C210

"This meat is too delicious!"

Tsunade complimented the meal while feasting, occasionally sipping from her glass of wine. The taste was simply exquisite, and soon, a happy smile appeared on her face.

Beside her, Kushina was also happily eating. The meat of the Sea Kings was not only delicious but also digested quickly, filling her body with a surge of energy.

It could be said that this dish balanced both taste and nourishment perfectly. Kain had even enlisted the best chef in Alabasta to prepare it. After cooking, he stored it in his spatial backpack, ensuring that when it was taken out, it was just as fresh as when it came out of the oven.

As of now, the best thing Kain had ever eaten was the meat of the Sea Kings, but he knew there were many other delicacies in the pirate world that he had yet to taste.

After finishing her meal and drink, Tsunade lay casually on the tatami, looking completely satisfied. "That was so good," she said with a pleased expression.

Kain immediately urged, "Don't just lie around—get up and clean the dishes."

Tsunade grumbled in reluctance, but since Kushina was pregnant and Kain himself wasn't about to do it, she eventually got up to clear the table. 

Kain could have easily handled it with a spell, but he wasn't about to let someone laze around when there was work to be done.

After dinner, Kushina nestled into Kain's arms. The warmth of her presence, along with her newfound maternal radiance, stirred something in Kain. However, given her condition, all he could do was hold her close.

Still, he took the opportunity to ask Kushina about anything she might know. Unfortunately, she didn't have much information—most of what she knew came from Ninja Weekly. 

Even though she was now a high-ranking figure in Konoha, she rarely attended Jōnin meetings, so expecting her to gather intelligence was a lost cause.

That kind of work was better suited for Yakushi Nonō, so Kain decided he would visit her later. There were many things he needed to find out.

For instance, what was the current status of Nohara Rin? Would Uchiha Obito attempt to cause trouble early on the day of Kushina's delivery?

If Obito had already awakened Kamui, Kain would have to make plans to acquire his Sharingan. Kakashi's, on the other hand, would be much easier to obtain—all he needed was a replacement Sharingan and an opportunity to perform the switch while Kakashi was injured.

As for Uchiha Obito himself, Kain was still counting on him to serve as a useful pawn. However, it would be worthwhile to investigate the Akatsuki's situation. If Obito had already played a key role in the organization's formation, then he might no longer be of use.

It was unfortunate, but that was simply the law of survival. Kindness might allow for the existence of a fool, but it had no place for a powerful fool—and Uchiha Obito was undoubtedly the latter.

Kushina shared all the information she had. For instance, the Third Raikage of the Hidden Cloud had abdicated, and the Fourth Raikage, A, had taken his place. 

She also mentioned how Namikaze Minato's rise as the Fourth Hokage had created political friction with the Third Hokage.

The new Raikage was already delaying war reparations, despite Cloud's surrender having taken place just a year prior. 

Orochimaru had assigned Minato an S-rank mission related to Cloud because he suspected they were preparing for war. Unlike Sarutobi Hiruzen, however, Minato wouldn't hesitate—if Cloud dared to make a move, he would strike back mercilessly.

These details were ones Kushina had overheard from Tsunade. However, after talking for a while, she started to feel sleepy.

The night grew late, and after Kain comforted her for a bit, Kushina finally drifted off to sleep in his arms.

Late at Night, Yakushi Nono's Home

The sound of the bed shaking violently echoed through the room. After reaching a peak, it was followed by a muffled groan before everything suddenly fell silent.

Yakushi Nono lay panting heavily on Kain's chest, her clothes drenched with sweat and clinging to her skin like a second layer.

Kain, however, preferred her usual attire—the black robe, which resembled a nun's. Nono also had a habit of wearing white silk stockings, which, combined with her calm and composed demeanor, gave her an air of sacredness.

"Would you like some water, Nono?" Kain asked.

"No, I'll be fine after a short rest," she replied.

She took a moment to recover, unwilling to fall behind. In fact, she had originally come to speak with Kain about something important but had gotten distracted upon seeing him.

After regaining some energy, Nono finally got to the point. "Boss, just as you predicted, Kakashi and Nohara Rin were attacked by Mist Shinobi Anbu while on a medical supply escort mission. The Mist used the opportunity to forcibly seal the Three-Tails inside Rin, intending to unleash it within Konoha."

Just as Kain had planned, when Rin was on the brink of death, the Apparition Magic was triggered, teleporting Yakushi Nono to her location. 

She managed to heal Rin quickly, but due to the prolonged unconscious state, Rin lost some memories of her supposed death. When she woke up, her last recollection was being captured by Mist Shinobi Anbu—she had no memory of how she had ended up here.

Because the Three-Tails was still sealed inside Rin, Nono couldn't simply let her return to Konoha. Instead, she placed a seal on her and imprisoned her in one of Kain's secret locations.

The place was near an orphanage, and aside from being restricted from leaving, Rin was not treated poorly. She was well-fed, and since she had lost her chakra, escaping from the heavily guarded facility was impossible.

After listening to Nono's report, Kain remarked, "Has Kakashi's Sharingan evolved into a Mangekyō yet? It seems things are progressing as expected. What about the Daimyō's residence—any movements?"

Nonōyu's expression grew serious as she adjusted her glasses. "The Daimyō's health is deteriorating. Meanwhile, since the Third Hokage no longer holds an official position in Konoha, he frequently visits the Daimyō's residence—often accompanied by the head of the Yamanaka clan."

She paused for a moment before continuing. "They've been very discreet, but our people have managed to track them.

"Additionally, the Third Hokage seems to be in contact with Uchiha Itachi. One of Itachi's teammates happens to be under our sponsorship, and their team has met with the Third Hokage multiple times."

Kain smirked. "Is that so? Seems like the old man isn't willing to fade into irrelevance just yet. And what about Danzo? Has he made any moves recently?"

Nono shook her head. "No news at all. He's been keeping a low profile and rarely appears in the village.

"Lord Fourth Hokage once attempted to label Danzo as a traitor, but the Third Hokage and the two village advisors intervened. Eventually, Danzo resurfaced, and the matter was dropped."

Kain narrowed his eyes. "Even our sources can't get anything from Root? Looks like that old snake has finally learned to be cautious after taking so many hits. But if we cut off his financial backing, he won't be able to hide forever."

After a brief pause, Kain formulated his next steps. "Root's funding sources are limited. If we start targeting the businesses controlled by the Ino–Shika–Chō and Sarutobi clans within the Land of Fire, they'll be forced to integrate their family ninjas more closely into Konoha."

For a ninja, money was a necessity. Explosive tags, kunai, shuriken, and other tools required constant resupply, not to mention the daily expenses of maintaining a shinobi lifestyle. Unlike ordinary civilians, ninjas had high operational costs.

Kain and Nono continued discussing various intelligence reports, covering not just Konoha but also the major nations. The Kain Chamber of Commerce had been gathering valuable information, all of which was backed up and handed over to Nono for analysis.

Interestingly, aya and the others within the Chamber of Commerce had no idea that Nono was the one overseeing its intelligence operations. They assumed that the real mastermind behind it was either Kushina or Kain himself.

For Kain, the affairs of other ninja villages were only secondary concerns. However, Kirigakure's Fourth Mizukage had intensified the Blood Mist policy after taking office.

It was likely Uchiha Obito's doing—his way of enacting revenge. After all, Nohara Rin had supposedly died at the hands of Mist Shinobi.

As Kain was deep in thought, Yakushi Nono couldn't help but ask, "Boss, are you planning to do something about Kakashi's Sharingan?"

"Well, Uchiha Obito's Sharingan ability is quite rare. But to lure him out, we'll need to use Nohara Rin when the time comes."

Before Kain could finish speaking, Yakushi Nono suddenly sat up and looked at him through her glasses. Her expression made Kain feel a bit strange.

"What's wrong, Nono?" he asked.

"The boss seems very interested in Nohara Rin," she remarked. "You reacted just now."

Since the two of them were still closely pressed together, she could feel the proof of her claim, leaving no room for doubt.

Kain immediately denied it, his expression solemn. "What nonsense. That's just because you were in my arms."

"I never mentioned what kind of reaction," Nono teased, adjusting her glasses as her hands slowly trailed down Kain's chest. A playful smirk appeared on her face.

"Prove it to me, boss~"

Before long, the sound of the bed shaking filled the room once more, the rhythm growing increasingly intense.

Luckily, Kain had placed an enchantment over the house beforehand—otherwise, the neighbors would've been woken up by the commotion and come knocking.

Namikaze Minato, resting in a hotel, suddenly opened his eyes. His hand instinctively reached for his kunai but stopped halfway.

A Konoha Anbu appeared in the room, retrieved a scroll from his cloak, and said, "Namikaze Jōnin, Lord Hokage has ordered the suspension of your mission to track Jiraiya. Instead, you are to carry out this new assignment."

"I understand," Minato replied.

Upon hearing his mission had been changed, he secretly sighed in relief. He wasn't afraid of difficult missions—no matter how dangerous, with the Flying Thunder God Technique, his survival was almost guaranteed.

However, tracking down Jiraiya had put him in an uncomfortable position. He had no desire to capture or confront his beloved teacher. 

More often than not, he had simply pretended not to find him, deliberately avoiding a direct encounter.

But when Minato unrolled the new mission scroll, his expression darkened.

His new task was to gather detailed intelligence on the Cloud Shinobi Village's Eight-Tails Jinchūriki—an S-rank mission. He had to determine their current strength, place of residence, and other crucial details.

Without the Flying Thunder God Technique, Minato might have suspected Orochimaru of trying to send him to his death.

After reviewing the mission details, he activated his chakra-sensing technique to ensure the Anbu had truly left. Once confirmed, he formed a hand seal.

Summoning Technique!

A small toad appeared in a puff of smoke.

"Yo, Minato! Long time no see!" the toad greeted cheerfully.

Minato quickly pressed his index finger to his lips. "Shhh. Kosuke-kun, I need you to deliver an urgent message to Lord Jiraiya—immediately."

He then relayed his situation, informing Jiraiya that his tracking mission had been called off and that other hunters might be dispatched in his place.

….

patreon.com/Vks_sh