Konoha: Gu Master

"Just a little more," Shinho muttered as he opened his eyes.

After two and a half years of training, he had reached the pinnacle of the fourth rank and was now only one step away from the fifth. However, this step was proving difficult to cross.

The path of a Gu Master became slower and more arduous as one advanced further. Shinho could feel that his Grade-A aptitude was no longer enough.

Above Grade-A aptitude lay the legendary Ten Extreme Physiques. He wasn't sure if his system would ever reward him with such a blessing.

Raising his head, he gazed out the window at the snow. The heavy snowfall overnight had blanketed the entirety of Konoha in white.

"Shinho," came Shizune's quite voice from outside the door, breaking his train of thought.

He collected himself and changed into his kimono. 

It was the first day of the New Year, and as tradition dictated, people would go to the mountains or the seaside to greet the sunrise.

Opening the door, Shinho was greeted by Shizune dressed in a crimson kimono.

"Happy New Year," Shizune said, her face lighting up with a smile.

"Did you wear it?" Shinho leaned closer and whispered into her ear.

With the addition of the Ryumyaku timeline's three years, he would soon turn eighteen. His height had surged, now standing over 1.8 meters.

At 1.68 meters, Shizune wasn't short, but beside him, she seemed much smaller. He had to lean down to meet her gaze.

"I… I wore it…" Shizune's heart skipped a beat, and her face flushed a deep red as she grew flustered.

"Let me have a look," Shinho was full of smiles as he looked down.

Shizune's face turned red to the tips of her ears as she hesitantly reached down, lifting the hem of her kimono to reveal thigh-high white stockings.

From her delicate feet to the lacy band around her thighs, the sight was captivating. Normally, kimonos were paired with short white socks and geta sandals—not thigh-high white stockings.

This was Shinho's preference.

After two and a half years, Shizune had grown accustomed to his teasing. Not only did she no longer reject it, but she even found it strangely exciting.

"Hey, you two! Get over here and eat! QUICK, or you'll miss the sunrise!" Tsunade's irritated voice called from the living room, startling Shizune.

She quickly let go of her hem, allowing the kimono to fall back into place, covering the stockings. Taking a deep breath, she shouted back, "Coming right away!"

Turning back to Shinho and noticing his playful smile, Shizune glared at him, muttering under her breath, "This is all your fault, you pervert!"

"My fault?" Shinho said, blowing softly near her ear. "You're the one who didn't refuse."

The warm breath against her ear made Shizune's legs feel weak. With misty eyes, she stammered, "Y-You're just talking nonsense!"

"I'm being unjustly accused," Shinho quipped, tilting her chin up gently. "But we don't have time for this now. I'll explain another day."

With that, he smiled and headed to the washroom to freshen up.

Shizune slumped against the wall, sliding to the floor as her legs gave out. It took her a few deep breaths to regain her composure.

….

"Happy New Year, Sensei," Shinho greeted Tsunade as he entered the living room. His eyes lit up as he complimented her, "You look stunning today!"

Tsunade had donned a tea-green kimono. Though traditional in style, on her, it exuded a mature allure. Her impressive figure couldn't be concealed even by the modest attire.

Tsunade glanced at Shinho and felt a pang of nostalgia.

He had truly grown. Clad in a white kimono, he was the very picture of grace and elegance.

"Eat quickly," Tsunade said, snapping out of her thoughts as she handed him a pair of chopsticks.

"Where are we going to watch the sunrise this year?" Shinho asked, glancing at Shizune, who seemed unusually quiet.

Noticing his gaze, Shizune flinched and lowered her head further, reminding him of Hinata Hyuga.

"The Hokage Rock," Tsunade said without hesitation.

"Why there?" Shinho asked, surprised.

"Your birthday is in a couple of days. Don't you have any plans?" Tsunade asked, looking at him intently.

"What plans?" Shinho replied absentmindedly, his eyes drifting downward, drawn to the contours of her kimono.

"Brat!" Tsunade growled, her forehead creasing with irritation. 

A vein throbbed visibly on her temple.

If Shizune hadn't been present, she would've punched him.

"Sorry," Shinho said, quickly averting his gaze.

Tsunade twitched in frustration.

He stared so blatantly, but when caught, he apologized with equal speed.

"I mean, it's time for you to become Hokage," Tsunade said, taking a deep breath, her kimono rising and falling with her exhale. "I've been doing this job long enough. It's time for me to retire."

Despite the help she received from Shinho and Shikaku Nara, Tsunade still felt constrained. 

Now, with her retirement imminent, she had already planned her next steps: frequenting casinos and izakayas, drinking and gambling to her heart's content, making up for years of stress.

"Let's talk about it after the New Year," Shinho said, calm and unhurried.

"You'd better agree!" Tsunade said, shaking a pale fist at him. "Or you'll regret it!"

Shizune couldn't help but chuckle.

The coveted Hokage position was treated like a burden in their casual exchange.

It all felt strangely absurd.

Still, no matter who became Hokage, Shizune would remain the Hokage's secretary.

Wait…

Maybe it would be different.

With Shinho's teasing, her days might become much more challenging.

The thought brought a blush to Shizune's cheeks.

"I understand," Shinho said with a nod.

Since Tsunade had pushed him this far, he wouldn't go back on his word.

Though the job was taxing, the perks of being Hokage were undeniable. 

As Hokage, he wouldn't need to tiptoe around sensitive matters. He could justify his actions with a single statement: I'm the Hokage.

This would also make it easier to involve himself in the original storylines.

"Good," Tsunade said, her demeanor softening as a relieved smile spread across her face. 

Finally, she could pass on the mantle and enjoy her long life.

….

After breakfast, the three of them set out for the Hokage Rock.

The sky was just beginning to lighten, still shrouded in gray.

Konoha, however, was already bustling. Both villagers and ninjas alike were heading to nearby mountains to greet the sunrise.

As they reached the Hokage Rock, Tsunade gazed at the village bathed in the morning glow. 

She felt a wave of emotion. After being Hokage for so long, stepping down would take some adjustment.

Shinho, in contrast, wasn't as sentimental. His thoughts were on his gains.

Over the past two and a half years, without major events, his accomplishments had been modest but rewarding.

For instance:

[Achievement: 'Sasuke Uchiha's Passion for Invention' unlocked. Reward: Golden Aurora Gu.]

[Golden Aurora Gu: A Rank-4 Gu worm that emits a golden light, increasing the Gu Master's speed.]

This achievement had been triggered last year.

Shinho had promised Sasuke he'd help him awaken his Mangekyō Sharingan.

However, after a year of waiting, Sasuke had grown impatient and sought him out again.

Recalling Sasuke's creation of the S-rank Lightning Release technique Kirin in the original story, Shinho had guided his excess energy toward perfecting the technique.

When Sasuke successfully executed the technique, it triggered the achievement.

..

[Achievement Unlocked:Shino Aburame "Not Just a Teammate" . Reward: Labor Gu.]

[Labor Gu: A Rank-4 Gu. A strength-type Gu, where the heavier the injury and the deeper the pain the Gu Master experiences, the greater the strength unleashed.]

[tl/n: I couldn't find this Gu in the wiki, and I spend a LONG time searching for it T-T Please leave a comment if anyone knows this particular Gu]

Three months earlier, Shino Aburame had approached Shinho for a sparring session.

Initially, Shinho hadn't taken it seriously—until Shino suddenly entered Sage Mode. At the time, Shinho had not activated his Golden Silk Armor Gu, and he came dangerously close to losing.

Shino's Sage Mode was particularly unique.

In essence, the parasitic insects were piloting his body, enabling the use of Sage Mode. He himself was incapable of using it directly.

This Sage Mode was quite powerful, but it had a glaring weakness:

All the parasitic insects had to act as a single unit, maintaining an extremely high level of synchronization. 

If any part of Shino's body sustained significant injury, causing the insects in that area to die, Sage Mode would collapse.

Despite its flaws, this technique drastically boosted the strength of the Aburame clan, proving to be more advantageous than detrimental.

Shinho's reward, the Labor Gu, was a highly practical strength Gu, providing him a backup plan in dire situations.

If an enemy beat him to the brink of death, thinking victory was imminent, the Labor Gu would activate, boosting his strength dramatically.

Who could stand against that?

..

[Achievement Unlocked: Teuchi's "Casual Hugging Champ" . Reward: Ten-Jun Strength Gu.]

[Ten-Jun Strength Gu: A Rank-4 Gu. Increases the Gu Master's strength by 300 jin.]

Six months ago, Ichiraku Ramen had hosted a food-eating contest. A crowd of participants, including Hinata Hyuga, Choji Akimichi, and Ino Yamanaka, joined the fun.

Unsurprisingly, Hinata emerged victorious.

During the award ceremony, Shinho was hugged tightly by Teuchi, who then snapped a photo with him.

The achievement triggered in an oddly comical way, but the reward was straightforward and effective, directly adding 300 jin to Shinho's strength.

..

[Achievement Unlocked: Tsunade's "A Healer's Kindness" . Reward: Heavenly Essence Treasure Monarch Lotus.]

[Heavenly Essence Treasure Monarch Lotus: A Rank 4 Gu worm capable of continuously producing Primaeval Stones. Known as a "Portable Spirit Spring."]

This achievement was unlocked after Tsunade successfully completed a prosthetic limb transplant using Hashirama cells.

The only regret was that it had triggered too late.

Had it occurred earlier, Shinho might have used the Primaeval Stones to break through to the 5th rank as a Gu Master.

Nevertheless, the Heavenly Essense Treasure Monarch Lotus was undeniably priceless.

…

"I plan to throw you a grand birthday celebration," Tsunade suddenly announced.

"A grand celebration?" Shinho was startled and asked, "What do you mean by grand?"

"I want to invite the major ninja clans and jonin to attend," Tsunade explained.

"Wait," Shinho caught on, narrowing his eyes. "You're planning to announce me as the next Hokage during the banquet, aren't you?"

"Not directly," Tsunade said with a sly smile. "I just want to gauge their thoughts."

While it was true Shinho was a genius, he was still very young. Tsunade worried that some might not accept him.

This birthday banquet would serve as an excellent opportunity to test the waters.

"What do you think?" Tsunade asked, meeting his gaze.

"I'll leave it to your arrangements," Shinho said after some thought.

"The sun's out," Tsunade said, raising her head toward the sky.

Shinho returned to reality and followed her gaze.

The newborn sun wasn't blinding, glowing faintly red instead.

"So many people," Shizune murmured, observing the streets below filled with bustling pedestrians.

Women and girls in colorful kimonos strolled through the village, their faces bright with smiles as they admired the array of goods on display.

…

"Big Sis, what are you looking at?" Hanabi Hyuga, dressed in a pale yellow kimono, asked as she noticed Hinata Hyuga had paused.

"Nothing," Hinata replied quickly, waving her hands dismissively.

Hinata was wearing a white cheongsam-style kimono that day.

Her long hair flowed over her shoulders, while her pale neck was covered by the garment's high collar. The diagonal buttons trailed down to her waist.

The cheongsam slit extended above her thighs, though her slender legs were clad in white leggings.

While the outfit highlighted her figure, it exuded a conservative charm.

Her delicate shyness blended with gentleness, creating a unique and enchanting aura.

"Really?" Hanabi's tone was skeptical.

"Really!" Hinata insisted, avoiding eye contact.

"Is it Brother-in-law?" Hanabi teased, her eyes narrowing as she glanced toward the Hokage Rock.

Activating her Byakugan, Hanabi's lips curved into a knowing smirk.

"I knew It!"

"D-Don't say that!" Hinata's face turned bright red upon being caught.

"There's still time. Should we go say hello?" Hanabi suggested mischievously.

"No!" Hinata refused instinctively.

"Why not?" Hanabi pressed. "Don't you want to see Brother-in-law?"

"T-The Hokage is there…" Hinata stammered, blushing even deeper.

"If Brother-in-law sees you like this, he'll definitely be smitten," Hanabi teased, covering her mouth as she laughed.

"Hanabi!" Hinata scolded, embarrassed and indignant.

"Fine, fine. Let's head home instead," Hanabi relented with a grin, changing the subject when she saw how flustered her sister was.

Hinata let out a small sigh of relief.

Turning back for one last glance at the Hokage Rock, she was disappointed to find Shinho already gone.

Her momentary sadness was quickly noticed by Hanabi, who began to giggle to herself.

"Stop laughing!" Hinata said, flicking Hanabi lightly on the forehead.

"Ow! That hurt!" Hanabi exclaimed, holding her head with mock indignation.

Although Hinata knew Hanabi was faking it, she couldn't bring herself to stay upset.

…

The sisters returned to the Hyuga estate.

"Big Sis, your rival is here," Hanabi remarked cheekily as they approached the gate and saw Ino Yamanaka waiting for them.

"Hanabi!" Hinata scolded, startled.

While Ino was indeed her rival, their relationship wasn't particularly tense.

Still, Hinata worried Hanabi's words might have been overheard.

"Hinata," Ino called out, walking over.

"Hanabi, go inside," Hinata instructed firmly, asserting her elder-sister authority to prevent any further mischief from Hanabi.

"Yes," Hanabi replied with a wink before retreating.

"Your little sister is adorable," Ino said with a smile.

"What brings you here?" Hinata asked, tilting her head in curiosity.

"Did you forget? Shinho's birthday is in a couple of days," Ino reminded her.

"Of course I didn't!" Hinata replied quickly.

"Then let's go!" Ino said eagerly. "Today is the big gift hunt!"

Hinata nodded enthusiastically.

…

The two arrived at a gift shop, where they were greeted by Sakura Haruno waving from inside.

Alongside Sakura were Shikamaru Nara, Choji Akimichi, Karin Uzumaki, and even Sasuke Uchiha.

The only one missing was Naruto Uzumaki, who was still away training.

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