"What are the Sage of Six Paths' sacred tools? What do they do?"
After his excitement faded, Naruto's curiosity exploded. "Are they super powerful?"
"They should be pretty powerful."
Natsume recalled things from his previous life. "It's called the Box of Ultimate Bliss. It grants a single wish to whoever opens it."
"Any wish at all?"
Sasuke suddenly cut in.
"Sasuke's interested too?"
Naruto was a bit surprised.
Sasuke didn't answer him; he just looked expectantly at Natsume.
What he was thinking about right now was the Mangekyo Sharingan.
If he wished to awaken it, would it come true?
"Any wish," Natsume said with a slight smile, nodding.
"Whoa!"
Naruto's eyes went wide and he drooled a little. "Then I'll have unlimited Ichiraku Ramen forever!"
Sasuke tugged at the corner of his mouth.
What kind of wish is that?
What a waste.
You might as well give the wish to me.
I'll pay for your Ichiraku from now on.
He had plenty of family funds anyway.
"Sensei, can I be the one to open it?" Sasuke asked, ignoring Naruto's wish.
"Sure," Natsume waved casually, not minding at all.
Hinata didn't react much. She had no particular wish—and even if she did, most of hers were already fulfilled.
Naruto, on the other hand, looked a bit dejected having his chance snatched away. But since it was Sasuke, he didn't mind giving way, and he bounced back quickly.
"Sensei, what's the mission?" Hinata asked.
Her two teammates didn't care much for specifics. She was the only one who still fit the traditional ninja mold.
"The place you're going is called Hozuki Castle, a prison on a sheer sea ringed island," Natsume said, picking up a dossier. "The Box of Ultimate Bliss is in Hozuki Castle. But only one person knows exactly where: the castle warden, Kusa's jonin Mui."
"Will he tell us?" Sasuke frowned.
"Of course not," Natsume shook his head.
The whole reason Mui served as warden was to facilitate his plans. He used the chakra of imprisoned shinobi to feed the Box so it would open and revive his son, Muku. In the original timeline, after absorbing Naruto's Nine Tails power, he finally succeeded. But the revived Muku was already possessed by a monster.
In truth, this omnipotent wish machine is a deception. No matter the wish, what ultimately emerges is a monster called Satori.
Satori has two abilities:
Immortality
Reading emotions
It's a bit like mind reading: it can easily sense an enemy's emotions and predict behavior. That makes it dangerous to fight while letting your thoughts run wild—otherwise, you can't hit it.
These two abilities clearly stem from Yin Release. Natsume wanted Sasuke to open the Box for precisely that reason. If he absorbs it, he might awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan. The question is whether he can withstand it.
Besides, Natsume wanted to know if this thing really was a relic of the Sage.
"Are we going to nab that Mui guy directly?" Sasuke asked again.
"No," Natsume improvised. "Hozuki Castle has friendly cooperative ties with Konoha. We can't just go after Mui and risk our reputation."
It wasn't exactly a lie. Hozuki Castle was a multinational commission, essentially an international prison, and Mui did have decent relations with Konoha.
"Then let's go have a chat with the guy," Naruto grinned. "With Sensei this strong, he'll give us face for sure."
Natsume shot him a look. That sounded like something Minato or Kushina had drilled into him. Sadly, it wouldn't help. Mui wouldn't hand over the Box—his son's life was at stake. Without Muku in the equation, he might have yielded to Konoha's strength. But not now.
"You think Sensei's face works like a universal key?" Natsume quipped. "Besides, it's your mission. You can't have me do everything."
"I guess that's true," Naruto scratched his head.
"All right," Natsume clapped and laid it out. "Only prisoners can get into Hozuki Castle. You'll have to go in disguised as inmates."
"No problem!" Naruto pumped his fist. "When do we head out?"
"No need to 'head out' anywhere." Natsume's lips quirked. "We'll just tie you and Sasuke up and ship you to Hozuki Castle."
"Huh?" Naruto gaped. Is this how missions work?
Sasuke stayed calm—he'd suspected as much. If they were prisoners, they'd be escorted by Konoha. But why not Hinata?
Sasuke smirked faintly. He felt he'd glimpsed Natsume's true nature: a soft spot for girls. He said nothing, though. Ever since Natsume brought back Mikoto and the others, Sasuke felt deeply grateful.
"W what should I do?" Hinata asked in a small panic, worried she'd been cut out because she had no role.
"Relax. Your role is crucial," Natsume noticed her anxiety. "With your Byakugan, you're the only one who can actually locate the Box."
"O okay." Hinata exhaled with relief and smiled.
"Sasuke, Naruto, the heavy lifting's on you," Natsume continued. "Once inside, you need to attempt a breakout and scout Hozuki Castle to narrow down possible locations for the Box."
"Leave it to us, Sensei!" Naruto thumped his chest.
Sasuke didn't speak, but his expression said the same. In their eyes, a Kusa jonin was nothing. Their strength wasn't far off jonin already.
"Go get ready. In a couple days, someone will come for you."
Natsume didn't warn them about Mui. Maybe it was good to blunt their edge a bit. As a movie tier figure, Mui wasn't weak—especially his Fire Style, which was like a sealing technique. Naruto and Sasuke would probably suffer. If they couldn't escape, Natsume would step in. Both boys had Flying Thunder God marks on them—they wouldn't die.
"Natsume-nii."
Hinata didn't leave. Tugging nervously at her hem, she looked up. "Do I need to go to Hozuki Castle with them?"
"No." Natsume glanced at her, stood, came over, and ruffled her hair. "You're with me."
"Okay!" Hinata's eyes brightened, her voice bubbling with joy. Missions were irrelevant—being with Natsume was what mattered.
"Natsume-nii, Mother said you're taking Hanabi as your adopted sister?"
Hinata turned her head to avoid eye contact, hiding her emotions.
"Are you unhappy?" Natsume pinched her soft cheek, smiling.
"No." Hinata's face burned, her denial unconvincing.
"Hanabi's your sister, so she's my sister too," Natsume twined a finger through her bangs. "Don't worry. It won't affect us."
Hinata mustered the courage to look at him, then ducked her head again, whispering a tiny "mm."
She wasn't jealous of Hanabi—she was dizzy trying to parse it. If Natsume became Hanabi's brother, wouldn't that make him her brother, too? Could they still get married?
Once she confirmed it wouldn't be a problem, her worry eased. But having Natsume notice her fluster was mortifying. Her face flushed crimson; she lowered her head as if to bury her face in her chest, steam practically puffing from her hairline.
"Hinata, has anyone told you you're adorable?" Natsume watched her for a long moment.
Hinata's mind went blank. Instinctively, she swayed toward a faint. Natsume caught her around the waist just in time. Feeling the warmth in his arms, she rolled her eyes back and promptly passed out.
"…"
Natsume bit back a comment. He hadn't meant to. After all this time together, she still fainted. Training clearly wasn't enough—he'd have to keep at it.
He picked up her small body and carried her back to the Hyuga compound. Then he headed for the daimyo's residence in the Land of Waves.
…
"Natsume."
Hinae put down her work and hurried over. "Do you need something?"
"Can't I come see you for no reason?" Natsume teased.
"Of course you can." Hinae gave him a slightly aggrieved look. She hadn't meant to guilt him.
Natsume kissed her forehead. "Apologies accepted?"
Hinae smiled at once.
"Good girl," Natsume said, gently kneading her delicate cheeks. "I'm planning a trip to Kusagakure."
Hinae blinked. Kusagakure felt like a distant word to her now. After Natsume rescued her, she'd never gone back. But she hadn't forgotten the scenes of her life there—they were still nightmares. If not for Natsume, she'd probably be dead.
"What for?" She stepped closer and leaned into his chest. Only like this did she feel fearless.
Patting her back, Natsume's gaze softened. "Revenge."
Hinae looked up at the pampering in his eyes, and her face flushed.
"Even if I don't lift a finger, with your current strength, there's hardly anyone in Kusa who can threaten you," he said, forehead touching hers. "You could kill them all."
Her eyes widened.
Kill them all?
She'd had that thought before, but she'd buried it deep because she lacked the strength. Later, her whole heart turned toward Natsume, and revenge faded. Now that he'd brought it up, the embers stirred.
"I only need to kill the shinobi who mistreated me," she said. Like Naruto, she was kind by nature and wouldn't kill indiscriminately. Though in Natsume's view, few shinobi were innocent—most had killed before.
"Okay," Natsume smiled. "Whatever you want."
"Thank you," Hinae said, hugging him tighter.
"What's there to thank? I should apologize for taking this long to think of your revenge."
"That's not true," she said shyly. "Since leaving Kusa, I've been very happy. Revenge… isn't that important to me."
"You're blushing," Natsume said, pinching her chin and studying her face.
She wanted to look down but couldn't, so she met his gaze and let him look. Her exquisite face grew redder, like a ripe apple with a dewy sheen.
Satisfied, Natsume nodded. Hinae always had a special place in his heart—maybe because he could handle her so easily.
Men have their pride, and Hinae's gentleness and response let him feel it anytime.
Mikoto was different—one active, one passive.
Natsume's hands moved with deliberate care, parting the folds of her kimono at the neckline to reveal the soft curves of her upper body.
The fabric slipped down her shoulders, exposing her full, rounded breasts, their rosy nipples already hardening in the cool air.
He lowered his head, his lips capturing one sensitive peak, sucking gently at first, then with increasing fervor. His tongue swirled around the hardened nub, drawing out a sweetness that seemed to well on his tongue, while Hinae's eyes grew hazy, gazing at him with full tenderness and attachment.
Natsume's fingers traced the curve of Hinae's jaw, his touch light yet possessive, drawing her closer until their breaths mingled.
The room, bathed in the soft glow of evening light, seemed to shrink around them, cocooning their intimacy.
Hinae's heart fluttered like a captive bird, her body responding to his nearness with a warmth that spread from her core outward.
With a gentle tug, Natsume lifted the hem of her simple kimono, his hands sliding beneath the fabric to caress the smooth skin of her thighs.
Hinae shivered, not from cold, but from the electric thrill of his touch. She helped him, her own fingers working at the ties, allowing the garment to slip from her shoulders and pool at her feet like discarded silk.
Beneath, her body was revealed in its natural grace—her full, rounded breasts rising and falling with each quickened breath, the rosy peaks hardening under his gaze.
Her waist curved delicately into hips that flared invitingly, and between her thighs, her feminine folds glistened with budding arousal, soft and inviting like petals kissed by dew.
Natsume's eyes darkened with desire as he shed his own robes, revealing the lean, muscled lines of his form.
His manhood stood proud and firm, the smooth length pulsing with need, the tip already beading with anticipation.
Hinae's gaze lingered there, a flush creeping across her cheeks, but she didn't look away—her attachment to him made her bold in these moments.
He pulled her to him, their bare skin pressing together in a symphony of warmth.
His hands roamed freely, groping the soft swells of her breasts, thumbs circling the sensitive peaks until they tightened further, eliciting soft gasps from her lips.
Pleasure bloomed in her chest, a sweet ache that radiated downward, making her core throb with longing.
Natsume leaned in, his mouth capturing one peak, sucking gently at first, then with more fervor, his tongue swirling around the hardened nub.
Hinae arched into him, her fingers threading through his hair, holding him close as waves of delight coursed through her, each pull of his mouth sending sparks of ecstasy to her very center.
Emboldened by her responses, Natsume guided her hand to his manhood, wrapping her slender fingers around its warm, velvety length.
She stroked him tentatively at first, feeling the firmness beneath her touch, the subtle ridges and the heat that seemed to pulse in rhythm with his heartbeat.
His low groan of pleasure encouraged her, and she knelt before him, her lips brushing the tip in a feather-light kiss.
Slowly, she took him into her mouth, her tongue exploring the smooth contours, sucking with a gentle rhythm that made his hips buck slightly. The taste of him was intimate and heady, and she reveled in the way his body tensed, his hands gently cradling her head as pleasure built within him, a coiling tension that promised release.
But Natsume wanted more—he lifted her effortlessly, laying her back on the soft futon, her legs parting instinctively to welcome him.
His fingers delved between her thighs, tracing the slick folds of her feminine core, parting them to find the sensitive pearl at her entrance. Hinae moaned, her body arching as he stroked her there, circles of bliss making her inner walls clench with need.
Pleasure flooded her senses, a building tide that left her breathless and yearning.
When he positioned himself at her entrance, their eyes locked, filled with unspoken promises.
He entered her slowly, inch by inch, his manhood filling her completely, stretching her in the most exquisite way.
Hinae's breath hitched, a gasp of pure delight escaping as he buried himself deep within her warmth.
They moved together in a harmonious rhythm, his thrusts deep and measured, each one sending ripples of ecstasy through her body.
Her hands clutched at his back, nails grazing his skin as pleasure mounted, her core tightening around him with every motion.
Natsume's pace quickened, his own arousal building to a fever pitch, the friction of their union igniting sparks of bliss that spread like wildfire. Hinae's cries grew louder, her body trembling as she approached the peak, waves of intense pleasure crashing over her until she shattered in orgasm, her inner walls pulsing rhythmically around him, drawing him deeper into her embrace.
The sensation pushed Natsume over the edge; with a guttural moan, he found his release, his essence spilling warmly inside her, filling her with a profound sense of completion and connection.
They lay entwined afterward, breaths slowing, bodies slick with the evidence of their passion.
Hinae nestled against him, her heart full, as the last echoes of their shared ecstasy faded into the night.
To her, Natsume was everything. Even her daughter Karin only balanced him in weight.
Night rolled in.
The birds outside the window fled the layered, echoed sounds.
…
A new day.
Natsume opened his eyes to see Hinae, already up. She was still naked from the night before, her skin flushed and glowing in the morning light filtering through the curtains. His body reacted instinctively, his arousal evident and straining against the sheets, a natural morning hardness that demanded attention.
"Mm… morning… full of energy…"
"Morning. You're pretty energetic yourself," Natsume said, hands behind his head, doing nothing. He lay there, relaxed, watching her with a lazy grin as she shifted closer, her eyes dropping to the tented fabric between his legs.
Hinae smiled shyly, her cheeks tinting pink, but she didn't hesitate.
She leaned over him, her bare breasts brushing against his chest as she pulled the sheet away, exposing his rigid length.
Kneeling between his legs, she wrapped her fingers around the base, stroking gently at first, then lowering her head.
Her lips parted, taking him into the warm, wet heat of her mouth.
She moved slowly, her tongue swirling around the tip, then sliding down further, enveloping him inch by inch.
Natsume groaned softly, his hips twitching as she bobbed her head, sucking and licking with increasing rhythm, her hands working in tandem to heighten his pleasure.
Saliva glistened on his skin, and she hummed around him, the vibrations sending sparks through his body.
After a few minutes, she pulled back, her lips swollen and shiny, a string of saliva connecting them briefly before she wiped it away.
Natsume's breath was ragged, his arousal throbbing even harder now. Hinae climbed over him, straddling his hips, her own desire evident in the slickness between her thighs.
She positioned herself above him, guiding his hardness to her entrance, then sank down slowly, inch by inch, until he was fully sheathed inside her.
A shared moan escaped them as she began to move, rolling her hips in a steady grind, her hands planted on his chest for leverage.
She rode him with building intensity, lifting and dropping, her breasts bouncing with each motion, the room filling with the sounds of skin meeting skin and their heavy breathing.
Natsume's hands finally moved from behind his head, gripping her waist to guide her faster, thrusting up to meet her descends.
Pleasure built rapidly—hers in the deep friction against her most sensitive spots, his in the tight, enveloping heat.
Hinae's pace quickened, her moans growing louder, until her body tensed, a shuddering climax ripping through her.
She cried out, her inner walls clenching around him rhythmically, waves of ecstasy making her tremble.
The sensation pushed Natsume over the edge moments later. With a deep groan, he thrust up one final time, his release surging inside her in hot pulses, filling her as his body jerked with the intensity of his orgasm.
Hinae looked tired and a little embarrassed, collapsing beside him with a satisfied sigh.
"Rest well." He wiped the sweat from her forehead, along with a stray drop of their mingled fluids.
"Mm."
She closed her eyes and soon fell into steady breathing.
Natsume dressed, stretched, and opened the door.
"Pervert! Die!"
Tayuya suddenly appeared behind him. Natsume turned, caught her fist, and took in her flushed face. "Eavesdropping on adults isn't what good girls do."
"Who's eavesdropping!" she snapped. "I came to call Aunt Hinae for breakfast!"
"She's already eaten. No need," Natsume said evenly, releasing her fist.
"Ate?" Tayuya blinked, not quite getting it.
"This isn't the time to explain." Natsume scooped her up, raised his hand, and said, "Today's punishment is this."
Smack.
Tayuya's face burned. He spanked her?
"Bastard! Pervert! I'll kill you!" she screamed, but Natsume was iron willed. In the end, tears welled in her eyes from the sting.