Chapter 194: The Heirs of the Hokage Lineage
Rin Nohara ultimately couldn't bear her shyness, backing up a few steps and turning to run.
Hoshikawa watched her figure and smiled. Regardless, it had served its purpose of comforting her.
The night passed without incident. As the sun rose, the next day began. February falls between winter and spring, so the early morning was far from warm.
After Hoshikawa woke up and opened his tent, a chilly wind immediately greeted him.
"G-Good morning," Rin Nohara greeted him quietly, lowering her head as her face flushed crimson upon seeing him.
"Are Master and Kurenai still asleep?" Hoshikawa walked toward her, looking at the tent behind her.
Since they were outdoors, they kept things simple and only pitched two tents: he slept in one, and Tsunade and the two girls slept in the other. Previously, all four of them had shared one tent, as they slept in sleeping bags. But starting last year, Tsunade had banished him to his own tent, citing the distinction between genders.
"N-No," Rin Nohara stammered.
"Why is your face so red?" Hoshikawa reached out, pressing the back of his hand to her burning cheek.
Rin Nohara froze instantly. The blush visibly spread to her neck and ears. She felt dizzy and couldn't clearly hear what he was saying.
"You're really cute," Hoshikawa said, smiling as he gently stroked her head.
Rin Nohara didn't dare look at him, standing still and helpless, submitting to his actions.
"Go wash up now," Hoshikawa withdrew his hand.
Rin Nohara subconsciously let out a breath of relief and walked away without a word.
"Hoshikawa !" After she left, Kurenai Yūhi emerged from the tent and ran happily towards him.
"Did you sleep well?" Hoshikawa gently stroked her soft hair.
"Very well," Kurenai Yūhi smiled. "At least no annoying Iwa ninja interrupted my sleep."
In wartime, nocturnal sneak attacks were a common tradition. Not just Iwagakure; every hidden village had done it.
"Rin went to wash up; you go too. Come back for breakfast afterwards," Hoshikawa pinched her cheek before finally releasing her.
Kurenai Yūhi blinked, then, not to be outdone, touched his cheek before skipping away happily.
Hoshikawa pulled his gaze back, and turning around, he saw Tsunade standing at the tent entrance. For some reason, he suddenly felt the illusion of being caught red-handed.
"Master, good morning. You look even more beautiful today," Hoshikawa praised her without batting an eye.
"Such flattery!" Tsunade snorted, then asked, "Did you just say the same thing to Kurenai?"
"Absolutely not!" Hoshikawa said with utmost seriousness. "Kurenai is currently more on the cute side."
"Are you implying that I'm not cute?" Tsunade asked abruptly.
"I mean that Master is primarily beautiful, with cuteness as a secondary trait!" Hoshikawa said, beads of sweat forming on his brow.
"You little brat certainly knows how to talk. I wonder how many people you've deceived." Tsunade stared at him for a few seconds, a slight curve appearing on her lips as she smiled.
"But I've never deceived you, Master." Hoshikawa , seeing her smile, mustered his courage and leaned closer. "I promise!" At such close proximity, his gaze instinctively dropped, sweeping over her fair skin.
"I don't believe you." Tsunade smiled, pushing him away with her finger. "I'm hungry."
"I'll go make breakfast right now!" Hoshikawa grasped her finger.
Tsunade was slightly startled. This brat is getting increasingly presumptuous! Although, she wasn't entirely resistant.
Hoshikawa stopped short of going further, turning to prepare breakfast.
After eating, the four continued their journey, finally reaching Konoha Village as dusk settled.
"The Old Man didn't make things complicated this time," Tsunade scanned the surroundings, found no welcoming party of ninja or villagers, and breathed a sigh of relief. With her personality, she truly disliked such public displays.
"Maybe it's because we returned a little late this time," Hoshikawa said casually.
Actually, the feeling of being the center of attention is nice. But once or twice was enough; doing it too frequently would diminish its appeal.
"Kurenai and Rin, you two go home first." After Rin Nohara finished registering at the gate, Tsunade spoke.
"Yes," Rin Nohara and Kurenai Yūhi said in unison. But before leaving, both glanced at Hoshikawa .
Kurenai Yūhi's look meant, Hurry home.
Rin Nohara's was more ambiguous.
As Hoshikawa pondered this, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his foot.
"Stop daydreaming, let's go to the Hokage Tower." Tsunade's tone was flat, as if the stomp hadn't come from her.
What was that reaction? Hoshikawa quickly followed her.
Although it was past official working hours, the Hokage Tower still had many ninja, most of whom were ANBU. Hoshikawa suddenly thought that the ANBU were truly miserable. They had to work twenty-four hours a day, all year round, and their workload was immense. No wonder they were called the Ninja among Ninja; they truly could endure. If it were me, I wouldn't join the ANBU even if you killed me.
Bang! Tsunade kicked open the door to the Hokage's Office.
Hoshikawa blinked. He felt this kick was more forceful than the previous ones because the door had visibly cracked.
"You're back? You must have had a tough journey." Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at them with a cheerful smile.
A mere door was nothing compared to the live capture of the Four-Tails. Tsunade could kick it if she wanted. He didn't mind.
"You two did excellently this time, beyond my expectations," Hiruzen Sarutobi said with emotion. "You gave me an unexpectedly huge surprise."
"What's the situation with Kirigakure?" Tsunade ignored his praise.
"No major movements at the moment," Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head.
"Just get to the reward." After asking the question she cared about, Tsunade immediately jumped to the next topic.
"The reward isn't urgent," Hiruzen Sarutobi said after a moment of thought. "I don't know what to give you yet. How about we wait until after the negotiations with Iwagakure?"
The credit for capturing a Tailed Beast was too great; it was hard to decide on an appropriate reward. Moreover, Iwagakure would surely be willing to pay a substantial price, which could also serve as a reward. Giving the reward after the negotiation would be more suitable.
"His Compound Ninjutsu and the Lava Release Ninjutsu." Tsunade didn't press for immediate rewards but stated Hoshikawa 's requests.
"No problem." Hiruzen Sarutobi was surprised but readily agreed. Compared to capturing a Tailed Beast, these were minor matters.
"Hoshikawa ." Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Hoshikawa . "Have you mastered the two Compound Ninjutsu from before?"
"He mastered them long ago," Tsunade snorted. "And his proficiency is no worse than yours."
"...?" Hiruzen Sarutobi wanted to protest but held his tongue. I am your master! Have I truly fallen so far behind your student? How could you even say something like that! Hiruzen Sarutobi naturally didn't believe that Hoshikawa could surpass him in proficiency after only a few months of learning. He just thought it was Tsunade's bias.
"Take this." Hiruzen Sarutobi thought for a moment and pulled out a scroll.
"Only one?" Tsunade immediately asked with dissatisfaction.
"It is the Five Elements Great Bomb Ninjutsu." Hiruzen Sarutobi replied.
Tsunade looked surprised. As Hiruzen Sarutobi's student, she naturally knew that this Compound Ninjutsu was his ultimate technique, with terrifying power. Tsunade suddenly felt a subtle realization.
Hoshikawa had now learned the Water Release of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, and the Compound Ninjutsu of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. If she were the Fourth Hokage, he would also have learned her Medical Ninjutsu. He would only be missing the Wood Release of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, to combine the strengths of all the previous Hokage.
However, Hoshikawa was clearly destined not to learn Wood Release. After all, he didn't possess the Senju clan bloodline. As for combining Earth and Water Release, that was even more difficult. No ninja in Konoha had succeeded in all these years, including Tobirama Senju and Hiruzen Sarutobi. They couldn't even find the entryway, let alone attempt it.
Even without Wood Release, Tsunade could already imagine Hoshikawa 's future. Hiruzen Sarutobi's title of the Strongest Hokage would likely be claimed by him.
"Thank you, Lord Hokage." Hoshikawa happily accepted the Five Elements Great Bomb scroll. This Compound Ninjutsu was more powerful than most Kekkei Genkai, a true killing move. Of course, it was also very difficult to learn.
"This Ninjutsu is quite difficult. If you encounter any problems, feel free to come find me," Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a smile. Although he gave the Five Elements Great Bomb because of Hoshikawa 's immense credit, he clearly viewed him as a pseudo-student. After all, this Compound Ninjutsu was his signature technique.
"It's getting late. Go back and rest," Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced out the window. "If anything comes up, I'll have the ANBU notify you."
"Alright." Tsunade nodded and turned to leave.
"Goodbye, Lord Hokage." Hoshikawa greeted him and followed Tsunade.
"The Old Man was decent this time," Tsunade said casually as they walked down the street. "Not even Jiraiya, Orochimaru, or I have learned the Five Elements Great Bomb."
"Then do you want to learn it, Master?" Hoshikawa looked at her and asked.
"No," Tsunade shook her head. "My Medical Ninjutsu is sufficient."
Of course, there was an unspoken reason: mastering the Five Elements Great Bomb required mastery of all five elemental transformations. Although her talent was high, she hadn't reached that level.
"Major News! Konoha Repels Iwagakure, Securing a Great Victory!" Hoshikawa suddenly noticed a newspaper advertisement display outside a bookstore. He was surprised; the Shinobi World did indeed have newspapers. In the original story, Minato Namikaze was mentioned as a frequent reader of newspapers.
"I'm going to buy a copy." Hoshikawa was curious about what Konoha's newspaper was like, and this one clearly concerned them.
He took a few steps and entered the bookstore.
"Tsunade and Hoshikawa Capture the Four-Tails Alive; Iwagakure Flees in Panic!" Hoshikawa immediately saw the most prominent headline on the newspaper, bolded in black.
He paid for the paper and began reading. The content lacked detail but was comprehensive, describing Konoha's major battles.
Hoshikawa was somewhat surprised by the end. The final section involved the reactions and discussions of various Hidden Villages. Was this newspaper founded by Konoha?
"You are truly famous now. Ninja from all the major Hidden Villages know your name," Tsunade said with a smile after reading the newspaper.
"Still not as famous as you, Master," Hoshikawa said seriously. "I feel like Master's reputation already surpasses the Hokage's."
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Tsunade glared at him. She knew exactly what the brat's true intention was.
"I'm speaking the truth," Hoshikawa cleared his throat and analyzed. "Although the Hokage earned his fame in the first two Shinobi World Wars, he never captured a Tailed Beast."
Tsunade was stunned. Upon reflection, it was true. While Hiruzen Sarutobi had countless achievements for Konoha, the truly famous events that shook the Shinobi World were few and far between. Even those paled in comparison to the shock of capturing a Tailed Beast alive.
Tsunade couldn't help but rub her forehead. This brat is causing me so much trouble! The credit for defeating the Four-Tails primarily belonged to Hoshikawa , but she was present at the scene. Ninja and villagers alike would default to believing she contributed significantly, never thinking she was an accidental beneficiary. After all, she was one of the Legendary Sannin, already renowned worldwide.
Forget it. It's done now. Let's just eat. Reputation wasn't something she could simply discard if she didn't want it.
"Let's go shopping for groceries." Tsunade put away the newspaper, her spirits lifted. She said excitedly, "I want a feast tonight, and I'm drinking too!"
Somewhere in the Land of Grass.
"Lord Madara." A White Zetsu emerged from the ground. "Obito has woken up."
"Good." Madara Uchiha nodded slightly. "You look after him for a while. Once he recovers, I will speak with him."
"Yes." The White Zetsu sank back into the ground.
But soon after, another White Zetsu appeared.
"What is it?" Madara Uchiha looked at it and asked. Although the White Zetsu looked similar, he could distinguish between them.
"Lord Madara, Hoshikawa and Rin Nohara have both returned to Konoha Village." The White Zetsu replied.
"Konoha Village, you say?" Madara Uchiha frowned. "That is troublesome."
As the former strongest member of the Uchiha Clan, he naturally knew how to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan. It was especially easy for a single-minded Uchiha like Obito Uchiha. All he needed was to witness the suffering of the person he cared about most.
But Konoha Village… he currently didn't have the strength to force his way in. Fortunately, the Shinobi World was now in chaos, and Tsunade wouldn't be able to stay safely in Konoha indefinitely. Once they left the village, the opportunity would arise. However, the difficulty would still be considerable, especially after Madara Uchiha learned that Hoshikawa had captured the Four-Tails alive. This meant that the squad now had two S-rank level ninja, making them extremely difficult to handle.
Madara Uchiha mused thoughtfully. Was there another way?
"Do you think Rin Nohara is in love with Hoshikawa ?" Madara Uchiha asked after a moment of contemplation.
"What is 'in love'?" The White Zetsu asked curiously.
"..." Madara Uchiha was about to speak but stopped, finally saying, "You may go."
"Yes." The White Zetsu vanished before him.
Madara Uchiha fell into thought. He had observed the awakening of many Uchiha ninja's eyes, and the two most crucial emotions were familial love and romantic love. Obito Uchiha's familial love was for his grandmother, whom he helped cross the street, and his romantic love was undoubtedly for Rin Nohara. But clearly, the latter would have a greater emotional impact.
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