Chapter 24
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Suu entered the living room, now presentable in a fresh outfit after changing out of her torn clothes. She found Tatsuya waiting there, his expression contemplative.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, his gaze studying her intently.
"No different from normal. I've checked myself over more than once to make sure. Perhaps the effects of your chakra are temporary or as long as it is in the system," Suu answered, taking a seat across from him. "Do you want to involve the Hokage in this? With the research department's help and the Hokage's knowledge, I'm certain it would be much easier to find the reason behind it."
Being the renowned "Professor," Suu thought the Hokage would surely be able to discern the cause of Tatsuya's chakra abnormality.
At the mention of the Hokage, Tatsuya immediately frowned, thinking to himself, 'No way am I letting that shady peeping pervert know about this. Who knows what he might do?'
Pushing aside his misgivings, Tatsuya turned to Suu. "Actually, can you do me a favour, Suu-san?" he asked.
Suu raised an inquisitive brow. "I'm listening," she replied, her curiosity piqued.
"Can you keep what happened here, and the nature of my chakra, between us? And don't report it to the Hokage," Tatsuya said, his tone growing serious once more. "You know how easily this could be misinterpreted or taken the wrong way."
Suu fell silent for a moment, considering his words carefully before voicing the question at the forefront of her mind. "Do you not trust the Hokage, Tatsuya?"
She was well aware of the somewhat strained relationship between the Hokage and Hitomi following the Kumo attack eight years prior. From Tatsuya's tone, it seemed he didn't trust Hokage much. Still, Suu refrained from drawing early conclusions, knowing full well there were always those who didn't trust their leaders much.
Even she herself didn't place her full trust in Hiruzen when it came to some matters, especially after Orochimaru's escape.
This was information known to only a select few in the highest echelons of village leadership. But she, driven by her suspicions, had taken it upon herself to investigate, eventually deducing that Hiruzen had allowed his personal feelings to cloud his judgement, leading to Orochimaru's escape, which had made her very dissatisfied.
Tatsuya didn't directly answer the question, instead saying, "I just want to keep such crucial information about me privy to those I can truly trust. You know, the less people know, the better. You know how sensitive people are related to things that can manipulate their minds " He tried to play the pity card.
But Suu's interest was on something else as she couldn't resist a playful smirk. "So I'm someone you trust, then?" She knew full well her knowledge of his condition was purely accidental but she couldn't help try to tease him.
Tatsuya chuckled. "While it was an accident that you learned of it, I'd say you were deserving, seeing as you were the direct victim of my mistake." His expression grew sincere. "And if you're asking about trust, I'll …definitely say I trust you far more than the Hokage."
A subtle silence lingered in the air before Suu erupted with a small laugh, chuckling as she said, "You certainly have a way with words, Tatsuya. For that, I'll keep your secret." Her eyes danced with mirth. "And don't worry, I'll take care of Ino as well, so she won't remember any of it. I think it's better she remains oblivious; otherwise, I don't think she'd even be able to face you from now on." She punctuated her statement with a playful wink.
Tatsuya smiled, grateful for her understanding. "Thanks, Suu-san," he replied sincerely, though a part of him knew he didn't fully trust her as much as he'd claimed. Still, it was prudent to let the other party believe they held your confidence. And seeing as Suu still regarded him with a touch of familial fondness, like a nephew or dear friend's son, it was easy for her to believe his words.
Suu's expression grew pensive, a contemplative gleam entering her eyes. "But I have a condition for keeping your secret."
Tatsuya raised his eyebrows quizzically. "Oh? And what might that be, Suu-san?"
Suu allowed a beat of silence to linger before replying. "Well, it's nothing too onerous. I simply wish to research the nature of your chakra and its apparent desire-amplifying abilities." Her gaze sharpened with academic curiosity. "It's the first time I've encountered such a phenomenon. Studying it could help me get invaluable insights into the human psyche as it directly affects one' mind."
"I see..." he said at length. "And I take it this 'research' would involve...experimentation?" He arched an inquisitive brow.
Suu offered a disarming smile. "Nothing too invasive, I assure you."
Seeing Tatsuya's hesitation, Suu quickly said. "If it's too much, forget I suggested it," she said with a disarming wave of her hand. "It almost makes me sound as though I'm trying to take advantage of your accidental mistake." A rueful chuckle escaped her lips.
Tatsuya studied her carefully. After a contemplative pause, he responded with a smile, "No, it's alright. I can help you with that."
While her request for "research" struck an odd chord, especially given her recent experience with his seemingly aphrodisiac-like chakra that couldn't be dispelled, a part of him knew the benefits of having an expert from the psyche department helping him rather than him doing it alone.
"Very well," Suu said with a measured nod before standing up. She looked at him with bright, eager eyes. "Should we start now?"
"Now?" Tatsuya asked, taken aback by her immediacy. 'This woman is either excessively adaptive or just wildly adventurous.' If it were a normal person, they'd likely be running for the hills lest he inadvertently ensnare or manipulate them again with his wayward chakra. Yet here she stood, proposing to research it barely half an hour after waking from its effects.
A wry chuckle escaped Tatsuya's lips as he studied Suu's resolute expression. "You certainly don't waste any time, do you, Suu-san?"
She waved a dismissive hand. "With my busy schedule, it's best if we start early."
Inclining his head in acquiescence, Tatsuya said, "Very well, I'm at your disposal. How should we start then?"
Suu fell silent for a contemplative moment before replying in a somewhat odd tone, "Since we don't have a third subject for experimentation, we may need to do it on ourselves." She met his gaze evenly. "How about we first try to mix our chakras externally?"
Tatsuya nodded slowly. "Hmm, alright." Extending his hand, he focused his chakra until it flowed like gaseous tendrils, surrounding his palm in a vibrantly swirling aura.
Suu looked on with amazement at his precise chakra control. Composing herself, she began carefully manipulating her own chakra through specific tenketsu points, gathering it in her throat before spitting a ball of chakra onto his hand.
Tatsuya had to control his expression, not recoiling back as Suu spat her chakra onto his outstretched palm. It was a first-time experience for him, someone doing that to him.
Shifting his focus to his hand, he watched as Suu's chakra made contact with his own. However, nothing happened. Her chakra seemed to simply dissipate and disperse into the world.
"Well..." Suu began, seeming uncharacteristically uncertain. "That was rather...anticlimactic."
"Why don't we start with a shadow clone?" he suggested.
"Sure, that's a good idea," Suu agreed, summoning a shadow clone that already knew its purpose. The clone promptly positioned itself in front of Tatsuya.
Without hesitation, Tatsuya reached out and placed his hand on the clone's shoulder, transferring at least 5% of his chakra—significantly more than what he had mixed into the cake. However, despite his efforts, nothing extraordinary occurred, other than the clone dissipating without any noticeable effect.
"I think we're missing a key factor here. The reason my chakra transformed into that...pink substance was likely because it was inside your body, your true body."
"If mere external contact was enough to catalyze a reaction, I would have noticed it long before."
Suu's eyes widened slightly as she followed his logic. "So you're suggesting that for me to properly assess the effects, I would need to..." She trailed off, leaving the implications.
"Ingest it, yes," Tatsuya finished with a measured nod. "But that's entirely your choice, Suu-san." His expression was a blend of seriousness and concern. "I won't lie - based on past...incidents, the results could be quite intense. Tread carefully."
A silence hung in the air as Suu weighed the potential ramifications. Tatsuya could practically see the gears turning behind her bright, inquisitive eyes. At last, she seemed to reach a resolution, straightening her shoulders determinedly.
"Very well, let's proceed. If I'm to properly research this, I can hardly back down from such a key step." A faint blush tinted her cheeks, but her voice was steady. "Go ahead and...administer a dose, if you will."
Tatsuya arched an eyebrow at her boldness but acquiesced with a shrug. "As you wish." Focusing his chakra, he shot the condensed chakra globule straight into Suu's awaiting mouth with a deft "finger gun" motion.
She sputtered initially, nearly choking as the chakra flooded her throat. But with a furrowed brow of determination, she persevered, consciously swallowing the chakra down as best she could.
For several tense moments, only silence was heard. Then, gradually, Suu's eyes began glazing over with a look Tatsuya knew all too well.
A tremor ran through Suu's body as a visible flush crept up her neck. Her breathing grew more labored, chest rising and falling with increasing rapidity. Subconsciously, she squeezed her thighs together, as if trying to stave off the growing tide of desire threatening to overwhelm her senses.
"T-Tatsuya..." she murmured throatily, pure, undisguised want dripping from her voice. "I can feel it...coursing through me…"
"Are you okay?" He asked.
However, she ignored him and said, "It's like...like a searing fire has been stoked in my core..." She squirmed subtly on the couch. "Spreading outward in heated tendrils, coiling through my veins..."
Boldly meeting Tatsuya's eyes, she whispered with naked longing, "I need...release, Tatsuya. I need you...now..."
Tatsuya's eyes narrowed at this. 'It seems she overestimated herself.' He didn't wait anymore and directly went to immobilize her. But just as he was about to do it, she suddenly called out.
"Wait! Don't attack," Her expression changing from one of naked lust to a surprisingly composed, even playful demeanor.
Tatsuya froze mid-motion, regarding her incredulously. "I'm alright," Suu assured with a sly grin. "I was just pranking you. No need to knock me out, tough guy."
He could only stare at her in mute disbelief for a beat before facepalming hard. "Really? A prank? At a time like this, Suu-san?"
Internally, however, Tatsuya felt a flicker of respect. 'She has remarkable control over her mind and impulses.' He had clearly witnessed the aphrodisiac effects of his chakra taking hold, and yet she still retained enough restraint and mental fortitude to regain her composure - And it seems, previously she was affected mostly because she was caught off guard.
As if reading his thoughts, Suu let out a tinkling laugh, winking roguishly. "Hehe, I just wanted to see how you'd react." She rose fluidly from the couch and sauntered over, draping an arm around his shoulders with a casual intimacy.
"You're...handling this extraordinarily well, I'll give you that," he admitted, studying her with a furrowed brow. "How are you feeling, really? Be honest with me."
Suu's expression sobered somewhat, but the mirthful glint never left her eyes. "A bit...heated, I won't lie." She leaned in conspiratorially. "But nothing I can't manage, stud. This mind is a fortress."
Suu then leaned in closer, her lips hovering tantalizingly close as she murmured, "Though I have to admit, keeping it all locked up tight is getting...difficult." She traced a fingertip along Tatsuya's jawline teasingly. "You've awoken quite the relentless inferno within me, Tatsu-kun."
'Her personality has become much more brazen and...flirty, she is even calling me Tatsu-kun' he noted with an inward swallow.
Regaining his neutral expression through sheer force of will, he replied evenly, "I see. And you're satisfied that this...condition is conducive to objective research?"
"Mmm, for now at least," Suu purred, leaning back just enough to give him an enticing view of her body. "But who knows how long I can keep these primal urges...restrained."
Her voice dropped to a sultry register as she locked eyes with him once more. "I may eventually need your...assistance with release, Tatsu-kun."
Tatsuya held up a hand, his expression firm. "I think you're not fully in control here, Suu-san. We've done enough research for today."
While a part of him thrilled at the prospect of indulging in her provocative overtures - which would certainly make his overall mission objectives easier, like as easy as taking a candy from a child - he knew more was at stake. The parameters specified in the mission required her to accept him as a true lover, not just a casual dalliance. Pushing things too far now risked breaking trust between them or might leave her with guilt thinking she had taken advantage of him.
But before he could elaborate further, Suu suddenly grabbed his collar and yanked him close until their faces were mere inches apart. "No, the research has only just begun," she husked, her heated breath fanning across his skin. "And if you're doubting whether I'm still in control..." Her smoldering gaze held his captive as she leaned even nearer, lips brushing tantalizingly against his ear. "Then you're mistaken. While I'm admittedly...heated, it's not to the point of overwhelming me. Not with such a small dose ingested."
She pulled back slightly, holding Tatsuya's skeptical look with a serene smile. "See? Still the master of my own mind."
As if to prove her point, Suu slowly released his collar and retreated a few paces. But Tatsuya didn't miss the faint tremor that coursed through her body, particularly her lower regions, betraying the simmering desires she struggled to contain.
"Then why now? Why not before you were affected by my chakra? How can I believe it's not just the chakra affecting you and making you do this thing?" he questioned, his tone tinged with doubt.
"I don't know the precise nature of your chakra," Suu began explanation in a measured tone, seemingly recognizing his doubts. "But from what I can perceive, its effects seem to...amplify and give vent to one's hidden, suppressed desires."
She let out a soft, breathy sigh, squirming almost imperceptibly. "Making those deeply-buried wants and needs utterly...exaggerated. Ahh...potent…"
"And that's why I am doing this now, and it's not wholly due to the effect of chakra," she explained, her voice carrying a note of conviction.
"And these are your hidden desires?" Tatsuya asked, surprise coloring his tone. He hadn't expected Suu to have such thoughts.
"Yess. That's what 13 years of loneliness do to a woman," Suu admitted, closing the distance between them once more. "That I even find myself lusting after my own daughter's friend." Her eyes drank in Tatsuya's features brazenly. "And I blame you for it, Tatsu-kun. Why must you be so devastatingly handsome, calm, and mature?"
She leaned in conspiratorially. "Even now, you're considering my wellbeing to prevent any regrets. Don't you know what that does to me?" Suu purred, taking his hand and guiding it to the swell of her bosom before trailing it down to rest over her pounding heart. "Feel how wildly it races..."
Tatsuya swallowed thickly, her passionate energy enveloping him. "I...I can feel it."
Suu's gaze smoldered with naked yearning. "Then doesn't that make you responsible for calming these desires you've stoked within me?"
Regaining his composure, Tatsuya stated, "I think we've veered off course here."
"No, we haven't--" Suu tried to protest, but Tatsuya gently silenced her with a finger across her lips. "Please, hear me out. You're under the influence of my chakra, and you're attempting intimacy with your own daughter's friend." His gaze was steady yet laced with concern. "I need you to really consider if this is what you want when you're in your right mind. I don't want you regretting anything later."
His words seemed to penetrate the lusty haze surrounding Suu. She blinked slowly, the unbridled desire in her eyes giving way to a more lucid, almost somber clarity. Wrapping her arms around herself, she pondered his advice deeply.
At last, she sighed heavily. "You're right... We should stop here." Suu looked away, unable to meet his gaze as realization and shame washed over her. "I'm sorry, I don't know what I was thinking. Not only were you Ino's friend, but she..." She trailed off, she knew her daughter had a crush on him.
Tatsuya watched her emotional torment play out, his expression softening despite his inner turmoil.
"It's just been so long since..." Suu began haltingly. "Most of my friends have moved on, married out, or died out. And I..."
Tatsuya's heart clenched at the loneliness lacing her words. So he stepped closer and gently caressed her cheek. "While I can't fully understand your loneliness, if it's just for today..." He met her gaze meaningfully. "Perhaps we could indulge, just this once."
Suu's eyes widened. "Really? But it's still...inappropriate."
"Yes, it crosses lines, no doubt," Tatsuya admitted. "But I think you deserve this , at least once."
Suu fell silent for a long moment before a grateful, almost giddy smile bloomed across her features. "Thank you, Tatsuya. You truly are a sweet ch–"
"Enough chitchat," he cut her off firmly, his tone tinged with smoldering intent. In one smooth motion, he swept Suu into his arms princess style, catching her off guard with a bubbly laugh.
As he carried her toward the bedroom, Suu leaned in close, the heated look of desire returning in her eyes. Her warm breath caressed his ear as she murmured throatily, "I can't wait to experience how much of a man you truly are, Tatsu-kun…"
Tatsuya sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You're insatiable, woman." Even he had to admit, her personality became too brazen.
"I can already see, you'll be avoiding me for a while after this," He said.
"Hehe, that's a problem for sober-me. But I am sure she would understand;" she replied.
With that, they entered the main bedroom together.