"Sooner or later, you'll get what you want."
Kawakaze didn't retreat. Instead, he leaned in closer, extending his right hand to gently lift Tsunade's chin. Their gazes locked, his eyes carrying a hint of mischief.
Tsunade's blush deepened as she took in his handsome face, now mere inches from hers, still adorned with that wicked smile. Embarrassed, she turned her head away, her voice softening.
"Kawakaze, I'm hungry."
Nawaki stood frozen, his jaw slack in disbelief. Is this really my sister? he wondered. Has something dirty possessed her?
"Haha, let's go, Nawaki! Let's eat!"
Kawakaze burst into hearty laughter, throwing an arm around Nawaki's shoulders. Without waiting for a response, he steered his reluctant brother-in-law toward the dining hall.
Tsunade followed a few steps behind, her head lowered, her thoughts inscrutable.
Meanwhile, in a concealed underground chamber somewhere in Konohagakure, the air was heavy with tension. The room was spacious yet sparsely furnished, save for a single chair positioned at its center.
A middle-aged man sat there, his presence commanding. An X-shaped scar marked his chin, and his sharp eyes glimmered with malice. Kneeling before him was a masked ninja, poised and silent.
"My lord," the ninja reported, his voice steady, "the land for the Hatake Clan has been approved by the Third Hokage."
The man in the chair let out a low chuckle. "As I expected. Hiruzen will never let me rest easy. But he underestimates me."
A sinister smile tugged at his lips. "For me, this is not a setback. It's an opportunity. Proceed as planned."
With a subtle wave of his hand, the masked ninja vanished into the shadows, leaving the man alone in the chamber.
"Hiruzen," the man muttered, rising to his feet. He clenched his fists, his expression contorted with determination and fury. "I will become Hokage, no matter what."
Unaware of the storm brewing in the shadows, Kawakaze was enjoying a hearty meal with the Hatake Clan. The dining table was filled with a variety of dishes, a testament to the improved standards Kawakaze had introduced to their household.
"These are potstickers."
"These are chive buns."
"And this is brown sugar steamed cake."
...
Tsunade and Nawaki felt like Granny Liu visiting the Grand View Garden—awed and determined. With just one shared glance, the siblings silently decided they wouldn't pass up any opportunity to have breakfast at the Hatake household whenever they had free time.
"Nawaki, slow down. You'll choke."
Kawakaze watched Nawaki's eyes roll as he devoured a steamed sponge cake and quickly poured him a glass of pure milk. This standard of living was simply unmatched.
Tsunade glanced at her overeager younger brother, feeling a tinge of embarrassment at the thought of claiming him as family. Silently, she focused on eating her leek dumplings, which emitted a truly mouthwatering aroma.
After breakfast, Tsunade stood to leave. There was much to do in setting up the new hospital, and Kawakaze—apart from offering financial support—seemed of little help in practical matters.
In the dojo, Nawaki resumed his horse stance and practiced the fundamentals of Kenjutsu. Kawakaze moved fluidly between the stone table and the large tree, reenacting yesterday's scene with precision.
Suddenly, both Sakumo and Kawakaze looked up, their gazes locking onto a corner of the dojo.
"What is it?"
Kawakaze reacted faster, throwing his Eight-Sided Han Sword as he darted toward the location. He arrived just as the sword stopped at a masked ninja's neck. The intruder froze under the weight of Kawakaze's palpable killing intent and the icy touch of the blade. Beads of sweat instantly formed under his mask.
Sakumo reached the corner a few seconds later, while Nayuki and Onimaru positioned themselves protectively near Nawaki. Armed samurai appeared at every corner of the Hatake compound, their expressions tense and vigilant.
"Who sent you?" Kawakaze demanded, pressing the blade harder until it drew a thin line of blood on the intruder's neck.
"Lord Danzo asked me to deliver this to you."
The Root ninja struggled to suppress his fear as he slowly withdrew a letter from his breast pocket and extended it toward Kawakaze.
Sakumo intercepted it, inspecting the envelope before his gaze darkened. "Someone from the Root?"
Kawakaze's voice grew colder, his murderous intent unmasked. "So, Danzo's impatience is finally showing."
"Yes, the letter has been delivered. Kill me or spare me; the choice is yours," the ninja said, his voice barely steady.
"Danzo really knows how to play his cards," Kawakaze muttered. "In that case, don't hold it against me when you meet your end."
With a swift horizontal slash, Kawakaze ended the encounter without sparing another glance. "Clean up after yourself. What am I paying you for?" he snapped at the samurai as he walked away.
"Why is just anyone allowed to waltz into the Hatake Clan grounds?" he added, his frustration mounting.
Was this the standard of the family samurai he spent so much money on?
All night and day watchmen will report to the clan shrine for punishment. If there's a next time, there will be no mercy."
Sakumo frowned as he looked at the blood-soaked scene. Handing his brother the envelope, he left in haste, his expression grim.
"Yes, young master."
The samurai responding to Kawakaze were all young, most in their late teens, with the oldest barely in his early twenties. They were poor children Kawakaze had adopted, offering them a chance at a better life.
While their abilities were decent enough for guarding the household, they weren't equipped to handle threats from a specialized organization like Root.
"It's okay. Just keep practicing," Kawakaze said, patting Nawaki's head in a comforting gesture. His tone was gentle, trying to reassure his young brother-in-law.
Nawaki had missed the earlier altercation but had seen the bodies being carried away from the edge of the dojo. He couldn't help but sense the latent, almost suffocating Killing Intent radiating from Kawakaze, a side of him he hadn't witnessed before.
This was nothing like the sunny and gentle demeanor Kawakaze usually displayed. Not everyone could make him smile, but when he did, it seemed almost disarming.
Looking at Kawakaze's calm, good-looking smile now, Nawaki felt an odd reassurance. He smiled back, thinking it wouldn't be too bad to have Kawakaze as his future brother-in-law.
Steeling his resolve, Nawaki resumed his sword practice. One day, he vowed, he would no longer need to stand behind a woman for protection.
"Kawakaze, is everything okay?"
Nayuki approached him, with Onimaru staying slightly further back. The animal's keen senses seemed even sharper than Nawaki's.
"It's fine," Kawakaze replied, his tone steady. "What happens next isn't something this small fry can deal with."
Hearing this, Nayuki nodded and left, taking Onimaru with him.
Kawakaze moved swiftly to the stone table and sat down. A servant promptly brought tea, placing it on the table without a word. As Kawakaze opened the envelope, he took a calm sip of the tea, his expression gradually shifting as he read its contents.
By the time he finished, a derisive smirk had formed on his face. The letter was an invitation from Danzō Shimura, asking Kawakaze to meet him at a sake shop to discuss something "important."
Sending a message without caring for the lives of his subordinates—only Danzo could operate with such callousness.
At that moment, Sakumo returned and sat across from Kawakaze, his expression stern.
"What punishment did Big Brother give?" Kawakaze asked.
"A total of twelve people: twenty lashes each and a three-month fine," Sakumo replied evenly. "After recuperating, they'll undergo six additional months of training."
He sipped his tea, his tone resolute. These samurai were trained in-house. If their current level of skill proved insufficient, they would continue training. Leniency today would lead to decay tomorrow.
"That's fair. Danzo invited me to meet him," Kawakaze said, showing no objection to the punishment. For these samurai, their position offered comfort—steady food, drink, and a generous salary—compared to the harsh realities of being a ninja.
"If he wants to meet, let him," Sakumo said sharply, irritation evident in his tone. "Does he think the Hatake Clan is some kind of stray dog?"
"As you say, Big Brother. But what's the harm in letting him stew for a while?" Kawakaze replied with a calm smile.
He had his own plans, along with three theories about what Danzo might be plotting. However, the exact nature of Danzo's intent remained unclear.
Holding the letter in his hand, Kawakaze's smile grew wider. Without hesitation, he spread the paper over a small flame, reducing it—and the envelope—to a pile of ashes.