Chapter 22 : The Stall

Thank you to my discord server members for their valuable feedback and suggestions. I hope you like some of them being taken into account. 

Thanks flex.42 for his valuable help in this chapter. 

Posted on

Dec 20, 2023

Sorry for a long long delay

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Without further Ado, here is the next chapter of To Be Hokage. 

AN at end 

To Be Hokage - Chapter 22 : The Stall

"Forty One"

"Forty Two"

"Forty Three"

"Forty Four"

"Forty Five"

"Forty Six"

These were the sounds that greeted Kushina as she approached the Shinobi training ground. They were counting so loudly and so synchronised that Kushina could hear them from the street on the other side of the wall separating them. It was early morning as the first light of dawn pierced the sky, casting a golden hue over the Shinobi compound. Her schedule was free, so having nothing to do prior to her meeting with Daimyo later in the day, she quickly got ready in her shinobi outfit. After a quick chat with her ANBUs, she decided to approach and watch the Shinobis stationed in garrison here.

The garrison stood formidable, its walls separating it from the rest of the capital. Tall enough to obscure most of the adjacent streets with their shadows in the morning. Kushina didn't remember what kind of relationship the Konoha had with the hot spring country when they built the place, but they must have been good if they gave them permission to build barracks comparable to damiyo's castle. It was almost equivalent in size to the clan compounds back in Konoha.

As she approached, she saw two ninjas posted at the entrance. Access to this area was governed by strict rules and only authorized personnel were allowed to enter, most of the non shinobi personnel came from the Fire Country, and access to the premises was limited to a few low ranking bureaucrats who did paperwork and were basically messengers between the shinobi headquarters and the host country.

But not just that

A few streets away from the facility she noticed out of the corner of her eye some guards of the daimyo's palace interacting with some of the shinobis. She looked to the other side and found a few blocks away civilian opening their shops. She look back, where there were a couple of older ladies talking somewhat playfully to a kunoichi passing by and from how embarrassed she looked, those women were perhaps looking for wives for their sons or grandsons. She smiled at those interactions. "Although the nobles are causing trouble and have some problem with shinobis, the general population has no problems with our shinobi," she thought with satisfaction.

But other than that, on her way from her lodging to the training grounds, Kushina noticed a large number of wagons, merchant caravans and a surprising amount of stalls that were in the process of being built.

"Sixty One"

"Sixty Two"

The sounds of counting drifted through the air, getting her attention back. 'The morning drills' she thought she recognised the rhythmic cadence of the exercises. While the morning exercises were so basic that they were not far removed from any civilian training, they were intended to instill cohesion and discipline among the Shinobis. While Shinobis were not regular soldiers, they were essentially part of the army here. And what better way to learn cohesion than by doing daily drills? As she reached the clearing, she observed a large group of shinobis performing synchronised squats, all standing in lines in accordance with their ranks, their movements precise and disciplined. 'Huh, even some of the Genins are placid here' she thought as she noticed a few Shinobis with no flak jackets and in their late teens.

At the far front, in a slightly elevated place, Shitoryu, the leader of Konoha Garriosn, stood proudly as he too actively participated, his commitment to leading from the front evident in every move. She noted a few more Jounins behind him.

Her arrival didn't go unnoticed; as her arrival drew attention, a subtle shift in the drills occurred. The assembled Shinobis paused, their gazes turning towards her. She recognised a few familiar faces among the mass of Shinobis, but most of the individuals present were unfamiliar to her. As if feeling the weight of their collective gaze, she waved at them. "Please continue," she said as she made her way to centre stage.

Shitoryu had stopped as he waited for her to reach him, then stepped forward to greet her. Shitoryu greeted her with a respectful bow, saying, "Kushina-sama, your presence honours us."

"Thank you, Shitoryu-san." Kushina replied, nodding at the jounins behind her, who too had bowed to her. "Please continue; I was just here to observe," she said.

Nodding at her Shitryou followed her command as he commanded Shinobis. The drill continued as she observed, standing there. 'It almost feels like standing on the war front, almost similar when we were required to show up for daily drills during the third Shinobi War,' she thought, looking at the men and women before her.

She was about to depart and observe other parts of the garrison when Shitotu said, "Kushina-sama, we would be honoured if you would lead in some of today's drills. Your presence will surely boost morale and strengthen our Shinobis here," he proposed in a firm, welcoming tone.

Kushina stood there after the prodigy for some moments; she nodded, acknowledging the head jounin. "I accept your invitation, Shitoryu-san. Let us commence the drills," she announced as she turned to the Shinobis present, her voice carrying a commanding yet reassuring tone.

Then she turned with her back towards the ensemble shinobis. As she initiated the exercises, the men and women, observing her every move, followed her lead. They commenced a series of drills in perfect sync, engaging in a combination of squats, push-ups, and sit-ups. Kushina, displaying her proficiency and agility, effortlessly guided them through the regimen.

"Steady, maintain your form," she spoke as she continued, her voice cutting through the crisp morning air. The shinobis and kunouchis present there responded with unwavering determination; their movements were synchronised and purposeful.

While most of the Shinobis were boosted with confidence by her participation in drills, a few of the mostly men couldn't help as their gaze started to dwell and focus on her, more specifically her ass. Her shinobi pats were tight, and doing drills like squats pronounced her well-formed ass to everyone's gaze.

"Damn, that ass," Baku, a Genin standing in front of the lines, muttered.

"Keep quiet, you numb nut," Toimeki, his template, muttered from behind him.

"How I wish Kushina-sama was here daily to lead the drills," Baku said again.

"Hush," you will get us punished.

"It will be worth it; it's the truth, and you know it. I would rather see her ass daily than Shitoyu-sama," Baku replied again.

Splat 

A hand laned on Baku's head as he turned to see one of Chunin had come near him and slapped him on the head. The chunin glared at Genin and made a shushing motion at him.

After leading them through a series of squats and sit-ups, she pushed for some jumping jacks. This had an effect even on Shitoryu as he looked away from her jiggling breasts, which seemed ready to break through her shinobi outfit under her jounin vest in search of freedom and fresh air.

His turmoil or hidden pleasure was echoed by Jounin standing behind him, each having difficulty looking directly at her or going through their drills.

As she stopped for a bit, the Jounin leader spoke again: "Kushina-sama, your leadership is a gift to us. We are grateful for your presence," he expressed, his words resonating with sincerity. Though she could feel some blush forming on his face, she thought the drills were a reason.

Kushina smiled, feeling a sense of pride. "We are all shinobis of Konoha, Shitoryu-san.," she proclaimed, her words carrying the weight of her resolve.

She was more entertained by the exercises than she had expected. The training field, previously covered by the shadow of the walls, now received much more light than before because of the morning sun that rose higher, casting a warm glow over the training ground. As the drills continued, each movement was a testament to the unwavering spirit of the Shinobis. Even in such an environment, the naughty minds of some of the Shinobis were focused on the body of the redhead in front of them.

As the drills continued nearing Ryuki, the daimyo of this country arrived at the scene. Nearing the training grounds, his feet stopped. His gaze locked on Kushina's form, clad in her tight Shinobi outfit. His mouth seemed to open in awe while his mind started to replace the image of the redhead with her nude form. In his mind, she was doing the movements of the exercises with the grace and sensuality of an erotic dancer "I'll make her do those movements naked for me," he thought fixating on the red-haired kunoichi's round ass "Patience, control, control," he muttered to himself..

Looking at himself, clad in the resplendent garb that marked his nobility, he seemed strangely out of place amidst the dirt and sweat of the training field. His eyes again traced the lines of her form, filled with the leer of a man infatuated with.

As if feeling the weight of his stare, Kushina abruptly paused, her eyes finding Ryuki's at the end of the sea of disciplined bodies of her shinobis. Immideitlu stopped, and she nodded at Shitoryu to take over as she moved towards Daimyo with a grace that belied Kunoichi's status.

After a brief exchange of formalities, their words were a mere whisper against the backdrop of the drills that continued without her.

Together, they walked to secluded grounds nearby, which were filled with beautiful cherry blossoms. The delicate pink blossoms were a stark contrast to the starkness of their earlier environment. Kushina used Hanky to wipe some sweat off her face as they finally stopped. The air was cooler, the sounds of drills muffled, and the scent of the trees hung sweetly in the breeze.

"Kushina-san, I must apologise for my... indiscretion last night," Ryuki began, his voice tinged with genuine remorse. His head was bowed, an uncommon act of humility for a man of his stature.

Kushina's eyes narrowed slightly, the memory of his drunken outburst at the previous night's banquet still fresh in her mind. "It's alright, Ryuki-san. You shouldn't have drunk so much in the first place. But I guess we all occasionally make mistakes." She replied with a polite smile on her face. Yet her response carried no hint of resentment. Besides, she had to maintain a diplomatic relationship with the man. 'You are fortunate; had you been someone else, you would have experienced the pleasure of my fists; however, you still feel sincere,' she thought. "Ara- However, his touches were not that bad," the naughty voice in her head chuckled.

'Yeah, a mistake that you will soon make. Who are you to tell me how much I should drink or not?' he gritted mentally as he put on a fake polite smile. "Thank you for understanding; I'm still ashamed of my behaviour. I normally avoid sake, but you know yesterday was a hard day," he said, implying a full day meeting prior.

Nodding her head in understanding, she smiled, remembering how she herself was feeling rather fatigued from discussions with nobles. "It is alright," she said.

"I'm glad you are so understanding, and this will have no effect on our country's perceptions," he added as he gave a fake sigh of relief. "Well, now that it's over and seeing my nobles can be a bit carted away, I have arranged a meeting in a bit more unofficial setting."

Seeing a questioning look on her face, "Well, today we already had a trade festival scheduled, where nobles and traders from various places usually come and try to make deals and agreements with each other. It used to be a big event, but this cold war has limited the number of participants. I think it is also one of the reasons why my nobles are so agitated, as they can't openly make deals with traders and nobles outside the fire nation. But still, I thought it would be a good setting, and being at the festival might lessen the tension and lighten the mood a bit."

Kushina nodded, understanding the logic behind his reasoning and getting some more information on why nobles seemed so agitated. "Sure, it works, I guess."

Her words were measured, but inwardly, she cursed the necessity of such alliances. Her heart longed for the simplicity of the battlefield, not this intricate waltz of words and promises. 'Being hokage is becoming much more daunting; is this the reason Minato chose the battlefield?' she thought.

Ryuki seemed to sense her inner conflict as he smiled, his eyes softening. "Great, To make amends, I wish to extend an invitation to you, Kushina-san."

As she looked at him, he continued, "Well, I still feel guilty about last night. Let me be your guide for the festival. While the general public is also invited, they are limited to non-restricted areas. There are a lot of traders who come here. It's not as many as it used to be before the war, but we still get a lot of them. They set up their stalls and everything. It will be a good way for you to know a bit about my village. Also, don't worry about my nobles giving as hard as today."

Her eyes widened a bit. "Why? she asked.

He grinned, seeing her curiosity. 'she is so much easier to read than that damn Sandaime' Ryuki thought, "Simple, I have entered their families as well; there is no way they will be heated with their wives around them."

She smiled in amusement at his trick. The hint of an opportunity glistened in her mind like a sword catching the light. Such a gathering could easily work in her favour and close this matter altogether, should she play her cards right. "I would be honoured to attend, Daimyo-sama."

"Great, that's great. I will see you in a couple of hours." With that, Ryuki marched towards the exit, and Kushina saw his guards waiting for him. 'I hope this matter settles today. Guess being patient can do wonders as well,' she thought.

--------TBH--------TBH--------TBH--------TBH-------

After the drills, Kushina had chatter with shinobis, mostly jounins, and some chunins, listening to their views about the village and the current situation. The Shinobis were pretty happy, though a bit unhappy for being out of their home village for so long, but that was understandable. The bad thing had been to learn that the relationship between the Konoha Shinobi and the locals was not as good as she had thought before. She had learned that there were occasional minor squabbles when Shinobis got drunk in bars and went berserk, but according to Jounins, these matters were quickly handled. However, people from the hot spring did grumble at the Shinobis, causing an incident.

'Its understandable. Normally, shinobis in Konoha have different bars than civilians, and normally other shinobis are there to handle them in case of drunken brawls,' she thought, a little frustrated with the behaviour of these guys. 'I hope they really took care of matters, as they say,' she thought further upon seeing the report of multiple isolated cases involving Konoha shinobis.

She had a quick bath and quickly donned a different version of her office outfit, this one comprising a dark green skirt and matching coat with a white shirt underneath. Casual, a bit dressy, and not too revealing, 'I need to ask one of the servants to bring my outfit from yesterday' she had thought while dawning the outfit.

After she took a light breakfast, she sat in her temporary room and started to write down what she had learned about the matter of nobles and the problems she had so far understood. 'I hope this headache gets over soon; I already miss home' she thought, remembering the faces of Naruto and Karin waiting for her at home.

And then she got busy writing down her findings. It was around eleven in the morning when a knock at the door from one of her ANBU entourages broke her concentration. The Daimyo had arrived to pick up Kushina for the annual trade festival.

Ryuki stood waiting at the main gates of the garrison, choosing not to go inside this time but instead remaining at the gates. "Are you sure this is the right step? We could have elongated the session at your office more and caused her more trouble." Yumeki spoke from behind.

"While I would like to see her suffer, you are a bit inexperienced in catching fish, Yumeki. You don't always just throw and push in the net. You have to throw in bait, too. Besides, today's meeting will make her trust me more, and I still want to see how she acts in different scenarios."

Before Yumeki could speak, they noticed Kushina walking towards them, dressed in a dark green version of her outfit from yesterday. "She looks like a green Habenero in that; I want to have her," he muttered, so only Daimyo could hear.

Daimyo kept his poker face on to hide his displeasure as he saw the approaching redhead in such plain clothes. Ignoring the words of his companion, his mind could not help but agree with him. 'Why did she have to wear this office outfit again?' he thought.

"Kushina-san, you look really beautiful today. Thank you for agreeing to this meeting on such short notice today," he said.

"Thank you, Ryuki-san, for inviting me," Kushina replied with a bow and the formality expected of someone in his position.

 "Yumeki-san" but to his personal guard, she greeted him in a curt manner with an indifferent nod. She still remembered that battle he had dragged her into a pitched combat against him and several of his men when she was scantily clad.

She kept her guard on for another outburst or madness from Yumeki. The memories of how rude and humiliating that moment was for her still fresh in her mind. But at the same time pretending that the excitement and heat she also felt in that battle simply never existed.

"Kushina-sama" Yumeki reciprocated the greeting with the same lack of emotion and excess of impassive professionalism that Kushina showed him. 'bitch' was the way he greeted her in his mind.

"Well, let's proceed, while the nobles will be coming in a while. I would like to show you around a bit," Daimyo said.

They had decided to walk through the town with their respective etrouges, keeping their distance, or ANBU in Kushina's case, jumping over roofs. The path to the trade festival site was bustling with activity, with people dressed in traditional clothing, colourful kimonos,yukatas, and elaborate hairstyles. The sea of people flooding the streets opened up as Ryuki approached, providing a clear path for him to pass, walking with the confidence and attitude expected of a Daimyo, receiving the cheers of the people as naturally as hearing the breeze. And of course, part of the respectful greetings were directed towards Kushina who was walking beside him.. As they reached the entrance of the festival venue, where more people had gathered, Waving to the crowd as they cheered for him, Daimyo motioned An artificial gate adorned the entrance. She followed Daimyo as he waved at the crowd and then entered the open-air venue. Her attention was glued to the towers lined up on each side of the path, filled with an array of goods, from delicate ceramics to tantalising street food. The air was charged with the aroma of sizzling yakitori, sweet mochi, delicious perfumes and many others that coalesced into a pleasant fragrance that almost made you feel compelled to enter this sea of products. while the sound of taiko drums reverberated through the air, adding to the festive atmosphere.

As they strolled through the vibrant festival, the Daimyo pointed out various stalls to Kushina, some of which she had never seen back in her hometown. The Daimyo pointed out a stall adorned with bolts of richly coloured textiles and exclaimed, "Behold these exquisite silk fabrics!" and then pointed to the other stall, "And over there, they're selling the finest porcelain wares. It's truly a sight to behold, isn't it? It's a shame the prices are now so exorbitant, so normal people can't have them easily."

Kushina's eyes sparkled with wonder as she took in the colourful tapestries and delicate ceramics. "It's all very beautiful," she murmured, her voice filled with genuine awe.

A stall with a big gathering caught her attention as they walked through. Her attention immediately went to the huge fish tanks at the stall. The tanks are really huge, easily three or four times her height and equally double the width. It was filled with sparkling blue water and multiple coloured fish. But that was not what caught her attention. She could make out three female bodies floating in the water. She could see their fish-like lower bodies and bare backs from here. 'What the hell is that?'.

Ryuki was also rooted to the spot, just like her, but for different reasons. 'What's he doing here? I had asked Yumeki to keep him in some other corner of the venue.' He thought, gritting his teeth and giving such a hard look to his friend and head of security that it seemed as if the Daimyo wanted to make Yumeki writhe in pain using just his mind.

Kushina slowly made her way towards the stall, with Ryuki slowly following. As she reached the stall, the crowd parted ways for her and Daimyo. The stall had various other goods, but her attention was solely on the three women in the fish tanks. The women had now turned towards her. Their upper torso is completely bare, except for a small seashell covering their nipples. She could clearly see that they had trouble breathing underwater but were still somehow managing. She could notice men leering at women from the background, her anger started to rise seeing women treated as some show material.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" A snivelling voice got her attention as a middle aged man approached them. He was as short as any teenage boy, between stocky and fat, dressed in an impeccable black suit that fit so well it must have been tailored. His greying brown hair was slicked back, and a thin moustache was pulled over his lips. It also stood out as he had dark glasses and a cane that he used as mere accessories rather than out of necessity. Kushina only gave him a glance, but just by looking at his expensive clothes, his confident attitude, and his overbearing, smug smile, the Uzumaki got the impression that everything about him seemed to be intended to convey the message: Look at me I have a lot of money and that's why I'm better than all of you.

Before Kushina could reply, he turned to Daimyo. "Daimyo-sama, if you had told me you were interested, I would have directly come to your palace. You didn't need to have done all the trouble to come over here." The man spoke in a scheming tone.

Caught between a rock and a hard place, Ryuki cleared his voice. He cleared his voice. "Gato-san," he greeted the man. Kushina's eyes narrowed; she had heard that name before 'he isn't the owner of Gato company?' During her job, and her own studies of Fire Country politics and trade, she heard that most of the transport and trade ships operating in the eastern and southern seas of the fire country belonged to that company. Not to mention those that operated out of the fire country.. 'Wasn't he the man who has taken over almost whole of the Wave country?' She thought remembering the vague rumors about how the Daimyo of the Wave country was losing his power to a foreign tycoon.

"I told you I am not looking for anything specific from you right now," he said. 'Though I won't mind this fish tank in my palace,' he internally thought, looking sideways at the semi-naked girls in mermaid costumes. 

Before he could introduce him to Kushina, the man spoke again, looking Kushina up and down as a shudder went down her spine. She just wanted to punch the man and blow his brain out because of that unpleasant feeling he was giving her.

"Oh, and who might this be? You really have great taste. Daimyo-sama. You should definitely get my latest best seller," he pointed to a huge fish tank with women. "She would look well in it, wouldn't she?" He grinned lecherously. Ryuki let out a gasp. Kushina wanted to jump and slit the man's throat. Gatou was not paying much heed to her. He chuckled, seeing an increasing frown on her face, and he smirked. "She seems really feisty, doesn't she? She will be perfect for my product." Gatou ignored Kushina and turned to talk to Ryuki again, talking about her to the Daimyo if he was talking about buying a goat or a dog." But I don't think she will last much in it." He commented mockingly towards Kushina "It's the reason I hired Kunoichis for this job, you know. They really know how to control their breaths and can play as mermaids much better. Well, kunoichis are best for these types of missions only. I bet-" Kushina abruptly interrupted his monologue, forcefully yanking him by the collar and lifting his feet off the ground.

Kushina had always been hot-headed; the frustrations from yesterday had all bottled up inside her, and when she saw this man not only talking about her as if she were a product but also had to listen to him degrading women like they were some material, her anger rose. And when he degraded Kunoichis and her anger just burst open. "What did you say?" She all but shouted, her chakra leaking, and nearby civilians and the daimyo stepped back a bit as they felt her KI.

Gatou was in the same situation. His samurai guards wanted to jump in but were quickly pinned by Kushina's ANBU details. He started to sweat seeing masked Ninjas barely able to stop from wetting himself. His mind started to run as he realised the redhead was not some random slut that was with the daimyo.

"Gatou-san, meet deputy Hokage. Namikaze Kushina," Daimyo said as he approached Kushina, feeling her KI disappear. He grinned internally as he saw Gatou's eyes widen upon hearing that. 'That's right, your big mouth will do well to not open like this again. Though I got a good glimpse of her temper, note to self: don't poke at her Kunoichi pride, at least not now.'

"I'm so sorry; please spare me. Ah, I didn't know." The portly man sputtered.

"So what were you saying about kunoichis?" she asked.

"It was a mistake. It was all a lie. This is just a promotional technique to get more attention. I haven't forced anyone; ask these kunoichis if they have taken this mission knowing the details." The man sputtered.

Kushina looked towards the women in the tank who had come to the top of the tank and were looking at the commotion with amusement in their eyes. "We are runaways from Mizu. The pay is good, so we accepted." The woman, now identified as Kunoichi in the middle, spoke, "Its not like he or his men can do anything to us," the other woman added with a smirk.

Kushina dropped the man, who fell to the ground on all fours, gasping for breath. 'How can they be so casual about this, posing almost nude in front of so many people? She thought, 'Remember, they are Kunoichis Kushina." Further thoughts entered her mind. 'Well, I had assumed that this despicable man had coerced some women into it. While I would need no reason to kill this scum, it is disgraceful that they would agree to this kind of mission on their own volition. They are tarnishing the names of kunoichis'. Kushina thought in her mind.

"Kushina-san, we are getting a bit late." Ryuki spoke, getting her attention. She nodded and stepped away from the scum and his stall. She noticed the kunoichis again taking their positions inside the water, and men from town again started to gather around them as if nothing had happened, causing her to scowl.

"Well, Gato-san, take care," Daimyo said when she heard Ryuki speak to the man. What she didn't see was Gatou throwing a death glare at her back as he stood up, nor did she see Daimyo throwing some signal at the man.

"Well, that was something," Ryuki said as he walked along with her.

Kushina blushed. "Ahh, I probably should not have reacted that way, but when he began to degrade the entire womankind, I simply lost control of myself," she explained.

"Understandable, and I agree with you as well," Ryuki added. He internally grinned, 'This event will make people trust Konoha Shinobis even less.' He smirked at the idea.

--------TBH--------TBH--------TBH--------TBH-------

"Wow, did you see that redhead?" One of the civilians near Gatou's stall muttered, "Wow, did you see that redhead?"

"Of course, who hasn't?" replied to another civilian

"Damn, I had thought she was one of Daimyo-sama's girls." The first one responded.

"Man, where have you been? Under a mountain? She's the woman Daimyo-sama is crazy about, and apparently she doesn't even look at him," a third civilian butted in.

These were talks among civilians as Kushina and Adimyo passed by Gatou's stall.

"Did you hear about that Konoha leader?" A woman whispered, her voice barely above a breath.

"Of course, who hasn't?" Another replied, her eyes widening with curiosity. "I heard she strolled through the market with the daimyo-sama himself."

The murmurs continued to float through the air, accompanied by the occasional nod or gesture as the townspeople exchanged tales of the enigmatic redhead diplomat from Konoha. Some spoke of her beauty and elegance, while others marvelled at the way she seemed to effortlessly captivate even the most powerful figures in the land. As their voices blended with the lively hum of the festival, a new thread of conversation emerged.

"Did you see her at that stall with mermaids?" a man asked, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Ah, I did," another replied with a knowing smile. "I witnessed her beating up that stuck-up trader. And would you believe it? She totally kicked his ass, much to the amazement of everyone present."

The group erupted into a chorus of chuckles and murmurs, their admiration for Kushina evident in their animated gestures and bright eyes. Each tale seemed to add another layer to the enigmatic persona of the woman who had captured their imaginations.

"I've never seen anyone quite like her," the woman who had initiated the conversation mused, her gaze drifting towards the distant figure of Kushina. "She's definitely a force to be reckoned with."

The others nodded in silent agreement, their gazes lingering on her graceful figure as she moved through the bustling crowd, a sense of mystery and allure trailing in her wake.

"Do you think she is forcing Daimyo-sama? I mean, she is powerful, and she is violence-ready. Do you think she has somehow threatened Ryuki-sama?" A concerned voice spoke.

"I don't think so, I mean... If Konoha wanted, they would have done so by now," another voice added.

"But how can you be sure? for she's, in the end, a kunoichi." Another voice added.

As Kushina and Daimyo walked through the town, the whispers of the town continued to weave tales of Kushina's toady exploits, each story adding to the mystique of the woman as word spread. The story also became twisted, with some claiming that Kushina attacked an innocent trader, while others alleged that she was asked to pose as a mermaid and retaliated against the trader. While some were adding that she kicked his ass because he offered a very low price for her,.

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Unbeknownst to the Daimyo, while he was roaming carefree with Kushina, his wife also got a whiff of his plans. She had intercepted his message to all nobles and promiente tarders in the capital for today's events. She knew her husband's weakness for women, especially those who were hard to catch. From the day she had seen Kushina all those months ago, she knew her husband would go after her.

As soon as she heard of Kushina's arrival yesterday, she asked her loyal maids to keep an eye on her husband's activities. And her suspicion turned true. She had heard how he was basically acting as her chaperone, showing her around the palace. He even offered her the special onsen services in the palace, which were exclusively reserved for nobles, not someone of her status, a lowlife kunoichi.

She had heard from her loyal maid how the bitch came out of nowhere and drew on only Yukata. 'The gall of her, she is truly a slut like every other kunoichi. She is trying to seduce my husband. And my dog's husband is dancing to her tunes, she had thought.

Her servant only knew what she heard from other servants and saw. Of course, she was unaware that Daimyo had planned it all.

Then at night she had heard from her servant how the redhead schemer had made her husband drunk and had him all over her publically. 'These kunoichis really have no shame, and she is their leader. ' Aiko's impression of Kushina was getting worse with everything she heard.

Before, she only considered her a nuisance they had to put up with in their fancy castle just because the redhead came from that ninja village they had to do business with. But now she saw Kushina as some kind of succubus who used her lewd, whorish body to play with her naive and lustful husband.

So after intercepting her husband's letters, she knew something was fishy. While it was true that these monthly trade festivals were helpful, her husband never showed such interest. It was nobles and traders who came to him in the palace, offering him lucrative deals.

'It's definitely that redhead sluts doing it, she concluded.

So as soon as Ryuki departed from the palace with Yumeki in tow, she had come here for the festival, not far behind. Now she was looking at the scheming redhead as she was leading her husband. 'That slut has even people looking at her with rapt attention,' she thought, a pit of jealousy forming in her stomach as she saw citizens looking at Kushina. It was possible that her marriage was an arranged one. But a proud and dignified noblewoman like her would never allow herself to be humiliated just because her husband couldn't stop drooling over a mere red-haired commoner. 

'Whatever your plans are, I will not allow you to succeed. You may have had my husband dancing to your tunes, but as long as I'm here, I will not let my country fall into Konoha's hands.' She thought disapprovingly as he watched this oaf-breaking tramp intimidate a merchant.

"Sankeki, please take the carriage close to my husband," she called the carriage pilot. 'That slut has truly done some woodoo magic on my husband; normally he takes carriages for travelling even a step outside the palace; now he is giving her a tour on foot,' she thought, jealous of her husband personally escorting that shameless woman instead of her.

Not that she wanted such things with him. She just hated that a random woman and kunoichi at that from Konoha would receive better treatment than her, who was the first lady of the country and with a respectable noble lineage.

.

--------TBH--------TBH--------TBH--------TBH-------

Kushina was having a good time, despite the small 'mishap' at Gatou's stall. It may be because she was with Ryuki, but she felt people were extra welcoming to her. As they entered another row of stalls, the air here was heavy with the scent of sizzling yakitori and sweet amazake, mingling with the laughter and chatter of the villagers.

Kushina's mouth watered from the sight and scent of all types of delicacies here. While Konoha did provide all kinds of delicacies from around the world, this was different. Her eyes were wide with wonder as she took in the sights and sounds of the festival she had never known in her own village.

"Ah, Kushina-san, you must try the takoyaki here; they are unlike any other." Ryuki gestured towards a stall adorned with paper lanterns. The vendor bowed deeply, offering a steaming sample to the redhead.

Kushina took a delicate bite, her taste buds exploding with the flavours of the sea and the richness of the batter. "It's delicious," she exclaimed, her voice tinged with genuine delight.

As they wandered through the festival, Ryuki pointed out various stalls, each offering its own unique wares and delicacies.

They were moving to another area of stalls when she saw Ryuki stalling. Looking at his line of sight, she noticed a carriage coming towards them. If her memory serves her right, it was the royal carriage, similar to one Ryuuki had used on his trip to Konoha. The carriage stopped near them, and the pilot bowed to Daimyo as he opened the doors of the carriage.

She looked on as a lady dressed in traditional kimono stepped out, and she immediately recognised her as Ryuki's wife. "What was her name, Aika? No, Aiko," she remembered.

"Aiko-san" Kushina spoke as she greeted the lady of the country with a formal bow. Ryuki also moved forward and greeted her while frowning internally.

'Why is she here?' He thought as he looked around for Yumeki but couldn't find him 'Damn it Yumeki, you make me question; what am I paying you for?'.

"Kushina-san, I am pleased to see you enjoying the festivities," Aiko said, her voice coated with politeness, yet the cold edge was unmistakable in her eyes.

"Ah yes, Aiko-san, it is an honor. The festival is truly a sight to behold. I'm glad Daimyo-sama invited me to see it." Kushina spoke.

'Of course you are glad, but no more; No more I will allow you to dig your claws in my husband' she thought.

Aiko turned to Ryuki. "'Ananta, I heard the nobles and traders are already arriving at the meeting point. It will be good if you were there to receive them," she spoke as she stressed the word 'ananta'.

Her smile was tight as she glanced between her husband and the redhead. Kushina felt some tension in the air. 'Is there something going on between them? Kushina thought.

"Oh, right, I was just showing the festival to Kushina-san. I was about to lead us there," Ryuki said.

"Indeed, you were Anaata. But come, leave Kushina-san to me." Without giving her husband any time to object, she turned to Kushina. "Let's leave the men to their business. We should have a moment before joining them."

As Ryuki looked on, his brow creasing slightly with confusion, Aiko took Kushina's arm and led her away. Kushina followed, unaware of the storm brewing in the noblewoman's mind.

Once they were away from the daimyo, Aiko said, "So what do you think of the festival?"

"It's a really vibrant and happy place to be," Kushina replied.

"It is, isn't it?" Aiko supplied.

As they moved through clothing stalls, Aiko's demeanour shifted. "You must understand, Kushina-san, the meeting that my husband attends—it is of great importance. It would not do for you to appear in your usual outfit."

It startled Kushina. "What? Whats wrong with my outfit?" she asked, surprised and concerned by that remark about his attire..

"You know every meeting is different, so every meeting has a different setting. Today is a casual setting; you would look odd in your official outfit," Aiko said.

"Oh, would I?" Kushina spoke, her voice filled with doubt and small apprehension, looking her own clothes. "But Ryuki-san didn't say anything," Kushina added.

'Using the first name of Daimyo? Who do you think you are?' Aiko internally snarled at the show of family: "Ah, dear, he's a man; he won't say anything about a woman's clothes. But the wives of other nobles will definitely say so. So believe me, it would not be appropriate for you to attend in your current attire." The gesture of looking Kushina up and down with eyes of concern and disappointment made Aiko's comment only added to Kushina's apprehension.

Before she could reply, "But don't worry, I have a solution." Looking behind her, she nodded to a female servant following them, who quickly entered one of the stalls.

"Come, dear, let's get ready for the meeting," she said in an inviting tone.

She led her through an array of stalls, and the crowd thinned as they neared an enclosed structure. "Where are we going?" Kushina asked, sensing Ryuki's presence along with some of the nobles within the enclosed walls.

"To get you ready for the meeting, where else?" As if sensing her question, she continued. "Well, this is the meeting venue as well."

The guards at the gates bowed to the lady and Kushina. Entering the enclosure, Kushina found a gateway at the end of corridors, and there were doors on the left and right sides of corridors with men and women marked on them.

"Come in," Aiko said as she opened one of the doors marked as women.

"Is the meeting in Onsen?" Kushina asked, feeling really uncomfortable.

"Not quite, dear, not quite." The lady giggled, holding her hand in front of her mouth. "While you can say they are like onsens, we call them rotemburo. It does have all the facilities of Onsens, but no one is going to be indecent here today. This one is especially reserved for special occasions or informal meetings," the lady informed.

"Oh," Kushina sighed in relief. Kushina understood why they kept informal meetings here. The atmosphere would definitely be serene and disarming, which could definitely cool down some hothead nobles.

Before she could ask more questions, the female servant came in with a couple of packages, passing one to Kushina and the other to Aiko.

"Oh, your outfits have arrived; come open them," Aiko said.

Kushina nodded and opened the package. There in the bag was a stack of neatly placed outfits. She carefully took out the folded clothes and placed them on the bench before her.

"Aiko-san, you didn't have to; this is too much," Kushina said.

"Nonsense dear, You are our ally. I would do anything to help you," Aioko said with a fake smile. 'You shall see what I have planned. The men will see you are no lady but a slut, By the end of the day.'

Looking back at clothes, Kushina picked the first one. It was a lovely knee-length, sleeveless white off-shoulder sundress that was presented to Kushina. Vibrant red and violet flower patterns adorned the dress, with a row of delicate buttons down the front. While looking at the dress, she felt a small amount of discomfort.

Looking at her second choice as she unfolded it, she nearly gasped. It was a violet-coloured knee-length Qipao-style dress with waist-high slits on both sides; it adorned beautiful rose flower patterns. 'This is too bold,' she thought. As her eyes landed on the small white hotpants provided with the outfit,

She quickly dropped it. The third dress was a sleeveless, short pink dress with shimmering clothing material. 'What's with these short and sleeveless choices? It's like all of them were selected and sent by Mikoto. Is my fashion sense this old' she thought.

The next one seemed decent; it was a long blue gown dress with a slit on the right side, but one look at it was enough to tell Kushina that she wouldn't fit into it. 'The one dress is decent, but it seems too small for my body,' she gritted internally.

'I hope this last one is decent enough' She moved her hand towards the last light green-coloured outfit. Her disappointment grew as she unfolded the dress, revealing a very short, light green Yukata-styled sleeveless outfit that showcased the wearer's legs from the thighs. It was very similar to Yukata from Onsen, with an even deeper cleavage,who designs such garbage outfits,'she thought.

Turning to Aiko, who was observing her, she asked, "Do you not like them, Kushina-san?" Aiko asked.

Not really wanting to appear snobbish "No, they are good, but do I really have one of these? I mean, it's just a meeting." She spoke.

"It's not just a meeting, Kushina-san. This meeting will have a majority of nobles and other high-class men from our country. You know this, don't you? - And a good impression are made by appearance." She prodded, and Kushina nodded. "I think being dressed as per occasion will show them you are taking this seriously."

Kushina nodded and, after thinking for a moment, selected the first dress. 'This one seems most modest, she thought.

"Oh, I thought you would go for the violet one, given that I have seen Kunoichis wearing those kinds of outfits normally," Aiko said, pointing at the Qipao-styled dress. Kushina barely controlled the frown forming on her face.

"Ah, it's not per my taste, Aiko-san. While some Kunoichis prefer to wear those kind of outfits, that's not my style," Kushina spoke. 'There is no way I can wear that; it reveals too much, and what the hell are those tiny shorts? And that too in white. Where do the people get this stereotypes ideas of Kunoichis?' she thought as she picked the white sundress.

"Oh my bad, sorry for putting all Kunoichis in the category," Aiko spoke. 'Whatever you choose, it will only show what a classless thing you are.' She spoke in her mind.

Kushina looked at Aiko, feeling a bit odd about changing in front of a complete stranger, but she sighed. 'It can't be helped,' she thought.

She quickly unbuttoned her coat and started to undress. Soon she was just in her undergarments, namely a green lace bra and matching pants.

Aiko's voice broke the silence of the room. "You are quite a beauty, aren't you?" Almost startling her, a blush formed on her cheeks. 'I must admit. That's cheating husband of mine at least has good taste' she thought observing the voluptuous and enticing body of the Konoha woman.

"Thank you, Aiko-san," she replied.

Gaining her attention, Aiko coughed as she picked up the outfit provided to her.

"You need to remove your bra. The dress is not made for that," the lady said.

"Uhm, what?" Kushina asked, not believing the words she heard.

"Well, you see the off shoulder dress," Aiko said, picking up the dress and showing Kushina the neckline of the dress.

"Uhm, wouldn't this be inappropriate?" Kushina asked, apprehensive.

"Nonsense, dear; this is an informal meeting, and this outfit is perfect; in fact, all of them are." Aiko smiled and spoke.

Feeling encouraged, Kushina delicately unclasped her bra,now standing in just her panties. 

'I had thought, being a brute kunoichi, she would have some scars on her body, but her skin is so smooth and blemish-free. I had planned to showcase her scared body, but no worries, my plan can still proceed'. Aiko thought as she watched jealously.

Picking up the dress, Kushina pulled it over her head. It appeared to be a bit of a tight fit, but Kushina managed to slip into it. Aiko helped her adjust the dress around her body. She pulled the zipper on the back.

The off-shoulder design left her shoulders bare, enhancing the neckline and exuding a hint of subtle sensuality. She felt the snug embrace of the fabric hugging her curves, accentuating her frame. She was afraid her breasts might pop out, but that was not the case, as she felt material supporting and cradling her breasts wonderfully. The dress flowed effortlessly from her waist, granting her the freedom to move with ease as it gently swayed to her knees. It seemed to come alive on her body, the colour complementing her skin tone and the style exuding an air of effortless elegance. Though she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease at the Daimyo's wife's sudden attentiveness,.

As she smoothed down the fabric, Kushina thought to herself that perhaps the daimyo's wife was right. The dress did look quite lovely on her, and it was important to make a good impression.

"You see? It suits you better than I imagined," Aiko said with a hint of triumph in her voice.

Kushina looked at herself in the mirror on one of the walls, the reflection familiar yet enchanting. "You are right, Aiko-san. Thank you for your kindness," she said.

Aiko then proceeded to dress; Kushina noticed it was a full-length kimono with plunging cleavage that emphasised her decent sized bust.

"How do I look, dear?" Aiko asked

"Beautiful, Aiko-san," Ksuhina replied.

"Come on, let's go," Aiko said as she opened the doors of the changing room.

As they stepped out, Aiko's eyes gleamed with satisfaction that went unseen by Kushina. She had set the stage for her plan, and now it was only a matter of time before the final act would unfold.

TBC

Ok, here's the next update. Sorry for the long delay, Let me know your thoughts.

I have started posting some pictures and renders related to the story on pixiv, Deviantart, and Twitter. The username is the same, "MrVectorPath." If I have time, I will try to turn this into a visual novel, if you would like to help me, do join me on discord.

I also have made P-a-t-r-e-o-n under the same username where I post high-resolution and Nsfw versions of some pictures. It's not required to support it, but if you are interested, it's there. 

Currently, there are no tiers for fanfiction as of now, but I will add if people are interested and maybe give out advanced chapters and include some scenes from the supporters.

Please comment/Review. Do post what you liked and What you didn't. 

I would love to hear from you.

Suppose you have any questions or suggestions regarding the plot. I would be happy to answer them, and if tips are leaning to story design, I would definitely try to include them. Kindly do post in review. 

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Until next time!! 

MrVectorPath Out!!