A few crows perched on a utility pole, watching over a street scattered with two or three pedestrians. The setting sun cast its rays through a window, painting a patch of the living room floor in a stubborn, defiant red.
The room was silent. A fine layer of dust on the sofa suggested it had been some time since anyone had lived here. The drip of a faucet from the kitchen and the steady tick-tock of a clock only deepened the oppressive sense of loneliness.
The scene might have been peaceful, were it not for the disheveled, wild-haired girl lying face-up in a dark corner of the floor.
Sakura Haruno stared blankly at the ceiling. If not for the faint rise and fall of her chest, she could have been mistaken for a corpse.
A full day had passed since her return from the Village Hidden in the Waterfalls, and for that entire day, she had remained in this exact position.
The mission had failed…
It had failed…
Her first attempt at a plan to capture a Tailed Beast had been aborted.
She couldn't understand which step had gone wrong. Not even Karin had known the full details of the plan, yet it had still failed.
Jiraiya's pursuit and Shuying's substitution for Yakumo were the direct culprits…
On the surface, that was true. But Jiraiya clearly hadn't known what she was planning to do. Still, he had chosen to follow her the moment she set out…
And Shuying. Even now, Sakura had no idea who that girl truly was. She had even less reason to know about the plan.
After ruling out her previous theories about Shuying's identity, Sakura was left more confused, more lost than ever. Why had she done it? What was her goal?
Every action should have a clear purpose, but Shuying's seemed utterly devoid of one. Was it to stop her from capturing the Tailed Beast?
But if Shuying could infiltrate her team right under her nose, it meant her skills in stealth and sensory perception were nothing short of masterful. She must have been aware of Jiraiya following them. Sakura refused to believe it was a coincidence.
With Jiraiya on their tail, her operation was destined for complications, likely even failure, regardless of whether Shuying had appeared or not.
Although Shuying was only discovered because Sakura broke her genjutsu, with her talent for disguise, she could have simply maintained her cover. She could have even defected to Jiraiya's side, and the outcome would have been completely different.
That was why Sakura couldn't fathom her objective. Was it the Tailed Beast? If so, all Shuying had to do was tell Sakura that Jiraiya was following them. Sakura would have then set a genjutsu trap for him or created a diversion to lead him away.
Then, after Sakura had succeeded, Shuying could have struck from the shadows and stolen the beast. And yet, she hadn't.
Memories of Shuying's actions flooded Sakura's mind, but she couldn't grasp the critical piece that would make it all make sense.
Their first meeting, their first conversation, the first suspicion, the first guess at her identity… everything flashed through her mind, one by one…
Sakura curled into a ball on the floor in agony, clutching her hair, desperately trying to connect the threads. But Shuying's erratic, unpredictable methods gave her nothing to analyze.
Bang!
"Dammit!" Sakura slammed her fist into the floorboards. Once again, a wave of powerlessness washed over her mind and body.
She had thought the helplessness born from a lack of strength was finally behind her. But even now, when she possessed power that could force Jiraiya himself to be wary in Sage Mode, there were still things she was utterly powerless to change…
Shuying, who are you? What in the world is your goal?!
In the Hokage's office, Tsunade's sharp gaze was fixed on Jiraiya. He began to squirm under her stare, and finally, unable to bear the atmosphere any longer, he broke the silence.
"I'm telling you, Tsunade…" Jiraiya began, forcing a stiff smile.
"Address me as the Fifth Hokage!" Tsunade slammed her hands on the desk and roared.
"Yes, Lord Fifth!" Jiraiya snapped to attention, standing ramrod straight as he shouted his reply.
"Hmph." Tsunade leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest. She looked at Jiraiya, her tone softening slightly. "How are Karin and Yakumo?"
"They're fine. It was just a genjutsu," Jiraiya said, rubbing his nose. "Sai is fine, too. They were all just caught in a genjutsu."
"I see. And the mission?" Tsunade continued.
"The mission was, naturally… not completed." Seeing Tsunade's tone relax a bit, Jiraiya began to complain. "That kid is unbelievable. How could she just switch out personnel mid-mission like that? It's a good thing I was there to vouch for Konoha with my good name, or the Waterfall Village would have never let it go."
"Hah, your good name?" Tsunade spat. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"
"I do," Jiraiya answered readily.
"Are you trying to be like Danzo?" Tsunade's tone was sharp and accusing.
"…" Jiraiya's expression suddenly turned grave. The playful demeanor vanished, replaced by a look of stern severity.
"What? Did something happen?" Seeing his change, Tsunade's expression grew serious as well.
When Jiraiya had first come to report on Sakura's mission, Tsunade had been about to explode. Sakura abandoning her post and returning to the village was a serious offense that demanded investigation.
But Jiraiya's actions were even more severe. The details of a mission assigned to a ninja or a squad were not to be disclosed to any uninvolved party without the Hokage's direct order. Conversely, uninvolved parties were forbidden from prying into the missions of others without the Hokage's permission.
That was why Tsunade was so furious. However, she knew Jiraiya must have had a reason for doing what he did. Now, it was time to hear his explanation.
"I want you to keep a close eye on Sakura Haruno from now on," Jiraiya said in a low, heavy voice. "If she isn't monitored, she may very well betray the village."
"…"
"…"
Tsunade's gaze grew sharper, but Jiraiya met it without flinching.
"Reason!" After a long moment, Tsunade bit out the single word.
"She tried to kill me in the Waterfall Village," Jiraiya stated.
"Heh…" Tsunade let out a sudden, cold laugh. "Is that all?"
"Is that not enough?" Jiraiya couldn't understand how Tsunade could remain so calm.
Tsunade slowly pulled a scroll from her robes and tossed it to Jiraiya. "Open it. Read it."
Jiraiya caught the scroll. Seeing the characters for "Top Secret" on it, he handled it with renewed gravity.
Tsunade waited quietly while he read, watching him without a word. When he was finished, Jiraiya rolled the scroll back up and handed it to her, his expression now indescribably strange.
"Any thoughts?" Tsunade asked mockingly. "Think I've gone mad?"
Jiraiya closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, he said, "As I thought. I'm not suited for this position."
After a long silence, Tsunade sighed. "Neither am I. If this information were to be made public, the village would suffer the greatest loss."
"…" Jiraiya fell silent. On one side was the village; on the other, a comrade he once held dear. It was an impossible choice, and worse, the village couldn't withstand another major upheaval. That was the most critical factor.
"Was it… worth it for you to do this?" Jiraiya asked, his voice bitter.
"No," Tsunade shook her head, her voice soft. "But there's no turning back now. It was decided from the very beginning. I can only hope my luck isn't too terrible this time."
"If…" Jiraiya said slowly, "if that day ever truly comes… I won't hold back."
"Don't worry," Tsunade replied, a faint smile touching her lips. "I'll be the one to atone for it."