Hanekawa arrived to find Mabui and Samui waiting in the courtyard. The change in them was unmistakable—the energy that had defined them before had drained away, replaced by the hollow exhaustion of captives. Their worry for Yugito and the others hung over them like a shadow.
"Hanekawa," Samui began, then caught herself. The informal address felt wrong now. "Lord Hanekawa."
Mabui took the lead, her sharp mind already calculating the best approach. "Welcome."
Hanekawa nodded and stepped into the courtyard where the captured Cloud jonin were housed. The moment they saw him, the reactions varied—fear dominated, followed by barely concealed hatred. But no one moved. No one dared. The Fourth Raikage's fate hung in the balance, and they all knew it.
"What can I get you?" Samui asked, still adjusting to the reversal of their positions.
"Tea is fine," Hanekawa said, studying the golden-haired kunoichi with casual interest.
She prepared it without comment, her movements precise despite the tension radiating from her frame.
"I'm here with a message from my teacher," Hanekawa said, accepting the cup. "Peace talks between our villages will be held in January."
Mabui's jaw tightened. Two or three months of confinement stretched ahead—an eternity when your village's leadership was imprisoned.
"What are Konoha's conditions?" she asked carefully.
"They haven't been finalized yet," Hanekawa replied evenly.
Mabui's eyes narrowed. Given his position as the Hokage's assistant, his claim of ignorance seemed unlikely. But as she studied his expression, she realized he was telling the truth.
"There's something else," Hanekawa continued casually. "I want to remain a spy for the Hidden Cloud."
Confusion flickered across both their faces.
"You're the Hokage's assistant," Samui said slowly. "You captured the Raikage. You took the tailed beasts. How can you possibly—"
"The Land of Thunder is still my homeland," Hanekawa said with perfect sincerity, though his tone suggested he was enjoying their bewilderment. "Just keep my identity secret. That's all I'm asking."
Mabui studied him for a long moment, searching for hidden angles. Finding none, she made her decision. "We can agree to that. But in exchange, we want to see Yugito and the others."
"Agreed," Hanekawa said. "But this arrangement stays between us. Understood?"
The weight in his voice made it clear what happened to people who didn't follow that instruction.
---
The Heavy Punishment Room was cold and sterile. When the cell door opened, Yugito's head snapped up, her eyes blazing with fury.
"Hanekawa!" she snarled, surging to her feet. "You bastard! I'll kill you!"
"Yugito!" Mabui's sharp command cut through the air. "Control yourself!"
The Two-Tails jinchuriki fell silent, but her fists remained clenched, trembling with barely restrained rage.
"I can't ignore being insulted like that," Hanekawa said mildly.
"Master Hanekawa, please forgive her," Mabui said quickly, bowing. "She spoke out of turn."
"I'll accept punishment instead," Samui said, stepping forward before Yugito could speak again. She understood the danger—another outburst could doom them all.
"Samui, no—" Yugito started.
"It's decided," Samui said firmly, meeting Hanekawa's gaze without flinching.
He led her to an empty cell and closed the door behind them.
"You can do whatever you want," Samui said, her voice steady despite the rapid beating of her heart. "I won't resist."
Hanekawa studied her for a moment, then raised his hand.
Samui braced herself, eyes closing—
The sharp crack of his palm against her backside made her gasp. Heat bloomed across her skin as he continued, each strike deliberate and measured. Her perfect form trembled with each impact, and despite herself, a small sound escaped her lips.
After a minute, he stopped.
Samui stood frozen, her face burning with shame and something else she didn't want to name. Her legs felt unsteady.
"Does it hurt?" Hanekawa asked, his hand gentle as it touched her golden hair.
She wanted to pull away but forced herself to stand still. "No," she whispered.
Warm chakra flowed from his palm, soothing the sting. Samui couldn't help the soft groan that escaped, and she quickly covered her mouth, mortified at how it sounded.
"Let's go," Hanekawa said, withdrawing his hand. "You have thirty minutes with them."
Samui hurried back to the cell, her face still flushed.
"Are you hurt?" Yugito demanded immediately.
"I'm fine," Samui assured her, grateful that her voice remained steady. "He just... talked to me."
The two-tails jinchuriki looked skeptical but didn't press further.
---
Hanekawa waited outside, his mind already moving forward. The Flying Thunder God Technique was within reach—perhaps before the New Year. After that, the Lightning Style Chakra Mode, and eventually the secrets the Hidden Cloud could no longer refuse to share: the Hell Stab, the Lightning Style Armor.
Wood Style needed expansion too. His current arsenal was limited. The Wood Style: Deep Forest Emergence would give him a counter to Susanoo—something only Hashirama Senju had truly mastered.
And Sage Mode. That would require finding the right entry, since raw talent alone wouldn't suffice.
The footsteps returned. Mabui emerged first, relief evident on her face.
"Thank you for allowing this," she said formally.
Hanekawa walked them back through Konoha's streets, where villagers greeted him with respect. The shift in how people treated him was remarkable—a far cry from the suspicion that had surrounded Danzo.
---
The Hokage's office was exactly as he expected: Tsunade sprawled across her desk, fast asleep. Her sleeveless top rode up slightly, revealing the generous curves that made her legendary status seem almost unfair.
He sighed. Terrible.
Tsunade's eyes snapped open. "I wasn't—" She straightened quickly, her top shifting with the movement. "You took long enough. Where were you?"
"Visiting the Cloud prisoners," Hanekawa said. "I found something interesting at Danzo's compound. Cells. Multiple ones. Filled with First Hokage DNA samples."
Tsunade's expression darkened instantly. "That bastard. I should have killed him years ago."
Hanekawa pulled up a chair, already planning his next moves. The pieces were falling into place, and the game was far from over.