Chapter 358: 358 – Tsunade-sensei once more??!!

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Forest of Death

Konan descended from the sky.

She could have flown straight back to the ANBU base, but that would’ve been far too conspicuous. If she did that, at least half of Konoha’s shinobi would notice.

She released Kitazawa and took a step back—only to be pulled toward him again.

“Did you use perfume?”

Kitazawa lowered his head slightly, inhaling near her neck.

“No.”

Konan replied calmly.

“Still smells nice.”

He chuckled and finally let go.

“If you li—”

Konan stopped midway, suddenly realizing how her words might sound.

“Why did you stop?”

Kitazawa asked, amused, studying her face.

“I’m returning to the Akatsuki today,” Konan said, smoothly changing the subject. “The request involving Hōzuki Gengetsu should be finished.”

“Go, then. Come back soon,” Kitazawa replied.

“Mhm.”

With that, Konan vanished.

After returning to the village, Kitazawa thought briefly before heading toward the Hokage Office.

He pushed the door open—and, unsurprisingly, didn’t see Tsunade at her desk.

Instead, she was sprawled across the sofa without the slightest concern for appearances.

At least she wasn’t at the casino yet.

“It’s still morning. Why do you look so exhausted?”

Kitazawa closed the door and walked over.

From this angle, he could clearly see her clothes slightly disheveled.

“Since when am I not allowed to be tired in the morning?” Tsunade replied lazily, eyes still closed.

“Let me guess—rest now, casino later?”

Kitazawa crouched beside her, once again appreciating the unfair advantage of being the one standing.

“Is that really how you see me?”

At the word casino Tsunade immediately opened her eyes and turned onto her side.

With the movement, her collar slipped open slightly, revealing a fair amount of cleavage and the necklace half-hidden beneath.

“Have you ever cared about your image?” Kitazawa asked, his eyelid twitching.

“Image doesn’t earn money,” Tsunade said, then paused. “But thanks for reminding me. Give me money.”

“As expected of Tsunade-sensei,” Kitazawa praised. “You can demand money without even standing up.”

“That’s my money!” She glared at him. “Why shouldn’t I ask for it?”

“I never said I wouldn’t give it,” he said with a smile. “Just that it’s impressive to collect money while lying down.”

Tsunade reluctantly sat up, though she still leaned back comfortably.

“You look exhausted,” Kitazawa said. “I’ll graciously give you a massage.”

He sat beside her and patted his thigh.

Without hesitation, Tsunade lay down, resting her head on his lap and stretching her legs across the sofa.

“You’re not tired,” Kitazawa muttered, gently pinching her cheek. “You’re just lazy.”

“Hey! That’s disrespectful!” She shot him a warning look.

“I’m massaging,” Kitazawa replied calmly, moving his hands to her forehead.

Tsunade huffed, closed her eyes, and relaxed almost instantly.

Her breathing soon became steady, her chest rising and falling rhythmically.

After a moment’s thought, pale green chakra flowed softly from Kitazawa’s hands.

Time passed quietly.

When Tsunade woke, she stretched and felt completely refreshed.

“Thanks,” she said, looking at him.

“Just ’thanks’?”

Kitazawa leaned back on the sofa, meeting her gaze.

Tsunade stepped closer, her legs pressing against the sofa as she bent down.

Her lips slowly approached his—and met his.

Kitazawa instinctively raised his hands.

One rested on her thigh; the other… landed somewhere far more dangerous.

The contrast in sensation made him squeeze without thinking.

Tsunade let out a soft hum and lightly tapped his head—but instead of pulling away, she wrapped her arms around him and deepened the kiss.

Encouraged, Kitazawa’s hands traced her curves until—

“That’s enough.”

Tsunade pushed him away, breathing slightly unevenly, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.

“If you dare act like that again, I’ll kick you out!”

“I understand, Tsunade-sensei.” Kitazawa replied solemnly, taking the threat very seriously… Absolutely.

“I’m hungry,” Tsunade said, glancing at the clock. “Let’s eat.”

“Out? Or here?” Kitazawa asked.

“At the Konoha Casino!”

Her eyes lit up instantly.

Kitazawa sighed helplessly.

So much for subtlety.

“Let’s go—don’t waste time,” Tsunade said, heading for the door.

“Did you forget something?”

Kitazawa smiled. “You still need to ask Shizune-senpai for leave.”

“I’ll leave Shizune to you,” Tsunade said without turning back. “You convince her. Hurry up—I’ll wait.”

Kitazawa stood and walked toward her.

He leaned in and stole another kiss, earning an immediate glare, before casually heading toward the Hokage Secretariat.

Tsunade watched his retreating figure, then unconsciously licked the corner of her lips. A smile crept onto her face before she even realized it.

After greeting Shizune, Kitazawa accompanied Tsunade to the Konoha Casino.

By now, the Konoha Casino had become the most prosperous gambling house in the village.

Part of it was due to its attentive service—but more importantly, its fairness.

Though its profits per game were slightly lower than other casinos, the sheer volume more than made up for it. The revenue was still astronomical.

After lunch, Tsunade wasted no time and headed straight for the tables.

Kitazawa took a seat beside her and used the opportunity to check his remaining system missions.

Compared to earlier, there weren’t many left—only five.

Two were long-term missions:

• Help Uzumaki Naruto become a perfect Jinchūriki

• Establish the New Konoha Three Sannin

The remaining three were shorter-term:

• Cultivate four trusted subordinates

• Help Haku master three Ice Release techniques

• Successfully breed Kikaichū with Earth Release resistance

Kitazawa rubbed his chin. He needed more missions. Five was far too few. Haku’s Ice Release mission would be completed soon, reducing the count even further. The trusted subordinate mission could also be wrapped up whenever he chose.

After completing so many missions, Kitazawa had already grasped the system’s general patterns.

First—growth-type missions.

These were most often triggered by Genius Class students.

At present, most of them had settled into stable training routines. The most likely to trigger new missions was Shion, who had only just joined.

Besides her, there was also Kimimaro. His Shikotsumyaku was still about thirty percent away from full activation.

Second—ninjutsu-type missions.

Learning or creating techniques.

Kitazawa immediately thought of Sage Mode. That was his current priority.

As for Wood Release, his chakra capacity was still the limiting factor, preventing him from learning more advanced techniques.

When it came to Sage Mode, the most likely triggers were the Three Great Sage Lands—or Jiraiya himself.

Fight Jiraiya? Or challenge the Great Toad Sage… or the White Snake Sage?

Somehow, Kitazawa doubted it would be that simple.

Third—event-type missions.

These were tied to major plotlines from the original story.

At the moment, there were none active. He’d have to wait until the Akatsuki began moving forward with the Eye of the Moon Plan.

He could force the main plot early—but there was no need.

His strength wasn’t yet absolute, and stirring trouble prematurely would only create unnecessary risks.

That said, he had already cleared several side and movie-related plots, such as the Box of paradise and the Land of Demons’ Mōryō.

Fourth—combat-type missions.

Triggered by defeating or killing well-known shinobi.

Kakuzu’s challenge, completed today, was a perfect example.

Kitazawa suddenly thought of Hōzuki Gengetsu.

As the Second Mizukage, he should have triggered a mission.

The more he thought about it, the more reasonable it sounded.

Otherwise, he could theoretically resurrect famous deceased shinobi en masse and farm missions endlessly—which the system clearly wouldn’t allow.

Kitazawa sighed inwardly.

The system wasn’t smart—but it wasn’t stupid either.

In short, these four mission types were the most reliable triggers.

Not guaranteed—but highly probable.

Lost in thought, time slipped by.

The sun dipped toward the west.

As expected, Tsunade lost money the entire afternoon.

She stormed out of the casino, while Kitazawa followed behind her, wearing an expression of quiet suffering.

“Damn it!”

Tsunade stomped her foot. The stone beneath instantly shattered into dust.

“Tsunade-sensei,”

Kitazawa reminded her gently. “Please don’t damage public property.”

She spun around, glaring daggers at him.

“If you break the ground, I’ll have to arrange repairs tomorrow,” he added with a mild smile.

“I wasn’t planning to break it,” Tsunade snorted. “I am the Hokage.”

“Shizune-senpai and the others will be getting off work soon,” Kitazawa said, glancing at the sky. “If they go home and find us missing, they’ll start asking questions.”

“Then let’s go.” Tsunade answered immediately.

She was slightly afraid of Shizune—or rather, guilty.

After all, she had skipped work and spent the entire afternoon gambling.

She stole a glance at Kitazawa.

Something about him felt… different.

Like Shizune, he usually restrained her.

But when it mattered—like today—he became her accomplice instead.

“What?”

Kitazawa asked, noticing her look.

“I want tender chicken tonight,” Tsunade said, clearing her throat. “And sake.”

“Alright,” Kitazawa replied after a moment. “You head back and deal with Shizune-senpai. I’ll buy the food and sake.”

“Mhm.”

Tsunade nodded and left.

The Next Day—Tuesday

Hidden Rain Village, Land of Rain.

The rain continued to fall as it always had—but the atmosphere had changed completely.

In the past, rain only brought frustration to both villagers and shinobi.

Now?

Rain meant money.

Every rooftop was fitted with water-collection systems. Rainwater flowed through pipes and gathered in reservoirs around the village.

Konan surveyed the scene quietly.

Satisfied, she withdrew her gaze and stepped onto the high platform.

“Why did you suddenly return?”

Pain looked at Konan, a trace of surprise flickering in his otherwise indifferent gaze.

“I accepted a commissioned mission in Konoha,” Konan replied calmly. “I plan to assign it to Kakuzu and Hidan.”

She deliberately did not mention that the commission came from Kitazawa.

His identity was far too sensitive. If Nagato learned the truth, he might refuse outright. In this case, saying less was the safest option.

Pain nodded and did not press further.

Though he was the nominal leader of the Akatsuki, most organizational matters were handled by Konan anyway. As a god, his duty was to guard the Land of Rain—not to manage trivial logistics.

“There is something else,” Pain said after a pause. “Deidara has returned to Iwagakure to deal with a personal matter.”

Konan froze for a split second.

Deidara… returning to Iwagakure?

As Ōnoki’s former disciple, it wasn’t impossible—but the timing felt strange.

Almost unconsciously, Kitazawa’s figure surfaced in her mind.

More precisely, his Wood Release.

She had a strong feeling this was related.

“The Akatsuki is currently facing a shortage of personnel,” Pain continued. “I’ve already sent White Zetsu to search for suitable candidates. If he finds anyone promising, he will inform you.”

The Akatsuki had two core objectives:

capturing the Tailed Beasts, and having the Gedo Statue absorb them.

Strictly speaking, the latter was far more important.

Nagato alone could capture Tailed Beasts—but absorption required the Phantom Dragons Sealing Technique, an S-rank sealing art.

This technique forcibly extracted a Tailed Beast from its Jinchūriki and sealed it into the Gedo Statue.

The price?

Ten elite shinobi performing the technique simultaneously—and continuously—for several days.

Ordinary ninja couldn’t learn it.

Ordinary bodies couldn’t endure it.

In other words, the Akatsuki had to maintain at least ten top-tier members.

Yet because of Kitazawa’s interference, Uchiha Itachi, Kisame Hoshigaki, Orochimaru, and Deidara had either never joined or had already left the organization.

“I understand,” Konan said, nodding. “When the time comes, I’ll handle the recruitment.”

The Akatsuki’s recruitment philosophy was simple—and brutal.

Beat them first. Talk later.

Zetsu couldn’t fight, which meant the task inevitably fell to her.

As for Pain—unless absolutely necessary, he would never leave the Hidden Rain Village.

Thursday arrived swiftly.

Before nine in the morning, every student of the Genius Class had already gathered in the classroom.

The reason was obvious.

Today marked the first day of the final exams—the written test.

“So… Are you guys going out to play during summer vacation?”

Ino lay sprawled across her desk, blowing air at her bangs as they swayed gently.

“Summer is youth!” Naruto declared, giving a thumbs-up. “And youth means passionate training!”

“Aren’t you tired of training all day?” Ino asked helplessly.

“How can youth get tired?” Naruto scratched his head confidently.

“You really shouldn’t ask him that,” Kiba complained. “His stamina alone beats all of us combined.”

“Do you want to visit the Land of Demons?” Shion suddenly asked.

“The celebration there is super fun!” Naruto’s eyes lit up instantly.

“There’s nothing worth doing there,” Sasuke said calmly. “Training is better.”

“Then I’ll train too!” Sakura clenched her fist. “When that time comes, I’ll beat Ino easily!”

“That’s impossible!” Ino immediately sat upright. “I’ll work harder than you!”

“I’ll work the hardest!” Naruto grinned. “Because youth equals effort!”

“That’s questionable,” Tayuya cut in.

“Agreed,” Shino added quietly.

“You’re all hopeless…” Shikamaru muttered, feeling a headache coming on.

“Actually, Shikamaru, you work pretty hard too,” Chōji said with a smile. “I’ve seen you training after school.”

“Eh?”

Shion’s eyes widened.

Was she… the laziest one here?

“Ahem.” Shikamaru coughed and changed the subject. “Why don’t we talk about the practical exam groupings?”

“What’s there to discuss?” Kiba shrugged.

After so many regroupings, the novelty had long worn off. At this point, teammates hardly mattered.

“That’s too bad,” Shion said regretfully. “I can’t team up with you yet.”

Though she knew some sealing techniques, her combat ability was still far from qualifying her for the top eighteen.

“You’ll be our teammate sooner or later,” Tenten said with a smile. “None of the transfer students in the Genius Class are weak.”

“Really?” Shion blinked.

“Of course,” Ino said proudly. “Every transfer student was personally brought in by Kitazawa-sensei. His judgment has never been wrong.”

Hinata nodded quietly in agreement.

Her hands clasped together unconsciously—I hope Kitazawa-sensei is the squad leader this time…

Nine o’clock sharp.

The Genius Class written exam officially began.

Kitazawa, however, did not appear in the classroom. He left invigilation duties to Iruka and headed straight for the Forest of Death.

He had already mastered Wood Release: Wood Transformation.

Now, he was working on Wood Release: Wood Clone.

Among all clone techniques, the Wood Clone was arguably the most practical—durable, deceptive, and highly resilient.

The most absurd example was Madara himself—whose Wood Clones could even activate Susanoo.

Though far weaker than the original, it still demonstrated the Wood Clone’s terrifying potential.

Time passed quietly as Kitazawa trained.

Footsteps approached.

Konan appeared before him.

She had returned to Konoha two days earlier—and successfully retrieved a portion of Hōzuki Gengetsu’s body.

“The written exam rankings for the Genius Class have been released,” Konan said calmly.

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