Time flew by.
In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed since Akira Ren and Karin, the senior brother and junior sister, had returned to the Land of Hot Springs and reunited with Tsunade and Shizune.
The long-awaited Summer Festival in the Land of Hot Springs had finally arrived.
Bang... Bang...
Brilliant fireworks exploded one after another across the night sky.
They illuminated the darkness with dazzling colors, creating a breathtaking spectacle.
"Waaah!"
Dressed in a white kimono embroidered with swirling patterns and wearing flat wooden sandals, Karin skipped out of the hotel while happily munching on a candied hawthorn skewer.
She was overflowing with excitement, radiating youthful energy and charm.
Looking up at the endless stream of fireworks blooming overhead, her eyes sparkled.
"So beautiful!"
"Lady Tsunade, Sister Shizune... Akira Ren, hurry up!"
She eagerly urged the others, who were still inside the hotel.
The streets were already packed with people.
Many wore colorful kimonos, while others sported festive demon masks.
Parents strolled along with their children, who carried all kinds of lanterns.
The entire town was alive with celebration.
"What's the hurry?"
Akira Ren curled his lips.
He wasn't wearing a kimono or a haori.
Instead, he wore a white long coat embroidered with the Mangekyo pattern that had become his personal emblem.
The outfit made him look refined, elegant, and exceptionally handsome.
Even Karin stared blankly for a moment.
Young women throughout the street couldn't take their eyes off him.
Many shamelessly threw flirtatious glances his way, looking as though they wanted to pounce on him.
"You're practically drooling."
Seeing Karin completely mesmerized, Akira Ren unceremoniously flicked her forehead.
"Ow... Damn you, Akira Ren!"
Karin covered her reddened forehead with teary eyes and glared at him.
"My mouth wasn't watering because of you! It's because the candied hawthorn is so sweet!"
"Sister Shizune, come out already!"
After being repeatedly called, Shizune finally stepped out of the hotel.
She wore a vibrant red kimono, her cheeks slightly flushed as she shyly walked outside.
Although it was called a kimono, it differed greatly from the traditional style.
Since it had been designed by Akira Ren, aside from the decorative butterfly-shaped obi at the back, the hem barely covered her hips and was paired with black shorts.
Her fair, slender legs, wrapped in white stockings above red wooden sandals, immediately drew countless admiring gazes.
She looked youthful, energetic, and incredibly charming.
"It really suits you, Sister Shizune."
Akira Ren smiled.
His eyes briefly swept over her figure, which had gradually developed into an elegant S-shaped silhouette thanks to his persistent efforts over the past several days.
He looked thoroughly satisfied.
"It's all thanks to you, Akira Ren."
Shizune blushed as she gave a shy little spin.
During the past few days, Akira Ren had insisted she wear the bold outfits he bought whenever they went out, allowing her to finally abandon her plain, overly conservative style.
Although this was her first time wearing such a bright crimson kimono at a lively festival, making her feel somewhat embarrassed...
She was far happier than she was shy.
She had already admired herself countless times in the mirror back in her room.
She truly loved this outfit.
More importantly...
Just as Akira Ren had predicted...
Her figure had developed significantly.
It was completely different from before.
She had already reached nearly a C-cup.
"It's really lively tonight... Let's go."
Tsunade emerged with a smile.
She wore a green kimono embroidered with white chrysanthemums, while her golden hair was elegantly tied behind her.
Although her outfit wasn't as eye-catching as Shizune's vivid red kimono, it attracted just as much attention.
Even the loose fabric couldn't conceal her magnificent figure.
She looked elegant, dignified, noble, and breathtakingly beautiful.
Many passing tourists froze in place, staring absentmindedly.
One after another, they were dragged away by their dark-faced wives or girlfriends, ears painfully twisted as they reluctantly departed.
Meanwhile, some men noticed their own female companions staring dreamily at the handsome Akira Ren.
Their faces immediately darkened with jealousy, and more than one couple began arguing right there in the street.
The lively festival became even livelier.
"Hehe..."
As the culprits behind all the commotion, Akira Ren and Tsunade exchanged amused glances and laughed together.
Looking at the colorful kimonos worn by the young women throughout the festival, Tsunade folded her arms and smiled.
"If Jiraiya were here, he'd definitely regret leaving so early."
"Lady Tsunade, hurry!"
"I heard there's an acrobatic performance over there!"
Karin could no longer contain herself.
She grabbed Shizune by the hand and ran ahead.
Akira Ren and Tsunade smiled helplessly before following after them.
"Hm?"
Tsunade's brows suddenly furrowed.
After consuming the Devil Fruit that Akira Ren had cultivated using the First Hokage's cells, she had not only awakened Wood Release but also gained remarkably powerful sensory abilities.
She immediately noticed numerous chakra signatures scattered throughout Hot Springs Town tonight.
Several of them were unusually powerful.
One, in particular, possessed an ominous and oppressive chakra that made her instinctively frown.
"They're probably just shinobi drawn here by the festival."
Akira Ren noticed her reaction.
He instantly understood what she had sensed.
Shrugging casually, he smiled.
"There's no need to pay them any attention."
"True."
Tsunade nodded with a faint smile.
Aside from Uchiha Madara—whose survival remained uncertain—there was hardly anyone in the current ninja world capable of threatening the four of them.
Not even the mysterious Akatsuki organization that Jiraiya had warned them about before leaving, whose apparent objective was gathering the Tailed Beasts.
Over the past several days, Akira Ren had repeatedly used the Spiritualization Technique to guide her personally.
She had completely adapted to Wood Release and mastered numerous Wood Release techniques.
He had also sparred with her countless times inside the Tsukuyomi world, allowing her to become highly proficient with her new abilities.
It could be said that she had gone directly from being the weakest combatant among the Three Sannin to the strongest.
As Akira Ren had confidently told her, with the power of Wood Release, she could now suppress even a rampaging Tailed Beast.
Looking ahead at Karin happily bouncing through the crowd while Shizune gradually relaxed and smiled as she was swept up in the festive atmosphere, Tsunade folded her arms.
"That enormous chakra signature... It belongs to a Jinchuriki, doesn't it?"
She hadn't expected to encounter a Jinchuriki in the Land of Hot Springs.
Normally, as the strategic military asset of a hidden village, a Jinchuriki would rarely be allowed to leave.
Swish...
A flash of crimson light appeared in Akira Ren's eyes.
His gaze locked onto a figure weaving through the crowd.
The person wore a loose blue haori and a demon mask.
"He looks familiar..."
A moment later, the crimson light faded from his eyes.
Akira Ren casually pulled out his black market bounty handbook and flipped through several pages before stopping.
Smiling, he showed the page to Tsunade.
"Here."
Tsunade's pupils contracted.
"S-rank rogue ninja from the Hidden Mist... the Six-Tails Jinchuriki, Utakata."
...
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