Chapter 263: Shizune's Morning Greeting

After breakfast, Tsunade took a bath, changed into fresh clothes, and set off for Iwagakure.

"As expected of sensei," Shinho remarked with a tinge of helplessness.

Originally, he had planned for Tsunade to rest for a day or two before using the Rainbow Light Gu to help her catch up with the main forces. However, she refused. Her seriousness toward the war was even greater than he had imagined.

"When are you leaving? I'll go with you," Shizune asked instinctively, grabbing his hand.

"Tomorrow," Shinho replied, shaking his head. "But you have to stay in Konoha."

"Why?" Shizune protested anxiously. "I'm an excellent medical-nin. I can be of use!"

"Why are always so adorable," Shinho chuckled, teasing her.

"I'm serious!" Shizune said with mild indignation.

"I know," Shinho said, raising his hand to gently brush her soft lips, "But you have something more important to do."

"What is it?" Shizune asked, her eyes drifting to his fingers.

"To prevent any surprise attacks on Konoha, I'll leave behind a barrier," Shinho explained. "However, this barrier can only be accessed with the user's permission."

"You want me to control the barrier?" Shizune responded quickly.

"Exactly." Shinho's fingers moved upward, pinching her cheek playfully, "I can't trust anyone else with it."

After hesitating for a few seconds, Shizune finally agreed. Though she longed to join Shinho on the battlefield in Kumogakure, her trust in his words made it impossible to refuse.

"Good girl," Shinho murmured before lowering his head to place a gentle kiss on her lips.

A blush spread across Shizune's face, though she was already familiar with his affectionate gestures. The sight of her bashful expression made Shinho pause for a moment, his gaze lowering to her lips, glistening with a soft sheen.

"Go to bed," Shinho said as he bent down and scooped her up.

Shizune gasped softly but didn't resist, instead burying her face in his chest. The door closed behind them.

Soon, Shizune's uninhibited laughter filled the room. With Tsunade away and the impending separation weighing on her, she shed her usual restraint. Shinho caught a glimpse of a side of Shizune he rarely saw.

He refrained from taking things further, simply holding her delicate feet in his hands. Through the sheer black stockings, he could feel her soft skin and the faint tremor of unease.

Shizune ignored his movements, biting her lip as sweat formed on her flushed face, making her even more alluring.

Shinho raised an eyebrow as he noticed the stockings clinging to her feet due to the moisture. Gently, he reached out and began sliding the stockings down from her thighs.

Shizune suddenly tilted her head back, her body stiffening as her toes curled involuntarily. Then, leaning forward, she kissed him with a dazed, instinctive motion. Her gaze was unfocused and dreamy.

Shinho met her eyes and smiled tenderly, running his fingers through her hair. Shizune wrapped her arms around his neck, her graceful figure pressing tightly against his.

"Go to sleep," Shinho said softly.

"But... you..." Shizune replied breathlessly.

"Sleep," Shinho repeated with a trace of command in his voice.

Looking at him, Shizune's flushed face broke into a contented smile. She closed her eyes and quickly drifted into sleep.

Night fell;

Konoha's three ninja units set out in different directions under the leadership of Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Anko Mitarashi. 

Since Shinho himself would confront Kumogakure, no particularly powerful ninja clans or individuals were requisitioned for these teams. As a result, Anko was given the temporary role of team leader, which she embraced with enthusiasm.

…

Morning;

Shinho awoke to the sound of soft coughing. Opening his eyes, he saw Shizune leaning over him, her hair cascading down both sides of her face and partially obscuring her flushed cheeks. Beads of sweat trickled down from her lips, tracing a path along her collarbone.

"Good morning, Shizune-nee," Shinho said, marveling at how life had become something out of an anime protagonist's dream.

Shizune raised her head, her puffed-up cheeks making her look both exasperated and endearing. She offered him a difficult smile.

Closing his eyes, Shinho allowed himself to drift back into sleep. However, a sudden nightmare startled him awake. In the dream, he had encountered a ruthless woman who nearly devoured him alive.

"I'm going to wash up. You should get up soon," Shizune said, her throat moving as she spoke.

She tucked her hair behind her ears and left the room. Stretching lazily, Shinho felt rejuvenated after the extra rest.

After a simple breakfast, Shinho and Shizune made their way to the Hokage's office.

"Here you go," Shizune said, handing him a cup of water with the practised ease of her days as Hokage's assistant.

Taking a sip, Shinho then offered the cup to her. Smiling wryly, Shizune leaned in and kissed him briefly before pulling away.

"Here's the barrier I mentioned last night," Shinho said, extending his hand to reveal the Blood Curtain Skyflower Gu in his palm.

"The Barrier?"

Shizune swallowed nervously, her face tinged with confusion.

Shinho led her to the window, gently guiding her along. He channelled his Primeval Essence, and immediately, a faint blood-red curtain appeared in the air.

"Is this the same barrier that repelled Nagato before?" Shizune asked in surprise, recognizing its familiar form.

"It is," Shinho confirmed, placing the Blood Curtain Skyflower Gu in her palm. "I'll entrust it to you for the next couple of days."

"Incredible," Shizune murmured as she examined the Gu, "How do you even create so many strange and unique parasitic insects?"

"I'll explain when I return," Shinho said with a smile.

Shizune froze momentarily, her mood dipping slightly.

"Don't worry," Shinho reassured her, pinching her cheek gently, "It'll take no more than three days."

In the original timeline, there were four Great Ninja Wars. The first three were brutal, with all sides relatively balanced in strength. 

But by the Fourth Ninja War, the deciding factor shifted from the overall strength of the villages to the power of top-tier individuals, such as Uchiha Madara and Uzumaki Naruto.

In this timeline, however, Konoha had a significant advantage. With its newly formed three elite units, each squad could stand on its own as a formidable force.

"I'll wait for you!" Shizune declared, nodding vigorously.

"Good." Shinho ruffled her hair before turning to leave.

Golden light enveloped him as he soared into the sky, disappearing in an instant.

…

By 10 a.m., Shinho caught sight of the main forces heading toward Kumogakure. 

Their pace was moderate, as they had rested the previous night and had yet to reach the Land of Fire's border.

Descending slowly, Shinho landed near the group.

"Who's there?!" Konoha's ninja reacted with high vigilance.

"It's the Hokage!" Anko quickly announced, "No need to panic!"

The group relaxed and resumed their composure.

"Hokage-sama," Anko greeted as she stepped forward.

Alongside her were Konan, Nagato, and Yūgao Uzuki. Notably, Konan had changed into more practical attire. Without her signature tight skirt and black stockings, her cold and alluring demeanor had softened slightly.

Shinho understood the reasoning, combat readiness. Wearing a professional skirt suit and high heels wasn't exactly practical for battle.

"What's the situation?" Shinho asked, scanning the group.

"Everything's normal on our side," Anko reported, "Meanwhile, reports from Otogakure indicate that Kumogakure forces have entered the Land of Rice Fields and are setting up defensive positions."

Since Orochimaru was under Shinho's control, Otogakure had essentially become a vassal of Konoha. 

However, Kumogakure remained unaware of this. With the neutral Land of Iron and Konoha's alliance with Takigakure, the battlefield was chosen in the Land of Rice Fields.

"Gather as much intel as possible about Kumogakure's forces," Shinho instructed.

"Understood." Yūgao explained, "Most of the ANBU have already been dispatched for reconnaissance."

"Good." Shinho nodde, "Continue advancing."

The unit resumed their march, with Shinho at the forefront. He raised his hand casually, releasing a mist into the sky that transformed into a sparrow-like bird.

Konan glanced at it briefly before refocusing. Even outside the village, she maintained her duties as the Hokage's assistant, staying close to Shinho.

Nagato, however, seemed slightly uncomfortable. 

Previously accustomed to Konan following him, he now found the dynamic shifted. What caught his attention most was how much more respectful she was toward Shinho.

The sparrow circled high in the sky. Without a Byakugan or Sharingan, ordinary ninja would have difficulty seeing that far.

Shinho's gaze shifted to the left, focusing on a distant rock formation.

Multiple Sword Shadow Gu!

With a surge of Primeval Essence, a swarm of black sword shadows fanned out like a peacock unfurling its tail before shooting forward. A scream echoed moments later.

A Kumogakure ninja appeared on the rocky surface, his legs pierced through by the black sword shadows, blood pouring out.

Yūgao Uzuki's expression hardened, and she immediately activated the Body Flicker Technique to close the distance. Four ANBU operatives with masks followed closely behind her.

"How could he detect someone so far away?" Anko muttered, stunned.

Nagato, however, wasn't surprised. In his mind, Shinho had no weaknesses whatsoever.

Minutes later, Yūgao returned.

"Did you get any intel?" Shinho asked casually.

"The Kumogakure forces have split into two groups to enter the Land of Rice Fields," Yūgao reported after a brief pause, "Beyond that, he didn't know much."

"Two groups?" Shinho mused. "Are they planning a pincer attack or a surprise raid?"

Deciding not to overanalyze, Shinho dismissed the matter. Against absolute power, no strategy or tactic could prevail.

…

By the afternoon, the main force had finally reached the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rice Fields.

"Hokage-sama."

An ANBU operative suddenly appeared, kneeling before Shinho. "Kabuto Yakushi has arrived with 500 ninja from Otogakure and requests an audience with you."

"Otogakure?" Shinho raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. This wasn't something he had orchestrated, he hadn't even considered involving Otogakure's forces.

"Let him through," Shinho ordered, already suspecting Kabuto's motives.

It was likely Kabuto's way of proving Otogakure's value and ensuring Orochimaru's safety.

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