Golden sunlight streamed through the spacious window frames of the Hokage Office, illuminating Minato's gentle smile.
He looked at Takuno, who had just pushed the door open and entered, his tone carrying sincere warmth: "Senpai, it's been a long journey. Welcome back safely."
Takuno approached with a light step, a smile also on his face. "Hokage-sama is too polite. I've said before there's no need to worry about my safety. Besides, the defense of the frontline medical camp is practically airtight."
He paused slightly, his tone carrying a hint of emotion. "The resilience and reliability of the Konoha Ninja have once again left a deep impression on me."
"Mm." Hearing this, the pride Minato felt for his comrades and the Village flowed even more vividly across his face.
But then, as if remembering something, his gaze became full of admiration. "The stories of Senpai's deeds at the frontline medical camp have already reached the Village. Although I wasn't there, Jiraiya-sensei's letter was filled with high praise for you in every line."
"The greatest contributor to the significant drop in Konoha's casualty rate'—Sensei was not at all stingy with such an evaluation."
Admiration flickered in Minato's azure eyes. "As expected, an outstanding person like Senpai, no matter the position, is like a brilliant star, illuminating those around them and bringing hope to the Village."
"Hokage-sama overstates it," Takuno said, bowing slightly in polite refusal. "All of this was inseparable from the cooperation and support of my frontline colleagues. If we speak of medical mastery, I am far inferior to Lady Tsunade. If she were there, the wounded at the front would surely receive even better treatment."
"Tsunade-senpai..."
Minato's expression dimmed for a moment as he murmured in a low voice.
This legendary name he had heard since childhood belonged to one of the Konoha Sannin, along with his teacher.
As the Hokage, he was painfully aware of the current state of that member of the Sannin; her 'Hemophobia' had almost completely ruined her talent.
A Medical Ninja being unable to remain calm and use Medical Ninjutsu when faced with bleeding symptoms was a fatal problem for a Medical Ninja.
Even if Tsunade's Medical Ninjutsu was unparalleled in the world, it remained so; it was impossible for her to replace Takuno.
This cold reality caused a surge of intense regret in Minato's heart. He couldn't inform Takuno of these internal details, so he could only quickly suppress the heavy look that flashed through his eyes.
"Hokage-sama?" Takuno keenly caught Minato's momentary lapse in concentration and cast an inquiring look at the appropriate time.
"Oh, it's nothing." Minato quickly adjusted his expression, forcing that regret deep into his heart, and naturally changed the subject. "Senpai, you plan to take a good rest for a while after returning this time, right?"
His gaze fell on the letter in Takuno's hand, which bore Jiraiya's personal signature.
"Yes." Takuno handed the letter to Minato.
Minato took the letter, quickly scanning his teacher's familiar handwriting and the solemn recommendation while asking with concern, "How long does Senpai plan to rest? Are there any specific arrangements?"
Takuno thought for a moment, his tone carrying the responsibility of someone thinking for the Village. "I don't have a very specific plan yet. If the front lines need me and the war situation becomes tense again, I will return to serve at the front."
"You mustn't, Senpai." Minato immediately shook his head, his smile gentle but his tone firm. "Jiraiya-sensei emphasized repeatedly in his letter that we must ensure you rest thoroughly to recover your best state. The effort you've put into frontline medical care is unmatched, and the fatigue you've accumulated could crush almost anyone. Sharpening the axe doesn't delay the woodcutting; don't force yourself to rush back to the front."
He set the letter down, a bright look of suggestion in his eyes. "Speaking of which, there is a place very suitable for relaxing the body and mind. Would Senpai care to consider it?"
"Oh? Where?" Takuno appropriately showed a hint of 'curiosity'.
"The Land of Hot Springs!" Minato said. "The natural hot springs there are famous far and wide. It's an excellent place to heal the body and mind and wash away fatigue. Soaking in the hot springs for a few days will definitely be much more effective than staying cooped up in the Village."
"The Land of Hot Springs?" Takuno's brow twitched slightly, a hint of concern appropriately appearing on his face. "I recall that place seems to be some distance from the main battlefield? If the front lines are in urgent need—"
"Senpai!" Minato interrupted him directly, his gentle smile fading as his expression turned into the solemnity unique to a Hokage.
"At this moment, please set aside your responsibilities at the front for a while. The most important task right now is your own 'recuperation'!" His voice wasn't loud, but it contained an unquestionable power.
"This is also a mission given to you by the Hokage. To ensure you can play an irreplaceable role at the front in the future, you must first ensure you are in your best state!"
Looking at Minato's serious and sincere eyes, Takuno felt a bitter smile in his heart, but on the surface, he acted as if he had been persuaded and nodded helplessly.
"Since that's the case, then I'll have to respectfully obey."
"Good, it's settled then!" Minato's smile reappeared as he made the decision. "Senpai can choose to depart for the Land of Hot Springs immediately, or if you want to go home and pack first, that's perfectly fine too."
Takuno didn't hesitate for long. "Then I'll head out directly. Going earlier means I can recover my energy sooner, and it'll be more convenient if I need to return early to handle things."
Minato had no objection to this arrangement and nodded in agreement. After chatting for a while longer, Takuno departed.
"The Land of Hot Springs..." Stepping out of the gates of Konoha, Takuno looked into the distance and muttered to himself.
He did indeed have several necessary reasons to go to that land; at the very least, he had to leave a trail in the eyes of the world that 'he was indeed recuperating here'.
Bits of intelligence about that nation flashed through his mind—the soil where the legendary Jashin Cult was hidden, the hometown of that immortal Hidan.
However, at this point in time, that eerie fellow was probably just an ordinary little Ninja in Yugakure, perhaps troubled by missions.
Takuno shook his head, not taking the legends of the so-called 'Evil God' to heart.
Whether Hidan's unique immortality stemmed from the crazed experiments of cultists or some ethereal 'gift' bestowed by a vague existence, he lacked the interest to investigate for the time being.
A trace of hard-to-conceal weariness quietly crept onto his brow. Takuno yawned lazily and stepped toward that Land of Hot Springs at an unhurried pace.
Takuno had already planned his subsequent response strategy.
He would choose a hot spring inn to serve as the dwelling for his 'double'.
He would only show his face at the very beginning to book the room, and the innkeeper would be responsible for sending someone to deliver meals to the room precisely on time every day.
One of his confidants would stay in this guest room, following Takuno's instructions strictly and never showing their face.
Their daily activities would be strictly limited to the room and the private hot spring area provided by the inn—simply put, they would soak in the hot springs with peace of mind and eat and rest on time.
But they had to maintain the aura of someone living in the room.
This arrangement was to make the innkeeper the most 'authoritative' witness, using the owner's own eyes to irrefutably prove that 'Takuno' had been resting in his own room from start to finish during the period he claimed to have left Konoha.
The Land of Hot Springs, an open-air bath.
Warm mist permeated with a faint scent of sulfur enveloped the entire open-air bath, blurring the distant scenery and soaking into Takuno's senses.
In the vast pool of water, he was currently the only person.
The warm spring water gently washed over his tense muscle lines.
That body had undergone countless bouts of tempering and the agitation of Ninjutsu; the muscle lines were clear and fluid, with six symmetrical and firm abdominal muscles etched upon it, each contour containing a restrained sense of power.
However, this masculine beauty was unfortunately marred by patches of ominous black marks on his chest.
"Mm—" A groan of comfort, almost like a sigh, escaped from deep in Takuno's throat. He leaned back slightly, resting the back of his neck on the smooth stone edge of the pool, his entire body stretching and sinking into the steam-filled water.
The rhythmic warmth of the hot spring water sliding over his skin was like the most considerate masseur, gently soothing every aching cell.
That bone-deep fatigue was not just physical strain, but also the mental malaise accumulated from years of calculation, disguise, and plotting.
It felt as if he were truly being melted bit by bit by this spring water containing the heat of the earth.
"The hot springs of the Land of Hot Springs... they certainly live up to their reputation," he whispered, his voice almost swallowed by the water vapor in the quiet environment.
He had originally planned to start the core plan of bloodline Fusion immediately after a brief rest upon arrival, but at this moment, the spring water seemed to possess a certain magic, making him want to extend this long-awaited sense of ease for a little while longer.
His taut nerves finally found an opportunity for a moment of relaxation in this warm hot spring water.
In countless days past, he had been like a precise but never-stopping machine, calculating the risks of every step, disguising every emotion, and walking carefully on the boundary between darkness and light, fearing that one wrong step would lead to an abyss.
The omnipresent pressure of 'must be strong,' 'must be cautious,' and 'must never be exposed' had long since turned into a heavy block of lead weighing on the depths of his soul.
Even though his powerful Uzumaki Constitution and the Gelel Stone constantly repaired his physical wounds, they could never dispel the haze of fatigue lurking in the corners of his consciousness.
Here, in this moment where no one was watching, in the embrace of the hot spring, Takuno finally decided to give himself a day off.
"Let me... be a bit lazy for just one day," he murmured almost like a sleep-talker, his voice barely audible. Then, his eyelids gradually became heavy.
The hot spring water gently supported him, and the hazy steam blurred the boundaries of his consciousness.
For the first time in a long while, he completely emptied his thoughts.
Not thinking about the conflicts of the Ninja World, not calculating the gains and losses of his plans, not worrying about the future's direction—
Simply as a single individual, soaking in this warm hot spring, having shed all his armor and disguises.
Soon, a steady and deep sound of breathing rose by the silent pool.
Takuno had fallen asleep.