Konoha: Gu Master

"Getting off work feels fantastic," Tsunade said, elegantly pacing the Hokage's office in her high-heeled sandals. She then called out, "Shizune, let's go!"

"Where to?" Shinho Aburame asked, looking up at her.

"You don't need to know," Tsunade replied, dismissively waving her hand.

"I'm the Hokage," Shinho said with a slight smile. "I have the right to ask."

Tsunade's face darkened as she clenched her fist. "What do you mean? You just became Hokage, and you're already trying to manage your teacher?"

"I mean, if you both leave, who am I supposed to consult with?" Shinho explained with a slight cough, "At least leave Shizune-nee behind, and let her continue to be a secretary."

Standing behind him, Shizune bit her lip as a trace of unease flickered in her heart. The inevitable had finally come.

Tsunade blinked in surprise, then her eyes lit up.

This was excellent news! A double bonus!

Although Shizune was diligent and responsible, she often prevented Tsunade from gambling and drinking, dampening her fun. Now her freedom would be complete!

Wait.

She still needed money.

Tsunade walked up to Shinho, holding out her hand.

"What's this supposed to mean?" Shinho seized the chance to grab her hand.

"You little brat, don't you understand?" Tsunade gave him an exasperated look. "I need money!"

"Alright, I'll give you a million ryo," Shinho said, noticing that she wasn't pulling her hand away, letting him hold it instead.

"That won't be enough!" Tsunade glanced at Shizune and then added, "Your sister Shizune is so diligent, capable, and you're only offering a million?"

Shizune froze, stunned.

What was this situation?

Was she being sold right in front of her own eyes?

"Teacher has a point," Shinho mused, nodding thoughtfully. "Thirty million ryo, then."

Tsunade's eyes instantly gleamed like gold coins, and she broke into a radiant smile. "Deal!"

"Lady Tsunade!" Shizune said angrily. "Did you even ask for my opinion?"

"You can do the job for now," Tsunade said, puffing out her chest. "I'll win you back for sure!"

"..."

Shizune was speechless.

Thirty million? You'd need another lifetime to win that back.

"What's with that look?" Tsunade snorted. "I, Tsunade, always keep my word!"

Shinho couldn't help but laugh, though Tsunade quickly glared at him in embarrassed anger.

He straightened up, saying seriously, "I believe in you, Teacher."

"Then give me the money!" Tsunade freed her hand from his grasp and held it out again.

Shinho handed her a bankbook.

Tsunade, beaming, waved to Shizune and hummed a tune as she turned and left.

Watching her cheerful retreat, Shinho chuckled to himself.

Her joy was almost tangible.

"Shizune-nee, are you upset?" Shinho asked, turning to look at her.

"No," Shizune hesitated before replying, though her expression still showed dissatisfaction.

"But you can't keep spoiling her like this," she added.

"I know. This is a one-time thing," Shinho reassured her. "I didn't want to ruin her mood today, and besides, thirty million ryo isn't a big deal."

"Where do you even get that kind of money?" Shizune asked, looking at him. "Thirty million isn't pocket change. How can you spend it so carelessly and not feel the pinch?"

"Shizune-nee," Shinho said, looking her over. "Are you already stepping into your role as my secretary?"

"..."

Under his penetrating gaze, Shizune unconsciously stepped back.

"Shizune-nee, your face is red," Shinho noted, studying her reaction. "What might you be thinking about?"

"Nothing!" Shizune stammered. "I'm not some kind of pervert!"

"Pervert?" Shinho raised an eyebrow, feigning seriousness. "Do you know the penalty for slandering the Hokage?"

"…?"

Shizune looked at him in disbelief, her face full of question marks.

"Come here," Shinho said, gesturing her closer. "Let me see if your Will of Fire is firm enough."

"You… you're a pervert!" Shizune's face turned crimson as she froze, unable to move closer.

What kind of Hokage used the Will of Fire like this?

"See? you've already accused me of that," Shinho teased, his gaze drifting to her exposed, pale thighs and the bare feet in her high-heeled sandals. "Shouldn't I act the part?"

"T-this is the Hokage's office!" Shizune stammered, her knees feeling weak as the thought of running away crossed her mind.

"But I'm the Hokage," Shinho said, smiling.

Shizune wanted to scream.

How could such shameless logic make so much sense?

"Relax. I just want to give you a gift," Shinho said, his tone softening. "It's to celebrate your new role as my secretary."

Shizune hesitated, looking up at him. His serious expression made her pause.

After a few seconds, she tentatively walked closer, stopping at his desk.

The desk between them made her feel somewhat safer.

"You need the appropriate professional attire for being a secretary," Shinho said, pulling out an outfit: a black women's suit, a white blouse, a pencil skirt, black stockings, and high heels.

Ever since meeting Mabui, the Raikage's secretary, Shinho had thought about implementing a similar aesthetic. Today, he could finally make it happen.

"From now on, you'll wear this to work," Shinho said, his tone firm. "That's an order from the Hokage."

"..."

Blushing furiously, Shizune nodded.

"Go ahead and change," Shinho said, rising and heading for the door. "Right here. I won't peek."

He smiled and closed the door behind him.

Clenching her teeth, Shizune grabbed the uniform.

Outside, Shinho waited.

After about ten minutes, the door opened a crack.

"You… you can come in now," Shizune's timid voice came from inside.

With anticipation, Shinho stepped back inside, his eyes lighting up.

Wearing the heels, Shizune appeared four or five centimeters taller, standing at about 170 centimeters.

Her already perfectly proportioned figure now looked even more striking.

The white blouse hugged her curves, accentuating the slight arc created under the fitted black blazer. Beneath the snug pencil skirt, her long legs were sheathed in black sheer stockings.

Shinho nodded in satisfaction.

The only downside was Shizune's demeanor—more girlish than commanding.

His ideal secretary was more akin to Tsunade or Samui, with their bombshell figures and commanding presence.

Tsunade wasn't an option right now.

As for Samui, she was a ninja from Kumogakure. If the opportunity arose, he'd consider recruiting her.

In the original timeline, if not for the Akatsuki, the Five Great Nations were destined to wage war again. 

The years of animosity among the villages couldn't be erased so easily.

Furthermore, Kumogakure had always been ambitious, seeking to annex other ninja villages.

Shinho pondered this as he walked toward the Hokage's desk.

As he passed Shizune, he suddenly reached out his hand.

Slap!

The sound was crisp, and her snug pencil skirt quivered from the impact, its curves becoming even more pronounced.

Shizune jumped in shock, her face as red as an apple. Her long black-stocking-clad legs wobbled as she stumbled backward.

"Sorry about that," Shinho said with absolutely no sincerity.

"…"

Shizune bit her lip, her flushed face burning with embarrassment. She stood frozen, not daring to step forward.

Shinho chuckled and didn't push his teasing further. He casually picked up a document from the desk.

As he scanned its contents, his expression turned serious.

The document detailed the progress of research on Curse Marks.

After capturing the Sound Four, Konoha had spent two years studying the Curse Marks and had largely unraveled their principles.

This was thanks in large part to the assistance of the Slug Sage, Lady Katsuyu.

The Curse Marks originated from Jūgo's unique ability to undergo Sage Transformation.

Ordinarily, without Jūgo, researching the Curse Marks would have been impossible.

But the unpredictable and uncontrollable Jūgo was no match for the reliability of Lady Katsuyu.

As a result, most of the issues had been thoroughly resolved.

The current challenge lay in the success rate.

Even Orochimaru, who pioneered the technique, had limited success with the technique.

In the original series, despite scouring the ninja world for prodigies, Orochimaru successfully applied the Curse Mark to fewer than ten individuals.

At such a low success rate, the Curse Marks lost much of their practical value.

Shinho's initial plan had been to deploy them among rank-and-file ninja, granting them a trump card in moments of peril.

"Should I capture Orochimaru and use him as a tool?"

The thought crossed Shinho's mind.

After a moment's reflection, he set the file aside and picked up another.

There was no urgency to solve the Curse Marks issue at the moment.

As for Orochimaru, if the opportunity arose, he wouldn't hesitate to bring him in.

After all, Orochimaru was a one-of-a-kind talent in the ninja world.

Time passed, and soon it was noon.

"Hokage-sama," Shizune said, taking a deep breath. "What would you like for lunch?"

"Hokage-sama?" Shinho looked up at her, raising a brow. "I'm not used to that. Just call me Shinho."

"Alright," Shizune replied hesitantly.

"For lunch, let's try the cafeteria," Shinho said.

He had often heard Tsunade complain about how awful the Hokage building's cafeteria was. Now, he wanted to see if it was really that bad.

"Understood," Shizune said, leaving the office briefly before returning with two bento boxes.

Shinho opened his box. Inside were rice, pickled vegetables, fried chicken, and grilled fish.

Picking up his chopsticks, he sampled a piece of chicken. The flavor was mediocre—edible, but unremarkable.

Tsunade was quite picky when it came to food, so it made sense she didn't like it.

After finishing their meal, Shizune carried the empty boxes away.

When she returned, she found Shinho lying on the office sofa.

"Would you like me to give you a massage?"

Shizune hesitated before making the offer.

Shinho turned his head toward her, his gaze lingering briefly on her black stockings before he sat up.

"How about a lap pillow?"

"Ah?"

Shizune froze again, stunned.

She was accustomed to massaging Tsunade, but this was an entirely different situation.

"You don't want to?" Shinho's expression fell, looking crestfallen.

Unable to resist his dejected demeanor, Shizune swallowed her embarrassment and stepped forward. Sitting on the sofa, she offered her lap.

Shinho shifted to lie down, resting his head on her black-stocking-clad thighs. From this angle, his gaze naturally aligned with her waistline.

Closing his eyes, he took in the faint fragrance wafting toward him.

Shizune's hands trembled slightly as she began stroking his head.

As a ninja with keen senses, she could faintly feel the rhythm of Shinho's breath against her body.

Despite the layers of clothing, the proximity left her deeply flustered.

Suddenly, she stiffened.

Shinho shifted slightly, his face brushing against her waistline.

Shizune opened her mouth as if to speak, but seeing him seemingly asleep, she held her tongue.

As time passed, her cheeks turned even redder, and a fine sheen of sweat formed on her pale skin.

After half an hour, Shinho opened his eyes.

Turning toward Shizune, he smiled. "Thank you, Shizune-nee."

"It… it's my duty," Shizune replied, forcing a smile despite her lingering discomfort.

"Please notify the ANBU to send a few skilled in stealth to Kirigakure," Shinho instructed suddenly, as another thought struck him.

"Yes," Shizune responded instinctively.

"Good girl," Shinho said with a smile.

"D-don't say such strange things," Shizune stammered, averting her gaze.

"Is it that strange?" Shinho asked, yawning as he sat up.

"…"

Shizune bit her lip.

Suddenly, Shinho's face appeared right before hers.

"N-no… mmph…"

Shizune's entire body tensed as her legs instinctively clamped together.

Held firmly by Shinho, she had no chance to escape and quickly surrendered.

By the time she broke free, gasping for air, her face was beet red.

"You… jerk…" Shizune muttered in frustration.

Coming from her flushed and flustered appearance, the words carried no weight.

"Time to get back to work, Shizune-nee~," Shinho said, easing off with a grin.

He returned to the Hokage chair, while Shizune shakily stood, her legs tingling after sitting for too long.

Thankfully, as a ninja, she recovered quickly.

"Shizune," Shinho called, lifting his gaze to meet hers. "Do you know about Hozuki Castle?"

The abrupt change in Shinho's tone caught her off guard.

Which side of him was real?

"Hozuki Castle is a prison commissioned by various nations and built by Kusagakure," Shizune explained slowly. 

"It's surrounded by the sea and highly secretive. Sometimes, Konoha and the Land of Fire send certain special prisoners there."

"Do we have a map of it?"

"Yes," Shizune replied with a nod, pausing briefly before asking, "Shinho, what are you planning?"

"Don't ask too many questions, or there'll be consequences," Shinho said, pressing a finger to his lips.

The memory of her earlier suffocating experience made Shizune's face flush again.

"Shizune, are you reminiscing?" Shinho teased.

"I-I'll go get the map!" Shizune stammered, hurrying out of the room.

In her high heels, her swaying hips and prominent curves made for an alluring silhouette.

Shinho openly admired the view.

Once Shizune was gone, he turned his attention to organizing his thoughts about the Hokage Guard Platoon.

Tsunade's guard team had largely transformed into her secretarial staff.

The key players were Nara Shikaku and Uchiha Mikoto.

Yamato, Kakashi, and Asuma, having taken on teaching roles, were essentially figureheads.

However, the prestige of being part of the Hokage Guard Platoon still remained.

Shinho's plan was to disband the current platoon and establish a Hokage Advisory Department instead.

Unlike the previous advisory setup, this would be a formal department.

Headed by the Hokage's secretary, it would handle various administrative tasks to assist the Hokage.

This change would allow instructors like Asuma, who couldn't be stationed at the Hokage building full-time, to be rotated out.

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