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With his flat tone, an infinite darkness spread from beneath Heshu's feet.
In a split second.
An independent black space enveloped everyone.
As if traversing the cosmos, brilliant light streaked past their vision like meteors.
And at the end of this cosmos.
Was a single, massive pupil.
A brilliant blue, shimmering like distant stars.
An invisible pressure threatened to crush their bodies to paste.
Countless pieces of information flooded their minds in a flash.
Every single nerve swelled, expanded, burned.
The agony in their minds was matched only by their complete physical paralysis.
In an instant, blood vessels exploded across the whites of their eyes.
In that same moment, their faces contorted into masks of pure agony.
The only ones unaffected were Itachi and the other two, standing beside Heshu.
Though they felt no pain, though they were spared the assault, they still stood frozen under the gaze of that colossal eye, cold sweat drenching their clothes.
"The Seven Ninja Swordsmen end here."
Heshu's voice fell.
Seven heads parted from their necks without warning.
Blood fountained.
Not a single drop touched Heshu's clothes.
The domain slowly faded.
Mei Terumi saw the instantly decapitated Seven Ninja Swordsmen. Her pupils dilated.
Sweat soaked through her shirt. She fought to keep her trembling legs from buckling.
"Teacher…"
Hyūga Tenri watched the scene, her entire body buzzing with excitement.
"That was… that was unbelievable!"
Her voice was shrill with adrenaline.
Itachi stared at the corpses, silent. He opened his palm, only then noticing it was slick with sweat.
Dense ranks of Mist ninja had sensed the disturbance. They had moved to reinforce the area. Now, they retreated without a sound.
Charging forward now would be like offering their necks to the blade. Suicide.
They weren't stupid.
The village had invested resources in training them. They weren't supposed to throw their lives away. That would be a betrayal of the village's investment.
Heshu's mental awareness extended over the seven swords.
He could feel the Mist shinobi crowding the edges of his senses.
"I'll be taking the Seven Swords of Kirigakure as trophies."
With Itachi and the other two, Heshu's figure vanished, reappearing atop the village's main gate tower.
"Thanks for the gifts."
Shun!
The next instant, Heshu and the three were gone.
Kage Building.
The office.
The Third Mizukage, Yagura, stood before the massive floor-to-ceiling window, watching the spot where Heshu disappeared.
"The swords are gone, Lord Mizukage. Shouldn't we pursue?" a Mist ninja asked cautiously.
Truthfully, he didn't want to pursue. He didn't dare.
But it was his duty to ask.
"Unnecessary."
Yagura's tone was flat.
"Understood."
The Mist ninja breathed a silent sigh of relief.
With Yagura's dismissal, he slowly left the office. He let out a heavy breath of stale air. It felt like he'd just dodged a death sentence.
In that moment, a faint red gleam—the light of a Sharingan—flashed in Yagura's eyes.
"Teacher, why did you lie to us before?"
Hyūga Tenri, remembering Heshu's earlier 'death', couldn't help but pout and ask.
Itachi also looked at Heshu.
"I believe Teacher must have had her reasons!" Akie Shinya declared.
"Hah…"
Heshu laughed. "Shinya's got a point!"
"…"
Itachi, who had been waiting for an answer, felt a wave of helplessness.
"Then Teacher should tell us what those reasons are!"
Tenri wasn't letting it go. She walked on Heshu's other side, tugging at his hand and wheedling.
"…"
Heshu subtly extracted his hand.
Don't ask!
If you ask, it's about propriety between men and women!
"Didn't know you were such a gentleman," the System remarked, as if seeing Heshu for the first time.
"…"
"It's not being a gentleman! It's being human!"
"Hyūga Tenri is eleven! I'm not a pervert!"
The System nodded thoughtfully. "Oh. So you mean when she's older, it's fine?"
"System, since when did your mind get so dirty?" Heshu demanded. "Am I that kind of person?"
The System stayed silent.
"…"
"Teacher! Tell us! Why did you pretend to die before?"
Heshu was getting a headache from Tenri's badgering.
To make Itachi unlock his Sharingan, obviously. But that's an Uchiha clan secret. Can't say that!
"You remember what I said earlier?" Heshu changed the subject.
"Said what?"
Tenri took the bait.
"The reward!"
"The reward for gathering intel!" Akie Shinya, Heshu's number one fan, remembered every word Heshu had ever said.
"But…"
Tenri remembered the trouble she'd caused, and her cheeks flushed slightly.
"It's fine. It was your first mission. Having the courage to gather intel in an unfamiliar village was brave enough," Heshu consoled them.
"Then… we still get the reward?" Akie Shinya asked cautiously, a small, hopeful light in his eyes as he looked at Heshu.
"Of course!"
Heshu nodded.
He watched as Tenri and Shinya's eyes lit up.
Half an hour later.
Hyūga Tenri and Akie Shinya stood on the head of the dragon, Little Azure, eyes squeezed shut against the gale-force wind.
"Tea… cher… is this… the reward… you meant?" Tenri's voice was torn apart by the wind.
"Yep! Isn't it thrilling?" Heshu stood behind the three, perfectly at ease.
"It's… thril… ling alright… but I think… I'm gonna…"
Heshu didn't catch the rest. He urged Little Azure to go faster.
An hour later.
Little Azure touched down at Konoha's main gate.
Heshu landed gracefully.
Itachi followed.
"Where are Tenri and Shinya?" Heshu wondered.
Itachi's mouth twitched. "They passed out."
"Nani?"
Heshu was shocked, leaping back onto the dragon's head.
Little Azure's whiskers completely covered the two. It took Itachi's help to dig them out.
"Uh."
Heshu decisively looked at Itachi. "Itachi, I'm entrusting you with the mission of getting them safely home. Teacher still has to report to the Hokage!"
"…"
Itachi watched Heshu's figure vanish on the spot.
"Hokage-sama."
When Heshu appeared in the office, Hiruzen Sarutobi was already surrounded by representatives from several clans.
"Heshu! You're back!"
Hiruzen mentally sighed in relief.
Heshu saw the dark circles under Hiruzen's eyes. He was puzzled.
What did the old man do last night?
Oh no.
Could it be Hanzo…
(ﾟДﾟ≡ﾟДﾟ)
Heshu jolted, speculating wildly.
Has Hanzo already fallen victim to the Third's… machinations? Did the Third take advantage of my absence to… do things to Hanzo?
"Ahem! Tsukimi Heshu, the intelligence you transmitted, through our collective efforts, has finally been decrypted!"
The current head of the Nara clan, Nara Shikaku, spoke up.
"…"
Heshu had reason to suspect this Nara Shikaku was being sarcastic.
Beside Shikaku stood Nara Sōsai, sporting matching panda eyes. Nara Sōsai's gaze upon Heshu was that of someone looking at a human-shaped weapon of mass destruction.
"Hokage-sama, these are the trophies from the mission to Kirigakure."
Heshu presented the scroll sealing the swords.
"Trophies?"
Heshu had returned too quickly. News of the Seven Swordsmen's demise hadn't spread yet.
Hiruzen's eyes widened in surprise.
Did Heshu's cover get blown in Kirigakure, leading to combat?
"You weren't injured, were you?" Hiruzen asked with concern.
Heshu shook his head, touched. "Hokage-sama, I'm unharmed. Please don't worry."
"That's good to hear."
Hiruzen thought it probably wasn't a major battle.
Thinking this, he unsealed the scroll.
Poof!
Clang!
Before the white smoke cleared, the sound of metal clattering echoed.
"Hmm?"
Hiruzen was puzzled.
Weapons?
The smoke dissipated.
They saw what lay on the ground. The Hokage's office fell into a deathly silence.
Hiruzen rubbed his eyes, wondering if he was hallucinating from pulling an all-nighter.
Nara Shikaku, far more clear-headed, was filled with shock. His mind was already spinning at high speed.
Seven swords here means all Seven Swordsmen are dead. Being able to bring the swords back means Kirigakure couldn't stop Tsukimi Heshu. Which means Tsukimi Heshu's strength has reached a terrifying level. These seven swords will ensure Konoha holds the upper hand in any future dealings with Kirigakure.
The calmest one present was ironically the youngest, Nara Sōsai, who yawned as if this was completely expected. He'd sensed a long time ago that Heshu's power was leaving the rest of the shinobi world in the dust.
"These are… Kirigakure's Seven Swords?" Hiruzen looked at Heshu and asked.
Heshu nodded. "During the mission, my cover was blown. I engaged the Seven Ninja Swordsmen in combat."
The outcome of that engagement was obvious.
Hiruzen suddenly laughed.
"Hahahahaha…"
His laughter held unmasked joy.
"Well done!" Hiruzen praised.
Heshu's actions had not only established his might in Kirigakure, but his authority across the entire shinobi world. This created excellent conditions for Heshu's future ascension to Hokage.
Who else but Heshu had the qualifications now?
Hiruzen thought of what the Hyūga clan had said days earlier, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
The Hyūga clan has really forgotten their place over the years. To dare bring complaints to me. Heshu's status as the next Hokage was personally affirmed by me, Hiruzen Sarutobi. Who in the village doesn't see that? The Hyūga actually tried to threaten Heshu using the voting bloc as leverage. Were they threatening Heshu? No! They were slapping me, Hiruzen Sarutobi, in the face!
Hiruzen dismissed Nara Shikaku and Nara Sōsai. The office held only Heshu and the Hokage.
Hiruzen carefully re-sealed the sword scroll and sat down. "Why didn't you tell me about the Hyūga clan incident the other day?"
His tone held no accusation, only concern.
Heshu lowered his gaze slightly. "I didn't want to trouble Hokage-sama with such a minor matter."
If anyone else had said this, Hiruzen might have taken it as empty politeness, in one ear and out the other.
But coming from Heshu, Hiruzen's heart warmed.
His rebellious son, Sarutobi Asuma, had been sent to the Land of Fire's Daimyō. His other sons had perished in war. Only a daughter-in-law, newly pregnant, remained. He had always seen Heshu as part of his own family.
"The matter of the Hyūga clan threatening you… I've handled it." Hiruzen took a puff of his pipe. "Some matters are not for them to decide."
He exhaled smoke. That kindly, approachable old man's face now held the full authority of a ruler.
"I've troubled Hokage-sama." A trace of guilt showed on Heshu's face. To have caused Hiruzen such trouble on his account filled him with remorse.
Hiruzen shook his head gently, his gaze soft.
"The village needs a leader, not a puppet," Hiruzen said. "What you did to the Hyūga clan that day was correct."
The day after Heshu intimidated the Hyūga elders, they, still harboring ill intentions, had pressured Hiashi to complain to the Hokage. Hiashi was cunning, but against the Third, he was outmatched.
The Third sending Heshu on this mission to Kirigakure with three students had been a warning. A warning to the Hyūga clan. And to the Uchiha. He was reminding them: He was the Hokage. He held absolute authority. He could send their clan's young talents to deadly missions at any time. Or elevate them to elite status.
Some things were not theirs to meddle in.
Heshu wasn't stupid. He'd already pieced together the cause and effect. The respect in his eyes as he looked at Hiruzen wasn't faked. Setting other things aside, Hiruzen's methods were worth learning.
"Heshu, you've worked hard. Go home and rest well today. But be here tomorrow morning to process documents!" Hiruzen said with a beaming smile.
"…"
Heshu nodded and left the Hokage's office.
Heshu returned home, took a shower, and changed clothes.
He checked on little Naruto as usual.
"Ah-goo ah-goo…"
Under Hanzo's meticulous care, little Naruto had clearly plumped up. The moment he saw Heshu, tears welled in his big, watery eyes. Tiny hands waved, reaching for Heshu.
Hanzo popped a pacifier into Naruto's mouth. The baby instantly quieted, though his eyes remained fixed on Heshu.
"He misses you," Hanzo said abruptly.
"…"
Heshu studied Hanzo seriously.
Since arriving in Konoha, Hanzo's wardrobe had been supplied in bulk by Heshu. Uniform deep-V dresses. His pale yellow hair was braided into a single long plait, resting gently on his chest. His delicate face, from long days of childcare, had taken on a maternal softness.
Heshu could barely remember what the old Hanzo even looked like anymore. Time was a strange thing.
After telling Hanzo not to prepare his dinner, Heshu went out to find Shisui. He was deeply concerned about Shisui's mental state working in Root. Shisui was a valuable asset he'd spent years cultivating. If Danzō stole him away, Heshu would be forced to use Talk-no-Jutsu on Danzō and make him thoroughly embarrass himself.
The setting sun dyed the sky. Konoha's lake surface shimmered with golden light.
Heshu had told Kabuto beforehand to relay a message to Shisui to meet him here. Kabuto, perpetually vigilant that Heshu might kill Nonō, followed Heshu's orders to the letter. Though Heshu suspected the little schemer wasn't being entirely obedient.
"Heshu!"
A familiar voice called.
Heshu put on his perfect smile. The sunset cast a soft glow over his beautiful features. If you were going to brainwash someone, you had to consider timing, location, and the person, right?
Heshu's smile froze on his face when he saw who it was.
"Sarutobi Aoki?"
"What are you doing here?"
Heshu had a strong urge to turn and run.
"Heshu, you look especially beautiful today!"
The older Sarutobi Aoki got, the more he resembled a literary youth. His ninja tool pouch was always stuffed with the latest, hottest tragic romance manga. Every sunset, he'd come to the riverside and raise a toast to the memory of Heshu's eyes.
In other words—daydreaming.
Two blushes appeared on Aoki's standard-issue tough-guy face.
"…"
"Heshu, are you… waiting for me here?" The blush on Aoki's face intensified.
"…"
Heshu didn't know what to say. He had a powerful urge to punch that infatuated smile right off Aoki's face.
Stop making that disgusting expression at a straight guy like me!
"You're mistaken. She's waiting for me."
Shisui removed his mask, his figure appearing beside Heshu.
"…"
Heshu nodded. Even though Shisui's words also felt a bit off, compared to Aoki's expression, they were much more tolerable.
"You two…"
Aoki looked like he'd been struck by lightning.
Who knows what he imagined, but he gazed at Heshu with profound melancholy and uttered, tragically: "In the end… I was the one who misjudged…"
With that, his lonely figure slowly jogged away.
"…"
"…"
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