From the moment the Kumogakure delegation left Konoha, Kiyonari's little drama finally came to an end. After everything was tallied, he had earned a full 230 Correction Points.
With that many Correction Points, he could afford to loosen up a little and make some big moves.
Kiyonari narrowed his eyes, a hint of coldness flashing in them.
Until the time was right to remove the Caged Bird, the best solution was undoubtedly to eliminate whoever had raised the problem.
Among all the members of the Hyuga Main Family, Hinata was the one closest to him. And as clan head, Hyuga Hiashi had just incurred a debt of gratitude to Tsunade; he also had to consider the bond between Kiyonari and Hinata.
As for the other members of the Main Family, years of pampered living had turned them into parasites, and they were nasty and difficult to deal with. If he could crush them, it would be cause for celebration across the entire Hyuga Clan.
Come to think of it, during the Kumogakure incident, all he had needed to do was write the script behind the scenes and give things a push at the crucial moment. Hinata and Tsunade had taken care of everything else. This feeling of raising them up and then coasting to victory was just incredible.
It might as well be the two of them who dealt with the Main Family's problems, too.
As Kiyonari walked home, he watched the streets gradually quiet down and couldn't help yawning.
"But..."
Now that he had a teacher, Tsunade definitely wouldn't be pleased if he acted too lazy. If he wanted to slack off in comfort, it was important to get on her good side.
Kiyonari rubbed his chin. Then... it was time to send out the second Drift Bottle. He could get Tsunade to back Hinata up and, at the same time, reveal a little information about Akatsuki to give her something to do, so she wouldn't keep an eye on him all day. But he had to get the amount of information just right. If he revealed too much, the script would be harder to control.
When he got home, Kiyonari put together the message in the Drift Bottle and sent it off, then washed up and went to bed.
The next day, he got up especially early, changed into clean clothes, and went out.
Konoha hadn't yet woken from its slumber, but the morning market was already bustling. The vendors were busy setting up their stalls, with all kinds of fresh vegetables, meat, and fish laid out for sale.
Kiyonari wandered around the market and eventually stopped at a stall selling game. The vendor was a middle-aged man, and his cages held several live hares and pheasants.
"What can I get you, sir?" the vendor asked warmly when he saw Kiyonari stop.
Kiyonari nudged a plump pheasant with his foot. "How much for this one?"
The vendor picked up the pheasant and hefted it. "I caught this one in the mountains just yesterday. It's as fresh as they come. Five hundred ryo. What do you think?"
"Too expensive."
At once, the vendor grew anxious. "Sir, I caught these in the woods myself. It's not easy for a pheasant to grow this big..."
Kiyonari raised a hand to cut off his rambling and looked him up and down. "You haven't been in Konoha long, have you? Business hasn't been great?"
The vendor hesitated, then nodded. "How did you know, sir?"
"I understand that catching game isn't easy, but this is Konoha. Even a kid my age can hunt game whenever he feels like it."
Kiyonari counted out three hundred ryo from his wallet and handed it over. "If I were you, I'd either try a different line of business in Konoha or sell game in the capital of the Land of Fire. The nobles there would be happy to buy it, and they're not short on money. You might even be able to charge more."
The vendor paused, looking at the three hundred ryo in front of him as he thought about what Kiyonari had just said.
He tied up the pheasant Kiyonari had picked out, then pushed the money back. "Sir, you can have this pheasant. Could you tell me... what kind of business should I try in Konoha?"
Kiyonari didn't refuse the man's kindness. He simply asked, "Are you really that set on staying in Konoha?"
The vendor nodded repeatedly. "It's safe here."
It was a crude way to put it, but he wasn't wrong. In this miserable world, staying alive mattered most.
Kiyonari thought for a moment, then offered a suggestion. "If you have some capital, you could try getting into the entertainment business. Bringing some of the capital's latest novelties to Konoha might work."
"Thank you so much! You're a lifesaver!"
The vendor's eyes lit up. He would have gladly traded everything at his stall for a few more words of advice.
Kiyonari declined the vendor's offer, then went to the Nara Clan's apothecary to buy some ingredients: goji berries, red dates, angelica root, codonopsis, and more. These ingredients could add flavor to soup and also had excellent nourishing effects, making them especially useful for anyone nursing a hangover.
After buying everything he needed, Kiyonari went home.
He found a clean basin, held the pheasant by the neck, and made a cut to bleed it out. Then he boiled water, plucked the feathers, and cleaned out the organs... His movements were practiced; clearly, this wasn't his first time doing this.
Once he had prepared all the ingredients, he put them into a clay pot, lit the stove, and let the soup simmer over low heat.
He sat beside the stove, watching the heat as he refined the details of his next script.
As time passed, the chicken soup in the pot began to give off an enticing aroma.
Kiyonari lifted the lid and checked on it. The meat had cooked until tender, and the broth had turned a clear golden color. It looked perfect.
"Almost done."
He nodded in satisfaction, turned off the stove, and found a food carrier. Then he carefully packed the soup inside.
When he was done, Kiyonari glanced out the window and realized it was almost noon.
"She should be awake by now."
He didn't know Tsunade well, but he knew what he himself had been like in his previous life. Even without drinking, he would sleep until noon on weekends. And Tsunade was practically "on vacation" every day, so why would she be any different?
Kiyonari carried the food carrier to Tsunade's residence.
The front gate was open. He went inside and looked around, but couldn't see Shizune. She had probably gone out.
Kiyonari walked up to Tsunade's bedroom and knocked on the doorframe beside the paper door. Tsunade's hoarse voice came from inside.
"Shizune?"
"Teacher, it's me," Kiyonari called loudly.
There was a brief silence, followed by the sound of footsteps.
The door slid open, revealing Tsunade. She did look a little disheveled: her hair was a mess, her eyes were puffy and red, and a flush from her hangover lingered on her face.
She wore a loose nightgown, its collar slightly open, enough to make a person imagine what a lovely sight lay beneath.
But!
From where Kiyonari stood, all he could see was the upper curve of her chest, lifted by her clothes. He could see nothing else. This was the first time he had hated being so young.
"Kiyonari?" Tsunade rubbed her eyes and looked at him in confusion. "What brings you here?"
Kiyonari raised the food carrier in his hand. "I made lunch. I brought some for you to try."
Tsunade was taken aback, and a hint of embarrassment crossed her face.
"You're quite the thoughtful little brat, aren't you?"
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