Naruto: NTR Adventure!

Still, he praised her for the idea, as sealed files could easily transfer documents within the department. Shinobi working in the archives now used the method to store and move documents temporarily. Kushina personally secured all her work rather than leaving it in her office or any desk she occupied that day.

Stopping at the Hokage's office, she bypassed the chunin assistant outside. Inside, as usual, she found Hiruzen bent over his desk, busy with paperwork. She noticed something odd—the crystal ball on his desk was faintly glowing, as if it had recently been used.

——+++

As Hiruzen looked up, he saw Kushina's vibrant face approaching him. He sighed in relief. Before she had barged in unannounced, he had been indulging in a brief distraction—watching kunoichis playing in a waterfall outside Konoha's walls. Curse him or not, the monotony of paperwork drove him to seek these short moments of amusement.

Glancing at Kushina, he guessed it was lunchtime. For the past few days, she had insisted on him taking a break. Her words still rang in his ears: "If you don't eat properly, you'll die early. I won't allow that until I'm ready to take over."

Kushina moved to the guest table and began unsealing still-warm food from a scroll, setting up the table for two. As she bent over while arranging the table, Hiruzen stood and began walking toward her, only to be rooted to the spot by the sight of her pert form. Nearly caught staring when she looked up and smirked, she teased, "Ara, are your joints cracking, old man? Do you need my shoulder for support?"

A tick formed on his forehead. "I'm not that old, Kushina. It seems I'll have to add a sparring session to our schedule. I'll show you these old bones can still take on ten of you."

Not one to back down, Kushina retorted instantly, "Anytime, old man. Just give me the time and place, and I'll show you why I'm ready to take over by crunching some of your old bones and kicking your wrinkled ass."

Hiruzen smirked as he sat across from her. "You're sure my ass is wrinkled?"

A faint blush tinted Kushina's cheeks as she fought to stay composed. "Of course it is. You're as old as Konoha itself. That's like asking if ice has water in it."

Leaning forward toward his plate, Hiruzen sagged slightly. "It's poor etiquette to remind old people of their age, Kushina. But I'll teach you manners when I make you eat dust. Let's settle it next Monday morning. Come to the Sarutobi compound before heading here. I'll add 15 minutes to my morning workout."

Without missing a beat, Kushina shot back, "It's on, old man. Prepare to hail the all-powerful Kushina-sama. You know what? Take an extra week to prepare. I don't want you whining later that your bones got rusty from lack of practice." She tutted while distributing food onto their plates.

Hiruzen chuckled. "Confident, aren't we? Let's see how that goes." Taking a bite, he hummed appreciatively. "You're a wonderful cook, Kushina. Minato's lucky to have you as his wife. It's a shame he doesn't get to eat your food daily. Your cooking reminds me of Biwako. She used to bring me meals here, knowing my nature."

At the mention of Biwako, Kushina's mood shifted. Memories of Biwako's death at the hands of the masked man flashed in her mind. That day had been the happiest and most devastating of her life—the day she became a mother and lost a dear friend.

Seeing her saddened expression, Hiruzen said softly, "You don't have to dwell on it, Kushina-chan. Biwako wouldn't have wanted you to brood over her death. As a medic, she'd have taken that mission again, even knowing the outcome."

Kushina stared at him for a moment before nodding. "I know. But watching her die in front of me is a memory I'll carry forever. If I ever get my hands on that masked man, I'll seal his chakra and watch the life leave his eyes as I chop his body apart piece by piece."

Hiruzen swore he felt the room's temperature drop as her eyes momentarily turned red. He had never seen this side of her before. "No need to work yourself up, Kushina-chan. On another note, how's the progress on your assigned task?"

Her grimace returned. "Ugh, don't remind me. This data collection via archives is tedious and boring. For the last two days, I've been digging through dusty documents, calculating the funds given to Hot Springs. Can you believe Konoha has given them 45 million ryo in just four years? It's daylight robbery!"

Cutting off her rant, Hiruzen said, "I know, Kushina. I was the one who negotiated the deal with their envoy." Seeing her shocked expression, he continued, "You see, since this war started, smaller nations like Hot Springs have suffered the most. Their economy, reliant on tourism, collapsed as civilian travel became restricted. Without our aid, they would've turned to another of the Big Five."

Realization dawned on Kushina's face. "And we can't have a safe haven for another major village right in our neighborhood, can we?"

Hiruzen nodded. "Yes, that, and apart from providing safe passage to our forces, it also acts as a buffer space so that war doesn't spill into our borders. Additionally, the spies acting on their behalf provide us with any information they come across. There are many more terms that I will have you go through once you finish this task."

Kushina made a plain face. "You are torturing me, aren't you, Old Man? What's the purpose of this if you already know everything?"

Hiruzen sighed at her impatience and spoke in a serious tone. "The purpose is for you to learn how treaties are made. Once you have the numbers and go through the treaty document, you will know precisely whether the treaty was beneficial or not. If yes, you will understand the cost of it. And in the future, if you have to renew the agreement, you will know its importance and cost, allowing you to decide if it is worth it. Remember, Kushina-chan, the past is the template for our future. We can't run from it. We may change the flow of the future, but not the past. So learn from it, whether it is good or bad."