CHAPTER 63: LIFE GOES ON (PART VII)

“I don’t want to appear rude by saying this but, you look like shit.”

Umino Iruka was worried about his former students in front of him. Riku had bags under his eyes that were darker than the night.

“When was the last time you took a break?” Minato asked from Iruka’s side. They were waiting in front of the hokage office to start hopefully the last meeting regarding the academy curriculum.

“What day is it?” Riku answered in a tired voice.

“Monday, Riku. No one should be that tired on the first day of the week.”

“I know, sensei. Can’t be helped, I’m stuck on a seal and it’s driving me crazy.”

“What kind of seal, if I may ask?” inquired Minato.

“Sensing seals.”

“Really? That’s not difficult, you saw Kushina and Karin working on the village’s barrier.”

“Yes but those kinds of seals are not discreet. They use chakra in a concentrated point. On an infiltration mission you’d be like a beacon constantly advertising your position.”

“I see.”

“The fact that I’m not a natural sensor, makes things more difficult. Karin just sees and Yugao just ‘feels’ and I don’t know any sensor besides those two.”

“That’s not quite true. I’m a sensor myself.” Iruka revealed.

“I… didn’t know that.”

“I don’t advertise it much. How do you think I always found Naruto when he was anywhere but in class, huh?”

“That makes sense now. You always knew.”

“Yes. Now, I don’t know what Karin-san and Yugao-san do but personally, I pulses my chakra into the ground with my eyes closed. I can roughly determine what’s in the surrounding area in a 100 m radius. The downside of this jutsu is that should enemies have a sensor among them I’ll be caught.”

Riku looked at Iruku with his jaw hanging low.

“Sensei! You’re brilliant!”

In a forest green flash, Riku disappeared right in front of the two men's eyes.

“I don’t know what I said but it seems he found the solution to his problem.”

“I can’t wait to hear what he came up with.”

The two men were then invited by Hisho-san to go into the office to start the meeting. They told her that Riku just got an idea and flashed away to work on it. As such he probably wouldn’t be present for the meeting. Tsunade was both happy and annoyed by the news but rolled with it. Hiruzen and both elders were already present so the meeting started immediately.

“Iruka, do you have a list of the veterans that you think would give a lecture?”

“I do Hokage-sama. Here it is.” the chunin instructor replied and picked a page from the folder he had with him. Tsunade gave it a look and was surprised to see some particular names.

“You can’t be serious.”

“I am, hokage-sama. Very few have as much experience.”

“That’s true but…”

“Who are we talking about?” Koharu inquired, not liking being out of the loop.

“The three of you.” Tsunade replied bluntly.

“““...”””

“Us?”

“I’m with Hiruzen on this. Us?” repeated Homura.

“It’s for a two hour lecture once a month. I was thinking that Koharu-sama could teach the young girls what a true kunoichi is. Perhaps start a support group too? To make sure that fangirls never see the light of day or to create solid bonds of solidarity? The ratio of Kunoichi to shinobi is 1 to 6. The corps is mainly male dominant, it can be quite difficult for young women to feel like they belong or could do as well as their male counterparts. While you’re an inspiration to many young girls Hokage-sama and so is Kushina-san, you both are apart of the rest and not very approachable because of your busy schedule.”

Everyone looked at him pensively. The idea had merit and both ladies present in the room along with the one female Anbu in the ceiling, liked that idea very much.

“While Koharu-sama is teaching the girls, Homura-sama could teach the boys on how to behave properly with clients. Be more respectful. Girls usually do better in that regard instinctively. Boys on the other hand… They need to learn. I know it’s the role of a jonin-sensei but if we can take care of that before the genins start taking missions it would be a small plus. Finally, Sandaime-sama, I was hoping you could teach them how to refine the elemental jutsus they have learned.”

“Hmm. Why not?”

“That’s an interesting idea you presented to us, Iruka.” complimented Homura.

“That also allows you to connect with the youngest generation and perhaps bridge the generational gap.” interjected Minato.

“I’m in favor of this. The three of you?”

Tsunade got an affirmation from each member of Team Hiruzen. When they discussed the survival outdoor classes next, Riku flashed in the office. Everyone turned towards him and noticed the crazed look in his eyes.

“I did it! It works!” he said and quickly approached his mother’s desk, putting down the huge paper he had in hand. He threw four kunai with a tag attached to it at each corner of the room.

“Riku! Don’t throw K-”

He made a hand seal sequence and an holographic display appeared on top of the paper with a huge complicated seal on it. It was similar to the display in the barrier core room, showing the entire village from a bird view. This time however, a 3D representation of the room was what they all could see.

“That’s… interesting but what’s the point of having a three dimensional representation of-”

“There is no chakra.” interjected Iruka in both awe and perplexity. Everyone turned to him.

“Yes! None! The odds of the seals being detected is thus almost null! We get real time imagery of the area and can make better maps! Spy on what the enemy is doing without them even being aware!” the dirty blonde explained with excitement in his voice and began to cackle.

Tsuna stood from her seat and went to stand next to him.

“How does it work without chakra?”

“I’m curious about that too.” said Hiruzen and everyone agreed with him.

“Well, the seal has chakra obviously but it doesn’t use chakra to sense. It just creates sound! Sound whose frequency is so high we can’t hear it! Nor see it obviously; it’s sound but the thing is, sound is… a wave! Kind of something tangible and intangible at the same time! When it hits an object it’s bounced back. That's how bats see despite being blind! By interloping waves from different starting points we can recreate the environment in almost perfect detail! Now imagine thousands of those, scattered behind enemy lines with Botib everywhere! They could relay in real time information and act accordingly. Traps, troops movements, ambushes, none of them would work anymore. Genjutsu wouldn’t have any effect in hiding things. Secret passages, secret whatever..”

“It’s amazing, Riku. Is that all?”

“For that seal, yes but there is-.Ugh.”

No one said anything when Tsunade hit him behind the neck and knocked him unconscious. Riku needed a break and it was obvious to all present.

“It’s like seeing Tobirama-sensei with Hashirama-sama’s enthusiasm.” Koharu commented.

“Kami! You’re right!” Homura explained.

“Now that you said it…”

“I think it’s better if we stop here today.” Tsunade said and put Riku on her shoulders.

The meeting came to an abrupt end and the blonde mother went home to put her son in bed. The simple thought made her mentally laugh. This was a good thing, she hadn’t had the opportunity to feel amused ever since her return three months ago. Riku had been running himself to the ground between the creation of the new seals and the construction of the Botibs. She tasked Yugao and Kakashi to supervise him so he wouldn’t kill himself from overwork and to not let him use the Time seal, not even to sleep. At the rate he was going he would have been older than she was before the end of the year.

The only break he took was to work on Hinata’s and Karin’s rooms. The former was done but the latter was still a work in progress. From what he told her, since Karin wanted to be closer to her roots he created a seaside room. There is supposed to be a beach, and salt water with currents to recreate partly Uzushio. He had asked help from Kushina who knew better than anyone how the village had looked even though it’s been more than 16 years since she saw it.

Exiting her son’s bedroom after kissing his forehead, she went back to work. She studied Jirayia’s latest reports and they were not good. Iwa was militarizing and Kumo had gotten back their Jinchuriki. Apparently he had fooled Akatsuki and faked his capture to enjoy some freedom. B, as his name was, was the adoptive brother of the Raikage and also a prisoner of his own village. When the opportunity to bail out and enjoy his freedom a bit presented itself, he took it. Once he had enough, he simply went back to Kumo. There had been no word of sighting nor rumors of ‘Madara’ and Zetsu, the two last members of Akatsuki and the most problematic ones. With their space-time jutsu they could come and go wherever they wanted whenever they wanted. Riku had created a seal to counter them but the opportunity to test it never presented itself. With the Rinnegan in their possession, She didn’t dare think of what they would do with it. The interrogation of Hidan, the immortal one that nearly killed Hiruzen, had revealed nothing. Since the guy knew nothing and was swearing like a sailor and immortal, T&I requested to use him as a ‘training dummy’. She had been disturbed by the request but allowed it. It wasn’t like the man would die from the torture and didn’t deserved it in the first place. She had heard that Anko was extremely pleased with her new toy.

When the day ended she went home and checked on Riku. He was still sleeping peacefully in his own bed and not even bothering to restrain herself joined him to cuddle. She hoped that with three wives he would still have time for this cuddling time they shared.

When morning came, Riku found himself alone. The scent of cloves he was so familiar with, told him that his mother had slept with him the previous night. Getting up, he began to think of the day's schedule then quickly stopped. Now that he found the solution to his problem, he just needed to create the seals. As such he wasn’t really pressed by time anymore. Deciding to take a break at least for today, he took a quick shower and a quick breakfast and went to visit Ino. As usual she jumped him when she saw him and raped his mouth with her tongue.

“You know, more than the kiss, it’s the happiness you show when you see me that’s really getting me going. I can't help myself but take pride in thinking ‘Yep, that’s thanks to me, alright.’. It’s addicting.”

“I told you you were mine. Now you can’t live without me anymore.” she replied as she closed the door to the shop from the inside and dragged him into the backroom.

She hasn’t seen him in weeks and was very sexually frustrated. She could have taken care of her needs herself or seek Hinata or Karin but she loved being all pent-up when she got together with Riku. She felt like the sex was better, more needy. Today she sure as hell was getting her bells rung.

“Hmm, No?” Riku told her when he grabbed her wrist as they reached for the belt on his pants.

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN, NO?!” was the shout that came through her luscious lips.

“I mean no.”

“RIKU! I SWEAR TO GOD, IF YOU DON’T LET ME SUCK YOUR- KYAAAH!”

She yelled in surprise when her fiance picked her up and turned her upside down. Thanks to the gravity her skirt fell down and revealed her butt and her pussy. Immediately Riku put his mouth on the latter while forcefully grabbing the former. The effect  was immediate and Ino put his head in a lock with her legs. She didn’t know yet if she regretted not wearing underwear anymore when she wasn’t leaving the village. It was in case Riku would make an impromptu visit just like this one. However what she had in mind was different. She would give him a blowjob and he would put his cock inside of her. That was their ritual.

“I’m still getting my snack and you’re still going to fuck me afterwards!” she announced and freed his dick from his pants.

An hour later and a cum glazed Ino was in paradise. Resting her back on his chest she enjoyed the feeling of his hot seed on her skin.

“I’ll never get tired of this.”

“And I’ll never get tired of how beautiful and happy you are like that.”

“You think I’m beautiful like this?” she asked in wonder, turning her head to look at him. She got her answer when she felt his dick hardened again and poked her ass.

“Is that a good enough answer for you.?”

“It is. Shame I’m tapped out and I have work.”

“It’s fine. I have preparations to make anyway.”

“Preparation for what?”

“Hinata. I’m asking her tonight.”

The gasp followed by the squeal Ino let out was adorable in Riku’s eyes.

“I can’t wait for tomorrow so she can tell me how it went.” the blonde said as she stood up and began to clean herself up. Riku got on his feet too, dropped a wooden shurifuin on the ground and flashed away with his fiance to his Botib. He led her to the bathroom to properly wash up and he brought her back to her shop’s backroom.

When she began to dress, Riku embraced her from behind, capturing her breasts in his hands and began to play with her nipple.

“Baby… We don’t have time, you said it yourself.”

“I know but I just… they were there, so tempting.”

“I find it amazing that you still love them despite Karin’s, Hinata’s and your mother’s. Especially your mother’s.”

“It’s not just the size that matters. The shape too. Yours are perfect.” he explained as he kissed her neck. “I think your nipples are what I like the most about them. I just… want to abuse them.”

“Oh, yeah? What would you do to them?” she inquired out of curiosity.

“...I’ll put piercings on them.”

“Really?”

“Hmm. They would look so good like that.”

Ino looked down at her chest and wondered for a moment if her breasts would. The thought came and went however, she had to work. Finishing putting her clothes back on, she gave him a loving kiss and shooed him away with her hands.

“Go on, give Hinata the best night of her life.”

Riku nodded and left the Yamanaka flower shop. He could have flashed to the hospital but decided against it and chose instead to walk down the streets of Konoha, enjoying the crowd of people coming and going to do business. Sometimes some people greeted him and he greeted back as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Months ago after the village’s attack, he felt bitter about it. Now? The bitterness was still there but overwhelmed by a sense of accomplishment and tranquility. Before, spite had been his main motivator but that has changed. He had now people he loved and cared about, people that he wanted to protect and bit by bit the number of those people increased one after another.

He stopped to buy a bouquet of white Iris, restraining himself to facepalm for not having bought one from Ino. He then continued his stroll towards the hospital. When he got there he asked for the nurse of the reception’s desk where his girlfriend was then thanked the woman. Hinata was on shift, having completed the course to become a nurse herself a couple of months back. He was both proud and happy for her. She was the very first Hyuga to make it to the medical field and that encouraged all the members of her family that had joined the medical program after things changed inside the clan. The byakugan had been a godsend to study diseases or wounds inside the body without the need to cut open people or the use of a diagnostic jutsu, the latter being rather difficult to learn.

He found her on the fourth floor in the nurse room, taking a break. When she saw him she politely excused herself from the conversation she was having with her fellow nurses and came to him. They shared a kiss and he offered her the iris.

“They’re beautiful, I love them.” she said with a smile and brought the bouquet to her nose to smell the flowers’ scent. “What is it for?”

“It’s a bit of an apology for being absent these past few months and also an invitation to a very romantic dinner tonight. Classy clothes only.”

“Classy clothes?” she inquired with a thin eyebrow raised, knowing that Riku didn’t care much about what she wore.

“And very sexy lingerie too.” he whispered in her ear. “Because tonight is even more special than usual.”

“... You mean-!”

“Yes.” the amused and knowing smile he gave her made it more real than his answer. Her heart began to heat faster and a furious blush appeared on her naturally pale face. “You’ve waited long enough. We’ve waited long enough.”

Hinata hugged him tightly and gave him a kiss.

“Tonight at 8? I’ll pick you up.”

She nodded and quickly retreated after another kiss when an emergency call came in. Her shift ended at 5. She had three hours to discuss things with Ino and Karin about what she should wear for that very important date. With a lot of anticipation and a bit of panic, Hinata went to answer the emergency call.