NSFW Good Luck Smiles On The Daring Waifu Catalog SI

by ThrowAway675

Not mine, report if you have nothing better to do support og author on Questionable Questing Xavier843766

4. Chapter 4

[Pain [Nagato Uzumaki]. Signed and Sealed Capture. +60.

Konan. God's Angel. Signed and Sealed Capture. +30.

Yahiko. Signed and Sealed Capture. +12.

Jiraiya. The Toad Sage. Signed and Sealed Capture. +45.

Itsuki Uchiha. Signed and Sealed Capture. +30.

225 Credits Remaining.]

Alex Mercer's Hive Mind was a surprisingly efficient thing to behold, being as it took on many aspects of the Social Club. Less a collection of minds, than it was a collection of memories, experiences, and emotions. I hadn't taken into account that One For All greatly amplifies and expands the powers of each Quirk as it was passed on, and that included Blacklight, which it sort of saw as a Quirk due to it's unique nature.

Blacklight was more akin to the Agents from the Matrix now, a subtle but powerful pseudo-mind that could dictate orders, follow missives, and could create copies of itself even out of nothing but chakra so long as a person in my retinue was within the area thanks to having both Kurama and Isobu into the Hive Mind. While each copy of Blacklight was still directed by me, as I am Blacklight, the virus was truly something more akin to a reality warping entity.

I could now appear in any of my retinue members, switching their consciousness and their body with my own, at any time. Simply by willing it so, I could create a copy of myself next to them simply by their bodies emitting viral particles into the air as I could take those tiny pieces and use chakra to create a new body for the other me. A new form of Shadow Clone, a True Clone, a living flesh and blood copy that didn't weaken itself by splitting myself in two like Mu did in the Fourth Shinobi War.

That had been just one of the changes I had inadvertently made during that process. The synergies between Accelerator and Gojo had always been there, but both were limited by the neurological process of a single human brain. No matter how intelligent, no matter how powerful that processing speed, all of it was dictated by a single brain, a single mind. A weakness that could be exploited.

A weakness no longer. Though the abilities of Accelerator and Gojo had been locked away from the other retinue members for their own, and others, safety, I was still able to piggyback off of the processing power of my entire retinue whose minds had been altered and expanded to equal my own. A brain that had the processing speed of Accelerator.

42 Minds of Accelerator all working in one Network. The Accelerator Network.

I was no longer a Tier 7. I wasn't even a Tier 8.

I was a Tier 9. A Tier 9 is, at base, Planet-level. This is generally the point where the capital-G Gods are at. This was without obtaining the Rinnegan, nor bringing Kaguya into my retinue. With both, I could place myself easily on Tier 10, being that Tier 10's are fully capable of manipulating, influencing, and altering things on a planet scale with ease, and with abilities generally considered impossible to do.

That didn't mean I was infallible. I was sure to remind myself that there are beings out there that make Tier 10's look like Tier 1's. The idea of being this powerful is a nice form of insurance in a world like Naruto, but this would be of little help in a world like WH-40K where I was certain the Chaos Gods were easily Tier Y's. I am not invulnerable, I am not unkillable.

The thing that kills Contractors is arrogance and overconfidence. Do not fall into that trap.

Still, I couldn't help but smile. I was thankful my idea paid off. I did not trust the Company when it came to Heritages. If the deals seem too good to be true, it probably is.

Dragon Heritage makes you powerful, but you will spend a lot of time guarding your harem, I mean, your hoard, as you struggle to raise them to your Tier.

Transhumanism is great for expanding one's skillset or power on a biological, cybernetic, or spiritual level, and can ease the elevating of your retinue, but there's the rub. You can only choose one unless you want to start spending IMG Tickets. It also leaves you vulnerable in the beginning, as well as toward the end if an enemy can figure out your Transhumanism specialty and counter it.

Outsider is another way to make you something outside of reality and still fully capable of interacting with the world, but your very nature draws suspicion and concern, and good luck dealing with being a very small fish in a big ocean if you end up in a place where the spiritual takes an Eldritch twist, because the Chaos Gods would happily chew on the Outsider as a snack.

Every Heritage has drawbacks, every Heritage limits you in some way, because the price paid for an easy ladder for power is that you are stuck if the ladder is burned under you, and you have no way to get off.

So I chose something different. To form my own Heritage, without relying on a Heritage. Blacklight is quite similar to Transhumanism and the Primal Shroud. Signed and Sealed can allow one to bind even one's soul to the binder with the right worded Contract, and Hypnos+Social Club allows a fiat-backed private realm that transcends even the astral plane, and allows a connection from me to them regardless of if they live or die. With All For One and One For All, passing along one's biological abilities without killing and consuming the individual becomes not only feasible, but preferable, as One For All amplifies the 'Quirks' of those it has carried over time, while All For One can give an instinctive understanding on how those Quirks work, as well as regulates them to ensure they don't kill the hosts of One For All.

With the bijuu, I can even connect this beyond a biological level, as Blacklight is no longer merely a physical virus, but a mental and spiritual one as well.

[Template Stacking I: [Dragon [Worm]] for Shikamaru Nara. -160.

65 Credits Remaining.]

And now a cybernetic virus as well.

The processing speeds of Dragon was a joke in comparison to Accelerator and Gojo, but her aptitude as a Tinker was nothing to scoff at. At a Tier 4, the power is untrained, and barely viable for use, but already it was being put to use as by technically speaking the Blacklight virus would be considered an invention by a Tinker, considering Alex Mercer had created the Blacklight out of Redlight.

Another session of utilizing Tsukuyomi alongside the Social Club and everything else would go a long way to not only mastering the Dragon Template, but also adding in the Rinnegan as well as the Paper based Jutsu Konan was capable of using. In conjunction with the Ink Style utilized by Sai, it would be a nightmare to face in battle. Paper created Paths, alongside the ability of creating neural duplicates of oneself using the Dragon Template and a Shadow Clone as a base.

My smile widened.

Truly, one must be frightened when a Nara is motivated.

The Third Hokage puffed his pipe, a large grin on his face.

By law, the Hokage could not interfere with civilian business affairs unless it had to do with one of his shinobi, in order to encourage the masses to move to Konoha back when it was founded.

You fucked up, Ms. Otogawa, and Mr. Kobayashi. Messing with Naruko's apartment while she was a civilian is one thing, but as a shinobi? Now you've made it my business.

Mr. Kobayashi had nothing to do with Naruko's apartment, per say, but he did have control over Naruko's bank account that she had been lawfully given as a shinobi of Konoha. Internal red flags popped up when the Hokage sent Teuchi to investigate the books on the backend, and Naruko's bank account was smaller than it should have been.

Despite the missions and a lot of the backpay that the Third Hokage graciously transferred from the civilians years ago that had failed to turn up to Konoha's courts to answer for the crimes against Naruko Uzumaki, it was a third of the size it should have been. And several orphans and Jonin accounts showed similar errors.

Someone was skimming money from my shinobi.

Naturally, his ever so dutiful shinobi had already taken things to task. Again, legally, the Hokage could do nothing other than hand a notice to the Daimyo in the capital of the Land of Fire if he had to deal with civilians, but, as always, his shinobi were far more, shall we say, practical on these matters.

Mr. Kobayashi had tragically fallen ill several days ago and left a last will and testament to transfer all of his assets and funds to Naruko Uzumaki. How generous of him.

So, Naruko got all of her money back, and now technically owns a bank. Of course, this would technically be illegal, as shinobi had to have all income not related to their jobs as shinobi documented separately to ensure the Hokage couldn't just reach in and take it, but Naruko Uzumaki wasn't the owner of the bank, as the bank was now under the Nara Trust, who would hold onto it until Naruko reached her majority. Privately, the Third Hokage suspected Naruko would happily marry Shikamaru and let the Nara keep the bank, but that wasn't his decision to make.

And, if, for some reason, the Nara Clan started using the bank to invest into a lot of the civilian sectors of the economy, well, the Third Hokage couldn't do anything about it. Clans had their own separate laws and regulations entirely, so it wasn't like the Third could do anything if the Hyuga complained, not unless they wanted to open up a generational case on familial slavery.

The Third Hokage smiled.

I should really give Shikamaru a bonus on his last mission. Turns out he might have killed a little known S-rank missing ninja in that minor village after all.

"May we talk, Shikamaru Nara?"

The sound of an old man's voice startled me from my musings, since I was in the middle of eating ramen with Naruko at home, that I made of course.

I blinked as I found myself staring at an older man with a beard and two Rinnegan staring at me, a slight smile on his lips.

"Or perhaps I should refer to you by your more spiritual self, Meraki?" Hagoromo Otsutsuki spoke once more with amusement.

"Meraki is fine. So, what brings the famous, or infamous in some matters, Sage of Six Paths to little old me?" I asked dryly.

The old man snorted. "You did. The gathering of Asura and Indra's chakra into your... rather unique skillset caused a bleed effect. You would have gained my eyes at the end of your life, but you skipped the process by obtaining and disseminating my eyes throughout you and yours."

I nodded. "So, are you asking to join my little gang?" I asked carefully.

To my surprise, the old man leaned his head back and laughed for several moments.

"I'm sorry, it's just been so long since I've met anyone who actually offered me anything. Most of the time, the people I connected in this manner tend to ask for power or to have me return to the living to guide others to peace." The old man finally said, wiping tears from his face, a grin on his face.

"In a way, I am here to shorten your stay in my universe. I am willing to disperse your contracts to all the rest of my children in exchange for taking my mother away from this universe." The old man clarified.

I snorted. "I was already going to do that. Your mom needs some serious therapy and some time away might do her some good."

Hagoromo nodded with satisfaction. "Good. Then, I will offer a deal on top of it. I will willingly enter into your services so long as you don't try to rule over the world as a God-King." The old man said seriously.

I paused for a moment. "Does not openly ruling as a God-King count? Cause I don't like the paperwork and I'm not sticking around longer than three to five ish years here. Might leave a permanent Clone here, but that's about it." I offered as an olive branch.

Hagoromo nodded. "I only know of the contracts because of Kurama and Isobu, so give me an edited contract with my terms and consider it done."

Chakra molded into paper, and ink appeared on the paper as I passed it to him.

The old man read the contract, nodded in satisfaction at seeing his condition right there in print, and casually used his Rinnegan to create a writing utensil to sign his name.

[Hagoromo Otsutsuki. The Sage of Six Paths. Signed and Sealed Capture. +140.

Shukaku. The Ichibi. Signed and Sealed Capture. +60.

Matatabi. The Nibi. Signed and Sealed Capture. +60.

Son Goku. The Yonbi. Signed and Sealed Capture. +60.

Kokuo. The Gobi. Signed and Sealed Capture. +60.

Saiken. The Rokubi. Signed and Sealed Capture. +60.

Chomei. The Nanabi. Signed and Sealed Capture. +60.

Gyuki. The Hachibi. Signed and Sealed Capture. +60.

Fuu. Jinchuriki of the Nanabi. Signed and Sealed Capture. +30.

715 Credits Remaining.]

"Was this another test?" I asked dryly.

Hagoromo laughed. "Of a sorts. My children have been abused by mankind for too long, so they are a distrustful sort at the best of times. Getting a contract from me is far easier for them to accept than from a human, even if its a human that intends to see them free to be left alone by the world."

I shrugged. "Well, yeah. I'm not one to try and use them for power. Too much work, and it's such a drag. The shinobi will be obsolete in a couple generations anyway."

Hagoromo nodded, his Rinnegan eyes glinting with amusement. "Yes, and it's certainly not to protect my children's descendants from being mistreated and used by the cold ignorant world around them?" The old man's amusement was palpable.

"No, not at all. That's just a happy coincidence." I said cheerfully.

"Hmph. You'll find that each Rinnegan naturally awakened obtains an ability unique to each user. For yours, the ability is oddly fitting."

Ikigai. The ability to infuse my chakra into reality and mold it into whatever I desired or needed. Basically, a version of Creation of All Things, except my version were also extensions of myself that I could alter or recall to myself to return to energy as needed.

"Ikigai. That which gives your life worth or meaning. I suppose you truly reached enlightenment, Meraki, given that the Rinnegan's unique ability shows your true self." Hagoromo mused.

I nodded. "Thank you, Hagoromo. Now if there isn't any other reality altering discussions, I'd like to get back to my ramen."

Hagoromo nodded in return, smiling gently. "I've made a lot of mistakes in my very long life, Meraki. I'm glad to say that meeting you was not one of them."

I blinked and I was again back at home, eating ramen as Naruko looked at me eagerly for another bowl.

"Wait until everyone has eaten their first bowl, Naruko." I said dryly, and dad laughed as Naruko pouted at me for making her wait.

Now all that's left is the Gedo Statue. Right before I use Body Tune-Up, I'll feed the Black Zetsu to Wendy, and then that'll be that, aside from whatever else I want to do in this universe. I know Naruto had a lot of movies and filler, but I don't remember any of them. Definitely sticking around until the Chunin Exams, if only cause I can at least smack down the Raikage and Orochimaru.

To think it's only been a couple months. Time flies when having fun, or at the very least amassing a shit load of credits.

I relented as I grabbed Naruko's bowl to grab her more, hiding a smile as she cheered me on for changing my mind. Mom shook her head at me.

"What are you going to do if you have a daughter, Shikamaru?" She teased. Naruko's face turned red as she paused in her cheering.

"Spoil her rotten and leave the reprimanding bit to Naruko." I commented dryly as I handed Naruko her second bowl.

Naruko's face drained of blood at the idea of having to deal with a younger version of herself.

Dad snorted, hiding his laughter behind a cough as he wheezed.

Mom nodded slowly. "Yes, that seems fair. As long as you back her up on her punishments like a good husband." She glared pointedly at dad, who continued to wheeze as Naruko looked at me with the most helpless expression on her face.

I shrugged. "Hey, I can't help you. My daughter would have me wrapped around her finger from day one, no genjutsu needed."

Naruko turned to mom, who snorted.

"Grandparent privileges, sweetie. We're spoiling our grandchildren rotten."

Naruko moaned in defeat as she went back to eating her ramen. Then sighed as she looked up, her eyes bright with determination.

"I'll be the best mom ever. Beli-." I cut her off with a swift kiss, her face flushing as I stopped her from talking before pulling away.

"No. The words "believe it" and "dattebayo" are banned from your mouth." I said flatly.

Naruko's face turned red as she went back to eating her ramen silently, mumbling about how she totally wasn't going to say that.

Dad stared at me, stared at Naruko, and then looked at mom.

"Next time you start yelling at me about a chore I haven't done, I'm kissing you senseless." He swore.

Mom growled, her eyes narrowed as she bit her lip for a moment.

"Words are cheap, darling. Prove it." She purred.

"Get a room." I said dryly.

To my surprise, dad didn't even blink as he seemed to pick mom up onto his shoulders and walked away from the table, mom's giggles the whole way through making me sigh as I turned to Naruko, whose face was red as she continued to eat her ramen, refusing to look me in the eye.

"Not until Chunin. I promised gramps. Not until Chunin." Naruko muttered repeatedly, her face dark red as she continued to refuse to look at me.

I'm pretty sure the Template Stacking I is a money sink...

[Template Stacking I: The Butcher XIV [Worm]] for Shikamaru Nara. -320.

Template Stacking I: Mama Mathers [Worm]] for Torune Aburame. -20.

Template Stacking I: Elizabeth [Bioshock Infinite]] for Torune Aburame. -40.

335 Credits Remaining.]

I just can't help myself in completing the set.

Casting Tsukuyomi in the Social Club between me and Torune allowed us to fully master our perspective Templates, particularly as the Butcher's drawbacks of having voices in their heads from previous Butchers were now no longer in play, and after a full century of taking our Templates to their natural conclusion, I killed Torune Aburame, shredding his body and mind, consuming him entirely.

And just like that, I possess Mama Mather's powers and Elizabeth's.

Mama Mathers as a person absolutely didn't interest me, but her power? Oh, her power absolutely interested me.

Mama Mathers' power is this: the more you perceive her, the more she perceives you, and can manipulate the senses that were used to perceive her in the first place. Thinkers, people with powers based on super-senses like super-analysis, creating two timelines and choosing the one you want to be in while retaining the information of the other one, and so on, would be especially susceptible, as she could then manipulate those same super-senses to her advantage. It is a point to be made that the boogeyman of Worm, Contessa, would often use her Paths to exclude Mama Mathers deliberately from her calculations simply because she was that annoying of a power to deal with.

That completes the set. Bio, cybernetic, code, spiritual, mental, and now memetic virus.

Elizabeth's powers was the ability to create, open, and close tears in space-time, specifically into alternate realities. While this was the local alternate reality, in truth there is only so many variations of local realities in a given time since they are all based off of the same basic universe cluster. Still, this was useful to me because there are some individuals that I'd like to grab.

Leaving a True Clone to cover for me, and I brought back Torune Aburame who looked disoriented at the sensation of no longer having a body for a brief moment, I used a mixture of Obito's own Kamui and Elizabeth's power to create a tear, stepping through it while closing it behind me.

Social Club proved it's immediate value as while my connection to my Hive Mind was immediately shut off, Social Club still allowed me access to the minds back home.

With ease, I used Kamui to appear behind Menma Uzumaki, who floated in the air above Konoha. Before the individual could unleash his technique on the village below, I used the Adamantine Chakra Chains to cut off Menma's chakra, and dragged him, them?, did Naruko's gender alteration apply to other worlds?, into Kamui.

They struggled, but it truly didn't matter when I simply reached out and touched them. She, ah so Naruko's gender alteration did in fact cross local universe clusters, good to know, immediately stopped struggling as I forced a vial of my blood down her throat, after tossing aside the mask she used to hide herself.

Menma's long black hair reminded me too much of Sayuri's, but those eyes that were filled with hate only made me pity her. A Naruko who had had enough of Konoha, but still being molded by others. A shame.

Her hate filled eyes clenched in pain as the power of Blacklight did it's work, with my amusement growing as she found herself being bombarded by my memories, thoughts, and emotions. Through Blacklight, she was tied to me, and through me, came the Social Club and the connection to Mama Mather's powers. There was no escaping this form of connection, and Menma's body contorted in agony as I bombarded her with all the noise that I had long since learned let my other fragmentary self filter out from each mind thanks to All For One.

"Stop! Stop!" She begged, and I relented, a piece of paper held out to her. She whimpered as she signed it, sighing with relief as the cacophony of noise was gone.

[Menma. Alternate 'Dark' Naruko. Signed and Sealed Capture. +60.]

"Still want to destroy Konoha?" I asked curiously.

Menma's eyes snapped open, her eyes red as she growled at me. "Yes, why, going to tell me to forgive them?" She sarcastically fired at me, her eyes narrowed.

"No. Konoha is all yours. I have a different goal of mine to deal with. Just try to not get brainwashed again."

Because why settle for one universe of Captures when I can have two?

My smile darkened as I kicked Menma out of Kamui, who looked flushed at being caught with her pants down, metaphorically speaking, was replaced instead by Obito Uchiha's masked form appearing right where Naruko used to be.

"Who are you? To be able to use Kamui, and influence the Kyuubi Jinchuriki so easily is no small feat." Obito commented darkly.

"I'm your long lost dad, Obito Uchiha. I finally came back home with the milk, and an ass-kicking you deserve." I mocked him, my grin widening.

Obito's exposed Sharingan narrowed as he snarled, but he coughed, and kept on coughing, stumbling to his knees as he continued to cough and gasp for air.

"I'm afraid it's too late, Obito. You're already infected. It's alright. It'll be over soon." I mockingly comforted him.

"What, is this?" Obito gasped weakly. "What did you infect me with?" He demanded weakly as he continued to cough violently, his hands shaking.

"You're infected with Blacklight. I am Blacklight. And together, you and I will bring a utopia of understanding to this rotten Shinobi world." My voice echoed as Obito's vocal chords moved by my command.

Oh yeah, it's all coming together.

Sucks when you don't have Possession Defense II, eh? So many ways to have someone just take over your body like a meat-suit.

[Obito Uchiha. Signed and Sealed Capture. +0. Captured Copy.]

My eyes twitched, and I sighed as I just killed Obito Uchiha, completely consuming him and destroying his thoughts and memories to ensure it was a final death.

Damn, the Company thought ahead.

Ah well, can't win them all. I shrugged.

Appearing back where I'd been before, was in the air looking down at a crater.

I whistled. "Very nice." I commented as Menma floated next to me, her black hair exposed to the winds, as she frowned.

"I feel... empty. All these years planning for revenge, and I just feel nothing now. Why?" She looked at me, confusion and hurt on her face.

"Because in the end, revenge for yourself isn't all that satisfying. Revenge on behalf of others? Totally different story." I said quietly. "Now, how about we get you a clean slate and a new life? It's not much better than the one you had here, but it's a work in progress." I shrugged.

Menma's face flushed. "I, would like that. Are you single?" She asked me bluntly, her face turning red as she blushed, her red eyes refusing to look at me. I snorted.

"No, is that going to stop you?" I said with amusement.

"No." She said bluntly. "As long as you're not fucking my mom."

I tilted my head. "An alternate version of you?" I questioned back.

Menma's face stayed red as she licked her lips. "That's actually kinda hot." She admitted.

I laughed. "Well then, let's go introduce you to your long-lost sister. I'm sure you'll have a lot to catch up on."

"As long as she knows that udon is superior to ramen." She commented. I snorted. Oh yeah, this'll be fun.

Exiting from the tear, the sensation of the Hive Mind re-establishing connection was a surreal one. Like going from a nearly quiet apartment to an auditorium filled with people.

I smiled. For such a short trip, it was nice to be back.

Menma stumbled, finding herself in Root headquarters, her red eyes gazing around the room warily.

Trying to hide your discomfort will only make it more obvious to those under my oaths and contracts, Menma. My voice echoed in her head as she stiffened.

How are you doing that? Kurama should be eagerly devouring anyone trying to mess with my mind? Menma's thoughts echoed back to me as I smiled, looking relaxed. It was good to be home.

I am a special case, even in your world. You could even say I'm rather unique. You'll find out soon enough. As it is, the cover story for your existence is simple: I was dabbling with Space-Time Jutsu and successfully was able to bring someone from another reality. I'm here to observe you to ensure your body/soul/mind/being doesn't start collapsing by the universe trying to assert itself over you.

Menma's face paled. It's not actually going to do that, will it?

I snorted. No. My powers are far greater than a single universe would be able to so easily negate. You'll be fine, but you'll find many people are quite different from your original reality, and many enemies may be allies to you here. Give everyone a chance unless they seem open or subtly hostile. Remember, this is a clean slate. This isn't your Konoha.

Menma slowly nodded, her red eyes narrowed as she bit her lip nervously. I'll try.

I nodded, humming to myself as I easily traversed the maze of Root back to the surface of Konoha. That's all I ask. Oh, and you'll find Naruko isn't identical to you in this world.

Oh thank Kami. The whole twinning thing is hot in bed, but it'd be annoying as hell if you kept mistaking me for Naruko and vice versa all the time, you know?

I smirked. Someone has her mother's verbal tic. Better than 'believe it' or 'dattebayo', at any rate.

So, how's Naruko in bed? Has she used the Shadow Harem Jutsu? Menma asked curiously in our connection.

I laughed. No. We've yet to sleep together. The Third Hokage had Naruko promise him that she wouldn't sleep with anyone until she was a Chunin.

To help ease her transfer into this new world, I dove through Social Club and gave her the memories and thoughts of Naruko as well as myself during my time here.

Oh. Wow. That's a lot to take in. Yeah, this Konoha is very different from the one I came from. Still shitty, but for some reason Naruko stuck around when I... didn't.

Menma's voice was much quieter at the end, as she looked ashamed.

I hugged her, giving her a kiss on her forehead as she turned red, her red eyes widening as she gaped at me.

Naruko and you are different people, and I would've never blamed Naruko or you from leaving Konoha, or turning it into a crater. I certainly wouldn't have judged either of you because your lives have been hell. I'm just thankful that I was able to save Naruko from her eventual fate of burying her true self just because she wanted desperately to be accepted, and to save you from your eventual fate of resigning yourself to doing the same.

While at the end of Road to Ninja, Menma had regained Naruko's blonde locks, it didn't mean she'd have been absolved of her crimes, and it wouldn't stop Konoha from browbeating her to death over her 'guilt' of fleeing a village that had never treated her kindly in the first place. Menma and Naruko would end up as mirrors of where they ended up, with Menma likely becoming another ninja to be thrown in Konoha's selfish interests just because they could take advantage of her guilt for having deserted when they never deserved her in the first place, and Naruko becoming Hokage of a village that would likely never really appreciate her in the end anyway.

Such shitty ways to live. Not on my watch!

Menma's red face was steaming as she eventually kissed me on the lips, a chaste kiss that she quickly broke off. "Sorry." She mumbled.

I don't know what I'm doing. I've never kissed anyone before. I feel so stupid and out of my depths. I can fight Kages, but I can't kiss a boy without feeling weird about it! Gah!

I smiled, lifting her chin so she looked at me as I gave her chaste kiss back, a brief peck on the lips as I winked at her. We go at your pace, Menma. Whatever makes you feel comfortable and happy. I have all the time in the multiverse.

I released her chin as she nodded, not even looking at me as I turned to finally lead her to the surface, as we had stopped midway during Menma's slight panic and shame.

Kami, I can see why sis loves him. I fucking love him, and I just met the damn bastard. Stupid, sexy, Shikamaru Nara.

I had to swallow a laugh at the fact that Menma had inadvertently copied Naruko from way earlier.

Exiting the nondescript alley, we ended up at the edges of the village, with Menma blinking as her red eyes adjusted quickly to the afternoon sun, a brief smile on her lips as the other villagers in the area seemed to not gaze at her in silent disgust or hatred like her old home.

They seemed to pale slightly at her red eyes, but they didn't look ready to throw shit at her either! Progress!

"So, I know you think udon is better than ramen. And Naruko thinks ramen is better than udon."

Menma looked horrified, her red eyes widening in betrayal as she immediately looked ready to argue on the greatness of udon, but I cut her off.

"I bet that my food can test better than your udon." I finished with a challenging grin.

Menma's eyes narrowed. "Blasphemy." She spat. "What's the bet?" She rose to the challenge, raising an eyebrow at me.

My grin widened. "If my food is better than udon, you need to register as a mercenary shinobi for hire under me directly, Shikamaru Nara, as an unlimited permanent position with the payroll at my discretion." My grin widened as Menma's face flushed red.

See, Missing Shinobi from other villages could be killed and turned in for their bounties, but sometimes, a village can turn a missing ninja into a Mercenary Ninja, a ninja for hire. It usually depends on if the village is willing to deal with the political backlash of the other country taking offense, among other factors, but it would usually be offered to a missing ninja willing to help a shinobi on a mission in the area in exchange for safety and more permanent lodging. It's what Orochimaru had likely done to jump start the creation of his Sound village.

By saying that Menma was going to be a mercenary ninja under me, was another way of saying I was claiming her as mine, that not even Konoha would be able to hire her or turn her into a Konoha ninja, since she was under my payroll, and under my jurisdiction.

It wasn't the first time that Konoha shinobi had done this, nor would it be the last. After all, it was a sort of middle ground on how Clans eased their way into trusting the village, by sending a couple of their own to be mercenary ninja for specific trustworthy Konoha ninja to be vetted on if they'd actually follow their word on caring for the village and not selfishly trying to put one Clan above the rest.

To put it in another way, Mito Uzumaki was a Mercenary Ninja from the Uzumaki Clan to Hashirama Senju on a mission to strengthen Konoha borders as well as vet Konoha itself to ensure there wasn't any fuckery going on. Well, Clan Fuckery: Mito and Hashirama became lovers during that mission, and the rest was history. Literally.

"And if I say my udon is better than your food? What do I get?" Menma said quietly, her face still flushed red.

I leaned in, whispering into her ear as her face turned an even deeper red. "If you can honestly say your udon is better, you can have 72 hours where you can tell me to do whatever you want."

Menma's eyes glazed over as she breathed. "Deal."

I leaned back, chuckling.

Ooh, dirty Uzumaki, I noted as I read her thoughts as she stood there, drooling slightly, but I prefer being the one using the chains and whips, not the other way around. Think you can handle a bit of pain with your pleasure?

Menma whimpered as she clenched her legs together, her deeply red face still betraying her as she scowled at me, her eyes narrowed.

Stop reading my mind, it's private!

I raised an eyebrow. Hypnosis fetish too huh? Someone really just wants to let her hair down and let someone else take control, I can dig it. I laughed slightly as Menma looked away from me.

"Shut up, and make your food already, stupid, sexy, too-smart bastard." She grumbled silently as she refused to look me in the eye as she walked ahead.

"Menma, wrong way. My house is that way." I pointed in the opposite direction from where she'd been walking.

She turned around and ignored my chuckles as she walked past me.

'The boundaries of Life and Death do not apply to me.'

A virus is not a living thing. It exists as a machine, a biological machine designed to hijack a much larger biological machine in order to create more of itself.

It does not think. It does not hate. It does not love. It simply... is. A true biological machine that wavers between the lines of a protein and a living construct such as a cell.

However, a question must be asked: Are you alive? Are you truly a living thing?

We say we are because we can self associate. We have the ability to think in complex logical patterns. We assume ourselves alive because 'I think, therefore I am'.

A lot of people view their flesh as a weakness. Bodies wither, fall apart, their biological processes slowly decay and fracture, and death is an inevitable part of living.

Some turn to religion as an answer, seeking the idea of the spirit above the flesh, that who we are is separate from the flesh we are born in.

Some turn to philosophy, seeking to live their lives by principles that would see them feel fulfilled at the passing of their flesh.

Others still believe in transcendence, believing that it would be possible to transfer our consciousness from a body made of flesh to one made of metal, or perhaps code.

I had none of these things, for I had believed that what happened after my life expired, would be of no importance to the 'me' after I died. All I cared about was living my life as I saw fit. No philosophy, no religion, no transcendence was possible in my time.

That had changed in this life. As Blacklight, I was now a virus that was sentient, capable of thought and focus. As Blacklight, I was a being outside the boundaries of life and death, as a virus felt no fear to death. Which in and of itself is interesting: all biological life fears the end. A virus, does not. It cannot fear, because it simply exists.

Contemplating existence is a strange way to pass the time to get to my house. I mused.

Meraki. Ikigai. Both had some serious ramifications. As Meraki, I had fully realized my sense of self that went beyond simply the Power Swap of Gojo Satoru and my various Templates. It meant that I fully embodied and understood myself in that moment.

That I did things because I enjoyed it, that I am fully a being of passionate desires and creative aspirations, above all else. Saving the universe means nothing to me, and helping others was just another means of a passionate desire to protect and nourish what I cared about.

It's incredibly, utterly, selfish. To put your own desires above the universe, above all else.

Yet I would not, could not, will not, apologize for it. I am Meraki.

Ikigai. Really, it was just another expression of Meraki. That I was all in or out on something. To such a degree that it reflected in my Rinnegan, to create anything I wanted or needed in that moment, and return it back into energy when I wished to recall it.

Where the Creation of All Things was Hagoromo's ability, the ability to truly permanently create something at the cost of some of his life force, a representation of how he truly gave himself to the world, Ikigai was a part of the world, and separate at the same time.

Because Ikigai was not permanent, and did not yield to the rules of the universe. Hagoromo's creations were bound by the universe, and the amount of life force he gave were in proportion to the amount of 'properties' he could make the universe accept.

Case in point: the Sage of Six Path's Tools were not infallible, and while quite strong, they are not invulnerable to damage. The bijuu are all semi-immortal, but not truly immortal.

They were permanent creations in that, once formed, Hagoromo could not absorb them back into himself.

Ikigai did not operate like this. Ikigai's creations were an extension of me, and as such, were under all the Defenses of the Company.

I could create a floating castle, and it would hang above the village for eternity, long after the village crumbled away, and long after the planet changed landscapes in millenia, the floating castle would remain.

Hence why Ikigai is a part of the universe, and not really. Like any creation of an artist or a writer, it exists in that moment between its formation and destruction.

It exists, up until it doesn't.

Technically this placed me at a Tier 10 automatically, because this was an impossible ability that could easily disrupt the world in an instant.

Of course, Ikigai had a trade off that Creation of All Things did not have. My creations were fundamentally a part of me. If I died a True Death, they all vanish as well. Where my Companions would be seized by the Company, all of my creations would be gone.

Much like how the true death of an artist or a writer, is to have their works destroyed or forgotten so utterly that they do not exist. I thought grimly to myself.

Menma walked ahead, guided by a subtle mental nudging from me on if she was going the right way.

Admittedly I was enjoying the view of her ass as she walked ahead. I wasn't one to oggle at others, but as Menma had shown some serious interest earlier, considering her fantasies, I had little restraint in enjoying the view.

I was an ass man. Truly, I enjoyed breasts, but I enjoyed the view and feeling of a woman moaning and gasping as I enjoyed her from behind.

When I wasn't doing a mating press on her and kissing her at the same time, of course. Seeing a woman's flushed face, her eyes almost filled with lust and animalistic pleasure, her moans and screams as she lost control under me, that just does something to me. A primal part of myself enjoys seeing her give into those same instincts.

"Only you could go from existentialism to sex at the shake of an ass." Wendy whispered into my ear mentally as she sounded amused.

I snorted. Please, like you didn't enjoy having another's attention. I mentally fired back.

"Of course. I would've been affronted if the form I crafted for you was not pleasing to your eye." Wendy whispered bluntly.

Menma's red face subtly turned to look at me, flinching as she realized I caught her glancing before looking forward again.

'I can feel him staring at my ass. I should be mad or uncomfortable, instead I feel flattered and turned on. I almost wanna...'

Menma's ass seemed to shake as she moved her hips, trying to walk seductively for a moment even as she didn't know how.

'I don't think I did it right, but I can feel his arousal spiking. Mm, Kami, he's driving me wild without doing anything. It's unfair!' She mentally whined as she gave another wiggle, letting out an audible whimper as I growled quietly.

"Dirty man. You're playing with fire with these Uzumaki. I'll leave you to your fun, but don't keep me waiting too long to finish my task." Wendy whispered hungrily as I gave a quiet grunt at the feeling of something soft touching me under my pants.

'Fuck! He's so turned on, he's making me soaked! You're ruining my underwear! Stop turning me on by being sexy and aroused, damn it!' Menma's thoughts were absolutely the opposite of her body, as her ass continued to sway with an exaggerated motion as she panted quietly.

'Now I have to meet his parents with my underwear soaked, and all I wanna do is drag him to his bed, rip his clothes off, and feel his hands pulling my hair as I choke on his cock.'

Menma shivered as I said nothing. The fact that Menma 'conveniently' forgot that her clothes were now Blacklight, and hence she could change clothes at a thought, was amusing to me.

Truly, Menma and Naruko were sisters.

'Oh, fuck! I'm meeting his parents! What the hell do I say? Shit! Did I need to bring anything?!'

Truly, the universe has a sense of humor.

Mom blinked. "Oh, hello Shika. Did you take Naruko to get..." She trailed off, her face paling slightly as Menma's red eyes gazed at her and dad nervously.

"Hello, Mrs. and Mr. Nara. I'm not Naruko. Well, I sort of am?" Her voice trailed off as I spoke up, my lazy drawl absent as I sounded confident, proud.

"I finally mastered the Space-Time Jutsu I've been working on. Meet Menma, Naruko's alternate self from another reality. I brought her here for the time being as her Konoha no longer exists. She needed a place to stay." I said nonchalantly at the end.

My parents' eyes widened and my dad's face paled so fast he looked as white as the walls.

I frowned. "She means no harm to us." I said flatly. Naruko hadn't brought this reaction, so why... were... they...

Oh.

I snorted. "She's not the Kyuubi. She's fully mastered the bijuu to a degree that her eyes stayed that way."

Mom sighed in relief, and dad eventually regained some color in his face as he nodded to Menma. "Any friend of Shikamaru is a friend of ours." He said lazily at the end, turning to me, his face relaxed, but his eyes sharp and serious.

"How powerful is that Space-Time Jutsu of yours?" He asked me seriously.

I thought back on Elizabeth. Her power was limited to the local multiverse, but it was still to a degree multiversal, and while she had truly not shown much in the games, odds are this power had to lead to ways to bring back countless copies of other people into her dimension if she'd wanted to do so.

"I'd label it closer to A-rank in combat as supplemental, but S-rank overall in utility. Where it truly shines, is the possibilities it grants." I nodded to myself. That makes sense.

"No way. You are at least SS-rank, so I'd take that with a huge grain of salt." Menma said flatly as she turned to me. "I was able to fight several Kage and the Jinchuriki simultaneously and win, and you took me down in less than a second." She sounded grudgingly admiring of that fact.

My parents stared at us. I frowned at Menma. "Yes, but you weren't thinking straight at the time. As it was, I had the lucky counter."

Dad spoke up tersely. "Explain what you mean by SS-rank, Menma. My son has a habit of being both lazy and keeping his cards to his chest."

I shrugged. "Shinobi lifestyle. Keep a few things up your sleeves."

Mom and Menma nodded simultaneously as dad looked exasperated at me.

Menma spoke up, her voice clinical. "Space-Time Jutsu that allowed him to evade my ability to sense negative emotions, able to shrug off the scythe of one of my Nine Beasts that had tried to cut off his chakra when I did notice him, and allowed him to forcefully drag me away from the battle into what I'd assume is a pocket dimension.

Overall, Shikamaru Nara indicates a mastery over Space-Time Jutsu equal to what the Second Hokage had over Water. I labeled him SS-rank because where the Fourth Hokage can be fled on sight as long as you haven't been tagged by the Flying Thunder God, Shikamaru can simply appear where and when he wishes, does as he pleases, and no one can stop him or even make him flinch."

Menma's clinical voice turned admiring and her face turned pink as she got flustered. "He's easily heads and shoulders above anyone and everyone I know." She mumbled.

Mom's eyes gained a glint as she grinned. "Sounds like you have an admirer, Shikamaru." She teased us.

Menma's face turned red as she turned to glare at me. "I still think my udon beats your food. Blasphemy to assume anything is better than Ayame's udon in Ichiraku Udon." She pouted.

I chuckled. "Then I shall be the gravest of sinners, for not only will you proclaim my food superior, you'll need to have a proper food taste testing between you and Naruko. Ramen or Udon. At Ichiraku Ramen. And if my food outbeats both of yours, I want an even greater prize of my choosing at my discretion." I cackled darkly, my eyes glinting with an unholy glee.

Menma's face paled, her red eyes widening in horror. Yet, her mouth, and likely her Tsun personality, doomed her from the beginning.

"Deal." Menma whispered, her red eyes staring at me as her face flushed crimson. Challenging me.

Mom spoke up, amused. "So all I had to do to get my son to do chores was do bets?" She looked at me, her eyes glinting.

I shrugged. "Depends on the bet, Mom. I play to win." My grin widened as I continued to stare down at Menma, whose face stayed red as she fidgeted, unwilling to look away.

"Oh? Very shinobi of you, Shikamaru. I approve." Mom nodded. "Luckily for me, your father has gotten more responsible, feeding the deer to take up your slack."

Dad nodded warily, his eyes looking away as he muttered. "Someone has to." He drawled quietly.

What did dad do to piss off Wendy? I wondered for a moment until another person entered the dining room.

"Shika, why is there a dark haired red eyed me in the house, and why do I immediately think it's your fault?" Naruko said dryly as she stared at Menma, who stared back.

"Menma, this is Naruko, this universe's Kyuubi Jinchuriki. Naruko, I finally figured out how to enter other parallel universes. Menma is another version of you I found and took in since her version of Konoha is gone. Think of her as a 'sister' if you will." I explained.

Naruko nodded, looking more interested and excited. "Oh! Awesome! You'll love it here, especially with Ichiraku Ramen still standing!"

"Udon is superior." Menma said flatly, her nose raised in superiority.

Naruko stared at Menma, and then looked at me, her face horrified. "Shika, my sister has suffered severe brain damage! Enemy genjutsu! Maybe both!"

Menma snorted. "I'm perfectly fine. I just think udon is superior to ramen. We're not identical twins you know?"

Naruko looked at her helplessly, and then looked at me for help.

I shrugged. "I already have two bets with her. I told her that I could make my food better than her udon, and that if you and her went and tasted each other's favorites, and still honestly admit that my food is better than either, I get a prize of my choosing from both of you, at my discretion." I smirked darkly.

Naruko snorted. "Udon against your food, Shika? Easy win for you." Menma's eye twitched as she glared at Naruko.

"That sounds like fighting words, bitch." She growled.

Naruko blinked, and then laughed. "Please, I heard worse from the villagers. Monster, beast, vermin, freak, 'bitch' is an upgrade. If it's a fight you want, bring it on, you red eye'd cocksucking, dirt-eating, no-soul possessing, failure of a copy of a clearly superior original."

Menma's eyes narrowed as the blast of dark red chakra explo-, cut off instantly as the void sucked out all will to live, the endless abyss between the stars seeming to engulf her and Naruko until both of them couldn't even remember their own names. Had it been a moment in this place, or an eternity? Did they exist? Was anything real? Were they real?

They blinked back into existence, with Naruko and Menma's face equally pale, shaking slightly.

"No. Fighting. Am I clear?" I said bluntly, having used the Social Club to assert my will briefly over them both to remove them from their escalation.

They both nodded, their faces flushed as they looked down. "Yes. I'm sorry Shika." They repeated quietly.

I nodded. "Good. Now, get cleaned up and wash your hands while I get dinner ready." They nodded silently and left, with Naruko quietly apologizing to Menma as she nodded back, an even quieter apology returned.

Mom and dad stared at me for a moment. Dad suddenly stood up. "I need to go feed the deer." He said abruptly, and left like a bat out of hell. Mom nodded, waited until he left, and then turned to me with a wide grin on her face.

"Oh, my baby is growing up and even managing his own harem into behaving!" She squealed, as I sighed. "Next thing you know, I'll be getting more grandchildren than I can hold in my two regular arms!"

She's going to be like this for a while. I went to go make dinner, amused as Mom continued to be, well, mom.

Yoshino pouted as her son continued to command the kitchen and everything within it like he'd been cooking all his life. She knew that her son's cooking was better than hers, but that didn't mean she didn't want to help!

Still, seeing the passion and eagerness to win in her son's eyes made her heart melt. She lived for the moments like this. A motivated Nara was a truly terrifying thing to behold, but it had been what had led to her truly leaving the Yamanaka Clan for good and permanently tying herself to the Nara Clan instead.

She sighed as she thought back to those glory days, back during the Third Shinobi War.

She had been equally annoyed by Shikaku's laziness like Ino had been with Shikamaru's, but where Ino only ever saw the laziness, Yoshino always knew there was more under the surface. She just needed the right situations to bring it out, to fully motivate her team mate into fully acting past his initial impulses of laziness. Even before she had known the truth of the Nara Clan, she knew that there had to be a reason why the Nara Clan acted as the ruler of the Great Three as they called themselves in private.

The Third Shinobi War had been going badly for Konoha. The loss of Uzushiogakure in the Second Shinobi War had led to a lack of a barrier between Konoha and the other nations, and the fact that Suna, Iwa, and Kiri were all conspiring together to bring down Konoha had been a terrifying thing to face. Three of the Great Five Villages wanted to wipe Konoha off the map, and Kumo waited with baited breath on how the wind blew, taking advantage of Kiri's focus on the Land of Rain, Spring, and Fire to launch it's own offensive to carve out a bigger piece of it's own out of some of the smaller islands that once were a part of Kiri's borders.

Food, supplies, and equipment were stretched far too thin, and Shikaku had ordered that her and Choza withdraw from the outpost, so he could work out a 'plan' to defeat the mixture of Iwa and Kiri ninja that were heading their way. Initially both her and Choza argued to stay, but Shikaku's patience, something equally as vast as his laziness, snapped as he roared at them to leave, the shadows of the outpost rippling and twisting in the air as Shikaku looked furious at them.

Choza relented immediately, as he knew that when his friend got like this, there was no reasoning with him. Choza's plan had been to wait until after Iwa and Kiri were defeated from Shikaku's plan before sweeping back in to patch up Shikaku from overextending himself. Any Nara worth his salt can regenerate his chakra out of shadows, but the cost was often a slowly dwindling sense of self, and Yoshino just knew that Shikaku was planning his final stand here to protect his friends and family. After all, as far as Shikaku knew, he was the 'spare' of the Clan's Heirs.

They didn't know until three weeks later back in Konoha that Shikaku's brother had died facing off against the Eight Tails Jinchuriki.

Choza left, heading Shikaku's directions, Yoshina, pretended to leave, doubling back around from a separate direction entirely to avoid Shikaku spotting her.

The Kiri and Iwa ninja arrived, numbered a dozen each, but it was the arrival of Suna ninja that made Yoshino's blood turn cold. While only five to the other dozens, Suna had proven absolutely lethal and sadistic with their poisons, something Yoshino knew would mean Shikaku's final stand would be for nothing as the Suna would just deploy gas poisons at range, far enough out of the way that Shikaku would be forced to flee the outpost, leaving him facing off against all three factions at once out in the open.

I must save him! Yoshino's thoughts roared through her head, even as she knew this could be it for her. The Yamanaka Clan had withheld most of their techniques from her, being as the less the other countries could interrogate out of her, the less they could defend their spies or fake Konoha ninja from being spotted by the Yamanaka Clan back home. She knew the Mind Transfer Jutsu, the Mind-Puppet Transfer, and... that was it. She knew little else, relying on her own kenjutsu, and her knack of combining the swords with her Medical Scalpel Jutsu to cleave the organs of her enemies while they believed to escape unscathed.

However, she knew she needed to do something. Anything. She immediately prioritized the Suna ninja, aiming to cut them down first. Even if she died to their poisons, it would leave the Iwa and Kiri ninja far less options to work with, as the outpost had some seals dating back to Konoha's founding that resisted water and earth based jutsu.

Yoshino readied herself, silently holding her swords together as she prepared to launch a final offensive. She didn't use her chakra to sharpen her swords edge as she knew that any sensors in the area would immediately pick up on the chakra signature.

Thankfully she was a decent enough sensor herself to bury her chakra inside her, carefully keeping it muted enough that any nearby sensor would mistake it for an animal, not a Chunin.

Then she saw her chance. The Kiri ninja were arguing with the Iwa ninja, especially as one of them with two red dots on their forehead practically breathed blood lust and a hunger for battle.

The Suna shinobi were themselves distracted by the infighting, as they stood several feet away, looking on in amusement of the two squabbling factions.

She acted immediately, using the Mind Transfer on the kiri ninja that screamed blood lust. Her target was so feral that it felt more akin to transferring into a rabid animal than a human, and she let his instincts run rampant, releasing his extremely pitiful control in favor of his urge to kill and devour.

Bone exploded out of his arms, long whips covered in dense bone with sharp edges designed to shred rather than cut, and she ignored his team telling him to hold it together.

They're holding you back. They're jealous of your might. They want you to die so they can take your glory.

The Mind Transfer Jutsu suppresses the mind of the target completely, but Yoshino had learned that it came at the heavy cost of not allowing any knowledge or instincts of the target to breath, often making it impossible to act as the target without days or even weeks of study from afar.

So she lessened the hold on the target's instincts and capabilities, at the cost of the target being more subconsciously aware. So her whispers needed to feel genuine, like they were his actual thoughts.

It worked beautifully. The man spun in place, his whips suddenly breaking apart into a lot of bone fragments, which easily shredded his own team and injured several Iwa ninja who screamed in agony.

The blood frenzy took hold, and she had no more control of his body than he did. Earth based jutsu was shrugged off by the bone armor under his skin, and Kaguya Kisame showed his true form as the Bone Devil of the Mist, his blood lust mounting as he cackled madly, horns growing out of his forehead as he shrugged off the weak wind blades of one of the Suna ninja.

A quick step, and he smiled gleefully as his fingers tore into a kiri ninjas eyes whose scream cut off as his finger bones launched themselves out of his skull, the head exploding apart in gore and brain matter.

He sidestepped the blade of a Kiri ninja, shrugging off the water blade that had followed in it's shadow, as he opened his mouth as his teeth sharpened. The kiri ninja couldn't even scream as the man bit through his neck, savoring the spray of blood, bone, and the spinal cord cracking as he swallowed it all with relish.

He spat out the dead body, growing two drills out of his arms as he noted the Suna ninja preparing to use their poison, like the weaklings they were rather than fighting with their lives on the line.

He drilled through three of them before the cloud of poison took him on and he inadvertently took in a lung full of it, as he could feel the burning slow acting poison eating at his throat and lungs.

"I... will... not... die a pitiful death!" He roared, his bones exploding as the other two Suna ninja died, aiming his bones to launch at their hidden positions, even as he grunted from the two puppets shoving blades in his exposed ribs.

The remaining Iwa and Kiri ninja looked at each other and turned to face him, making him smile ferally. "Yes. Earn the right to kill me. Earn it, and die trying!" He goaded them as he leapt into the air, the horns on his head cracking slightly as he poured chakra into it.

The Kiri ninja tried to launch multiple water bullets, as the Iwa ninja created a hole where he was going to land, spikes of hardened earth in the pit created last minute.

It didn't matter. His horn finally broke off as he roared, the lightning chakra exploding violently through the area as the kiri ninja were launched away, the water bullets no match for lightning enhanced bone fragments.

His body exploded apart as he released most of his bone armor, shredding the Iwa ninja as well as the pit with hardened spikes beneath him.

Yoshino returned to herself a second before, watching cautiously as the Kaguya bled to death in the pit, bone fragments and dead bodies everywhere. To ensure he died, she coated one of her blades in the medical scalpel jutsu, and sliced off his head in one motion.

"A... glorious... death." Kisame Kaguya whispered his final words as his eyes dimmed and glazed over one final time.

Yoshino could respect that. She left to check on Shikaku, noticing that the Kaguya must've been seriously strong if he was capable of killing an entire contingent of Iwa and Kiri along with the Suna ninja nearby.

The outpost was covered in darkness, not a single speck of light visible. Shikaku's chakra signature was barely there, and was slowly vanishing. Yoshino felt terror grip her chest as she got to the top of the outpost.

Shikaku's body was wrapped in shadows, but she could see his body was slowly melting into the floor. In a few minutes, there would be nothing left as the shadows claimed Shikaku as their own.

"Shikaku, they're dead! Release the technique!" Yoshino yelled.

There was no answer. The shadows became a little darker, and colder. Like something was watching Yoshino.

A whisper echoed in her mind.

'Shikaku is too far gone, and he will fade. He knew the price. Who are you to deny him his death rights?'

"I'll do anything, to save him. As long as it doesn't involve Konoha. What do I do?" She whispered. Shikaku had hinted that the earlier Nara Clan members had initially made a contract with something to use their jutsu. He never elaborated but she suspected this was the same entity.

'Bring the bone wielder into the outpost. Consume his heart and sacrifice the rest of him to establish our Pact. Do this, and relinquish your mind walker abilities to me, and I shall make you my Mortal Champion, as well as save Shikaku Nara from the shadow's embrace.'

As a Yamanaka, this would have been unfathomable, inconceivable. To give up your birthright in the hopes of maybe saving a comrade who could die anyway in the war regardless of one's actions today.

As Yoshino, the choice had never been easier. She'd have given her life for his in a heart beat as it was.

She rushed to grab the decapitated body of the Kaguya, bringing him into the outpost. She took out a kunai and carved open his chest with the aide of her Medical Scalpel Jutsu. The lack of ribs helped, as she tore out the heart.

She didn't even hesitate as she ate into it, suppressing the urge to vomit as she chewed through the muscle-yet-not-muscle texture as she swallowed and ate it as fast as possible.

As she swallowed the last bit of the heart, she murmured.

"I, Yoshino Yamanaka, give the body of the Kaguya along with my birthright as a Yamanaka, to save Shikaku Nara, and to ensure that Team 10 survives unscathed from this current war."

"I accept your claim. Rise and be born anew, One of Shadows and Bone, Yoshino Nara, for you are now one of my chosen, my Mortal Champion. Rise and sacrifice even more to ensure our Pact eternal."

The shadowy figure revealed itself as the Wendigo, gleefully tearing into the body of the Kaguya as it nonchalantly released the shadows hold on Shikaku, the man collapsing unconscious but very much alive.

Yoshino Nara had left Konoha a Yamanaka and had returned a Nara. Shikaku had been horrified at the price Yoshino had paid, but Yoshino had not minded.

Indeed, she gave Shikaku the credit of defending the outpost, as she used her cover as a Yamanaka to evade suspicion as she sacrificed entire platoons of Iwa and Kiri to the Wendigo. She even learned genjutsu with Mikoto Uchiha in order to learn the advanced Bringer of Darkness to merge seamlessly with her own far greater affinity with shadows.

She suppressed a cackle at remembering the fear on one of the Seven Swordsman of the Mist as the Samehada recoiled in disgust and terror, her jutsu unable to be consumed when tinged by the unnatural cold presence of the ever hungry Wendigo.

To be one with shadows is to be both a part of and separate from the world, and so she leaned heavily on her bonds with Shikaku as her moral compass, for she truly had no compassion for those she deemed a threat or of little consequence.

Still, she slipped sometimes. Righteous anger and the urge to protect her family had equal part in her desire to cleanse Konoha of those who harmed someone she saw as a daughter in all but blood, but a small part enjoyed the hunt. Enjoyed the blood covering her frame. The fear and whimpers from her prey as she enjoyed every moment of their suffering.

She took a fierce joy in her son. A part of her pushed him because she saw his heightened laziness as a result of her Pact, and she feared he'd waste away as another lingering shadow, a Nara whose potential became squandered by his nature.

She needn't have worried. His drive, his passion, his hunger, all greatly exceeded even her wildest expectations. All he needed was the right circumstances to bring it out. So much so that she knew her Patron was eyeing her son with great interest. As a mother, she should be worried about her son attracting the lustful interest of the Wendigo, but she wasn't.

After all, Shikamaru Nara was a Twice-Born. Something she had become immediately aware of thanks to her ability to See the Unseen. She became even more proud as multiple images overlapped one another, as it meant her son had truly begun to explore himself and seek enlightenment.

Now, he shone like a being on par of her Patron. His connections so great even she struggled to see them all, and his many facets working in unison to the greater benefit of the whole. It was truly exciting to see her son ascend, and slightly bittersweet as she knew her son was all grown up now, surpassing even herself and perhaps even her Patron.

She silently smiled as she saw Naruko and Menma moan quietly as they took a bite of her son's food. She loved her son, and she loved her family. Her chosen family especially seemed to struggle with their newfound feelings of love and lust.

It was to be expected, she mused. After all, her son was just the best. The best ever. No bias here. Not at all.

She giggled as Menma hung her head and admitted her son's food was better than udon.

Her son had long since surpassed her, and she knew that eventually, sooner than she'd like, he'd depart on his adventures. He was not one to be shackled. That was okay. Better he be free and happy, than chained and depressed.

She just couldn't wait for him to give her some grandchildren to take care of while he went on his adventures. No doubt he'd leave a connection or two to keep an eye on them, he loved them all too much, but she couldn't help but imagine a Nara with blonde locks and a cute face looking up at her as they asked her for cookies.

She withheld a squeal. They'd be so cute!

[Lures:

Potpourri. -20.

Alluring Whisper. -20.

Don't Stand So Close To Me. -15.

Tsundere Services. -20.

Love Spot: Eyes. -20.

Sticky Fingers: Brown Sugar. -15.

Alluring Whisper: Siren's Song. -80.

Stud Services. -10.

Fool's Gold. -10.

Red Chains of Fate. -15.

Sticky Fingers: Alter Flavor. -10.

Demiplane/Dungeon:

Pocket Apartment II. -10.

Sweet Home II. -40.

Grand Manor II. -60.

Life's A Beach. -10.

Armory. -10.

Stay In Touch. -5.

Control Center App. -10.

Remaining Credits: 37.]

I decided to go all in on my credits for the more frivolous purchases, since I know had pretty much everything cleared up as far as Defenses and powers went for the most part. Also cause I like to reward myself for a good job done.

So I pretty much bought all the Lures I could get my hands on and a chunk of the Pocket Dimension purchases I wanted. A couple Perks were left, but those would be as an extra Credit sink.

Potpourri increases my sense of smell, detecting and categorizing scents and their origin. It also gives me control over how I smell, allowing me to subtly attract others in that way. From the smell of roses to call up a sense of romance to the smell of baked cookies to relax a target, this lure gives me a method of subtle manipulation over others through their sense of smell into their emotions. This also allows me to pick up on pheromones and scent based languages, and it even allows me to tune out smells I've categorized, if I wish to block the negative scent from my own senses. It will not work on someone who has no sense of smell.

Alluring Whisper makes my voice supernaturally soothing and, well, alluring. Merely whispering into the ears of a target will turn them into metaphorical goo, making them far more pliable to my suggestions. Beings with sufficient willpower can resist or even block the lure. It does not work on those who are deaf.

Don't Stand So Close To Me works in two ways. Targets taught by me or the targets that teach me will start to fall in love with me. They'll find themselves thinking on the next interaction we might have once the lesson is over, to thinking about me all the time, and even the lessons or 'tests' in their minds take on a more sexual nature over time. Longer, more personal, and more intense the interaction, the greater the effect. Students taught by me already interested in the subject matter are particularly susceptible, as are the teachers of those whose subject matters I'm interested in as well. This perk is best optimized for 1-on-1 instructions.

Tsundere Services works especially well on those with aggressive personalities and on those who have a tendency to hide their true feelings. Any aggression, verbal, mental, or otherwise, toward me by someone who I find sexually appealing, will be twisted into the aggressor simply being a 'Tsundere'. Once the aggressor is alone, they will find that aggression will swing into the opposite, making them unable to hide their actual feelings and desires even from themselves.

Easy guess on why I picked that one, huh?

Love Spot: Eyes, works on creating an immediate and intense infatuation in any woman who looks at the location designated. While it can be a mole, or a beauty mark, this perk can be reflected to simply work through a particular spot on the body or face. This charm effect works on line of sight, and intensifies with exposure. This lure can be resisted or negated by targets who have magic resistance, and cannot work on the blind.

Sticky Fingers; Brown Sugar, turns my bodily fluids into a natural aphrodisiac, which enhances any sexual experience in which my fluids are involved. I'm automatically immune to this purchase, and additionally, my... 'male genitalia' will secrete a natural lubricant that also possesses this aphrodisiac when aroused.

Admittedly that one was because the idea of enhancing sex and making my partner lose her mind during sex was quite tempting, and additional free lubricant is never a bad thing.

Alluring Whisper: Siren's Song makes my voice supernaturally commanding. Where the original perk can attract others to me, Siren's Song makes my voice able to compel others to do as I say. As an active effect, I can empower my words to give specific commands to individuals, or rally a crowd. Beings with sufficient willpower can resist and block the lure. Like the original perk, this does not work on the deaf.

Stud Services makes me 'prime breeding stock', able to sire the best children feasible given a compatible partner. This gives off a subtle aura that registers with those who can 'hear the biological clock ticking', those who've already had offspring, and those who are within the age range that considers the Contractor attractive. The more proof of my fertility, virility, or the quality of my offspring that a potential target witnesses, the far greater this Lure's effect, giving the targets fantasies and desires of being submissive and bred by me. With practice, this lure can also influence my offspring at conception to retain or remove traits which it would be possible for them to inherit.

Fool's Gold affects those of my targets who are influenced and motivated by money. It is particularly susceptible to those who have been rendered destitute, and this attraction is based on both obvious and subtle signs of wealth.

Red Chains of Fate gives me a sense of those who would be amicable to a relationship with me, making them 'pop' out when I'm aware of them in any way. By paying an additional 10 credits, this lure gives me a form of influence over those I'm aware of from this perk, drawing them to me like moths to flame. They will think of me more often and in a more positive context over time, and they will be drawn toward my location.

Sticky Fingers: Alter Flavor, allows me to modify the flavor of my bodily fluids at any time in an instant with just a thought, and this stacks in its effects with both Sticky Fingers: Brown Sugar and Faerie Feast.

Most of these Lures could be resisted or negated in some manner, which is why I didn't buy any of them until now. Even if the Lure itself could be ineffective, it still gave me far more avenues to work with in regards of Mama Mathers Template.

It also made me, and technically my retinue as a whole since they were also Blacklight so they are also an extension of me, that much more of a Cognitohazard. All five major human senses now made me an absolute danger, and this extends into the mental and spiritual. As a Jujutsu Kaisen Sorcerer, the body is the soul. One is not separate from the other.

So even in a spiritual aligned realm like Soul Society would find themselves having to deal with Blacklight. A true virus, a being that simply existed to encompass and further itself in every measure.

As Mama Mathers power also worked based on if you knew her name and spoke her name aloud, so to did this power expand to encompass my identity. To know of me in any measure, is to risk my awareness of you.

Blacklight. Project Zeus. The Honored One. The One Who Wields The Power of God. Shikamaru Nara. Gojo Satoru. Accelerator. All of these names and more now had a string, a connection, attached to them. To know me by any name, by any identity, was to risk my attention, and even worse was to say any of these names aloud.

In short, I was reminded a lot of the Eldritch Deities, and the Deities/Monsters of Percy Jackson, where to speak names was to risk getting their attention, and the greater risk of their ire if you disrespected them in the same breath.

The Pocket Dimension purchases were annoying in that some of the purchases were requirements for others, and that they overrode the previous ones, reminding me that it was a Tier progression that acted like a credit sink.

Pocket Apartment and Sweet Home got overridden by Grand Manor II. Fiat garunteed 2,400 square meters of interior floor space and 40 hectares outside. The Grand Manor is gaurunteed to have every living, training, and workshop area me and my retinue might need. Specialized workshops and equipment/resources will only be available if I know, or have someone who knows, how to use them. For safety reasons, all personnel and important items will be ejected from areas undergoing rearrangement through either the Control Room deep in the Manor or in the Control Center App if purchased.

Life's A Beach greatly expands the outside section of the Pocket Dimension. 24 vertical meters into the ground and 48 vertical meters into the sky, with the land expanded by 15.2 square kilometers across. Through the Control Center App, I can customize the exterior landscape however I see fit. The default is a tropical island paradise with standard day/night cycles and perfect weather. Alongside the purchase of the Grand Manor I or II, I can add new wings, lofts, basements, and attics to the Grand Manor so long as it fits within the Pocket Dimension's Exterior. The edge of the Pocket Dimension is selectively permeable, allowing biome appropriate wildlife to enter from worlds me and my retinue call home, with a gauruntee fiat against invasive species, pollutants, unwanted predators, etc.

Stay In Touch does exactly what it says on the tin, giving me high speed internet service covering any and all dimensions, no matter the location, magic wards, or jamming technology. A modern router and replacements are provided for free. The only downside was that it only works and connects to worlds I've been at so far: and Naruto doesn't have internet as far as I'm aware of yet.

Armory gives me, well, an armory. A room filled with weapons, armor, and ammunition. It holds a wide variety of standard and specialized equipment from every world I've visited, and my original world. This does include specialized equipment that would only be available to special forces, but does not include custom made equipment or unique ones. Weapons and armor acquired out in the field can be sent into and out of the armory with a few seconds concentration, and each of my retinue, including myself, could designate up to ten pieces of equipment to be able to equip and return to the armory at will. Everything stored in the armory will automatically repair and maintain itself, though this doesn't include fully destroyed magical artifacts without me first giving the magical energy to do so.

While most of these purchases were primarily to use up my Credits, I had to keep myself from shaking with excitement at the Armory's description.

Everything stored in the armory will automatically repair and maintain itself...

Blacklight was, first and foremost, a bio weapon.

I created a True Clone to take my place in my bed, so as to not alarm anyone if they woke up and wondered where I went, and I entered the clearly conveniently placed Portal Gateway right outside my home, walking into my Grand Manor as I appeared right inside my Armory as I willed it to take me right to there.

"Ikigai." I commanded, the sterile, clinical, nature of the Armory provided by the Company changing as I willed my first Creation into the world.

To create something from Ikigai, was to put yourself wholly and utterly into it's creation. It was a labor of love, of entirely placing one's desires and creativity into the act.

Normally this created a weakness where others could interfere or even try to kill me out of my momentary distraction, but I was not so easily killed.

For the fiat of the Armory to apply, it must be a weapon.

For it to represent Blacklight, it must be contagious, a viral weapon designed to infect and grow, and infect to kill in equal measure.

For it to represent Meraki, it must be a force of creativity, an extension of oneself. An extension of me beyond all others. No simple weapon can do.

For it to represent the Honored One, it must be infinite in its capacity, and infinite in its potential. It must have no ceiling, and no floor.

For it to represent the One Who Wields The Power of God, it must be unrelenting and unyielding in it's purpose, it must act as a way to prove one's Divinity in it's Power. Equal in its ability to manipulate and alter as it is in its ability to create and destroy.

For it to represent Shikamaru Nara, it must be akin to a Shadow, a part of and separate from the world. It's subtlety hidden from all other forces when it chooses to be, and overt and omnipresent when it chooses to be.

In this, my weapon is clear, and it's aspects chosen. In this, I pour my will into this creation, and burn it upon all realities eternal and in a moment.

"Prometheus."

The Titan of Forethought, and the Titan who gave mankind the first fire, the spark that led to humanity's rise.

The Armory seemed, at first, unchanged. Indeed, looking down, I saw my first creation.

A simple ink brush, not unlike what one would find in a store.

"Through songs and folktales, man had been able to pass down histories and stories through the generations, but it was through writing that even long after the civilizations of man had fallen, that man had been able to preserve their voices and tales through the millennia. Writing and art, through a canvas of stone, ink, and brush." I mused quietly.

The sword may kill even dozens of men, and a gun, hundreds, but it was through the will of man that said weapons were used, and what better signified that than the brush that painted life and death in equal measure.

Of course, Prometheus was no simple brush. No, Prometheus was a living brush that waited patiently for my bidding. It could create armies, alter reality, write new Laws of Reality, and so much more, all at my command, and it waited patiently for it knew that it's main task was to dip it's brush into the pool of Blacklight that oozed next to it, to bring me back from death, if all of my retinue and I perished simultaneously somehow.

In a way, I mused, I have Yakumo to thank for this idea, considering she's so fond of her paintings and her ability to cast realistic genjutsu through them.

Of course, Prometheus didn't even need a canvas. It simply willed into existence what it seemed to draw in thin air, and I maintained it as the Principle of Creation and Destruction, the first of my creations through Ikigai.

A fail-safe to my various fail-safes, to ensure that I wouldn't die a True Death against odds stacked against my favor. Something I was well aware the Company often indirectly approved of against it's more arrogant Contractors.

No matter how many times I saw the world, it truly stayed as beautiful as the first time I saw it.

The Sharingan gave chakra color, could read the muscle movements of others so accurately it was akin to reading the future of a fight, could cast illusions at a glance.

The Byakugan gave the ability to see through illusions and walls alike, to see for miles in any direction, could read the chakra network and coils of others to a degree unmatched by either the Sharingan and Rinnegan alike.

The Rinnegan offered unparalleled abilities through its Seven Paths of enlightenment, through which it could raise the dead, alter reality, change the course of history even. Truly it was worth being labeled the Dojutsu of myth and legends.

Yet, in spite of all of them, the Six Eyes were my favorite, the one that I'd pick every time.

Not because of it's power, for the Rinnegan offered power in spades for those considered worthy.

Not because of it's analyzing prowess, for in truth the Byakugan was capable of matching it in some regards, and the Sharingan in others.

No, what made the Six Eyes worthy in my eyes was how it showed the beauty of the world. Was how it magnified everything in such detail to be perfectly preserved and recalled upon in a moment at my whim.

Where the Sharingan's awakening and its path to power encouraged a disdain, a loathing, of the world and the hell it was, and where the Rinnegan encouraged a form of enlightenment where one took action toward recreating the world in one's image of peace, the Six Eyes did not.

All it encouraged, was to embrace the moment. To live in the moment. To enjoy every second of life, for life is fleeting. Ask out the girl you care about, because she might say yes to a date. Talk to your loved ones. Be silly with your friends. Eat your favorite dessert. For however short life is, it's the memories made of living that matters most, and to die with as few regrets as possible.

The Six Eyes offered enlightenment, and it required no pain. No sorrow. No betrayal. Enlightenment was freely given to those who were willing to see it, for it is a matter of perspective that brings enlightenment. It is offered equally to the richest man as it is the poorest, equally to the most corrupt individual as it is the most pure.

It is life altering, and freeing in the purest sense of the word. To be enlightened, is to be fully in touch with yourself and the world around you. To fully grasp that no matter how terrible or cruel the world and the people in it may be, that equally there is kindness and joy to be found as well.

That no matter your mistakes, your failures, your problems, you can reach enlightenment and find peace at the end, to die satisfied with what little time you may have had. All die with regrets, but to be satisfied despite those regrets was the pinnacle of enlightenment.

"This world is truly beautiful." I whispered.

"He's been staring at our asses for a while now. It's hot, but I almost wanna punch him cause he's just standing there looking at me like I'm a piece of pork in ramen..." "I know, right?! Ugh! At least grab our asses, spank me, grind your cock and bite my neck so everyone can see you've claimed me like an animal! Something!" Naruko and Menma's red flushed faces and whispers to each other, with Naruko gasping quietly at Menma's bluntness.

"You promised you'd wait until I was Chunin before seducing him!" Naruko whispered angrily at Menma, whose red eyes glinted as she smirked.

"Yeah, but it's not my fault if I tease him too much that he has to take me like an animal. I can't say no if he ties my hands behind my back, shoves my panties into my mouth, and takes me like an animal in heat. Kami, he smells fucking delicious. Just imagine his groans as he pins me down and just takes me. No love making, just ravaging me like an utter brute, going at it for hours until I am knocked up and bred, being forced to retire as a mercenary ninja because my man wants me barefoot, naked, and constantly swollen with his kids. I'd even have to get rid of my clothes cause he'd ruin them all just to take me whenever he wants." Menma's face was red, licking her lips as she caught herself drooling.

Naruko whined quietly. "Mean! Now my panties are soaked, and I already promised that I'd be Hokage... but it sounds so hot to be like that too. It's not fair." Naruko pouted, her face red.

Menma's smirk faded as a thoughtful look appeared. "You know, you can be Hokage and still be like that. I mean, it'd be shortest length of time anyone's ever been Hokage, but you could retire right after you've become Hokage, show off that large swollen belly, feeling Shikamaru's babies lazily kick in your belly as you show them all that the Hokage got bent over the Hokage desk and bred like an animal." Menma purred, grinning widely as Naruko's face turned dark red as she bit her lip hard, her eyes shifting to the same red as Menma's for a moment.

"Mean. Stop teasing me. I have to pack for a mission with Kakashi-sensei. I don't have time to change underwear." Naruko whined desperately as Menma sighed as she nodded to signal she'd stop.

"I have to go, Shika. Gotta pack for a couple weeks for a mission with Kakashi-sensei and Team 7. We're taking a bridge builder back to his home." Naruko explained quickly as she looked back at me. I didn't even try to hide my staring, slowly looking up and nodding lazily.

"Sure. Be safe." I said honestly and Naruko nodded gratefully as she left.

"Guess we'll have to do that udon v. ramen contest another time." I mused to Menma, who pouted.

"You don't have to just stare, you know? You can grab me, grope me, take me. It's not like anyone else would stop you. Could stop you, you know?" Menma purred as she wiggled her ass at me, her red eyes narrowed with lust.

I pulled her against me, Menma squeaking as I grabbed her ass to pull her flush against me as she felt me throbb against her as she gave a low moan and a pant, her face flushed.

"I know. But I also know Naruko wants to wait, and I want to respect her wishes. However, that doesn't mean I can't tie you over." I whispered hungrily in her ear, grinding against her in just the right way, using Sticky Fingers as a guide, until Menma bit into my shoulder hard as she muffled her scream as she came several seconds later.

She shuddered, her juices soaking her underwear and her pants for a moment as she trembled in my arms before she relaxed her bite, releasing my shoulder as she panted and gasped for air, dazed.

"I've never came that hard and so fast before. What jutsu was that?" She breathed, ignoring the fact that her soaked underwear and pants rapidly dried in an instant.

"Guess you'll need to wait and find out, won't you?" Menma pouted as she ground her hips back at me, making me inhale sharply as she wiggled against me.

"You try so hard to be good for us. I almost feel bad leaving you this worked up." Menma whispered hungrily. "Guess I'll just have to suck you dry every night after the Chunin Exams to make up for it. Damn, you smell so good." Menma groaned quietly as she took a deep breath, her red eyes dilating.

"Take me to dinner before I change my mind and suck you dry here and now." Menma whispered hungrily as she bit her lip and pulled away from me.

I sighed as I mentally nudged her to the barbecue place, having reserved two seats there. It'd be a change of pace.

Soon. Soon the Chunin Exams would be here, and I can watch Naruko tear the competition apart. Orochimaru wouldn't know what would hit him.

Then I can celebrate by absolutely ravaging these two Uzumaki until we figure out who can't keep up throughout the night. Not that I'd be telling them I'd be cheating using Reverse Cursed Technique to heal myself the whole time. Heh.

Shinobi's gotta keep a few cards to the chest, after all.

A good 50-75% of deaths out in the field for shinobi can be summed up in two words.

Bad Intel.

Most of the time, it's completely unavoidable and entirely unintentional. The reports given by spies in the area or from the client can often be inaccurate or even be wrong entirely.

However, there are times where it's both avoidable and intentional. Those times were infuriating, especially as bad intel on the client's part often could be spies from other villages pretending to be clients in order to snipe potential A or S-rank shinobi while they're still inexperienced.

The Demon Brothers were C-class chumps, barely even qualifying as low Chunin, but Kakashi Hatake wanted to get a measure of how his kids would handle unexpected encounters.

He was pleased to find Naruko had tapped into her mother's bloodline, the pathetic chain used by the Demon Brother's gauntlets shattering almost immediately as Naruko's Adamantine Chakra Chains easily moved through it like butter to wrap around the two of them.

Naruko was shaping up to be a monster in her own right, especially as Naruko looked bored during the whole thing.

Sayuri took one brother aside, still wrapped in Naruko's chains, to interrogate the man with her Sharingan.

Sakura did the same with the other one, only instead utilizing what Kakashi had taught her. The "Genjutsu: Nightmare Realm" he'd picked up from 'Accelerator', had proven to be an A-rank Genjutsu that worked by first recording traumatic memories and experiences and then forcing the target into experiencing them, and it was absolutely beautiful in that since it was based on memories, it would stick in the target's mind. The genjutsu never left, since all it did was create new patterns of memories based on old ones.

Since Sakura was relatively young, Kakashi helpfully taught her the jutsu and pointed her in the direction of the hospital and T&I for recording particularly useful memories.

Sayuri's interrogation led to the brother spilling his guts, but otherwise looked at them defiantly. Up until he saw his brother.

Sakura's interrogation target was still shaking violently, his vocal chords destroyed from screaming, his tongue gone as Sakura had to take it out from the Demon brother trying to choke on his tongue to die. His eyes looked glazed and filled with blood, his arms and legs broken in several places from moving so desperately that he broke his own limbs.

The remaining Demon brother looked horrified, screaming his brother's name, but Kakashi was pleased to see Sayuri gagged the man before he could say anything else.

His kids were growing up so fast.

Kakashi turned to Tazuna, the bridge builder's face pale as Kakashi placed a hand on the man's shoulders.

"That is not a bandit. Do you wanna come clean or do you wanna have the same experience they did?" Kakashi asked cheerfully.

Tazuna spilled his guts, and Kakashi Hatake was not amused nor sympathetic.

He gagged Tazuna, tied him up, and looked at his kids.

"Naruko, good job on subduing the brothers. Sayuri, Sakura, good job on the interrogations. Sakura, I'm putting a recommendation that you'd do great as T&I, but please keep your target somewhat sane, at least for Inoichi's sake as a Mind Interrogator."

The three girls beamed at him, with Sakura's face flushing as she looked proud. Kakashi smiled at them.

His kids were becoming monsters in their own right. He was proud.

"Alright, kids. We got two options. We go back to Konoha, explain the bad intel, and I can show you the process of how you file a claim of a client's misappropriation of a Mission Ranking."

Kakashi paused, watching his kids carefully. None of them spoke up, waiting for him to finish laying out the options. Good. It meant they weren't eager to jump into things without thinking things through.

"Or, we continue with the mission, with careful reporting and note taking to dictate how the mission will be filed at the end. I'll walk you through how missions like this can be the deaths of Konoha ninja, why these things happen, how you react to these kind of missions, and the opportunities/risks involved."

"How often does this happen?" Naruko asked seriously.

Kakashi raised a hand, making an iffy gesture. "Depends on the rank. D and C ranks, almost never. B, A, and S ranks, can depend on where the mission takes place, if there is a war going on, and so on. Misfiled mission reports like this one has killed many shinobi. What Tazuna here just did is exactly what a spy from another village would do in order to kill up and coming Genin like you three who show promise out in the field or on paper."

Naruko's face darkened, her blue eyes shifting red for a moment, until she took a deep breath to calm herself. Kakashi nodded. Good. Anger when directed can be useful, but it's a double edged sword.

Sayuri spoke up tersely. "I would like to do the second option."

Sakura and Naruko agreed.

Kakashi nodded. "Okay. First, when you suspect the client is a spy or a bad faith actor, you wait until concrete evidence or some factor reveals itself that can be documented. In this case, the presence of shinobi immediately acts as a flag. Once a factor is found, you gag and tie up the client if it's an escort mission such as this one."

The three nodded in understanding.

"If it's an item retrieval or a intel gathering mission, it is on hold as you immediately inform Konoha of the misfiling. This can be done in several ways. Higher ranked Jonin such as myself who are Summoning Animal Contractors can send our Summons with messages to the Summoning Hall, a specific undisclosed area that can pick up messages from the animals in question. Chunin and recent Jonin often will use trained ravens that will fly high in the skies and head straight for Konoha."

Sayuri grimaced at the mention of ravens, which made sense since Itsuki was the holder of the Ravens Contract.

"Now, in an escort mission, like this one, we can still operate to protect the client but not without several changes. First, the client is going to pay a severe fine on top of the mission fee, with the fine easily reaching double or even quadruple the mission fee. Second, if the client cannot pay for the fine, then we Konoha ninja can simply choose to leave. After all, we aren't going to do work unpaid."

Kakashi chuckled coldly as Tazuna whimpered behind his gag.

"Of course, as incomplete missions don't look good, we can still do the mission. Konoha will often eat the cost of minor missions like C and B ranks for some of our more valuable clients who have value in other ways than simply currency."

Naruko looked confused. "Why?" She asked.

"Diplomacy and politics." Kakashi said simply.

"Diplomacy is because our neighbors also give us a buffer from the other Great Five Villages, so we often provide discounts or even take some missions pro bono in order to keep them around as 'neutral' territory, so to speak. Politics is because minor nobles or even some merchants will often buy missions in 'bulk'. Caravans for trading goods will buy out missions to protect their goods into or through Konoha and her allies months or even years in advance."

Sayuri frowned. "But our client is not a merchant nor a noble." She pointed out.

Kakashi nodded. "Correct. However, Gato Industries, according to Tazuna, is trying to bleed the Land of Waves dry by creating a monopoly. Not only does this hurt the Land of Waves, it hurts us as Konoha often uses the Land of Waves for transport of goods and services. And, as Gato has not filed a claim over the territory nor paid Konoha the tax fees required for owning a port, this is considered an attack on Konoha's interests."

Kakashi's voice took on a cheerful tone.

"So, Konoha will likely eat the fee, and we will complete the mission, even extending the mission until the bridge is complete, because in exchange, we will get our money and then some by taking Gato Industries to task. Most likely Tazuna here will be a puppet civilian in charge of Gato Industries on paper while Konoha takes control of both the Land of Waves port and the Gato Industries indirectly. Gato will fall ill, or have an accident, and his last will and testament will be to have Tazuna take all his assets, liquid and otherwise."

Tazuna shivered as Kakashi still kept his firm grip on the man, whimpering as Kakashi smiled at Tazuna as his grip tightened.

"I'm glad we found a way to compromise, Tazuna-san. Unfortunately, I think we need to keep you tied and gagged on the way there in case any other of Gato's hired ninja try to listen to any bumbling civilians. I'm sure you understand."

Kakashi nodded in approval as Naruko easily blindfolded and hog tied Tazuna up, having a Shadow Clone take Tazuna's place as she wrapped him up with some binding paper over her Adamantine Chakra Chains to ensure any stray attacks didn't kill Tazuna through the wrapping. The binding paper would allow Tazuna to breath and keep his blood flowing, but not see, hear, or move much otherwise.

"Good work, Team 7. Move out." He ordered.

He left the two Demon brothers with one of his ninja dogs to drag them to Konoha. They'd live, but it'd be a very unpleasant experience.

Ah, the joys of raising the next generation.

Kotetsu and Izumo trembled as they witnessed a group approaching them.

"I believe Hiruzen-sensei has pardoned me." Orochimaru purred as they smiled kindly at the two Chunin.

"Oh, I also brought some gifts to Shikamaru Nara. Aikemono, the Ichibi Jinchuriki. Karin Uzumaki. Tayuya Uzumaki, accompanied by the Sound Four along with my guard Kimimaro Kaguya. I've heard he likes to collect Uzumaki strays, and I wanted to help his collection. I'd love to meet him in person. Please don't keep me waiting too long. I get... impatient."

Kotetsu whimpered as Izumo flickered to get the Third Hokage as fast as possible.

"So... Kotetsu, I believe, tell me, is it true Shikamaru Nara can fly? How strong is he? Can he really teleport?" Orochimaru asked eagerly as their eyes flashed hungrily.

Kotetsu wanted to be anywhere else right now.