novel bin Chapter 196 196
Chapter 196 196
Looking back at the Third Great Ninja War, when the Five Great Nations were locked in all-out conflict, only a handful of Kage-level experts had suffered serious losses.
The Third Raikage had lost an arm.
Ōnoki had lost both of his legs.
So why had Yagura Karatachi, the Fourth Mizukage, suddenly died?
As a Kage, foresight and preparation were fundamental. A leader who couldn't think several steps ahead wouldn't last long in the shinobi world.
Tsunade remained calm as she analyzed the situation. Combined with the information Shiki had left behind before heading to the Land of Water—that he was pursuing someone claiming to be Madara Uchiha—she couldn't ignore the implications.
"Of course… there's also the possibility that the Fourth Mizukage faked his death," Tsunade murmured, leaving room for every angle. "He could be carrying out some classified mission… something that prevents him from even appearing as Mizukage."
She paused briefly, her gaze sharpening.
"The chances are low… but if that's the case, it would definitely lead to something serious."
Her eyes narrowed, expression turning grave.
A Kage abandoning their title for a mission was extremely rare—almost unheard of.
More importantly, there had been no large-scale movement from Kirigakure. It wasn't like Konoha, where unpredictable factors—like Shiki—could tip the balance at any time.
After a moment of silence...
"No. He's dead," Shiki said, scratching his cheek casually.
He had assumed Tsunade was about to bring up something important. Turns out, it was just this.
"You have intelligence on that?" Tsunade blinked, clearly surprised. This didn't match Shiki's usual behavior at all.
"Yeah," Shiki replied flatly. "I killed him."
Tsunade slowly lifted her head.
If thoughts could take shape, three giant question marks would have appeared above her.
Just moments ago, she had been thinking about how rare it was for Kage-level figures to die.
She had even considered sending word to Jiraiya, who was away, telling him to stay alert… and maybe dig in for information...
And now...
The culprit was sitting right in front of her.
If she counted everything Shiki had done since the Third Great Ninja War…
Then every Kage who had been crippled in recent years—
And now even one who had died—
All of it traced back to him.
Tsunade went completely silent.
There were a hundred things she wanted to say, but none of them came out.
After a long pause, she raised a hand.
"Shiki. Give me five minutes."
Without another word, she set down her documents, stood up, and walked out of the office.
Five minutes later, Tsunade returned.
Her face was now calm.
And she wore a strangely gentle smile.
"Alright," she said, taking her seat again. "I'm ready. Tell me everything that happened in the Land of Water."
"Oh… it started around the time I arrived there," Shiki said, thinking for a moment before continuing.
He didn't hide anything.
He explained how he had first gone to the Kaguya Clan looking to "take a mission" because he was broke and how that had failed.
After that, he shifted his focus to Kirigakure.
He talked about meeting Mei Terumī and persuading her along with others to stand against the Fourth Mizukage.
He explained how the Mizukage had been under control, how he confirmed it using his Observation Haki, and how the man had already lost the will to live after enduring severe mental damage.
"If he was going to die anyway," Shiki said simply, "it didn't matter who did it."
As it turned out, the truth came out.
The Fourth Mizukage had indeed been controlled.
Kirigakure uncovered everything.
Shiki had helped eliminate the threat and even attempted to capture the one posing as Madara.
After that, things unfolded one after another, and in the end, he gave Mei a push—helping her take the position of Fifth Mizukage and stabilize the village.
Tsunade's lips twitched slightly.
Even though she had prepared herself mentally
Her teacup still slipped from her hand.
This was what he meant by "not causing trouble"?
"Shiki," Tsunade said, pressing her fingers against her forehead, "I clearly remember what I told you before you left."
"Don't. Cause. Trouble."
"And you said—if you did—you'd explain it to me."
She looked up at him with narrowed eyes.
"So where is your explanation?!"
She could already picture it.
If this information leaked, the entire shinobi world would erupt. A war could break out at any moment.
Not that she feared war
But it would trap her in the office for months with no break... which meant she couldn't have any fun during that time.
That was unacceptable.
The next moment...
Shiki shoved a thick roll of money into her hand.
"Keep it safe," he said seriously. "There's a lot. You can gamble it away if you want."
Tsunade: "..."
After leaving behind a speechless and slightly happier Tsunade, Shiki walked out of the Hokage Building and headed home.
"I'm back," he said, pushing the door open.
In the next instant...
A figure rushed forward like a gust of wind, carrying a faint, sweet fragrance.
"Shiki-nii!"
Kurenai Yuhi threw herself at him, hugging him tightly, her eyes misty with emotion.
"I missed you so much! Why did you take so long to come back?!"
She clung to him without letting go.
"Look—I've even gotten thinner," she added, her voice soft and a little pitiful. "Thinking about you all the time… it's been exhausting."
As she spoke, she pulled her clothes up just enough to reveal her smooth, flat stomach, as if trying to prove her point.
"Ku-Kurenai-chan!" Rin Nohara exclaimed, eyes widening in shock.
Shiki's eyebrow twitched.
For some reason… this scene felt strangely familiar.
"…Didn't something like this just happen?"
"Alright, alright," he said, patting Kurenai's head. "I'm back now."
Even so, he didn't push her away.
He didn't mind her being like this.
Shiki guided the still-clinging Kurenai into the living room, Rin trailing behind, half exasperated and half amused.
Just as he was about to sit down, a hurried voice echoed from the entryway:
"Shiki-san! A-are you back?"
A moment later, Yugito Nii appeared, breathless, strands of blonde hair stuck to her cheek. She must have sprinted the whole way after hearing Kurenai's shout.
Yugito froze at the doorway.
Her fingers clenched the fabric of her clothes, courage warred with shyness on her face. She clearly wanted to rush in like Kurenai had but her feet stayed rooted.
Shiki turned around and gave a small, amused smile.
"Yugito, perfect timing—I was just about to sit down to a proper dinner."
He crossed the room, and—rather than the usual head-pat—slipped an arm around her shoulders in a gentle hug.
Yugito's eyes went wide. A faint pink spread from her ears to the bridge of her nose. For half a heartbeat she looked as though her mind had simply shut down.
Come on, kitten—hug him back, the deep, velvety voice of Matatabi purred inside her head. We've been training all week for moments like this!
But Yugito's arms hovered awkwardly, unsure where to land. The best she managed was a stiff pat to Shiki's side before he let her go.
Matatabi sighed theatrically in her mind.
Hopeless.
Flustered beyond measure, Yugito stomped one foot—more at herself than anyone else—then all but fled to the kitchen.
"I-I'll make something hearty!" she called over her shoulder. "You must be starving, Shiki!"
Ten minutes later the table boasted a fresh pot of curry rice—Yugito's specialty. She ladled generous portions for everyone, hiding her embarrassment behind the ladle.
Shiki tasted it and gave a satisfied nod. "Perfect as always."
Kurenai leaned in, "See? That's the reaction you want, Yugito-san. Stick with cooking—leave the glomping to me."
Rin nearly choked on her tea. Yugito's cheeks flared crimson again, but a small, pleased smile tugged at her lips nonetheless.
Inside Yugito's head, Matatabi chuckled.
Progress. Slow, but progress.
At one point, Shiki shifted to reach the rice bowl… and let his hand rest lightly on Rin's thigh beneath the low table.
Rin jolted—just a tiny tremor but her chopsticks froze mid-air. A rosy tint bloomed across her cheeks as Shiki's fingers traced a lazy, absent-minded circle through the fabric of her leggings.
Across the table, Kurenai noticed Rin's sudden stillness. She tilted her head, puzzled. "Rin? You okay?"
"Y-Yes—nothing," Rin blurted, forcing a smile. She set her hand over Shiki's under the table in a wordless plea to behave.
Shiki didn't just behave himself, he pushed his hand even deeper, prompting Rin to clamp her legs together and trap him there.
Unbothered, Shiki raised his gaze, mild curiosity in his eyes. "So, how were things while I was away?" he asked, voice relaxed as if nothing unusual was happening. "Training going well? Any missions worth bragging about?"
Kurenai brightened first. "I finished that genjutsu framework we talked about—you'd be proud," she said, leaning forward.
Shiki nodded, the motion small and thoughtful, even as his thumb drew a secret swirl against Rin's inner walls. "Good. Keep it up."
Yugito Nii sat partly hidden behind the curry pot, brushing a stray blonde lock behind her ear.
"I've been working on controlling the Two-Tails' full transformation," she said, glancing at him for only a moment before looking back at the pot. "And trying out a few new recipes."
A faint smile touched her lips.
"So far, neither one has gone badly."
"Excellent," Shiki murmured, offering her an approving nod. His hand, however, pressed just a hint deeper, Rin bit her lower lip to stifle a gasp and ducked her head, pretending intense interest in her rice.
At Shiki's quiet "Excellent," Kurenai shot upright, cheeks puffing like a triumphant chibi character while imaginary sparkles popped behind her, across the table.
Yugito practically grew cat-ears of delight, pressing her ladle to her chest and humming a tiny "nyah" before catching herself and reddening to the tips of her ears.
After dinner ended in an atmosphere that was equal parts cheerful and strangely awkward, Rin quietly set her chopsticks down with a soft click, the faint blush on her cheeks still refusing to fade.
With a sudden, ceremonial bow she blurted, "Th-thank you for the meal! Sorry—I just remembered something urgent!"
Before anyone could respond she pushed back from the table, nearly toppling her cushion, and scurried out of the room. The paper shōji sighed closed behind her.
Kurenai blinked twice, ruby eyes round. "What's gotten in to her…?"
Yugito idly twirled her spoon, her ears—imaginary or not—seeming to perk up. "She really did look like she was about to combust," she murmured, a note of puzzled curiosity threading through her voice.
Shiki offered no response to their confusion. His gaze lingered on the chair she had just vacated, a faint, telling dampness left behind.
A quiet chuckle slipped from his lips.
"Let's see if you're that bold next time."
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