Chapter 94. Birthday Gift, Anklet

Chapter 94 - 94. Birthday Gift, Anklet"Sensei, I'm heading out. I'll come back tomorrow morning." Hanekawa stood by the doorway, putting on his shoes. Suddenly, he seemed to recall something and reminded, "Don't forget to check the gift I gave you." "Got it!" Tsunade replied lazily, half-lying on the sofa. With a thud, the door closed, and the living room returned to its quiet state. The smile on Tsunade's face gradually faded. Having grown accustomed to Hanekawa's presence, the sudden silence left her feeling a bit unsettled. She sat up and retrieved the birthday gift Hanekawa had given her earlier. When she opened it, she found a necklace—or more accurately, an anklet. "What kind of random gift is this kid buying?" Tsunade shook her head, though the corners of her lips curled slightly into a smile. She picked up the anklet. It was entirely silver, simple and unadorned, without any excessive decoration. Hanekawa had clearly considered her role as a ninja when choosing the gift—nothing flashy, and definitely no bells attached. Looking around, Tsunade lifted her left leg and rested it on the edge of the sofa. Leaning forward, her clothes stretched tightly across her figure, accentuating her curves as they pressed outward. Tsunade revealed her smooth, evenly toned leg and fastened the anklet around her ankle. She stood up, walking barefoot across the floor for a few steps. There was no sound, and it didn't affect her movements. "Not bad." Seeing that it worked well, Tsunade decided to leave it on. --- Meanwhile, Hanekawa had returned home. As soon as he opened the door, Yūhi Kurenai came running over, her bare feet pattering against the floor. "Come on, into the room with me!" Kurenai grabbed his hand and pulled him toward her room. "What are you doing?" Yūhi Shinku's voice sounded suspicious, his expression shifting slightly. "I'm getting him to try on the clothes I bought for him," Kurenai replied, stopping at her bedroom door. You've never bought me clothes! Shinku's lips twitched, his face betraying a hint of exasperation. Inside the room, Hanekawa opened Kurenai's gift. It was a gray-and-black kimono. The Shinobi world retained many traditional Japanese features, and kimonos were one of them. However, Hanekawa had never worn one before, as they were cumbersome and impractical for combat. Unless it was a special celebration, ninjas rarely wore kimonos. The outfit came with an instruction manual, and Hanekawa quickly managed to change into it and step out of the room. "It looks great!" Kurenai's eyes sparkled as she carefully examined him, clearly satisfied. Still just a kid, thought Shinku, glancing over with mild disdain. "Thanks." Hanekawa patted her head gently. "I really like it." "Mm!" Kurenai beamed happily. After all, he wore it for her, and it was indeed a pleasing sight. "All right, it's late. Time to take a bath and get to bed," Shinku interrupted, unable to hold back anymore. "Okay." Hanekawa nodded lightly. --- The next morning, bathed in the warmth of summer sunlight, Hanekawa walked down the streets, feeling cozy and relaxed. Soon, he arrived at Tsunade's home. "Sensei," Hanekawa called out, knocking on the door. After a moment, the door opened, revealing Tsunade's curvaceous figure. Her blonde hair was disheveled from sleep, resembling a puffed-up cat. Hanekawa's gaze drifted downward, noticing the anklet he had gifted her. It hugged her fair ankle snugly, adding a subtle touch of elegance and allure. "Go make breakfast," Tsunade instructed before shutting the door behind him. She walked to her wardrobe, removed her sleepwear, leaving herself bare, and quickly dressed in fresh clothes. By the time she had finished washing up, breakfast was already ready. Hanekawa sat at the table, picking up his chopsticks while casually glancing at his System interface. Two months had passed since the start of the term, and during this time, he had unlocked two new entries. [D-Rank Talent Entry: Earth Release Chunin] Trigger Condition: Possess three Earth Release techniques. Effect: Increases the power of all Earth Release techniques by 30%. The three Earth techniques he had learned were taught to him by Kakashi Hatake in exchange for sharing his own Lightning Release knowledge. This was an expected development. However, the second entry came as a pleasant surprise: [D-Rank Talent Entry: Intermediate Chef] Trigger Condition: Master the art of cooking. Effect: Increases the flavor of dishes by 30%. While its utility was limited, it did earn him frequent praise from Tsunade. After breakfast, the two headed to the Hokage Building. As they stepped inside, they ran into Sakumo Hatake. "Uncle Sakumo," Hanekawa greeted him warmly. "It's you two!" Sakumo smiled broadly. "Long time no see." "Are you here to see the old man?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow and asked. "Yes," Sakumo Hatake nodded and replied, "The Hokage said there's a mission for me." Hanekawa immediately felt uneasy. Sakumo Hatake and Tsunade teaming up for a mission? What kind of nightmare difficulty was this? What would he even do there? Cheer them on? "We're probably on the same mission," Tsunade said with a soft laugh. "I'm curious to see what kind of mission it is." "Sounds like trouble," Sakumo realized, his tone serious. The three of them headed upstairs to the Hokage's office. Bang! As always, Tsunade kicked the door open without hesitation. Sakumo couldn't help but click his tongue. He was the perfect example of a disciplined ninja who adhered strictly to the rules. "You're here," Hiruzen Sarutobi greeted warmly, completely ignoring Tsunade's actions. He was already used to her antics and mentally apologized to the door. "What's the mission?" Tsunade asked directly. "It's a request from Miroku, the shrine maiden of the Land of Demons," Hiruzen said, pulling out his pipe. He was about to take a puff when Tsunade snatched it away. "There's a child here. You can smoke after we leave," Tsunade said, glancing at Hanekawa. Hiruzen smacked his lips but nodded helplessly. Hanekawa was stunned—not because of Tsunade but because of the mission. Searᴄh the Novelƒire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In the original Naruto movie, Naruto Shippuden: The Will of Fire, the Land of Demons' shrine maiden was not Miroku but her daughter Shion. The story revolved around a creature named Moryo, an otherworldly demon sealed by the shrine maidens of the Land of Demons for generations. Miroku, Shion's mother and the previous shrine maiden, had died while sealing Moryo. Years later, a rogue medical ninja named Yomi revived Moryo, leading the Land of Demons to request help from the Hidden Leaf. Tsunade assigned Naruto Uzumaki, Rock Lee, Sakura Haruno, and Neji Hyuga to protect Shion. Shion possessed the ability to foresee people's deaths and predicted Naruto's demise at Moryo's hands. However, with his protagonist's luck, Naruto defeated and sealed Moryo again. Aside from Moryo, there was also Yomi's undead army, which even involved allies from the Sand Village, such as Temari. If Hanekawa calculated the timeline correctly, this mission would mark the events leading to Miroku's death. "Miroku claims that Moryo possesses the power to destroy the ninja world," Hiruzen continued. "This mission is classified as S-rank. You three will handle it." "Shouldn't this mission go to Minato?" Tsunade frowned slightly. "His sealing techniques are better suited for such otherworldly creatures." "Minato is in the Land of Lightning," Hiruzen explained. "I've sent him a message, and he can use the Flying Thunder God Technique to join you if necessary." "Is something happening in the Hidden Cloud?" Sakumo asked, his expression serious. "There's some activity," Hiruzen admitted. "We've spotted a young man who has inherited the title of 'A' near the border." The Hidden Cloud Village had a unique tradition where their strongest ninja inherited the title of 'A.' The young man Hiruzen referred to was the future Fourth Raikage. "No wonder," Sakumo said, realization dawning on his face. Inheriting the title of 'A' meant he was the future Raikage. His presence at the border wasn't a coincidence—it was likely a test of strength and a probe of the Hidden Leaf's defenses. Hanekawa recalled the original series mentioning Minato Namikaze's first encounter with the Kumogakure's A-B Combo: the future Fourth Raikage and Killer Bee, the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki. This likely occurred two or three years before the Third Great Ninja War broke out, and the current situation seemed to align with that timeline. It appeared the Third Raikage was grooming the A-B Combo while simultaneously testing the Hidden Leaf. "Minato is only a backup plan," Hiruzen said with a smile. "Miroku claims she can seal Moryo herself. Your task is merely to protect her." "Understood," Sakumo agreed. Tsunade, however, looked hesitant. "Besides, Miroku has also requested aid from other villages. Both the Hidden Stone and Hidden Mist have agreed to send support," Hiruzen added, noticing Tsunade's expression. "Moryo might be strong, but it's not stronger than a Tailed Beast. Don't overthink it." "Just to be safe, old man, assign me two squads of Anbu," Tsunade demanded, glancing at Hanekawa. "Tsunade, you need to learn to delegate," Hiruzen chuckled. He didn't mind her request. If anything, it showed her growing attachment to her comrades, which ultimately strengthened her bond with the village. "Stop rambling!" Tsunade slammed the pipe onto the desk. "Two squads of Anbu—not one less!" "Careful with that!" Hiruzen snatched the pipe back, inspecting it for damage. Once satisfied, he sighed in relief. An Anbu squad, like a regular ninja squad, consisted of four members. Two squads meant an additional eight operatives. "Fine, take them," Hiruzen relented with a wave of his hand. "Just make sure to return quickly and don't waste too much time." He felt that the combination of Sakumo Hatake, Tsunade, and potentially Minato Namikaze was overkill for dealing with Moryo. Their presence alone could start a war.