Between Iwagakure and Suna stretched a string of small nations—from east to west lay the Land of Rain, the Land of Birds, the Land of Stones, and finally, the Land of Silence.
Because of Hanzō's fearsome reputation in the past, both Iwagakure and Sunagakure preferred to avoid battle on the Land of Rain's soil whenever possible.
Instead, the Land of Birds, the Land of Stones, and the Land of Silence had long served as the two great villages' battlegrounds of contention.
For Suna, the northern edge of the Land of Wind bordered the Land of Birds and the Land of Stones—a region of lifeless mountains eroded by endless sandstorms. Jagged paths cut through the barren landscape, making travel and supply routes difficult. The area's strategic value was limited, and the truly prosperous parts of the Land of Wind lay far to the south. As such, Sunagakure left only one or two watchtowers for surveillance. The true focal point of the northern front had always been the border near the Land of Silence.
At that very moment, Ōnoki sat within a massive fortress carved directly into a mountainside of solid stone along the southwestern border of the Land of Earth.
"Tsuchikage-sama, urgent intelligence."
An Iwa Anbu knelt before him, presenting a scroll with both hands.
Ōnoki took it, unrolled it, and scanned the message.
"Homura Mitokado, on an envoy mission to Kumo… has already reached the Land of Hot Water?"
"The Raikage has shown no further movements…"
Ōnoki's eyes narrowed slightly. "Although still young, that man surpasses even his father in diplomacy."
It had only been a test—an attempt to meddle with Kumo's negotiations with Konoha. Yet the fact that it succeeded caught even the Third Tsuchikage off guard.
When Akatsuki relayed the news, it surprised him enough to take them more seriously. Mercenaries they may be—but competent ones.
Unfortunately, the Raikage proved more rational than expected, and the schemes targeting Sunagakure had not borne fruit. The Kazekage's stance remained elusive—neither committing nor rejecting Iwagakure's subtle overtures.
Now, it was time to make a new choice. Ōnoki gazed out at the horizon, the weight of war etched into his weathered face.
News of Team 5's triumphant return spread quickly, and cheers erupted throughout the outpost.
Anko couldn't help but grin. Her time in Suna had been anything but easy—the harsh environment was one thing, but the trip back felt like being escorted home under heavy guard.
Still, the warmth of her teammates instantly melted away days of exhaustion. Even Itachi's usually calm eyes softened a little.
Roshi didn't interrupt the rare moment of relaxation. Instead, he quietly pulled the Chunin captain aside to debrief him.
"So, the Village sent an envoy to Kumo?" He confirmed after listening. "They've already crossed the Land of Fire and are waiting for a response in the Land of Hot Water?"
He nodded slowly, understanding now why Suna had been so eager to send them back. The goal was clear—finalize their agreement before Kumo accepted the envoy.
At this stage, Konoha's offer to Sunagakure still held weight, and the village would want to seal the deal swiftly—to show Kumo that Konoha remained stable, thereby pressuring them to accept negotiations.
After a brief rest at the outpost, Team 5 set off again and reached Konoha late that night.
During this tense period, the village gates were heavily guarded—checkpoints doubled, and Uchiha Fugaku himself led the patrols.
The stern captain's gaze swept over the three dust-covered figures, pausing on his son for just a moment before giving Roshi a brief nod and waving them through.
Their return was immediately reported to the Hokage Building.
The Hokage's office glowed with lamplight. Hiruzen, Koharu, and Shikaku were already waiting.
Roshi wasted no time on formalities. He reported the mission's outcome—his discussions with Ebizo and Rasa, the agreed terms, and his assessment of Sunagakure's attitude.
"Although they've promised to maintain the alliance, their position remains unstable," Roshi concluded. "It's hard to count on them to join us against Iwagakure on the western front. They might even turn a blind eye—or worse, quietly cooperate."
He spoke plainly, without embellishment. Yet none of the senior figures seemed alarmed.
"You've completed the envoy mission successfully," said Hiruzen, setting the tone. "Given the circumstances, preventing Sunagakure from siding with Iwagakure is already a success."
Koharu gave a slight nod of agreement.
Shikaku, ever calm and pragmatic, rose from his seat, smiling as he patted Roshi on the shoulder.
"The outcome you brought back is the best we could've hoped for. It's enough to announce publicly and keep morale steady."
"You've worked hard, Roshi," Hiruzen added gently. "Rest now. The next battles will still need you."
Roshi bowed slightly, said nothing more, and left the office.
Outside, the night air was cool and heavy. Anko was yawning exaggeratedly, while Itachi leaned against the wall with his eyes closed, deep in thought.
For a moment, Roshi just stood there, exhaustion washing over him like a tide.
When Anko saw him, she lazily slung an arm around his shoulder, half leaning on him. "So? What did the old man say?"
"Mission accomplished. Go home and sleep."
"That's it?" she complained, rubbing her eyes. "What about the credit? The reward? A feast, at least—"
"Later," Roshi said, smiling faintly. "First, rest."
"Fine, fine…" she muttered, then rubbed her stomach. "But I'm starving, Captain. Can't we get something to eat first?"
"At this hour? Everything's closed," Roshi replied.
"I have food at home," Itachi said quietly, but before he could elaborate, Anko's eyes lit up. "Wait! I still have instant noodles at home!"
"Enough for three?" Roshi asked.
"Probably," she said uncertainly, then added confidently, "Yeah, definitely enough!"
Itachi sighed quietly. Roshi could only smile. "…Then let's go to your place for instant noodles."
Back at Anko's small, cluttered apartment, a quick search revealed only two cups of instant noodles.
Roshi was silent for a long moment. His gaze slowly lifted to the guilty-looking kunoichi.
Without a word, he reached out and pinched her cheek, tugging it lightly. "This is what you meant by 'definitely enough'?"
"Mmph—ow—! We can share them in bowls!" she mumbled, her words slurred by his grip. "Captain, you're the boss, you can eat less! Itachi's still a kid, he doesn't need much either—"
"You're the one who should eat less!" Roshi retorted, finally letting go.
In the end, Itachi silently boiled water while Roshi found the bowls. The sound of bubbling water filled the quiet room.
Two cups of noodles were split into three bowls.
After the warm meal, the exhaustion of the long journey returned all at once. Roshi looked up to see Anko already slumped asleep on the tatami, while Itachi had curled up in the corner, breathing softly.
He sighed. He should clean up.
…Maybe later.
Closing his eyes, Roshi lay down where he was.
Tonight, that was enough.
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