I have a bunch of relatives who want to become Hokage.

Well, I'm sorry, but he has to be the one to dominate this merit list!

The top ten will receive an additional bonus.

The prize for first place is 5000 million taels of silver.

You can't reach this number without at least a dozen S-rank missions.

Before becoming Hokage, Minato Namikaze's annual pre-tax income was roughly at this level.

He's determined to get this bonus!

With anticipation, Uchiha Shingen, leading Pakura, made their way forward in secrecy until they finally saw the outline of a continuous mountain range in the distance.

Under the cover of the jungle, the two successfully entered the nearest mountainous area and then moved north along the mountain range.

During this time, they encountered several groups of Cloud Ninja, but Uchiha Shingen, who was using his chakra perception, spotted them from afar and avoided them in time.

The opponent's level was not high, and there were no Jonin among them, so the two of them managed to avoid them easily.

Uchiha Shingen, who was familiar with the area, found a safe "path" through which he could successfully avoid the largest search zone of the Cloud Ninja.

As the two continued walking, time passed, and the sun began to set.

The red hue was absorbed into the mountains by the glow of the setting sun, and the surrounding mountains, rivers, trees, and forests also put on their evening attire, creating a scene of dusk in the deep twilight.

As the light completely disappeared, the air became heavy, and muffled thunder rumbled.

The two slowed their pace and decided to find a place to rest.

Since leaving Yugakure Village, I haven't stopped to rest.

After searching by Uchiha Shingen, they found a suitable cave.

It's safe here. After all, not many people know about this path now. Uchiha Shingen was also following the marks he left behind.

After checking, he determined that no one had set foot here for many years.

They lit a campfire, spread dry grass on the ground, and sat down.

Instead of eating pills, the hot spring ninjas prepared highly processed and refined dry rations specifically for the Konoha Jonin.

The two replenished their energy, and then it started raining outside.

Seeing this, Uchiha Shingen got up and went to the cave entrance to refresh his sensory ninjutsu, not wanting to waste the rain.

Turning his head, Yekura sat by the campfire, looking at him with the eyes of an inquisitive observer.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Uchiha Shingen asked.

"You seem very familiar with this place?"

"I've done missions in the Land of Hot Springs before. Since I'm already here, it's normal to do some reconnaissance as well."

"That makes sense." Ye Cang nodded. "Sit down and rest for a bit."

"It will be ready soon."

After completing his sensory ninjutsu, Uchiha Shingen set up a barrier before returning to the campfire and sitting down again.

The workload was quite heavy, and he was tired.

I stretched and yawned, feeling great and loosening my muscles.

"Tired?" Ye Cang glanced at him.

"It's alright, finding the way was a nightmare, thankfully I left a mark beforehand."

“It must have been tough.” Yecang stared at Uchiha Shingen’s head for a while, then suddenly patted him on the shoulder.

Uchiha Shingen turned his head.

“Lie your head down,” Ye Cang said.

She patted her thigh, her tone very serious.

"Let me check you out."

Chapter Seventeen: It's still intact.

Uchiha Shingen looked at Yekura with suspicion.

He always felt that the other person's words had a hidden meaning.

However, he didn't think the other party would harm him.

Now, he can enter Immortal Mode faster and faster, and he can use Immortal Technique: Mighty Armor with ease.

There are ninjas who can break through armor, but Pakura is not one of them.

and……

Uchiha Shingen's gaze drifted downwards, where her thighs, encased in tight pants, revealed their perfect curves.

Yekura has a slender and graceful figure. So far, among all the girls that Uchiha Shingen has seen, she has the best figure, and everything about her is just right.

In order to fully release chakra and facilitate the use of Scorch Release, Pakura always dressed in relatively revealing clothing.

"What's wrong? Are you afraid I'll harm you?" Yecang looked at Uchiha Shingen, his eyes curving slightly as if he were smiling. "With your strength, you don't need to worry about that."

After saying that, she straightened her back and patted her thigh again.

This position caused her clothes to bulge out in a very dangerous curve, as if they were about to burst at any moment.

"What kind of relationship do we have? Saying this is hurtful."

Uchiha Shingen spoke righteously, carefully avoiding the two overly firm mounds, and rested his head on Yekura's lap.

"So, what do you want to check?" he said somewhat sullenly.

It wasn't his tone that was the problem, but rather...

It's way too big! It's even soundproofed!

"Heads inward!" Ye Cang frowned as well, she also felt that these two lumps were sometimes inconvenient.

Then, she began to examine it carefully.

No signs of damage were found.

If it's not an external injury, it's very troublesome.

"Did you have any scars on your head after you finished your cultivation?" she asked worriedly.

"Of course not, I'm cultivating, not self-harming." Uchiha Shingen finally understood what "inspection" meant.

This girl suspects he has something wrong with his head...

Just as he was about to complain, Yekura placed her hand on his head again and began to slowly rub it.

Is she giving him a massage?

Uchiha Shingen couldn't help but move slightly.

"Don't move." Ye Cang paused for a moment. "Let me massage you."

So Uchiha Shingen stopped moving.

This technique is quite comfortable.

"My head is really fine," he couldn't help but insist.

"It's good that you're alright. Your current condition is very important." Yecang's voice was calm, and Uchiha Shingen couldn't discern anything from it.

The main problem is that you can't see their faces...

As Yekura pressed down, he also felt sleepy.

"Shingen," Yekura suddenly spoke again, "what do you think our relationship should be now?"

"More than friends, less than lovers?" Uchiha Shingen joked, mainly because he felt the phrase was quite fitting. "After all, ordinary friends wouldn't offer you a lap pillow, would they?"

“My man has no chance to philander.” Yecang’s voice seemed to have a hint of amusement. “However, I really can’t imagine what a man who is willing to marry me would be like.”

Her tone was somewhat wistful.

"Shingen, your words are really hard to understand. No one else in the Uchiha clan talks like this."

"People from the Uchiha clan are actually quite simple-minded." His nose pressed against Yekura's lower abdomen, a strong rose scent wafting into Uchiha Shingen's nostrils. "Are you wearing perfume?"

"Who goes out to war wearing perfume?" Yekura found it amusing. "I just like to use flower petals when I take a bath; maybe it's just from the scent."

Uchiha Shingen was tempted to make a suggestive remark, but he refrained from doing so.

After all, we're not discussing the art of tea.

“However, you’re right, your people are quite ‘simple’.” Ye Cang stopped what he was doing. “You can switch sides now.”

Uchiha Shingen obediently flipped over.

"Are you used to living in Konoha?"

"Aren't you thinking that Sunagakure is too poor? If there's no war, life in Sunagakure is fine, it's just not as lively as Konoha."

The two stopped talking again, one silently pressing the button, the other enjoying the moment peacefully.

In this atmosphere, Uchiha Shingen also began to reminisce.

When was the last time I felt this way?

Oh right, it was before the First Shinobi World War.

Back then, I would attend school during the day, tease students, and frequent brothels. At night, I would date my partner, play pranks on her, and even have lap pillows like this one.

Until he got slapped.

Love is so complicated!

He was the one who got beaten up, but the one who did the beating was crying so hard.

The Whirlpool girl later returned to her parents' home; the Whirlpool clan was truly prosperous at that time.

Oh right, there's also that Uchiha girl named Xiao Xun. She was the one he dated the longest, and also the last. Because of that, the big boss would give him a dark look every day and speak to him in a sarcastic tone.

There are reasons why someone might be single.

What's wrong with dating a girl from the Love Clan? Besides, he didn't keep her all to himself; he even introduced her to his future sister-in-law. That rich bastard is just useless!