To Pakura, Nara Shikashige was no stranger. Back during the Second Great Ninja War, Shikashige had assisted Hatake Sakumo in their fight against Sunagakure. Sunagakure had suffered quite a bit at his hands. And now, this famed strategist was playing second fiddle to Takuya?
Pakura was left a bit confused. So, what about Sakumo?
"Yes, it's Pakura. I captured her while gathering intel. I've sealed her chakra, and she'll stay by my side for now," Takuya casually explained, settling into a chair and rubbing his aching temples. "Look, I know Lady Tsunade trusts me, but the truth is, I have no clue how to handle all this logistical stuff. Sakumo would rather fight on the frontlines with the jonin squad than sit in the command tent. You can't expect me to manage everything here, can you?"
"Ahem!" Shikashige cleared his throat, feeling a bit cornered. Sure, making someone unqualified handle the logistics was unfair, but he didn't want to get tangled up in high-level politics either. So, no matter what, he wasn't willing to sit in that command chair. He was happy enough to help Takuya with some tasks, but since Tsunade had specifically chosen him, Takuya was just going to have to figure it out.
"Takuya, I get that you're struggling, but you don't need to drag this old man into it too. Am I right?"
"Yeah, yeah, the Nara Clan always stays neutral, right? I got it." Takuya sighed heavily. Sometimes, he felt the clan took their neutrality a bit too far.
"And what's your plan for her?" Shikashige glanced over at Pakura, standing by the door as stiff as a statue. There were some things better left unsaid in front of outsiders, especially an enemy shinobi.
"Hmm..." Takuya paused, considering his options. "I'll just keep her by my side for now, have her do some chores, you know? Serving tea, cooking, cleaning—basic stuff. Should be manageable."
Shikashige's eyes widened in disbelief. He didn't think Takuya was the type to mess around like this. Serving tea and cooking? What next, getting her to warm his bed? This young generation really had a flair for things he couldn't quite keep up with.
"Have her sent to my quarters to tidy up the place," Takuya said, snapping his fingers as if it were nothing.
"Understood, sir." An ANBU member appeared in the command tent, leading Pakura away.
With only the two of them left, Shikashige poured two cups of tea, sliding one over to Takuya while giving the table a light tap. "Alright, what's really going on? Because I don't believe for a second that Yagami Takuya is the kind of guy who just can't resist a pretty face."
With a sly smile, Takuya cupped the tea in both hands, his eyes gleaming. "I want her to get used to things for a while, let Sunagakure adjust too. Her Scorch Release is impressive, and she has a lot of potential. She's strong and definitely worth recruiting."
Pakura was still young—barely in her twenties. And to be an elite jonin at that age with such a fierce kekkei genkai as the Scorch Release made her worth cultivating.
Shikashige, however, had his doubts. In a quiet voice, he asked, "Are you sure she'll be willing to betray Sunagakure and join us in Konoha?"
It wouldn't be easy to make someone like Pakura switch sides.
"That's why I said she needs time—time to adjust to us and for Sunagakure to adjust as well. Also, her relationship with Rasa, the Third Kazekage's student, isn't great. They're pretty fierce rivals," Takuya replied.
"Understood," Shikashige nodded. "If she genuinely defects to Konoha, she'd be a valuable asset. I'll spread some rumors to help set the stage, but keep in mind, it might affect your reputation a bit."
Takuya rolled his eyes, visibly annoyed. "Just keep it subtle, alright? Don't go overboard. I don't want Lady Tsunade coming after me with a grudge."
Yeah, imagine that—being sent to battle against Sunagakure, only to drag back a woman to serve him tea, do laundry, and maybe even share a bed. That wouldn't look great.
With a chuckle, Shikashige teased, "What, afraid? You can't make an omelet without cracking a few eggs. Maybe give Tsunade a heads-up, just so she doesn't get the wrong idea."
I knew this old guy was up to no good, Takuya thought, feeling a headache coming on. Fine, he'd let Tsunade know. As for his reputation... who cared? If it meant getting Pakura to Konoha's side, it was worth it. If your conscience was clear, you had nothing to fear.
"The second batch of reinforcements is arriving soon. I'll handle the arrangements. Just don't run off again and cause more chaos. Remember, winning a war takes more than one person's strength—you can't avoid the fight when your time comes," Shikashige added before heading out.
That same afternoon, after Takuya sent word to Tsunade, Shikashige arranged for some rumors to spread around the camp. He even made sure the intel found its way to Sunagakure.
"Not bad," Takuya commented as he inspected his tent. "The cleaning's decent, and the food is okay too." He glanced over at Pakura, who stood nearby with a cold expression. She wasn't buying into any of it.
"Later, pack up everything and bring it over to the command tent. I'll be staying there for the foreseeable future. Help her out," Takuya instructed before walking away. He wasn't a fan of rice balls—the taste was just too bland for him.
Soon after, the Intelligence Division delivered a scroll to Tsunade.
"Pakura? Scorch Release?" Tsunade muttered, scanning the contents before storing the scroll away. "If she can be recruited, it's worth a shot." Still, someone like her would be hard to sway. Tsunade didn't give it much more thought, not even bothering to send Takuya an encouraging response. In her view, the odds were slim. If Takuya wanted to try, she'd let him.
As long as Konoha could land a solid blow on Sunagakure and force them back, she didn't care about Takuya's little side projects.
Meanwhile, the mood in Sunagakure was anything but relaxed. In the command tent, the Third Kazekage sat with a dark expression while Rasa fumed beside him. Chiyo and Ebizo, too, were visibly upset.
Just days earlier, they'd been worrying about Pakura and Rasa's rivalry, fearing it could lead to trouble. Now, there was no need to worry—Pakura had been taken by Takuya. Not only that, but she was apparently serving as his maid, doing his cooking and laundry.
She even followed him around the command tent without restrictions, and rumor had it she slept next to him at night.
Had Pakura betrayed them? Or had Yagami Takuya somehow claimed her? No one knew for sure, but what they did know was that they could no longer fully trust Pakura.
Even if these rumors were deliberately spread by the enemy, they couldn't ignore them. Pakura had been captured—whether she had betrayed them or given up any secrets, no one could say for certain.
Was she truly loyal to Sunagakure? Or had she fallen for that pretty boy Takuya and decided to switch sides?
One thing was for sure: Pakura was with Takuya, not facing any restrictions, even attending meetings. That was enough to sow doubt.
No one in Sunagakure would dare let a captive roam freely, attend meetings, and participate in daily life as if nothing happened. Who knew if Pakura might really end up becoming one of Konoha's shinobi?
The thought left a bitter taste in everyone's mouth, as if they'd just swallowed a spoonful of something rotten.
——————PowerStone_____________
Next Bonus: 2000 power stone
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(P)(S): If you're interested, you can read up to chapter 450+ at Patreon com/ Emik01.
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