Of course, this wasn't the end.
Shiki already understood that once his compatibility with the Golden Lion Shiki template reached 100%, the system would automatically unlock a new character template for him.
"Speaking of which… that does make me a little curious."
He didn't know what kind of existence the second template would be.
Shiki wasn't greedy—at least in his own mind. As long as it was stronger than the first Golden Lion template, that was good enough.
…Okay, maybe that did sound a little greedy.
"The water's already boiling. What are you spacing out for?"
While Shiki was lost in thought, Tsunade's voice called from the side.
"Coming."
Putting away the thoughts in his heart, Shiki turned around and walked back into the house.
In any case, the template fit would reach 100% sooner or later.
Who the next template was… he would find out soon enough. (PS: Take a guess....)
--
In the days that followed, Konohagakure was unusually quiet.
It was the rare calm after the storm.
After all, they had just gone through a war. Right now, no ninja village in the entire world was eager to stir up any new trouble.
Inside the village, no one openly talked anymore about Namikaze Minato—Konoha's "sinner."
The man was already dead.
Just like Hatake Sakumo back then—once a person dies, the light goes out.
The most ridiculous part was that the "Yellow Flash," Namikaze Minato, didn't even have his name carved onto Konoha's memorial stone after his death.
It showed just how thoroughly Sarutobi Hiruzen had abandoned Namikaze Minato.
During these days, Shiki hadn't seen Uzumaki Kushina even once.
Ever since Minato's suicide, Kushina had shut herself away at home.
If it weren't for Uchiha Mikoto dropping by to check on her, most people would probably have thought that Uzumaki Kushina had already followed Minato in death.
On Shiki's side, Tsunade and Nii Yugito had completely entered a head-on collision stage.
As for Yūhi Kurenai, she stayed relaxed and uninvolved, refusing to participate in anything between them.
Tsunade and Yugito were the type of people who refused to be beneath anyone.
Neither was willing to submit. Neither was willing to lose.
Every day when they met, if they didn't clash with a few words, it felt like the day hadn't even started.
And on this particular day, the one Shiki had been waiting for finally arrived.
"Are we really not going?"
In the yard, Shiki had somehow procured a barbecue grill and was leisurely grilling meat at home.
From time to time, he picked up a piece and ate it calmly.
At his side, Yūhi Kurenai obediently helped him turn the skewers, quietly tending the fire.
Tsunade, however, couldn't sit still at all.
Today was the day Nara Shikaku and the other ninjas would formally gather and force Sarutobi Hiruzen to abdicate.
At a time like this, seeing Shiki so relaxed—face full of indifference as if nothing was happening—
Tsunade really couldn't understand it.
After noticing her worry, Shiki smiled lightly, completely unconcerned.
"Panicking won't change anything. Everything's already been arranged.
Sarutobi Hiruzen will definitely step down. We don't need to be there in person."
"But…"
Tsunade knew Shiki's plan, and she also agreed that this method had a high chance of success.
Even so, she couldn't help but worry.
Right now, she was a little impressed—and a little frustrated—by how calm Shiki could be at a time like this.
"What are you talking about?"
Kurenai had some idea of what Shiki and Tsunade had been discussing.
But Yugito, who had also come over to freeload off the barbecue, was completely lost.
What are they talking about?
Why do I not understand a single word?
"Shut up, you."
Tsunade glared at Yugito angrily.
"I really don't get you. Why are you so shameless? Who invited you?
You just show up and start eating."
Tsunade was truly speechless. Was this woman some kind of haunting spirit?
"Shhh, who cares what you think. I came to see Shiki-kun."
Yugito rolled her eyes at Tsunade, then turned and shot Shiki a sweet, smiling look.
The moment her gaze moved back to Tsunade, however, her expression snapped back to icy cold.
"What does any of this have to do with you?"
"You—!"
Tsunade's fist itched.
If it weren't for the fact that something important was happening today, she would've already taken action.
Anyway, it wasn't like they hadn't fought before.
And it really wasn't just talk—Tsunade and Yugito had actually thrown hands several times over the past few days.
…But today, they hadn't.
Yugito glanced at Tsunade curiously.
Based on what she'd observed these days, she more or less understood Tsunade's personality.
If this were any other day, just that one line from her would've been enough to set Tsunade off.
The fact that Tsunade hadn't reacted told her one thing:
Whatever Shiki and Tsunade were discussing was very important—
important enough that Tsunade had no time to bother arguing with everyone else.
Which only made Yugito even more curious.
Thinking this, Yugito moved closer to Shiki's side.
Her movements were graceful and lazy, like a cat brushing against a warm place, carrying a naturally seductive air.
"Shiki-kun," she purred softly, "why don't you be nice and tell me what's going on?"
"Ugh…"
Tsunade looked at Yugito with open disgust.
Even Kurenai, who'd been quietly grilling, couldn't help but glance over with thinly veiled disapproval.
"There's nothing that needs to be hidden."
Shiki just smiled and waved a hand.
In any case, after today, this matter would probably spread across the entire ninja world.
There was no point in pretending it was a secret.
"I'm planning to make Tsunade the next Hokage."
"Eh?"
Yugito stared, face completely blank.
"…But the current Hokage is still the Third, right…?"
This was really a little confusing.
Yugito felt a little overwhelmed. As a kunoichi from Kumogakure, she was used to straightforward strength, but the political side of things still scared her a bit.
The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, hadn't abdicated, and he wasn't dead either.
How was Tsunade supposed to become Hokage right now?
Halfway through her question, Yugito suddenly realized:
If he doesn't abdicate on his own… then you just make him abdicate.
If that still doesn't work… then you send him to the Pure Land.
With the kind of strength Shiki had shown—easily suppressing the entire Hidden Cloud Village—
Yugito fully believed that if Shiki decided to act,
he could "solve" Sarutobi Hiruzen in an instant.
Thinking this, a hint of envy rose in Yugito's heart as she looked at Tsunade.
After all, this was a man whose power was already standing at the peak of the current ninja world—and he was willing to help you become the Kage of a village.
At that moment, Yugito finally understood why Tsunade tolerated Yūhi Kurenai's presence at Shiki's side.
Of course, it was also because Kurenai didn't fight over anything.
Yugito was different. She was the type who never admitted defeat.
How could someone like that "let" anyone else have him?
"Envy me if you want… that jealous look you're wearing really does suit you."
Noticing the look in Yugito's eyes, Tsunade raised an eyebrow proudly.
See? Shiki cares about me the most.
"Tch…"
Yugito rolled her eyes again. She couldn't be bothered to argue with Tsunade right now.
Instead, she turned to Shiki with a rare seriousness in her expression.
"Don't worry, Shiki-kun. I definitely won't tell anyone about this."
In Yugito's mind, the very fact that Shiki would speak about something this important so casually in front of her
meant that he trusted her.
And a person like her would never allow herself to betray that trust.
…Unlike Yugito's internal vow, Tsunade was convinced this woman had some scheme in mind.
Shiki just smiled faintly. He didn't seem particularly concerned either way.
At the same time, in the Hokage's office—
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura were sitting with Sarutobi Hiruzen,
discussing post-war reparations with Sunagakure, Kirigakure, and Iwagakure.
Now that the war was over,
as the defeated side, those villages naturally had to compensate Konoha.
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
"Come in."
Hiruzen frowned slightly.
Who would come looking for him at a time like this?
Even so, he cleared his throat, straightened his back, and put on the proper Hokage demeanor.
When the door opened and he saw who it was, Hiruzen's expression relaxed.
"So it's you, Shikaku. You—"
He stopped mid-sentence, the look in Nara Shikaku's eyes making his heart beat without knowing why.
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