The sharp, rhythmic sound of metal tapping echoed through the upper levels of Amegakure's central tower. Each strike came with a strange pulse of golden light, and every flash seemed to tear down one piece of the old, rotten past.
Uchiha Tsukiko stood in the middle of the corridor with a tiny hammer in her hand. It looked more like a child's toy than a real tool, yet every time she lightly tapped something with it, reality itself bent to her will.
In front of her stood a massive iron door carved with twisted skulls and grimacing faces. This had once been the entrance to one of Hanzō's underground torture chambers. The sight of it alone was enough to make anyone uncomfortable.
Tsukiko stared at it for a moment, then clicked her tongue in disgust.
"This is hideous," she declared. "Who designed this place? It looks like someone mixed a graveyard with a sewer."
She lifted the hammer.
Tap.
The heavy iron door trembled. Then, in a burst of golden particles, it dissolved like dust caught in sunlight. The metal broke apart into countless glowing fragments, hovered in the air for a heartbeat, and then reassembled into something completely different.
When the light faded, the grim iron slab was gone.
In its place stood a sleek, fully transparent automatic revolving door. Warm-toned lights ran along the frame, casting a soft glow over the corridor. Motion sensors activated as Tsukiko stepped closer, and the glass panels rotated smoothly without a sound.
The few Amegakure ninja standing behind her could only gape.
They were still carrying chains, shackles, and old torture tools they had been ordered to haul out as scrap metal. Now, with those instruments in their hands and that absurdly modern doorway in front of them, they looked like confused extras in someone else's dream.
One of them swallowed hard. "Lady Tsukiko..."
Tsukiko turned around and pointed her tiny hammer at them. "Why are you still holding those disgusting things? Throw them away. From now on, Akatsuki is going high-class. Bloody dungeons and torture rooms are banned from headquarters."
"Yes, Lady Tsukiko!"
The response came so quickly it almost sounded rehearsed.
That was because, in the eyes of the Amegakure ninja, Tsukiko had already become something far beyond an ordinary leader.
Just earlier that morning, she had walked through the lower living quarters used by Hanzō's men. The place had been miserable—wet walls, moldy bedding, cracked windows, and a smell that seemed to come from years of bad food, damp clothes, and hopelessness.
Tsukiko had pinched her nose, frowned, and said, "How are people supposed to work in this?"
Then she had tapped away with that ridiculous little hammer.
The rotten wooden bunks had transformed into soft beds. The broken windows became thick soundproof glass. The wet stone floor warmed itself from below. The clogged communal toilet became a spotless, automatic washroom with running hot water.
The first brave soul who tried it came out looking like he had seen heaven.
And after that, the entire tower changed sides.
Now the ninja of Amegakure looked at Tsukiko with shining eyes full of respect, gratitude, and total surrender. It was less the expression one gave a superior officer and more the expression one gave a miracle.
Yahiko came running around the corner at that moment, full of energy as always.
"Tsukiko!" he called out. "Can I borrow the hammer for a second?"
He pointed toward a huge new outdoor pool being formed in one of the lower courtyards. "I want to add a giant water slide. A really long one. Something heroic."
Tsukiko narrowed her eyes at him. "You can borrow it. For a fee."
Yahiko froze. "A fee?"
She held out one hand. "One hundred ryō per use. I'm collecting funds for Konan's sweets."
"That's robbery!"
"It's business."
Yahiko looked at the half-finished pool, clenched his fists, and gave in. "Fine! Put it on my tab."
Tsukiko nodded grandly. "Very wise decision."
Satisfied, she slipped the hammer into her pocket and stepped into a newly installed glass elevator.
As it rose, the transformed tower spread out beneath her like a different world.
The old maze-like passages were gone, replaced by wide, bright corridors. Vending machines stood neatly along the walls. Potted plants broke up the hard lines of steel and stone. Huge windows now looked out over the rainy village below, turning the constant gray of Amegakure into something almost beautiful.
For once, the tower did not feel like a prison.
It felt like a beginning.
The elevator chimed softly as it reached the highest level.
This floor had once been Hanzō's private study. Now it served as the core meeting room and upper lounge of Akatsuki's new headquarters.
Konan stood near the floor-to-ceiling window, holding a warm cup of coffee Tsukiko had made for her with one of the new machines. She still wore the black robe patterned with red clouds, and against the pale light from the rain outside, she looked calm, dignified, and impossibly beautiful.
When she heard the elevator doors open, she turned her head.
"You're back," she said, and there was a quiet ease in her voice that had become more common lately.
Tsukiko immediately crossed the room and threw herself into Konan's arms.
"Big Sister Konan, did you miss me?"
Konan let out a soft sigh, though one hand rose instinctively to stroke Tsukiko's hair. "The entire tower is talking about you. Some of them say you were sent by the Rain God."
Tsukiko grinned. "Well, they're not entirely wrong."
She leaned happily against Konan and looked around the room. The soft sofa, the polished meeting table, the quiet lighting, the coffee corner—everything had been arranged exactly the way she wanted.
"Do you like it?" Tsukiko asked. "I picked that sofa especially. It's perfect for serious meetings, dramatic speeches, and cuddling."
Konan smiled faintly. "It's very comfortable. But... isn't all of this a little too extravagant?"
Tsukiko shook her head at once. "Not at all. If people live well, they'll understand that following Akatsuki is the best choice. This is called building loyalty through quality of life."
Konan looked down at her with amused helplessness. "You always have a reason ready."
"Of course."
Tsukiko paused for a moment, then looked up with bright, innocent eyes that Konan had long since learned to distrust.
"Big Sister Konan... can I ask for something?"
Konan immediately grew cautious. "What is it?"
"A small vacation."
Konan blinked. "A vacation?"
Tsukiko nodded quickly. "Not far. Just to Tanzaku Town. I heard they have amazing dango there. Regional specialties. I thought I'd buy some and bring them back for you."
Konan frowned slightly. "Tanzaku Town is close to the Land of Fire. It's crowded, noisy, and not especially safe."
Tsukiko stepped back from her, straightened herself, and puffed out her little chest.
"Please remember who I am," she said. "I'm a perfectly legitimate Konoha genin."
Then she coughed lightly and added, "A slightly irregular genin. But still."
She began pacing in front of the window with her hands behind her back, looking like a very small politician giving a very serious address.
"And who is the current Hokage of Konoha?" she continued. "Minato Namikaze. The Yellow Flash. My master."
Konan's expression shifted.
Tsukiko noticed and pressed on at once.
"And you, Yahiko, and Nagato were all trained by Lord Jiraiya. That means Master Minato is practically your senior brother. Which means Akatsuki and Konoha already have a connection through our shared teacher line."
She spun back toward Konan dramatically.
"So this trip may look like a snack run," she said, lowering her voice, "but in truth, it is a diplomatic mission."
Konan stared at her.
Tsukiko's expression turned so earnest it was almost criminal.
"I want to quietly test Konoha's mood and see whether future peaceful contact might be possible. For the long-term safety of the Land of Rain."
Every word sounded noble.
Every word sounded planned.
And every word was technically connected enough to be dangerous.
Konan remained silent for a long moment.
At last, she sighed.
"Nagato would agree that peaceful ties matter," she admitted. "If this is truly for official purposes... then you may go."
Tsukiko's face brightened instantly.
But Konan raised a finger before she could celebrate.
"On three conditions. No causing trouble. No wandering into suspicious places. And you will contact me three times a day using the ring."
Tsukiko saluted at once. "Understood!"
Inwardly, she was already celebrating.
A casino was not a suspicious place, she told herself. It was a valuable center of local economic observation.
Konan then reached into her sleeve and pulled out a small waterproof packet. She placed it in Tsukiko's hand.
"This is for travel expenses," she said quietly. "And if you run into real trouble, don't force yourself. Use our names if necessary. Or run."
Tsukiko looked down at the money.
It was more than she expected.
And she knew at once that it was not organizational funding. This was Konan's personal savings.
The realization warmed her far more than the heated floors or the new robes ever could.
She tucked the packet away carefully, then threw herself back into Konan's arms and hugged her tightly.
"Don't worry, Big Sister Konan. I'll come back safely."
Konan rested her hand against the back of Tsukiko's head. "That's all I care about."
With permission secured, Tsukiko ran back to her room at once.
Packing was simple.
A few changes of clothes. Some books. A notebook. Travel supplies.
Most of the truly important things were already tucked away in her system space.
As she packed, she hummed to herself, unable to hide her excitement.
"Lady Tsunade," she muttered. "The greatest medical ninja alive. The strongest woman in the world. And one of the three legendary Sannin..."
Her eyes gleamed.
"If I can bring you back, Nagato's future might change completely."
Of course, that was only half the reason she was going.
The other half was much less noble.
Two days later, Tanzaku Town was just as loud, bright, and disorderly as Tsukiko expected.
As one of the busiest trade towns near the border, it kept thriving even while wars rose and fell around it. Lanterns hung from shopfronts in rows of warm color. The streets were full of merchants, drunks, gamblers, mercenaries, entertainers, and people looking for trouble.
The air smelled of grilled meat, cheap powder, spilled alcohol, damp wood, and human greed.
Tsukiko had changed into low-key dark red travel clothes and pulled a baseball cap low over her face. She walked through the crowd chewing thoughtfully on a skewer of three-color dango, her eyes scanning every gambling house she passed.
"So far, nothing," she murmured.
She had checked three major streets and found plenty of bad luck, broken pride, and desperate shouting—but no Tsunade.
Then, suddenly, a familiar kind of noise erupted from farther ahead.
There was a crash.
A roar.
Then a rising wave of gamblers yelling over one another.
Tsukiko stopped mid-bite.
Her eyes lit up.
"That has to be her."
She tossed the empty skewer neatly into a bin and slipped through the crowd like a fish through water, weaving between shoulders and elbows until she reached the center of the commotion.
Inside a casino called Good Fortune, a large crowd had gathered around a shattered gaming table.
And at the center of it all stood a woman no one could mistake for anyone else.
Blonde hair.
Green coat.
The diamond seal on her forehead.
A presence that filled the room even while surrounded by fools and broken furniture.
Tsunade.
One of the legendary Sannin.
And yes, Tsukiko had to admit, even more striking in person than expected.
At the moment, Tsunade had one foot on a chair and a furious expression on her face. A pile of chips had just vanished from in front of her, and the dealer looked on the verge of tears.
Behind Tsunade stood Shizune, clutching Tonton and wearing the tired expression of someone who had suffered through this exact disaster too many times to count.
The dealer finally stammered out the result.
"Small... house wins."
Tsunade slammed her fist down.
Boom!
The table exploded into splinters.
The floor cracked.
The entire casino fell silent.
Then the owner hurried over looking ready to faint. "Lady Tsunade... the table..."
"Put it on my tab!" Tsunade snapped, turning away. "We're leaving."
Shizune looked like she wanted to vanish. "Lady Tsunade... we don't have any money left."
Tsunade patted her pockets.
Then patted them again.
Then stared into the distance for a full second as reality caught up with her.
It was at that exact glorious moment that Tsukiko stepped forward.
"Excuse me, beautiful big sister," she said brightly, holding up a thick stack of bills. "Need a little starting capital?"
Tsunade turned so sharply that several nearby gamblers flinched.
Her eyes landed on Tsukiko.
A small child.
Red clothes.
Baseball cap.
Bright smile.
Money in hand.
Suspicion flashed across Tsunade's face at once.
"And who are you supposed to be?" she asked.
Tsukiko smiled even more sweetly.
"Someone with money, information, and a proposal."
She stepped closer and lightly pressed the stack of cash into Tsunade's hand.
Then she leaned in just enough for only Tsunade to hear her next words.
"I know who you are," Tsukiko whispered. "Princess Tsunade... and I know how to help with your blood phobia."
Everything changed.
The drunken irritation vanished from Tsunade's face.
Her body tensed.
The air around her turned cold.
A terrifying killing intent spread outward, so sharp that the nearest gamblers stumbled back without even understanding why.
Shizune's eyes widened.
Tonton squealed.
Tsunade looked down at Tsukiko as though seeing her for the first time.
"Who are you?" she asked, and this time her voice was deadly serious.
Tsukiko met her gaze without fear.
"That part can wait," she said. "What matters is this: I want to invite you somewhere that could change more than one life."
Tsunade's eyes narrowed.
Tsukiko continued, her tone soft but steady.
"There's someone I want to save. A fool with important eyes. And if you come with me, you might save more than just him."
For a moment, Tsunade said nothing.
The tension between them was so sharp it felt visible.
Then Tsukiko did the last thing anyone expected.
She reached out, took Tsunade's hand, and tugged gently.
"Let's not talk in a casino," she said. "I'm hungry. Come get ramen with me. My treat."
The absurdity of the invitation was so great that even Tsunade seemed thrown off.
She looked down at the small hand holding hers.
Then at Tsukiko's face.
Then at the money still in her palm.
Behind them, Shizune stared in total confusion.
And yet, to Tsukiko's private satisfaction, Tsunade did not pull her hand away.
Instead, with a long exhale and a dangerous sort of curiosity in her eyes, the legendary Sannin let herself be led out of the ruined casino by a little girl in a cap.
As they stepped into the noisy street, Tsukiko allowed herself the smallest victorious smile.
The journey had begun.
Akatsuki had gained Amegakure.
Now Tsukiko had set her sights on Tsunade.
And if things went well from here—
Then perhaps the future itself was about to change again.
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