Chapter 24

"Kushina, we'll be heading home now!"

"Ah! You're leaving already?" Kushina looked a little crestfallen.

"Yeah! Why don't you come back with us?" Liuyun suggested, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"No! I can't!"

Kushina shook her head, sadness clouding her little face.

"Grandma Mito said she'd teach me Sealing Jutsu whenever I had free time. And she kept coughing last night!"

"I have to look after her today!"

"Cheer up, Kushina. We'll see each other again tomorrow!"

Mikoto stepped forward and took Kushina's little hand, trying to comfort her.

"Mm-hmm! Don't worry, Mikoto. I'm not as fragile as you think! I'm going to be the first female Hokage!" Kushina clenched her fists to encourage herself.

"We know, we know!" Liuyun walked over and stroked both girls' hair with a smile.

"Well then, future Lady Hokage, Mikoto and I will be going! Remember to call us if you need anything!"

"Bye!" Kushina waved, then turned and trotted back inside.

"Let's go too!"

Liuyun and Mikoto exchanged smiles. Taking her smooth, fair little hand, he headed home with her.

What's this?

Sensing four barely perceptible gazes on him, Liuyun frowned slightly.

The four presences felt unfamiliar. A thought flashed through his mind, and he immediately had his answer.

Ninja from Kumogakure?

(Anyone who sends flowers gets Airi looking after them tonight. Anyone who sends rating votes gets Tsunade looking after them! Send both, and both of them will look after you!)

Hiruzen Sarutobi's summons! (Second update!)

"Uchiha Liuyun! Lord Hokage requests your presence!"

An Anbu suddenly appeared before Liuyun.

"Fine! But I need to take Mikoto home first!" Liuyun said flatly.

"No! Lord Hokage wants you there immediately! Please don't make this difficult for us!"

The Anbu's voice was icy, his eyes devoid of emotion.

"And if I insist on taking Mikoto home first?"

Liuyun narrowed his eyes, his voice every bit as cold.

Had he not discovered the ninja from Kumogakure, he would certainly have gone with the Anbu to see Hiruzen Sarutobi.

But he had spotted the Cloud Ninja, and they had watched him and Mikoto come out of the Senju Clan Compound.

Liuyun was genuinely worried about Mikoto's safety.

"Uchiha Liuyun, please don't make this difficult for me!" the Anbu repeated, a hint of warning in his voice.

The atmosphere instantly grew tense.

"Liuyun! Let it go! Go see Lord Hokage first. I can get home on my own!"

Mikoto tugged at Liuyun's arm and spoke softly.

"I'd worry about you!" Liuyun shook his head. Suddenly, he spotted a familiar figure.

"Uchiha Jitu!" he shouted.

Uchiha Jitu was patrolling Konoha's streets. Hearing the shout, he immediately turned his head and saw a familiar figure who filled him with fear.

"Come with me!"

Though Uchiha Jitu was deeply reluctant, he had no choice but to go over. He was one of the very few people who knew Liuyun's true strength.

"Lord Liuyun! What can I do for you?"

Uchiha Jitu approached Liuyun, his tone somewhat fawning.

The Uchiha behind him were astonished.

After all, Uchiha Jitu was one of the clan head's personal guards, with a position far above theirs.

"Take Mikoto home safely!"

"Yes! Rest assured, Lord Liuyun! I'll see it done!"

Uchiha Jitu immediately thumped his chest in assurance.

"Mikoto, go with him. Let him take you home!" Liuyun looked down and spoke gently.

"Okay!"

Uchiha Mikoto nodded instinctively. Although she didn't know why Liuyun was making such a fuss, she trusted that he wouldn't harm her.

"Let's go too!" Liuyun's voice was icy as he watched Mikoto and the others leave.

At the same time, he casually glanced toward the four unfamiliar presences, committing them to memory.

He had no intention of exposing them. After all, this was an incredible shortcut to winning Kushina's affection.

If things worked out, perhaps he could even pull off the classic potassium disulfide iodide tonight. (Look it up if you don't get it. Seasoned perverts generally understand!)

"Lord Hokage, what did you want to see me about?"

Arriving at the Hokage Office, Liuyun knocked and entered.

"Ah, Liuyun! I called you here today to ask what you think of the teacher I assigned you."

Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled kindly, looking more like a neighbor making small talk than the Hokage.

"You mean Big Sister Tsunade?" Liuyun's mouth twitched, dissatisfaction plain on his face. "She's still sleeping at home!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked taken aback. But recalling Tsunade's temperament, he realized that was entirely possible.

"She shouldn't be! I specifically spoke to her about this!"

"Last night, she used her authority as my teacher to make me go to a casino and win money for her! I won her five million ryo!"

Liuyun left the rest unsaid, but Hiruzen Sarutobi understood at once.

"Apart from that bad habit, Tsunade is quite capable!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi gave a dry cough, a note of helplessness in his voice.

His three students were excellent in every way, except that each had a bad habit. It had troubled him for a long time.

"Don't worry, Lord Hokage. I understand all that!" Liuyun looked thoroughly agreeable.

"I heard you went to see Lady Mito today!"

Here it comes, Liuyun thought. Time to show off my Oscar-winning acting skills!

"You mean that old granny? How did you know, Grandpa Hokage?" Liuyun widened his eyes in feigned surprise.

Grandpa? Hiruzen Sarutobi's mouth twitched. Am I that old?

Suppressing his displeasure, he told himself not to stoop to arguing with a child.

He chuckled, revealing his yellowed teeth.

"Grandpa has his ways, of course. Did Lady Mito want something from you?"

"It's all because Kushina keeps talking about me in front of that old granny!"

"We went to find Teacher Tsunade today, and when the granny heard I was there, she called me over!"

Liuyun put on an indignant expression.

"Oh! Was that all? Nothing else?"

"Nothing!" Liuyun pretended to think it over before shaking his head.

"And how did Lady Mito treat you?"

"She was really kind and gentle! Just like you, Lord Hokage. She even told me to call her Grandma Mito!"

Understanding dawned on Hiruzen Sarutobi, and he immediately pieced everything together. It seemed he had been overly sensitive!

"Liuyun! Remember, Grandma Mito is one of Konoha's most closely guarded secrets. You mustn't tell anyone about her, or you'll be punished. Understood?"

"Understood, Lord Hokage!"

"Good! Grandpa Hokage still has work to take care of. You can leave now!"

Done asking questions, so out I go. Just what I'd expect from a scheming old bastard like Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Okay, Grandpa Hokage!" Liuyun called out sickeningly sweetly, then pattered away.

Lady Mito, please don't get any ideas at a time like this!

As Liuyun left, Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke silently to himself.

After leaving the Hokage Building and confirming that no one was sensing him, Liuyun's lips curled into a mocking smile.

That's all you've got? Trying to outact me? Did you think I watched all those palace intrigue dramas for nothing?

Scoffing inwardly, Liuyun returned to the street near the Senju Clan Compound. He cast a furtive glance around and confirmed that the four unfamiliar presences were still there.

He headed home. If his guess was right, tonight would be the night those four Cloud Ninja kidnapped Kushina.

Night fell, and a crescent moon hung high in the sky, its bright light illuminating the Shinobi World.

A gentle breeze blew as Liuyun let Mikoto know he was heading out.

Dressed in a tight-fitting black outfit, he took up a position in a large tree and watched the street below.

(Anyone who sends flowers gets Airi looking after them tonight. Anyone who sends rating votes gets Tsunade looking after them! Send both, and both of them will look after you!)

Kushina kidnapped! (Third update!)

This was one of Konoha's main streets. Everyone leaving the village had to pass through it.

Before long, four figures appeared, moving furtively. One carried a sack on his back as they sped off in a certain direction.

It was the direction of the Konoha Gate.

Liuyun followed them at an easy pace. His chakra sensing confirmed that the person in the sack was indeed Kushina.

"Ding! Host has triggered the 'Your wife has been kidnapped' event! Please choose!"

"1. Stop them immediately and eliminate all the Cloud Ninja before you. Reward: a twenty-percent increase in physical constitution!"

"2. Let them leave and give Minato his chance to save the damsel in distress. Reward: the title 'Moron'!"

"3. Eliminate all the Cloud Ninja after leaving the village. Reward: maxed-out affection from Kushina and perfected Hand Seals speed! (Eight seals per second.)"

System, I'm not an idiot! Liuyun grumbled inwardly and silently chose the third option.

Even without the Hand Seals speed reward, maxing out her affection alone made it worth choosing.

As expected of spies who had spent years undercover in Konoha, the men turned into a courtyard upon reaching the vicinity of the Konoha Gate.

Through his chakra sensing, Liuyun tracked them rapidly making their way out of Konoha.

A secret passage? Liuyun narrowed his eyes. They certainly came prepared.

While he murmured to himself, the four Cloud Ninja had already passed beyond the Konoha Gate's perimeter.

Liuyun hesitated no longer. In a few flickering movements, he vanished into the night.

Not long after Liuyun left, the ancient machine that was Konoha seemed to stir to life.

One Anbu after another abandoned concealment and darted urgently through Konoha's streets. Among them were quite a few Root ninja.

As the next Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Kushina's sudden disappearance left them no choice but to be alarmed.