Chapter 32: Samui: The Little Brat Cares About His Big Sister. I Didn't Raise Him for Nothing.
After Neji left, A looked at Yugito, his voice impatient. "Yugito, was the mission a success?"
Yugito took a bloodstained bedsheet from her ninja pouch and handed it to him.
"Good, good, very good," A said, overjoyed. "You've done well. Go and get some rest for a few days."
Yugito left the office, her face an unreadable mask. But as soon as she was outside the Raikage's tower, a look of disappointment crossed her features.
Neji was clearly the favorite. Her own status as the Jinchūriki of the Two-Tails was obviously less important in A's eyes.
She took a deep breath, steadying herself. Lord Raikage, I will not disappoint you.
Meanwhile, Neji had just left the Raikage's tower when, as he was passing through a deserted alley, he was suddenly grabbed from behind.
He was about to retaliate when he heard a familiar female voice.
"Neji, it's me."
Samui's arms were wrapped around him. Feeling his muscles tense, she quickly spoke up. If she had been a second later, she likely would have been electrocuted on the spot. It had been six months since she had last been able to best him in a spar. It was from that day on that she had doubled her own training regimen.
"Onee-san?!"
"Who else would it be?"
Hearing her voice, Neji relaxed, taking one of her hands in his and leaning back slightly.
The familiar sensation... so soft, so fragrant... Samui's ample bosom made him want to lose himself in her embrace.
"Onee-san, I was just about to come find you after my mission report. Are you excited? Surprised? Overjoyed?"
In truth, he had been planning to settle Kana and her daughter first before heading home. But at a time like this, only a fool would tell the truth. Neji only wished he could be in two places at once.
"At least you have a conscience," Samui said, turning him around to face her. Seeing his face after so long, she instinctively reached out and pinched his cheek. The soft, supple feeling immediately lifted her spirits. Being with Neji was when she was happiest.
But then, she thought of her recent failure at the Jōnin exams, and a shadow passed over her eyes. A had told her that with another two or three years of training, she would be ready for a promotion. To become a Jōnin before the age of twenty was an outstanding achievement in any village. But Samui knew that Jōnin was likely her limit.
Neji's future, however, was limitless. She was destined to be left behind. In the entire Hidden Cloud, perhaps only Yugito could keep pace with him.
Of course, she wasn't envious of Yugito. She was her best friend, after all.
She was jealous.
Suddenly, Samui's body stiffened. The warmth of Neji's breath on her skin was affecting her more than usual. She had grown accustomed to it after raising him for two years, but today, it felt different.
"We'll talk at home," she said, her expression turning cool as she gently pushed him away. "In broad daylight... this is improper."
She was afraid a friend or acquaintance might see them. For the past two months, she had resolved to support Neji in a different way. But their age was still a problem. She couldn't rush things.
Before Neji could react, Samui had let go of his hand and was walking ahead of him. She wore red high heels, and with every step, the sway of her hips made her figure all the more alluring.
"Wait for me!" Neji took a deep breath and hurried to catch up, naturally taking her soft, pale hand in his.
Back at home, Samui let go of his hand and sat down on the sofa, rubbing her shoulders. Just that short walk had made them ache. It was a constant problem for her, one she didn't like to talk about.
Seeing this, Neji poured her a cup of hot water.
Samui took a sip and then lay down on the sofa. "Neji, how about you give your big sister a massage?"
"?"
Neji's eyes widened. What was this? His cool, aloof big sister was actually asking for a massage? The contrast was jarring.
"You don't want to?" Samui took off her jacket, revealing a sleeveless top that did little to hide her smooth, snow-white skin. Her reasoning was simple. I've raised him for two years. It's only right that he take care of me a little.
"I'd be happy to," Neji said, immediately kicking off his shoes and climbing onto the sofa. "Whatever you need, Onee-san. If I can do it, I will. If I can't, I'll find someone who can."
The little brat really knows how to talk.
"Behold my newly invented electric-shock massage!"
A faint current of electricity danced around Neji's hands as he gently placed them on Samui's smooth shoulders.
"Hiss!"
Samui drew in a sharp breath, her body instinctively tensing. But as she gradually grew accustomed to the electric stimulation, a pleasant, tingling numbness spread through her shoulders, making her entire body feel soft and relaxed. It was a wonderful sensation. She had no idea where the little brat had learned such a trick.
After about half an hour, seeing that Samui was so relaxed she was about to fall asleep, Neji asked tentatively, "Onee-san, would you like a foot massage?"
"No, that's alright," Samui said, waving her hand. "They're dirty from walking all day."
That was exactly what Neji had been waiting to hear. "Then I'll go heat up some water for you to wash your feet," he said, and before she could reply, he had already run off to the kitchen.
Samui had been about to refuse, but seeing him so full of energy, she couldn't bring herself to do it. A warm feeling spread through her chest. Even though he's with Yugito now, the little brat still thinks of his big sister. He knows how to take care of people. I didn't raise him for these past two years for nothing.
In Konoha, at the Root headquarters.
As a village elder and the leader of Root, Danzō had to process intelligence from various sources every day, analyzing it to find what was beneficial to himself... no, to the village. Until the day he died, Danzō would believe that everything he did was for the sake of Konoha.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi is preaching the Will of Fire at the Ninja Academy..."
Danzō snorted, his face turning ugly. The old monkey isn't what he used to be. Always going on about this nonsense. What good is the Will of Fire? Should I go to the academy and preach the Will of Darkness? Encourage the children to become the roots that protect Konoha from the shadows?
No, that's a waste of time. Only the talented are worthy of joining Root. It's more efficient to just pick them from the various clans.
He unrolled a scroll and continued to read, his expression growing darker and darker. It was all about Hiruzen's speeches, or his peeping at the women's bathhouse... The latter in particular infuriated him. An old man like that, still peeping at the women's bathhouse... He was a disgrace to the title of Kage. He could just go to a brothel. It wouldn't even cost that much. Danzō was embarrassed for him.
This kind of intelligence was worthless and only served to irritate him. But in order to find some dirt on Hiruzen and bring him down, Danzō had to keep a close watch on him.
He finished reading the report on Hiruzen and threw it in the trash. He then picked up the second report.
"Uchiha Itachi has completed a B-rank mission single-handedly. It is suspected that he has awakened his three-tomoe Sharingan..."