Inside the Hokage's Office
"Tsunade, I think it's necessary for me to personally go to Kumogakure."
Tsunade held the letter from Jiraiya—the same one Uchiha Hikaru had read earlier—and Hikaru stood beside her, expression serious. After reading the contents, Tsunade crushed the letter into a ball and tossed it into the candle holder. It burned instantly.
"It is necessary," Tsunade sighed. "Naruto's reached a bottleneck. Other than Jiraiya, you may be the only one who can help him break through. And while you're there, take a careful look at whether Jiraiya has…"
She didn't finish the sentence, but both Shizune and Hikaru understood perfectly.
Even if Jiraiya was romantically involved with someone from the Hidden Cloud Village, that wasn't the problem. The real concern was whether he would misuse funds, drink himself sick, or be swayed by political bait. They all trusted Jiraiya, but the evidence on the letter was hard to ignore. Tsunade chose to burn it without hesitation.
As one of Konoha's Legendary Sannin, Jiraiya held tremendous influence. His reputation as a widely loved author only increased the political weight on his shoulders. If something went wrong, it would be a disaster for Konoha's leadership.
Uchiha Hikaru nodded slowly.
"I understand. I'll bring Ibiki. His personality is better suited to negotiating business in the Hidden Cloud Village."
"For now, let Kabuto handle the intelligence division. Kimimaro is performing well in Root and has taken a lot of workload off Kabuto."
Tsunade considered it. Kumogakure admired power above all else; most of its shinobi only responded to strength. Ibiki was indeed a fitting choice.
"Then it's settled," she said. "As for Naruto… if necessary, you can summon Kushina."
...
A Few Days Later
That night, Samui returned home, rolling her shoulders and stretching her back, loosening her muscles. Too bad no one saw the scene—the way her body curved and her long blonde hair fell over her shoulder.
She opened the mission scroll again, recalling her afternoon meeting with the Raikage.
"Samui, the day after tomorrow Uchiha Hikaru will arrive with a delegation from Konoha," the Raikage had said.
"It's his first official visit since the establishment of the Ninja World Association. We must seize this opportunity. Receive them well—show Kumogakure's strength and convince Konoha of our village's potential. If we secure their investment, we'll surpass the other villages. Let Ōnoki, Rasa, and even Terumi Mei see who truly ranks second!"
Samui had felt both envy and determination in Mabui's expression beside them.
After reviewing the scroll thoroughly, she realized the mission was far more significant than it first appeared. Hikaru's visit affected not only Kumogakure's interests, but other Thunder Country villages as well.
Her assignment was clear: welcome Uchiha Hikaru, build rapport with him—and if possible, obtain his bloodline.
Negotiations about commerce were assigned to Mabui and Ibiki of Konoha's Torture and Interrogation Division.
"Ibiki? The head of interrogations?" Samui muttered. "Why is he the one representing Konoha in trade negotiations…?"
Then it clicked.
"Hikaru's real goal this time must involve Naruto and the Jinchūriki program. He won't personally handle business matters."
No wonder Mabui had looked disappointed.
Half a year ago, at the dinner reception, Mabui's eyes had been shining with an unmistakable emotion when she looked at Uchiha Hikaru. Few noticed—Samui did.
A handsome, powerful man naturally fit the ideal partner of female shinobi in Kumogakure. He certainly fit Samui's definition of cool.
At that time, Mabui had been her internal rival. Now, this mission was Samui's perfect chance.
She couldn't expect to bring Uchiha Hikaru to Kumogakure—but securing his bloodline? That was realistic. And if she succeeded, it might permanently strengthen the alliance between their villages.
Thinking of that future, Samui fell asleep holding her blanket tightly, rolling around unconsciously. No one knew what she dreamed about (≧▽≦).
...
Early Morning
In Samui's bedroom, her alarm clock shrieked violently. She slapped it with the back of her hand, sending it clattering to the floor.
Her cheeks were flushed, strands of hair stuck to her face with dried drool. She groaned softly.
"Ugh… just a little longer… that dream was so good…"
She stretched lazily, but then froze, noticing something on her sheets. Touching it with her fingertips, her face went crimson.
She quickly yanked the sheets off the bed.
"Slept too restlessly, clearly! Drool on both sides—yep, that's totally it! (〃＞＿＜;〃)"
She tossed the sheet into the washer, acting like nothing happened—but her expression told another story.
...
A Few Hours Later
Samui, now in full combat uniform, arrived at Kumogakure's village gate. Soon, a group approached rapidly.
"Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh!!"
Uchiha Hikaru landed at the gates. Ibiki and several Konoha shinobi stood behind him.
"Samui. Didn't expect you to be the one representing Kumogakure this time. Where's Mabui? Long time no see."
Hikaru's gaze flicked briefly downward—just a heartbeat—before returning to her face.
"That's right. As the Raikage's secretary, Mabui has many official duties to handle," Samui replied evenly.
After brief greetings, Hikaru gave Ibiki instructions and separated from the group. Following Samui's lead, they arrived at the shoreline, boarding a small boat.
The destination was not the Grand Line—but Turtle Island, where Naruto trained with Killer Bee.
The ship carried only two people: Samui and Uchiha Hikaru.
The air grew quiet.
The sea stretched endlessly ahead.
Two silhouettes alone against the horizon…
...
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