When he woke up, everything hurt.
His vision was hazy, the ceiling a blur of pale white and soft light. The faint scent of disinfectant and ink filled his nose.
For a few seconds, he didn't even know where he was, or what was going on.
His mind felt sluggish—like he was moving through water. The only sounds were the slow beeping of monitors and the quiet hum of chakra seals around him.
Then his eyes adjusted, and he realised—he was in a hospital.
A large Fūinjutsu formation covered the walls, glowing faintly green. Seals pulsed in rhythm, regulating the chaotic mess that was his chakra network. Tubes ran down his arms, pumping him full of medications.
He tried to move and immediately regretted it. Every muscle screamed in protest. His ribs felt like fire. Even breathing hurt.
This was the result of having opened the 6 Gates, he knew instinctively.
Still, he smiled weakly. Guess I'm alive.
As his vision cleared, glowing text appeared in the corner of his sight—his system interface.
1 Ahramoth killed!
You've gained 325 experience points.
Level 3 (Next level up: 686 / 400)
2 Amalgamations killed!
You've gained 67 experience points.
Level 3 (Next level up: 753 / 400)
213 Amalgamations indirectly killed!
You've gained 639 experience points!
Level 3 (Next level up: 1392 / 400)
He blinked, staring at the numbers through half-lidded eyes. Then, despite the pain, a small, exhausted grin spread across his face.
"…Heh."
The system chimed again.
You've gained enough experience. Do you want to level up?
- Yes -
- No -
He smiled and mentally tapped on the Yes.
Level 3 (1392 / 400) → Level 4 (Next Level up: 992 / 500)
Congratulations!
You've gained +100% to Active Growth
You've gained +1 slot to Passive Growth
Level 4 (992 / 500) → Level 5 (Next Level up: 492 / 600)
Congratulations!
You've gained +100% to Active Growth
You've gained +1 slot to Passive Growth
His eyelids fluttered as the system continued, the faint hum of power washing over him like a warm tide.
He could feel the difference immediately—his body knitting itself together slightly faster, his chakra stabilising, his strength quietly rebuilding beneath the pain.
You now have a total of +500% Active Growth and 5 Passive slots!
Congratulations!
For reaching Level 5, you've gained a new perk: Inviolable
Inviolable: Your powers and internal power supplies cannot be removed, drained, suppressed, weakened, copied, altered, controlled, or otherwise manipulated against your wishes, even if you were somehow mind-controlled.
He let out a slow breath and chuckled under his breath, though it hurt to do so. "That's… pretty neat," he muttered weakly.
The system faded away, leaving only the steady beeping of his monitors and the gentle glow of the seals.
For a long moment, he simply stared up at the ceiling—his thoughts a blur of exhaustion, relief, and a quiet pride at his accomplishments.
Then, finally, his eyes drifted closed.
And this time, he fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.
—————
He drifted between sleep and waking — flashes of light, faint whispers, the hum of seals working around him. Each time he surfaced, the world felt a little clearer, the pain a little duller.
When he finally woke for real, his vision steadied enough to make out the old woman sitting beside him.
"Ah," Chiyo said without looking up, her hands moving steadily as she adjusted the glowing tags on his chest. "The boy lives."
Her voice carried its usual calm authority, the kind that somehow made you feel both safe and judged at the same time.
He blinked blearily, his mouth dry. "Where… am I?"
"In the ICU ward of Suna's hospital," she replied.
"I see…" He said, his mind working a tad bit too slowly for a proper conversation just yet.
Chiyo gave him a sideways look, then smiled faintly. "You're quite something, you know. I've treated a lot of shinobi, but I've rarely seen someone heal as fast as you do. A day of healing for you is like a week for others. I've only ever seen one who recovers faster— Gaara, though that's because of an entire different set of circumstances."
He gave a weak chuckle. "Guess I'm lucky, then."
She rolled her eyes at his words. "Luck had little to do with it. You likely have a bit of Senju bloodline in you. Or Uzumaki… if your Sensing ability works the way I think it works."
He side eyed the woman who was right and wrong at the same time. Yes, he did have the Kagura's Mind Eye of the Uzumaki clan, but that wasn't because he had the Uzumaki bloodline.
In fact, even he wasn't sure why he was healing so rapidly.
He lay there for a moment, letting the quiet hum of seals fill the room before asking, "What about Hana? And Temari? Are they alright?"
The old woman's hands slowed for a moment. Then she exhaled softly. "Yes, they're both alright. Hana suffered the worst of it. You both were barely alive when Gaara and Temari found you. If they had delayed another hour in bringing you back, thee neither of you would have made it."
He clenched his jaw as he remembered how heavily she'd been injured by the Ahramoth. "Will she be alright?"
"Yes," Chiyo said gently. "She's still in intensive care and will likely remain there for weeks, but she'll recover. The damage she took wasn't light."
A breath he hadn't realised he was holding escaped him. It surprised him as he'd only known that woman for a day. It seemed that she had left a greater impression on him than he'd thought.
"And how long have I been out?"
"Three days."
He blinked. "Only two days?"
Chiyo gave a dry chuckle. "Yes. You'll be moved to a standard room today. As I said before, your recovery rate is truly surprising."
She stood, brushing imaginary dust from her robes. "Rest while you can. Healing isn't something you can rush, no matter how fast your body wants to go."
And with that, she left the room — the faint sound of her sandals fading down the hall.
For a long while, he just lay there, staring at the ceiling covered in swirling seals.
'Three days… and I'm already this healed?' He thought in slight disbelief.
He turned his hand over slowly, flexing his fingers. His muscles still ached, but not nearly as bad as they should have. Then the realisation hit him.
...Active Growth.
The +500% increase wasn't just about learning or training — it apparently also boosted his recovery.
With Active Recovery at work, he would heal six times faster than normal.
He thought back to his earlier battles. Aya always took care of his wounds after every serious battle, so he had never really noticed.
Well… he did notice that he tended to recover much faster from exhaustion. But he had chalked it up to his improved Physique.
Seems like there was more to it than he'd thought. And it only took him getting severely injured to find out his hidden capabilities.
A faint smile crossed his lips. 'Guess this has been a net positive, all things told.'
He raised his hand slightly. "System," he whispered.
The translucent blue interface appeared instantly.
Active Growth: +500%
Passive Slots: 5
He focused, thinking through his choices.
Slot One — Wind Blade.He stared at it for a while, and then decided that there was no need to change it. Aside from special cases like Obito, and that freak of nature Ahramoth who'd somehow absorbed his attack, his Wind Blade should work against just about anyone else.
Well… maybe not the likes of Raikage, or tailed beasts. But he was confident that his Wind Blade should eventually grow strong enough to cut through them as well.
With that decision, he moved on to the other slots.
Slot Two — Physique Enhancement.He kept this one as well. Taijutsu was the fundamental ability of any shinobi. You could be shit at any other shinobi discipline be it Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, Kenjutsu, Shurikenjutsu, etc. And you can still fight well enough. But if you are bad at Taijutsu, then it's guarantee that you'll die sooner or later. Probably sooner.
Plus, without it, opening six gates would've torn him apart completely. And he did want to open the Seventh gate eventually as well.
Maybe he would eventually find a way to open and close the 8th gate at will as well. The thought was… appealing. But something he would focus on later.
Slot Three — Kagura's Mind Eye.He hesitated. Normally, this was his utility slot — something he rotated depending on need. But right now, he needed something different. Something that would fill the one gap he still had.
He removed it.
And replaced it with Spirit Enhancement.
Slot Three — Kagura's Mind Eye -> Spirit Enhancement.
Chakra is made of body and spirit. And he had been focusing too much on the body aspect of it.
Admittedly, he didn't know what Spirit truly was. Only that it influenced mind and soul. Nor he had any idea on how to improve it, as such a thing was never shown in the story itself. But he was sure that his Passive Growth will find a way.
This was also a way to shore up his weaknesses. He didn't want to end up like Orochimaru. A so called S-class shinobi who took one look at Itachi's eye and got folded in half.
He wanted to grow a strong enough Spiritual energy that he would become completely immune to the mental abilities of Mangekyo Sharingan, as well as the Soul extraction ability of Rinnegan.
Plus, there was the added benefit that increasing his Spiritual energy also increases his overall Chakra reserves. So there was that.
Then he moved on to the next slot.
He thought on this one for a good while.
Frankly, his next decision would've been Kamui, if not for one major problem. Obito.
He wasn't sure if his Kamui ability would give him the same dimension as that of Obito, or a different dimension. But if his ability used the same dimension as that of Obito, then using it would risk Obito learning about him.
Not to mention, he wasn't even sure if Kamui would work inside a Gate, so there was that risk as well.
And if Kamui doesn't work, then there's only one other option to match it.
Slot Four — Hiraishin
It was a logical choice. Both because of the defensive and offensive options it provided. Plus the instant teleportation to any location in the world he'd marked was pretty damn neat as well.
Once he's learned this technique, he would have far more freedom than he currently had.
If Konoha ever decided to fuck him over, then he could simply leave and set out on his own.
As for the fifth slot… he decided to turn it into his next utility slot. One that he could change depending on his mood or his wish to learn some new ability, or master an existing one.
For now, he temporarily filled it with Fuinjutsu. Not only was Fuinjutsu an incredibly versatile and powerful discipline on its own. But learning it would also increase the speed at which he could learn Hiraishin. So, double win.
Slot Five — Fuinjutsu
With that, he closed the interface and exhaled slowly.
The seals around him pulsed gently, and for the first time since the battle, his heartbeat felt steady again.
He closed his eyes, the faint hum of chakra soothing.
Tomorrow, he'd face the world again.
But for now — he allowed himself to rest.
—————
Later that day, the nurses came in to move him out of the ICU and into a regular hospital room.
Except, it wasn't regular at all.
It was large — wider than most apartments — with polished wooden floors, thick curtains that softened the afternoon light, and a single hospital bed placed near a window overlooking the desert. There were even plants. Actual plants in Suna.
He blinked. "...Okay, I'm definitely in the wrong room."
A nurse chuckled. "You're exactly where you should be, Ken-sama." She bowed politely and left before he could argue.
'Ken-sama? Since when did he became a 'sama'.' He thought and the answer came to him pretty damn easily.
'Since I killed a mid-S class monster,'
He sank back into the bed, the sheets soft enough to make him suspicious. "Huh… guess Suna's richer than I thought. Giving their shinobi five-star recovery rooms."
"Only for certain shinobi," a familiar voice said.
He turned his head — and there she was, standing by the door. Temari, still in uniform, sand and dust on her sleeves, her fan slung across her back.
He smiled faintly. "Hey."
She walked over and sat beside him, her expression a strange mix of relief and annoyance. "That 'certain shinobi' list," she continued, crossing her arms, "includes S-class shinobi and elite Jōnins. So, congratulations — you've somehow been upgraded to that level overnight."
He blinked. "Oh…"
"Yeah," she said flatly. "You, the guy who's been pretending to be a stronger than average Genin, turned out to be someone capable of killing an S-class monster. Imagine my surprise."
He opened his mouth to defend himself, but the look she gave him shut that idea down immediately.
"I wasn't pretending," he said with a shrug, decided to take refuge in audacity. "Just… didn't come up."
Temari frowned, eyes narrowing. "Didn't come up?" She leaned closer, her tone sharp. "You've been alongside me for months, Ken. And you didn't think mentioning that you could cut mountains in half was worth sharing?"
He shrugged, feeling a tad bit guilty. "In my defence, you never asked how strong I truly was."
Temari stared at him for a long moment before she sighed, shaking her head, her frustration giving way to something softer. "So you're saying it's my fault then?"
Before he could offer an answer, she leaned forward suddenly and hugged him.
He froze.
Her arms were strong, warm, the faint scent of sand and smoke still clinging to her clothes. For a moment, neither of them said anything.
Then, quietly, she said, "I'm glad you're alive, all things considered, you idiot."
He was about to reply when she pulled back just enough to meet his eyes — and then, without warning, she leaned in again and pressed her lips softly to his cheek, close enough to his lips to make his brain short-circuit.
She pulled away just as quickly, her cheeks bright red. "Just… get better soon, alright?"
And before he could say anything, she stood, turned, and practically ran for the door.
He blinked at the now-empty doorway, still feeling the warmth on his cheek.
Then, slowly, he exhaled and sank back against the bed.
"…Yeah," he murmured with a faint smile. "I'll try."
Two days later, he was finally discharged from the hospital.
The healers warned him not to push himself too much, and they didn't have to. Every muscle still ached from the strain of opening six gates, and his chakra coils were still a bit raw.
He hadn't seen Temari since the day she visited. Since that kiss.
Even thinking about it made him feel a little strange. Not uncomfortable, exactly. Just… uncertain.
Especially since he was still in a relationship with Anko. Sort of. They didn't exactly have enough time to talk about it. But he felt that getting in a relationship with Temari would still be seen as betrayal, so he was trying his best not to think about it.
Plus, he and Temari were from different shinobi villages, so there was that as well.
He sighed as he walked through the sandstone corridors of Sunagakure's hospital. His legs were steady now. He wasn't fit for training or combat yet, but walking, or even running around for a bit was just fine.
By the time he reached the small complex where the guest shinobi stayed, the sun had already started dipping behind the dunes. The air shimmered with the orange glow of sunset.
He opened the door to his assigned room and paused.
Inside were two familiar faces — Yakumo and Toji.
His teammates.
The three of them had been together for almost six months now, though calling them a "team" was being generous.
The power gap between them made actual teamwork impossible, and he'd always kept a polite distance. Not because he disliked them, but because after the death of Haruko and Shin, he'd been wary of creating new bonds.
Still, half a year of shared meals, patrols, and training together had built a quiet kind of camaraderie between them.
Yakumo looked up from where she sat cross-legged on the floor. "You're back!" she said, relief flashing across her face. "We heard you got injured on a C-class Gate with Lady Temari. Are you okay?"
He blinked. So that's the official story, huh?
"I'm fine," he said, smiling faintly. "Just got a little careless during the fight. Nothing serious."
Toji crossed his arms and gave him a slightly skeptical look. "You call being hospitalised for four days 'nothing serious'?"
He shrugged. "It's fine, really. I'm here, aren't I? If I was seriously injured don't you think I would still be in the hospital."
They both seemed to buy it easily enough. After all, he didn't look like someone who had nearly died fighting an S-class monster.
Yakumo tilted her head with bright curious eyes. "So… what kind of gate was it? Can you tell us about it? What kind of monsters did you fight?"
He hesitated, wondering if he should make up some lie to distract them, but then decided against it. "It's… classified."
Her shoulders slumped in disappointment. "Figures."
He chuckled softly. "Trust me, you don't want to know about this Gate. It wasn't exactly a pleasant experience for me. Or anyone else involved."
They talked a bit longer — small things, harmless topics. For a brief while, it felt almost normal. Like they were just three ordinary shinobi sharing a moment between missions.
Then, a knock came at the door.
A Suna shinobi stood there, wearing a standard desert uniform and a face that was all business. "Ken-sama. The Kazekage has summoned you. Please follow me." the man said, giving a respectful bow.
He felt weird at the respectful bow and at being called 'sama' by another shinobi, not used to being treated with such respect.
He blinked. "The Kazekage?"
"Yes, Ken-sama."
He'd been in Sunagakure for half a year now, but had never met Rasa even once. That wasn't surprising, as he was still just a Genin when he first arrived in this village.
Yes, his strength was technically Chunin rank even when he'd just arrived, but that had been the case with Toji, and more than half of the Genins who'd arrived with him. So his case was nothing special.
Looks like that had changed.
He glanced at his teammates. "Guess duty calls."
"Be careful," Yakumo said automatically.
He smiled. "Always."
Then, he followed the Suna shinobi out into the fading desert light, heading toward the towering spire of the Kazekage's tower — and whatever awaited him inside.
—————
The Kazekage's building looked even bigger up close.
He'd seen it from afar plenty of times — the massive dome carved from the desert rock, its walls layered with seals and metal bands to protect it from sandstorms. But standing before it, he could feel the power of the various Fuinjutsu arrays protecting this place.
He somehow doubted that the Kazekage's building was even half as well protected in canon timeline when Gaara ruled from here.
He stepped through the doors, the Suna shinobi guide leading him through the long sandstone corridors. The air inside was cool, faintly smelling of ink and parchment. Every wall bore carved emblems of the Wind Daimyo and the Kazekage line.
He'd never been inside before.
But what truly made him stop was the chakra.
As soon as he entered, he extended his senses out of habit — and froze.
That chakra signature. Familiar. Vibrant and full of life.
Anko?
His eyes widened slightly.
She was here.
But what on earth was she doing here? So far away from Konoha.
Before he could dwell on it, the Suna shinobi turned to him. "This way, Ken-sama."
He followed, heart beating a little faster, until they stopped before the tall doors leading into the Kazekage's office. The guard outside gave a quick knock, waited for a response, and then gestured for him to enter.
He pushed the door open — and there she was.
Anko Mitarashi.
Standing by the side of the room, arms crossed, eyes curiously scanning the room.
She felt… different to his senses. Her chakra was deeper, stronger, sharper, more lethal than before. Six months ago, she was strong. Strong enough to beat any average Jounin of Konoha. But now, she had gone a step beyond that.
Her chakra reserves alone placed her firmly in the Elite Jōnin category. And he doubted that her chakra was the only thing that had improved about her.
Her control, her power — everything about her felt refined. Hardened by battle and growth.
He wanted to smile. Wanted to walk over and hug her, just to confirm she was real. Judging by the emotions he picked up through his senses, she felt the same — a mix of surprise and longing beneath her composed surface.
But they were not alone.
The Kazekage sat behind a heavy silk curtain that divided the room in half, his silhouette faintly visible behind the light.
The Suna shinobi bowed. "Kazekage-sama, Ken of Konoha."
A calm, even voice responded. "Let him in."
He stepped forward, bowing slightly in greeting. "Kazekage-sama."
The figure behind the curtain inclined his head. "At ease."
He frowned inwardly as he sensed that the person behind the curtain had about as much chakra as a Chunin. A substitute? No, more likely a clone of Rasa.
It made sense. Rasa was a busy man, especially now with the crisis in the Land of Mountains, as well as the breach of the S-class gate.
"First, let me thank you on behalf of Sunagakure," Rasa's voice continued. "Your contribution in the battle against the third S-class monster, Ahramoth, was invaluable. Without your intervention, the monster could've very well breached the border of our nation."
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Anko's chakra spike for a moment. Her face remained expressionless, but he could sense her emotions clearly — shock, confusion, dread, shock again and then finally fierce relief.
He realised in that moment that she hadn't been told.
He wondered why she was even here, if not for him? Did Konoha send her as a messenger? Or was something else at play?
Before he could think too much, Rasa's voice cut through again.
"As a token of appreciation, Sunagakure will reward you for your service."
A Suna shinobi who'd been hiding in the corner till then stepped forward and placed a small, ornate scroll on the desk.
"Twenty five million ryō," Rasa said, "and twenty-five D-class cores. Consider them your personal reward for aiding in Land of Wind's defence."
He blinked, genuinely surprised by the reward. That was a lot. Though maybe not that much when you consider his contribution.
"Thank you, Kazekage-sama." He said with a bow.
Rasa's silhouette shifted slightly "You've also received new orders from Konoha. Your mission in Sunagakure has been officially shortened. Instead of one year, you are to return home as soon as you're physically capable."
His eyes widened slightly. "I'm being recalled?"
"Yes," Rasa said simply. "Your Hokage has requested your immediate debriefing. You may leave whenever you are fit to travel. Suna will, of course, provide safe passage."
The words left him with mixed feelings. Relief, yes — but also a faint sense of uncertainty after Temari's kiss. Still, it's not like he could say that to Rasa, so he simply bowed deeply. "Thank you, Kazekage-sama."
"Good. Then you are both dismissed."
He straightened and turned toward the door, catching Anko's gaze for just a heartbeat.
No words passed between them, but they didn't need to. They left together in silence — the heavy wooden doors closing behind them.
—————
Anko didn't say a word as they left the Kazekage's building.
She just grabbed his wrist and pulled him along the sandstone streets until they reached a small inn near the central market. Her chakra flared once as she sealed the room door shut behind them.
Then she turned — and kissed him.
It wasn't gentle. It was fierce, desperate, filled with emotion she hadn't let herself show in front of others.
When she finally pulled back, both of them were breathing hard. "Okay." She said, glaring at him. "Explain what's this I'm hearing about you taking part in a battle against an S-class monster."
He smiled weakly. "Yes, I missed you as well."
Her glare softened, just a little. "You're not as smart as I thought you were if you believe that I'll let this go." She said, folding her arms. "Tell me everything."
He nodded slowly. "I will. But first… why are you here?"
She stared into his eyes for a moment before she nodded. "Very well. I was in the Land of Rivers, clearing a Gate with my team when I got a message from the Hokage. Direct order — come to Suna and bring you back to Konoha. No explanation, no reason. Now I know why." She gave him a hard look. "To think tou took part in a fight against an S-class monster."
He rubbed the back of his neck. "…More or less."
"More or less?!" She stepped closer. "Do you have a death wish?"
He hesitated, then sighed. "I didn't plan on fighting it, alright? Temari was assigned to that mission. I went with her because my sensing ability would've helped. Things… got out of hand."
Her eyes narrowed slightly at his words. "Temari, huh? Is she the girl you wrote to me about being your Sensei?"
He froze. "Um… yeah."
Anko's eyes narrowed even further as she stared at him deeply. After a long moment, she asked. "You like her?"
He opened his mouth. Then closed it again. "...I don't know," he admitted. "Maybe. But I didn't do anything. I promise."
Anko stared at him for a long moment before shaking her head. "You're impossible."
Then, to his surprise, her expression softened again. "But even if you did… I wouldn't have blamed you."
That caught him off guard. "…What?"
"Itachi's new policy," she said bitterly. "Higher-ranked shinobi are required to have at least one child. The more children they have, the more benefits they get — tax exemptions, housing, training grants. The village wants stronger bloodlines, and they're willing to encourage it any way they can."
He stared at her, stunned into silence.
"I myself got numerous offers from my colleagues, though you don't need to worry about that. I refused them all. But the Hokage still called me over to ask why I haven't married yet."
"That's…" He trailed off. Not having the words to display how he felt about any of that. Though a part of him was certainly glad that Anko had refused everyone else. But that the fact that the village was pressuring its shinobi like this both shocked and enraged him.
Anko gave a small, humorless smile. "Yeah. Welcome to the new Konoha."
For a moment, neither spoke. Then, she sighed and sat down beside him on the bed. "We'll talk about this later. Right now, you're alive. That's enough."
He nodded faintly. "Yeah."
She smiled — soft this time, almost teasing. "But next time, don't make me chase you across nations just to make sure you're breathing."
He chuckled quietly. "I'll try not to."
She leaned in again, resting her head on his shoulder. The warmth of her presence, the weight of everything that had happened, finally caught up to him.
Then, she pushed him onto the bed and started removing her clothes.
"Wait. I'm still too weak right now." He told her, even though his dick was already twitching within his pants.
Six months of pent up libido won't be stopped by a weakened body, it seemed.
"Don't worry." Anko said as she removed his pants, fishing out his hardened dick and lined it against her hot, wet pussy lips. "You just lay there and enjoy the ride."
With that, she dropped down, enveloping him with her tight depths, and he let out a groan of pleasure before she started riding him passionately.
Morning sunlight filtered through the thin desert haze, painting the sandstone streets of Sunagakure in shades of gold and bronze.
He walked quietly, a paper bag in one hand, crunching absently on the D-class monster cores he'd been given as part of his reward. Each one cracked like crystal between his teeth, dissolving into faint warmth that spread through his chest before fading into nothing.
The familiar notification blinked across his vision each time he consumed one.
+3 Experience Points
A measly three experience points per core was disappointing but expected. Eventually, he finished the last one of them before checking his status.
Level 5 (Next Level up: 567 / 600)
Just thirty-three more points. A few decent kill would do it — or a dozen more of these C-class cores. But getting them wasn't that simple. And he doubted Suna would give any more to a foreign shinobi, especially one already preparing to leave.
Shame.
He rolled the paper bag and threw it in a nearby dustbin before he kept walking.
The hospital came into view soon after — a squat, sand-stone building reinforced with chakra-etched seals. Guards stood by the entrance, their posture sharp despite the morning calm.
A part of him almost expected them to stop him. But they simply nodded to him as he stepped inside.
The ICU ward smelled faintly of medicine and ozone — the scent of healing chakra. Rows of reinforced rooms stretched down the hall, each surrounded by thin barriers of sealing scripts.
He stopped outside one of the rooms.
Through the glass window, he saw Hana.
Her skin looked pale beneath the faint green glow of the healing seals, her arm wrapped in bandages, chest rising and falling in slow rhythm. The yellow strands of her hair spread across the pillow like spilled juice.
He rested a hand on the cold glass as he remembered the fight. Without her help, he might not have survived that fight.
For that reason, he wanted to thank her before leaving.
But with her condition, it seemed that chance wouldn't come.
He was about to leave when a quiet voice spoke behind him.
"She's out of danger."
He turned — Gaara stood there, arms crossed, stoic as ever.
"She'll recover," Gaara continued, stepping beside him to look into the room. "But it will take time. The med-nins say she'll need to stay in the ICU for at least another week."
He nodded slowly. "I see."
Silence lingered between them.
He didn't know this Gaara well. This Gaara was not the monster that was sent to destroy Konoha in canon timeline. Nor the kind hearted, soft spoken Kazekage he'd turned into after Naruto gave him the signature Talk-no-Jutsu.
This Gaara was quiet, and distant. Grounded in a way that canon Gaara hadn't been while still holding an intensity about him that put him on edge.
After a while, he asked quietly, "Temari… is she around?"
Gaara's gaze shifted toward him. "She took a mission outside the village a while back. She won't return this week."
He blinked. "…I see."
He wasn't sure why that stung more than he expected. Maybe because he wanted to say goodbye properly. Maybe because things between them had grown more complicated than he'd intended.
He gave a small nod. "Thanks regardless."
Gaara inclined his head slightly. "You fought well. Without you, my Sensei would've died."
He shrugged lightly. "And without you bringing me to Suna's hospital fast enough, I would've died as well. I guess we're even."
Gaara didn't respond, but the faintest hint of respect crossed his expression. Then, with a swirl of sand, he turned and disappeared down the hallway.
Left alone, he looked back through the glass one last time — at Hana, pale and still beneath the seals — then sighed quietly.
"Guess this is goodbye," he murmured.
Then he turned and walked away.
—————
By the time he returned to the hotel, the sun was already rising up into the sky, its light filtered into the room through thin tan curtains.
Anko was sitting cross-legged on the bed, dressed in a loose bathrobe, hair still damp from a shower. The scent of soap and steam mixed faintly with the warm aroma of breakfast — eggs, rice, and tea, neatly set on the low table by the staff earlier.
"About time you came back," she said, pouring herself a cup of tea. "Eat before it gets cold."
He nodded, sitting across from her. "Didn't think Suna hotel breakfast would look this normal."
"Some things transcend borders," she said dryly, cracking a faint smile.
They ate in silence for a few minutes before Anko leaned back, studying him. "So," she said at last, "how was your time here? Six months in the desert — must've been something."
He shrugged. "Hot. Dry. Violent. You know — same as always."
She rolled her eyes. "Smartass."
Still, he told her a bit — about the missions, the people, how he'd been training and improving faster than ever. He left out the details about Gates and Ahramoths, though; she'd had enough of those near-death stories for one lifetime.
When he finally paused, he glanced at her and asked, "What about that new policy you mentioned? The Hokage's plan to… encourage shinobi to have more kids?"
The thought honestly made him angry. Weren't there enough child soldiers for the Hokage to throw at the gates already? Why was he asking for more?
Anko's expression softened. "Ah. That." She swirled the tea in her cup before answering. "It's not as bad as it sounds, honestly. I made it sound more dramatic yesterday because of how annoying some of my colleagues have been."
"How so?"
"It's mostly positive reinforcement," she said, leaning back. "Tax breaks. Housing benefits. Clan privileges. All tied to family size. The Hokage isn't forcing anyone to have kids — just… rewarding those who do. Especially among S-class shinobi."
"That's… practical." He admitted reluctantly, unsure of how he felt about this.
With how dangerous this world was, many of those children would end up dying before even reaching adulthood. On the other hand, Konoha will have more talented kids in the future generations. A stronger generation that'll make Konoha safer.
"Itachi's like that," she said simply. "It's as if he's not even trying to win the love and respect of our shinobi anymore. He's just making the most practical decisions for the village, trying to ensure that Konoha becomes stronger even if he ends up offending many in the process."
"I see." He said, wondering if Itachi was just trying to rush through the goodwill he's earned. Make as many hard decisions as he could to strengthen Konoha before he abdicates in favour of someone else.
The thought would've felt ridiculous for anyone else. But this was Itachi. A man capable of killing his own family was not someone he was going to underestimate anytime soon.
"What else?"
She hesitated for a second, then added, "I guess it goes without saying but he also scrapped the monogamy law."
He blinked. "…for everyone?"
She grinned, clearly enjoying his confusion. "Nah. Only high-tier shinobi. But Elite Jounins and S-class shinobi can now have harems. Officially recognised. The reasoning is that their genetics are too valuable to waste. Some big names have already started clans of their own with their harem."
He leaned forward, curiosity piqued despite himself. "And who are these big names we're talking about?"
"Jiraiya. Might Guy. A few others."
He almost choked on his tea. "Jiraiya? As in, the 'I'll die alone writing smut novels' Jiraiya?"
Anko laughed. "The very same. Apparently, he proposed to Tsunade again a few months back. She turned him down — for good this time. So, Jiraiya gave up and settled down with a dozen retired kunoichi instead."
He rubbed his temples. "That's… hard to imagine. Though not as hard to imagine as someone like Guy having a harem. Is the world ending? I need to check."
"Believe it or not, I had the same reaction when I first heard about it." she said with a grin. "But well… Guy is Guy. He's loyal above all else. So when Itachi personally visited him at his home and asked him to set an example for the other shinobi to follow, he followed through. No hesitation."
He snorted. "Of course he did." He then paused. "Not to be rude or anything though but were… um… were women… you know?"
"Willing to marry someone as weird as Guy? You bet you ass they were. Guy might have his eccentricities but he's still one of the strongest shinobi Konoha has in its roster. That counts for far more than his disastrous fashion choices."
"I see." He said, shaking his head in amusement. They both laughed a bit at that, the tension between them finally easing.
Then Anko leaned forward again, her tone shifting slightly. "What about you?"
He looked up at her. "What about me?"
"You're not S-class yet," she said, eyes narrowing slightly. "But you're close. At the rate you're growing, it's only a matter of time. So tell me—" she tilted her head, "—would you be interested in a harem?"
He hesitated, then admitted, "Maybe. But only once I'm strong enough… and wealthy enough. I don't want to start something I can't handle."
Plus… the thought of bringing kids in a world as dangerous as this made his stomach churn. So he'll only go through with this once he was fully confident in making them S-class shinobi at the very least.
Such a thing won't be easy, but he was confident that with time and the aid of his System, he could accomplish that.
Anko smirked. "Responsible answer." She leaned in closer, her voice dropping. "Then save a slot for me."
He blinked, not really surprised but still a bit taken aback by her straightforwardness. "Are you serious?"
Her grin widened. "You heard me."
He stared at her, unsure whether to take her seriously — until she spoke again, quieter this time. "I won't lie to you, kid. When I first asked to be teamed up with you, it wasn't out of the kindness of my heart or anything. It was because I saw incredible potential in you, and wanted to get my hands on you before the other Kunoichis learned about you. You were going places, and I wanted to be with you as you climbed high in the totem pole."
He blinked at her blatant admission at what would classify as 'grooming' in his previous world and then slowly nodded. "I… I'm surprisingly okay with that. I suppose a part of me already knew."
After all, as his Kagura's Mind Eye improved, he was able to sense her emotions on a much deeper level. And with how close they'd been, how could he not know?
Anko laughed softly, leaning back again, her expression softer than usual. "Good. Then we understand each other. You don't kick me out, and I'll help you deal with any other kunoichi you bring into your bed. Deal?"
He let out a chuckle at her antics and nodded in amusement. "Deal."
"Good." Anko nodded. "Then tell me, is there any girl out there that you already have your eyes on?"
He leaned back at that line of questioning and gave it some serious thought. Well… his first and most obvious choice would be Temari. With how strong she'd already become, it was only a matter of time before she reaches S-class rank.
But she was not only not from Konoha. But on top of that, she was also the daughter of the Kazekage, so he found it unlikely for such a relationship to go anywhere.
He guessed that Temari had also realised this, which is why she took a mission and left the village, unwilling to meet him again before his departure.
"Not right now." He eventually admitted.
Anko tilted her head, giving him a curious glance and then nodded. "I believe you. But tell me in case you change your mind, okay? As one of your future wives, I'll do my best to make sure that our family grows strong."
"Understood." He said, feeling a bit weird about the direction this conversation took. "Now, tell me about all the Gates you've cleared this past year. And how you grew this strong."
Anko nodded and started narrating the various D and C-class gates she'd cleared in the past year.
—————
The next few days passed quietly.
For once, there were no alarms, no Gates opening, no urgent summons — just the stillness that followed chaos.
His body healed quickly. Too quickly, in fact. Thanks to his 6x recovery rate, the bruises, torn muscles, and chakra strain that should've kept him away from active duty for a few weeks had faded in only a few days. By the fifth morning, he felt completely fine — his strength and chakra flow stable again.
It was time to leave.
He stood in the courtyard outside the lodging complex, travel bag slung across his shoulder. Yakumo and Toji were already waiting.
Yakumo was the first to speak. "So, you're finally heading back, huh?" she said, trying — and failing — to sound casual.
He nodded. "Yeah. Mission's over."
She stepped forward and hugged him suddenly, surprising him. "I'll miss the way you shout 'Cleave!' and 'Dismantle!' as you shoot out wind blades," she said with an amused grin.
He rolled his eyes. "Those are techniques, not catchphrases."
"Sure they are," she said, smiling against his shoulder before stepping back. "Just… don't forget about us when you're all famous and scary, alright?"
He chuckled. "Not happening."
Toji came next, extending a hand. "Take care of yourself."
He clasped it firmly. "You too."
They stood there a moment longer, then he turned away, walking toward where Anko was waiting by the village gates.
To his surprise, they weren't alone.
Standing beside her was Pakura, her bright green eyes calm as ever.
"Pakura-sama?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
She inclined her head. "I've been assigned to escort you and Mitarashi-san beyond the Land of Wind's borders."
He blinked. "Suna is sending an S-class kunoichi as an escort?"
"That's right," she said evenly. "Consider it a gesture of respect."
At the time, he thought it was genuine kindness — a final show of gratitude from Suna. But later, after they'd left the sand dunes and entered the forest of the Land of Rivers, Anko explained what it really was.
"Suna's being careful," she said, her cloak fluttering in the wind. "You've proven yourself. They know you'll be important someday — maybe even a future Hokage. They want to leave a good impression while they can. And…" She shot him a glance. "They don't want Suna to be blamed if something happens to us on their soil."
He thought about that for a moment, then nodded. "Makes sense."
"Of course it does," she said with a small smile. "You're not just some Genin anymore, kid. You're a name now. Don't forget that."
With their enhanced stamina and physique, it took him and Anko only two more days to reach Konoha.
The guards saluted them and the gates opened, showing Konoha covered in morning mist. And he felt something that he hadn't felt in a long while.
A feeling of being at Home.
He hadn't thought of Konoha that way before. Not really. It was where he lived, trained, and fought — but not where he belonged.
Yet, as they walked through the busy streets and saw the villagers moving about their lives — the markets, the laughter, the smell of dango stalls — something inside him eased.
He was home.
They didn't linger long in the streets. Instead, they went straight to the Hokage Tower. They climbed the steps quietly, the familiar sound of the village fading behind them.
But just as they reached the corridor leading to the Hokage's office, the door at the end exploded outward.
The sound was deafening.
A woman stormed out, chakra flaring so powerfully that the air trembled for a moment.
It took him only a single glance to recognise her. It was Tsunade. The woman who would've been the Fifth Hokage in another timeline.
But what caught his attention at the moment was not the anger etched into her face, or the way her breasts bounced as she stormed out of the room (ahem), but the fact that she had both her arms.
The last time he'd seen her was after she had returned from that disastrous S-class mission. And she'd been missing one of her arms at that time. And to his knowledge, there were no known healing methods capable of regrowing limbs.
So how…?
The answer came easily to him.
Either Tsunade has developed an Irojutsu technique to do so… or, more likely, it must be some resource from the Gate. A resource that must've been so rare that it hadn't yet been revealed to the public.
Whatever it was, he certainly couldn't ask Tsunade as she didn't seem to be in any mood for a small talk.
She strode past them without so much as a glance, her heels clicking sharply against the floor as she smashed open a window and jumped out.
He and Anko exchange a glane. "That looked fun." Anko said.
He gave a quiet sigh. "You first," he said, gesturing toward the shattered doorway.
Inside, the office was just as he remembered — cluttered with scrolls and maps, sunlight streaming in from the tall windows. And behind the desk sat Itachi Uchiha, the Fifth Hokage.
Itachi had changed since the last time they saw each other. His hair was shorter, his face more lined with age.
And yet, what threw him off wasn't the authority he exuded — it was the smile.
Itachi actually smiled at him. Warm. Welcoming. Almost fatherly.
The sight was so strange that for a moment he wondered if he wasn't under a Genjutsu. Maybe he was. Maybe Madara already succeeded in his Infinite Tsukiyomi and nothing he saw in front of him was real.
"Welcome home," Itachi said softly. "You did very well, Ken. Konoha is proud of you."
The compliment hit harder than he expected. Especially because he didn't even like Itachi all that much on a personal level.
Still, appearances needed to be kept, so he bowed slightly. "Thank you, Hokage-sama."
Itachi continued, "Your achievements during the Suna operation were remarkable — especially considering the scale of the threat. Killing an Ahramoth is no small feat."
Before he could respond, Itachi leaned forward slightly. "Konoha has decided to acknowledge your contribution. Effective immediately, you are being promoted to Jōunin."
The words hit him like a punch.
Anko's head snapped toward him. "Jōunin?"
He blinked, stunned. He'd expected something — maybe a Chūnin rank, maybe a commendation — but this?
He'd never even heard of anyone skipping the Chūnin promotion entirely. It was the kind of thing that just didn't happen.
"Hokage-sama, I…" he hesitated, searching for the right words. "With respect, I'm not qualified. I'm strong, yes, but I'm aware that strength alone doesn't make a Jōnin. I—"
Itachi raised a hand, cutting him off gently. "I know." His eyes softened — but the warmth didn't quite reach his chakra. The emotion beneath that calm exterior was weary and calculating. "This promotion isn't about rank," Itachi said. "It's about giving you more freedom."
That made him pause. Freedom? What was this guy talking about?
"As a Jōnin," Itachi continued, "you'll no longer be restricted to Genin-level missions or oversight. You'll have access to higher-tier assignments — including Strike Force operations."
He glanced at Anko then, and for the first time, the faintest smirk tugged at Itachi's lips. "Should you accept this promotion, you'll be partnered with Mitarashi Anko for the foreseeable future."
Anko raised an eyebrow but didn't object to the matter.
He looked between Itachi and Anko — still hesitant, but tempted.
He knew of what Strike Forces did: elite, fast-response missions against high-risk Gates. Dangerous, yes, but also incredibly rewarding.
Most importantly though, it was exactly the kind of thing he needed to Level up, considering that low-tier gates didn't even give him any exp points anymore.
After a long pause, he finally exhaled. "If that's the case… then I accept. But I would like to ask for a few months of vacation first to get used to working alongside Anko."
With all the skills he has learned, as long as he didn't go to an A-class gate, even if something went horribly wrong, he was confident in his chances of survival.
But that didn't mean that he won't accept some more time to grow even stronger.
Itachi nodded once. "Granted."
Itachi reached across the desk and handed over a dark flak jacket with Konoha's insignia stitched in silver thread.
"Welcome to the ranks of Jōnin, Ken."
He took it with both hands, bowing slightly. "Thank you, Hokage-sama."
And that's how he became a Jounin of Konoha at the young age of 14.
Not quite Itachi or Kakashi's level of achievement, and not quite deserved, but he'll take it.
—————
Despite all his protests, Anko didn't take no for an answer.
"You're a Jōnin now," she said, grabbing him by the wrist and dragging him along to her favourite bar. "If you're old enough to kill, and old enough to fuck, then you're definitely old enough to drink."
He sighed, letting her pull him through the streets of Konoha. "I'll take the first part of that saying, and definitely the second but not the third."
The last thing he wanted was to get drunk and say something that shouldn't be said. But he humoured Anko.
She smirked. "We'll see."
The bar she brought him to wasn't the kind that welcomed loud Genin or rowdy chūnin squads fresh from missions. It was tucked away near the upper district — clean, quiet, and guarded by subtle Fuinjutsu seals that dampened chakra signatures and sound.
Inside, the air was heavy with the faint scent of alcohol. The lights were low, the atmosphere subdued. And the people…
He blinked.
Nearly every person in the room radiated power.
Veteran chakra signatures filled the air — dense, and refined. These weren't fresh Jōnin or paper-pushers. They were killers. Commanders. War survivors.
Almost all of them were Elite Jounin. And those that weren't, were pretty close.
It took him only a moment to realise that this must be the hanging spot for the top brass of the village.
And sitting in a corner, half a dozen empty bottles around her, was someone even higher.
Tsunade.
8df9724af7583e4ed158a68d7eba506e.jpg
Spoiler: Tsunade NSFW
He hadn't expected to see her here — and certainly not like this.
She looked tired, though even with flushed cheeks and slightly messy hair, she carried the aura of someone who could break a building with a flick of her wrist.
Her chakra reserves were one of the largest he'd ever seen. The only ones with larger chakra reserves had been Hiruzen and Jiraiya. Even Gaara, a Jinchuriki, didn't have as much chakra as her.
He gave her a curious glance as he followed Anko to the counter, taking a seat beside her. The bartender — a scarred man, gave them a nod of acknowledgement.
"Booze," Anko said cheerfully, tapping the table.
"Water," he said right after.
Anko shot him an unimpressed look. "You're no fun, you know that?"
"Someone has to stay sober enough to carry your drunk ass back home."
That earned a snort from the bartender and a chuckle from someone nearby. Anko huffed but didn't argue further.
They were only halfway through their drinks — or drink and water, in his case — when a sharp, irritated voice cut through the hum of the bar.
"Why'd you bring a genin here, Anko?"
He turned. Tsunade was glaring at him from across the room, one brow raised. Her voice was slurred but sharp. "What's next? Bringing Academy brats to the bar?"
Anko grinned mischievously. "Genin? Tsunade-sama, this one's no Genin anymore."
That drew a few curious glances from the other patrons.
"Being a Chunin doesn't give him the right to be here either." Someone else said.
Anko leaned back proudly and said, loud enough for the entire bar to hear, "He's not a Chunin either. What you're seeing in front of you right now, is the current youngest Jounin in all of Konoha."
That earned him more looks. He could feel the mood of the bar shift instantly — surprise, disbelief, and a healthy dose of skepticism.
"Oh… and what did the brat do to get a direct promotion to a Jounin?" An Inuzuka woman asked.
Anko's grin widened even further as she waited, raising all of their curiosity before she finally spoke up. "He killed an Ahramoth."
The reaction was immediate.
The entire bar went silent.
Even the faint hum of conversation and laughter in the background stopped. All the Elite Jōnins stared at him, their expressions flickering between shock and amusement — the kind that said "Yeah, right."
Tsunade's gaze sharpened. Slowly, she straightened in her seat, the lazy drunkenness fading like a mask slipping off.
"An Ahramoth?" she repeated. Her voice was quiet now — calm, dangerous. "You're saying this kid killed one of those?"
Anko nodded smugly. "Not alone. But yes."
Tsunade pushed her chair back and started walking over to him. The air around her shifted — not in hostility, but in sheer presence. Even half-drunk, she radiated command.
She walked over and stopped in front of him. Her gaze was sharp now, analysing him from head to toe.
"How?" she asked simply.
"I didn't do it alone. Hana from Sunagakure helped. She held it down… and I punched it."
Tsunade blinked once. Then raised an eyebrow. "You punched it?"
He nodded, dead serious. "I punched it. Really, really hard."
Anko snorted into her drink, trying and failing to hold back laughter. Either she was a lightweight or she was having a bit too much fun here.
Tsunade gave him a long look, skepticism clear on her face. "How hard, exactly?"
He hesitated a moment, then said quietly, "Sixth Gate."
The air changed again.
Every chakra in the room tensed. A few gasps, one muffled curse. Tsunade's eyes widened — the drunken haze completely gone now.
"You can use the Eight Gates Technique?" she asked, voice sharper now.
"Yes."
"And you can already open upto the sixth?"
He nodded once. "Yes."
For a moment, Tsunade just stared at him — studying him the way a scientist might study an unexploded bomb. Then, slowly, she raised her right hand, palm up.
"Punch it."
He blinked. "What?"
"Punch my hand," she repeated, tone firm. "As hard as you can."
"...Are you sure?"
She gave him a look that said if he asked any more questions, then he would be the one getting punched instead, so he better shut up and do as he was told.
So he did.
He channeled his strength carefully — not full force, but enough to leave a crater in stone. His fist connected with her palm.
The sound echoed through the bar like thunder. The tables rattled. Bottles clinked.
Tsunade didn't move — but her wrist bent slightly. A faint tremor rippled up her arm.
She lowered her hand slowly, flexing it once. A faint bruise slowly forming in her palm before her chakra flared green, healing it instantly.
Her eyes narrowed. "You weren't lying."
The entire bar was silent again, with everyone's emotions now changed from skeptical to cautious, respectful and accessing.
Then she added quietly, "You still have residual internal damage — the kind I saw in Guy after using the Eight Gate Technique. Not as bad, but close."
She gave him a small, grim smile. "Come to me tomorrow. I'll fix what's left. Understood?"
He blinked. "...Yes, ma'am."
Tsunade gave a short nod, grabbed a bottle of wine off the counter, and turned toward the door.
As she left, she muttered, half to herself, "The next generation's getting scarier by the day."
The door swung shut behind her, leaving behind a room full of stunned silence and one very smug Anko, who leaned close and whispered,
"See? Told you this bar was fun."
His fists blurred through the air, each strike cracking against the invisible resistance of compressed wind. The heavy weights strapped to his arms and legs once again dragged at his movements, slowing him—but only slightly.
He'd been training for hours, yet fatigue refused to settle in. His enhanced physique didn't just make him faster or stronger—it elevated every aspect of his body. His stamina, too, had become monstrous, keeping pace with the rest of his growing power.
A part of him had wanted to take a break today. To go and meet up with Aya and Hoshigawa. To spend time with friends and just… relax.
But, there was a downside to his 6x active growth. Because now, for every time he didn't train, he felt guilty. As if he had missed out on 6 entire days of training. Every hour of missed training was like missing 6 hours of improvement.
Instead of letting him take it easy, the Active Growth had, if anything, turned him into a complete training maniac. The likes that would make even someone like Might Guy proud.
He let out an exhale as he paused in his training, his gaze sweeping over the rest of his property.
Around him, his Shadow Clones moved about quietly, sweeping, repairing, and cleaning his house. Aya had done her best to maintain the house while he was gone, but she had her hands full with the hospital… and now with her pregnancy.
He smiled faintly. 'Guess it's a good thing I returned early.'
His smile then widened a fraction as he sensed her — the familiar, sharp chakra signature he'd come to know so well.
Anko landed on the fence, looking… tired. Not physically, but mentally. There was a tightness to her movements, and her usual grin was nowhere to be seen.
"Morning," he said, wiping the sweat from his brow.
"Morning." She replied sarcastically as she tossed a small pouch at him. He caught it easily. "The eleven D-class cores you wanted. Had to pull a few strings to get them this fast. Had to pay a pretty penny too. Wanna explain what you needed them for?"
He weighed the pouch in his hand and then opened it. Eleven D-class cores as he'd wanted. "No. But I promise I'll explain someday later."
Anko groaned. "You and your damn secrets…"
Ignoring her, he sat cross-legged on the grass and began crunching on the cores one by one. They shimmered faintly before dissolving into energy that his body absorbed instantly.
Eventually, he had consumed all eleven of them. Each giving him Three experience points each.
[+33 Experience Points]
Level 5 (Next Level up: 600 / 600)
A familiar screen flickered before his eyes.
You've gained enough Experience points. Do you want to Level up?
-Yes-
-No-
He barely managed to stop a huge smile from forming on his face as he mentally pressed Yes.
Level 5 → Level 6 (Next Level up: 0/700)
Active Growth: +100%
Passive Growth: +1 slot
He closed the window and exhaled slowly. Then he opened his status panel again and placed a new ability into the fresh slot.
Slot Six — Iryōjutsu
He'd thought deeply on this last night. And although a part of him wanted to place Eight Gates Technique into it, to improve that technique to the point where its negative effects starts to lessen (hopefully letting him activate the 8th gate eventually without dying). In the end, he had gone with Iryojutsu.
He wasn't learning this for himself. If he wanted to focus on himself, then he would've gone with something like Self Regeneration. Or learning that 'Body Shedding' technique of Orochimaru's, that would let him recover from lethal injuries mid battle.
He wanted to learn this so that he may heal Anko, or any other women he might have in the future while in the battlefield. The fact that it'll also let him heal himself, while also improving his Chakra Control was just a bonus.
Not to mention all of Tsunade's cool Jutsu that he would eventually be able to learn.
He remembered that her explosive strength had been even more monstrous than that of the Raikage in canon timeline. If he could apply that to himself, then add that to his own great strength, then what kind of creature would be able to stand against him?
Not to mention, his System allowed him Limitless growth. So eventually, he would become good enough at Iryojutsu where he would be able to regrow entire limbs.
And once he reached that point, money would never be a problem for him, ever again.
"What are you getting so happy about?" Anko asked him as she pouted, her arms crossed in dissatisfaction.
It seems like he wasn't able to hide his reaction from her completely.
He grinned. "Nothing."
She groaned dramatically, dragging her hands down her face. "I hate that smug look of yours." Then, her eyes glinted. "Fine. If you won't talk, then we'll do something else — fight me."
He raised an eyebrow. "A spar?"
"Exactly." A smirk spread across her face again, some of her usual energy returning. "I want to see how much you've improved in the past six months in Suna."
He rolled his shoulders, stretching his neck. "Very well. But don't go crying when I kick your ass later."
Her grin widened. "Is that a challenge?"
"Consider it one."
They moved to the centre of the yard. The clones scattered to the sidelines, disappearing in puffs of smoke.
Anko took her stance.
He mirrored her with a relaxed posture, breathing slow and steady.
Then, without warning, she lunged.
Her fist shot forward like a bullet. He slipped to the side, barely moving, and tapped her wrist, redirecting her momentum. She spun, kicking low — only for him to pivot and catch her leg mid-swing.
Her eyes widened a fraction before he flicked his wrist, sending her rolling across the yard.
She landed gracefully, wiping a smudge of dirt off her chin and grinning like a maniac. "Oh, this is going to be fun."
The next few minutes were a blur of motion — Anko attacking with everything she had, him countering every strike with effortless precision. She used feints, substitutions, and chakra-powered kicks. He met all of it head-on, his movements sharper, faster, heavier.
When she tried to catch him with a snake summon mid-fight, he simply flickered forward and tapped her chest — not enough to hurt, but enough to knock her off balance and send her sprawling.
She lay there for a moment, panting, looking up at him with a mixture of disbelief and reluctant admiration.
"…how the heck did you improve so much in just six freaking months?" She asked in disbelief.
"I drank my milk." He said, waggling his eyebrows as he stared at her heaving breasts.
"Oh… didn't know those Suna cows were that accommodating."
"They weren't." He said as he climbed atop her, pushing her dress to the side and freeing up her breasts. "I've been hungry for a while now." He said as he licked her nipples, sending a shiver down her back as she let out an involuntary moan.
Something that he had missed before was that his Active Growth improved everything that he did. And that included sex. And Limitless growth ensured that he kept growing at it.
So, despite his lack of experience, he'd become a pretty decent hand at this.
Anko took deep heavy breaths, her breasts rising up and down tentatively in front of his eyes. "Well… what are you waiting for then?" She asked with a lustful grin. "Go on. Have your fill of my milk puppies."
He raised an eyebrow at that and then grinned lewdly. "Don't mind if I do."
—————
The sun had dipped low by the time evening rolled around, painting the village rooftops in gold and crimson. The smell of grilled meat filled his backyard, perfect for winding down after a day of training.
One of his Shadow Clones manned the small barbecue, flipping a thick cut of steak over the sizzling grill while he sat back on the porch, legs stretched out, a drink in hand.
Hoshigawa and Aya sat across from him, chatting softly, while Anko lounged comfortably on his lap — her hair damp from a recent shower, wearing one of his loose shirts like she owned it.
The moment felt… peaceful. Something that he appreciated more than words could convey.
Hoshigawa took a long sip of beer and let out a satisfied sigh. "Still can't wrap my head around it," he said, glancing over. "You, killing an S-class monster and getting promoted to Jōnin… it just doesn't sound real, kid."
He gave a small grin. "As I said before, I didn't do it alone."
"Yeah, yeah," Hoshigawa said, waving dismissively. "Still doesn't change the fact that you were there. Hell, if I was in your shoes, I'd have run for the hills."
Aya nodded, her expression soft but worried. "He's right, you know. You could've stayed behind, let the others handle it. Taking on something like that was reckless."
He chuckled quietly, poking the dirt with a stick. "You're not wrong. But it worked out. And I got a lot out of it."
A lot more than anyone here could imagine.
Two level-ups, and enough extra experience points left over that just consuming a few monster cores pushed him to have a third level up.
Just one fight had pushed him from Level 3 to Level 6.
Yes, risking his life in that battle had been foolish, but no one could argue that it wasn't worth the reward.
The clone finished grilling and placed the steak on the table beside them. The four of them dug in — with light conversation and easy laughter. For a little while, it almost felt like all the danger, the monsters, and the bloodshed outside the village didn't exist.
When the plates were nearly empty, he turned to Aya with a faint smile. "Congratulations, by the way. I heard the news. Sorry I don't have any appropriate gift right now. I would give you my chakra sword but that blasted thing shattered soon after the fight."
Aya blinked, then smiled back — a warm, genuine expression that softened her usual sharp tone. "Thank you. Though honestly, you didn't have to come with gifts or anything."
He shook his head. "I will, though. I owe you at least that much. I promise I'll have one prepared by the time the baby pops out."
Hoshigawa snorted, grinning. "Then it better be a great one. Coming from the youngest Jōnin in Konoha. And an S-class monster slayer, to boot."
He laughed. Though inwardly, he wondered if he truly was the youngest Jounin in the village. Probably not.
He thought about Sasuke whom he'd met six months ago. Even back then, a full year younger than him, that boy had Jounin-level chakra reserves. And was probably no less skilled. The only thing he truly lacked was a promotion.
Same could be said for Naruto. If the timeline of this world followed that of the canon, then Naruto should've graduated a while ago. But with how dangerous the world has become, he wasn't sure if Hiruzen wouldn't have someone train the boy properly.
Like, seriously, a single Shadow Clone Jutsu is all it would've taken to push the boy from a Genin to a Chunin level threat.
Hand the boy a few wide scale Wind Release Jutsu, and tell him the secret of memory sharing by the Shadow Clones, and that boy would easily become a Jounin level threat within a month.
So… despite how his acquaintances praised him for being the youngest Jounin. He never let it get to his head.
They stayed like that for a while — eating, teasing, talking about nothing in particular. When the stars began to appear in the sky, Hoshigawa finally stood, helping Aya up.
"Alright," Hoshigawa said, "we should head back. Tsunade-sama said no late nights for her during her pregnancy."
Aya rolled her eyes but didn't argue. They bid their goodbyes and headed off, Aya's hand in his.
As they walked away, he noticed something — Hoshigawa's gait was steadier, smoother than before.
He frowned slightly. "Hey, Anko… did you notice?"
"Hmm?" she murmured, half-asleep against his shoulder.
"Hoshigawa. His movements. He wasn't limping anymore."
Anko opened one eye, smiled faintly. "Ah, that. Suna sent us new prosthetics a week ago. Some of their newer models, made by the puppeteering division. Coincidentally, this happened around the same time when you defeated the S-class monster." Anko pointed out. "Not only do they make walking easier, but they let you channel chakra through them too."
He blinked, genuinely impressed. "That's… incredible."
"Mm-hmm," she said lazily, closing her eyes again. "Guess that alliance with Suna's already paying off, huh."
He leaned back against the porch railing, eyes drifting toward the dark sky, where the first few stars shimmered faintly.
'Yeah,' he thought. 'It really is.'
—————
They had just started cleaning up the remains of the barbecue — the last embers glowing softly in the pit — when a familiar chakra signature approached.
He turned toward the gate. "Tsunade-sama," he greeted as she stepped into the yard.
The Legendary Sannin stood there in her usual green coat, arms crossed, her expression unreadable under the faint moonlight. "You didn't come to see me," she said simply.
He blinked, realising what she meant. "Ah… right. Sorry. It slipped my mind."
Her eyes narrowed. "Internal injuries from using Six Gates are not something you can afford to 'forget' brat."
He nodded and raised his hands in surrender. "Point taken."
With a sigh, she walked closer and placed a hand on his chest. Her chakra surged, spreading through him like warm sunlight. He could feel the lingering aches and microtears in his muscles vanish instantly.
But what caught his attention wasn't her chakra — it was the faint tremor in her emotions. Uncertainty. Curiosity. Regret.
When she was done, he looked her in the eye. "You didn't come just to heal me, did you?"
For a second, she said nothing. Then, slowly, she exhaled. "No. I didn't." Her tone softened. "I wanted to ask you something personal."
He straightened slightly. "What question?"
"I want to know if you have any Senju or Uzumaki blood in you," she said at last. "Your growth rate… it's unnatural. Reminds me of the records I've read about my grandfather when he was young. And your chakra sensing — it's almost identical to the Uzumaki clan's perception ability. Makes me wonder if we might not be related in some way."
That… caught him off guard.
He frowned slightly. "I honestly have no idea. I'm an orphan. Never met my parents."
Tsunade nodded slowly, as if she expected that. "I looked into your file. Your parents were both registered as career Genin. Hardworking, but otherwise unremarkable. No bloodlines. No special jutsu. And yet…"
Her eyes studied him carefully. "You're… a genius among geniuses. The son of two Genin shouldn't be capable of rapid growth like yours. Shouldn't be capable of killing a damn Ahramoth. Yet, you did."
He stayed silent, waiting for her to continue.
Tsunade's tone dropped a little, tinged with faint humor. "So either the files are wrong and you were swapped with someone else as a baby… or your mother cheated on your father."
He blinked at that, unsure whether to laugh or not. "…You're surprisingly blunt, you know that?"
She shrugged. "You wanted the truth."
But her emotions still didn't settle — they wavered, conflicted. Something else was weighing on her.
"You're hiding something else," he said quietly.
Tsunade's lips pressed together. For a moment, she looked almost… tired. Then she sighed. "You're just as perceptive as my grandmother was. Fine." She looked toward the night sky, her voice calmer now. "Itachi pulled a lot of strings to get me the resource I needed to regrow my arm. Because of that… I owe him."
He tilted his head. "And?"
"He's using that as leverage," she admitted. "He wants me to marry and rebuild the Senju clan."
That made him blink. "Rebuilding the Senju clan?"
"Mm." Her expression was unreadable. "He thinks it's symbolic. The revival of an ancient clan will strengthen Konoha's stability. And… maybe he's right."
There was a brief silence between them — just the faint chirping of crickets and the soft hiss of the cooling coals.
Then she added, almost reluctantly, "So… I've been looking at potential candidates."
He raised an eyebrow, finally realising why she was here. "And let me guess — I'm one of them?"
Tsunade scoffed, crossing her arms. "Don't flatter yourself, kid. But yes — you're… one of the possible candidates."
She looked away, almost uncomfortable now. "If you do have Senju blood, and given your potential… it makes sense. From a practical standpoint. I was thinking that—"
He shook his head before she could say more. "No."
Her golden eyes turned back to him, shocked.
"Wha— why?" She asked.
"I'm not interested," he said simply. "Any child I have… I'll raise myself. In my house. If I have a child with you, then that'll likely not be the case. The child will be a Senju, raised in the Senju compound. That's unacceptable to me."
"We could come up with some sort of compromise." Tsunade offered after a few moments of silence. "You can come with me and live in the Senju compound. Kami knows there's more than enough empty houses there. Plus, you're likely a Senju yourself, so it would only be fitting."
"I…" He paused, unsure of what to say.
The fact that Tsunade would mistake him for a Senju and offer him a place in the Senju compound was a possibility that had never even occurred to him.
He scratched his head. "Look, this is too much. I need time to think on this. How about you return tomorrow, and we can talk about this again?"
Tsunade nodded. "Very well. We'll talk tomorrow." With that she turned and left.
He kept an eye on her till her chakra faded into the distance before he finally turned to gaze at Anko who looked highly amused about the entire thing.
"Why do you think she came to me?" He asked at last. "Shouldn't there be, like, a thousand men in the village pining after her?"
"High standards." Anko replied instantly. "As an S-class Kunoichi, I very much doubt that she'd settle for a weakling. No, she would only look for others who are in the same weight class… or about to get there."
"Still doesn't explain it. Why me? Why not someone else?"
"Who else is there?" Anko asked. "Tsunade never saw Jiraiya romantically, so that's unlikely to happen. Then there's Guy, which just… yeah no."
"Those two are not the only S-class shinobi in our village." He pointed out. "Not anymore."
"Yeah. But many of the newer S-class got there with the aid of high tier meat and cores. So their natural potential is lower." Anko explained. "Not to mention, many of those shinobi are already associated with clans, so that's a big hurdle as well if she wants to revive the Senju clan."
"…I see."
Anko hummed. "So… you gonna say yes tomorrow?"
"I don't know," he said quietly, uncertain of what he truly wanted.
When he'd been younger—in his past life—he'd had a crush on Tsunade. Sure, she'd been an anime character back then, but that didn't change anything. He wasn't ashamed of it.
She'd been everything he admired: strong yet kind, brash yet warm, reckless yet deeply caring.
And, of course, impossibly beautiful—especially those two magnificent breasts he'd once joked he could bury his face between and die a happy man.
Yes, without her transformation technique, she was old—though the monster cores she'd consumed had likely slowed that aging considerably. Besides, he could always learn some kind of jutsu later to restore youth or even grant immortality to himself and his women.
But… even aside from the big age difference, Tsunade came with her own share of problems.
First, she carried heavy emotional baggage—a lover she'd lost long ago and never truly moved on from. Second, she was both an alcoholic and a gambler, habits that would be hard to break. And third, she was a Senju. Any child he had with her would bear that name… and with it, the danger and attention that came from belonging to one of the most powerful clans in history.
All of this made him quite unsure about what to do.
In the end, as Anko dragged him back within the house and into their bed, he decided to leave this problem to the him of tomorrow.
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