Time flew, and it was now the 51st year of the Konoha calendar.
At the Root base, Shūichi was holding little Tenten, teaching her the basics of cultural knowledge. Nearby, Tenka, dressed in Shūichi's favorite qipao outfit, was tidying up documents.
Watching the scene of the two—a big and a small figure resembling father and daughter—Tenka's smile grew softer and warmer.
After finishing her tasks, she asked, "Shūichi, your coming-of-age birthday is next month. Have you thought about how to celebrate?"
Shūichi looked up. "Plans can't keep up with changes, so better not to plan anything."
"Besides, having you all around is more than enough."
Tenka's eyes sparkled with charm. "Then I'll prepare a surprise for you."
Hearing this, Tenten looked up and added, "I'll also give Uncle Shūichi a present!"
Shūichi chuckled. "Oh? What kind of gift is Tenten planning to give me?"
Tenten squirmed like a little worm, giggling. "It's a secret!"
Shūichi pinched her cheeks and playfully threatened, "Hmm, then your training time will double for the next half-month!"
Tenten froze in shock, while Tenka couldn't hold back her laughter, giggling uncontrollably.
At that moment, the sound of footsteps echoed, and Yamato appeared at the door. "Shūichi, the Fourth Hokage has summoned you."
Shūichi nodded, gently set Tenten down, exchanged a glance with Tenka, and disappeared in an instant.
---
In the Hokage's office, Minato was seated with a somber expression. Sensing Shūichi's arrival, he looked up and said, "Shūichi, take a look at this."
Shūichi stepped forward and took the document Minato handed him. A quick glance left him stunned.
"This... The Amegakure merging into the Konoha?"
"It seems Nagato wants to stir tension among the Five Great Shinobi Nations," Minato explained.
"If the Amegakure merges with the Kusagakure into the Konoha, it will create a significant threat for Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and even Sunagakure."
As for Kirigakure, it wouldn't be affected as much. After all, the Fifth Mizukage was, quite literally, family now.
"Another possibility," Minato added, "is that this move by the Amegakure is a ploy, allowing them to infiltrate and strike from within when the time is right."
Shūichi shook his head after a moment of thought. "Sensei, I don't think that's something to worry about."
"For the Konoha, the strength of the Amegakure isn't enough to cause significant trouble."
"Nagato's goal is capturing the Ten-Tails and settling things with me in a final showdown. If he defeats me, the Konoha would fall under his control effortlessly. Besides, we've made a bet."
"He's likely pushing for a unified shinobi world because he thinks my approach in Kirigakure was too mild."
"Also, it may be his way of protecting Konan."
Minato nodded thoughtfully. "That makes sense. For Nagato, the Ten-Tails is indeed the key."
"If we unify the shinobi world and he gains the Ten-Tails, defeating you would be all that remains. At that level, ordinary shinobi really wouldn't have any role to play."
"So, Shūichi, do you think we should accept the Amegakure into the fold?"
Shūichi glanced at Minato with a smile. "Sensei, you've already made up your mind, haven't you?"
Minato grinned slightly. "Since you and Nagato have some mutual understanding, let's bring the Amegakure into the fold."
"No matter what, it will be beneficial for the future."
"And the more villages we unify now, the less resistance we'll face later."
Shūichi nodded in agreement. "That's true."
"I'll leave it to you then, Sensei. If you can unify the Five Great Shinobi Nations during your term, you'll be remembered as the strongest Hokage in history!"
Minato chuckled and shook his head.
If not for Shūichi's presence, he wouldn't have had the confidence to annex both the Kusagakure and the Amegakure.
---
"There's one more thing," Minato said, his expression turning a bit odd. "Anko Mitarashi has requested to join the Root Division—several times, actually."
Shūichi raised an eyebrow. "Anko? If I recall correctly, she's still a genin, right? What would she even do in Root?"
Root's current function was essentially to train elite forces for the Hokage's direct ANBU units. A genin like Anko would be out of place, surrounded by individuals far more skilled.
"She wouldn't qualify for either the special training department or Shinnosuke's unit."
Minato smiled. "Anko's been working hard lately and has reached the level of a chunin."
"Plus, she bears your curse mark and was once Orochimaru's disciple. Out of everyone in the Konoha, you're the most suited to oversee her."
"Babysitting duty, huh?" Shūichi thought to himself.
Still, anyone who caught Orochimaru's eye couldn't be lacking in talent.
"Fine, let her report to Root," Shūichi said with a hint of reluctance.
---
Leaving the Hokage building, Shūichi didn't immediately return to the Root base. Instead, he created a shadow clone to handle things while he headed to the Forest of Death to resume his training.
Annexing the Amegakure would undoubtedly trigger unpredictable changes, and the thought gave Shūichi a sense of urgency.
Slacking off for half a morning had been enough.
...
Meanwhile...
After Shūichi left, Minato pondered briefly before instructing Genma and his team to relay messages.
Key personnel:
- Shikaku Nara was to act as the chief strategist for the mission to the Amegakure.
- Shisui Uchiha, Yamato, and Might Guy were temporarily assigned as his escort team.
Minato was fully aware that the closer the Konoha and Amegakure became, the faster the other villages would react, possibly even take action. He believed this escort lineup was sufficiently secure against any potential threats.
Soon, Shikaku and the others arrived at the Hokage's office.
When Minato explained the mission's purpose, Shikaku, Shisui, and Yamato couldn't hide their shock.
For Shisui, though initially surprised, his heart filled with joy. "Another step closer to the goal!" he thought.
Might Guy, on the other hand, was bewildered, unable to comprehend why the Amegakure would suddenly decide to join the Konoha. Still, his enthusiasm wasn't dampened. "Don't worry, Lord Fourth! With us here, we'll ensure Shikaku-senpai completes the mission!" he declared with confidence.
Shisui and Yamato nodded firmly in agreement.
Minato smiled, trusting their capabilities. "I'll leave it in your hands."
He then turned to Shikaku. "Shikaku, the Amegakure isn't like the Kusagakure. Handling the finer details will fall to you."
"I'm granting you the authority to make decisions on the spot."
Shikaku's expression turned serious as he nodded. "Understood!"
Minato gave a slight nod. "It's a tough task. Depart today."
"Understood!"
The four promptly accepted the mission.
---
Half an hour later, at the village gates...
The team assembled and departed for the Amegakure Village.
---
The next day, Amegakure Village, Leader's Office:
Hearing her assistant report that the Konoha representatives had arrived, Konan couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret. She nodded and said, "Escort them in."
"Yes, ma'am," the assistant responded promptly, leaving to fulfill the task.
Konan composed herself before heading to the entrance.
Shortly after, Shikaku Nara and his team were led inside.
"Lady Konan!"
The four bowed respectfully. Despite the Amegakure not being on par with the Five Great Nations, Konan's status as leader of a village warranted formal respect. This was especially true considering the village's history under the legendary Hanzo.
"Welcome. Please, follow me."
Konan led them to the meeting room, but to Shikaku's surprise, Konan was the only representative present for the Amegakure.
"Is this purely her personal initiative?" Shikaku wondered, feeling a hint of unease. However, he maintained a calm demeanor and subtly probed during their discussions.
Understanding his concerns, Konan explained, "You can rest assured, Shikaku-senpai. There is no opposition within the village."
Her words startled Shikaku, Shisui, and Yamato.
No opposition? That could only mean one thing—the opposition had been eliminated.
The negotiations proceeded smoothly—so much so that Shikaku began to suspect a trap. The Amegakure's terms seemed almost too simple.
Their sole request: Equal treatment for all.
While Shikaku understood that achieving true equality in practice could be challenging, the condition itself was straightforward—far less demanding than expected, even simpler than the Kusagakure's merger terms.
---
The following day...
Shikaku's team departed for the Konoha, carrying the agreed-upon details.
---
That night...
After dinner, Shūichi teleported directly to the Amegakure.
By coincidence, he arrived while Konan was in the bathroom.
When she emerged and saw Shūichi casually seated on her sofa, her voice turned icy. "Breaking into someone's home—don't you think that's incredibly rude?"
Unfazed, Shūichi grinned shamelessly. "With our relationship, there's no need to be so formal, is there?"
Konan ignored his comment, heading to her bedroom to change. When she returned, she asked, "Why are you here at this hour?"
"I came to check on your training progress," Shūichi replied with a smile.
"With the Amegakure merging into the Konoha, your strength and your status as the former leader of the Rain Village mean you can't be treated like an ordinary jonin. That would hinder the integration of Rain shinobi into the Konoha."
"You'll likely join the Konoha's Elders, much like the Third Hokage, but with actual authority."
"Even though the Rain Village as a political entity will dissolve, you'll still need to stay here for a while. The Land of Rain will remain critical for the Konoha."
Konan nodded thoughtfully. She understood this was all part of Nagato's calculations.
By making the Land of Rain vital to the Konoha, it would create immense pressure on Iwagakure and Kumogakure, even with Shūichi's presence as a deterrent.
"I understand," Konan said seriously. "But mastering Wood Release... it's too difficult."
"If it were easy, there wouldn't have been only one First Hokage before you."
Shūichi stepped closer, gazing directly into her eyes. "Without me, you'd be right."
"But with me behind you—the God of Shinobi—that's underestimating what we can achieve."
Before Konan could respond, Shūichi took her hand and led her into the bedroom without hesitation.
Seated opposite each other on the bed, Shūichi said with seriousness, "Don't resist."
Konan looked at him in confusion.
She had already grown accustomed to the spiritual world's method of training, so she naturally didn't resist.
But the next moment, as she found herself in an unfamiliar environment, she suddenly realized, "This isn't the spiritual world... Is this genjutsu?"
Shūichi smiled faintly. "Welcome to the Demonic Realm – Palace of Memories."
"This is a true illusion, based on my memories."
Konan looked puzzled. "A true illusion?"
"What do you mean?"
"If it's genjutsu, isn't it inherently false?"
Shūichi explained, "It's called a true illusion because training here, as long as it's within my capability, is equivalent to training with physical clones. The experience gained is entirely real and usable."
Konan's expression shifted drastically. "What?"
"Like training with physical clones?"
Shūichi nodded with a smile. "Exactly."
"And here, like in a dream, thoughts move incredibly fast. This means that time in this illusion flows much faster than in the real world."
"A single night outside could feel like years here."
"Of course, this also places significant mental strain on the individual."
"The only drawback is... if someone spends too much time here, they might have trouble distinguishing between reality and illusion."
"For most people, this place feels entirely real—unless their perception surpasses mine."
"I'm working on improving this genjutsu. In the future, the illusion will also incorporate the subject's own cognition, meaning the illusion will draw information from them as well."
This was difficult to achieve before mastering electromagnetic release.
But after mastering it, it became possible.
Konan was deeply shaken by the explanation. After some thought, she asked, "Could the Infinite Tsukuyomi in the Eye of the Monn Plan be a similar type of genjutsu?"
Infinite Tsukuyomi...
Shūichi pondered briefly and replied, "It might be different. The Infinite Tsukuyomi fulfills desires in a dream, reflecting one's thoughts during the day."
"Well then, let's begin. You'll undergo special training in this illusion."
This training method was rare even in the Konoha, available only to those undergoing Root Division training or those like Asuka.
Previously, Shūichi had never used this technique on Konan.
But today, he officially regarded her as a part of the Konoha.
---
Time flew by, and soon, dawn broke.
Konan slowly opened her eyes, glancing at the light streaming through the window. Her fatigued expression turned somewhat dazed. "Is this... reality now?"
Shūichi nodded. "Of course."
"Get some proper rest!"
With that, he stood up.
Instinctively, Konan asked, "Where are you going?"
Shūichi chuckled lightly. "Home, of course. Why, can't bear to see me leave?"
After spending three years together in the dream world, with constant mental communication, much had changed.
Konan blushed, her toes curling in embarrassment.
Smiling, Shūichi's figure vanished.
For a long time, Konan sighed deeply with a complex expression before getting up to freshen herself.
---
Back in Konoha, lying in his bedroom, Shūichi's focus was on the Tag Tree.
Tag: [PUA Expert]
Condition to Obtain: Successfully employ PUA techniques on at least three individuals. (Completed: Pakura, Asuka, Konan)
Tag Effect: Increases Talk-No-Jutsu effectiveness by 100%; boosts mental willpower by 100%.
Shūichi, however, felt unjustly accused.
I was just helping lost souls. How is that PUA?!
Looking at the tag on the tree, he decisively activated it.
As the tag's effect took hold, Shūichi moved his mouth a bit but felt no particular change.
Instead, his mind felt clearer, as though his thoughts had reached a higher level. A cool sensation spread through his head, and the fatigue of the night instantly disappeared.
(End of Chapter)
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