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...
"A bowl of clear broth ramen, coming right up~"
Ayame placed a steaming bowl of clear broth ramen on the table, finally having the time to look up at the customers.
One was Advisor Gojo… and the other was a strange person cloaked in black. Of course, such attire wasn't unusual for a ninja, so Ayame didn't think much of it.
She pulled out her newly purchased copy of "Three Years in the Ninja Academy" and, after getting Gojo Kaigetsu's autograph, left contentedly.
"Here's your clear broth ramen. Eat up," Gojo Kaigetsu said, gesturing with his chin.
Pakura clasped her hands together in prayer before picking up her chopsticks. As she lifted the firm noodles, watching the swirling steam, her thoughts drifted far away.
After a long moment, she lifted her mask slightly, revealing her delicate lips as she slowly brought the noodles to her mouth.
The next second, tears streamed down her face.
The ramen… it was bittersweet.
"Seriously? Reacting to a bowl of ramen like it's some mystical draught of forgetting."
Gojo Kaigetsu watched, speechless. Pakura's reaction made him seem like some unforgivable monster.
These shinobi and their dramatic bonds… Gojo Kaigetsu doubted he would ever understand.
If their roles were reversed, and a powerful kunoichi tried to put a dog collar on him, Gojo Kaigetsu would probably snap on the spot. A village's bonds, a student's bonds… none of that mattered more than his own pride.
People could never truly empathize with each other.
Slurp, slurp~
Pakura ate the firm noodles, mouthful after mouthful.
Despite the lack of seasoning, the ramen, coupled with her feelings of atonement, tasted incredibly delicious.
Yes, Pakura was atoning for her village, apologizing to the mother and her two children at Ichiraku Ramen who had lost their family.
The emotions of shinobi ran deep.
Pakura finished the last drop of broth, set the bowl down, and said calmly, "I'm finished."
"Now that you're finished, shouldn't we do some… adult things?"
"…As you wish."
…
…
[....-TOP SECRET COMMUNICATION....-]
[....-UNSEAL WARNING....-]
[Year 51 of Kumogakure, Recipient: Samui]
[Mabui: Samui, regarding the intel you provided a few days ago, "The Konoha Report," the Kumogakure Elder Council, after deliberation, has decided to establish our own publication, "The Pravda." Your intelligence work was highly praised during the Kumogakure meeting.]
[Furthermore, the Council hopes you will continue your excellent work and swiftly sabotage the Konoha-Kirigakure alliance.]
...
*Gojo Clan Estate*
Samui sat alone on her bed, carefully reading Mabui's reply.
A few nights prior, she had transmitted the intel.
The Elder Council had been urging the Raikage to establish a "Greater Kumogakure Co-Prosperity Sphere." Though the Raikage himself was more focused on strengthening the village's military might, he couldn't withstand the Council's unified will and had reluctantly agreed to their proposal.
The Co-Prosperity Sphere plan was progressing smoothly.
In just one month, the funds provided to surrounding smaller villages had reached a staggering ten billion ryĹŤ in cash.
This was just the direct cash aid; there was also untracked support in the form of ninja tools, jutsu dissemination, and ninja poverty alleviation programs…
Watching the village funds dwindle pained A.
That money… it was his money!
However, material aid alone was insufficient. The Kumogakure Elder Council had been searching for any overlooked aspects. This time, there were no simple formulas to follow.
Even the "Thirty-Six Stratagems" offered no relevant examples.
Samui's intel had resolved their dilemma.
Like parting the clouds to reveal the clear sky, it had shown the Council what they had been neglecting-the intangible counterpart to the material:
The spiritual!
The spiritual, in other words, culture or ideology.
Simply providing aid and letting the members of the Co-Prosperity Sphere suck Kumogakure dry wouldn't do. What if they ended up nurturing a pack of ungrateful wolves?
It was essential to instill gratitude and reverence within the member villages! While Kumogakure's greatness was self-evident, it could be implied, but it shouldn't be forgotten.
a representative figure of the Council, smacked his thigh. Following the model of Konoha's "Konoha Report," Kumogakure's publication, aimed at unifying the ideological front, needed a more resounding name.
And so, Kumogakure's The Pravda was born.
Its content would primarily focus on praising Kumogakure's greatness and achievements, specifically highlighting the rapid development of the villages within the Co-Prosperity Sphere, reporting on auspicious events, and vehemently criticizing Konoha's ugliness and backwardness.
Kumogakure was the rising star of the shinobi world! Joining the Greater Kumogakure Co-Prosperity Sphere meant embracing the new era!
To unify the ideological front, Elder, with a grand gesture, disregarding the literacy rate of his village, declared a decree: mandatory subscription for all Kumogakure administrative departments, conveying the absolute and weighty authority of the Raikage Tower.
Kumogakure's communities and streets were also tasked with allocating The Pravda purchases. Whether they read it or not, the distribution numbers had to be ensured to guarantee the village's will reached every corner.
All registered Kumogakure ninja would have a portion of their mission rewards automatically deducted in exchange for a copy of the current issue of The Pravda. The remaining funds would cover the publication costs.
Within the Co-Prosperity Sphere, administrative personnel from member villages outside Kumogakure were also required to have a copy of The Pravda. Of course, this cost was also covered by the mission rewards of Kumogakure ninjas.
Those who genuinely wanted to keep a copy of The Pravda could purchase it from bookstores. However, finding a copy in a bookstore required a thorough search in the nooks and crannies; it wasn't prominently displayed like "Iki."
Through these measures, The Pravda's circulation reached astonishing figures.
Even the widespread distribution of "Iki" across the Four Great Nations paled in comparison.
On the day the circulation figures were tallied, the Kumogakure Elder Council gathered in the Raikage Tower, raising their glasses of muscle-enhancing tonics, celebrating their resounding victory in unifying the ideological front!
Now, the matter of ideological unity within Kumogakure and the Greater Kumogakure Co-Prosperity Sphere was completely resolved… or so they thought.
Samui, of course, was unaware of these specific policies.
She simply felt a warm, fuzzy feeling in her chest upon seeing the Elder Council adopt her suggestion. It felt validating.
Alone in Konoha, she was studying their advanced and valuable systems, relaying them back to her village.
Judging by the efficiency with which they established the newspaper, the village elders weren't stubborn old fools; they could objectively recognize Konoha's advancements.
That was enough!
If this continued, Kumogakure would surely rise to greatness once more!
"Whew…"
Samui exhaled, feeling a sense of clarity. The frustration from Gojo Kaigetsu's advances dissipated somewhat.
Click-
The sound of the front door unlocking echoed. Like a well-trained dog responding to its master's bell, Samui immediately plastered a gentle smile on her face.
"Welcome home, Kai…"
Before she could finish, the smile froze on her face.
Gojo Kaigetsu had brought another woman home!
Wait… why "another"? Was she subconsciously counting her previous Tsunade act as another woman?
Even though the person beside Gojo Kaigetsu was cloaked in black, Samui's elite ANBU training, her infiltration skills, and her finely honed feminine intuition all screamed-
The figure trailing Gojo Kaigetsu was a woman!
This guy… had he no shame?
Samui pursed her lips, anger simmering within her. Even a clay ninja had a temper. Gojo Kaigetsu's blatant disregard for her feelings, repeatedly bringing other women before her, showed no respect!
First, he used the village's money to buy a house for that hussy from Kirigakure. Then he made her play those embarrassing games dressed as Tsunade. Now, he was flagrantly bringing home a mysterious woman…
This was unbearable!
Samui took the initiative. "Kaigetsu-kun… who is this young lady beside you?"
"Oh, her? She's not here to break up our home; she's here to join us. Ai, you're not angry, are you?"
Samui: ???
Pakura: ??
Wait, wasn't the Gojo Kaigetsu depicted in "Iki" a village-devoted, selfless, and ambitious ninja?
Pakura glanced between Samui and Gojo Kaigetsu. Was she part of some strange game?
Samui's anger was clearly written on her face. Her lips parted slightly, but words failed her.
She simply crossed her arms, pursing her lips and staring intently at the masked Pakura.
Silence. Sulking. Letting Gojo Kaigetsu guess.
"Oh, Ai, don't misunderstand~"
"When I said 'join,' I didn't mean as my woman, joining this family."
"What? Not as your woman?"
Samui froze, a scary thought flashing through her mind, draining the color from her face.
The figure beside Gojo Kaigetsu was definitely a woman. Knowing him, bringing a woman home… inevitably implied a certain kind of relationship.
But if not as his woman, then only… as his "man"… could it be?
Samui recalled a forbidden topic covered during her ANBU training in Kumogakure-
Women… could also play that role.
She had endured catering to Gojo Kaigetsu's unusual preferences, but performing with another woman in front of him? Absolutely not!
She would genuinely lose her temper.
Gojo Kaigetsu scratched his head, puzzled by Samui's expression.
He felt that ever since their encounter at the Konoha Hospital, Samui's mind had been filled with an inexplicable amount of inappropriate thoughts!
"Alright, alright, stop guessing."
"Come on, Pakura, greet your… well, master. Call her Master Ai."
Yes, one male master, one female master. While Pakura was powerful, Gojo Kaigetsu valued seniority. The order of arrival couldn't be messed with.
Master?
Pakura looked at Samui. Judging by her smooth skin, she was probably not even twenty years old. Calling a woman younger than herself "Master"?
Pakura remained silent for a moment, then sighed deeply, accepting her fate as a pet.
She removed her hood, revealing her orange-green hair. Her cloak fell to the floor with a thud, exposing her dazzlingly fair back and the exquisite leather pet collar.
Then, her fingers gripped her mask, slowly removing it in front of Samui.
She murmured, "Master Ai~"
It was her!!!
Samui's pupils constricted, her mind reeling in shock.
The intelligence departments of every village kept records of powerful ninja from other villages as key individuals to monitor. Pakura, the Hero of Suna, was naturally among them.
The moment she saw Pakura's face, the information Samui had on her resurfaced-
[Pakura, Female, 27 years old]
[Kekkei Genkai: Scorch Release, Elite Jonin]
[At the age of thirteen, as a key ninja nurtured by Sunagakure, she participated in the Second Shinobi World War, beginning to make a name for herself…]
'Even though you're an enemy, you're quite impressive.' Such thoughts were common.
This powerful and prestigious kunoichi had even been a figure of admiration for younger kunoichi like Samui.
After the era of the Sannin, she was the only kunoichi with comparable renown.
But now, reality presented her with Pakura, the Hero of Suna, wearing a pet collar, nonchalantly addressing her, Samui, as "Master"?
First, the veteran kunoichi Tsunade had a questionable relationship with Gojo Kaigetsu, and now this next-generation kunoichi role model had become his pet.
What the hell was wrong with this shinobi world?
Samui had never found reality so absurd.
Suddenly, she felt her own position threatened, a sense of crisis welling up within her.
To compete with Terumi Mei for favor, she had already abandoned her pride and used Lightning Release: Lariat on Gojo Kaigetsu… Now, with Pakura's appearance, what sacrifices would she have to make to stay ahead in this competition?
Anxiety washed over Samui.
Yet, she quickly composed herself. "Eh… Pa-Pakura-san."
"Good!"
Gojo Kaigetsu clapped his hands together. "Now that you've acknowledged the relationship, you two should get along well. From now on, at home, Ai, you need to treat Pakura well~"
"…What is going on? Why… has Pakura-san become your… pet, Kaigetsu-kun?"
Samui felt incredibly awkward.
Although the kunoichi she once admired was now calling her "Master," she felt no joy.
Instead, she felt… as if her entire past had been violently shattered by Gojo Kaigetsu.
Moreover, Pakura's presence as a pet in the home of the Hokage's advisor, Gojo Kaigetsu, implied a hidden political transaction, didn't it?
Samui knew, thanks to the Heart-to-Heart Communication Jutsu, that Kumogakure was forming a military alliance with Sunagakure.
Gojo Kaigetsu caught the emotions swirling in Samui's eyes. A playful smirk curved his lips as he replied ambiguously,
"That's a long story."
"Ai, are you sure you want to hear it?"
...
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