After Naruto finished his explanation about the Falna, Anko remained silent for a long moment. She paced around the training hall, touching the concrete walls.
"Interesting story, brat." She stopped in front of him. "But I have to admit it sounds completely crazy."
"I know! I thought I was going crazy at first too." Naruto scratched the back of his head. "But it really works."
"And you say Kurenai already has this?" Anko looked at Hinata with curiosity. "How did she convince her sensei to do something so weird?"
Hinata turned red. "Well... she wanted to make sure it was safe before Sakura-chan received it."
"Ah, so Kurenai was your guinea pig." Anko smiled with amusement. "Typical of her, always so protective of her students."
"Kurenai-sensei is incredible now," Hinata said with genuine admiration. "She is much stronger than before."
"Much stronger how exactly?" Anko crossed her arms. "Give me specific details."
"Her speed increased considerably," Sakura explained. "And her chakra control improved so much that she can maintain complex genjutsus for hours without getting tired."
"Hours?" Anko whistled, impressed. "That really is an improvement. Kurenai was always good, but holding genjutsus for that long requires extraordinary control."
"And that's not all," Ino added excitedly. "She developed a special ability called 'Tactical Mind'. She can analyze combat situations super fast."
"Hmm." Anko walked toward the crater Sakura had made. "And you, little Haruno. Show me that strength of yours again."
"Again?" Sakura looked around. "Are you sure? I already destroyed part of the floor."
"Just a small punch, I want to see the technique."
Sakura walked to an empty corner and punched the air. The wind from the punch made everyone's hair move.
"Incredible." Anko nodded slowly. "That punch would have gone through a stone wall and you didn't even touch anything."
"Sakura-chan is super strong now," Naruto said proudly. "She can defeat Chūnin level enemies without any problems!"
"And you, Yamanaka?" Anko turned to Ino. "What abilities did you develop?"
"I can create psychic needles," Ino explained. "They are invisible and can attack the enemy's mind directly."
"Psychic needles?" Anko raised her eyebrows. "That sounds extremely useful for interrogations. Have you tested them in real combat?"
"Only once, when I fought against Sakura."
"Interesting, very interesting." Anko paced again, clearly thinking. "So all of you have significant improvements and unique abilities."
"Exactly!" Naruto jumped excitedly. "And imagine what you could achieve, Anko-san!"
"That is true." Anko smiled with that dangerous grin. "I have more experience and training than you guys. If this power works proportionally..."
"You could become incredibly powerful!" Naruto finished.
"Alright, brat. You've convinced me." Anko planted herself in front of him. "If you can make me stronger, then let's do it. What exactly do you need me to do?"
"Great!" Naruto jumped with excitement. "I just need you to... uh... show your back so I can inscribe the symbol with my blood."
"My back?" Anko tilted her head with false innocence. "Just my back?"
"Yes, I need full access to your bare back so the ritual works correctly," Naruto explained, still processing the implications of what he had just said.
"Ah, I understand perfectly." Anko nodded with exaggerated understanding.
"Wait, Anko," Tsunade intervened. "You could be a little more..."
But it was too late. Without further ado, Anko completely removed the upper part of her clothing.
Time stopped in the room.
Naruto turned the color of a ripe tomato. His eyes widened like plates and a small line of blood began to escape from his nose.
"NARUTO-KUN!"
Sakura appeared like a lightning bolt, jumping in front of him and covering his eyes with both hands.
"Don't look! Your innocence!" Sakura screamed, completely red.
Her Inner Sakura roared internally: THAT SHAMELESS WOMAN. HOW DARE SHE SHOW HER... HER... TO MY NARUTO.
"S-Sakura-chan, I can't see anything," Naruto mumbled with a muffled voice.
Secretly he thought that maybe this Falna thing had additional benefits he hadn't fully considered before.
Hinata had turned completely red and was staring at the ceiling. She unconsciously activated her Byakugan before quickly deactivating it upon realizing what she was doing.
"Hinata!" Ino shouted between laughs. "Don't use the Byakugan now!"
"I wasn't using it on purpose!" Hinata protested, turning even redder.
Ino was laughing hysterically. "Oh my god! Anko-san, I like you!"
"What?" Anko asked with total unconcern, clearly enjoying the reaction. "He said he needed my bare back, I'm just being obedient."
"Anko!" Tsunade sighed. "You could have been a little more... gradual."
"Where would the fun be in that?" Anko shrugged. "Besides, I wanted to make sure the brat had a clear view to work."
"Also," she added with a malicious smile, "Kurenai didn't tell me the kid was so innocent. It's adorable how he turns red."
"He's not innocent!" Sakura protested, without removing her hands from Naruto's eyes. "He's... he's... well, he's growing up and he doesn't need to see these kinds of things!"
Her Inner Sakura continued: Especially not from other women who aren't me... WAIT! Where did that thought come from?
"But Sakura-chan," Naruto said softly, "I need to be able to see to do the ritual correctly."
"Then she should cover herself partially!" Sakura kept her hands firmly in place.
"But if I cover myself," Anko asked with crushing logic and a mischievous smile, "how is he going to inscribe the symbol on my back?"
There was a moment of silence while everyone processed the dilemma.
"It's a good point," Tsunade admitted. "The ritual requires direct contact with the skin."
"Tsunade-sama!" Sakura looked at her with horror. "Don't help her!"
"I'm just being practical," Tsunade defended herself. "If you are going to do this, you need to do it correctly."
"You could... turn toward the wall," Hinata suggested shyly, still looking at the ceiling.
"Good idea, Hinata-chan!" Sakura clung to the solution like a lifeline.
"Alright, alright." Anko laughed and turned toward the wall, giving them her back. "You youngsters and your modesty. In my ANBU days, this would have been just another normal Tuesday."
"Really?" Ino asked curiously. "What kind of missions did you have in ANBU?"
"Infiltration, espionage, assassination." Anko listed casually. "You reach a point where you start thinking that maybe clothes aren't that important."
"Anko-san!" Sakura was even more scandalized.
"What? It's part of the job. It's not always the case, but ninjas sometimes have to make sacrifices for their missions."
Sakura slowly removed her hands from Naruto's eyes, verifying that he was looking only at Anko's back.
"Okay, you can see now," she whispered to him. "But only her back."
Naruto quickly wiped the blood from his nose and tried to focus on the work.
"O-Okay, now I need to cut my finger to use my blood."
He made a small cut on his index finger and began to inscribe the Falna symbol on Anko's back.
"Hmm," Anko murmured as she felt the warm blood on her skin. "This is interesting. I can feel something... like energy flowing through my body."
"That's the connection forming," Naruto explained, concentrating on tracing the lines correctly. "At first it feels weird, but then it's normal."
"Does it hurt?" Hinata asked worriedly.
"It doesn't hurt at all, it's more like... warm tickles." Anko laughed. "Although I must admit it's the strangest experience of my life."
The mark began to glow with that characteristic golden light.
"It works!" Naruto smiled, regaining his composure. "I can feel the connection forming completely. Anko-san, you are officially part of the Uzumaki family now."
The glow intensified and then faded, leaving the mark permanently inscribed on her skin.
"Wow!" Anko exclaimed. "I definitely feel something different. It's like I woke up after a very long nap."
"Is it finished?" she asked, turning her head slightly.
"Yes, you can get dressed now," Naruto said quickly, turning around to give her privacy.
"Aww, how gentlemanly." Anko started putting her clothes back on. "Alright, I'm decent again."
Naruto turned around and extended his hand with a big smile.
"Officially welcome to the family, Anko-san!"
"Family..." Anko repeated the word, and for a moment her expression genuinely softened. "It's been a long time since anyone called me family."
"Really?" Naruto asked surprised. "But you have friends, right?"
"Coworkers, acquaintances, some occasional friends." Anko shrugged. "But family... that's different."
"Well, now you are," Naruto said with that warm smile that could melt hearts. "And we are going to take care of each other."
"Does that include saving me when I do something stupid on a mission?" Anko asked with amusement.
"Of course!" Naruto nodded vigorously. "That's what family does!"
"And if I have to save you?"
"That too! It's bidirectional!"
"Very good, very emotional," Tsunade interrupted with a smile. "Now let's see how effective this was. Naruto, verify her stats."
Naruto closed his eyes and concentrated on the connection with Anko. A blue screen appeared in front of him.
"Wow! Anko-san, your stats are incredible!"
[UPDATE COMPLETE] ANKO MITARASHI LEVEL: 1 STRENGTH: D-520 -> C-680 (+160) ENDURANCE: D-510 -> C-670 (+160) DEXTERITY: C-620 -> B-780 (+160) AGILITY: C-640 -> B-800 (+160) CHAKRA POTENTIAL: C-600 -> B-790 (+190) Development Ability: [SNAKE'S INTUITION] TYPE: PASSIVE / SENSORY DESCRIPTION: A heightened sixth sense derived from predatory instincts. It grants the user the ability to perceive emotional fluctuations (fear, deceit, hostility) in others, acting as a flawless lie detector. Additionally, it drastically increases perception of hidden traps and ambushes within the immediate environment. Ideally suited for interrogation and counter-intelligence.
"These stats are insane!" Naruto read the improvements out loud. "And you got an ability called 'Snake's Intuition'!"
"Snake's Intuition?" Anko raised an eyebrow. "What exactly does that ability do?"
"According to the system, it allows you to detect lies, traps, and hidden danger with high precision," Naruto explained excitedly. "It's perfect for someone who works in interrogation like you!"
"Detect lies?" Anko smiled slowly. "Oh, this is going to be very useful in my work."
"How exactly does it work?" Sakura asked curiously.
"I'm not sure yet, but..." Anko looked around the room. "I can feel things I didn't notice before. Like... tension in the air, small changes in people's behavior."
"Interesting." Anko flexed her fingers, immediately feeling the physical difference. "I feel much stronger. Faster. And there is something else..."
She walked over to a wall and touched it lightly. "It's as if all my senses were sharper."
"That's incredible!" Sakura clapped, her episode of jealousy temporarily forgotten before the excitement of the moment.
"Do you feel different mentally too?" Hinata asked.
"Yes, definitely. It's like my mind is clearer, more focused." Anko walked around the room, testing her new agility. "This is extraordinary."
"And it's only going to get better!" Naruto jumped excitedly. "The more you fight and gain experience, the stronger you will become!"
"Experience?" Anko stopped. "How does that work?"
"Every time you fight and defeat enemies, you gain something called Excelia," Naruto explained. "When you accumulate enough, I can update your Falna and you become even stronger."
"And how strong can I get?"
"I don't know! That's the exciting part!" Naruto gestured enthusiastically. "I just know it makes you stronger."
"I definitely feel different," Anko admitted. Then she smiled maliciously toward Naruto. "Brat, this power of yours is quite impressive. And now I understand why these girls follow you everywhere."
"We don't follow him!" Sakura protested, turning red again. "We're just... just a team!"
Anko's new ability activated immediately. Her eyes sharpened and she smiled.
"Hmm, interesting. My new intuition tells me that is not entirely true, Sakura-chan."
"What do you mean?" Sakura turned even redder.
"Your pulse accelerated when you said that. Your posture changed. Little white lies." Anko approached her with amusement. "Are you sure you only see him as a teammate?"
"Anko-san!" Sakura stepped back.
"Oh, this is going to be very fun!" Anko laughed. "Not only did I get stronger, but now I have a built-in lie detector. Interrogation missions are going to be a piece of cake!"
"Can you really detect when someone is lying?" Ino asked fascinated.
"Apparently yes. It's as if I could feel the inconsistency in their words and actions." Anko looked at Ino. "Do you want me to test it on you?"
"No!" Ino stepped back quickly. "I'm fine without you reading my mind!"
"I don't read minds, I just detect lies." Anko laughed. "Although I admit it can be just as invasive."
"This is incredible," Tsunade murmured. "Such an ability would be invaluable for the village's security."
"Right?" Anko addressed Tsunade. "Imagine the possibilities. More effective interrogations, spy detection, more successful negotiations..."
"You could revolutionize the entire intelligence department," Tsunade admitted.
"Yes!" Naruto jumped again. "That's why this power is so incredible! Not only does it make people physically stronger, but it unlocks unique abilities!"
"And speaking of unique abilities," Anko said looking at the girls, "I would love to know more details about yours."
"Like what?" Hinata asked.
"Well, Hinata, they told me your speed improved dramatically. Could you show me?"
Hinata nodded and moved so fast she was barely a blur. In a second she was on the other side of the room.
"Impressive," Anko murmured. "That speed rivals some Jōnin I know."
"And what about you, Ino? Could you show me those psychic needles?"
"Well..." Ino hesitated. "I don't want to hurt you..."
"Just do it softly. I'm curious about how it feels."
Ino concentrated and Anko blinked in surprise as she felt an invisible needle pass right next to her face.
"Wow! I felt that! It was like a very slight prick." Anko smiled impressed. "That would be devastating in real combat."
"Right!" Naruto nodded proudly. "Everyone is incredible now!"
"And you, brat," Anko said addressing Naruto, "how do you feel with all this power? Doesn't it scare you?"
"Scare me?" Naruto thought about it for a moment. "Sometimes. It's a lot of responsibility. But it also excites me a lot."
"Why does it excite you?"
"Because it means I can help the people important to me become stronger! And together we can achieve incredible things!"
"Like what?"
"Like protecting the village! Like becoming Hokage! Like creating the strongest ninja family in the world!" Naruto's eyes shone with determination.
"Ninja family," Anko repeated. "I like how that sounds."
"Officially welcome to the craziest family in Konoha!" Naruto declared with renewed enthusiasm.
"Crazy?" Anko asked amused.
"Well, we have Sakura-chan who can destroy mountains, Hinata-chan who is faster than the wind, Ino-chan who can attack your mind, and now you who can detect any lie." Naruto smiled. "We are definitely crazy!"
"And don't forget Kurenai-sensei!" Hinata added.
"Exactly! Kurenai-sensei with her super developed tactical mind!"
"We really are a peculiar group," Sakura admitted smiling.
"And what is the plan now?" Anko asked. "Do we just wait to see what happens?"
"For now, yes," Tsunade said. "We need you to get used to your new abilities. And we need to keep this a secret until we decide on the next move."
"Secret?" Anko smiled mischievously. "That won't be a problem. I am excellent at keeping secrets."
"Especially now that you can detect if someone is trying to extract information from you," Ino added.
"Exactly. No one will be able to get anything out of me that I don't want to say."
Naruto smiled broadly as he looked at his expanded family. Anko was laughing, the girls were chatting excitedly about the new possibilities, and Tsunade was watching everything with approval.
His family was growing, and each new member brought them closer to his dream.
Although secretly he admitted that maybe, just maybe, this path to becoming Hokage had some unexpected benefits he hadn't initially considered...
No, no, no, he reprimanded himself mentally. This is about making everyone stronger, not about... other things. Definitely not about other things.
His renewed blush when he remembered the previous incident suggested that his adolescent mind wasn't entirely in agreement with that statement.
But for now, he was happy to have a new big sister in his crazy ninja family.
*****
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