Chapter 51: The Village's Finest Sword

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The news sent back to Konoha caused quite a stir among the higher-ups.

But how should one put it?

Reactions varied.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was pleased.

Tsunade was his student, so he was naturally happy to see her succeed.

And of the seven others involved in this mission, apart from Shisui Uchiha, all were his disciples' students—in other words, all were ninjas from the Hokage's lineage.

But there were still distinctions in closeness.

No matter how well Shisui Uchiha or Itachi Uchiha performed, they couldn't compare to Tsunade.

She was the true successor.

Sasame's performance also filled him with relief.

Finally, among the younger generation, there was a genius who didn't bear the Uchiha name.

But while some were happy, others were not.

For example, Orochimaru and Danzo Shimura.

The former was just one step away from his goal and was so furious he could vomit blood.

The latter believed Tsunade's reputation was rising too quickly, posing a danger—who knew when she might become the next Hokage?

On the way back, Fugaku Uchiha received a message from the Anbu.

Hiruzen Sarutobi planned to hold a welcoming ceremony, having them parade through Konoha.

It had to be said—he understood public opinion all too well.

After all, there was once an invincible ninja known as the White Fang of Konoha who died because of it.

Hiruzen intended to use this ceremony to boost Tsunade's prestige while also dispelling any suspicions surrounding the Uchiha clan.

Two days later, in the morning.

At the gates of Konoha.

The atmosphere was lively.

But the excitement was for others—Sasame wanted no part in it.

"You guys go ahead."

After Tsunade's procession, she still had to report the mission.

"You all did well this time. The old man will give you extra rewards, so don't hold back. Ask for whatever you want."

"Understood."

The three of them slipped away from the group.

"I'm heading to Tanzaku Quarter."

Shizune and Kabuto knew about the Gunma Company, so they weren't surprised.

Sasame waved and went his separate way.

Soon, he arrived at the Gunma Casino.

"I'm back."

Sasame pushed open the door.

Inside, Karin and Uzumaki Ena froze for a moment before breaking into smiles and rushing toward him.

"Big brother!"

Karin got there first—or rather, Ena took a step back, giving her daughter the opportunity.

"Have you been studying hard lately?"

Sasame picked her up and asked.

As he spoke, he gave Ena a reassuring glance.

"Hmph!"

Karin pouted, hands on her hips, puffing out her cheeks. "The first thing you ask about is studying? Do you even like me?"

Her expression was unbearably cute.

Sasame couldn't help but laugh.

Ena did the same.

She stepped forward, patting Karin's little head with a gentle smile. "Nonsense. Your brother loves you the most."

"Right, I brought you a gift."

Sasame took out a small, intricately crafted shuriken.

Normally, girls her age would prefer dolls or toys.

But Karin was different—she had always been feisty, fond of weapons and fighting.

She examined the shuriken closely, noticing the delicate engravings, and finally looked satisfied.

"Fine, I forgive you."

She tilted her head, her eyes pure and innocent. "Brother, put me down and hug Mom instead."

Ena looked up, startled.

"Earlier, you wanted to hug him too, but I took your spot. Now it's your turn."

Karin wore an expression that said, I'm smart and well-behaved.

Sasame couldn't help but chuckle.

This kid is way too sharp for her age.

But he didn't refuse.

He set Karin down and opened his arms.

Ena hesitated for a moment.

She glanced at Karin, a little embarrassed, but still stepped forward and embraced Sasame.

During this time, she had been living in constant fear, dreading the possibility of bad news.

Now, breathing in his familiar scent, she felt all the emptiness inside her fill up, overwhelmed with happiness and contentment.

Because of their height difference, what was supposed to be her hugging him turned into him holding her instead.

But that was fine too.

Sasame nuzzled his cheek against her soft skin, rubbing until Ena's head spun.

But she didn't push him away.

Not until Karin, unable to take it anymore, huffed, "That's longer than me!"

Ena snapped out of it, slightly embarrassed, and let go of Sasame.

The way her daughter looked at her made her feel like she'd stolen something precious.

"Have you eaten yet?"

Ena checked the time and asked.

"No."

Sasame grinned. "Outside, all I got was garbage. I need you to fix my diet."

"It'll be ready soon."

Hearing this, Ena immediately softened, her voice warm and tender.

She turned and headed to the kitchen.

Sasame picked up Karin again, settling her on his lap, and grabbed a copy of The Analects.

"Let's check your progress over the past two weeks. 'Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar?' What does that mean?"

"When like-minded friends visit from far away, isn't it a pleasure?"

"Not bad."

Sasame sighed in relief—at least Confucius' dignity was intact this time.

"Next one. 'A nobleman loves wealth but takes it in the right way.' How do you translate that?"

"I like money, so I'll take yours—that's perfectly reasonable!"

Karin declared confidently.

Kakuzu would've loved this kid.

Sasame couldn't argue—it did make sense.

Truly, a world where only Confucius suffered.

"Come eat."

Ena called out, carrying dishes to the table.

Karin immediately abandoned Sasame and rushed over.

If you're not enthusiastic about food, there's something wrong with your mindset.

Of course, the real reason was that it meant no more studying.

After the meal, Sasame returned home.

Not that he didn't want to stay longer, but he had business in the afternoon.

Their team had to meet with Hiruzen Sarutobi.

The only problem was—Sasame didn't know what reward to ask for.

Thanks to Tsunade, he lacked nothing.

Even the Scroll of Seals was accessible to him.

And what he truly needed, Hiruzen couldn't provide.

Hokage's Office.

Tsunade barged in without ceremony, plopping onto the sofa with zero respect.

But Sasame and the others couldn't afford such boldness—they bowed politely.

Hiruzen acknowledged them with a nod before turning to Tsunade with a pleased smile.

"You did well this time. Without you, the war might not have ended so soon. Compared to Orochimaru and Jiraiya, you've always been the one who gave me the least trouble."

"It wasn't just me."

Tsunade waved him off. "Skip the pleasantries. Let's get to the point."

She didn't care about rewards for herself, but she had to fight for her students.

Old man, you've got plenty of treasures—time to cough some up.

"Very well."

Hiruzen tapped his pipe. "For infiltrating enemy territory and flooding the Cloud camp, your contributions are immense. The reward will be counted as four S-rank missions."

"And?"

Tsunade pressed.

Four S-rank missions weren't bad—split among them, each would get at least a million ryo.

But money was the least important thing.

"What else do you want? Ninjutsu? Tools? Name it."

Hiruzen wasn't stingy.

Ninjas who performed great deeds were always generously rewarded—usually with techniques.

"Lord Hokage."

Kabuto had already made up his mind. "I hope you can increase funding for Konoha's orphanage."

Hiruzen blinked.

That was… unexpected.

But it left a good impression.

Loyalty and compassion were rare traits in shinobi.

And Hiruzen liked such ninjas.

Because a soft heart meant they cared for others—perfect material for the Will of Fire.

"Of course."

Hiruzen nodded, feigning remorse. "The orphanage should've been renovated long ago, but with Konoha's recent turmoil and the war, it was delayed. Thank you for reminding me."

Now that's how you talk.

Sasame almost wanted to applaud.

Come to think of it, Naruto had been quiet lately—probably convinced by Hiruzen's sweet words again.

"Lord Hokage, I'd like a custom-made set of medical tools."

Shizune could've just used Sasame's money to buy them, but she wasn't that type of person.

"Granted."

Hiruzen agreed before shifting his gaze. "Sasame, what about you? Your performance was outstanding. Don't hold back—ask for anything."

He was subtly hinting that Sasame's reward could surpass Shizune and Kabuto's.

And honestly, based on merit, he deserved it.

After all, he was the one who blew up the dam, while the other two just played messenger.

Sasame hesitated, unsure what to request.

"The Raijin-no-Ken."

Tsunade cut in. "Sasame, you lack a proper weapon. And the Lightning God Sword is Konoha's finest blade."

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