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Chapter 76 - Chapter 63.1: How about you keep calling me, Daddy?

[Read up to Chapter - 114 on P atreon at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]

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[Note: An edit was made in Chapter 62. If you haven't already read the edited version, be sure to go through that before reading this.]

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After removing the blood-stained sheets, Kushina found a similar one and quickly spread it over the bed. Then, she meticulously cleaned every trace of last night's activities left in the room by wiping the floor and blowing out the air from the bedroom by opening the windows.

By the time she was done, she finally let out a deep sigh of relief. But the moment her eyes landed on the man who had taken her innocence from her, her expression darkened with fury.

"I will never forgive you," she growled through clenched teeth.

Kanzou, however, paid her words no mind.

Threats like that were meaningless to him; he could silence her easily.

After all, what if he used Namikaze Minato, currently locked in a Konoha Police Force prison, as leverage?

Or worse, what if he threatened her with ratting her out to Mikoto and making her actions of seducing him known to the entire Konoha?

Kushina had no idea that Mikoto had also played a role in this scheme.

Right now, she still thought she had betrayed her friend, not the other way around.

Because of that guilt, she couldn't bring herself to let Mikoto know the truth.

Not to mention, she is a young girl who should be very afraid of the entire village learning of her actions…

And that gave Kanzou all the power he needed over Kushina.

Chuckling to himself, Kanzou rose to his feet. He stepped forward, seized Kushina, and pulled her firmly into his arms. Tilting her chin up with one hand, he forced her to meet his gaze. "This kind of threat means nothing to me, Kushina-chan."

"Let me go," Kushina demanded, struggling in his grip, only to realise she couldn't break free.

She had no strength left.

After what happened last night, her body was still recovering.

Even with the Uzumaki clan's powerful recovery, she needed some time.

If she hadn't been a virgin… she'd have recovered by now, but last night was her first experience… so she really needed some time to recover.

She considered releasing her chakra to force him back, but then Kanzou whispered: "Do you really want Mikoto to hear any noise?"

At his words, Kushina froze, biting her lip in frustration.

She didn't dare make a sound, afraid that Mikoto might wake.

Ninjas were light sleepers; the slightest noise could rouse them.

Last night, Mikoto hadn't stirred despite all the sounds, but that had only been because she was drunk. If she heard anything now, there was no guarantee she would stay asleep.

After taking his fill of her discomfort and some advantage of her silence by groping her here and there, Kanzou finally released her.

There was still a lot of time; there was no need for a fiery, seductive Uzumaki Kushina to meet a tragic end just yet.

Sometimes, you have to cut the knot with a sharp blade… but other times, you have to boil the frog slowly in warm water.

When a person compromises once, they'll compromise again… and again, until it becomes a never-ending cycle.

"Uchiha Kanzou, you bastard! I'll make Mikoto-chan see your true colours!" Kushina snapped, her lips slightly red and swollen as she glared at Kanzou with fury.

"You'd dare?" Kanzou asked with a mocking smile.

"Yeah… I'd dare," she shot back coldly.

She swore she would expose him.

Mikoto deserved to know the kind of man she had married.

Kushina would make her see the truth.

"Well then, I look forward to it…" Chuckled Kanzou, not at all afraid, which only made Kushina angrier.

Fuming, she stormed out of the bedroom.

Kanzou casually followed, watching her closely as she glanced around at the other rooms in the house.

"Which room is Mikoto-chan in now?" Kushina asked coldly.

She wanted to check on Mikoto, but at the same time, she was deeply worried, worried that Mikoto might already know what had happened between her and Uchiha Kanzou.

Even though Kushina wanted Mikoto to see Kanzou's true face, this… wasn't the way. She couldn't let Mikoto find out about this, because there would be no way to explain it.

If Kanzou turned the story around and claimed she had seduced him, how could she possibly defend herself?

And based on the foggy pieces of memory, Kushina could recall… it did seem like she had made the first move.

She had been the one to reach out to him, she had been the one to ask him to carry her… she had been the one to ask him to stay, she had been the one to beg him to—The thoughts made her feel sick and disgusted at her own self.

Yes, Uchiha Kanzou was absolutely a bastard who took advantage of her being drunk, but part of her couldn't ignore that she bore some responsibility, too.

Even though she wanted to deny that she ever did something like that… She knew in her heart that it really was she who seduced him and begged him to do it.

'H-how could I beg him like that?'

Unaware of the storm raging in Kushina's heart, Kanzou said calmly, pointing ahead, "This room."

Cautiously, Kushina slid the door open and walked into the room.

When she saw Mikoto still sleeping soundly, she let out a quiet sigh of relief.

Seeing Mikoto so peacefully asleep reassured her; she clearly didn't know anything yet.

Then, moving silently on tiptoe, she approached the bed and carefully lifted Mikoto.

"Huh? What are you doing?" Kanzou frowned, questioning Kushina.

"Taking her to your bedroom…" Kushina whispered back, her voice low and tense. "Now stop standing there and help me. We need to hurry, or she might wake up!"

'Why are you even doing that in the first place?' Kanzou thought, though he kept the question to himself.

Wouldn't it be better for her to just leave Mikoto here to sleep and slip away quietly?

He still couldn't help but think Kushina's choice was foolish, and she was kicking her own feet.

'Could it be that she isn't thinking clearly right now, acting out of anxiety?' he wondered, still uncertain, but chose not to stop her

Mikoto, who had been awake the whole time, kept her eyes shut and continued pretending to sleep, also couldn't help but think to herself in frustration, 'Kushina-chan… what are you doing? You should just leave quickly…!'

But Kushina, too anxious to notice the foolishness of her actions, pressed Kanzou again in a low, urgent voice, "Hurry up… what are you waiting for?"

Kanzou sighed, though a smirk tugged at his lips. 'Since you're digging your own grave, don't blame me for finding a little amusement in it…' he thought as he stepped toward Mikoto. Instead of helping Kushina carry her, he leaned down and gently patted Mikoto's cheek, "Mikoto… my dear wife, time to wake up."

As a seasoned kunoichi with the rank of a Jōnin, it would have been suspicious if Mikoto hadn't woken up from being moved between rooms.

Even a carefree person like Kushina wasn't this foolish; she hadn't noticed anything because of feeling anxious, but if she gave it any real thought, she would surely notice that something wasn't quite right.

Seeing Kanzou move to wake Mikoto, Kushina felt a wave of panic, "D… don't…"

She wanted him to stop, but it was already too late as Mikoto had slowly opened her eyes and was feigning the dazed look of someone just waking up. "Wha–? Where am I? K-Kushina-chan?"

In truth, she was flustered and wanted nothing more than to avoid facing Kushina.

Kushina, on the other hand, wasn't any better.

As Mikoto woke up, cold sweat formed on her forehead, and she couldn't bring herself to meet her friend's eyes.

Both women carried guilt in their hearts.

If Kushina knew the full truth, she wouldn't have remained silent; she would've exploded in rage and turned on Mikoto immediately.

"Mikoto, you really overdid it with the drinking yesterday. You've slept this long, that's so unlike you…" Kanzou said casually.

"I know, Kan-sama… I really did drink a bit too much sake. My head's still pounding," Mikoto replied, glancing at Kanzou and playing along. Though the part of having drunk too much wasn't false…

Kanzou gave Mikoto an approving nod.

Despite no prior rehearsal, she was playing along perfectly as they made their way to the master bedroom in an awkward silence.

Then, from an angle where Kushina couldn't see, Kanzou subtly flashed a note at Mikoto.

Having read the note, Mikoto hesitated for a moment before following the cue and saying, while looking at the bedsheet, "Hmm? Why does this sheet look different? Kan-sama… did you change it?"

The moment Mikoto spoke, Kushina's heart skipped a beat…

She had gone out of her way to find a similar sheet to replace the original, yet Mikoto still noticed the difference.

When Mikoto questioned Kanzou, Kushina briefly breathed a sigh of relief and quickly glanced at him, signaling for him to nod along so that the matter could be put behind them.

But Kanzou only smirked, clearly unwilling to play along, and answered truthfully, "It wasn't me… it was Kushina-chan. She changed the sheets."

'BASTARD!' Kushina screamed inwardly. What he said was true, she had changed the sheets, but he wasn't supposed to actually say it, which made her panic. 'W-What if Mikoto-chan misunderstands?' And a misunderstanding would be completely natural, because… something had really happened.

Sure enough, Mikoto turned toward her, frowning in doubt. "Kushina-chan changed the sheets? Why?"

"Th… that…" Kushina stammered, unable to explain.

After all, she had changed the sheets of the master bedroom, the room of privacy and intimacy between a married couple. For her to have done so was clearly inappropriate. Forget changing the sheets, she shouldn't have even stepped foot in that room without her permission.

She knew that anything she said now would sound like nothing more than an excuse.

Watching Kushina panic, Kanzou's lips curled into a smug, playful smile.

"Well?" Mikoto pressed again, her eyes narrowing as she urged for a response.

"That… I… actually…" Kushina stammered, unable to form words. Her mind felt overloaded, unable to think of anything, and her body began to tremble with guilt. Tears welled at the corners of her eyes before she even realised it, and then, almost involuntarily, she blurted out an apology. "I actually… I… I'm sorry…"

'Bad move…' Kanzou thought, barely suppressing his laughter. An apology in this situation was practically an invitation to be pressed further.

"Sorry? Why apologize? Did you do something that warrants an apology?" Mikoto asked, her eyes narrowing further, the pressure around her growing heavier.

It was then that Kushina realised she should never have apologized. Her words had only deepened Mikoto's suspicion and cornered her further. The weight of guilt and pressure made her tremble even more, her eyes glistening with tears.

Kanzou only made matters worse as he added with a sly tone, "Yes… Kushina-chan. It's best if you confess everything. If you tell the truth and admit your mistake, Mikoto might not be angry with you…"

"You… you… it was obviously…" Kushina murmured, horrified.

She knew she was being wronged… but the situation had already spiraled out of control. Worse yet, Kanzou was clearly laughing at her plight, which only fueled her frustration and anger.

"Kushina-chan? Did something happen last night?" Mikoto asked, acting as if she had sensed that something was wrong. She stepped closer, as if to press the question directly.

But the moment Kushina saw Mikoto approach, fear overwhelmed her. 'It's over…' she thought, stumbling a step back as she stammered, "D… don't… i… it was…"

Seeing her struggle to say anything, Kanzou spoke again. "Well, if you won't say it… Then I have no choice but to."

Kushina's expression grew even more horrified as she tried to stop him, even going so far as to cover his mouth with her hands. "No… don't!"

But before she could, Kanzou caught her by the head, keeping her at a hand's distance, and continued anyway. "Actually… just like you, Kushina-chan was also extremely drunk last night. She ended up stumbling into this room and vomiting on the bed. Since it was she who did that, I had her change the sheets after she woke up."

"Yes… That's right, he's telling the truth," Kushina nodded, instinctively going along with Kanzou's nonsense. Still, anxiety gnawed at her, she had no idea if Mikoto would actually believe Kanzou's story.

Mikoto was extremely sharp and sensitive to the smallest details, and Kushina feared she would instantly see through Kanzou's nonsense.

Fortunately for her, Mikoto's trust in Kanzou seemed absolute. Hearing his explanation, Mikoto even giggled softly before turning to Kushina. "It's just that? Well then… what's there to be so embarrassed about? Besides, you still changed the sheets. Don't worry, I won't be dissatisfied with you over something so trivial."

"A… ahaha… I… I'm glad," Kushina laughed awkwardly, though inside she was a storm of emotions—relieved that Mikoto had bought the story, guilty for deceiving her, angry that she had been forced into the lie, and bitter over what had happened to her.

Even with everything that had just happened, Kushina began to feel somewhat relieved that it was finally over and that she could go home.

But that relief lasted only a few moments.

Noticing another subtle signal from Kanzou, Mikoto suddenly widened her eyes and asked, "Wait a minute… Kushina-chan, since you barfed on the sheets here… and also changed the sheets so early in the morning… did you sleep here last night?" After a brief pause, she pressed further, "Where did you sleep?" Then, turning to Kanzou with a trace of doubt, she asked, "And Kan-sama… where did you sleep?"

Instantly, the tension in Kushina's body—barely eased a moment ago—snapped tight again. "Huh? Ah…!" she gasped before blurting out, "G… guest room!"

"Huh? But wasn't I the one sleeping in the guest room?" Mikoto immediately pointed out.

Kushina froze, realising she had made another mistake. In her anxiety, she had almost forgotten that Mikoto had been the one occupying the guest room.

Hurriedly, she glanced at Kanzou, her expression practically begging him to say something that would convince Mikoto again.

"It was the other guest room," Kanzou replied calmly, before adding, "Meanwhile, I slept in my old room."

"I see…" Mikoto nodded, seemingly convinced. She even apologised. "I'm truly sorry, Kushina-chan. You were supposed to be the guest, and I should have taken proper care of you. But I got so drunk I don't even remember what happened last night—or how I ended up in that guest room…"

"I… it's okay… I wasn't any better," Kushina replied awkwardly, unsure of what else to say. Deep down, she was relieved Mikoto didn't remember anything. If she did, explaining it would be a nightmare.

"Don't worry, Mikoto," Kanzou assured her smoothly. "I made sure Kushina-chan had a very comfortable stay last night." Then he turned to Kushina with a teasing look. "Isn't that right, Kushina-chan? Last night was comfortable enough, and I am sure that you enjoyed the sleepover… I trust there weren't any problems?"

Kushina wanted nothing more than to punch him in the face. 'Comfortable?' She was still struggling to stand properly; every movement ached. Comfortable was the last word she'd use. And beyond that… were they even supposed to do that?! Obviously, not!

But even though she felt beaten and exhausted, and very wronged about it… she could only force an awkward smile and nod. "Yeah… it was very comfortable, and… I… I slept peacefully…"

"I see… that's a relief," Mikoto nodded with a sigh before adding, "Well then, since you're here in the morning, please join us for breakfast. It might take a little time to prepare, but I'll make sure it's extravagant enough to make up for any lack of hospitality."

"N… no…" Kushina hurriedly refused, quickly adding an excuse, "I… I have some really important work today… so I'm afraid I can't stay any longer."

"Eh? Really? An hour or two shouldn't be a problem…" Mikoto said, trying to persuade her.

"Yeah, Kushina-chan, it's not every day that Mikoto's friends stay over. I'd like you to stay for breakfast too. As Mikoto's husband, I must say, her cooking is excellent," Kanzou added as he walked to Mikoto's side and wrapped an arm around her waist.

Mikoto immediately blushed, flustered by Kanzou's intimate touch—especially with Kushina standing right in front of them.

Kushina too froze for a moment, dazed by how casually Kanzou held Mikoto like that. Instantly, she recalled the way he had held her last night. Her face turned red, and anger surged through her, silently cursing him again and again. But forcing herself not to let it show, she managed a polite refusal. "No… really, I must decline this time. I have to go."

"Is that so?" Mikoto's eyes dimmed slightly, though she didn't press further. "Alright then… but next time, I won't take no for an answer."

"Y… yeah, of course," Kushina nodded hurriedly, all the while thinking, 'Next time… I'm definitely not coming here!'

Quickly cutting off the conversation, she said, "An… anyway, I'm getting late. I've got something else to take care of, so I'll head out." With that, Kushina turned to leave.

She didn't want to linger any longer; staying might lead to her slipping up.

She knew Mikoto was sharp, and even the smallest crack in her composure could be noticed.

Even though she was the one wronged, she now found herself suffocating in silence.

A flicker of surprise flashed in Mikoto's eyes. 'Why would Kushina-chan cooperate with Kan-sama and lie again and again?' She had expected Kushina to lash out and fight her the moment she woke up.

Still, without a cue from Kanzou, Mikoto wouldn't say anything to expose the lie.

"Mikoto, prepare some tea to clear up your head," Kanzou said smoothly. "I'll go drop Kushina-chan."

His words made Kushina freeze.

She didn't want anything more to do with him—she feared that if she saw his face again, she might lose control and punch the bastard.

"Alright, sorry for the trouble, Kan-sama. Kushina-chan, I'll see you later," Mikoto said, finally breathing a sigh of relief. She had been mentally prepared to face a complete fallout with Kushina, but Kanzou had somehow managed to smooth things over, for now.

While Mikoto made her way to the kitchen, Kanzou took Kushina to the exit door of the house.

As they stepped towards the exit, Kushina let out a cold snort and muttered under her breath, "Don't pretend to see me off. And you'd better keep your mouth shut—if Mikoto-chan finds out, it won't end well for you."

Even while leaving, she didn't forget to give Kanzou a warning.

What she didn't realise was that Mikoto already knew everything—and had even been involved.

"Kushina-chan, see you next time," Kanzou said with a smile, waving at her.

"Hmph. You'd better hope there isn't a next time. If there is…"

If it weren't for the fear of Mikoto discovering the truth, Kushina would've already beaten Uchiha Kanzou to a pulp.

Right now, she just wanted to never lay eyes on Uchiha Kanzou again—for fear that she might lose control and explode.

"Heh… you'll come crawling back to me soon, begging me again, calling me daddy just like you did last night," Kanzou said with a smug, meaningful smirk.

After all, Namikaze Minato was still imprisoned.

And if Kanzou didn't take the opportunity to toy with that situation, it wouldn't be like him at all.

"Me? Crawling back to you and begging you? And… C-Calling you d-d-daddy? In your dreams! You'd better hope that I don't kill you the next time I see you, you bastard," she spat, feeling ashamed at her own self for agreeing to call him something like that last night.

With that, Kushina refused to waste another word on him. She could barely stop herself from punching him right then and there.

This wasn't over. First, she would break things off between him and Mikoto, and then she would take her revenge.

"I'll be waiting for you to call me daddy," Kanzou replied with a chuckle, turning and walking back into the house.

Unless Kushina truly didn't care about Minato, Kanzou was confident—he'd have her right where he wanted.

As soon as Kushina left the Uchiha Compound, the tears she had been holding back finally spilled down her cheeks, uncontrollably.

In front of Kanzou, she had refused to show any weakness—that bastard would have laughed at her the moment she cried.

"If I don't settle this score with you," she muttered through gritted teeth, "then I'm not Uzumaki Kushina."

Wiping her tears, she walked away.

Only she knew how much pain she was hiding in her heart.

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Drop power Powerstonessssssssss!

[Read up to Chapter - 114 on P atreon at: p-atreon.com/Knockturn_Alley]

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