"Hey, Kushina-neesan, what are you doing?"
"I only stumbled on that intel by chance. In the end it was your good luck. Up you get." Kageyama Kokugetsu stepped forward and reached out politely.
"What intel?" Tsunade asked, curious.
Kushina had no intention of hiding anything from Tsunade; there was nothing left to hide now. She told the whole story.
"So it can be used like that?
"Remarkable. Though at this point it's really only useful to your Uzumaki."
"Kid, nicely done." Tsunade clapped Kageyama Kokugetsu on the shoulder.
"Thank you, Xiangmei."
He accepted the tea. Uzumaki Xiangmei smiled broadly; life clearly suited her now.
"Pure luck. In the end Heaven favored Kushina-neesan and Konoha."
"You sound like an old man—no fun at all. This is friends catching up, not a briefing." Tsunade folded her arms and rolled her eyes.
"Ah—sorry. I've gotten used to it," Kageyama Kokugetsu said with an abashed smile.
"No wonder you've been progressing so fast. The old man and the others love hearing you talk like that."
"Ahem, Lady Tsunade, I didn't get here by buttering people up."
"I know. I've heard of your merits."
"And this time you performed just as well. Hah, damn Kumo took a beating from you." Tsunade's schadenfreude was plain.
"Tsunade-neesan, what did Kokugetsu do?" Kushina asked, eager. She had no fondness for Kumo after they had nearly abducted her once.
Xiangmei and Mikoto were just as curious and looked to Tsunade expectantly.
"This kid slipped into the very center of Kumo's camp and assassinated twelve shinobi—five jōnin and seven tokubetsu jōnin.
"He even left the words Dog Kumo, die and got out whole. I imagine Kumo's hopping mad."
Tsunade laughed so hard she rocked on the sofa.
It would be unappreciative not to admire the sight, so Kageyama Kokugetsu gave it a respectful glance.
"Hiss…"
All three women drew a sharp breath and stared at him in shock.
To infiltrate the enemy's central camp and assassinate like that—the polite, mild-mannered boy was that ruthless and capable?
"Also, his stealth and assassination have made his name across the shinobi world. Outside they call him Nightmare Shade Hunt, and the ANBU of every nation are especially wary.
"To be fair, he's the real deal. At his age, Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and I were far behind, and even Minato couldn't match him.
"Good kid. Keep it up."
Again Tsunade clapped him on the shoulder.
"I'll do my best."
"But Lady Tsunade, how are you so up to speed on my exploits?" Kageyama Kokugetsu tilted his head, puzzled.
"When I got back, the old man came to me. He wanted me to take you as a student and laid out what you've done," Tsunade said.
"Why didn't you agree, Tsunade-neesan?" Kushina said, a little regretful at the implication.
Tsunade spread her hands. "I'm in no mood to take on a student.
"Shizune alone is headache enough.
"And this guy may be young, but he's already an elite among jōnin with a complete style of his own. I don't have much to teach."
Kageyama Kokugetsu smiled. "You're too modest.
"Your famed monstrous strength and medical ninjutsu would be wonderful to learn. If you'd be willing…"
The three women traded looks, then burst into giggles. It sounded like Tsunade had been checkmated.
"You little fox, trying that on me?" Tsunade scolded with a smile.
"But if you want to learn, I can teach you.
"You're one of Konoha's future pillars. Reaching Kage class sooner is good for the village.
"All right. Come to my place tomorrow afternoon.
"As long as I'm in Konoha, you can consult me. Whether you learn it and how much—that's on you."
"Many thanks, Lady Tsunade. Tea instead of wine—cheers." Kageyama Kokugetsu beamed.
He believed in mastering many crafts. Every new skill was nourishment on the road to invincibility.
Tsunade smiled, tapped cups, and took a small sip.
"Ah, nearly dinner. I should start cooking.
"Kokugetsu, don't leave. You're staying to eat this time," Kushina said, glancing at the time.
"Then I'll try Kushina-neesan's cooking," he said with a small smile.
"Great.
"Xiangmei, help me. You two watch the kids."
When they headed for the kitchen, that left three adults and three babies in the room.
Kageyama Kokugetsu found the three little ones interesting and looked them over from left to right.
"If you like, you can hold one," Mikoto said gently.
"I'll pass. I'm afraid of getting peed on. Looking is great," he said, waving it off.
Tsunade and Mikoto couldn't help but laugh.
"I hear Jiraiya went to the front. How is it there?"
"Hairy in the moment, but the result's good. Slight edge to us."
"How so?"
"Kumo pulled a cheap move, sending Killer B to ambush me. I spotted the flaw in time.
"Then in the mass melee, seeing me shine on the field, he targeted me again.
"Luckily we had a plan, and B had his scruples—he didn't dare go full beast. I teamed with Ino–Shika–Chō to hold him."
Mikoto listened with a chill under her ribs. He told it lightly, but the danger was obvious.
After a pause, Tsunade said, "Be careful."
When Nawaki died, he'd been about the same age. The battlefield was merciless. There was no room for a moment's carelessness.
"Understood."
"Laying low a bit is good," Mikoto said brightly.
"Right, the Hokage giving me leave is also to cool things down.
"I'd thought it was just to stop Kumo from losing its head and surging troops, swelling the war."
Kageyama Kokugetsu nodded to himself. He might have been getting a bit full of himself lately.
So be it. Within normal limits.
They chatted, and soon a full table was ready.
Tsunade and Kageyama Kokugetsu ate first, as the three babies got fussy one after another and had to be fed in the other room.
After dinner and a cup of tea, a little past eight, Kageyama Kokugetsu took his leave.
Uchiha Mikoto soon followed, carrying Sasuke.
"Kokugetsu-kun, wait a moment."
A cold wind brushed the street. Mikoto hurried along with Sasuke in her arms, long black hair streaming, that faint milky fragrance in the air.
Kageyama Kokugetsu flared his nostrils and smiled. "In a rush, Mikoto-neesan? What's up?"
"Yes. Do you remember our last arrangement?
"If you're finally free, come by our place one day?" Mikoto lifted a hand to her hair, her smile bright and inviting.
At this hour, visiting the Uchiha clan head's house openly?
The optics weren't ideal, but it hardly mattered. If the high council asked, he could use the pretext of quietly investigating the masked man.
Given how much they trusted him, the leadership might even encourage him to engage more with the Uchiha to sniff out clues.
"Sure. The day after tomorrow. Message me the exact time."
"Alright." Mikoto's face lit up.
After the Nine Tails' night, the Uchiha's standing in the village had only worsened. Fugaku was run ragged.
With Kokugetsu coming over, she could pass their stance to the Konoha leadership through him and maybe ease things.
"Shall we walk together?" Kageyama Kokugetsu arched a brow.
"Gladly. It's on my way."
In fine spirits, Mikoto smiled and walked with him toward the far end of the street.
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