In the small courtyard, a still-sleepy Shizune stretched her arms above her head in an adorable yawn.
However, she didn't seem energized. She sat on the edge of the porch, resting her chin in her hands, her eyes unfocused as she stared at the still-ruined courtyard.
The day before yesterday, Tsunade and Saiki had fought in the yard, destroying half of it before chasing each other out. Only Tsunade had returned.
Seeing Tsunade return looking absolutely furious, the usually timid Shizune hadn't dared to ask any questions.
She had assumed Saiki would return the next day. Instead, some massive crisis had erupted in the village that night, and Lady Tsunade had left and hadn't returned.
Left alone, Shizune had spent a terrifying, sleepless night. When she woke up, Tsunade was still gone, but rumors were flying that the Third Hokage was ill and Tsunade had been appointed Acting Hokage.
Too many things were happening at once. Shizune's small brain was completely overwhelmed. It wasn't until she went to the Hokage Building that she confirmed the rumors were true.
While she was worried about the Third Hokage's health, seeing Lady Tsunade take the mantle made Shizune incredibly happy.
What Shizune didn't know was that Hiruzen Sarutobi wasn't "sick"—he had been butchered by Saiki. And Tsunade wasn't just "Acting"—she was going to be the official Fifth Hokage.
But those details were far above her pay grade.
Before she could even celebrate Tsunade's promotion, she had been shooed out of the Hokage Building by a stressed-out Tsunade, which left Shizune feeling quite wronged.
That was bad enough, but being alone in the ruined courtyard was worse. She had no idea where Saiki had been since the day before yesterday, and Tsunade had only returned briefly in the dead of night.
It was already morning, and Saiki still wasn't back. Shizune was distracted and miserable. A home missing a person just didn't feel happy.
While Shizune was sitting there bored and depressed, Saiki had actually already arrived outside the compound walls.
The news of Hiruzen's assassination was strictly classified, and a gag order was in effect. But within the Anbu and the elite clans, anyone who needed to know already knew.
While many found it impossible to accept that Saiki had killed Hiruzen, there was surprisingly little opposition to Tsunade taking the Hokage seat. Many actively supported it—she was the Senju Princess, after all.
Saiki knew that once Tsunade became Hokage (acting or otherwise), there would be Anbu stationed around her residence 24/7.
Having black-ops agents lurking around his house, monitoring his private life, was something Saiki found deeply irritating.
The Anbu were well-hidden, but they couldn't escape Saiki's Divine Sense.
However, it seemed they had received prior orders from Tsunade. The moment they saw Saiki approach, they proactively pulled out.
It was an elite Anbu squad. They all cast a complex look at Saiki before vanishing without a word.
Saiki had half a mind to draw his sword and cut them down just for looking at him, but out of respect for Tsunade, he stayed his hand. They were smart to leave quickly.
Perhaps it was the fallout of killing Hiruzen, or his fundamental disgust with the "Will of Fire" ideology, but aside from Tsunade, Nono'u, and a few friends, Saiki currently viewed the entire Leaf village with open hostility.
Saiki withdrew his gaze and lightly leaped over the compound wall.
Seeing Shizune spacing out on the porch, and confirming that Tsunade was still asleep inside, Saiki offered a helpless smile.
With a light jump, he landed completely silently behind Shizune, then sat down on her left side.
Shizune, lost in a daze, suddenly felt a presence beside her. Startled, she whipped her head around. When she saw it was Saiki, she let out a shriek of pure joy. "Saiki!"
Overjoyed, Shizune threw herself directly into Saiki's arms, hugging him tight.
Caught off guard, Saiki froze for a second. He could easily track her speed, but he hadn't dodged. He was just surprised; since when was Shizune this bold?
Shizune wasn't actually that bold. After the initial impulse of hugging him, she quickly realized what she was doing and felt a wave of intense embarrassment—though it was mixed with a thrill of excitement.
Hugging Saiki was something she had fantasized about often; she'd just never had the courage to do it!
Before she could panic and pull away, Saiki reached out and gently wrapped his arms around her.
Hugging a young girl felt entirely different from hugging a mature woman. The saying goes that young girls have three great qualities: they are delicate, soft, and easy to push down. It was absolutely true.
But Saiki wasn't a lolicon. After returning the hug for a moment, he released her.
Shizune, however, was still enjoying the embrace and showed no signs of letting go. Her face was flushed pink, and her small nose twitched as she greedily inhaled his scent.
"Hmm? What's wrong?" Seeing her act so adorable, Saiki laughed and rubbed the top of her head. Shizune's smile instantly grew even brighter and cuter.
Shizune was usually shy and timid, but she had a hidden "gluttonous" side and moments of surprising boldness—like the time she had offered to scrub his back while he was bathing.
"Ah! Nothing! It's just... I was worried about you. Where have you been for the last two days?" Prompted by Saiki, Shizune finally snapped back to reality. She hurriedly released him, lowering her head and whispering shyly.
Saiki knew immediately that Tsunade hadn't told her anything. He reached out and pinched her soft cheek. "Oh, it was nothing. Just had to go out and handle a few missions!"
"Missions?" Shizune looked confused, but then she remembered the chaos in the village. Her face filled with worry. "The village... so much happened in the village these past two days! After Lady Tsunade chased you out the day before yesterday, she didn't come back that night. And then... then yesterday, rumors spread that Lord Third is sick, and Lady Tsunade is Acting Hokage!"
Looking at her nervous, anxious face, Saiki—who had personally butchered the Third Hokage—smiled reassuringly. "Mm. Don't worry. I know."
"You know?" Shizune looked at him, completely lost.
Saiki smiled. "Yeah. I went out specifically to handle that."
Hearing Saiki say that only confused Shizune further. Saiki didn't elaborate. Instead, he asked, "What time did Sister Tsunade get back last night?"
"Lady Tsunade? She got back right before dawn."
"Got it," Saiki nodded. "You haven't eaten breakfast yet, have you? Come on. I'll make us something!"
Because Tsunade was notoriously lazy when it came to chores, the housework usually fell to Saiki and Shizune. Saiki handled 90% of the cooking. Shizune knew how to cook, but hearing that Saiki was making breakfast instantly banished all her worries and confusion.
Saiki stood up and headed for the kitchen. Shizune followed right behind him, her face full of anticipation.
In the kitchen, Saiki expertly pulled out the ingredients and began cooking, acting as if the world hadn't just been turned upside down.
Shizune helped prep the ingredients. Soon, a steaming breakfast was ready.
At the table, Shizune asked hesitantly, "Shouldn't we wake Lady Tsunade to eat with us?"
Saiki shook his head. "No. Let's eat first. Let her sleep a bit longer. We can bring a tray up to her room later."
"Oh, okay! Thanks for the food!" Shizune clapped her hands together in a quick prayer. She picked up a meat bun, blew on it, and took a small bite. The rich, savory broth exploded in her mouth. Even though it burned her tongue, making her pant, her face was a picture of absolute bliss.
Watching her, Saiki smiled and picked up his chopsticks. He didn't bother with the pre-meal prayer; he just started eating.
His dual cultivation with Nono'u last night had indeed recovered a significant portion of his Sage Chakra. However, because Nono'u was a mature, demanding woman, Saiki had also expended a massive amount of physical stamina and protein. He needed to refuel heavily today.