Capítulo 15: Treat, behead, and treat as a dog
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When Natsume woke up, he found himself back in Konoha, the familiar surroundings a welcome sight.
He scratched his head groggily. *How did I fall asleep? Must've been too soft and comfortable.*
*Seriously, at your age, falling asleep like this?* He gave himself a little mental pep talk as he swung his legs out of bed.
In the hallway, Shizune sat with a book in hand, calmly flipping through its pages. Tsunade, however, was nowhere to be seen.
"Shizune-nee, I'm heading back to the orphanage," Natsume said as he approached.
"Be careful on your way," Shizune replied, glancing up with a soft smile. She wasn't surprised. He returned to the orphanage every few days without fail.
Konoha was a large village, but the area within the village's protective barrier—the core—wasn't very vast.
*Why are the Uchiha still so dissatisfied with their new territory?* Natsume thought as he walked. *They're practically on the edge of the barrier. Any further, and they'll be pushed into the Forest of Death.*
He recalled Uchiha Fugaku's complaints: *"How can we live like this? We're being backed into a corner!"* His sharp words had been aimed directly at Shimura Danzo.
Natsume shook his head, clearing the thought as he continued. Senju Hashirama's former residence and the orphanage were centrally located within Konoha, not far from each other. Before long, he reached his destination.
"Natsume-nii, you're back!" a group of children cheered as they ran toward him, surrounding him eagerly.
"Easy, one at a time," Natsume smiled, reaching into his bag. "I brought lollipops for all of you."
"Thanks, Nii-san!" the kids chimed as they eagerly grabbed their treats.
As the children scattered, Natsume noticed Kabuto Yakushi in the corner, calmly dissecting a small white rabbit.
"Kabuto," Natsume called, walking over, "Want some candy?"
Kabuto shook his head without looking up from his work. "I'm not a child," he replied, hands steady and stained with blood. The rabbit lay carefully dissected, and despite his age—only seven—Kabuto showed no hesitation.
Natsume chuckled, unwrapping a lollipop for himself. "You should come with me later to see Tsunade-nee. Show her your medical skills."
Kabuto's eyes gleamed with interest, though he tried to hide his excitement. "Do you think she'd take me as an apprentice?" he asked, trying to sound nonchalant.
"Definitely," Natsume replied confidently. *You don't even realize how talented you are yet.* "Even if she doesn't take you on officially, she'll definitely teach you medical ninjutsu."
With his connection to Tsunade, Natsume felt sure he could arrange something.
Kabuto's adoptive mother, Nonō Yakushi, was an excellent medical ninja, but her situation was complicated. Keeping Kabuto by her side too long would risk catching Shimura Danzo's attention. Danzo was always on the lookout for talent to mold into weapons for Root. Meanwhile, Orochimaru was no better, seeking out geniuses for his own twisted experiments.
Kabuto, with his genius-level skills, was exactly the type both men would target.
Natsume glanced at the dissected rabbit and smirked. "Poor little rabbit. Maybe we should make some spicy rabbit stew for lunch."
Kabuto blinked, missing the joke. "That was my plan."
Natsume snickered. He watched Kabuto work for a while longer before deciding to practice some ninjutsu on his own.
He focused on the Body Flicker Technique, a D-rank jutsu that was often underestimated. While Minato's Flying Thunder God was a more advanced form of teleportation, involving space-time manipulation, the Body Flicker simply accelerated the user's movement, creating the illusion of instantaneous teleportation.
In addition to honing the Body Flicker, Natsume practiced his Water Release: Wild Water Wave, a basic water-style jutsu that required just three hand seals. He spat out a concentrated stream of water, aiming at an imaginary opponent. Since Water Release was his primary chakra nature, he focused on perfecting it, using it to conceal his Wood Release, which he preferred to keep secret for now.
The day passed quickly, and by evening, Natsume returned home.
"I'm back," he announced as he stepped into the living room.
Tsunade was lounging on the couch, watching television. Despite the advanced technology present in the ninja world, not many could afford luxuries like a TV. Most families in smaller villages struggled just to meet basic needs.
"Welcome home," Tsunade greeted him, patting the seat beside her. Natsume sat down, and, as was her habit, Tsunade draped her arm around his shoulders, ruffling his hair playfully.
He sighed inwardly. *Why does this always feel like I'm some kind of pet?*
A faint, floral scent hit his nose. Without thinking, he asked, "Sis, did you put on perfume?"
Tsunade blinked, sniffing her wrist. "Nope. Does something smell off?"
"No, no," Natsume stammered, shaking his head. "It was nice, actually."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow, a teasing smirk forming. She leaned in closer. "Oh? Want to smell it again?"
Natsume stiffened. *She's playing with fire.* He cleared his throat and shifted away. "I can't watch TV like this," he mumbled.
Tsunade chuckled softly, backing off.
Days passed quickly. With Tsunade's backing, Natsume soon took over Gunma Company, a local business that ran both casinos and underground banking operations. The takeover had been relatively smooth. As was expected in the ninja world, a meeting with the boss ended with Natsume killing him when he refused to cooperate. The remaining staff quickly submitted, recognizing Natsume as their new leader.
Natsume wasted no time implementing changes, turning the underground bank into a modern financial system similar to what he remembered from his previous life. The casino would also undergo reforms, but that would take more time.
However, his larger goal remained: to visit Orochimaru and deliver a special gift to his former desk mate, Uchiha Itachi. To achieve that, he needed to hire some skilled shinobi for a trip to Kusagakure. But he would need to choose them carefully.
One night, under the cover of darkness, Natsume sent a wood clone to Orochimaru's hideout using a point of fate.
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