoto is still better in his opinion.
Moreover, in his heart, Mikoto also holds far more weight than Kushina ever could.
His fun with Kushina had just begun, not to mention they weren't exactly in a relationship, or anything like that. It was just him unilaterally threatening her and taking advantage of her. In contrast, his relationship with Mikoto was different, and now Mikoto's heart belonged to him as well.
Feeling the movements of his hands on her buttocks, Mikoto flushed deeply and stammered, trying to regain control of the moment. "Th-that… first, we should have dinner, right?"
It wasn't that she didn't want to serve him, but they clearly hadn't eaten yet.
Kanzou tilted his head slightly. "What are you talking about? Aren't I having my dinner?"
Mikoto's face turned crimson at the teasing remark. She knew exactly what he meant, yet she persisted, whispering, "B-but, Kan-sama… you still need a proper meal."
After all, shinobi need to eat to maintain their physical strength; if they don't eat properly, it could become a real problem.
Knowing this, Kanzou didn't argue and simply gave in. "Sigh… fine. I'll eat first, then I'll have my dessert." He was, after all, feeling quite hungry.
Wrapping an arm around her waist as they made their way to the dining room, he asked casually, "By the way, what have you prepared for dinner?"
"I have prepared simmered yellowtail with daikon, miso soup with silken tofu and wakame, steamed rice, and pickled plum. There is also grilled eggplant brushed with soy and ginger…" answered Mikoto.
"Hm… another elaborate meal," Kanzou murmured.
"Don't you like it?" Mikoto asked softly, glancing up at him, a hint of worry in her eyes that the meal she had prepared might not suit his taste.
"What are you talking about? I'm actually looking forward to it," Kanzou said with a small smile, shaking his head as he took his seat at the dining table.
Ever since Mikoto had started living with him as his wife, his meals had become noticeably more refined—and far more traditional. Before this, his food had never been so intricate or ceremonious. None of the Zodiacs, not even Hazuki, could cook with such finesse. They had often tried to prepare something for him, but it was always simple—one dish or another—or he would simply eat out.
But with Mikoto around, that had changed, and it's not a change that he dislikes. I mean, who doesn't like to eat high-class, refined meals?
"Really? In that case, I'll serve you right away," Mikoto replied happily, quickly setting out the dishes and preparing a portion for herself as she took the seat beside him.
The aroma of simmered yellowtail and soy filled the room, blending with the faint scent of incense that lingered in the air.
"Itadakimasu," they both said, and the couple began their meal together.
Kanzou picked up his chopsticks, sampling the fish first.
The tender flesh broke apart easily, soaking in the flavor of daikon and broth. He nodded faintly. "Not bad… the seasoning's balanced."
Mikoto's eyes brightened with satisfaction. "I'm glad it suits your taste, Kan-sama."
He took another bite, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. "Hmm… yes… Indeed, it's good."
"Hehe…" she smiled, picking up her chopsticks and beginning to eat.
Mikoto's manner of eating was far more refined than Kanzou's—so graceful, in fact, that he found himself feeling slightly self-conscious. Without thinking, he adjusted his posture and tried to match her elegance.
Noticing this, Mikoto smiled softly, a warmth blooming in her chest. Seeing him try those things, even a little, made her oddly happy.
The rest of the meal passed in comfortable silence, with Mikoto occasionally pausing to serve him another portion.
Strangely enough, even after eating his usual amount—which was quite a lot, mind you—Kanzou still didn't feel satisfied. "I didn't expect not to be full even after all this," he muttered.
"It's alright, Kan-sama. I'll prepare a bit more," Mikoto replied, standing up at once to cook. Seeing him eat heartily filled her with joy; serving him always did.
"Hm." Kanzou hummed in acknowledgment, continuing to eat as Mikoto moved gracefully about, preparing and serving him more food.
'Perhaps this is also the result of acquiring the Uzumaki Sage Body…' he thought, finding it the only reasonable explanation for his sudden increase in appetite.
It was only after finishing nearly four times his usual portion that he finally leaned back, patting his stomach with a satisfied sigh. "Yeah… that felt good."
Mikoto let out a soft, relieved breath, wiping the sweat from her forehead before smiling. "I'm glad, Kan-sama."
"Mikoto… my meals, the quantity will probably increase from now on," Kanzou said, hinting for her to start preparing larger portions in the future.
"I understand. I'll adjust accordingly," she nodded, though her expression grew slightly worried. "But… I hope it's not because of some health problem."
After all, it wasn't normal for someone to suddenly eat four times their usual amount. Children, perhaps—but Kanzou was almost an adult. A few instances might be fine, but if it continued on a daily basis, it could be cause for concern.
"That's not the case," Kanzou replied, shaking his head. "I probably know the reason for this surge in appetite—and it's nothing to be concerned about."
A moment of silence followed before Mikoto nodded obediently. "I see…"
Then, reaching for the teapot, she lifted it gracefully with both hands and poured, filling Kanzou's cup. "Here," she said softly, placing it before him. "It should help with digestion."
"Hmm," Kanzou hummed, accepting the cup as Mikoto quietly began clearing and washing the dishes.
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[Note: Chapter 37.2: The Wedding Night I, Chapter 37.3: The Wedding Night II, and Chapter 37.4: The Wedding Night III have also been uploaded. Be sure to check that out. They are, of course, lemon.]
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Lemon Incoming... Drop Power Stonessssssssss!
[Read up to Chapter - 123.1 on P atreon at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]