Konoha: Gu Master

"Shizune-nee, you're amazing! Thank you for the treat!" Shinho said with heartfelt sincerity.

He had expected Shizune to humor him with a basic maid outfit, but instead, she had gone all out with a black stocking maid dress.

"D-don't say such weird things…" Shizune stammered, struggling to hide her embarrassment.

Still, a rosy blush tinged her cheeks, giving her a delicate, vulnerable look.

Shinho swallowed hard. Though she hadn't intended it, Shizune was hitting all the right marks for the perfect maid look.

Drawn closer, he could see the sheen of her black stockings, catching the light just enough to hint at the soft flesh beneath.

Shizune froze in place, backing up only to find herself against the wall.

Their eyes met, and Shizune's blush deepened as her breath quickened.

After a few tense seconds, she closed her eyes.

Then, suddenly realizing how impulsive that was, she opened them, flustered. "I… I'll go make lunch!"

She darted off toward the kitchen as if escaping, her maid skirt swaying gently as she moved, showing the smooth, slender lines of her legs from behind.

Wh-why didn't I simply run away?! Shizune thought, covering her face in embarrassment. She could still feel the rapid thudding of her heart.

Part of her regretted not taking another step forward.

She shook her head furiously to clear her mind. It's Shinho! We're like family!

But… was there anything wrong with developing feelings for someone close?

Shizune's thoughts spiraled, her cheeks burning red.

"Need any help?" Shinho asked, leaning against the kitchen doorframe, having observed the whole scene.

So caught up in her own world, Shizune hadn't realized he'd followed her. His sudden voice startled her, making her freeze.

"N-no, I'm fine!" Shizune stammered, quickly turning her back to him, unwilling to meet his eyes.

"Alright then," Shinho replied, letting her off the hook for now as he left.

It took her a moment to turn and see he was gone, and she promptly sank to the floor.

I'm done for!

Had he heard her muttering to herself?

A cool breeze drifted in through the window, but it did nothing to cool the heat in her face.

…

An hour and a half later, Shinho's stomach growled as he eagerly awaited lunch.

"Sorry for the wait," Shizune said, holding the hem of her skirt, her black stocking-clad legs bent in a slight curtsy.

"No worries," Shinho replied with a grin. "To be honest, the view alone made the wait worthwhile."

Shizune froze for a moment, feeling a spark of heat flash in her cheeks. What is with these strange comments?

Does he… expect me to call him "master" or something?

"Let's eat," Shinho said, taking his seat at the table and picking up his chopsticks.

As he looked at her, he noticed that with her hair tied up, she looked even younger, with a distinct air of innocence.

In truth, Shizune wasn't far from being a girl herself, with youthful skin and a naturally graceful beauty.

In the original series, Shizune had always seemed ageless, never appearing to grow older from beginning to end.

"W-why are you staring at me like that?" Shizune murmured, blushing under his gaze.

"This is delicious," Shinho replied genuinely.

"…"

Shizune's lips parted slightly, wanting to say something but holding back. 

You've eaten my cooking plenty of times; why compliment it today of all days?

"You don't think skipping out of the Hokage office will get you in trouble?" Shinho asked smoothly, changing the subject.

"Not at all, not with Shikaku-senpai covering for me," she replied, shaking her head.

"Yesterday, sensei mentioned she wants me to be the next Hokage," Shinho said, taking a bite of his food.

"Hokage?" Shizune blinked in surprise. "That's amazing news! You're certainly qualified for it."

As they continued talking, Shizune gradually relaxed.

"So, if sensei does retire, what will you do?" Shinho asked casually.

"I'll stay with Lady Tsunade, of course," Shizune replied without hesitation.

Ever since she had graduated from the Academy, she had been by Tsunade's side. By now, it was second nature.

"I see," Shinho nodded thoughtfully. "But wouldn't that be a bit of a waste of your talents?"

"Wait, what?" Shizune looked at him in surprise.

"Why not stay on as the Hokage's secretary, Shizune-nee?" Shinho asked with a smile.

"Hokage's secretary?" Shizune repeated, her cheeks blooming with another blush.

Did he mean to have her close to him all the time?

Shizune's heartbeat quickened as she lowered her gaze, focusing on the rice in her bowl.

"I… I'll think about it," she managed to whisper after a long pause.

"Great," Shinho replied, noting her reaction.

Yep, it's always easier to get familiar faces on your side.

Shizune glanced up at him shyly, spotting the mischievous smile on his face.

This is definitely no innocent offer, she thought. But oddly, she felt she wouldn't mind falling for it—even if it meant leaping headfirst into his trap.

…

After lunch, Shizune rose to clear the table but quickly realized that Shinho's gaze was fixed on her legs the entire time.

This guy really is a little pervert! Shizune thought, blushing as she carried the dishes into the kitchen.

Shinho leaned back into the sofa with a contented sigh.

Today has been pretty great.

Gazing up at the ceiling, he closed his eyes in lazy satisfaction, until Shizune appeared in his line of sight.

Turning his head slightly, he admired the way the maid outfit accentuated her figure.

While she might not match Tsunade in certain areas, her proportions were still perfect.

"C-can I change out of the maid outfit now?" Shizune asked nervously.

"Why?" Shinho looked up, genuinely surprised.

"Well, I should get back to work," she replied, glancing away.

"Ah, I see," Shinho said, his tone tinged with disappointment.

"M-maybe next time…" she muttered, her courage faltering mid-sentence.

"What was that? Are you saying you'll wear it again for me next time?" Shinho asked, sitting up with excitement.

"I…" Shizune bit her lip, finding herself unable to refuse. Finally, she nodded, whispering, "Yes."

"Thank you, Shizune-nee!" Shinho said, his face lighting up with a smile.

Why does he have to phrase it like that? Shizune thought, biting back a sigh.

Turning away, she hurried to her room. Moments later, she reappeared in her usual long kimono-style robe.

Seeing the hint of disappointment in Shinho's eyes, she quickly used the Body Flicker Technique to vanish from the room.

Out in the street, she exhaled in relief.

She glanced down at her legs, lightly slapping one thigh.

The slight ripple in her skin caught her off guard.

What does he even see in them? Shizune wondered, lost in thought.

"Should I buy that white stocking maid outfit next time?"

…

A knock on the door broke Shinho train of thought.

He had just entered a focused training state and was momentarily startled.

Who could be visiting him at this hour?

He got up and walked to the door, opening it to reveal Uchiha Sasuke.

"Oh! That's rare," Shinho remarked, stepping aside. "Come in and sit."

Sasuke gave a slight nod, his face devoid of any expression.

"What's up?" Shinho asked, already accustomed to Sasuke's stoic attitude and unbothered by it.

"I've already unlocked the Three Tomoe Sharingan," Sasuke said bluntly. "I want to see the data on the Mangekyō Sharingan."

"You're in a hurry, huh?" Shinho raised an eyebrow in response, slightly amused.

"I'm not," Sasuke countered, his tone calm. "But my power has hit a ceiling."

He had learned everything he could, yet still couldn't defeat Shinho. The only remaining hope was the Mangekyō Sharingan.

Shinho thought for a moment before responding.

"Follow me," he said. "We're going to the Hokage Building."

He had previously promised Sasuke that he would give him the information, and he didn't want to go back on his word. 

Besides, it was hard to be as extreme as Itachi Uchiha had been. After all, he was still a relatively normal person.

Sasuke felt a spark of hope. 

He had personally experienced the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan. Facing Itachi twice, he had been utterly powerless.

He understood now that to defeat the Mangekyō Sharingan, he needed to acquire it himself.

…

Hokage Building

Shinho arrived at the Hokage office door but didn't go in. He wasn't looking for Tsunade.

"Yugao," Shinho called out.

Yugao Uzuki appeared, wearing her usual mask.

"What is it?" she asked, her tone neutral.

"Take me to the ninjutsu scroll storage room," Shinho requested.

He had been there before and knew the way, but there was an unbreakable seal on the door, or rather, traps that only a few of the Anbu were privy to.

Yugao hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

The ninjutsu scroll storage room was one of Konoha's most secretive locations. Normally, one would need the Hokage's direct orders to access it. However, Shinho's position was unique.

Two minutes later, the three of them arrived at their destination.

"Go ahead," Yugao said, opening the door.

"Thanks, Yugao," Shinho said as he entered.

"You can't come in," Yugao said, stopping Sasuke.

"Sasuke, wait here," Shinho instructed.

He didn't want to put Yugao in a difficult position. Allowing him in was already a special exception.

Sasuke gave a slight nod.

Shinho made a hand sign and summoned two shadow clones. 

After a few minutes of searching, he found a set of research notes left by the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, regarding the Uchiha clan.

He skimmed through them quickly, his admiration for Tobirama's brilliance evident on his face.

Tobirama had understood Uchiha better than Uchiha themselves.

"Here," Shinho said, handing Sasuke the scroll.

Sasuke grabbed it eagerly, immediately unrolling it and starting to read.

Shinho watched him, his expression calm. Sasuke's face underwent several shifts—calm, shocked, enlightened, and somber—all in quick succession.

Shinho had never seen Sasuke's face show such a range of expressions before.

"So this is why he defected?" Sasuke asked, closing the scroll. He was referring to Itachi.

The scroll was filled with much detail, but it could be summarized in one line:

The awakening and progression of the Sharingan required intense emotional stimulation.

Sasuke recalled the Chūnin Exams and his battle with Shinho. 

At the time, his frustration had given him a temporary boost in power. 

Now he understood why. His power hadn't just increased because of anger, it had been the effect of his Sharingan.

Sasuke also thought back to something Itachi had said to him long ago: "I killed Uchiha Fugaku to grow stronger."

At the time, Sasuke had wondered how killing someone could make him stronger. Now everything seemed clear.

Itachi's path to power had been driven by emotional triggers.

"Exactly," Shinho affirmed with a nod.

Itachi had wanted Sasuke to understand this very thing.

"Isn't there another way?" Sasuke asked, furrowing his brow.

"Why do you ask?" Shinho was slightly surprised.

"If the only way to open the eyes is through killing, the Uchiha clan would have been wiped out long ago," Sasuke reasoned, his tone calm. If it were all about killing, the Uchiha would have perished long before now.

"Good point," Shinho smiled. "Emotions are divided into positive and negative, though negative emotions are easier to provoke."

"I see," Sasuke said, a look of determination in his eyes. "I won't follow his path."

Even if he were to follow Itachi's example, who would he kill?

His mother, Mikoto? Impossible.

The rest of the Uchiha clan had never been close to him.

Aside from Itachi, his only true allies were Shinho and Naruto—neither of whom he could defeat.

"The awakening of the Mangekyō Sharingan requires a lot of emotional input," Shinho continued, his voice serious. "Ordinary methods won't work."

In the original story, Sasuke's Mangekyō Sharingan had been awakened with Itachi's help. 

First, a fight between brothers, followed by a staged death, and then the revelation of the truth behind the massacre. 

The emotional contrast was so intense that it pushed Sasuke's Sharingan to evolve.

"So what now?" Sasuke asked urgently.

"I have a solution," Shinho said with a smile. "But not right now. You need more training before you're ready."

"Really?" Sasuke's eyes lit up with hope once more.

"I have no reason to lie to you," Shinho said, taking the scroll back. "What you need to do next is solidify your foundation to better handle the emotional shock."

"Understood!" Sasuke nodded firmly.

Shinho was stronger than him, so Sasuke naturally trusted his words. That was the Uchiha way.

Shinho placed the scroll back in its original spot and turned to leave.

His solution was the Box of Ultimate Bliss, a legendary tool once wielded by the Sage of Six Paths. It was said to be able to grant any wish.

However, from the original storyline, it became clear that the box didn't truly grant wishes. Instead, it was more like a fraud trap.

The ruler of Hozuki Castle, Mui, had made a wish for his son, Muku, to return. He did, but as a creature created by the box itself—a being called Satori, a manifestation of emotion, and a representative of Yin Release power.

Satori couldn't be killed and could read emotions, giving it a prophetic ability. Ultimately, it was defeated by Naruto and others and sealed at the bottom of the ocean.

In Shinho's view, Satori was similar to Ido but with an emotional depth, as represented in The Box of Ultimate Bliss itself. It had four faces, representing Joy, Anger, Sorrow, and Happiness.

"I'm going back to my training now," Sasuke said, his new goal firmly in place.

Shinho nodded as they said their goodbyes. He headed back to the Senju estate.

A week passed quickly.

The impact of the joint Chūnin Exams had dissipated.

Gaara and the others had all returned to Sunagakure to begin their reconstruction work.

…

Morning

Shinho sat at his desk as usual, flipping through documents.

His attention was suddenly caught by a file.

It was about Shimura Danzo.

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