Konoha: Gu Master

Shinho hadn't expected to unlock two achievements—double the rewards meant double the joy.

He extended his hand, releasing a swarm of kikaichū insects that lifted the unconscious Kimimaro. 

Since Kimimaro hadn't resorted to his final jutsu, Dance of the Seedling Fern, he was spared from total exhaustion as in the original story. 

But given his weakened state, how long he could survive remained uncertain.

Even though Tsunade's medical skills surpassed Orochimaru's, her expertise in treating genetic diseases like Kimimaro's bloodline illness might not measure up. 

If they couldn't save him, so be it. What mattered most was obtaining information on the Cursed Seal.

Shinho began his journey back to the village, carrying Kimimaro. Before long, he encountered Shikamaru and the others, along with Yamato and Kakashi, who had joined the mission as backup. 

On the ground nearby lay Tayuya, Sakon and Ukon, and Kidomaru, bound by Yamato's wood restraints, unable to move.

"Kimimaro? How is that possible?" Kidomaru's face showed pure shock as he took in the sight of Kimimaro slung over Shinho's shoulder.

"You tricked us!" Tayuya spat with venom. "Lord Orochimaru won't let you get away with this!"

Before she could say more, Karin stepped forward and delivered a swift kick to Tayuya, silencing her.

"Traitor!" Tayuya hissed, glaring up at Karin. "You'll all die for this!"

Karin gave her another, harder kick, and this time Tayuya passed out from the blow. 

Shinho glanced at Karin, taking note of her black thigh-high socks. If she weren't wearing shoes… no, that's too much.

[tl/n:bruh]

"Shinho," she stammered, noticing his gaze and realizing he had seen her aggressive side. 

She quickly retracted her foot, clasped her hands, and stood primly, trying to look as ladylike as possible.

Shikamaru instinctively shifted two steps to the side. This girl's not one to be messed with.

"With today's mission complete, let's head back," Shinho instructed. "The four of them will be taken to the Hokage's office. My teacher will handle the rest."

"Yes, sir," Yūgao Uzuki said, appearing from the shadows. 

Since the mission involved the Hokage, it was appropriate for the Anbu to take over. She gestured to her team, who lifted Kimimaro and the others, preparing to transport them back to Konoha.

"Did anyone get injured?" Shinho asked, looking at Shikamaru and the team.

"No injuries," Shikamaru replied, shaking his head. "Karin's Adamantine Sealing Chains were a huge help."

"See? I'm quite useful," Karin said brightly, sidling up to Shinho with a big smile. 

Though she had practiced the Adamantine Sealing Chains, this mission was her first real combat using them, and the results had exceeded her expectations. 

She was no longer the helpless girl she once was; she could now protect her mother, Chisori.

Of course, she knew this newfound strength was all thanks to Shinho.

"Don't get cocky," Shinho advised, noticing the smug tilt of her smile.

"I won't," Karin replied, her cheeks flushed. 

She instinctively reached for his arm but caught herself when she remembered they weren't alone, and pulled her hand back. Still, Shikamaru noticed her movement and drew in a sharp breath.

Scary. This girl's completely smitten.

Faced with such a situation, Shikamaru's only thought was to escape.

Things were too troublesome. Only Shinho could handle her, he reasoned.

The group returned safely to Konoha. Shinho volunteered to report the mission's outcome to the Hokage, allowing Shikamaru and the others to go home and rest.

Ordinarily, the mission leader would be responsible for reporting back. But given Shinho's special status, the protocol was more flexible. If Tsunade didn't question him, who would?

Without hesitation, Shinho pushed open the Hokage's office door. 

He paused at the sight of Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari standing in front of Tsunade. They stopped their conversation upon his arrival.

"When will you learn to knock?" Tsunade asked, her expression blank.

"Next time, for sure," Shinho replied casually, unfazed. 

He had come to understand Tsunade's temperament; as long as he didn't cross her line, she wouldn't truly be upset.

"Did you complete the mission?" Tsunade asked with a sigh, giving up on reprimanding him.

"Yes." Shinho nodded before adding, "What were you discussing?"

In the original storyline, Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari had helped with the mission to bring back Sasuke. Back then, Shinho hadn't thought much about it. But now it struck him as odd. How had they managed to arrive just in time?

The likeliest explanation was that they had coincidentally been visiting Konoha. And considering Orochimaru had killed their father, they would naturally be inclined to help.

"Just some details on continued corporation," Tsunade said offhandedly. "If you're interested, you're welcome to join the discussion."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to intrude," Shinho replied, waving his hand.

"..." Tsunade shot him a warning glare. 

If not for their guests, she might have thrown something at him by now.

Gaara and Temari exchanged a look. Within the short time they'd spent in Tsunade's office, it was evident that Shinho held a considerable status. 

He's likely to be the next Hokage, they thought. Considering his strength, it made sense.

"Actually, I could represent Konoha on a visit to the Sand Village," Shinho suggested, an idea forming in his mind.

In the original story, Naruto, Sakura, and Sai of the new Team 7 were sent on a mission to the Sand Village's Ryumyaku (Dragon Vein). 

The mission took place after Sasuke's defection. Though this timeline was a bit earlier, the key player, Mukade, would still be around. If Mukade hadn't yet betrayed the Sand Village, he'd be easy to find.

"What would you want in the Sand Village?" Tsunade asked with a slight frown.

The Sand Village's situation was currently complicated, as Gaara had just explained. Rasa's death had split the village into two factions regarding Gaara's appointment as the Fifth Kazekage. 

One faction, led by an Elder, opposed Gaara's candidacy, citing his youth and the fact that he was a murderous jinchūriki. The other faction, led by Baki, supported him, arguing that the village needed a strong leader to stabilize it.

At present, Gaara was the most powerful shinobi in the Sand Village, aside from the reclusive Chiyo and Ebizō. By comparison, Konoha's strength was vastly superior.

In the original story, Gaara had proven himself a capable Kazekage. However, Tsunade was concerned about the Sand Village's more radical shinobi. 

Given Shinho's role in defeating Gaara and foiling Orochimaru's plan to destroy Konoha, he had made quite a few enemies there.

It was worth noting that, in the original timeline, Rasa had actually approached Orochimaru, hoping to overthrow Konoha. 

The Sand Village was so impoverished that even the Kazekage had turned to mining for gold. 

In other words, the Sand's leadership had already harbored disloyal intentions, making them easy prey for Orochimaru's manipulations.

"Just sightseeing," Shinho replied with a smile.

"I haven't visited the Sand Village before, so I'm curious," Shinho Aburame said offhandedly.

"It's all just desert and sand—there's nothing worth visiting," Tsunade replied, then realized her mistake. After all, three Sand Village shinobi were standing right there.

Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro pretended not to notice, keeping their expressions neutral.

"I have a general idea of the Sand Village's situation," Shinho said confidently. "Besides, if even Shukaku couldn't catch me, then no one else there stands a chance."

"..."

The three Sand siblings remained silent, though they felt a pang of frustration. He's not wrong, but did he have to put it so bluntly?

Tsunade looked at Shinho, noting the determination in his eyes. What's this kid planning now? She knew him well enough to suspect that his interest in the Sand Village wasn't purely casual.

"Alright then," she said after a few moments of thought, giving a slight nod. "Once we've finished our discussion here, you can make the trip to the Sand Village."

"Thanks, Sensei." Shinho gave a casual wave before exiting the Hokage's office.

As the door closed, Tsunade turned to Gaara. "Gaara, would you like Konoha's assistance in securing your position as Kazekage?"

A divided Sand Village wasn't in Konoha's best interests. A stable ally could provide much more value.

"What exactly do you mean?" Gaara's gaze sharpened, his tone serious.

"If diplomacy isn't enough to secure the position quickly, then you might consider using force," Tsunade explained. "Take care of that elder's faction."

"That's out of the question." Gaara shook his head. "The Sand Village can't withstand that kind of turmoil right now."

"Is this really you talking?" Tsunade asked, raising an eyebrow. 

She remembered Gaara's ruthless nature during the Chūnin Exams, where he had responded to nearly everything with violence.

"I understand the meaning of love now." Gaara pointed to the kanji for "love" carved on his forehead, saying it with such intensity that it bordered on melodramatic.

Tsunade maintained a neutral expression, but Temari and Kankuro seemed genuinely moved. 

They had seen firsthand how much their younger brother had changed. Temari, in particular, felt hopeful that Gaara's leadership could bring real change to the Sand Village.

"You're making things more complicated for yourself," Tsunade said sternly. "Right now, the Sand Village needs quick and decisive action to buy more time for growth."

Gaara fell silent, glancing toward Temari. While his personality had softened, he was still only thirteen, with little practical knowledge of governance.

"We'll think it over," Temari said, mulling it over.

"Take your time," Tsunade replied, picking up a document from her desk. "Once you've decided, you can talk to Shinho."

Temari blinked, surprised, then nodded. She realized that Tsunade was treating Shinho as the official Konoha envoy to the Sand Village. 

Are they really that close? she thought, a bit envious. If Rasa had shown Gaara that level of trust, things might have turned out differently for their family.

"Now, let's get back to the specifics of our alliance," Tsunade said, redirecting the discussion.

….

That evening, after a long afternoon of training, Shinho stretched and felt satisfied with the small but noticeable improvement in his inner primeval essence. 

But progress is still too slow, he thought, lamenting the lack of power-enhancing resources like primeval stones in the shinobi world. 

His hope now lay in the Dragon Vein, where he might find something useful.

As he was lost in thought, he heard the front door open. Tsunade walked in, visibly exhausted. She kicked off her shoes and walked barefoot to the couch, collapsing onto it.

"Here, Sensei." Shinho handed her a glass of lemon water.

Tsunade accepted it and took a few sips, setting the glass down. "So, what's your real reason for going to the Sand Village?"

"Didn't I tell you earlier?" Shinho replied, feigning confusion.

"Do you think I'd believe that?" Tsunade gave him a pointed look.

"Then why did you agree to it?" Shinho asked, meeting her gaze.

"..." Tsunade felt a sudden pang of nervousness and looked away. "It was just to not make you look bad in front of the Sand delegation," she muttered defensively.

"Thank you, Sensei," Shinho said with a small smile.

"Enough of that." She sat up abruptly, trying to regain her authority. "Since you're going to the Sand Village, you may as well do something useful."

"Is it a mission?" Shinho asked, curious.

"Help Gaara secure the position of Kazekage," Tsunade explained as she nodded. "Only with him in charge can our new alliance agreements go into effect."

"How do you expect me to help with that?" Shinho asked, piecing things together.

In the original story, Gaara had indeed managed to become Kazekage at a young age, and there had likely been some behind-the-scenes support from Konoha. 

Tsunade gave a quick summary of the current state of affairs in the Sand Village.

Fugi, huh? Shinho thought, finding the name familiar. He soon recalled the context.

In the Naruto anime, during the second Chūnin Exams held in the Sand Village, Fugi had allied with Hoichi, a student of the former One-Tail Jinchūriki, to assassinate Gaara. 

Ultimately, they had failed. In that storyline, Neji had performed so well that he was promoted to jōnin, the only one of the Konoha 12 to achieve this rank. 

"Understood," Shinho said, nodding. "I'll keep an eye on things."

If Fū and Fahy attempt anything, he thought, they won't stand a chance, even without Konoha's support. Besides, this could also provide an opportunity to get the Sand Village's help in tracking down the rogue ninja Mukade.

"Oh, by the way, I've already reviewed the four Sound Village ninja you brought back," Tsunade said, switching topics with a hint of amazement. "Orochimaru's Cursed Seals are incredible—they contain strong traces of natural energy."

"Do you think it's possible to reverse-engineer them?" Shinho asked.

"It's worth a try," Tsunade said with a smile. "When it comes to natural energy, who better than Lady Katsuyu?"

Shinho's eyes lit up. He had nearly forgotten about Lady Katsuyu, the Slug Sage. 

Unlike Orochimaru, who had a shaky relationship with the snakes of Ryūchi Cave, Tsunade's connection with the Slug Sage was far more cooperative.

"And what about Kimimaro's condition?" Shinho asked.

"It would be difficult," Tsunade said, frowning. "There hasn't been a successful treatment for genetic diseases like his, We'd need to do it the hard way."

"Then let's leave it for now," Shinho said, unconcerned.

…

Three days later; 

Shinho set out for the Sand Village, accompanied by Team 7 under Kakashi's leadership and joined by Gaara and his siblings.

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