NOVEL WEB Chapter 48: Chapter 48
After leading Tsunade and Mikoto to the base he had set up in the Hidden Rain Village, Uchiha Shin entered first.
He wanted to inform Konan and let her mentally prepare for their arrival.
Uchiha Shin had already explained Konan's situation to Tsunade and Mikoto. Mikoto didn't need much convincing—when she heard that Konan had lost both parents, had wandered for over a year begging for food, and had only met Uchiha Shin by chance, she immediately sympathized.
Even Tsunade's usually hardened heart softened. Though the conflict between Konoha and the Hidden Rain had nothing to do with her personally, Tsunade still felt guilty, as if this was somehow a consequence of the war she had fought in.
Uchiha Shin took this moment to head deeper into the mansion.
Soon, he found Konan sleeping soundly, her thin clothes clinging to her soft skin.
A sweet smile rested on her face, as if she were lost in a pleasant dream.
Even in her sleep, Konan still clutched a thousand paper cranes tightly in her small hands.
On the wooden table beside her bed, Uchiha Shin noticed several other origami figures.
"What a beautiful piece of art… I can barely fold a paper airplane."
Uchiha Shin picked up one of the origami animals and studied it for a few seconds.
In his world, paper was meant to be folded in half, and that was it. The idea of crafting such intricate animals out of mere paper had never even crossed his mind.
Perhaps due to her life on the run, Konan was extremely alert. The moment she heard Uchiha Shin sigh, she stirred awake.
She tensed immediately, her instincts honed by years of survival, and her eyes snapped open to scan her surroundings.
Uchiha Shin noticed her reaction and smiled while holding up the origami animal. "Sorry to wake you, Konan. This is yours, isn't it? It's beautiful~"
Seeing Uchiha Shin smiling at her, Konan remained stunned for a few seconds.
"So… it wasn't a dream?"
For a brief moment, she had feared she would wake up back in some cold, damp cave, alone.
But no—everything she had experienced today was real.
Hearing Konan murmur to herself, Uchiha Shin chuckled and lightly tapped her forehead with his finger.
"Of course it wasn't a dream. You fell asleep, but I was standing right here."
"Sorry to wake you, but it's time to get up, Konan."
"I have two companions I'd like to introduce you to. They've been wanting to meet you."
Before she could respond, Uchiha Shin reached out and pinched her cheek, the same way he always did when teasing her.
Konan, still half-awake, instinctively sat up straight upon hearing that Uchiha Shin's companions were coming.
Seeing her so tense, Uchiha Shin reassured her softly, "Don't be nervous. They're good people."
After placing the origami animal back on the table, Uchiha Shin stepped outside to bring Tsunade and Mikoto in.
Konan, still groggy, glanced at the origami figures she had made.
Uchiha Shin had called them beautiful.
A strange warmth spread in her chest at that thought—a feeling of satisfaction she had not felt in a very long time.
A short while later, Uchiha Shin appeared at the door with Tsunade and Mikoto.
Seeing the two unfamiliar women, Konan immediately tensed.
Tsunade and Mikoto, on the other hand, softened the moment they saw her.
The maternal instinct in them surged at the sight of such a young girl, her expression a mix of uncertainty and wariness.
Even though Tsunade noticed that Konan was a natural beauty, she didn't mention any of her previous suspicions about Uchiha Shin's intentions. The situation was different now.
Uchiha Shin gave the three of them space to talk, choosing not to interfere.
A six-year-old, a twelve-year-old, and a woman in her twenties—who knew what kind of conversation would unfold between them?
He wasn't about to take that risk. If things escalated into a chaotic battlefield of emotions, he wanted no part of it.
"Ah… I'm in a good mood today. I'll kill a couple of enemy ninjas before nightfall to replenish my vitality."
Since he would have to keep a low profile once he returned to Konoha, Uchiha Shin wasn't going to waste this opportunity.
There weren't many high-level shinobi left in the Hidden Rain Village.
But Uchiha Shin wasn't picky. Any Genin or Chunin caught committing a crime would be executed on the spot.
The never-ending rain would wash away the blood, just as it always did.
By the time Uchiha Shin returned, the initial awkwardness between Konan, Tsunade, and Mikoto had faded away.
The four of them stayed in the Hidden Rain Village for three days.
During that time, Uchiha Shin manipulated the wealthy merchants, the remaining Jonin, and even the Daimyo of the Land of Rain using genjutsu.
Honestly, he never understood why these shinobi pledged loyalty to a bloated aristocrat who did nothing but eat, drink, and defecate. They didn't even consider rebelling.
Uchiha Shin wasn't sentimental about the Daimyo. If he didn't need him as a puppet, he would've killed him already.
Using the Daimyo's influence, along with his control over the wealthy elite and shinobi forces, Uchiha Shin swiftly established a new power structure to dominate the Hidden Rain Village.
He installed a Jonin under his genjutsu as the village's new leader.
No one outside the Land of Rain cared. Even Konoha paid no attention.
As far as they were concerned, the Land of Rain had already paid its reparations. No one was interested in seizing control of its territory—it was too strategically inconvenient, sandwiched between multiple powerful nations.
So, without anyone noticing, Uchiha Shin had quietly taken control of an entire country.
Returning to Konoha, however, came with its own set of problems.
And the biggest one? Dealing with the women waiting for him at home.
The moment Uchiha Shin stepped inside his house, two red-haired women rushed at him.
"Welcome back, young master (Shin)!"
Uzumaki Kanako wore a custom maid outfit, her soft voice and polite bow making her seem even more adorable.
Uzumaki Kushina, on the other hand, was far less restrained.
She threw herself into Uchiha Shin's arms, wrapping him in a tight embrace.
She wore a light yellow shirt, the soft fabric accentuating her small frame.
Her body was warm and delicate, and as she clung to him, Uchiha Shin could feel every bit of it.
Kushina smelled fresh, a faint mix of flowers and something uniquely hers. Her innocent smile only added to her charm, but there was also a hint of mischief in her expression.
"Damn, Kushina, that was quite the impact!"
Uchiha Shin chuckled, ruffling her wild red hair.
"Hmph! I've gotten stronger! Don't underestimate me!" Kushina pouted, puffing out her cheeks.
"Of course, of course. My Kushina is the best!"
Uchiha Shin responded indulgently, like he was humoring a child.
Even though she knew he was teasing, Kushina still beamed with pride.
She was so easy to please.
Uchiha Shin smirked and pinched her round cheeks.
This kind of softness… he had a feeling he wouldn't be able to experience it so freely in the future.
While Kushina was still young, he intended to enjoy this dynamic for as long as he could.
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