Hanekawa's face was pressed against Samui's chest, her heartbeat steady and strong beneath his ear. He could hear everything—the subtle rhythm of her breathing, the faint hum of chakra flowing through her veins.
"What do you want to say?" he asked softly.
"I..." Samui's voice wavered. "I don't know."
Hanekawa smiled, tracing a finger along her collarbone. "Did you forget what Atsui said?"
Samui tensed. "We're going back to the Hidden Cloud."
"Has the handover team arrived?" Hanekawa twirled a strand of her golden hair between his fingers, watching the morning light catch it.
"Yesterday." Samui's eyelashes trembled slightly. "Eight people total. They're led by C."
The name clicked into place. A jonin from the Hidden Cloud—skilled in genjutsu, medical ninjutsu, and sensory techniques. The Fourth Raikage's left hand. During the Fourth Ninja World War, he'd commanded the sensory corps.
Samui's body stiffened as she unconsciously pulled his head closer, her expression softening into something almost domestic. "Oh, it's him."
"Since they're already here, you should go back," Hanekawa said, meeting her gaze.
Samui bit her lip, silent. The Hidden Cloud was her home—of course she wanted to return. But leaving him...
"Three months isn't long," Hanekawa continued, reading her hesitation. "And I have the Flying Thunder God Technique."
Her eyes lit up immediately.
"When you get back to the village, take one of my seals with you," he said, pinching her cheek playfully. "Find a place to hide every few hours on the journey. I can reach Hidden Cloud in about an hour if I don't worry about chakra consumption."
What normally took three or four days could be crossed in a fraction of that time.
"Really?" Samui's smile was radiant, unguarded in a way she never allowed in public.
"Really." Hanekawa was satisfied with her reaction. She'd certainly earned it—last night had been... thorough. "But don't keep them waiting too long, or you'll have some explaining to do."
At his teasing tone, Samui's face flushed and she looked away, her legs unsteady as she stood. She began dressing with her back to him, her movements self-conscious.
"It's a shame you forgot to wear that secretary uniform last night," Hanekawa mused, picking up the garment from the floor. "We'll have to remedy that next time."
Samui glanced back, caught sight of the wrinkled fabric, and her blush deepened. She'd done that unconsciously, lost in the moment. The details were hazy—everything had felt like a dream.
"Go shower," Hanekawa suggested.
Samui sniffed the air and realized what he meant. She hurried to the bathroom without another word.
While she cleaned up, Hanekawa showered as well. When Samui emerged, fully dressed and composed, only a faint blush remained.
"I'm leaving," she said reluctantly.
"Remember the Flying Thunder God seal," Hanekawa reminded her, leaning close to whisper, "And keep that cold expression of yours."
"Mm." Her soft acknowledgment was all the answer he needed.
After watching her slip out, Hanekawa returned to the ANBU base. He settled at his desk, unable to suppress a slight smile.
Samui. His first.
It made sense, really. Their relationship wasn't built on ordinary foundations. Konoha's dominance over the Hidden Cloud had created an inherent power dynamic. He could have taken her by force if necessary. But he preferred consent—though he'd be lying if he claimed he wouldn't have struggled to maintain that principle if she'd refused.
People are hypocrites, he thought wryly, turning his attention to the mission reports stacked on his desk.
---
Hidden Rain
Black Zetsu's form rippled and solidified into the shape of Uchiha Madara. With Obito dead, he was the only one who could maintain this disguise without raising Nagato's suspicions.
Money didn't fall from the sky, but manipulation did.
"Mr. Madara." Nagato greeted him with a respectful nod.
Black Zetsu produced a scroll. "A list of powerful individuals across the ninja world. Potential recruits."
Nagato unrolled it, scanning the names. "Most of these are missing-nin."
"Precisely." Black Zetsu's voice was calm, measured. "Missing-nin are easier to control—show them strength, and they'll submit. They also eliminate the risk of planted spies from the major villages."
Nagato considered this. "I'll discuss it with Yahiko and Konan."
"The current Akatsuki is insufficient to challenge Konoha," Black Zetsu pressed, his tone heavy with significance. "This matter is urgent."
He had two objectives: securing funds and strengthening the organization before Madara's resurrection. By then, they'd have a proper force at their command.
Nagato hesitated. He knew Yahiko and Konan opposed conflict with Konoha.
"In the last war, Konoha destroyed countless families," Black Zetsu continued, twisting the knife. "Your parents died because of them."
Nagato's fists clenched, his expression darkening.
"You possess the eyes of the Sage of Six Paths," Black Zetsu said, his voice rising with fervor. "The Akatsuki should expand beyond the Land of Rain and bring true peace to the entire ninja world. This is your destiny, Nagato. You are the god of a new age!"
"I know." Nagato took a deep breath, his resolve hardening. "How proficient are you with the Rinnegan's abilities?"
"Thanks to your guidance, I've mastered the Heavenly Path and the Hungry Ghost Path," Nagato said, excitement creeping into his voice.
In the original timeline, Yahiko's death had driven him to madness, awakening the Outer Path Statue. It had taken years to master all Six Paths. But now, with Black Zetsu's guidance and Yahiko still alive, his progress was accelerated.
The Rinnegan was intoxicating in its power. Especially the Chibaku Tensei—the Planetary Devastation. Now he understood how the Sage of Six Paths had created the moon itself.
With this power, even Hanekawa's Wood Style wouldn't be a match.
"Your talent is remarkable," Black Zetsu praised. "Full mastery won't take long."
Nagato excused himself and made his way to the tower at the village's center.
"You went to see Uchiha Madara again?" Yahiko's frown was immediate.
Nagato handed him the scroll. "He recommends these individuals for Akatsuki membership."
Yahiko opened it, his hesitation evident as he reviewed the list of missing-nin.
"Nagato, we still don't know Madara's true intentions," Konan warned. "Don't trust him blindly."
"The Rinnegan's power speaks for itself," Nagato countered confidently. "There's no risk."
Yahiko exchanged a glance with Konan. The Rinnegan was terrifying—its jutsu far surpassed even Jiraiya's techniques.
"Our dream is peace in the ninja world," Nagato said firmly. "The Land of Rain is only the beginning. We'll expand from here."
Yahiko noticed something had shifted in his friend. Nagato seemed... different. More certain. More distant.
Konan's worry deepened. She'd never trusted Madara, and now that Nagato had been influenced by him, her suspicions only grew. Whatever Madara wanted, it wasn't for Akatsuki's benefit.
"This requires careful consideration," Yahiko said slowly.
"Akatsuki does need more jonin," Nagato conceded. "I'll recruit them, but they won't officially join the organization."
Yahiko studied him for a long moment before nodding.
---
Death Forest, Konoha
November had arrived.
Hanekawa's hands moved through the seals with practiced precision. Chakra erupted from his body, and the sky responded—wind howled, clouds gathered, lightning crackled.
A massive thundercloud vortex formed overhead, like the eye of God itself.
When the energy reached its peak, lightning exploded outward in a torrential cascade.
Storm Release: Storm Demon Dragon.
The jutsu dissipated, leaving the forest scorched and smoking. Hanekawa opened his eyes, satisfied.
Storm Release's ultimate technique. It rivaled Sasuke's Kirin in raw power.
He closed his eyes and waited.
The notifications came swiftly.
---
[A-Rank Talent Entry: Seven Bloodline Limits]
[Trigger Condition: Master Sharingan, Wood Style, Storm Release, Melting Release, Boiling Release, Dissolving Release, and Ice Release]
[Effect: Gain the physique of an immortal. Significantly improve ability to sense and control natural energy.]
[Note: Cannot be synthesized]
---
Hanekawa's eyes snapped open. Finally.
He'd been practicing Sage Mode for nearly a year without breakthrough. His talent simply didn't align with it. But this entry—this was the key. Sensing natural energy and controlling it were the first two hurdles to mastering Sage Mode. With this entry, both barriers would crumble.
He took a breath and initiated the synthesis.
---
[S-Rank Talent Entry: Invincible Shadow]
[Trigger Condition: Combine A-Rank Seven-Attribute Jonin with A-Rank Seven Bloodline Limits]
[Effect: Chakra refinement speed increases by 400%. Chakra capacity increases by 400% of original amount.]
[Note: Cannot be synthesized]
---
As expected.
The effect mirrored his previous A-Rank entry "Almighty Jonin," but doubled—from 200% to 400%.
Hanekawa clenched his fist. Combined with his earlier A-Rank entry "Fake Fox," his chakra ceiling had now reached a 500% bonus.
Yet the S-Rank entry "Chakra Titan" hadn't triggered. His reserves still weren't sufficient.
Why is there no path forward? he wondered. Shadow isn't the end. There's the Six Paths Sage, Kaguya Ōtsutsuki...
Perhaps some condition remained unmet.
He abandoned the line of thought. His next target was clear: an S-Rank Wood Style entry—Hashirama Senju's version.
The synthesis requirements were three entries: A-Rank "Medical Jonin," A-Rank "Sealing Jonin," and S-Rank "Chakra Titan."
He already had the first. The second was merely a matter of time.
The third was the problem.
Hero's Water.
Takigakure Village's sacred treasure. It appeared once every hundred years and directly increased chakra reserves—a rarity in the ninja world.
Asking directly would be refused. Konoha and Takigakure maintained good relations, and Tsunade would never approve a raid.
The solution was to act in secret, hidden identity intact.
But Takigakure's location was a mystery. Hidden deep in mountains, accessible only to its own ninja.
Hanekawa's mind worked through the possibilities. In the original timeline, the missing-nin Suien had allied with the Rain Village to attack Takigakure. Naruto and Sasuke had stopped him.
Two options presented themselves:
Option One: Cooperate with Suien to attack Takigakure.
Option Two: Control Suien, then infiltrate Takigakure as a Konoha ninja sent to aid in its defense.
From Konoha's perspective, Option Two was cleaner.
But for entry farming, Option One was superior.
Because Takigakure housed the Seven-Tails jinchuriki.
Decisions, decisions, Hanekawa thought, a slight smile playing at his lips.
He had time. The Hero's Water wouldn't appear for years yet.
For now, he had other matters to attend to.