"So, Nagato followed Yahiko out to sea on a boat, and now their whereabouts are unknown?"
Deep in an underground hideout, a gaunt figure sat in the basement, the form of Madara. White Zetsu, ever the monochrome messenger, stood before him. Though his expression remained blank, the frustration radiating from Madara was palpable.
'Vanished in the blink of an eye?' Madara's hand clenched. 'Those were my eyes!'
"According to White Zetsu's report, that's exactly what happened," Black Zetsu chimed in, a hint of cruel amusement in his voice. "Also, Danzo of Konohagakure is dead. Nothing left but ashes, blown apart by explosive tags."
"Danzo wouldn't have met such a pathetic end if he'd possessed even half the skill of Tobirama Senju," Madara scoffed. "But before you gloat, go find Nagato."
Madara was deeply displeased. Failing to eliminate Yahiko was bad enough, but losing Nagato felt like an insult.
White Zetsu might excel at reconnaissance, but the sea was outside their domain. Pinpointing the trio's location right now would be impossible without a lengthy, painstaking search.
"Right away." Black Zetsu replied, then sank into the ground.
--**--**
Initially, news of Danzo's death was tightly controlled by Konohagakure. Only those within the village walls knew the truth, the barrier remaining active, keeping outsiders firmly out.
However...
In Amegakure, the story was quite different.
Many of the Amegakure ninja present during the mission had witnessed Danzo firsthand, and the sheer magnitude of the explosion that followed. Upon his return, Hanzō, wary of Konoha's potential reaction, immediately began arranging countermeasures, a move that quickly alerted the Iwa ninja spies lurking in Amegakure.
--**--**
Konoha.
After a single day of mourning, Konoha quickly shed its mourning clothes after just one day and returned to business as usual. Even Takeshi's team, fresh back from their mission, was promptly reassigned.
Their destination: the Eastern Front.
Early that morning, Kakashi and the others waited by the Konoha gate. An hour passed, but still, the black cat was nowhere to be seen...
"Should we go get him?" Guy stroked his chin thoughtfully.
Kakashi, Genma, and Ebisu all glanced at him, their silent message clear: You go.
The black cat's morning temper was now legendary throughout the village. When he was weaker, it was manageable.
But now... no one dared risk disturbing him before he woke properly. A single tail whip could easily land them in the hospital. Last time, Guy had barely escaped with minor injuries thanks to his speed, otherwise...
Guy visibly shuddered at the memory. He slumped, his earlier enthusiasm deflating slightly. "Never mind," he muttered listlessly. "Let's just wait."
'Cats are cuter when they are kittens.'
"Meow~ Sorry, I was held up by a dog on the way. Took some time to... persuade him."
"..."
'Where do we even begin with that excuse?' Genma's lips twitched. If it weren't for the different voice, he'd swear this cat was Obito in disguise. Even the tone, the ridiculousness of it, was uncannily similar.
"Let's just go," Kakashi said, his expression calm. After nearly a year working alongside Takeshi, nothing surprised him anymore. Least of all tardiness. Weren't half their friends notorious latecomers anyway? From Minato Sensei on down to Obito, they were all professional stragglers, each with their own unique flair.
But Takeshi's excuse? That was a new one. Who didn't know every dog in the village went miles out of their way to avoid him these days?
"Meow!"
After the necessary paperwork was handled, Takeshi left Konoha with Kakashi and Guy. He didn't particularly want to linger in the village right after killing Danzo.
'The Scapegoat-kage was dead,' Takeshi mused. 'Wonder who'll step up to take his place.' Whoever it was, as long as they didn't cross him. 'But if anyone dares make a move against me, or my friends...'
Takeshi glanced back at the village gates, then leaped onto Guy's shoulder. It was routine now. Guy didn't even flinch, immediately taking off in an excited sprint, eager to cover the distance to the Eastern Front camp at top speed. He was finally headed to the front lines! His energy was practically overflowing.
Takeshi didn't have the heart to dampen his enthusiasm, though all three of them could tell from Kakashi's weary expression that the front lines weren't exactly a thrill ride.
--**--**
Thanks to Guy's incredible speed, they reached the border by afternoon. Outside Tsunade's command tent, Takeshi took a deep breath. After a moment's thought, he slowly pushed aside the flap and entered.
The moment he passed through, the strong smell of alcohol hit him.
'What's going on?' he thought, momentarily stunned. 'This is too brazen.' He hesitated, wondering if he should just back out and try again later. 'Definitely not a good time.'
"Takeshi? Come on, come over and have a drink!" Tsunade called out cheerfully.
Team leaders had to report in and receive their assignments, so Takeshi resigned himself and padded over to the table. A single bottle sat there, almost empty.
Tsunade grinned broadly as she chuckled. "Back from the village, huh? Drink up! It's a good day for it!"
"Meow~"
'You're that happy Danzo's dead?' Takeshi complained silently.
"Hah! that old geezer," Tsunade scoffed, pouring herself another glass. "Always meddling without any actual ability. Annoyed me for ages. But he's dead now, so I'll have one more drink today, and then I won't give him another thought." She gestured towards Takeshi. "Want one?"
The black cat naturally refused. Cats couldn't appreciate the taste of alcohol, and it was bad for them anyway.
After taking a long swig, Tsunade motioned for Takeshi to hand over his pass and appointment letter. Takeshi pushed them across the table. Tsunade barely glanced at them before setting them aside. They were just formalities.
Given Takeshi's current strength, he could easily lead an independent unit, experience or not. Besides, the village's new directive was for teams to operate in pairs anyway. Starting today, all border patrols would consist of at least two teams working together, ensuring they had a better chance if they ran into trouble.
"Meow~ If there's nothing else, I'll go see Rin."
"Go ahead." Tsunade nodded understandingly. She didn't know the specifics of Rin training Sage Mode with Takeshi, but she'd noticed subtle changes in her body. Things like Sage Mode were core secrets passed down in their respective Holy Lands, even as Rin's Sensei, Tsunade wouldn't pry too deeply.
Takeshi found Rin. She had successfully processed the previous quarter-dose of natural energy. Her body had absorbed it well, leading to subtle but noticeable changes in her physique. It was proof that the method was working. Takeshi gave her another quarter-dose. Rin was still young, so it was better to take it slow, little by little.
--**--**
Land of Lightning border. The Third Raikage came to the coast with his guards.
Just as they arrived, a thick fog rolled in from the sea. A figure emerged from the mist, looking like a member of the Hozuki Clan.
"Third Raikage," the figure stated formally, "I have brought the Mizukage's Alliance Document. We hope to establish cooperation with your village."
"Cooperation is no problem," the Third Raikage replied, accepting the document. "But my terms remain the same. We move after Onoki does. If we act now, Onoki and that newly appointed brat from Sunagakure will owe me a fortune."
"Hmm?" Just then, the Third Raikage tilted his head, eyes fixed on the distant shore. A faint disturbance reached him. In an instant, the Third Raikage vanished from his spot. A second later, a flash of lightning streaked across the distance, followed by several shouts of pain.
Another second passed, and the Third Raikage reappeared.
"Konoha's reconnaissance range has expanded," he announced, his voice serious. "The plan's changed. We move together, ahead of schedule."
===============
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