311. Office Affair

Konoha Hospital.

Hanekawa's former office had been converted into the office of the Medical Division's head, Rin Nohara.

After all, as the Hokage, it was difficult for him to return to Konoha Hospital to perform surgeries.

Originally, Rin Nohara should have had a new office, but she chose to use Hanekawa's former office under the pretext of not wasting space.

The real reason, however, was known only to her.

The operating room doors opened.

Rin Nohara, who had been busy for an hour, walked out.

After exchanging a few words with the patient's family, she returned to her office.

As soon as she entered, she saw Hanekawa sitting at her desk.

She froze for a moment before her face lit up with joy.

They hadn’t seen each other for some time.

And the last time they met, she had lost her first kiss.

Every time Rin Nohara recalled that moment, her heart would race uncontrollably.

"Just finished surgery?"

Hanekawa looked up at her.

A faint layer of sweat glistened on Rin Nohara’s forehead, and more noticeably, her chakra had been significantly depleted.

With his current abilities, he could easily discern her physical condition at a glance.

"Yeah."

Rin Nohara nodded softly in response.

Hanekawa stood up and walked over to her.

He reached out, his hand moving toward her forehead.

"You have sweat."

Rin Nohara instinctively tilted her head away.

As she did, the delicate curve of her neck and collarbone came fully into view.

"It smells nice."

Hanekawa lowered his head, inhaling lightly near her neck.

Rin Nohara hadn’t expected this at all.

She stood frozen, feeling the warmth of his breath against her skin, her face quickly flushing a deep red.

It wasn’t just her face—even her neck turned a delicate shade of pink.

"So cute."

Hanekawa chuckled.

"I…"

Rin Nohara clenched her pink dress, her knee-high socks rubbing together nervously, her eyes filled with shyness.

Hanekawa felt a growing urge.

That vulnerable expression made him want to tease her even more.

He pinched her chin, turning her face toward him.

Rin Nohara’s heart skipped a beat. Under his intense gaze, she instinctively closed her eyes.

Seeing this, Hanekawa didn’t hold back and kissed her.

Rin Nohara’s mind went blank. Her body stiffened, her hands unsure of where to go.

Her breathing grew rapid, her chest rising and falling visibly with each breath.

Though compared to Tsunade or Samui, the effect was less pronounced.

Suddenly, Rin Nohara’s eyes flew open.

Her cheeks puffed out slightly as she realized an intruder had arrived.

In the midst of their heated exchange, Rin Nohara’s dizziness only intensified.

She hadn’t expected their second kiss to escalate so quickly.

A long moment later, their lips parted.

Rin Nohara gasped for air, her lips slightly parted.

The fair skin at her collar was now tinged with pink.

"It really does smell nice."

Hanekawa lowered his head again, this time kissing the delicate skin of her neck.

Rin Nohara tensed at first but soon relaxed.

Her expression grew hazy, her eyes losing focus entirely.

Hanekawa sensed that no matter what he asked for now, Rin Nohara wouldn’t refuse.

But doing anything more in the office would be too reckless.

After all, there could be countless opportunities—but the first time had to be special.

He gently bit down, leaving a faint mark on her soft skin.

When he looked up, Rin Nohara was still lost in a daze.

It took her several seconds to snap back to reality.

Meeting Hanekawa’s gaze, she immediately looked down again, her face burning as if she might faint at any moment.

She had imagined how their reunion might go, but never something this intimate.

At this point, weren’t they practically a married couple?

"Rin."

Hanekawa smiled. "This is for you."

"Wh-what?"

Rin Nohara was still a little out of it.

"A scroll that will benefit Konoha Hospital."

Hanekawa paused. "You’ll understand once you read it."

Rin Nohara took the scroll and unrolled it after a brief hesitation.

Inside was a method for neutralizing White Zetsu cells to achieve limb regeneration.

"Th-this… Do cells like this really exist?"

Rin Nohara’s face was filled with astonishment.

She could already imagine the impact this technique would have once implemented.

Thanks to medical ninjutsu, the survival rate for injured shinobi was already high.

But regenerating lost limbs had always been impossible.

Especially in the heat of battle, severed limbs were often unrecoverable.

"Yeah."

Hanekawa fabricated an explanation. "I heard it’s related to the legendary Sage of Six Paths."

But it wasn’t entirely a lie.

These White Zetsu were indeed created by the Sage of Six Paths.

Not Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki, but Tsukihime.

Due to Hanekawa’s influence, Kaguya Ōtsutsuki had left earlier than expected.

Normally, without her, the White Zetsu wouldn’t exist.

But Tsukihime had fed criminals, bandits, and outlaws from ancient times to the Divine Tree, creating the White Zetsu.

The only difference from the original was their numbers.

Kaguya’s Infinite Tsukuyomi had produced far more White Zetsu.

But Tsukihime's version was still plentiful enough for their needs.

"I see…"

Rin Nohara didn’t doubt him.

To her, something as unbelievable as White Zetsu cells couldn’t possibly belong to humans.

If they came from the Sage of Six Paths, it made perfect sense.

"These are the White Zetsu cells."

Hanekawa handed her another scroll. "I want every medical ninja in Konoha Hospital to learn this technique."

"Understood!"

Rin Nohara nodded solemnly.

As the head of the Medical Division, it was her responsibility to oversee its implementation.

Besides, this was an incredible boon—there was no reason to refuse.

"Make sure to spread the word."

Hanekawa reminded her.

"Of course!"

Rin Nohara nodded firmly. "I’ll make sure every shinobi in Konoha knows this was your contribution."

Though she wasn’t well-versed in politics, she understood that as the newly appointed Hokage, Hanekawa needed achievements to solidify his reputation.

"What are you thinking?"

Hanekawa laughed and flicked her forehead. "This will be promoted under your name."

He could guess her reasoning.

But with his strength, he didn’t need to bolster his reputation—it was already more than enough.

"Huh?"

Rin Nohara blinked in surprise. "But…"

A finger pressed against her lips.

Her face flushed, and the words died in her throat.

"I’m the Hokage."

Hanekawa smirked. "You just need to follow orders."

"...Yes."

Rin Nohara hesitated but finally agreed.

She bit her lip, warmth blooming in her chest.

Hanekawa was clearly doing this to help her establish her own reputation.

As the head of the Medical Division, she needed credibility to command respect.

With this limb-regeneration technique, her name would spread throughout Konoha.

In the field of medical ninjutsu, even if she couldn’t rival Tsunade, half her fame would be enough to secure her position.

"Thank you."

Rin Nohara took a deep breath.

"I’ve already received my thanks."

Hanekawa leaned in, capturing her soft lips once more.

This time, with a bit of experience, Rin Nohara tentatively responded.

Though still clumsy.

"Rin."

Hanekawa gazed at her flushed face. "If you run into any problems, come find me."

"Mhm."

Rin Nohara answered instinctively, still dazed from the kiss.

"Alright, I’ll visit again soon."

Hanekawa patted her head before vanishing.

He reappeared in the Hokage’s office.

Rin Nohara’s shy nature required an assertive approach.

And so far, it was working.

Of course, the key factor was that Rin Nohara already had feelings for him.

Otherwise, none of this would have happened.

"Let’s go to Kumogakure."

Hanekawa glanced at the desk—no new documents—and spoke to the air.

His words were meant for Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, who was silently guarding him.

---

Raikage’s Office, Kumogakure.

Samui sat at the Raikage’s desk.

With Hanekawa absent, she and Mabui were responsible for managing the village.

Mabui, having served as the Raikage’s secretary for years, was far more experienced.

The two quickly divided tasks based on their strengths.

Samui remained in the office to handle emergencies, while Mabui traveled through the village to address issues.

Especially after Hanekawa forcibly became the Fifth Raikage, the shinobi of Kumogakure were in disarray.

Samui massaged her temples as she reviewed the documents.

This was her first time as the Raikage’s secretary, and many tasks left her feeling overwhelmed.

Suddenly, she let out a soft gasp.

The familiar sensation of weightlessness told her exactly who had arrived.

"What are you reading?"

Hanekawa’s gaze drifted downward.

Samui’s golden hair clung to her face, a few strands resting against her collarbone.

Her pale skin disappeared beneath her light gray clothes—clothes that were now in Hanekawa’s grasp.

"Th-the… ANBU roster."

Samui’s voice was breathy.

Her body had long since memorized Hanekawa’s touch.

Within seconds, she slumped back into the Raikage’s chair, her body pressed against Hanekawa.

Completely defenseless.

  "Get up."

Hanekawa withdrew his hand and spoke.

"Yes..."

Samui bit her lip, forcing herself to move away from the Raikage's chair.

Her long, pale legs trembled slightly, causing her curvaceous body to sway, accentuating her alluring figure.

"Find a place to sit."

Hanekawa glanced at her before picking up the list on the desk.

But Samui had clearly misunderstood his words.

Hanekawa instinctively looked down and saw the light-gray top and black miniskirt on the floor.

He swallowed hard, about to explain, but it was already too late.

Hanekawa sighed deeply.

Well, Rin Nohara had already riled him up earlier, so he didn’t bother saying anything more.

Gazing at Samui’s smooth back, he simply placed the list on top of her.

Her full, rounded hips provided the perfect support—though it did test one’s eyesight a little.

But for Hanekawa, it was nothing.

With his Rinnegan and Tenseigan, his vision was more than sharp enough.

He skimmed through the list quickly.

The names of Kumogakure shinobi meant nothing to him—they were all strangers.

Hanekawa wasn’t surprised.

As the Fifth Raikage, he hadn’t earned the village’s recognition. The fact that he could even gather manpower was already an achievement.

In any case, he could just modify their memories to ensure loyalty.

Their opinions didn’t matter to him.

Victors wrote history—that was just how the world worked.

"No need to be picky. Have them join the ANBU tomorrow."

Hanekawa closed the list, watching the slight tremble of her hips as he spoke.

"Y-yes..."

Samui’s face flushed as she answered.

Though she didn’t understand his reasoning, his orders were clear.

"Where’s Mabui?"

Hanekawa leaned back in the Raikage’s chair, admiring Samui’s flawless figure.

A phrase from his past life came to mind—*this back is perfect for cupping therapy*.

"She... she’s been... calming everyone down these past few days..."

Samui’s voice was dazed.

"She’s a dutiful secretary."

Hanekawa chuckled. "I thought some Kumo shinobi might’ve tried to assassinate me by now."

"N-no one... dares..."

Samui took a few seconds to steady herself. "Mabui knows it’s pointless, so she’s been stopping them."

Hanekawa suddenly winced.

He realized Kaguya Ōtsutsuki’s sudden appearance had startled Samui.

"Hanekawa."

Kaguya’s voice was cool and detached.

But for some reason, Hanekawa sensed a faint trace of resentment in her tone.

Like someone had stolen her favorite candy.

"Just a moment."

Hanekawa responded before gripping Samui’s waist.

Kaguya’s snow-white eyes flickered with emotion as she watched.

She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Hanekawa.

A completely different fragrance filled the air—one that belonged solely to her.

Hanekawa exhaled, synchronizing his breathing with Kaguya’s.

Gazing at the flawless, jade-like Goddess, he felt a surge of pride.

Samui looked up dazedly.

A pang of regret struck her heart.

Compared to Kaguya, her own strength was pitifully lacking.

But then again...

Even a fleeting firework could shine brilliantly.

Samui wasn’t greedy.

Regaining her strength, she stood and approached Hanekawa.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing his face against her chest.

Kaguya glanced at them but didn’t interfere.

She had already claimed the most important position—she could afford to be generous this once.

Time passed slowly.

Then, a knock echoed through the room.

All three of them snapped back to reality.

"That’s enough for today."

Hanekawa pulled away from Samui’s warmth and checked the time—it was almost noon.

All in all, he’d been "working" in the Raikage’s office for three whole hours.

*What a productive day.*

"It’s probably Mabui..."

Samui panicked, hastily picking up her clothes and dressing.

"Handle her. Kaguya and I still have things to do."

Hanekawa patted Kaguya’s backside as a reminder. "The Seven-Tails."

The next second, his entire body went weak.

Soon, both of them were dressed and vanished without a trace.

Samui let out a sigh of relief.

The door opened.

"Samui? I thought you weren’t—"

Mabui froze mid-sentence.

She immediately noticed something was off.

The air felt different, but more importantly, Samui looked... unusual.

Her beautiful face was still flushed, her skin glowing with a dewy sheen.

Even as a woman, Mabui could sense the intoxicating mix of allure and sensuality radiating from her.

"Was Hanekawa here?"

Mabui asked after a brief silence.

"H-how did— No! He wasn’t!"

Samui shook her head frantically.

"We grew up together. You can’t lie to me."

Mabui gritted her teeth. "Did he force you?"

"No."

Realizing she couldn’t hide it, Samui admitted, "I was willing."

"You’re still lying to me?"

Mabui frowned.

"I’m telling the truth."

Samui met her gaze firmly.

"You... What’s wrong with you?"

Mabui stared at her and immediately knew she wasn’t deceiving her.

"It’s... complicated."

Samui bit her lip.

"..."

Mabui hesitated, at a loss for words.

She suddenly realized she shouldn’t blame Samui—if anything, she should be grateful.

Because it dawned on her:

Hanekawa’s leniency toward Kumogakure might very well be because of Samui.

Otherwise, with his power, he could’ve slaughtered them all without a second thought.

Mabui sighed.

By sheer coincidence, this had turned out to be a good thing.

With Samui acting as a buffer between Hanekawa and the village, Kumogakure still had a chance to survive.

As long as they didn’t provoke him.

"Samui."

Mabui stepped forward, about to speak, when her gaze inadvertently landed on the Raikage’s chair.

Her dark skin flushed slightly.

"Th-that..."

Samui noticed her reaction and followed her line of sight.

Her face burned crimson.

She’d often been teased by Hanekawa for being a "Water Style specialist"—and for good reason.

But now that Mabui had seen the evidence, she wanted to flee in embarrassment.

"I... I have things to do. We’ll talk later."

Mabui turned and left the office without another word.

Despite her sharp intellect, she was still just a young woman—inexperienced in such matters.

How could they do that in the Raikage’s office?

---

Takigakure.

Hanekawa had visited once before, disguised as a missing-nin, so he was familiar with the layout.

Using the Flying Thunder God Technique, he appeared directly inside the village, bypassing its convoluted entrance.

"Kaguya."

Hanekawa turned to her.

Her expression had returned to its usual detached calm.

Even though just moments ago, she’d been anything but.

Kaguya met his gaze.

She immediately recognized the desire in his eyes.

Here?

Well... she didn’t mind.

"Look at that tree."

Unaware of Kaguya’s wandering thoughts, Hanekawa pointed toward a towering giant in the distance.

This was the sacred tree that produced the Hero’s Water.

Kaguya studied it briefly, a flicker of surprise crossing her face.

After a moment’s thought, she activated her Rinne-Sharingan.

"This tree is the same as the one in the Pure Land—a branch of the Divine Tree that grew over millennia."

Kaguya explained.

Hanekawa blinked.

He wasn’t too shocked.

Most of the inexplicable phenomena in the shinobi world could be traced back to the Ōtsutsuki or the Divine Tree.

Now that he thought about it, the Hero’s Water’s properties aligned perfectly with the Divine Tree’s functions.

The Divine Tree absorbed a planet’s energy to bear fruit—essentially converting life into chakra.

The Hero’s Water did the same.

"Probably a branch that broke off when Tsukihime separated the Divine Tree."

Hanekawa guessed.

"Yes."

Kaguya tilted her head slightly. "It’s accumulated a fair amount of energy. We can take it."

Hanekawa smirked.

Kaguya was like a gamer from his past life—hoarding anything chakra-related, no matter how trivial.

Even if the energy stored in this tree was practically worthless to her.

"Then today, we’ll play the part of a legendary thief duo."

Hanekawa pulled out the mask he’d worn when stealing the Hero’s Water before.

Kaguya took it and put it on.

"Your horn."

Hanekawa reached up, brushing his fingers against it.

He liked playing with it at night—it saved energy.

Kaguya obediently retracted it.

"First time I’ve seen you like this."

Hanekawa studied her with amusement.

"You can see it whenever you want."

Kaguya blinked, her expression unchanging.

"Good girl."

Hanekawa couldn’t help but laugh. "Alright, no more delays. After sealing the Seven-Tails, we’re going home."

"Yes."

Kaguya turned toward the colossal tree and raised her hand.

A terrifying gravitational force surged forth.

The ground trembled violently as the tree was uprooted.

"What’s happening?!"

The disturbance instantly alerted every shinobi in Takigakure.

"You?!"

A middle-aged man landed in front of Hanekawa and Kaguya.

He was the leader of Takigakure—the same one Hanekawa had met during his last visit.

Beside him stood Fū, the Seven-Tails’ jinchūriki.

"You went back on your word!"

The man snarled. "You already took the Hero’s Water! Why destroy our sacred tree now?!"

"Surrender, and you’ll live."

Hanekawa stared at him impassively.

The man’s heart lurched.

He remembered Hanekawa’s overwhelming strength from before—how even Fū had been severely injured in their last encounter.

While he hesitated, Kaguya had already stored the giant tree away in her Amenominaka dimension.

"No!"

The man cried out instinctively as the sacred tree vanished.

But his attention was quickly diverted.

Fū screamed in agony.

Kaguya didn’t give them time to recover—she’d already set her sights on the Seven-Tails.

"Let her live."

Hanekawa said offhandedly.

"Stop!"

The leader and his shinobi charged at Kaguya.

Hanekawa snapped his fingers.

Instantly, they froze in place like statues.

Horror filled their eyes.

They could still think, still feel—but time itself had stopped for them.

"Time freeze?"

Kaguya turned to Hanekawa, genuine surprise flashing across her face.

This was an ability even she hadn’t mastered.

In a way, it was her natural counter.

But she didn’t question it. Instead, a hint of pride swelled in her chest.

This was the man she’d married.

The stronger Hanekawa grew, the happier she was.

Not only because they knew each other intimately, but because he could stand beside her against the Ōtsutsuki clan.

With a casual wave, Kaguya sealed the Seven-Tails away.

She took Hanekawa’s hand.

"Let’s go home."

___

Worth 2 chapters