chapter 20

Chapter 20:

– Tsunade –

Tsunade slowly opened her eyes the next morning, stretching lazily beneath the warm sheets. Her entire body felt incredibly relaxed, pleasantly sore in exactly the right places. Memories of last night immediately flashed through her mind, bringing a satisfied grin to her lips. 

She glanced beside her and felt a soft warmth spread through her chest.

Blake was still sleeping peacefully beside her, his breathing deep and even. Tsunade chuckled softly, watching him fondly. He might have been a Fallen Angel blessed with incredible sexual stamina, but she was still an experienced kunoichi—with more than enough secret tricks up her sleeve to wear him out.

Leaning closer, she gently brushed some tousled black hair from his forehead, smiling softly as she pressed a gentle kiss against his cheek. He stirred slightly, murmuring something unintelligible in his sleep but didn't awaken.

"Rest well, Blake," she whispered affectionately, sliding slowly out of the bed. "You certainly earned it."

As Tsunade stood, she stretched her arms overhead, releasing a satisfied sigh. Immediately, she felt an odd bounce in her chest, and she paused, looking down curiously. Her breasts felt strangely firm and perky—much more so than usual.

"Hmm?" she murmured quietly to herself, cupping them gently. "Well, that's interesting..."

Glancing lower, she took stock of the rest of her naked body. Her thighs were streaked lightly with dried cum from their previous night's adventures, but that wasn't what caught her attention. Her legs looked noticeably more toned and defined than they had yesterday. She was still an incredibly fit woman, of course, but over the last several years, she'd admittedly slacked off from the intensive daily training she'd once maintained religiously. 

Though recently, since meeting Blake, she'd begun correcting that a bit…

She frowned slightly, confused yet intrigued by these changes, then turned toward the nearby full-length mirror, curious about what else might look different. And when she saw her reflection clearly, Tsunade froze in shock.

The woman staring back at her was stunning—far younger and more vibrant than Tsunade had seen in decades. Her usual special genjutsu technique, which masked her true appearance and always made her look somewhere in her early thirties, was currently inactive. 

…Yet the reflection gazing back at her was easily in her mid-twenties, glowing with youthful health and radiant beauty.

She tentatively touched her face, her skin smooth, firm, and flawless beneath her fingertips. Her wide eyes moved downward again, this time to her now beautifully toned figure and noticeably perkier breasts. Tsunade's heart started racing as realization fully set in.

"This isn't my genjutsu," she whispered softly, astonished. "This…this is me."

The genjutsu had somehow faltered overnight, and what she was seeing right now—this incredible, vibrant, twenty-five-year-old woman—was her real self. Tsunade stared at her reflection, slowly turning side to side, studying herself in growing amazement. A delighted, incredulous laugh escaped her lips. "Shuri mentioned this might happen! I just didn't think it would be this fast...or this dramatic!"

The way Shuri described it made it seem like big changes would take a while…

She glanced back toward Blake, still sound asleep on the bed behind her. Could it have something specifically special to do with him and his other unique ability? 

Tsunade smiled softly as she considered the question—of course there was something special about him! He was the one who'd finally gotten her to open her heart again after all these years, breaking through all her defenses and making her truly happy again. "You're definitely one hell of a man, Blake," she whispered affectionately, grinning warmly at his sleeping form. "I'm incredibly lucky I found you."

Tsunade briefly considered waking him up and pulling him into the shower with her, wanting to celebrate this exciting development together! 

However, reality quickly set in as she remembered exactly what awaited her today. Unfortunately, she didn't have a few spare hours this morning—not with Sarutobi practically throwing the Hokage hat at her and the Chunin Exams beginning in just a few hours. 

She sighed, running her fingers lovingly through Blake's hair one more time before reluctantly heading toward the shower alone. "Sorry, lover," Tsunade murmured softly, glancing back once more with affection as she opened the bathroom door. "We'll just have to pick this up again the next time I have free time," she lamented.

– Blake –

When I finally woke up, the first thing I did was grin like an idiot. Damn, last night was incredible. Hell, incredible didn't even cover it—I felt like a brand-new man. And technically, I was. I couldn't help but laugh softly to myself at the thought.

Stretching out lazily beneath Tsunade's unbelievably soft sheets, I glanced around, half-expecting to find her beautiful, naked body cuddled up next to me. But, much to my disappointment, the bed was empty. Waking up beside Tsunade would have made this morning perfect.

I sighed, realizing she must have already left to handle her new Hokage responsibilities. Today was a huge day for her, after all. As much as I wanted to spend the entire day in bed together, I knew Tsunade had plenty of pressing things she needed to attend to first.

"Well, I guess I can't hog the Hokage all day," I muttered jokingly to myself, reluctantly getting up and swinging my legs over the side of the bed. The moment I stood, I felt just how messy I was—sticky and sweaty from last night's rather enthusiastic activities. I definitely needed a shower immediately.

I walked toward the bathroom, stepping beneath the stream of warm water. Leaning forward, I let the water run over my head, relishing how good it felt against my muscles. I'd never felt this relaxed—or this satisfied—in my entire life.

"Yeah, Tsunade definitely knows what she's doing," I laughed softly under my breath, smiling at the memory of last night. It made me incredibly eager to do it all again very soon.

Once I finished washing up, I stepped out and quickly dried off. I slipped into a comfortable pair of dark-blue pants, pulled on one of those black ninja shirts I'd quickly grown used to wearing, and sighed as I reluctantly put on the sandals everyone here wore. "Man, I really miss real shoes," I grumbled to myself as I flexed my toes in annoyance. How did anyone fight properly in these flimsy things anyway?

Dressed and presentable, I finally walked out of Tsunade's bedroom and headed toward the kitchen. My stomach chose that moment to growl loudly, reminding me just how hungry I was. Apparently, all the incredible sex from last night had really worked up my appetite.

Unfortunately, after a quick look around the Senju compound, I realized no one else was home. Tsunade was obviously busy being Hokage, Shizune at the hospital, my mother doing secret ninja stuff, and Konan was nowhere to be found either. 

"Guess everyone's got somewhere important to be but me," I sighed out loud, walking into the kitchen to check the clock. To my surprise, it was already approaching noon. Tsunade really tired me out last night.

I stood there for a second, debating whether or not to make myself something to eat, but the thought of cooking right now wasn't very appealing. Honestly, I just wasn't in the mood to prepare anything myself.

Then an idea popped into my head. "Maybe I'll finally check out that ramen stall Naruto's always going on about," I muttered. "I guess it's about time I figured out what all the fuss is."

I walked out of the compound and hopped onto the rooftops, quickly making my way toward Ichiraku Ramen. It was easy enough to find. Clearly popular, with a handful of ninja already seated at the counter, quietly eating and chatting. I sat down at the furthest available seat on the left. A pretty brunette—who I assumed was the daughter of the older man cooking in the back—smiled warmly as she came over to take my order.

"What'll you have today?" she asked cheerfully.

"I'll go with the pork ramen, please," I said.

"Coming right up!" She turned toward the older cook, relaying my order quickly.

Within a few minutes, a steaming bowl of ramen was placed in front of me. I took my first bite cautiously. Immediately, a pleasant flavor flooded my mouth, and I found myself pleasantly surprised by just how good it was. "Damn," I muttered under my breath, genuinely impressed. "Maybe Naruto actually knows what he's talking about."

Suddenly, someone slid onto the stool right next to mine. I glanced up, startled by the sudden closeness, and found myself looking into a pair of mischievous brown eyes. The woman sitting next to me had short, spiky purple hair, and wore a very skimpy fishnet ninja outfit beneath a loosely open trench coat. She was grinning at me confidently.

"So, you're the one banging the new Hokage, huh?" she asked loudly, amusement clear in her voice.

I nearly choked on a mouthful of ramen, coughing slightly as I struggled to regain composure. "What the hell?" I finally sputtered, staring at her incredulously. "You can't just start a conversation like that!"

She laughed openly, clearly enjoying my embarrassment. "Sure I can," she shot back playfully, giving me a teasing grin. "I'm Mitarashi Anko, one of Konoha's newly promoted Jonin." She paused, smirking proudly. "And, by the way, I owe your hot Hokage girlfriend a thank-you for that."

I blinked in confusion, trying to follow her rapid-fire introduction. "...What?"

How exactly was I supposed to respond to that statement? She ignored my confused look and kept bragging. 

"Yep! Those old prissy bastards running the village before her never wanted to officially promote me because of my shitty ex-sensei," Anko explained casually, grabbing a pair of chopsticks from the counter as the waitress served her next. "But the big bad bitch herself, Tsunade-sama, took one look at me, listened to my record, and promoted me right there on the spot! Then she went and publicly demoted a few of those lazy-ass "nepotism Jonin" who never deserved their ranks anyway." Anko cackled gleefully at the memory. "Let me tell you, it was funny as shit. You should've seen their faces!"

I nodded slowly, picturing the chaos Tsunade probably caused. She wasn't the kind of woman who fucked around and I know that she HATED incompetence in general. Shiuzne had told me that's what Tsunade believed caused the death of her little brother. 

"All of that happened this morning?" I asked, genuinely surprised by just how much I'd missed already.

Anko shot me another teasing grin, leaning a bit closer with interest. "Yeah. Whole village practically knows about it by now. It's all anyone's talking about." She tilted her head curiously. "Where have you been all morning, handsome?"

I felt my cheeks warm slightly as I glanced away, clearing my throat awkwardly. "Sleeping..." I admitted, refusing to meet her mischievous gaze.

Her grin widened instantly, her eyes dancing with humor. "Hmm, sleeping, huh?" she purred playfully. "Did the Hokage wear out her adorable little boy-toy last night? That woman definitely looks like she could go all night."

I scowled at her blunt question, even though I couldn't exactly deny it. "That's really none of your business," I snapped back quickly, fighting down my embarrassment.

Anko laughed again, completely unfazed by my defensiveness. "Relax, lover-boy, I'm just teasing," she reassured me lightly, twirling a pair of chopsticks between her fingers skillfully. "No need to get all defensive about it. Hell, good for you. Hokage-sama's hot—I'd brag about it if I were you! She looks way younger than I was expecting to," Anko commented.

"Alright, Anko. Out with it," I finally said. "Did you come looking specifically for me, or were you just trying to see if you could embarrass me publicly?"

Anko chuckled, spinning her chopsticks skillfully in her hand. Then she leaned closer, giving me a bold, mischievous smirk.

"Oh, that's easy—I want you!" she declared loudly and confidently, not even bothering to lower her voice.

"I'm taken already. Sorry," I told her bluntly.

And even if I wasn't–yes she was super hot–but she was also giving super crazy vibes at the same time.

Well, crazier than the other women in my life at least…

She immediately pouted, looking genuinely disappointed as she nudged my shoulder playfully. "Not like that!" Anko whined. She paused, then reconsidered, giving me an appreciative once-over. "Well… actually, yes exactly like that, because you're hot as hell and I'd absolutely ride you all night long. But even I'm not stupid enough to mess around with the Hokage's personal boy-toy. I value my job—and my life—way too much."

I just stared at her with a blank expression, deadpanning. She really had no shame at all.

Anko laughed again at my look, clearly amused by my reaction. Then she turned slightly more serious, resting her elbow on the counter and leaning her chin on her palm as she regarded me more thoughtfully.

"The truth is," she started, "I'm in charge of the second stage of the Chunin Exams today. It's kind of turned into a bigger workload than I was expecting. Plus, with my recent promotion to Jonin, I really wanna prove to everyone that I'm capable and deserving of my rank. There are plenty of assholes in this village who'd love to see me screw up—and I won't give them the satisfaction." She paused, studying my reaction carefully. "Long story short, I'm looking to recruit some strong, reliable people to help me oversee the second stage of the exams."

I tilted my head, giving her a questioning look. "And you want me to help?" I asked, genuinely confused. "I'm not even an official ninja."

Anko's smirk widened as she reached into the pocket of her trench coat, pulling out a Leaf Village headband and tossing it onto the counter right in front of me. "Are you sure about that?" she asked playfully.

I stared at the headband for a second, then turned back to her, keeping my voice perfectly flat. "Yes, Anko. I'm pretty damn sure."

She rolled her eyes dramatically, waving her hand dismissively. "Meh, technicalities," she said casually. "Like I said—you're sleeping with the Hokage, which already gives you plenty of credibility, and from what I heard, you were strong enough to last a few minutes sparring with Jiraiya of the Sannin. Trust me, no one's going to bat an eye if I bring you along to help." Anko grinned, waggling her eyebrows suggestively. "So, what do you say, handsome? Got anything better to do?"

I hesitated, seriously considering her offer. It wasn't like I had anything else lined up for today. Did I really want to spend the entire day just sitting around doing nothing? Honestly, not really. It made me feel useless.

I sighed in resignation, shrugging reluctantly. "Alright. Sure, I guess I can help you out," I finally agreed, though not very enthusiastically.

"That's the spirit!" Anko cheered loudly, slapping the counter happily before tossing a few bills down to cover both our meals. "Now hurry up and finish eating—we gotta get moving! The first exam is wrapping up in a few minutes, and I want to make a badass impression on all these little baby ninja."

– Orochimaru –

Sitting calmly in the back row, disguised as an inconspicuous Grass ninja, Orochimaru watched the genin around him fidget nervously as the clock ticked closer to the next stage. He could almost taste their anxiety and fear, something he had always found rather delightful. These pitiful children had no idea what awaited them in the Forest of Death.

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed throughout the examination room, the window shattering into countless fragments. Every head snapped around as a familiar figure made a dramatic leap into the room, landing gracefully in front of the gathered genin. Orochimaru's lips twitched slightly beneath his disguise. Even after all these years, Anko always did enjoy making the most flamboyant entrances possible.

Standing confidently in front of the startled crowd, Anko smirked widely, her sharp eyes scanning the students as she placed a hand cockily on her hip.

"Well, well, looks like you brats survived Ibiki's little torture session!" she announced loudly, her voice brimming with amused sarcasm. "Congrats, I guess. But don't celebrate yet—because the real fun is just getting started!"

She paused dramatically, letting the tension build. 

Orochimaru found himself almost amused at her theatrics. She always had possessed a certain entertaining flair that set her apart from his other students—at least until he'd abandoned her.

Anko continued, her voice confidently projecting through the silent room. "Listen up, kids! I'm Mitarashi Anko, freshly-promoted Jonin of Konoha, and proctor for the second exam. But I won't be handling you alone. I've got someone special joining me today." She turned toward the broken window, a sly grin spreading across her face. "Meet my handsome partner for the exam! Blake Himejima!"

The name immediately piqued Orochimaru's interest, and his attention sharpened. He'd heard whispers of this Blake character lately. The mysterious young man who'd caught the eye—and the heart—of Konoha's newest Hokage. 

Rumors spread quickly, especially when they concerned someone as notorious as Tsunade Senju.

And then, right on cue, Blake himself flew through the broken window behind Anko, descending lightly beside her. Orochimaru's yellow eyes narrowed with intense curiosity beneath his disguise, taking in every detail of the young man. 

Blake Himejima was certainly intriguing. Orochimaru observed his tall, athletic build, piercing blue eyes, and confident bearing. But what truly captured his attention were the four sleek, powerful black wings protruding gracefully from Blake's back. Feathery, yet undeniably strong and muscular—clearly the result of an impressive and previously unknown bloodline limit.

"Fascinating…" Orochimaru murmured softly to himself, studying Blake closely. He found himself briefly imagining the possibilities, the potential of dissecting and examining those unique wings. 

He felt a familiar stir of excitement at the thought of unraveling the secrets hidden within a new enticing genetic anomaly.

But he quickly shook his head, pushing the tempting thought aside.

"No, I must focus," he reminded himself quietly, clenching his hands into tight fists on his lap. His priority was very clear—Sasuke Uchiha and the Sharingan. Anything else, no matter how intriguing, was merely a distraction.

His eyes slid hungrily across the crowded room, quickly finding the dark-haired boy he'd been obsessing over for months. Sasuke sat a few rows ahead. Orochimaru smiled thinly to himself, savoring the anticipation building within him. He had waited so patiently for this moment—for the chance to finally claim his long-awaited prize.

"Soon, Sasuke-kun," he whispered softly, almost lovingly. "Very soon, you will belong entirely to me."

Yet, even as Orochimaru focused on Sasuke, he couldn't help but glance briefly back at the young winged man standing confidently at Anko's side. 

It was annoying that the young man was also going to be in the forest of death.

…It would certainly complicate things significantly if Orochimaru were to harm the Hokage's precious lover. Tsunade's fury was legendary, after all, and the sudden decision by the Third Hokage to appoint her as successor was unexpected. 

…Even Orochimaru knew better than to unnecessarily provoke a vengeful Tsunade Senju. Jiraiya had learned that the hard way years ago when she almost killed him for peeping on her.

No, for now, this "Blake Himejima" would have to remain untouched. 

Adjustments to the Leaf Village's destruction would have to be carefully considered as well. "I suppose a few small adjustments to my original plans will be unavoidable," Orochimaru sighed softly to himself, leaning back in his seat. However, his primary goal for Sasuke in the Forest of Death still remained firmly in place.

"Yes," Orochimaru decided quietly, licking his lips hungrily.

– Gaara – 

Gaara's pale-green eyes narrowed intensely, his gaze locked onto the man with the large black wings standing beside the noisy proctor. Blake Himejima—the man his mother hated. 

Just seeing him here again stirred Gaara's murderous impulses immediately!

"Kill him! I want to taste his blood!" his mother shouted in his head.

He silently clenched his fists tighter at his sides, barely suppressing the trembling urge to unleash his sand right then and there. 

Soon. 

Soon he'd have his chance to spill Blake's blood. Mother would be so pleased with him when he finally delivered this irritating stranger's life to her…

XXX

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Here is the list of Current Advanced Chapters on there:

The Fallen Gamer ch 330-334

A Systematic Tale: The Hero 9

The Blood Queen 46

The Fox Hole 85

A Systematic Tale: The Hero 8

The Fox Hole 84

Thunder and Black Wings 22

The Blood Queen 45

The Fox Hole 83

A Systematic Tale: The Hero 7

The Fox Hole 82

Thunder and Black Wings 21

The Blood Queen 44

The Fox Hole 81

A Systematic Tale: The Hero 6

The Fox Hole 80