The afternoon sun was high above the Hokage Tower, casting short shadows around the courtyard. Inside the Hokage's office, the silence was h
The afternoon sun was high above the Hokage Tower, casting short shadows around the courtyard.
Inside the Hokage's office, the silence was heavier.
Tsunade sat by her chair, arms folded, going through mission files and logging in with mission records.
Behind the door, she sensed 3 distinct chakra entering the office lobby.
"Send them in", she called out to Shizune outside on the reception.
The door creaked open, as Team 11 stepped in.
Naruto entered first followed by Shikako and Nejire.
Shizune stood to her side, a sealed folder tucked under her arm.
Tsunade let her eyes sweep over them once, checking for any injury they may have attained. Her gaze lingering a moment longer on Nejire's posture.
She didn't bother glancing at the reports waiting on her desk. Whatever was written on it, she already knew—now she wanted to hear it from them.
"Start from the beginning."
Shikako leaned forward, resting her forearms across her thighs. "We confirmed activity of Kumogakure shinobi in Neutral territory of Yubune by reaction of peoples in the town and surrounding. There were also cases of theft of various shinobi tools mainly related to sealing and suppression items. We got in contact with Kumo Shinobi on our second day, who claimed they were on patrol searching for mercenaries, when one of them- short in height and broad in stature commented on Nejire's clan status. We disengaged after few words. An infiltration occured the same night."
Tsunade's voice was steady. "Their target?"
Nejire answered. "Me. They aimed to incapacitate me quickly. They had paralysis tags and used suppression tactics to kidnap me. They knew which pressure points to hit—a Hyūga-specifically."
Naruto cut in after her, his voice measured and calm. "I neutralized two of them. One dead. One captured—he is currently in ANBU hands. The third escaped, I lost my emotions when dealing with the second one. We didn't pursue him further as our priority was containment."
"Any recorded confirmation that they belong to Kumo?" Tsunade asked.
"Gear matched Kumo standard," Shikako started. "They had shinobi-graded chakra cuffs and sealing scrolls. They worked in tight formation and had 3-man cell pattern. These certainly weren't rogues."
Tsunade's jaw tightened, but she didn't interrupt.
"They had brought cuffs for a living capture," Shikako continued. "This wasn't an extraction but a method of collection."
Although Nejire's expression didn't change a bit during this conversation, but her fingers briefly curled in her lap.
Naruto shifted slightly. "They knew her profile and also about the seal on her forehead. That's not common intel."
Shizune quietly standing beside Tsunade glanced at her master. She could see the tension growing beneath her mentor's stillness.
"Was any civilian harmed?" Tsunade finally asked.
"No," Shikako replied. "Innkeeper kept out of it and we kept further things quiet."
"Good," Tsunade said, voice tight. "And the captured operative?"
"I had him covered with paralysis seals, since the capture" Naruto said. "Now ANBU's got him with layered suppression tags. He has not woken up since suppressed but his chakra and body is stable."
Shikako asked a question that has been weighing her mind since the capture. "Do you think he's trained to resist interrogation?"
"Definitely," Tsunade answerd. "But Yamanaka and Ibiki will get the work done."
There was a long moment of silence.
Then Tsunade exhaled slowly. "You all performed well with right priority shifts, judgment calls and defense strategy. You protected your own and even secured intel which the mission was all about thus also keeping the village's interests first."
Naruto didn't react much, but Nejire sat straighter and Shikako, for once, wasn't slouched.
Tsunade continued, her tone dropping. "We've already seen this type of case from Kumogakure before. They don't circulate their movement like this without someone from high rank position gives them permission. And it seems they're arrogant enough to assume we won't respond this time."
Nejire's cut in her voice quiet. "But we did."
"You did," Tsunade said.
Tsunade added, "Hiashi Hyūga has already reached out. He wants to meet with you urgently, Nejire."
Nejire nodded. "I'll go straight to clan compounds after the brief."
Tsunade turned her eyes to Naruto.
"You controlled the situation like a commander. By not letting the situation push your team into panic."
Naruto blinked, clearly surprised with the praise. "I didn't do anything special."
"You kept your team breathing. That's all the 'special' I need."
Shikako gave a amused half-smile. "You seem to be in a good mood today, Hokage-sama."
"I'll get over it," Tsunade said dryly. "Don't let it spoil you."
That got quiet chuckles from Nejire and Shizune.
Tsunade leaned back, lacing her fingers together. "You're off active duty for a week now. No missions, no training exercise. You'll get to rest for you've all earned it. But I still want full written reports due on my desk by the end of the week."
"Yes, Hokage-sama," they replied in sync, standing to leave.
But before they could turn to go, Tsunade stopped them.
"One more thing."
They turned back.
"You've been promoted once already, and maybe I'll stamp more titles on you in the future. But hear this now—none of you are chunin in my eyes. Not anymore."
She let that sink in. Not as a formality and certainly not as flattery.
But as something earned.
They gave a short nod, quiet and respectful, leaving the room quietly.
Tsunade stayed behind, staring at the closed door for a few breaths longer.
Shizune stepped up beside her.
"You think Kumo will send someone, Master?"
Tsunade didn't look at her. She reached for the sealed scroll sitting at the edge of the desk, the copy of one she'd sent two days ago.
"They will," she said.
Her voice was steady.
"And if they don't—I'll remind them why they should."