Hokage's Office.

Desperately trying to hold back his tears, Konohamaru's heart pounded in his chest as he pressed against the door to the room.

He had locked himself in the Hokage's office, setting up an array of traps to prevent anyone from taking away the remaining treasures left by the Third Hokage.

It was his duty, as the grandson of the late Hiruzen Sarutobi, to protect these cherished possessions! Why must they take it away! Grandfather is still here...

Cracks appeared in the dam and the tears began leaking out.

As the boy sobbed silently, consumed by his grief and determination, he remained oblivious to the presence that had materialized within the room...

Unbeknownst to Konohamaru, before he crossed the threshold into the room, a thin veil of transparent bugs, like ethereal whispers in the night, wove a delicate cloak upon his back, their presence concealed from prying eyes.

Now, they have left his body, crawling and weaving in a complex dance of insectile precision.

These bugs, each a mere speck, gradually congregated together, forming an humanoid figure.

As the transformation neared completion, the bugs took on a vivid purple hue, their collective form coalescing into that of a breathtaking beauty, dressed in the attire of an ANBU operative, complete with an exquisite white mask.

Her gaze flicked over to the scrolls and books that rested on the shelves of the Hokage's office, immediately glimmering with a deep desire for the profound knowledge contained within those ancient tomes.

Without physical contact, she manipulated the invisible insects, coaxing them to simultaneously lift multiple books and scrolls off the shelves. With another subtle flick of her wrist, she sent them up, letting them hover in mid-air, pages fluttering as if caught in a gentle breeze.

As the masked woman delicately scanned through the pages, her eyes darted across the text with astounding speed. Her lips moved ever so subtly, as if silently reciting the words that she devoured from the wise scripts.

The room itself seemed to hold its breath, the very air thick with a scholarly energy. The floating books created an ethereal scene, as if an unseen mage was orchestrating a dance of forgotten knowledge.

It was at this precise moment that Konohamaru, finally catching sight of the mysterious red-haired woman, cried out in shock. "Wh-who are you? What are you doing in the grandpa's office?"

The masked woman paused, her eyes piercing through Konohamaru's startled gaze, greeting him in a mirthful voice, "Ah, so you have finally noticed me, little one. I am known by many names, but for now, you may call me Big Sis."

"Nee-san?" Konohamaru was confounded for a moment, but he quickly snapped out of it. "Te- don't call me little one!"

A brief laugh escaped the beauty's lips, and she turned her attention back to the books.

"Oi! Are you listening to me?" Konohamaru's childish scream echoed in the room, met with no response, causing him to plop himself down, pouting with arms crossed.

The sound of page turns gently echoed in the room, a soothing melody that calmed the boy's nerves.

In the end, Konohamaru couldn't hold back his curiosity, "Nee-san, What brings you here? And why are you... reading those books like that?"

The beauty smiled, a sly smile playing upon her lips. "These books hold secrets, Konohamaru-kun. Secrets that must be understood, guarded, and preserved. I have come seeking knowledge, just as you have come to protect it. We share a similar purpose, you and I."

"Oh, we're the same." Konohamaru nodded, his gaze shifting from the floating books to the Big Sis, his curiosity piqued. "But how are you controlling those books without touching them? Can you teach me?"

The masked beauty's eyes sparkled with a mix of amusement and wisdom. "Ah, little one, the power you see before you is a manifestation of an ancient art from the No Game No Life Clan. This technique, invented by prodigious ninja Sora, are the key that allows me to interact with books in extraordinary ways."

"Sugoi!" Konohamaru's astonishment grew, his mind still struggling to comprehend the supernatural display before him. "The No Game No Life Clan? But I've never heard of such a clan."

The masked beauty's smile widened. Her eyes, veiled by the delicate mask, shimmered with a profound blend of reverence and longing, recalling the vast reservoir of tales hidden in the depths of her master's mind.

"Naturally, The No Game No Life Clan is an ancient and elusive lineage, deeply rooted in the boundless village of Anime. They have chosen to remain hidden from the annals of history, operating from the shadows, safeguarding knowledge and secrets that could shape the world. I also personally only learned of them from the database..."

Konohamaru's mind raced with a whirlwind of questions. "Village of Anime? Database?"

"Oops. Said too much." An imperceptible whisper escaped the beauty's mouth.

Within the depths of the masked beauty's mysterious eyes, the swirling emotions were quickly suppressed, and she steered the topic away, "It's not good to know too much, little one. Just know that it is my duty to uncover these truths, to ensure they are not lost to the passage of time. You also don't want your grandfather's legacy to be taken away and buried in a room, lost forever right?"

Konohamaru's initial shock gave way to a glimmer of understanding. "Hmm. Hmm."

"Good. So let big sister focus on reading, alright?"

With a couple of nods, Konohamaru obediently sat down, quietly observing the big sister shrouded in the mist of uncertainty.

The more he observed, the more awestruck he became, his face blushing, his mind running wild with fantasies…

And so, an unknown amount of time passed, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions and an aura of ambuity.

Amidst the serene sanctuary of the room, where the ambiance hummed with hushed whispers of solitude, a sudden intrusion shattered the tranquility.

Thump! Thump! Thump! "Open up, Konohamaru-kun!"

Konohamaru jolted from his reverie, jarring him back to his purpose. For within these walls, a duty awaited him - he had a room to defend, a legacy to protect!

Not long after the first intrusion, the arrival of the tempestuous presence of Naruto unleashed a storm of noise and commotion.

Yet, amidst the tumultuous tempest, there she remained - her essence untethered from the chaos that ensued. Even her exquisite mask couldn't hide her aura of serenity.

While the childish pandemonium grew in magnitude, reverberating through the walls and stirring the air with fervor, the masked beauty immersed herself in her duty of data collection.

Like a river flowing in the depths of the unknown, an indeterminate span of time slipped through the cracks of perception.

With a soft sigh, the masked beauty reached out, allowing her fingers to graze the surface of the last floating scroll. The invisible insects shifted, arranging the floating books back onto the shelves.

"According to the database, she should be breaking in soon. The surveillance shows she is already heading this way. Time to go."

A gentle smile graced the beauty's lips as she threw a glance toward the boy, "Goodbye little one."

Her ethereal parting words lingered in the air, casting a captivating spell that snared the wandering gaze of the preoccupied Konohamaru. "Nee-san? Where did she go?"

As mysterious as she came, she disappeared.

Unbeknownst to Konohamaru, an imperceptible legion of translucent insects had surreptitiously converged upon his presence, weaving an imperceptible web of concealment upon his very back, awaiting his departure to hitch a free serendipitous ride beyond the confines of the highly-secured room.

[Operation KonoHideMaru completed.]