Chapter 18:- Tsunade's offer

[Third person POV]

"S... Shizune-san!!! You... we... it's not..... I can explain..... you see–" Kenshin stammered, unable to speak properly. Meanwhile, Akane was too mortified to speak and she just stood there, head looking downwards.

"It's... it's okay, I won't judge. You two are mature enough to make your own decisions. I just came to let you know that Tsunade-sama summoned you. It's urgent." Shizune said nervously. "You should go. I promise I'll keep your secret hidden. I'm not that kind of woman." Shizune assured, despite her confusion.

"Thank you. I'll go, nee-san." Kenshin said before gently hugging Akane and then quickly leaving. 'I wasn't expecting Shizune to catch us suddenly but it's fine. She's a good woman, she shouldn't rat on us. Besides, I think I know why Tsunade summoned me so urgently. She wants me and mom to stay in this village and leave the rain. Nobody would want a rival village, especially a troublesome one like the rain to have someone with my bloodline and abilities.' Kenshin soon reached the hokage building and walked inside.

[Meanwhile, on the hospital rooftop]

'Come on, Shizune. You got this. Akane is obviously scared. But as an adult I need to handle this properly. A situation like this is extremely delicate.' Shizune thought before taking a deep breath. "Listen, Akane. I'm not going to judge you guys. Kana-san told me what kind of a boy Kenshin-kun is. It's natural for you to be attracted to someone like that. To be honest, anyone would fall for such a person. But you need to be careful. You're a kunoichi of the hidden leaf. Okay?" Shizune said with a warm and reassuring smile.

Shizune's behavior helped Akane ease up a bit and slowly, she told Shizune about her feelings, all except for the part about their past lives.

[At the hokage's office]

Kenshin stood in front of the door, his heart pounding in anticipation. Slowly, he knocked on the door and Tsunade answered from inside. "Come in"

Kenshin opened the door with a smile. "Did you call for me, Hokage-sama?"

"Yes. There's something I want to talk to you about." Tsunade replied calmly. "First, I want to thank you for revealing Danzo's crimes. Who knows how many more lives would have been destroyed if you hadn't exposed him."

"I didn't do it for you. He was a threat to me and my family."

"I understand. However, that's not the reason I summoned you. I want ask you something. You have incredible abilities and have very close ties to our village. That is why, I wish for you and your mother to become citizens of the leaf village."

"So you want to keep me because I'd be a potential threat to you should the rain learn about my abilities?" Kenshin asked, smiling confidently.

"It seems that I don't need to mince words with you. Yes, that's true. But I believe it would be better for you if you stayed in the leaf. You could better develop your abilities here."

"I understand. But the final decision will be up to my mother. That is, If the rain allows this. But in case that happens, I have some requests."

Tsunade raised her brow, curious about what he would request. "Go ahead, I'm all ears. If it's something I can arrange for you, I will try my best."

"My mother, she used to be a chunin in the rain. But she retired 7 years ago because of her disease. Should she decide to become a kunoichi again after her recovery, I want you to promote her rank to Jonin. Not the 'special Jonin' rank, those are just glorified chunin. I want you to make her a regular Jonin."

"I understand. If she displays enough potential and already has the abilities of an elite chunin, I will promote her. What else?"

"Seconds, my sister is a genin. I want her to participate in the upcoming chunin exams. I will be her teammate alongside a third person of her choosing. But I want our team to be guaranteed a promotion, regardless of our performance. But I assure you that we won't be too awful."

"That can also be arranged. A team with genes like yours can be justified for an automatic promotion. What else?"

"I want my father's house in the Uchiha clan compound to be restored, at the village's expenses. And I want the village to pay for our living expenses for the next 6 months, until we get properly settled in."

"That might be a bit hard but I guess I could arrange that. Although you do realize the reason why the village left the Uchiha clan compound untouched, right?"

"I know. But currently, my sister is the head of the Uchiha clan. The only other members are both criminals. So, since now has a family to live with, I think she deserves to live in our father's house."

"Very well. I will try to fullfil your requests. Is there anything else?"

"Not exactly. But I want you to be cooperative should I have any future requests." Kenshin replied, reaching his hand out for a handshake. "And leave the rain village leader to me. I'll convince him."

"Okay. Thank you for your cooperation."

"You think I'm petty right? Asking for stuff I could've achieved otherwise on my own?"

"Well I was expecting something more.... outrageous. Something that would make me reconsider my offer."

"I don't actually need any of those to be honest. I don't need the leaf. But you need me. So make it up to me. Okay?" Kenshin replied with a calm smile.

"You're testing us? To be honest, I didn't think much of you even after you brought your mother back from the dead. It was a result of your bloodline, not you. But you know things nobody should. I know that you were lying through your teeth when you mentioned Itachi telling you about Danzo's crimes last night, we all do. But that is exactly why I want you in the leaf. We need you. And maybe you need us. So let's work together, okay?" And with that, Tsunade shook his hand with a gentle smile, but he could feel the force in her grip.

Kenshin walked out of Tsunade's office, and went back to the hospital. He saw Akane and Shizune talking to each other, and the tension he had seen earlier wasn't there anymore. 'Looks like they figured it out themselves. That's good. Sharing a secret is a good way to earn a person's trust. And having that person be the hokage's right hand makes it better.' Kenshin thought as he approached them with a smile.

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Everyone, thanks for your support with the previous chapter. As always, please give me your power stones if you want to support me and let me know if you have any helpful suggestions/criticisms.