Inside the Hokage's office, after Kizaru decided to go back, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane—the Hokage's two senior advisors—were seated at their desks, processing documents.
Hanzō's sudden and reckless move to declare war on the Land of Wind had forced most of Konoha's attention toward the battlefield in the Land of Rain.
"Hanzō really is not someone you can underestimate..." Homura said with a sigh after finishing the battle report in his hand. He set the document down, his expression growing heavier.
Koharu, who had been reviewing logistics reports, looked up. "What happened?"
"Hanzō repelled Sunagakure's first assault," Homura replied, adjusting his glasses. "According to the intelligence we received, Suna's losses were significant."
"He repelled Sunagakure?" Koharu looked genuinely surprised. Even for one of the Five Great Nations, being pushed back by Amegakure was no small matter.
"Hanzō summoned his salamander summon and used its poison to drive them back."
"Poison, huh..." Koharu's lips curved slightly. "Looks like Chiyo finally ran into someone who could match her."
As a kunoichi from the same era, she knew Chiyo's reputation well. Hearing that Sunagakure had been forced back clearly amused her a little.
Homura, however, remained calm. "With Chiyo there, Hanzō's poison won't remain an advantage forever. Sunagakure's defeat is only temporary."
Koharu nodded in agreement, but her expression soon turned more serious.
"Compared to Hanzō in the Land of Rain... I'm more worried about the Land of Lightning."
Homura's eyes sharpened slightly at that.
The Third Raikage.
A man hailed as possessing the strongest shield and the strongest spear. Even thinking of him was enough to make the mood in the room sink.
"Kumogakure is our true enemy," Homura said gravely.
"Kizaru is still too young," Koharu said, unable to hide the concern in her voice. "I can't help worrying about sending him to face Kumogakure on his own."
"Don't worry too much," Homura said, trying to reassure her. "I've been monitoring the border reports the entire time. So far, nothing unusual has happened over there."
"For now, that's all we can do." Koharu let out a quiet breath and lowered her head again, returning to the logistics reserve figures in her hands.
"Report!"
Just then, the office door was pushed open by an ANBU operative.
Homura and Koharu looked up at the same time.
"Speak," Homura said immediately.
"The border unit has sent back an urgent report. The Third Raikage personally led Kumogakure's forces and launched an attack on our border."
"What?!"
"Does Lord Hokage know already?"
Both Homura and Koharu shot to their feet, all trace of calm instantly gone.
"The Hokage has asked me to inform the two of you to gather in the conference room at once."
"We're on our way!"
Without another word, the two advisors hurried out from behind their desks and rushed toward the conference room.
"Then I'll leave it to you."
Kizaru kept both hands in his pockets as he spoke lazily to Kakuzu, who stood in front of him.
"Don't worry about it," Kakuzu replied coldly.
Beside him stood the Third Raikage, his chakra sealed and his wounds only roughly bandaged.
Compared to Kakuzu's usual indifference, Hyūga Nagayasu looked much less at ease.
"Kizaru-sama, it would be better if you escorted the Raikage back to the village with us," Nagayasu said carefully, unable to keep the worry out of his voice.
"Oh?" Kakuzu glanced at him, clearly displeased. "You don't trust us?"
He had already grown irritated with Nagayasu constantly meddling in things.
If Nagayasu were not a member of the Hyūga clan, Kakuzu might have already considered whether those Byakugan eyes would sell for a good price on the black market.
"This matter is too important," Nagayasu said firmly, ignoring Kakuzu's hostility. "We can't afford to be careless."
Kakuzu didn't bother responding to him again. Instead, he looked straight at Kizaru.
"The Third Raikage doesn't have a bounty," he said flatly.
Kizaru gave a helpless little shrug. "That's right, Kakuzu."
"I know," Kakuzu replied. "That's why he's still alive."
Nagayasu: "..."
He looked from Kizaru to Kakuzu, then back again, and for some reason felt even more uneasy.
"Don't worry, Uncle Nagayasu," Kizaru said with a relaxed smile. "This mission is very simple. Uncle Raikage is going to be very cooperative, isn't that right?"
As he said that, he turned to the Third Raikage.
The Raikage gave a proud snort. "I have never broken my word."
"Ooh, how dependable," Kizaru said with a grin, then turned back toward Nagayasu.
Since even the Raikage himself had said that much, Nagayasu had no room left to object.
"I understand, Kizaru-sama."
"Then I'm counting on you." Kizaru raised a hand and waved them off with his usual easygoing smile.
Still smiling, he watched as Kakuzu, Nagayasu, the Third Raikage, and the escort team departed from the border stronghold, heading toward the towns near the border to begin what could only be called the "Third Raikage Exhibition Tour through the Land of Fire."
As for why Kizaru was not joining them personally—
The reason was simple.
If you wanted to build up a reputation, it was always more effective when other people did the talking for you.
Besides, traveling all over the country sounded far too troublesome.
Compared to that, returning early to the village and resuming his peaceful fishing life sounded much better.
"Matatabi-chan, time to go," Kizaru called out toward the open area outside the wooden stronghold.
The Two-Tails, who had been sprawled lazily across the railing, lifted her head at once.
"You bastard, stop shortening my name however you like!" Matatabi snapped irritably as she stood.
"So unladylike..." Kizaru muttered.
"Who are you calling scary, unladylike?!"
With an angry huff, the giant blue-flamed cat strode over and stopped in front of him, lifting her head.
Kizaru naturally understood what she wanted. He bent down and picked her up into his arms.
"Hmph." Matatabi gave an annoyed snort, then immediately adjusted herself into a far more comfortable position against him.
Since he was carrying Matatabi, Kizaru couldn't use his elemental light movement as freely. That left him with only a combination of Geppō and Body Flicker to make the trip back.
Without turning into light, his speed dropped considerably, and by the time he returned from the border to the outskirts of Konoha, most of the day had already passed.
After being carried for that long, Matatabi finally moved from his arms to his shoulders, where she sat proudly as Kizaru approached Konoha's main gate.
"Ooh... I'm finally home," Kizaru said cheerfully as he stopped in front of the entrance.
The two shinobi on gate duty immediately noticed him.
"Kizaru? Why are you back already?" one of them asked in surprise. "What happened at the border?"
As gate guards, neither of the two was weak. Both were elite chūnin, experienced enough that together they could even put up a fight against an ordinary jōnin.
"The issue at the border has already been settled," Kizaru replied with a smile.
The two guards exchanged glances.
Earlier that morning, they had already seen the border unit returning in a hurry. From that alone, they had guessed that something serious had happened near the Land of Lightning.
Now Kizaru had suddenly returned and casually stated that the matter was already resolved.
There were only two explanations.
Either he had fled and was lying—
Or he had somehow forced Kumogakure to retreat.
"Kizaru... didn't Kumogakure attack our border?" the other guard asked cautiously. "Did you bring back any information?"
"Kumogakure, hm?" Kizaru touched his chin as though thinking it over. "The shinobi over there really are awfully strong. Especially the Third Raikage... oooh, that man is a monster among monsters."
The two guards stiffened.
"You fought him?"
"We had a little exchange," Kizaru said lightly.
"And... they retreated?"
"Yes. After my very friendly negotiations, they withdrew."
The two gate guards stared at him.
A little exchange?
Friendly negotiations?
The more casually Kizaru said it, the more terrifying it sounded.
In their minds, the situation had already been transformed into something unbelievable—
Kizaru had single-handedly stopped Kumogakure's offensive and prevented war from breaking out.
As expected of Konoha's super genius.
Their expressions quickly turned reverent.
Then one of them noticed the blue cat perched on Kizaru's shoulder.
"Kizaru... what's that on your shoulder?"
As a sensory-type shinobi, he could clearly feel an enormous amount of chakra radiating from the blue-flamed creature.
Kizaru turned his head, then reached up and gently stroked Matatabi's head.
The Two-Tails immediately lifted her chin proudly, clearly enjoying the attention.
"This?" Kizaru said casually. "It's a gift from Kumogakure. The Two-Tails."
"Oh, the Two-Tails, I see—"
The gate guard stopped halfway through his sentence.
Then his eyes widened.
His finger slowly rose, trembling, toward Kizaru's shoulder.
"T-The Two-Tails...?" he repeated in a shaky voice. "You mean... this is a tailed beast?!"
Kizaru nodded with a smile.
"It's cute, isn't it?"
"Cute your ass!" Matatabi exploded on the spot. "Who are you calling cute, bastard?!"
The two gate guards were completely frozen.
A tailed beast.
An actual tailed beast and an unsealed one at that.
Sitting on someone's shoulder.
And being described as cute.
At that moment, both elite chūnin felt the world becoming a little unreal.
They had spent seven or eight years guarding Konoha's gate, but this was the first time in their lives they had ever seen someone stroll back into the village carrying a tailed beast like it was a pet cat.
What an eye-opening day.
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