Chapter 103: Relationship

"Do you know what to say when you return?" Sato asked Samui, who had been looking extremely embarrassed and hadn't bathed for days.

"Yes, Master," Samui responded, her composure returning as she nodded with a cold gaze. "I will attribute Omoi's and Karui's deaths, as well as the death of our escort target, to an unknown enemy from Earth Country. We'll claim that they suspected us of intercepting and assassinating them, aiming to provoke a war within Cloud Shinobi Village."

"And Master, you've already implanted a spell in my brain. Even if I were subjected to torture, they wouldn't be able to extract any information about you, Master."

"Very well. You can now return to Cloud Shinobi Village, and I'll contact you when I'm free," Sato replied.

As he looked at the tall and beautiful Samui, who stood at 1.68 meters, Sato, who was 1.73 meters tall, couldn't help but playfully pinch her chin, swaying it gently. A reluctant smile played on his face as he said, "Don't worry, in two or three years, you'll be back by my side. So, before returning to me, stay hidden in Cloud Shinobi Village and help me find what I'm looking for."

Samui nodded obediently, gazing at Sato with admiration. She couldn't help but imagine the rewards her Master would bestow upon her once she completed her assigned task.

After assigning Samui her task, Sato used the Flying Thunder God Technique to transport her out of the basement. However, instead of returning her to the mountain path, Sato teleported next to a Flying Thunder God seal in Takigakure. After performing a brief ceremony, he left another seal in a hidden location for Samui to use to return to Cloud Shinobi Village on her own.

Sato then teleported to where Karin was waiting with Hinata.

"Sato, you're back!" Karin exclaimed with excitement as she saw him return.

"Yes, I apologize for keeping you waiting," Sato replied, raising his hand to affectionately pat the heads of both Karin and Hinata. He surveyed the battlefield and noticed that Omoi and Karui had been killed by the two women. The mission target had also met a swift end shortly after being struck by the exploding water jutsu.

Sato retrieved three small scrolls he had brought with him and used them to pack the three corpses separately. After using Water Style to eliminate their scent, he brought along Hinata and Karin, a medical ninja.

After reappearing at a location marked with a Flying Thunder God seal, Sato, along with Hinata and Karin, continued their journey to the next destination.

During their next mission, the trio encountered no further mishaps similar to Samui's team. With Sato's illusion abilities and the enhanced vision provided by Hinata's Byakugan and Karin's sensory skills, they no longer needed to rely on the black market for information or wait for intelligence teams to provide updates.

Instead, they simply located acquaintances or relatives of their mission targets and extracted valuable information through the use of genjutsu. This allowed them to quickly ascertain the number and locations of their targets' families.

As a result, it took only half a month for the three of them to complete their first S-level mission as Anbu operatives successfully.

After delivering the heads of the dead to the families in a certain village, the trio did not immediately return to Konoha. Instead, they removed their Anbu costumes and masks, choosing to make their way back in civilian attire, taking a more leisurely and tourist-like approach.

During their journey, Sato devised a small plan to strengthen his relationship with the two women, particularly Hinata.

Karin had already fully embraced her role, even taking on Sato's appearance. If Sato didn't provide her with additional dignity, Karin would have been content to stay by his side, even if it meant taking on a subordinate role.

By granting her this newfound dignity and allowing her to remain close to him, Sato had already given Karin a priceless gift—one that left her deeply satisfied.

As a result, Karin never aspired to be Sato's girlfriend, nor did she vie with Hinata or Ino for the position of the main partner.

One night during their trip, Sato revealed his idea to Karin, expressing his desire for her assistance in winning over Hinata. Karin readily agreed, and during their journey, Sato tasked her with continuously testing Hinata's boundaries. He wanted to determine if their relationship, which had been limited to secret kisses, could progress to the point of sharing a bath, and even a three-person bath.

To Sato's surprise, the outcome was quite successful. It wasn't just successful; it went remarkably smoothly, as if there were no obstacles at all. After privately discussing the matter with Karin, Sato felt a surge of happiness in his heart. Simultaneously, his affection for Hinata grew even deeper.

This was because Hinata's emotions had undergone a transformation. With Sato's changing status and his growing recognition as the "hopeful child of Konoha," the resistance from his family lessened, and his friendships with Ino and Karin deepened. Hinata's fondness for Sato had become deeply ingrained, shifting from initial fair competition with Ino to a point where she no longer wished to let Sato go. Even Ino and the others began to feel melancholic.

Moreover, during their missions in this period, Hinata was exposed to the world of commoners beyond the realm of ninjas. She discovered that in the civilian world, nobles often had multiple wives and concubines, leading to large families. Realizing this, Hinata began to question her own selfishness. She no longer felt it was right to monopolize Sato and prevent him from revitalizing the Senju clan.

In this uncertain state, Karin delivered the final blow. One night, she revealed her role as Sato's maid and her decision not to compete with Hinata. Subsequently, Hinata was lured into the bathroom.

Fortunately, her recent physical training prevented Hinata from fainting easily. However, she experienced a night she would never forget. When Karin emerged from the bathroom, Hinata's cheeks remained flushed, and her head emitted white mist from the hot water.

Yet, Hinata remained remarkably open-minded and adaptable. After being guided by Karin to serve Sato multiple times in a row, this usually reserved girl quickly became skilled at back rubs and massages. Her massage skills surpassed even Karin's within a few days.

This wasn't surprising given Hinata's upbringing, where she had practiced the Gentle Fist technique since childhood. Her understanding of human acupuncture points and finger pressure, gained through targeting enemy acupuncture points with her attacks, exceeded Karin's expertise.

After their relationship reached a significant breakthrough, Sato continued to enjoy their affections throughout the journey, which took nearly two weeks to return to Konoha. Even so, Sato couldn't help but feel reluctance and fascination, as if time had passed too quickly.

As they returned to Konoha, Sato suddenly had a realization. Weren't they all on the same team? He was the team's captain, responsible for guiding the special Jonin squad. He began to consider that as long as they continued taking missions, they could enjoy these pleasures whenever they pleased.

With this thought in mind, Sato became highly motivated to work. He even entertained the idea of being recognized as Konoha's model worker.