Chapter 287.5: Tsunade in the Bathroom

"Everything is going smoothly."

While wiping his back, Tsunade spoke up, "The department's already taking shape."

"As expected of you, Sensei."

Shinho smiled, offering praise.

"Of course!"

Tsunade said proudly.

"Have you decided on a name for the new department?"

Shinho glanced back and, unsurprisingly, saw only a field of white.

"We'll just call it the Entertainment Department."

Tsunade responded offhandedly.

"That works."

Shinho paused for a moment, then asked, "Sensei, shall I turn around now?"

"Turn around."

Tsunade licked her lips and said.

"Thank you, Sensei."

Shinho spoke in all apparent sincerity.

"You're all polite words, but your hands are anything but honest."

Tsunade snorted softly, reached out her hand, and said.

"How so?"

Shinho glanced at her slender fingers. "I'm always perfectly honest."

Tsunade crouched down, not bothering to answer him further.

Shinho's eyes widened.

What was going on today?

Usually less cooperative, Tsunade was suddenly being quite compliant.

"Sensei,"

Shinho exhaled, "If you run into any problems with the department, let me know."

Tsunade let out a throaty hum.

Shinho closed his eyes.

Caught between clashing lips and tongues, plus a feeling akin to the pull of an abyss, he found it hard to pull away.

He had no idea how much time had passed.

Tsunade's fair skin grew a few shades lighter still.

She frowned, then stood up.

"Thank you, Sensei."

Shinho, momentarily blank in the head, came back to his senses. "You must be tired. Let me bathe you now."

Tsunade didn't hold back at all, swallowing, she stretched her arms out wide.

Even through the steam, there was no concealing her full, radiant figure.

Shinho reached out, lathering her with body wash.

His hands followed her graceful curves, brushing across her ample contours, until eventually, he lifted her up.

Tsunade let out a muffled groan, the flush on her face growing more pronounced.

Seeing this, Shinho supported her long legs and soft derrière to keep her from slipping.

Still suspended off the ground, she was thoroughly washed inside and out.

The two got dressed and left the bathroom.

"You took way too long,"

Shizune said in mild dissatisfaction.

"I'll go reheat everything,"

Shinho said, carrying the dishes into the kitchen.

Tsunade sat across from Shizune and stretched languidly.

After that bath, her whole body felt fully relaxed.

"What's with that look? Jealous?"

Tsunade noticed Shizune's gaze and teased with a smile.

"N-no…"

Shizune stammered, clearly self-conscious at having been called out.

"No need to hide it,"

Tsunade said, exuding the cool poise of the one in charge.

"…"

Shizune hesitated a few seconds before asking, "Tsunade-sama, do you think there's still hope for me to learn the Yin Seal?"

"You're certainly not untalented, but the Yin Seal is extremely difficult,"

Tsunade answered after a bit of thought. "However, we could lower the difficulty."

"Lower it?"

Shizune's eyes lit up.

"That's right."

Tsunade raised her chin, brimming with confidence. "Creating a weakened version of the Yin Seal shouldn't be a big problem."

"Thank you so much, Tsunade-sama."

Shizune looked excited.

With the Yin Seal, she might be able to last a bit longer.

"It's nothing,"

Tsunade said, amused. "The Yin Seal has many functions. All we need for the weaker version is to retain its ability to adjust bodily functions."

Hearing that, Shizune flushed bright red.

It was obvious Tsunade had guessed her real motive.

"You really have grown up,"

Tsunade remarked, gazing at her.

Shizune didn't dare look back, hanging her head.

It felt strange in a way, after all, she and Tsunade had kind of become sisters.

…

A New Day

After breakfast, Shinho headed off to the Hokage's office.

Before, it took several minutes to walk there; now, within the palace compound, it didn't even take half a minute, making things much more efficient.

"Hokage-sama!"

Mabui stood at the door, bowing low.

"Why aren't you inside?"

Shinho glanced at her.

Her deep-toned skin contrasted sharply with her white shirt.

He suddenly realized Mabui was quite appealing, too, though not quite on the level of Samui or Tsunade.

"Because Hokage-sama hadn't arrived yet,"

Mabui explained.

Shinho stepped closer. As he passed by, he reached out and gave her derrière a quick squeeze.

Mabui's whole body went rigid, and a faint flush spread across her dusky cheeks.

But she didn't dare resist.

After all, she was in the wrong first.

As long as she could get through today, a little humiliation was a small price to pay.

"Come in."

Shinho gave her tight skirt a light pat before withdrawing his hand.

"Yes."

Mabui pursed her lips and followed him into the office.

Shinho sat behind the Hokage's desk, fingers interlaced, silently assessing her.

She wore a black business skirt, standing there with her legs in black stockings close together, her dark face showing some unease.

"What's Yugito up to these days?"

Shinho asked suddenly, a thought crossing his mind.

"She's at home,"

Mabui said, startled by the question and answering honestly.

"I almost forgot to assign her work,"

Shinho chuckled, then continued, "What kind of job do you think would suit her?"

Mabui paused to think.

Indeed, this was a real question for her.

Knowing how Yugito was, she definitely wouldn't do well as a Hokage's secretary or assistant. If she rubbed Shinho the wrong way, that could only spell trouble for Kumogakure.

"I think she'd do fine in the ninja divisions,"

Mabui ventured cautiously.

Even without Matatabi, Yugito remained a qualified Jōnin. She'd fit right into the ninja forces and it wouldn't clash with her personality.

"You three are pretty close, right?"

Shinho changed the subject.

"Yes."

Mabui nodded. "We grew up together."

"Let her join the Anbu,"

Shinho clarified. "The Anbu is closer to the Hokage's Secretarial Office."

"…"

Mabui almost objected.

Letting her join the Anbu's more about being close to you, right?

But she certainly wouldn't dare say so aloud, so she silently agreed on Yugito's behalf.

Silence fell again.

Shinho narrowed his eyes, staring at her.

"Um… Hokage-sama, how about I give you a massage?"

Feeling his gaze, Mabui's scalp tingled. Recalling what Samui had mentioned yesterday, she hastily offered.

"A massage?"

Shinho shook his head. "Just a massage wouldn't be enough."

Mabui felt her heart clench.

If not a massage, then… what?

Could it be…?

She stumbled back two steps in fright.

Right when Shinho was about to speak, he sensed a disturbance within his immortal aperture. Konan was using some technique.

"You're the Hokage's secretary, yet you tried to avoid me. That's a serious offense,"

Shinho said, fixing his gaze on Mabui. "To be fair, punishment is required."

"Wh-what kind of punishment?"

Mabui asked in a trembling voice.

Shinho stood up and walked toward her.

Mabui summoned all her courage just to keep herself from bolting.

"The punishment is simple."

Shinho leaned in close to her ear and whispered two sentences.

"N-no… that's not possible…"

Mabui's eyes flew wide, blurting out a response without thinking.

"Oh?"

Shinho stretched out a hand, pinching her chin. "Are you sure you want a different punishment?"

Mabui froze.

Faced with Shinho's expression, in the end, she didn't dare request an alternative.

"I'm heading out for a while."

Shinho released her. "By the time I get back, I want to see you've accepted your punishment."

As soon as he finished speaking, his figure vanished.

Suddenly, the scene brightened before his eyes.

Shinho appeared in Amegakure.

"Hokage-sama."

Konan came forward from not too far away.

"Have you found something?"

Shinho asked.

He had previously told Konan that if she made any discoveries, she should notify him using her technique. Besides, her seven-day leave wasn't over yet, so this had to be the reason she called him.

"We found a special underground river in the northern valley,"

Konan explained. "It's brimming with a strong energy."

An underground river? Energy?

Could it be a spirit spring?

Shinho's heart leapt in anticipation. A spirit spring in itself wasn't the real prize; the real draw was that there might be wild Gu living near it.

"Take me to see it."

Shinho spoke without delay.

Konan nodded, turning to walk north. Before long, they arrived at a valley. Deep within, by the cliff face, was the opening of a cave.

Shinho went in. Luminous stalactites glowed all around.

After walking a few dozen steps, he heard running water and soon came upon a subterranean river.

It looked peculiar, giving off a faint blue glow, clearly not ordinary.

Shinho bent down, skimming the surface with his hand. A few motes of light shimmered outward in response.

His spirits soared.

This was Hope Gu.

The origin of the Gu Master path, it could help mortal beings open their apertures, making it extremely valuable.

Right then, two lines of text appeared before his eyes:

..

[Achievement "Hope Always Exists" unlocked. You have obtained Conversion Gu.]

[Conversion Gu: A Rank Six Immortal Gu that converts energy into random mortal Gu. After a certain amount of time, they will appear in your immortal aperture.]

..

Shinho glanced at the text and felt his pupils contract in astonishment.

The effect of this Immortal Gu was precisely what he'd been dreaming of!

Although mortal Gu were not terribly useful to him personally, he could cultivate an army of Gu Masters. He would just have to be careful in selecting how to use it.

Tsunade had already proven that becoming a Gu Master would not impede a ninja's strength. In other words, one could train both as a ninja and a Gu Master, then gradually transition from ninja to Gu Master. How that transition happened would depend on which mortal Gu emerged from Conversion Gu.

Moreover, not all mortal Gu would be useless to him. If he got something like a Longevity Gu, he could use it himself. Theoretically, if he poured in enough energy, eventually such a Gu might appear.

"Hokage-sama, what is this?"

Konan noticed his expression and asked curiously.

"Beginning of a new power system,"

Shinho said, standing up and casually waving his hand to form a protective barrier with his perimeval essence.

"...?"

Konan couldn't help appearing puzzled. A new power system? What does that even mean?

"You'll find out in time."

Shinho didn't elaborate further, but he already had Konan in mind as a future Gu Master candidate.

Raising his hand, Shinho fed three beads of Green Grape Immortal Essence into the Conversion Gu. 

It only consumed half of one bead before stopping, which suggested both time and energy constraints.

Seeing this, Shinho didn't rush. Better to have it than not. Besides, he currently had time to spare.

"Konan-nee,"

Shinho instructed, "keep people exploring this place. If anything new turns up, let me know."

join my patreon for the completed story: patreon.com/HyppoTL