Natsume didn't answer Honoka's question. He clapped, and right before her eyes entered Sage Mode.
His sensory perception surged; he sensed the abnormally vast chakra inside the girl before him.
No doubt—a survivor of the Uzumaki clan.
His action made Honoka and the others instinctively retreat; two nearly formed hand seals.
Mainly because Natsume's earlier display was too shocking.
The eye markings faded.
Natsume asked, "Are you an Uzumaki ninja?"
"I'm not."
Honoka had apparently been asked this many times and replied evenly.
Truth be told, without heightened senses, Natsume would've struggled to confirm.
After all, red hair alone wasn't definitive.
There were plenty of redheads in the ninja world—like Sasori of the Red Sand or Tayuya.
"Then do you know Kaguya Kimimaro?"
Natsume didn't call her out; he continued.
A flicker crossed Honoka's face.
Kimimaro hadn't acted in a long time.
By rights, no one should know he was here.
"I don't know him."
Honoka shook her head, calm restored.
"I don't much like liars."
Natsume smiled dangerously.
"Must we fight to the death?"
Honoka bit her lip. "Are you from Kirigakure? Here to take Kimimaro back?"
At this point, hiding was pointless.
"Seems his illness is severe—so bad he won't even come out."
At her shock, Natsume said, "If he stays here, he'll only die. I can save him."
"How do you know about his illness?"
Honoka suspected an internal traitor. As for the latter claim—she didn't believe it.
Kimimaro's Kekkai disease was incurable.
And who knew if he was telling the truth?
What if it was a trick?
"Such a hassle."
Natsume didn't feel like chatting with a smart girl.
He clapped again, re-entered Sage Mode, and opened his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Look here."
He snapped his fingers.
Everyone except Honoka fell into genjutsu and collapsed.
"What did you do?!"
Honoka recoiled.
She was about to weave signs when she realized she couldn't move.
Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death!
A giant tree appeared behind her.
Vines snaked out, binding her so she couldn't move.
Though only a B-rank technique, with Eternal Mangekyō it was vastly amplified.
"No! Don't kill him!"
Seeing Natsume walk toward Kimimaro's room, she shouted.
"When did I say I'd kill him?"
Natsume opened the door to find Kimimaro on the bed.
Asleep—or unconscious.
Tubes stuck all over him.
Shoddy equipment, with a discount knockoff feel.
Kimimaro's condition was much worse than in the original.
Confirming he wasn't dead, Natsume nodded.
He turned back. "You've seen my strength. Killing you all would be trivial. Do you understand?"
Honoka trembled and quickly nodded.
Natsume dispelled her genjutsu.
The giant tree vanished.
The others woke, bewildered by the scene.
"Carry Kimimaro out."
Natsume tilted his chin.
"Do as he says."
Seeing the others hesitate, Honoka urged them.
Four stepped up and carried Kimimaro—bed and all—into the hall.
"Pack up. We're leaving."
Natsume paused. "You have ten minutes."
"Hurry!"
Honoka spoke and ducked into a room, soon dragging out two large cases.
Natsume glanced—no clothes, all notes and instruments.
Flying Thunder God activated.
He transferred everyone and everything to the daimyo's residence in the Land of Waves.
The lab for Yakushi Kabuto was already under construction.
Natsume named it Yakushi House.
Since Honoka was a rare researcher and Kimimaro a strong subject, he entrusted them to Kabuto.
Kabuto, interrupted mid-experiment, eyed Honoka's youthful face with doubt.
He turned to Natsume. "This is the assistant you found me?"
"Regardless of skill, having help is good."
Natsume coughed.
Honoka was stunned—unable to process what was happening.
Her comfortable life had been abruptly broken.
Kabuto doubted her; she doubted him.
For the same reason:
Too young.
She didn't believe Kabuto could save Kimimaro.
And in fact, he couldn't.
In the original, even Kabuto and Orochimaru couldn't save him.
Natsume could only have him try. If not, he'd use the almighty Fate Points.
[Because of your actions, Kaguya Kimimaro's fate has changed. You gain 37 Fate Points.]
[Because of your actions, Honoka's fate has changed. You gain 50 Fate Points.]
The Fate Ring chimed.
Natsume perked up. With 87 more points, his total hit 3,901.
Sage Body costs 3,900.
In other words, he'd be invincible.
Sage Body plus Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan—just half a tier below the Sage of Six Paths.
He'd have only one Fate Point left, but worth it.
With the Sage Body, he could properly deal with Tsunade.
Natsume's answer left Kabuto speechless.
But he was pleased about Kimimaro.
Another rare specimen—and with Kekkai disease.
Kabuto didn't care whether Kimimaro lived; the disease made it more valuable.
Of course, best if he survived.
After passing Honoka and Kimimaro to Kabuto, Natsume washed his hands of it.
Sticking around wouldn't help.
And he'd already gotten the Fate Points. The rest was up to Kabuto.
Natsume returned to the cave.
He set a fire and left.
"Kept you waiting?"
He looked at the slightly bored Terumi Mei by the entrance.
"It's fine."
She glanced at the flames deeper in and asked, "Did you kill them all?"
"No."
Natsume didn't hide it. "That Honoka's research level is decent. I sent her to help my organization."
After all, if Terumi Mei investigated, a few Anbu would see there were no corpses.
"The rogues are cleared. Next is the daimyo's manor of the Land of Whirlpools."
Natsume thought a moment. "I'll have people handle it."
"So my mission's done?"
A twinge of loss jolted Terumi Mei.
The whole trip hadn't even taken an hour.
Then she realized:
Why do I feel lost?
"Mm, thanks for running with me today."
Natsume nodded. Joked, "I'm very satisfied with the Mizukage's service. I'll order again."
"It wasn't any trouble. Honestly, a random genin could've done this. Why waste money?"
Terumi Mei ignored his teasing, speaking coolly.
"Because the Mizukage is beautiful."
Natsume said confidently, "Everyone loves beauty. I'm just that simple."
"I'm heading back. No need to see me off."
Terumi Mei turned, cheeks faintly red, and quickly disappeared.
"Hey! You still haven't sung and danced for me!"
Natsume shouted, but got no reply.
He returned to his room.
Only one Fate Point remained.
Though he feared little with his strength, some things couldn't be solved by power alone.
So he needed more Fate Points.
The best to farm were the main characters.
Like Uzumaki Naruto.
Now that Hiruzen had retired and Tsunade was Hokage, getting close to Naruto wouldn't be a problem.
He also planned to unseal the Nine-Tails.
Then a thought struck.
Naruto didn't only have the Nine-Tails—he also had the chakra remnants of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina.
Why guide him personally?
What if he let Minato and Kushina see what Hiruzen had done all these years?
As for Minato's reaction, Natsume wasn't sure.
But Kushina—the Red-Hot-Blooded Habanero—would explode and want to kill Hiruzen.
Naruto might not listen to anyone—but he'd listen to his mother.
Now that Natsume had redeemed the Sage Body, he could use Yang Release to forcibly keep Minato and Kushina's chakra imprints around.
If Yang Release wasn't enough, then Yin Release.
In any case, he'd keep them around a while longer.
Naruto would change under their influence.
Natsume would gain Fate Points.
And Uchiha Sasuke, seeing Naruto improve rapidly, would likely spiral.
Two birds with one stone.
Nice.
Thinking, Natsume glanced at the sky—it was dusk.
He had been quite busy.
No rest from morning till night.
Thinking of it made him tired; he lay down and drifted off.
He didn't know how long he slept before waking—
Because he was hungry.
In the dark, he opened his eyes to find Tsunade in his arms.
Like an octopus, she had wrapped around him so he couldn't move.
Natsume stared at her delicate face.
So hungry. I want a bite.
He pondered sneaking to the kitchen without waking her.
Flying Thunder God wouldn't work.
If he vanished, Tsunade would get a stiff neck.
Natsume thought for a moment and gently tugged his right arm—her pillow.
"Hungry?"
Tsunade suddenly spoke.
She stretched and slipped out of the covers.
Natsume blinked.
"Go eat."
Tsunade lifted her chin. "I saved you some."
Natsume instantly understood.
She must have seen he was asleep and hadn't woken him.
But worried he'd get hungry, she saved food.
Deeply moved, he clung to her and said loudly, "Sis, you're the best!"
"Keep it down."
Tsunade jumped. "Don't wake Shizune."
"Okay, okay."
Natsume lowered his voice but didn't let go of her soft body.
"You're at it again?"
Seeing his restless hands, Tsunade twisted his ear and dragged him to the kitchen.
"Tss!"
Natsume hissed. "Ouch!"
In truth, he felt nothing.
He had the Sage Body, after all.
"Stand there and behave."
Tsunade shot him a glare and began reheating the food.
Natsume couldn't touch, but he could look.
Fresh from bed, Tsunade was in sleepwear.
Under the light, her calves and feet gleamed.
The apron was great, too.
A sleeveless style that showed off her hip line perfectly.
Especially when she leaned forward slightly.
Noticing his burning gaze, Tsunade turned and asked, "What are you looking at?"
"Nothing."
Natsume yawned as a tactic.
"You think I wouldn't notice?"
Tsunade rolled her eyes. "I've concluded you're utterly incorrigible."
"That's only because Sis is so charming."
Natsume pushed his crooked logic. "If I don't look at someone even once, clearly they have no sparkle."
"Your mouth sure is slick."
Tsunade paused, then laughed, and continued heating.
Natsume thought: Not just slick.
Soon, dinner—well, supper—was ready.
Oyakodon, a Japanese chicken-and-egg rice bowl.
"Sis, aren't you eating?"
Natsume saw only one bowl.
"I've already had dinner, so no."
Tsunade waved. "Eat."
Natsume nodded and dug in.
After a moment, he picked up a piece of chicken, held it to Tsunade's lips. "Ah—"
Tsunade paused, opened her mouth, and chewed.
"I took a bite first," Natsume said with a wicked smile.
Tsunade glanced at him—not angry, not shy. She smiled. "Mm. Tastes good."
"...?"
Natsume blinked.
Right.
She's different from Hinata and the others.
Didn't get a rise out of Tsunade.
"Want more?"
He asked again.
"You eat."
Tsunade untied the apron and set it aside. "Finish and go to sleep."
"Isn't it bad to sleep right after eating?"
Natsume asked between bites.
"So you want some post-meal exercise to digest?"
Tsunade narrowed her eyes, arms crossed.
"What kind of exercise, exactly?"
Natsume had a bad feeling and stepped back.
"Be my human punching bag."
Tsunade clenched a fist.
"Someone will die. Seriously."
Natsume backed into a corner, face full of fear.
Tsunade smiled triumphantly.
You can't outplay Sis.
She'd noticed he'd been getting more and more unruly. Time for a lesson before he pushed his luck further.
"Eat!"
She pointed at the bowl. "We'll talk after."
Natsume wanted to say: Sis, have some dignity. I'm not that kind of guy.
He finished quickly—but the thing he anticipated didn't happen.
Tsunade did nothing—just hugged him and fell asleep.