Back at the Hokage building, Natsume felt a bit sentimental.
To outsiders, he'd only been gone two days, but in truth it had been three years.
"Lady Tsun—Natsume?"
Kurenai Yuhi's red lips parted slightly in surprise.
"Kurenai."
Natsume raised a brow.
Kurenai wasn't wearing that secretary uniform with the pencil skirt—she'd switched back to her previous outfit.
That was a bit on the nose.
Was she dressing like this just for him?
Natsume smiled gently. "So surprised to see me?"
"Because Lady Tsunade suddenly took over temporarily, I thought you might not be back so soon."
Kurenai recovered and explained.
In fact, it was more than that.
With Tsunade stepping in again, many suspected Natsume had been seriously injured in the previous battle and needed to recuperate.
Everyone knew: the stronger the technique, the greater the side effects.
The speculation was reasonable.
But seeing Natsume return unscathed, she immediately relaxed.
Mm, I'll wear the secretary uniform again tomorrow.
With Tsunade temporarily in charge before, she'd felt it was inappropriate, so she hadn't worn it.
"It's good that you're back."
Kurenai looked him up and down. "I'm more used to dealing with you."
"If Sensei hears that, she'll be mad."
Natsume chuckled.
"Then don't let her know."
Kurenai blinked, a hint of playful mischief adding a sultry charm.
Natsume didn't mind the banter. "Teacher won't find out."
"These are the secretariat's proposed alliance terms."
Kurenai stepped forward on her long legs and put a file on the desk.
"Mm."
Natsume opened it.
There weren't many conditions, but each was lethal.
Gaara must remain in Konoha.
Surrender Sunagakure's puppet techniques.
Half of the Land of Wind's mission commissions are to be allocated to Konoha.
Well then.
With these three, Sunagakure would have almost no chance to recover.
Natsume rubbed his chin.
Suna definitely wouldn't agree.
But the bigger fist makes the rules.
After a few rounds of negotiation, they'd likely grit their teeth and accept.
However, Natsume had a better idea.
Skynet.
So many Suna shinobi—how could he waste them?
He could harvest chakra and gain Fate Points.
Why not?
The Sacred Ring of Fate had a rule: controlled shinobi couldn't continuously generate Fate Points.
But with Skynet, by issuing missions and having them volunteer, it wasn't control.
"Who's coming to negotiate from Suna?"
Natsume asked.
"Sand's advisor, Elder Chiyo."
Kurenai answered at once.
Chiyo?
With Rasa and Gaara captured, Suna only had Chiyo and Ebizo with real clout.
Natsume wasn't surprised.
"Where is Rasa now?"
"In ANBU custody."
Kurenai added, "Because he's the Kazekage, it's sensitive, so he's not in Konoha's maximum-security prison."
The Konoha penitentiary was under the Police Force.
Prison was actually quite safe.
But its location was known, making a Suna jailbreak likely.
ANBU custody meant only a few knew where he was.
Much safer.
"I want a private chat with Chiyo and Rasa."
Natsume set down the file. "Prepare the conference room. No one else near."
"Understood."
Kurenai nodded. She had questions but didn't ask.
Tsunade's prior order had been to negotiate publicly before many jonin, showcasing Konoha's triumph.
Natsume's plan was the opposite.
But Kurenai knew her place.
Whoever the Hokage was, that's who she served.
"Kurenai, how is Yakumo Kurama now?"
Natsume suddenly remembered the little girl with the special genjutsu bloodline limit.
"She wants to be a ninja, but her body won't allow it."
Worry flashed across Kurenai's face. "If this continues, her health will worsen."
"Don't stop her."
Natsume knew where her physical issue lay.
Before, he couldn't handle it; now he could.
Kurenai paused, her gaze landing on his face.
She'd meant to question him, but suddenly recalled his awe-inspiring display that day and relaxed.
With that kind of power, he probably had a way to cure Yakumo.
"In a couple days, when there's time, have her come see me."
Natsume thought for a moment.
"Yes."
Kurenai bowed slightly; the black mesh of her top pressed pale skin into relief.
Natsume blinked.
Hidden depths.
How had he only noticed now?
Lounging in the Hokage's chair, he stretched as he watched her leave.
He really wasn't in that kind of mood.
But as a man, appreciating beauty was normal, right?
After half an hour of loafing, the office door opened again.
It was Yamanaka Ino.
"Natsume-kun!"
The girl's voice rose, full of youthful energy.
Her eyes shone with adoration. "Natsume-kun, you were amazing!"
She was clearly referring to him pummeling Sunagakure the other day.
Girls often carried a hero's dream.
Natsume fit the bill.
And he was someone she liked.
Double happiness.
Being gazed at like that by such a pretty girl, Natsume was quite pleased.
He waved it off. "It was nothing."
Natsume-kun really is different.
Anyone else would be bragging to the world.
Seeing his demeanor, Ino's eyes grew even brighter.
The man I've set my sights on.
She bit her lip unconsciously. "Natsume-kun, could you take me out next time?"
Ino went for it.
Natsume was a bit surprised; looking at her cute face, he smiled.
"Medical-nin training is pretty boring, huh?"
"No."
Ino shook her head quickly. "I think real combat makes you improve faster, so I want to go on missions with you."
A decent excuse.
Natsume's gaze fell on her fair forehead. "How's your Yin Seal coming?"
She'd been studying under Tsunade for more than three years.
In the original, Sakura took three years.
Even if Ino was a bit behind, she should have results.
"Sensei says I'm young, so my chakra accumulation is slower. It'll take longer."
Ino smiled, then added, "At most one more year and I'll have it."
"Then your medical-nin skills must be quite good."
After a moment's thought, and seeing her expectant look, Natsume nodded. "I'll take you next time."
Ino pumped her arms in excitement.
Golden hair scattered with her movement.
She tucked a lock behind her ear. "Thank you."
"It's nothing."
Natsume smiled. "As Hokage, how could I refuse a pretty girl's request?"
Pretty girl?
Ino's heart clenched; she ducked her head, face scarlet.
Just then, there was a knock.
She startled and looked up.
Then paused.
Why am I panicking?
Ino took a deep breath, her slim, toned waist rising and falling lightly.
"Natsume-kun, I won't bother you."
She opened the door and briefly met Kurenai's eyes, then hurried off.
Ino, huh?
Kurenai refocused. As a woman, she noticed the lingering blush on Ino's face.
Clearly, she liked Natsume.
Thinking it over, it wasn't surprising.
Natsume was exceedingly desirable.
Hokage—high status, strong, handsome.
What girl wouldn't be moved?
Kurenai sighed softly, then resumed her neutral expression.
"Lord Natsume, Chiyo and Rasa are waiting in the conference room."
"Good."
Natsume headed there.
Kurenai stopped at the door—she neither entered nor left, but guarded the entrance.
As Hokage's secretary and bodyguard, it was appropriate.
Natsume opened the door.
Chiyo and Rasa immediately stopped talking and looked at him.
Their expressions were different.
Rasa had seen True Several Thousand Hands and Top Transformed Buddha.
Seeing Natsume again, he recalled the previous days—and fear naturally rose on his face.
He would likely never forget that terrifying scene.
After fear came regret.
If not for Danzo Shimura's instigation, how could he have entertained such thoughts?
By Sunagakure's normal standards, he would never have gone to war with Konoha.
Damn Danzo!
Rasa cursed him over and over.
Chiyo hadn't taken part in that battle, but knew the gist.
She was more composed than Rasa.
Winner takes all—nothing more to say.
And Rasa's judgment itself hadn't been wrong.
The only problem was that Natsume's strength far exceeded expectations.
Thinking that he was Tsunade's disciple, Chiyo couldn't help but feel a bit wistful.
The Second Shinobi War.
Suna and Konoha clashed.
Back then, Chiyo was perhaps the strongest puppeteer and the greatest poison master.
Relying on her fearsome toxins, Sunagakure had the upper hand for a time.
Until Tsunade appeared and broke all her poisons.
Add in Konoha's White Fang, Hatake Sakumo, who killed her son and daughter-in-law—
In the end, Suna's efforts came to nothing.
Chiyo had taken Tsunade as a lifelong rival, always hoping to someday defeat her.
But she hadn't expected her disciple to be even more formidable, pushing Suna to the brink.
Konoha truly was a place where talents flourished.
"Elder Chiyo, I've long admired your name."
Natsume greeted her with a smile. "I've often heard my teacher speak of you."
In truth, he hadn't.
Tsunade wouldn't bring up the Second War.
He'd heard it in his past life; he truly had long known of her.
Chiyo was slightly taken aback.
He seemed easier to talk to than she'd imagined.
Chiyo nodded. "Hokage-dono, so young and so accomplished—this old woman is impressed."