323. The Alluring Kaguya Learns to Charm

Hanekawa casually waved his hand, dispersing the Thousand-Armed Kannon statue.

The Sunagakure and Iwagakure ninja, trapped in the Infinite Tsukuyomi, showed no reaction to his actions.

"Kaguya," Hanekawa glanced at the unconscious crowd and said, "Help heal them."

"Mmm."

Ōtsutsuki Kaguya nodded slightly.

She raised her hand, and a vast amount of chakra descended like a spring rain, enveloping everyone. Their injuries healed at an astonishing speed.

Hanekawa closed his eyes, examining the three new traits he had acquired.

[S-Rank Talent Trait: Lord of Iwagakure]
[Trigger Condition: Defeat the ninja of Iwagakure.]
[Effect: Earth Release power increased by 200%, and gain access to Dust Release.]

This was the first trait Hanekawa obtained.

The effect was decent.

Most importantly, it granted him Dust Release directly, saving him the time needed to learn it.

Dust Release was a Kekkei Tōta—a level above Kekkei Genkai—and its power was undeniable.

The only drawback was its slow speed.

But in Hanekawa’s hands, that weakness didn’t exist.

[S-Rank Talent Trait: Lord of Sunagakure]
[Trigger Condition: Defeat the ninja of Sunagakure.]
[Effect: Wind Release power increased by 200%, and gain the ability to alter natural environments.]

Hanekawa was momentarily stunned.

Since the two traits were similar, he had assumed their effects wouldn’t differ much.

But he was only half right.

Both traits provided a 200% power boost.

Hanekawa had initially thought the second half of the "Lord of Sunagakure" trait would grant him Magnet Release.

Dust Release, as a Kekkei Tōta, was acceptable.

Magnet Release, while useful, was merely a Kekkei Genkai.

Given Hanekawa’s current strength, learning a Kekkei Genkai would take no time at all.

If the trait had only granted Magnet Release, it would have been a huge loss.

Hanekawa never expected to gain the power to alter natural environments instead.

Information about the "Lord of Sunagakure" trait flooded his mind.

He quickly understood the nature of this ability.

It felt somewhat similar to Kaguya’s Amenominaka.

One of Amenominaka’s dimensions was an ice world, where Kaguya could merge with nature and freely manipulate ice and snow.

Compared to that, the "Lord of Sunagakure" trait had an additional function—not just control, but transformation.

In simple terms, an ice world could be turned into a lava world or a desert world.

Of course, altering the environment consumed chakra—the more drastic the change, the greater the cost.

Hanekawa roughly understood why this effect was triggered.

Each of the Five Great Villages had its own unique environment.

Sunagakure, in particular, was surrounded by endless deserts, making life difficult.

With the "Lord of Sunagakure" trait, Hanekawa could now reshape those deserts.

But in his opinion, this trait’s potential went far beyond just aiding Sunagakure.

[S-Rank Talent Trait: Dream Manipulation]
[Trigger Condition: Trap 10,000 ninja in genjutsu.]
[Effect: Can manipulate others’ dreams.]

This trait was triggered after Kaguya used the Infinite Tsukuyomi to subdue the Sunagakure and Iwagakure ninja.

Logically, since Hanekawa hadn’t done anything himself, he shouldn’t have been the one to trigger it.

The only explanation was that Kaguya had used the Infinite Tsukuyomi under his orders.

Plus, Hanekawa himself also knew the Infinite Tsukuyomi.

In any case, gaining a new trait was always good.

But the effect was… a bit unusual.

What could dream manipulation even do?

Hanekawa stroked his chin.

The first thing that came to mind was crafting pleasant dreams to help Tsunade and Kurenai sleep better.

But soon, another idea struck him.

Hanekawa had always wanted to realize his fantasy of a "big orgy."

But achieving that was difficult.

Aside from Samui and Kaguya—who were special cases—none of the other women he knew would ever agree to such a thing.

Now, with this trait, perhaps he could subtly influence their subconscious through dreams.

The sound of footsteps brought him back to reality.

Hanekawa looked up to see the crowd before him.

Thanks to Kaguya’s healing, they had fully recovered and now stood in orderly rows.

At the front were the leaders of Sunagakure and Iwagakure—Ōnoki, Pakura, Rasa, and Kitsuchi, among others.

Hanekawa observed them carefully.

Under the Infinite Tsukuyomi, their expressions and behavior seemed no different from before.

Kaguya’s version of the Infinite Tsukuyomi was more like a mass Kotoamatsukami.

But this was exactly the effect he wanted.

"Return to your villages for now. In a few days, send envoys to Konoha. We’ll discuss the details then."

Hanekawa thought for a moment before speaking.

How to handle Sunagakure and Iwagakure would follow the same model as Kumogakure.

However, the three villages had their own differences, so the specific implementation would vary slightly. It wasn’t something that could be explained quickly.

"One more thing."

Hanekawa added, "Make sure to publicly announce that you were defeated by Konoha and have sworn allegiance."

He had taken control of Kumogakure by defeating the Fourth Raikage.

So far, Kumogakure’s situation hadn’t been widely exposed.

But Sunagakure and Iwagakure were different—they had started this war and suffered a crushing defeat.

"Understood."

Ōnoki, Pakura, and the others responded in unison.

"Kaguya."

Hanekawa suddenly remembered something. "Go retrieve the tailed beasts."

Kaguya blinked in surprise.

If Hanekawa hadn’t reminded her, she would have completely forgotten.

Her mind had been entirely occupied by the thought of their upcoming five-day battle.

"Mmm."

A rare smile curved Kaguya’s lips as she felt a flicker of joy.


A Double Blessing

This was a case of good things come in pairs.

Not only would they recover the chakra, but they would also enjoy a five-day trip together.

Seeing the smile on Kaguya’s face, Hanekawa couldn’t help but chuckle.

After being so used to her icy demeanor, this change of pace was refreshing.

Just then, Ōtsutsuki Kaguya walked up to him.

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him.

After a few seconds of playful lip-locking, Kaguya reluctantly pulled away and turned toward Iwagakure’s Rōshi and Han.

Under the effects of the Infinite Tsukuyomi, neither resisted as she extracted the Four-Tails and Five-Tails from their bodies.

"Bring Gaara out," Hanekawa ordered.

Rasa turned and entered his tent, soon emerging with a red-haired boy in his arms.

Kaguya reached out and pulled the One-Tail, Shukaku, from within him.

Hanekawa watched as Gaara’s face twisted in pain.

In a way, this was good for him.

Sunagakure’s sealing techniques were notoriously poor.

In the original timeline, Gaara couldn’t sleep because Shukaku would rampage the moment he closed his eyes.

This had made him grow up sleep-deprived and emotionally unstable.

Moreover, Shukaku had been nothing but a burden to him.

Ironically, after losing the One-Tail, Gaara’s strength had skyrocketed.

"Wait for me. I’m heading to Mount Myōboku," Kaguya said before stepping through a dark spatial portal.

Hanekawa reached out and silenced Gaara’s cries.

The boy soon drifted back into peaceful slumber, his pained expression fading.

"Return to your villages," Hanekawa commanded, withdrawing his hand.

"Yes."

Ōnoki, Pakura, and the others packed up their tents and began their retreat.

Just like that, a war involving three major villages ended without further bloodshed.

Hanekawa remained where he was, waiting.

With the One-Tail, Four-Tails, and Five-Tails—alongside the previously collected Two-Tails, Seven-Tails, and Eight-Tails—the Divine Tree had now reclaimed six of the tailed beasts.

Only three remained:

Konoha’s Nine-Tails

Kirigakure’s Three-Tails and Six-Tails

Hanekawa stroked his chin in thought.

He had already made a bet with Mei Terumī.

If he won, Kirigakure would submit to Konoha, and the Three-Tails and Six-Tails would be his.

The real problem was the Nine-Tails.

Thanks to Hanekawa’s interference, Kushina Uzumaki actually had a decent relationship with Kurama.

After a moment’s consideration, he came up with a plan.

He would send Tsukihime to handle it.

Even if Kushina was reluctant to part with Kurama, she couldn’t stop the fox if it wanted to leave.

Tsukihime, after all, was the Sage of Six Paths—the creator of the tailed beasts.

Coupled with the promise of freedom, Kurama would surely prefer liberation over remaining trapped inside Kushina.

Though the tailed beasts would be absorbed into the Divine Tree (effectively another prison), Hanekawa could release them once the tree bore fruit.

A short while later, the dark portal reappeared.

Kaguya stepped out.

The moment their eyes met, she wrapped her arms around him.

"…?"

Before Hanekawa could react, she yanked him into the portal.

The surroundings shifted—they were now back in Kaguya’s chambers.

"Wait!"

Hanekawa grabbed her wrist.

"Five days," Kaguya tilted her head, emphasizing each word.

"Not now," Hanekawa shook his head.

"Then when?"

Kaguya’s piercing gaze locked onto him.

"In two days."

Hanekawa needed time to come up with a convincing excuse for Tsunade and Kurenai.

The only way was to fabricate a long-term mission.

"Add one more day, and I’ll agree."

Kaguya held up a finger.

Hanekawa studied her pale, luminous eyes before suddenly swatting her backside.

The soft, jiggling sensation against his palm was… satisfying.

Kaguya glanced down.

Instead of flustering, she turned around and deliberately arched her hips.

Hanekawa was torn between laughter and exasperation.

This woman—once the revered Rabbit Goddess—has truly become something else.

"Alright, let’s go see Tsukihime."

Hanekawa swiftly changed the subject.

"…So, do I get the extra day?"

Kaguya pressed, a hint of nervousness in her voice.

"How could I refuse when the Goddess herself goes this far?"

Hanekawa pinched her chin, admiring her flawless face.

"I can go even further."

Kaguya’s eyes gleamed.

"Don’t push your luck."

Hanekawa smirked.

Instead of replying, Kaguya parted her lips and gently bit down on his finger.

Hanekawa’s eyes widened.

The warm, wet sensation sent a jolt through him.

"Who taught you this?"

He glared at her.

Kaguya merely gazed back, her pale eyes shimmering with something unreadable.

Suppressing his racing pulse, Hanekawa activated the Flying Thunder God Technique.

They reappeared in Sound Village.

"Dad! Mom!"

Tsukihime, who had been waiting, immediately called out.

"Mmm."

Kaguya responded coolly—her demeanor now regal and detached, as if the seductive act from moments ago had never happened.

"Truly the Rabbit Goddess," Hanekawa mused internally.

"The Sunagakure-Iwagakure alliance has been defeated," he announced.

"Mmm."

Tsukihime wasn’t surprised.

Against Hanekawa and Kaguya, even a hundred times more soldiers would’ve been useless.

"I’ll inform Orochimaru to resume their advance."

She added that the Otogakure forces had been idling under Hanekawa’s orders.

"Your next target is the Land of Rivers?"

Hanekawa unfolded a map Tsukihime handed him.

Otogakure was sandwiched between the Land of Iron and Land of Hot Water.

Beyond the Land of Iron lay the Land of Rivers.

"Yes. Orochimaru’s team has already infiltrated. If not for the war, they would’ve secured it today."

Tsukihime pointed to a marked route:

Land of Hot Water → Land of Sound → Land of Iron → Land of Rivers → Land of Grass → Land of Rain → Land of Birds → Land of Bears → Land of Snow

These minor nations were all wedged between the Five Great Nations.

Hanekawa’s gaze lingered on the Land of Bears (Hoshigakure).

Its village, Star Village, was the only minor settlement audacious enough to call its leader "Hoshikage".

The reason?

A mysterious meteor had crashed there centuries ago, granting its ninja unique—but life-draining—powers.

"That meteor… could it be related to the Ōtsutsuki?"

Like Takigakure’s "Hero Water," the meteor’s energy came at the cost of shortened lifespans.

While Hanekawa was curious, his immediate focus was on using this as cover for his six-day "mission" with Kaguya.

"Skip the Land of Rain and Amegakure for now."

Hanekawa handed the map back.

Amegakure was under Akatsuki’s control—and since they worked for him, there was no need for conflict.

Once the rest of the world was unified, the Land of Rain would have no choice but to submit.

"Understood."

Tsukihime stored the scroll.

"Good work, Tsukihime."

Hanekawa smiled.

"It’s nothing. Just a bit boring."

She flexed her fingers. "These villages are too weak. They can’t even push me to 10% of my power."

Hanekawa laughed dryly.

For someone of Tsukihime's caliber, conquering minor villages was overkill.

"Come to Konoha when you’re free. I have a task for you."

He glanced at Kaguya.

"Retrieve the Nine-Tails."