NOVEL WEB Chapter 77: CHAPTER 77
Kimimaro was momentarily stunned.
To be honest, influenced by memories of his past life, he still found it hard to adapt to certain things.
In this world, due to years of constant warfare, especially before the founding of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, it was common for shinobi to marry and have children as early as thirteen or fourteen. Living past thirty was a luxury few experienced.
This practice had only begun to shift recently, and even then, only in relatively stable countries like the Land of Fire. In smaller war-torn nations, early marriages were still the norm.
Even Naruto, in the original timeline, had become a father at the age of twenty—something that, in Kimimaro's previous life, was typically associated with school dropouts.
No wonder children in this world matured so early.
Kimimaro wondered whether he had been too constrained by the norms of his previous life. In his past world, at fifteen or sixteen, he was still a high school kid fumbling with textbooks.
Well, that was him—some rich kids at that age had already dated several partners.
Thinking this way, he suddenly felt this world wasn't so bad. A beautiful daimyo awaited him ahead.
He pushed open Haruna's door.
Inside, the new daimyo of the Land of Vegetables was half-reclining on the bed, wearing a silk robe that was only loosely draped over her shoulders.
"Greetings, Lady Haruna."
"Hmph~ I told you already, when it's just the two of us, don't use my title," Haruna said, her voice mixing shyness and defiance. She rose from the bed and threw her arms around him. "Kimimaro, the way you stood on the platform today—so decisive, so commanding—you were like a true king. Here, you are my master."
Kimimaro raised an eyebrow and smirked. This one is clearly a bit theatrical.
"Then your master will have to discipline you later—for being too unruly," he teased.
Haruna's face flushed, her breath catching. "I... I look forward to it. Master, let me draw you a bath first."
Soon, the sound of water echoed softly from the adjoining chamber. That sound gradually blended with something more intimate.
The new daimyo of the Land of Vegetables did not attend to official business on the second day after her coronation.
T/N:________
Konoha Village – Hokage's Office
"A request from the Land of Vegetables?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow.
"Yes," Shizune replied. "They claim that Princess Haruna was manipulated by foreign shinobi and has acted against the nation's interests since her rise to power. The petitioners ask for Konoha's assistance to remove those ninja."
"The Land of Vegetables..." Tsunade mused. "The previous daimyo was decent. He helped me clear quite a few gambling debts. I suppose we owe them."
She tapped her forehead absently. "Shizune, which shinobi are currently available?"
Shizune hesitated.
"What is it?" Tsunade asked, noticing her expression.
"Lady Tsunade, the current state of the Land of Vegetables may not be as those petitioners describe. I received intelligence two days ago that paints a different picture."
"Go on," Tsunade said, her interest piqued.
"Lady Haruna—yes, she's officially daimyo now—did indeed work with a group of shinobi. They helped her eliminate the Three Criminal Ninjas who assassinated her father. After she took power, these shinobi assisted her in governance. They've enacted reforms, and while some nobles oppose them, the common people seem to support her."
Shizune proceeded to summarize the political shifts and recent events in the Land of Vegetables.
Tsunade leaned back, absorbing the report. "So, Haruna's changes have merit... Why didn't you bring this to me earlier?"
"Because it's an internal matter of another nation, and you've had a full schedule. I didn't want to distract you unnecessarily."
Tsunade chuckled. "You're always so thoughtful, Shizune. Still, if Haruna's working in her people's interests, there's no reason for us to intervene."
A pause, then a smile curled her lips. "Well, her father did help with my debts back then..."
Shizune suppressed a sigh. So that's the real reason...
"But there's one more thing," Shizune said. "When I first received the intel, some key details were unclear. Now that we've met with the petitioners, one name came up that you'll recognize."
"Who?"
"Kaguya Kimimaro."
Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "Him?"
She remembered Kimimaro well—Jiraiya had mentioned him a few months prior. He'd even said that he'd taken Kimimaro under his wing as a provisional disciple.
And Jiraiya didn't offer mentorship lightly. Even if he called it "provisional," he must have seen something in him.
What did Jiraiya see in this boy? Tsunade wondered. A prodigy like him in control of the Land of Vegetables... That's no small matter.
"Shizune, bring me the list of available shinobi again."
"You're still planning to send someone? Most of our jōnin are tied up with missions."
"It's fine. I only need someone to scout the situation—just a genin team will do."
Tsunade reviewed the mission scroll carefully before making her selection. "Hyūga Neji, Tenten, Hyūga Hinata, and Yamanaka Ino. These four will handle the assignment."
Now that Naruto was off training with Jiraiya, he wasn't available for lower-priority missions. There was no need to assign him unless absolutely necessary.
"Four genin?" Shizune raised a brow.
"They're all technically still genin despite their capabilities," Tsunade replied. "Neji's skill is already chūnin-level, but official rank matters. The Land of Vegetables is quite a distance from here—even if they pass through the Land of Wind, it's still a multi-border journey. Neji and Tenten are a seasoned pair. As for Hinata, I want her to participate in more missions with Neji. They're cousins, and their teamwork needs refinement. Besides, if Kimimaro truly has Hyūga Hanabi with him, Hinata deserves the chance to see her sister's condition with her own eyes."
Shizune nodded. "That makes sense. And Ino?"
"Ino's been progressing well with her medical ninjutsu. She's not suited for the Strength of a Hundred Seal, but she's diligent, and she understands the basics of chakra control and diagnostics. A medical-nin on a long mission is never a bad idea."
"Mm. Reasonable. They'll need to be cautious, though."
"Of course," Tsunade said, sealing the scroll. "Post the mission orders."
Shizune turned to leave, but Tsunade stopped her.
"One more thing—the envoy from the Land of Vegetables?"
"We haven't responded yet."
Tsunade tapped the table. "Send a message saying we've accepted the mission—partially. Due to our current staffing limitations, we'll dispatch a reconnaissance team first to assess the situation. If the report justifies it, we'll follow up with a full squad. That way, we keep our word and get paid."
"Understood." Shizune smirked faintly. "You really do know how to balance ethics and profit."
Meanwhile, far away, Kimimaro opened his system panel and smiled in satisfaction.
[Name: Kimimaro]
Bloodline Abilities:
Kekkei Genkai – Shikotsumyaku (Fully Awakened, though latent risks remain)
Senju Bloodline (Complete)
Wood Release – Incomplete Version
Secret Technique – Hydrification (via Hōzuki lineage)
Uzumaki Bloodline (Recently merged)
Now that the Uzumaki bloodline had fully integrated, a structural shift occurred. The prior fusion of Senju and Wood Release had separated—Senju returned to its complete form, while the Wood Release remained imperfect, likely due to the complexity of Hashirama's unique physiology.
Feeling the flood of chakra now coursing through him, Kimimaro's lips curled into a rare grin.
With the chakra reserves of the Uzumaki and the vitality of the Senju, would he ever run dry again?
As for his entourage—he wasn't one to accept just anyone. Tenten, for example, was clearly suited to Neji, and he wouldn't interfere. But Sai…
Sai was talented, cold, and detached—boring, as Kimimaro saw it. That made him an interesting challenge.
Maybe, just maybe… he'd steal Ino away from him.
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