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The New Year's holiday ended, much to Nara Sōsai's vocal dismay.
He returned to work, dark circles stubborn as bruises under his eyes. He'd hoped the short break would erase them. No such luck.
"Morning, Sōsai."
Tsukimi Heshu strode into the office, radiating energy, and gave a nod to Sōsai, who was already slumped at his desk.
Nara Sōsai forced his heavy eyelids up. "G-good morning, Hokage-sama!"
"Hokage-sama, this document arrived from Kumogakure in the Land of Lightning." Sōsai pulled a sealed scroll from a drawer and handed it over.
Confidential files were for the Hokage's eyes only.
Heshu unrolled the scroll. Unsurprisingly, the words "Peace Treaty" glared back. But this was different from the one with Iwa. This document stipulated that the Raikage himself would come to Konoha for the signing.
Heshu passed it to Sōsai. "Take a look."
As Sōsai read, Heshu's mind drifted to the original timeline.
In the Naruto anime, after the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze died, Kumogakure reignited the war. Peace only came when Hinata was four years old. And Hizashi Hyuga died for that treaty.
Now, Heshu's rise had prevented that war. The recent events in Iwagakure had only accelerated the peace process. This treaty was being signed over two years ahead of schedule.
"This is good news," Sōsai concluded.
"Good, yes. Also a giant pain," Heshu agreed.
A peace treaty meant a consensus. But a Kage-level meeting? The Raikage and his entourage on Konoha's soil? The logistics were a nightmare.
Sōsai thought of something and fell silent, determined not to speak first.
Heshu glanced at him, recognizing the evasion on his face. "…Relax," Heshu sighed. "I'm not piling more work on you."
Sōsai had been squeezed dry. This time, Heshu would delegate the welcoming duties to someone else.
Huuuuu. Sōsai exhaled in relief. He could breathe again.
"Don't worry. Your new colleagues start tomorrow," Heshu said, trying to sound comforting. He'd spent the holiday handpicking members for the new Administration Department.
Sōsai was already dreaming of early retirement. Like his uncle Shikaku, spending days with his kid and wife… what a life. And his uncle was still young! The envy was real.
Half an hour later, three men entered the Hokage's office.
"Hokage-sama."
They bowed in unison.
"No need for formalities." Heshu eyed the trio: Hiashi Hyuga, Hizashi Hyuga, and Fugaku Uchiha.
"I called you here to assign a mission."
Sōsai was surprised. Was the Hokage really giving the task of hosting the Kumo delegation to the Hyuga and Uchiha? To be honest, it was a terrible assignment. All the work, none of the credit. Prone to complications and endless headaches.
"Please give us your orders," the three said.
"In half a month, the Raikage will lead a delegation here to sign the peace treaty. I am entrusting all related arrangements to your two clans."
Heshu studied their reactions.
"Yes, ma'am."
They accepted without a moment's hesitation.
In the original story, Kumo envoys came to steal the Byakugan, leading to Hizashi's death. This time, Heshu was putting both the Byakugan and the Sharingan right under their noses.
Let's see if Kumo had the guts.
If they didn't act, fine. If they did… Heshu would make sure they left Konoha missing a few layers of skin.
Half a month passed in a blink.
A cold, misty morning. The slowly rising sun burned away the moisture in the air.
Heshu stood at the village gates in her Hokage robe. Uchiha Juri was on her left, Shisui on her right. Yako stood slightly behind, clutching a checklist, eyes sharp on the figures emerging from the fog.
The Fourth Raikage, A, appeared first, his frame massive. To his left, the Two-Tails Jinchūriki, Yugito Nii. To his right, draped in swords, the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki, Killer Bee. A handful of Kumo-nin followed.
"Hokage! Long time no see!"
The Raikage's voice boomed. His eyes burned into Heshu like twin spotlights.
"…Indeed, it has been," Heshu replied, offering a smile.
Her smile made A remember how completely he'd been duped last time. His own smile vanished, face pulling into a long, displeased line. The man wore his heart on his sleeve.
"Yo! Hokage's lookin' finer!" Killer Bee struck a pose, blades clinking. "Chest ain't flat no more! Got that womanly vibe!"
"…"
Heshu's face grew longer than the Raikage's. If Bee didn't know how to use his mouth, she could sew it shut for him.
The Yin Yang Ring projected a growth pattern suitable for her age. An illusion, but hearing comments like that still pissed her off.
"BEE!"
WHAM! The Raikage's fist met Bee's skull. "Don't stare at the Hokage's chest!" he roared… while his own eyes were firmly locked on Heshu's torso.
Weird! Tsukimi Heshu used to look totally flat!
Yugito took a deliberate step away from the two idiots. Neither was normal.
Heshu: "…"
If this kept up, she'd have a stroke.
"Host, don't get angry! It's not worth it!" The system chimed in, worried she might abandon the whole cross-dressing plan. "Endure for calm seas, retreat for open skies!"
Heshu snorted internally. "Retreat one more step and I'll get a brain aneurysm." A joke. You only live once. Why should she humor these two morons?
Watching the Raikage and Bee bicker, Heshu's smile returned, sweet and sincere. "I may not notice my own changes, but the two of you… you've changed quite noticeably."
Both A and Bee froze.
"We have?"
They looked at each other. Living together, they never noticed.
"Of course. You've both grown… so much shorter. And stubbier."
Her eyes sparkled with what looked like pure honesty.
Shisui's pupils dilated. A mental tsunami crashed inside him.
No.
It can't be.
This isn't happening.
Heshu would never say such a thing!
Juri's jaw dropped. His first instinct was to glance down at his own lower half. Surely I'm not in that category…
He then felt a killing intent so sharp it could slice steel.
He looked sideways.
Shisui and Yako were staring at him, their Sharingan spinning furiously.
?
A giant question mark hovered over Juri's confused head.
Yako and Shisui were convinced: the pure and virtuous Hokage-sama had been corrupted! By the filthy knowledge of Uchiha Juri!
Oblivious, Juri activated his own Sharingan and glared right back.
Out front, the Raikage and Killer Bee had turned to stone, two petrified statues in the morning light.
Heshu pointed at the stunned Kumo-nin behind them. "Carry the Raikage and Bee to their prepared lodgings. Given their current state, I doubt they're in any mood to sign a treaty."
A vein throbbed on Yugito's forehead. She glared at her frozen comrades. "What are you gawking at? Move the statues!"
"R-right!"
"On it!"
"Yes, Yugito-sama!"
The Kumo-nin scrambled, heaving the two stone men onto their shoulders. Yako led the way to the designated hostel.
Yugito watched them go, then took a step forward. Her gaze fixed on Heshu.
Heshu: ?
Spit it out. Don't look at me like that.
"Host, you're destined to be single forever," the system declared.
"Oh, you're an expert now?" Heshu shot back. Once she put on men's clothes again, thousands of girls would swoon at her feet!
"…" The system had no comeback for her high-level sarcasm.
"Hokage-sama… my apologies for the spectacle."
Heshu had waited for some profound statement. That was it? She shook her head. "It's fine. The Raikage and Bee have given me plenty of spectacles before."
"…"
All the emotions Yugito had been carefully composing evaporated on the spot.
[Ding! Favorability of target Yugito Nii…]
A string of ellipsis followed.
"What does this mean?"
"The system detected her favorability fluctuating too rapidly," the system explained. "It rose, but before the increase could be logged, it dropped back to baseline."
"…"
The light died in Heshu's eyes. It can do that? What the hell is going on in that woman's head?
Yugito gave a slight bow and hurried after her team.
As they disappeared, Nara Sōsai approached. "Hokage-sama, should we dispatch ANBU for surveillance?"
"No need. It'd be useless."
If the Eight-Tails and the Raikage truly wanted to do something, any ANBU sent to watch them would be dead before they could blink. No point in a suicide mission.
"Understood." Sōsai nodded. If the Hokage said so, he'd follow blindly.
The hostel was luxurious. Spacious. Heshu had rented out the entire place.
Only Kumo personnel and a few service staff remained.
"…Is it really short and stumpy?"
"Looks kinda like it!"
"Bro, yours looks stubby too!"
"But you're built like a brick house!"
"How's that possible?"
"How'd the Hokage even know?"
"Bro… you weren't wearin' underwear, were ya?"
"IDIOT! YOU'RE THE ONE GOING COMMANDO!"
"…"
Outside the hot spring room, the vein on Yugito's forehead hadn't subsided for a second.
"YOU TWO IDIOTS! GET OUT HERE. NOW."
Her fist slammed into the wall. CRUNCH. A deep crater appeared.
Inside, A and Bee jumped, hands trembling.
"Yugito's got no feminine grace at all," A grumbled, hauling Bee out of the bath.
"Could you not embarrass the village beyond our borders?"
Yugito massaged her temples, watching the two mountain-sized men plop onto the beds. Exhaustion seeped into her bones.
Why was she the only one who had to mature? How did these two manage to retain their… childlike wonder forever?
"Lord Raikage, the guards outside are from the Uchiha and Hyuga clans," reported a Kumo-nin with a somewhat shifty look.
"Aruppi, scared? Just some Uchiha and Hyuga!" The Raikage scoffed, disdainful of the man's nerves.
Aruppi: "…"
The Raikage had missed the point. Uchiha and Hyuga guards meant… a potential windfall!
Aruppi rubbed his hands together.
"Don't you dare make that gesture in front of me!" Yugito snapped, her brow furrowed tight at the sight.
"…" Aruppi felt misunderstood. None of the three leaders appreciated his dedication to Kumo's prosperity.
Night fell.
Aruppi pinned his hopes on his fellow Kumo-nin.
In a private room, whispers slithered through the air.
"Is this… a good idea?"
"What's not good about it?"
"The consequences could be severe!"
"Nonsense! We'll be heroes!"
"You sure?"
"You doubt me?"
"I doubt us. There are too few of us. We'd be playthings for the Hokage."
"And if we're exposed, it'll bring disaster to the village!"
"Just answer me: are you willing to sacrifice for Kumo?"
"Of course I am!"
"Then it's settled! We hide poison in our teeth. If we succeed, we grab and run. If we fail… we bite down."
"…This…"
"Getting cold feet?"
"No way!"
"Then… alright."
Aruppi had successfully rallied the troops.
"Who'll go scout?"
The assembled ninja looked at each other.
A young Kumo-nin raised a hand. "I… I'll go."
"Good man!"
"You're Kumo's pride!" Aruppi patted his shoulder solemnly.
"…" The young ninja's eye twitched.
Burdened with collective hope, he approached the guards.
"You… are you from the Hyuga clan?" he asked, forcing conversation with a Konoha-nin wearing a forehead protector.
"…"
A pair of pure white eyes gleamed under the dim streetlight, unmistakable.
The Hyuga guard stared silently.
"W-why won't you answer?" The young Kumo-nin frowned. So rude.
"You brain-dead or something?" the Hyuga ninja finally said.
"You're insulting me?!" The young man was shocked. How uncivilized!
"Wanna guess why?" The Hyuga raised two fingers, pulling his eyelids wide open. "See clearly now, you blind fool? You see the Byakugan and still ask? Who else should I insult?"
He rolled his magnificent eyes with extreme prejudice.
"…" The young Kumo-nin was speechless, mind reeling. Weren't the Hyuga supposed to be an ancient, polite clan?
"Pfft—" An Uchiha guard on the other side failed to stifle a laugh.
The young Kumo-nin's face burned. He wanted the earth to swallow him.
But the mission… "I heard… your eyes… are sealed?"
The Hyuga side-eyed him. "Heard from who?"
"Everyone says so…"
"Who's 'everyone'? You believe everything you hear? Don't you have a brain?"
"…" The young man was utterly defeated, eyes misting. How was he supposed to gather intel like this?
"Pfft—" The Uchiha guard lost it again.
"Why aren't you asleep?" the Hyuga asked.
"I… I…" His mind raced. "I wanted to… chat."
"Oh?" The Hyuga raised a brow. "I wouldn't dare."
"Why not?"
The Hyuga chuckled, utterly without mercy. "Might catch the stupid."
"!"
"Pfft—HA!" The Uchiha guard finally burst out laughing.
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