Chapter 218: Chapter 218

Kitazawa finished cooking and carried the dishes back to the living room.

He set them neatly on the table, then sat down to wait. Knowing Kurenai would take a while in the shower, he rested his palms over the plates and infused a thin stream of Fire Release chakra to keep the food warm.

A few moments later, the sound of a door opening reached him.

Kitazawa looked up—and his eyes immediately lit up.

Kurenai had changed into a pristine white cheongsam.

The fabric clung to her figure like it was tailored just for her, hugging her curves and drawing particular attention to the sway of her hips with every step. Her long black hair was tied into an elegant coil, fastened with a red ribbon, giving her an air of elegance she didn’t usually show.

The dress split high at her thigh, revealing the smooth length of her legs wrapped in sheer white stockings. She walked toward him with deliberate grace, then lifted one foot and gently pressed it against his rising erection.

“Well? Does it look good?” she asked, her lips curving faintly.

Kitazawa nodded without hesitation. “Beautiful and charming—sexy yet elegant.”

“You’ve gotten good at flattery,” Kurenai teased, settling down opposite him with a smile.

He handed her a pair of chopsticks. “Here.”

“Thank you.” She accepted them, tugging lightly at the stiff collar of her cheongsam. “It’s my first time eating in one of these. A little uncomfortable.”

Kitazawa’s eyes flicked over the design. “There’s a flaw in this cheongsam.”

She paused mid-bite. “What flaw?”

“The collar’s too high—it hides half your neck.”

“And what’s wrong with that?” Kurenai blinked, genuinely puzzled.

Kitazawa leaned his chin into his hand, expression unflinching. “It blocks my view. I can’t admire your beautiful neck and collarbones.”

Kurenai glared at him, cheeks tinged pink. “You’re always trying to take advantage of me!”

“I’m only telling the truth,” Kitazawa replied solemnly.

Under the table, her foot lashed out and kicked him. She hesitated, then set down her chopsticks, unfastened the top button, and let the collar fall open slightly—revealing a glimpse of her cleavage.

“Alright, no more requests,” she warned, picking her chopsticks back up. “And stop interrupting my meal.”

Kitazawa chuckled softly. “Nai-chan, you really are beautiful… and far too kind-hearted.”

Propping his chin on his interlocked fingers, he simply watched her eat. Every time she leaned forward, the cheongsam stretched snugly over her curves, showing off its elasticity.

Kurenai suddenly looked up, meeting his gaze. “I almost forgot—your three students came by this morning.”

Kitazawa blinked. Kabuto, Torune, and Izumi…? They should’ve met him at the exam. Perhaps they didn’t want to disturb the proceedings.

“They’ll be visiting tonight,” Kurenai continued. “Said they wanted to report on their recent missions.”

Kitazawa nodded. It had been half a month since he’d sent them out—it was about time for a debrief. “Then I’d better buy more groceries. What we have in the fridge won’t be enough. And it’s their first visit—I should prepare a proper feast.”

“I can go shopping,” Kurenai offered.

“No,” Kitazawa shook his head. “I don’t want anyone else seeing you in a cheongsam.”

She rolled her eyes. “Obviously, I won’t wear a cheongsam to buy groceries.”

Kitazawa smirked. “Doesn’t matter. I’ll send a Shadow Clone instead. That way, we can use the time to train together.”

“Fine,” she conceded.

“This afternoon, we’ll practice Hundred Petal Storm and Moonlight Beauty together,” he suggested. “Genjutsu works best with a partner, and I can guide you through them quickly.”

“I can practice alone,” Kurenai said, though her tone softened.

Kitazawa leaned closer, eyes glinting. “Once you master those, I’ll teach you a very special jutsu.”

Her brows arched. “A sealing jutsu?”

“Not exactly,” Kitazawa smiled. “It’s a ninjutsu that will immediately boost your strength.”

Her foot brushed teasingly against his leg. “There’s such a thing? Tell me.”

“Strength of a Hundred.”

Kurenai’s eyes widened. “Lady Tsunade’s jutsu?”

“That’s right.”

Though hers would never rival Tsunade’s, the enhancement would still be tremendous.

Kurenai hesitated, uncertain. “Can I really learn it…?”

Kitazawa reached across and squeezed her hand reassuringly. “Don’t worry, I’ll first check your chakra control for it. It requires excellent chakra control. And your boyfriend’s a high-ranking Konoha official now, remember? No need to think of rules and everything?”

Her heart softened, gratitude glimmering in her eyes. “Thank you.”

“Eat up,” Kitazawa grinned, pinching her cheek. “When you’re stronger, you’ll be joining me on high-difficulty missions.”

She smiled warmly. “No matter where you go, I’ll be with you.”

[Mission Triggered: Help Kurenai master Strength of a Hundred and win her complete loyalty.]

[Reward: Self-Cursing Seal.]

Kitazawa froze as the familiar system text appeared before his eyes. A mission—again? And this time, the reward was a combat-grade sealing jutsu.

The Self-Cursing Seal. Deadly, paralyzing, inescapable. Danzo himself had once used it to restrain Sasuke, who had already awakened Mangekyo. A perfect weapon.

He accepted without hesitation.

Perhaps Kurenai really was his lucky goddess.

After lunch, Kitazawa cleared the table and washed the dishes. By the time he returned, she had already changed out of the cheongsam, back into her usual white top and red sleeves.

“A cheongsam isn’t exactly practical for training,” she said, looping her arms around his neck. “But I’ll wear it for you again tonight.”

Before he could reply, she rose on her toes and kissed him—soft, lingering, and sweet.

Kitazawa pulled her closer, losing himself in the moment.

When they finally broke apart, the two stepped outside to train.

The hours slipped by.

By six o’clock, Kitazawa summoned a Shadow Clone and sent it to buy groceries.

Not long after, Kabuto, Torune, and Izumi appeared in the distance, making their way toward them.

“Kitazawa, training’s done for today.”

Kurenai wiped the sweat from her brow and said, “You handle them—I’ll start dinner.”

“Once my Shadow Clone comes back with the groceries, I’ll take them into the kitchen.” Kitazawa turned his attention to his students.

“Kitazawa-sensei.”

Kabuto stepped forward, bowing respectfully. Izumi and Torune followed his lead.

“Mm. Let’s go inside and talk.”

Once they entered the living room, Kitazawa asked, “What would you like to drink?”

“Anything is fine,” Kabuto replied.

“Then water it is.” Kitazawa poured three cups and set them on the table before sitting opposite them.

Kabuto reached into his pouch and produced a scroll. “This is the record of the missions we’ve completed over the last half-month.”

“So many?” Kitazawa’s brows rose as he unrolled it.

Ten C-rank missions. Three B-rank missions.

In just fifteen days. Which meant they had been running missions nearly every waking moment, stopping only to eat and sleep.

His surprise faded as he read more carefully. Most were simple assignments close to the village borders—the furthest they had gone was still within the Land of Fire. Clearly, Kabuto had taken his advice to heart: focus on quantity, not difficulty. With their strength already stable, the real priority was racking up enough missions to qualify for the Jonin exam.

“You’ve all worked hard. Very well done.” Kitazawa nodded approvingly.

Kabuto exhaled quietly, relief flickering across his face. He had gambled on the right strategy.

“And your training progress?” Kitazawa asked, rolling up the scroll.

“I’m still working on Wind Release: Great Vacuum Sphere,” Kabuto admitted, a hint of embarrassment in his tone. “It’ll take more time to master.”

“I’ve already learned Leaf-Style Body Flicker,” Torune reported.

“And I’m close to finishing Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Claw Crimson,” Izumi added eagerly.

Kitazawa nodded, then turned to Torune. “By rights, your Aburame jutsu should be enough. But considering your role in the squad, I’ll teach you the False Transformation jutsu.”

A well-balanced team needed a medic, a frontline fighter, and a support specialist. Kabuto, Izumi, and Torune fit these roles perfectly. As their sensor and scout, Torune would become invaluable with infiltration skills. Paired with his insects, the disguise jutsu would make him nearly untouchable.

Kabuto frowned thoughtfully. “What exactly does False Transformation do?”

Kitazawa explained its properties, his tone casual.

Kabuto’s eyes gleamed. “That strong? With that, infiltration missions will be effortless.”

Izumi nodded in agreement. Even her Sharingan would struggle to pierce such a disguise. If enemies mastered this jutsu, it would be a nightmare.

“Thank you, Sensei.” Torune bowed his head deeply.

Kitazawa turned to Izumi. “As for you—you should advance to a B-rank fire jutsu. I’ll teach you Great Fire Annihilation.”

“Understood.” Izumi’s eyes lit with determination.

Kitazawa handed scrolls to both. “Study these for now.”

Just then, his returning Shadow Clone entered with groceries. Kitazawa dismissed it, gathered the bags, and carried them into the kitchen.

Kurenai had already prepared rice and laid out seasonings.

“Leave the rest to me,” Kitazawa said, setting down the vegetables and slipping his arms around her waist from behind.

Her breath caught, and she instinctively glanced toward the door. “What are you doing?”

“You’ve been training all afternoon. I can’t let you overwork yourself cooking too.” His hand brushed across her hips with a playful pat.

Kurenai sighed, half-exasperated, half-flustered. “I’d be more touched if you kept your hands to yourself. I’ll go talk with your students instead.”

Strictly speaking, this was her home. Even Kitazawa was technically the guest.

“Mm.” He released her, and she slipped away with a small smile.

Time passed. Dusk fell quickly in February, and the sky outside deepened into night.

When Kitazawa returned to the living room with bowls and chopsticks, Kurenai was mid-conversation with the students.

“Do you know the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist?” she asked.

Kitazawa blinked, then chuckled. “Of course. They’re famous across the ninja world.”

The Seven Swordsmen—an elite force under the Mizukage, wielders of legendary blades, with prestige rivaling even the Sannin. Their legacy stretched through generations. Many renowned Mist Jonin had once borne the title.

And yet, the first generation had been all but annihilated—by Gai’s father, Maito Dai, in his final stand with the Eight Gates. Four slain. Three fled.

“Biwa Jūzō and Kurosuki Raiga have both gone rogue,” Kurenai revealed with a smile. “News that’s shaken the ninja world. We were late hearing it, since we weren’t on missions.”

Konoha made sure to circulate such warnings to every shinobi on assignment. Not for curiosity’s sake—but survival. If you encountered them, the best course was to run. Fighting was almost certain death.

Kitazawa’s eyes narrowed. Already?

It fit the timeline. Around now, Obito had begun manipulating the Mizukage, plunging the Mist into blood-soaked chaos. Dissatisfied, Jūzō and Raiga had defected.

Jūzō would eventually join the Akatsuki, partnered with Itachi—at least, in the original timeline. But with the Uchiha massacre already disrupted, that path was uncertain. Still, Akatsuki’s hunger for recruits made his enlistment likely.

Raiga’s story was simpler. He would find the boy Ranmaru, seize the Katabami Gold Mine in the Land of Rivers, and rule it like a tyrant—until Naruto’s generation brought him down.

Kitazawa remembered Ranmaru’s Red Eye: a strange ability that countered even the Byakugan, capable of illusions, x-ray sight, and chakra-sensing.

“The Mist has already issued bounties,” Kurenai added. “Capture or kill either one, and the reward is substantial.”

Kabuto shook his head. “All of them are elite Jonin level. Such missions are near impossible for most squads.”

“Exactly. No one in their right mind would take them,” Kurenai agreed.

Kitazawa, however, felt his pulse quicken. He didn’t know where Jūzō was—but Raiga’s location was fixed. Katabami Gold Mine.

Slaying one of the Seven Swordsmen would skyrocket their reputation. And Raiga’s Lightning Blades: Kiba, along with his lightning jutsus, would be a priceless gain.

[High-Level Mission Detected: Eliminate Kurosuki Raiga of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.]

[Reward: Compound Ninjutsu – Hurricane Vortex Jutsu.]

Kitazawa smiled faintly at the text flashing before his eyes.

As expected, the system hadn’t missed this chance. Another Compound Ninjutsu. Another step up in power.

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