Shinho quickly skimmed through the scroll. It detailed the reasons for the mission request made by Tazuna, citing concerns over pirate attacks.
The Land of Waves, situated between the Land of Fire and the Land of Water, was an island nation, so the presence of pirates wasn't out of the ordinary. However, the scroll made no mention of Gato or the mercenary Zabuza Momochi.
A thought suddenly occurred to Shinho—how had Tazuna managed to avoid pursuit and make it all the way to the Hidden Leaf Village? Was he just incredibly lucky?
"Is something wrong?" Tsunade, who was in the middle of eating her lunch, noticed the expression on Shinho's face and smiled as she asked.
"I think something's off," Shinho said seriously.
"Oh? What makes you say that?" Tsunade raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
Though she often teased Shinho about being just a kid, in truth, he was anything but. He had always been mature and steady.
"Where did Tazuna come from?" Shinho asked as he closed the scroll.
"The Land of Waves," Tsunade answered, biting into a piece of pork belly.
Shinho had prepared tempura and twice-cooked pork for lunch—two high-calorie dishes, but with her Yin Seal, Tsunade didn't have to worry about gaining weight.
"If he didn't hire any shinobi on his way here, why does he suddenly need to hire them for his return?" Shinho asked, feigning confusion.
"Maybe he heard about the pirate threat and decided to hire us last minute," Tsunade replied casually, not giving it much thought.
"Sensei, do you know much about the Land of Waves?" Shinho pressed on.
"Not really," Tsunade admitted, shaking her head.
The Land of Waves didn't have its own shinobi village, making it insignificant in the eyes of the Five Great Nations. As the Hokage, she didn't bother keeping track of such small countries.
"I think it might be worth sending the Anbu to investigate," Shinho suggested.
"You're acting strange today," Tsunade narrowed her eyes, a teasing smile forming. "Tell me, what's your real reason?"
"Just a gut feeling," Shinho replied, making it up on the spot.
Tsunade rolled her eyes. "And here I thought you had something concrete."
She called out loudly, "Yūgao!"
The door opened, and Uzuki Yūgao, wearing her Anbu mask, stepped in. "Hokage-sama, what are your orders?"
"Send a team to investigate the Land of Waves. I want a report in two days," Tsunade ordered in a calm, authoritative voice.
"Yes, ma'am," Yūgao said before silently retreating and closing the door.
"Impressive as always, Hokage-sama!" Shinho raised a thumbs-up, genuinely admiring how Tsunade could switch from a relaxed demeanor to exuding full-on Hokage authority in an instant.
However, no sooner had Yūgao left than Tsunade slumped back in her chair, her earlier majesty giving way to her usual laziness.
"Don't get used to it," she muttered, tapping her lips with a finger in mock seriousness.
"I understand," Shinho nodded. He knew that sending an Anbu team on just a gut feeling was unconventional, but he appreciated that Tsunade had made an exception for him.
After finishing her meal, Tsunade let out a satisfied sigh. Shinho handed her a glass of water before cleaning up the lunchboxes.
Tsunade took a few sips and wiped her mouth, watching him as he tidied up her office. Up close, she found herself admiring his neat and efficient movements.
He was growing up well—too well. She couldn't help but wonder who would end up winning his heart in the future.
"What are you staring at?" Shinho asked, noticing her gaze as he finished cleaning up, his eyes inevitably followed the trickle of wine that slid down her chin, into the valley.
"You should be asking that to yourself," Tsunade flicked his forehead lightly with a teasing grin.
Shinho winced and stepped back, rubbing his forehead.
"Don't pretend it hurt," Tsunade scoffed, crossing her arms. "I didn't even use any strength. You should be grateful I'm so gentle with you. Anyone else would've been on the floor by now."
It was true—she had always been unusually soft toward him.
If it had been anyone else, they would've been on the receiving end of her infamous punches, like poor Jiraiya had been so many times.
"I'm going back to train, Sensei," Shinho said, trying to escape the situation.
"What? Feeling guilty?" Tsunade teased, her smile widening dangerously.
"Of course not!" Shinho quickly denied, but her grin only deepened, and sensing he was about to be teased even further, he made his exit before she could change her mind.
"Little rascal," Tsunade muttered, shaking her head with a fond smile.
Strangely enough, she didn't mind his occasional glances. In fact, she found it rather harmless. Maybe it was because they were so close, or maybe because… it was a sign she hadn't lost her charm.
….
The two days of rest passed quickly. During that time, Shinho alternated between training and visiting Chisori and Karin at their treehouse.
He offered them pointers in their sealing techniques whenever he could, though he mostly focused on the basics of chakra nature and form manipulation.
By the time dusk settled, Shinho had returned home. As he sat meditating in the living room, the door opened and Tsunade entered barefoot, having kicked off her high-heeled sandals at the door.
"You were right," Tsunade announced, her voice more serious than usual.
"What did the you find?" Shinho asked, looking up.
"The Land of Waves is under the control of Gato," Tsunade said, taking a seat across from him and propping her legs up, her pale feet crossed in the air.
Shizune entered from the kitchen, pouring them all glasses of chilled lemonade.
"Thanks," Shinho said, taking a refreshing sip.
"Gato is the president of a large shipping company, but behind the scenes, he's involved in smuggling drugs and illegal goods. He hires mercenaries and shinobi to expand his control over small nations, especially island countries," Tsunade explained, her brow furrowed in distaste.
"Tazuna is a bridge builder," Shizune added. "If he completes the bridge, the Land of Waves might be able to break free of Gato's control."
The bridge Tazuna was building would connect the Land of Waves to the Land of Fire, giving the small nation access to the larger country's power.
This could potentially force Gato to abandon his hold on the Land of Waves, especially since the country had already been drained of its resources.
"He hid crucial information from us," Tsunade said gravely. "By the rules of Konoha, his request should be rejected."
For a moment, she looked concerned. It was fortunate that Shinho had insisted on investigating. Otherwise, Team 7 might have walked right into a deadly situation.
With Gato's wealth, hiring a jōnin would be easy. Once a mission involved jōnin-level threats, it wasn't a C-rank mission anymore—it would qualify as an A-rank mission.
Even though Kakashi was powerful, and Shinho, Naruto, and Sasuke weren't ordinary genin, no one could predict the twists a real battle might take.
Should anything go wrong, Tsunade knew she would regret it for the rest of her life.
If it weren't Team 7 but another squad of less experienced shinobi, the risks would be even greater.
"True," Shizune agreed, nodding. "Such reckless behavior could cause significant losses for Konoha. I think we should blacklist Tazuna."
Although Tazuna had reasons for his actions, the mere thought of him endangering Shinho infuriated Shizune. At times, a woman's sense of justice could be quite fierce.
"I don't think we should let him off that easily," Shinho added, noticing their shared anger and seizing the opportunity to push his point further.
"You mean...?" Tsunade's eyes flickered with curiosity, already suspecting where Shinho's thoughts were headed.
Truthfully, the idea that was forming didn't align with the usual shinobi code.
According to the widely accepted principles, shinobi were forbidden from harming their employers. If word got out, it could erode the trust that all future clients had in them.
In the original story, even the ruthless rogue ninja Zabuza Momochi hadn't considered killing Gato until the very end.
That was because once a shinobi killed one employer, what would stop them from killing the next? Who would dare hire them afterwards?
"No, that's out of the question," Tsunade cut him off before he could elaborate, shaking her head. "We can't risk Konoha's reputation."
"Sensei, we could approach this from a different angle," Shinho smiled, unfazed. "The Land of Waves is suffering under Gato's control. What they need is a savior."
Tsunade's eyes lit up. Gato was a wealthy figure known across the ninja world. His money could not only help her pay off her debts but also fund her gambling for a good while.
"But there's one issue," Shizune chimed in after a moment of thought. "Most of Gato's operations are in the islands under the jurisdiction of the Land of Water."
"The Land of Water had been isolated for some time, but ever since the Fifth Mizukage, Mei Terumi, came into power, they've been opening up again," Tsunade said, her expression turning more serious. "A shipping tycoon like Gato wouldn't have gone unnoticed by her."
Shinho paused for a moment. The original storyline never mentioned any involvement of the Land of Water or Kirigakure, but now that Tsunade mentioned it, it made sense. If Gato had backing from the Land of Water, his meteoric rise was much more believable.
"The Land of Waves is too close to the Land of Fire to let it fall into Kirigakure's hands," Tsunade said, her tone firm. "We can't just ignore this."
"I agree," Shinho nodded. Though the discussion hadn't gone exactly as he had predicted, the outcome was just what he had hoped for. Gato was a prime target, his fortune too tempting to pass up.
"What about Tazuna?" Shizune asked, looking troubled. "He's a respected figure in the Land of Waves."
"What do you think, Shinho?" Tsunade turned the question to him, her eyes calculating.
For a while now, Tsunade had toyed with the idea of grooming Shinho to be the next Hokage. She was already growing tired of the role after five years.
And frankly, Shinho had the right temperament and abilities. His insights were always fresh, and his suggestions often practical.
"There are two options," Shinho said calmly. "We either control him or ensure he meets an unfortunate accident."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow.
The boy wasn't afraid to suggest harsh solutions when needed—a quality necessary for a future Hokage. Leading a village required a certain amount of ruthlessness.
"The Land of Waves wants their bridge and their freedom," Shinho continued. "They don't care who delivers it to them."
Tsunade chuckled, scratching her chin. "Why don't you just take over as Hokage right now?"
"Tsunade-sama, please don't joke about that!" Shizune exclaimed before Shinho could respond. "Shinho just graduated from the Academy. He can't be Hokage yet."
Though she also believed Shinho had the potential, the idea of him taking the role now was ridiculous. Maybe in a few years or even a decade, but not yet.
"Pfft." Tsunade pouted, dissatisfied. "He's already taller than me. What does age have to do with it?"
Still, seeing Shizune's stern expression, she relented.
"Alright, then we'll control him," Tsunade decided, leaning back. "That seems like the best option."
Shinho wasn't surprised. Tsunade wasn't one to take a life lightly, not unless absolutely necessary. Despite her tough demeanor, she had a kind heart.
"Shizune," Tsunade instructed, "go find Kakashi and have him use his Sharingan to place a suggestion on Tazuna."
Using the Sharingan's hypnotic abilities to control a civilian? That was nothing for a shinobi like Kakashi. Against ordinary people, shinobi had an array of nearly invincible techniques at their disposal.
Shinho briefly considered the power of the Sharingan. Having access to such an eye would make life a lot easier. Still, he wasn't an Uchiha, and transplanting one wasn't something he was interested in.
He preferred his own eyes, and besides, his unique abilities with Gu's could achieve similar results in time.
"Understood." Shizune nodded and left to carry out her orders.
"You'll proceed with the mission as normal, but I'll send the Anbu to accompany you," Tsunade told Shinho. "Depending on the situation, I'll upgrade the mission's rank."
"Just make sure we don't let Gato escape," Shinho reminded her.
"Don't worry," Tsunade grinned. "There's no way I'd let that much money slip through my fingers."
"What about Gato's shipping empire?" Shinho asked, another thought crossing his mind.
"We'll have to let it go," Tsunade sighed, shaking her head. "That territory belongs to the Land of Water."
She wasn't interested in running a smuggling operation, even if it was profitable. She wouldn't stoop to Gato's level.
"True." Shinho nodded. For a brief moment, he had entertained the idea of running his own pirate empire in the ninja world, but it seemed unrealistic—unless he someday took over Kirigakure.
"Maybe one day," he mused.
"Just be careful tomorrow," Tsunade said as she stretched, standing up and heading toward the bathroom. "I'm going to take a bath."
Shinho glanced up instinctively, his eyes catching the graceful curve of her figure before quickly looking away.
Tsunade didn't seem to notice, disappearing into the bathroom as the sound of running water soon followed.
….
As night gave way to day, a new morning dawned.
Team 7 gathered at the First Training Ground as scheduled.
"Sensei!" Naruto called out as soon as he arrived, practically bursting with excitement. "What's today's mission?"
"We're protecting a bridge builder named Tazuna and escorting him to the Land of Waves,"
Kakashi replied in his usual bored tone. "The Land of Waves is by the sea, so we might run into some pirates. So, stay alert."
"Wow! A bridge expert? Sounds awesome!" Naruto said, his eyes gleaming. "I bet we'll get to fight some pirates!"
Shinho couldn't help but think, I suggest you don't make suggestions, 'expert.'
"Naruto," Kakashi corrected him, "you shouldn't be so eager for danger."
"Where's our client?" Shinho asked, glancing around and noticing Tazuna's absence.
"He's probably late," Kakashi muttered, his one visible eye twinkling with amusement.
He remembered Shizune's instructions from the day before. This C-rank mission wasn't going to be as straightforward as it seemed.
[tl/n: these titles are misleading, ngl(￣_￣|||)]
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