---
The cabin on the mountainside was quiet except for the wind rustling through the eaves.
Hanekawa sat on the edge of the bed, studying the woman sleeping beside him. Samui lay on her side, her fair skin contrasting sharply against the dark sheets, black stockings torn and faded from the past week. He let his gaze linger for a moment before turning his attention elsewhere.
"What's the energy signature on that meteorite?" he asked.
Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, who'd been examining the stone, glanced up. "Equivalent to a One-Tails jinchuriki, roughly."
Hanekawa nodded. It made sense—the Hidden Star Village had been powered by this thing for generations. "Once we collect the remaining three tailed beasts, we'll have enough to revive the Divine Tree?"
"Nearly." Kaguya's lips curved slightly. "The accumulated energy in the Pure Land, combined with what we've gathered... it should be sufficient. Perhaps more than sufficient."
There was an edge of impatience in her voice. Hanekawa understood. The Ōtsutsuki clan's pursuers could arrive at any time. The sooner she consumed the Divine Tree's fruit, the sooner she could master its power and prepare for that inevitable confrontation.
"I'm going to Mount Myōboku," Kaguya announced, storing the meteorite away. A black portal opened before her. "Don't do anything reckless while I'm gone."
As if I would, Hanekawa thought, watching her disappear through the rift.
He turned back to Samui, who was beginning to stir. Her eyes fluttered open, and she reached for him instinctively. Hanekawa allowed himself a moment of satisfaction—a beautiful woman, completely devoted, asking nothing but his presence. He reached out and traced his fingers along her thigh.
Samui's breath hitched. She wrapped her legs around his hand, her skin warm and inviting.
Hanekawa felt the familiar pull of desire, but he resisted. Seven days of indulgence was enough. Any more and Kaguya would return to find him... occupied. That would extend this little vacation to eight days, and he had work waiting.
"Have you rested enough?" he asked, pulling his hand back.
"Mm." Samui sat up slowly, her movements languid. "When do we return to the Hidden Cloud?"
"Once Kaguya gets back."
Samui nodded and began dressing, pulling on a fresh secretary's uniform and new black stockings. The old ones were beyond salvaging—something she'd need to explain to Mabui, though they both knew the woman was intelligent enough to draw her own conclusions.
When Kaguya returned through her portal, Hanekawa gathered them both and activated the Flying Thunder God Technique.
---
The Raikage's office materialized around them.
Mabui jumped to her feet, eyes widening slightly. "Lord Raikage. Welcome back."
Her gaze flickered to Samui—who'd been missing for seven days—and Hanekawa watched the calculation happen behind her eyes. Samui practically glowed with satisfaction, her charm amplified to an almost tangible degree. Mabui's expression remained professionally neutral, but Hanekawa caught the slight twitch at the corner of her mouth.
She knows exactly what happened, he thought with amusement.
"Samui, rest," he instructed. "We'll return to the Hidden Cloud soon."
"Yes, Lord Raikage."
After they left, Hanekawa and Kaguya teleported to the Hokage's office in Konoha. The familiar space felt surreal after a week of isolation. Hanekawa settled into the Hokage's chair and surveyed the mountain of paperwork that had accumulated.
The first document detailed negotiations between the Hidden Sand and the Hidden Stone. Both had agreed to Konoha's terms with remarkable speed—no haggling, no delays. Just immediate capitulation.
Hanekawa scanned the conditions. Two stood out:
First, the Hidden Sand and Hidden Stone would maintain control over the Land of Wind and Land of Earth respectively, managing them as Konoha's representatives.
Second, both villages would relocate to Konoha, integrating fully into the administrative structure.
The strategy was elegant. By moving the villages here, they'd become part of Konoha's fabric rather than distant allies. He'd already established control over the Land of Lightning directly. The Land of Fire operated through City. Now the Land of Wind and Earth would be managed through Sand and Hidden Stone representatives, rotating between them every six months.
Ninety percent of the ninja world, unified under one banner, Hanekawa mused. And they don't even realize it yet.
He picked up his pen and began drafting organizational restructures. New departments would need to be established—branches of the Police Force, ANBU, and administrative offices in each relocated village. Mixed leadership teams would prevent any single village from consolidating power.
As for the Kazekage and Tsuchikage positions—he'd hold those titles himself, at least for now.
The door burst open.
"Hanekawa!"
Kurenai's eyes lit up the moment she saw him. She rushed forward, hands on her hips. "Where have you been? Seven days, Hanekawa. Seven days!"
"My apologies," he said smoothly, pulling her into his lap. "The work required my full attention."
"I'm not happy about this!" She tried to maintain her stern expression, but her body betrayed her, relaxing into his embrace.
"Then let me make it up to you," Hanekawa murmured against her ear. "I'll stay with you tonight. All night."
Kurenai's blush deepened. She knew exactly what that meant. "That's... that's not necessary. Seven days isn't so long for important work..."
"My secretary is very considerate," Hanekawa said, unable to suppress his smile.
"Don't laugh at me!" She swatted his shoulder, but there was no real force behind it.
He tilted her chin up and kissed her, feeling her melt against him. When they broke apart, her eyes were half-lidded and her lips were wet.
"I have something for you," he said, gesturing to the scroll on his desk.
Kurenai picked it up, unrolled it, and her eyes widened. "This is..."
"From now on, you'll oversee all secretarial staff—not just for Konoha, but for the Hidden Sand and Hidden Stone as well. That includes the former Kazekage and Tsuchikage."
"Really?" Her excitement was palpable. "I'll manage them?"
"Can you handle it?"
"Of course!" She clutched the scroll to her chest. "I'll start immediately!"
At the door, she paused. "Don't forget—come home tonight."
"Wash yourself and wait for me," Hanekawa replied.
She ran off, blushing furiously.
---
That night, Hanekawa comforted Kurenai for an hour, then spent the entire night with Tsunade, who had her own opinions about his seven-day absence. By morning, both women were satisfied, if thoroughly exhausted.
Three days later, two new entries materialized in his system.
[S-Rank Talent Entry: King of the Land of Wind]
[Trigger Condition: Master the Land of Wind]
[Effect: Within the Land of Wind, freely control wind without chakra cost or restrictions]
Hanekawa's first thought was that it seemed redundant. He could already manipulate wind through ninjutsu.
Then he read the full description and reconsidered.
The ability required no chakra and had no limitations. He could create permanent wind corridors—transportation networks that would allow merchants and ninja to traverse the Land of Wind far faster than conventional routes. Slower than space-time teleportation, but infinitely more practical for civilian use.
[S-Rank Talent Entry: Lord of the Land of Earth]
[Trigger Condition: Master the Land of Earth]
[Effect: Within the Land of Earth, freely control the underground world]
Mining would become trivial. Resources that normally required hours of excavation could be extracted in moments. The economic implications were staggering.
Still, neither entry directly increased his combat strength. Among the entries granted by the four great nations, only the Land of Fire's "Lord of the Fire Nation" had provided genuine power enhancement.
I'm reaching the ceiling, Hanekawa reflected. There aren't many entries left that can actually improve me.
He didn't dwell on it. Instead, he used the Flying Thunder God Technique to appear in the Raikage's office.
"There's something you need to know," he told Samui, who was reviewing documents at her desk. "Soon, the Hidden Cloud will send a delegation to Konoha to formally express its submission."
Samui looked up, unsurprised. "Of course. What would you like me to prepare?"
"Just ensure they arrive within the month."
---
Two months passed.
Konoha transformed. The Hidden Sand relocated to the north, the Hidden Stone to the south, and the Hidden Cloud to the east. Hanekawa personally used Wood Style to construct housing for thousands of displaced ninja and civilians. The village's territory tripled almost overnight.
With the arrival of the Hidden Cloud's formal delegation, the unification was nearly complete. Only Hidden Mist and Rain Village remained independent—and everyone knew it was only a matter of time.
Hanekawa stood in the Hokage's office, looking out over the expanded village. Five major villages, now unified under a single banner. The last time this had happened was under Hashirama Senju, who'd voluntarily relinquished his power.
Hanekawa had no such intentions.
His progress bar read: 80% Complete.
Hidden Mist and Rain Village were still holding out, but they were isolated now, surrounded by Konoha's influence. The Rain Village, in particular, was vulnerable. Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato wanted peace—but their definition of peace was incompatible with Hanekawa's vision of unified order.
True unification, however, was only beginning. Forcing villages together was one thing. Truly merging them into a cohesive whole was another challenge entirely.
But Hanekawa had time. He had power. And he had a system that continued to reward his ambitions.
The ninja world's age of fragmentation was ending.
A new era was beginning.
---
---
Finally, the second book is live—many of you asked for it, and it's here.
Naruto: Don't Count Me In
Do check it out, you'll definitely enjoy it.
I've learned a lot from the first book—improving translations, fixing errors, and reducing inconsistencies to make this one much better overall. That said, I'm still growing, so if you notice minor mistakes, just let them pass and enjoy the story.
Most importantly, don't stay silent—comment on the moments you like. I'd love to know how it felt for you.