Chapter 146: Tsunade's Lap Pillow
As night fell, the rain continued relentlessly, severely impacting visibility and sensing abilities.
On the caravan leader Kido Ei's order, all the carriages gathered together, and rain-proof tents were quickly set up.
A thousand meters to the left of the caravan, five shinobi in black raincoats were crawling forward. Their eyes were sharp, fixed on the caravan, their faces etched with chilling killing intent.
"Since you've all come uninvited, is there something I can help you with?" a voice suddenly rang out.
"Who's there?"
"Damn it! We've been spotted!"
"A kid?"
"Kill him!"
The five shinobi instantly noticed Hoshikawa standing not far from them. They sprang up and charged toward him. One threw a kunai directly, while another raised his hands, ready to weave seals.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu!"
Hoshikawa stood his ground, clapped his hands together, and spat out a massive water dragon from his mouth.
"What?"
"Watch out!"
"How is he so fast?"
Screams erupted.
The continuous rain amplified the power of the Water Release jutsu. But more importantly, it was the 150% sealing speed boost from Hoshikawa 's C-Rank Trait: Koto-Mouth that gave them no time to react.
The two shinobi in the middle couldn't dodge in time. They were struck by the water dragon, their bodies shuddered, and they were sent cartwheeling away.
"You bastard! I'll kill you!" A middle-aged man used the Body Flicker Technique to appear right in front of Hoshikawa . Gripping his sword with both hands, he slashed down.
The next second, the middle-aged man's eyes glazed over, and his movements stuttered to a stop.
"You dare to keep your eyes wide open when facing a genjutsu user?" Hoshikawa asked as he drew his Raijin Blade and ended the man.
Blood splattered, making the rainwater even redder.
Body Flicker Jutsu!
Hoshikawa 's body vanished from the spot. After he left, six kunai missed their target and embedded themselves in the ground.
"Where is he?"
"Where did he go?"
The remaining two shinobi stood back-to-back, looking around with alarm and dread on their faces.
In the dim, rainy night, a cold gleam flashed.
The Raijin Blade pierced through the torso of the ninja on the left, and then the tip of the blade plunged into the heart of the ninja on the right. A massive amount of blood flowed out.
The ninja on the right instinctively stumbled a few steps, then heard a sound of air rushing past. Before he could turn, two kunai accurately hit him in the back. The immense force sent his body sliding several meters forward.
Hoshikawa walked over to the two shinobi who had been knocked out by the water dragon and finished them off before sheathing the Raijin Blade. After confirming they were all dead, he turned and left.
This was the fourth ambush since they entered the Land of Rain.
"What's the situation?" Tsunade asked when she saw him waiting under the makeshift rain shelter. Besides her, Sakumo Hatake, Rin Nohara, and Shizune were also present.
"It's been handled," Hoshikawa said, walking over. "Same as the previous ambushes—no identifying marks on them. Most likely rogue ninja."
"Damn it!" At that moment, Asuma Sarutobi's voice came from behind Hoshikawa . "How are you always one step ahead?"
"No matter what you compete in, you'll never beat Hoshikawa -kun," Kurenai Yuhi added right after.
"Lady Tsunade, Sakumo-sensei, all the enemies have been eliminated," Shisui Uchiha reported calmly, sticking strictly to ninja protocol.
"Good, thank you for your hard work," Tsunade nodded slightly. "But we still can't relax our guard tonight. You will all take turns on watch in pairs."
"I'll pair up with Hoshikawa -kun," both Kurenai and Asuma said in unison.
"I—" Shisui saw the situation and swallowed the rest of his sentence. Rin, who had been about to speak, did the same.
"Hoshikawa -kun is certainly popular," Sakumo said with a chuckle.
"I'll decide the pairs," Tsunade grumbled. "Asuma and Shizune, Kurenai and Rin, Sakumo and Shisui. And I'll take Hoshikawa ."
"Huh?" Kurenai looked stunned. "Tsunade-sensei, are you going to stand watch too?"
"We may be your teachers, but first and foremost, we are ninja," Tsunade said with a serious expression. "The Land of Rain is a complicated and dangerous environment. With two extra people on watch, you all can get more rest."
"Yes, Sensei." Kurenai sighed, disappointed. She had hoped to be paired with Hoshikawa , but since Tsunade had spoken, she didn't dare say more.
"Hoshikawa and I will take the first shift." Tsunade stood up and walked to the entrance of the rain shelter.
Hoshikawa quickly followed.
The shelter built by the caravan was large, so the carriages were left outside. Tsunade didn't stand on ceremony; she climbed directly into a carriage and left the door open. This way, they could both stay dry and monitor the surroundings.
"Sensei, is there something you needed to talk about?" Hoshikawa asked, sitting down next to Tsunade.
"Why do you ask that?" Tsunade turned her head slightly to meet his gaze.
"Because you usually don't stand watch," Hoshikawa said, blinking.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Tsunade's beautiful eyes narrowed, and she clenched her fist.
"I meant that standing watch is bad for Sensei's skin," Hoshikawa smoothly amended.
"Is that so?" Tsunade's lips curved upward as she asked.
"Your skin, Sensei, is the best I've ever seen," Hoshikawa said with a serious expression.
"Better than Kurenai and Rin's?" Tsunade looked at him, a half-smile playing on her lips. "They're younger than me, you know. In the prime of their lives."
"They can't compare to you," Hoshikawa replied instantly, without hesitation.
Tsunade was taken aback. She raised her hand and flicked him on the forehead. "You're such a silver-tongued brat."
"I'm speaking the truth," Hoshikawa insisted sincerely. "It's absolutely not flattery."
"You little punk!" Tsunade burst into laughter, an unrestrained, joyful laugh that made her rock back and forth.
Hoshikawa 's eyelids twitched. He clearly saw a raindrop slide from her face, tracing down her pale skin until it vanished into the cleavage of her deep abyss.
"Alright, I'll take the watch. You rest," Tsunade stopped laughing and stroked his hair. "You've been in four fights today. You must be tired."
"I'm fine," Hoshikawa said, surprised. "The four fights barely took any effort. You should rest, Sensei."
"Stop talking back!" Tsunade glared at him, then slapped her thigh and ordered, "Sleep!"
"Yes, Sensei." Hoshikawa hesitated for a few seconds, then turned and lay down on the bench, resting his head on her lap.
His face clearly felt the plush firmness of Tsunade's thigh. Very nice. Hoshikawa closed his eyes, inhaling her faint scent, and soon his breathing became steady.
Tsunade looked out at the rainy night outside the carriage before quickly pulling her gaze back. She lowered her head and looked down at Hoshikawa . Even just his profile allowed her to appreciate his exquisite features. This little brat is excessively handsome.
Tsunade reached out and gently stroked Hoshikawa 's hair. Amidst the clamor of the rain, she felt a sense of peace she hadn't known in a long time.
After some time, Hoshikawa heard footsteps and opened his eyes. Filling his vision was Tsunade's shirt, stretched to its absolute limit. He was worried and wanted to help her hold on.
"Time's up. It's their turn to stand watch," Tsunade said, touching his head.
Hoshikawa sat up. "Let's go."
"Lady Tsunade." The shift change was Asuma Sarutobi and Shizune.
Tsunade and Hoshikawa returned to the rain shelter. Since it was a makeshift shelter, it was not particularly comfortable. The two found a corner and slipped into their sleeping bags.
"Good night, Sensei," Hoshikawa said, looking at Tsunade not far away.
"Good night." Tsunade glanced at him, then quickly shifted her gaze. She zipped up her sleeping bag and closed her eyes.
The night passed without incident. Hoshikawa slept soundly until the next morning.
He unzipped his sleeping bag and stretched. Tsunade nearby was still asleep. Because the sleeping bag obscured her, he couldn't see her face.
Hoshikawa looked around and realized he was the first one up, apart from Sakumo and Shisui, who were on the final watch. He had woken up naturally. Having to wake up early every day to cook for Tsunade had conditioned his biological clock.
"This rain is really annoying," Hoshikawa muttered, hearing the drumming outside. It had been raining constantly since they entered the Land of Rain a day ago. He remembered the monsoon seasons of his past life—a month or two of intermittent rain was enough to drive him mad.
The Land of Rain had year-round rain, which explained why the country was in such dire straits. The most immediate problem was food. This issue was especially acute during wartime. Nagato's parents died because of food. During the Second Great Ninja War, two Leaf jōnin raided Nagato's home while searching for food, killing his parents. Although they mistook them for Hidden Rain Village ninja, the food shortage problem in the Land of Rain was evident.
Just then, Tsunade unzipped her sleeping bag. She sat up and shook her head, sending a cascade of bright blonde hair flying.
"What are you looking at?" Tsunade asked with a smile, turning her head.
"You're beautiful, Sensei," Hoshikawa said without batting an eye.
"Go make breakfast," Tsunade said, suppressing a subtle feeling within her.
"Yes, Sensei," Hoshikawa nodded.
Although Kido Ei had invited them to eat with the caravan, they had politely declined to adhere to the safety and conduct rules of ninja.
"This brat is getting too smooth," Tsunade muttered, watching Hoshikawa 's busy figure. While she didn't dislike it, she vaguely sensed a subtle shift; his words weren't quite those of a student anymore.
The eight members of the two ninja teams gathered to eat breakfast.
"Someone's coming!" Sakumo suddenly said, his eyes narrowing.
"It's only one person. Maybe not an enemy," Tsunade added immediately.
Hoshikawa and the others felt a slight easing of their tension.
"Don't worry, he was sent by my buyer," Kido Ei quickly walked up to them and explained.
"Has something changed?" Sakumo sensed a problem.
"We were supposed to meet in the Land of Rain's capital, but the buyer said it wasn't safe there, so we have to change the location," Kido Ei answered, not hiding anything. "The person sent by the buyer will take us there."
"Who is your buyer?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow and asked. "Someone who can afford this many ninja tools at once shouldn't be an ordinary ninja organization, right?"
"I'm not supposed to disclose client information," Kido Ei said, hesitating for a few seconds. "But since Lady Tsunade asked, I'll tell you. It's the Akatsuki organization."
"The Akatsuki organization, you say?" Sakumo's expression showed surprise.
Hoshikawa 's heart also gave a jolt. Only Kurenai and Shisui had little reaction, as they didn't know much about the Akatsuki.
"The Akatsuki organization is not designated as an enemy by the Land of Fire or the Leaf Village, so we are permitted to sell them ninja tools," Kido Ei explained.
"The Akatsuki organization and the Hidden Rain Village are currently at each other's throats. The meeting point might not be safe," Sakumo said, frowning slightly.
"Then we'll have to rely on the ninja of the Leaf Village," Kido Ei said with a smile.
"We'll leave after breakfast," Tsunade said casually. "We accepted the mission, so we will escort you to the designated location."
"Thank you, Lady Tsunade!" Kido Ei said, relieved.
After breakfast, the caravan continued its journey.
Hoshikawa saw the ninja from the Akatsuki organization, who looked very ordinary, just a chūnin. The early Akatsuki did not pursue an elite path; they recruited a large number of ninja who were dedicated to changing the Land of Rain. It was precisely because of this that Hanzo viewed them as a threat. After all, if they continued like this, they could create a new Hidden Rain Village.
It was worth noting that Danzo Shimura was also involved in this affair. Hanzo hadn't paid much attention to the Akatsuki until Danzo's machinations convinced him to eradicate them. Hoshikawa rubbed his chin. In the current situation, Danzo and Hanzo must have already made contact.
They only seized their opportunity later, when the Third Great Ninja War broke out. Hanzo proposed cooperation to quell the war and used it to lure the Akatsuki, capture Konan, and then threaten Nagato and Yahiko. The result was Yahiko's death, Nagato's corruption, the total annihilation of the Root Anbu, and Hanzo's heavy injury and escape.
Hoshikawa pondered another question. Danzo's contact with Hanzo was an individual action. Could he use this opportunity to have Tsunade strike against him? This would both weaken Danzo's influence and expand Tsunade's own.
Halfway through the caravan's journey, the heavy rain finally subsided, turning into a light drizzle. Although the sky hadn't cleared, Hoshikawa and the others felt much better.
"We're here!" the Akatsuki ninja shouted.
In front of him was an ordinary village that looked unremarkable. He whistled, and several figures appeared.
Hoshikawa 's heart tightened.
The figure standing in the front was a young woman. She looked about seventeen or eighteen, with delicate features and long, blue-violet hair, adorned with a light blue paper flower on the right side of her head.
Even though it was his first time seeing her, her features were too distinctive. Hoshikawa recognized her immediately: Konan.
The nominal leader of the Akatsuki was Yahiko, but in reality, it had three leaders: Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan.
While Hoshikawa was deep in thought, Kido Ei had already walked up and begun conversing with Konan.
Tsunade and Sakumo did not join them. As ninja, they only needed to complete their mission; they didn't inquire about anything else.
Tsunade looked at Konan, her heart stirring. She felt a sense of familiarity.
.........
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