Time flew by, and before they knew it, night had fallen on the eve of departure.
Reiji was sprawled out in his room, lazily flipping through a book, bored out of his mind.
Without knocking, Amai pushed open the door and walked in.
"Raimei, you've got a mission."
"Not going," Reiji muttered, eyebrows drooping, feigning disinterest.
"Heh, you don't have a choice," Amai said coldly, arms crossed and smirking.
Reiji knew the real game was starting. He tossed the book aside, walked to the bed, and flopped down.
"Not going. Get someone else. I can't be bothered."
Seeing Reiji acting like he'd rather die in bed than move, Amai walked over with a forced smile and grabbed his shoulder.
"No skipping. Your teammates are already waiting outside. Counsellor Tsuchishige is leading this mission. You still not going?"
She deliberately emphasized Tsuchishige's name.
Her message was clear: if Reiji didn't join the mission, it could expose him.
Reiji frowned, then slowly got up, clearly annoyed. "What's the mission?"
"No idea. Just follow orders."
Watching Amai play serious, Reiji rolled his eyes and stepped out.
Outside, Tsuchishige and the other four stood waiting, looking at him in silence.
After a brief exchange, the mission began.
Under cover of night, Tsuchishige led Reiji and the others through Konoha's winding streets.
Credit where it's due—this guy actually knew how to avoid the Hyūga clan's territory. It showed he had the smarts worthy of a village advisor.
Stop-and-go, it took them over an hour to cover less than a kilometer.
But Reiji used the time to analyze Tsuchishige's sensory range.
It was sharp and wide—easily over a kilometer.
He could detect ANBU patrols ahead of time and guide the team into hiding.
That window between detection and concealment lasted a full minute.
And a minute was all it took for those ANBU—who loved rooftop parkour—to cover a kilometer.
After weaving through back alleys, they reached the Senju compound, right beside the Hokage Building.
Since the deaths of Hashirama and Tobirama Senju, the once-thriving grounds had fallen into decline.
Now, only Mito Uzumaki, Tsunade, Rie Sakuhō, and a few servants lived there.
Even the ANBU presence had thinned, and that was only for Jinchūriki protection.
Tsuchishige led them into a pitch-dark alley and slowly closed his eyes.
"Two to the south, two to the north, and two in the courtyard—on the roof."
He spoke softly, then silently assigned positions.
Reiji and a burly ninja took the north side; the other two went south.
Tsuchishige would handle the rooftop guards himself.
The guy clearly had confidence.
Soon, everyone was in place. As Tsuchishige made the first move, Reiji and the rest sprang into action.
A flurry of techniques exploded into motion.
Elite Jōnin versus ANBU—striking from the shadows.
The fight ended in seconds.
Reiji looked down at the unconscious ANBU in his grip and couldn't help but sigh.
"Ninjas… high attack, low defense, fragile as paper. Berserkers are still the best!"
Even though ANBU could put up a fight, caught off guard by elite Jōnin trained by the top clans of Kumogakure, they didn't stand a chance.
On the roof, Tsuchishige's battle ended just as quietly—Genjutsu paired with Nintaijutsu brought a silent victory.
But none of them noticed the scarlet Sharingan watching from atop the Hokage Rock, tracking their every move.
The five regrouped. Tsuchishige pointed to a wooden sliding door in the courtyard and whispered,
"There."
He had sensed it—a surge of powerful chakra brimming with life.
In the two nearby rooms, another child's chakra flared, hot and explosive.
But in the innermost room, Tsuchishige didn't dare probe further. The chakra leaking from it was too vile—far darker and stronger than even the Eight-Tails.
Following his signal, Reiji darted forward with incredible speed and reached the sliding door.
He opened it silently and, under the cover of darkness, slipped inside to where Tsunade lay sleeping.
Just then, her eyes snapped open. Her brow furrowed as she threw a punch at the intruder.
Damn, sharp as ever! Reiji admired her instincts, then quickly pinned her down, pretending to knock her out.
Leaning in close to her ear, he whispered in a voice no one else could hear,
"I'm Reiji Sakuhō. I'm undercover. I'm here to protect you."
Without waiting for her reaction, he scooped her into a princess carry.
Tsunade, still dazed in his arms, didn't trust the face of this stranger and immediately struggled.
But Reiji tightened his hold.
"Immortality, Tsuna."
At those words, Tsunade's amber eyes widened in shock.
Only she knew Reiji's secret of immortality.
It was their pact—one that could never be revealed.
And just like that, she was certain of his identity.
He was Reiji Sakuhō.
Outside the door, Tsuchishige, sounding a bit impatient, lowered his voice and whispered,
"Raimei, what are you doing?!"
Tsunade, hearing the voice, instantly pretended to be unconscious. She tilted her head and nestled into Reiji's arms.
Catching her cue, Reiji immediately carried her out the door and said softly,
"She's got a lot of strength. Took some effort."
Tsuchishige didn't question it.
After all, Amai had already mentioned that Tsunade from Konoha was incredibly strong.
But knowing Raimei's performance during the Chūnin Exams, Tsuchishige was confident it wouldn't be an issue for him.
His thoughts shifted instantly. He nodded seriously and said in a hushed voice,
"Retreat!"
Meanwhile, nestled in Reiji's arms, Tsunade wasn't worried at all. In fact, she was enjoying it—snuggling closer.
This guy actually said he was going to protect me?
What a pain… Who asked you to protect me~ Hehe~
She grumbled in her head, but the corners of her mouth, hidden against Reiji's chest, couldn't help but curl up.
Feeling the vaguely familiar breath and strong heartbeat, Tsunade's delicate face flushed with a rosy blush.
Carrying her, Reiji and the others turned to leave.
Just then, a calm voice rang out suddenly—
"Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique!"
A roaring fire dragon forced the five of them back just as they were about to exit the Senju compound.
Seeing the surging flames, Reiji's expression darkened—if it hadn't already been night, Tsuchishige might have noticed it.
That damn Kagami!
I told you to make a big show, and your first move is Great Dragon Fire?!
Why not just drop a Great Fire Annihilation and torch the whole damn Senju estate while you're at it?!
As the fire dragon came roaring down, Tsuchishige leapt into the air and instantly formed hand seals.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
From the Senju compound's pond, a twisting water dragon surged upward and collided head-on with the fire dragon.
In an instant, sparks flew as steam exploded in every direction.
As the five landed, Tsuchishige didn't hesitate.
"Take the hostage and fall back! Taku and I will stay to cover you!"
Just as he spoke, a graceful figure stepped out from the rising mist.
A confident, composed voice followed.
"Retreat? Not a single one of you is getting away."
Heh… When it comes to showboating, no one beats you.
Reiji couldn't help but grumble in his mind.
Then—
"Bastard!" Taku, one of the elite Jōnin, roared and launched his Body Flicker Technique.
In a flash, he appeared behind Kagami.
Kagami didn't even flinch at the blade poised to strike. He merely turned his head slightly, his scarlet Sharingan glinting as he looked at the attacker.
In that instant, Taku froze like a statue.
A heartbeat later, the powerful Jōnin collapsed to his knees, blood spilling from his mouth.
Damn it… pulling that invisible flex again.
Reiji muttered mentally, recognizing Kagami had used Tsukuyomi.
But when Kagami turned fully around, Reiji was genuinely startled.
Four tomoe—and behind them, tiny black dots?
What the hell?! Mangekyō?!
Is this really the same Kagami I knew—weak and always goofing off?
So it's true… this guy must be Shisui's grandpa or great-uncle!
But what's hiding in that other eye of his?
Seeing his comrade dropped in an instant, Tsuchishige broke into a cold sweat.
"Sharingan! Don't look at his eyes! Everyone, split and retreat!"
The moment he gave the order, Tsuchishige turned to fall back.
Right then, Kagami's Mangekyō spun sharply.
A skeletal figure burst forth beside him, and dark green chakra surged around it, cloaking the skeleton in a hooded robe.
Susanoo!
Reiji's scalp tingled.
You crazy bastard! I told you to make a show—not summon a damn Gundam!
No time to waste. Reiji shot Kagami a signal with his eyes, then bolted to the side with Tsunade in his arms.
He had to make it look like he was running.
Kagami caught the cue and gave him a cheeky wink in return.
A second later, Susanoo's massive hand swung around—and slapped Reiji clear off the ground.
Reiji twisted mid-air, using his back to absorb the hit while shielding Tsunade.
He was already cursing inside.
You son of a—just wait! Once I master Lightning Release Chakra Mode, I'm smashing that turtle shell of yours!
Still, even as he cursed, he had to admit—Kagami chose a perfect angle.
Right in line with Mito Uzumaki's house.
As Reiji flew through the air, a burst of red light suddenly flared from Rie's room.
"Fire Release: Flame Bullet!"
A surge of fire exploded forward, sweeping toward the Kumogakure Jōnin—and caught Reiji midair as well.
No need to check. Reiji knew his glorious afro was on fire!
Engulfed like a torch, he crashed straight through the window into Mito Uzumaki's room.
Flames still licking his hair, Reiji's eyes quickly swept the room. He saw Lady Mito calmly seated at the bedside, watching him with an amused smile.
His face instantly darkened. Striding forward, he set the still-pretending-to-be-unconscious Tsunade gently onto the bed.
Tsunade opened her eyes, cheeks slightly flushed as she looked at him.
"Eh? Eh? That's it? It's over already?"
"It's over," Reiji replied with a sour expression. Then, as if something occurred to him, he added,
"Find a reason to beat the crap out of Rie. If you cover for her, I'm coming back to deal with you too!"
With that, he angrily raised his right fist and punched himself in the face—launching himself straight out the window.
...
Meanwhile, Rie stood at the window, eyes sparkling with excitement as fire danced around her. Then suddenly, her single cowlick shot upright. An inexplicable chill ran down her spine.
What's going on? Why do I feel like something terrible's about to happen?
Why does it feel like I'm about to get beaten up?
The thought alone was enough to send her scurrying back to bed, ignoring the chaos outside and the flaming Kumogakure ninja she'd just scorched. She dove under the covers and trembled beneath her blanket.
What she didn't know was that Kagami had been observing the entire scene. He saw every ridiculous thing that girl had done.
When she lit Reiji on fire, he almost burst out laughing and blew snot out of his nose.
Still, this little girl was something else—huge chakra reserves, and incredible talent with Fire Release.
The thought suddenly crossed Kagami's mind: maybe he should take her on as a disciple.
...
The battle had lasted no more than two or three minutes, yet ANBU reinforcements were already flooding in from the perimeter.
Seeing this, Kagami calmly closed his eyes and dispelled his distinctive dark green Susanoo.
Soon, three of the Kumogakure ninja involved in the kidnapping were captured.
As for the other two, Tsuchishige had vanished without a trace.
And Reiji—if he wanted to leave, there wasn't a soul in Konoha who could stop him.
The ANBU split into two groups: one rushed to extinguish the flames, the other escorted the prisoners away.
Following Reiji's instructions to the letter, Kagami didn't say a single word. He didn't even look back. With hands tucked into his sleeves, he turned and prepared to leave.
Just then, an ANBU operative stopped him and bowed respectfully.
"Kagami-sama, Lady Mito has requested your presence."
Kagami nodded with a gentle smile.
"Understood. I'll go right away."
...
Inside Mito Uzumaki's room, the dignified and graceful Mito sat at the bedside. Tsunade sat obediently beside her.
Kagami knocked on the—admittedly useless—door. After hearing a response, he humbly stepped inside.
If it were any other Uchiha, he might've been strutting around already, tail in the air.
But Kagami was different. First, he had Reiji's explicit instructions. Second, arrogance simply wasn't in his nature.
And in front of his sensei's wife, his respect was even more profound.
"Lady Mito, you called for me?"
Mito looked at him kindly, a soft smile on her lips, and nodded.
"Kagami, thank you for your help tonight. If not for you—"
Before she could finish, Kagami gently interrupted, voice humble.
"You flatter me. We're all part of Konoha—how could I just stand by?"
Her smile deepened with warmth.
"Kagami, you're a good child. Hashirama and Tobirama were right about you."
At her praise, Kagami waved his hands modestly, though he couldn't hide the joy welling up inside.
This was Lady Mito Uzumaki—an elder of overwhelming status.
Her compliment wasn't just words. It carried the weight of nearly half the Senju clan's goodwill.
Thinking of that, Kagami couldn't help but feel it in his heart.
That one million ryō? Totally worth it—way more than bailing out that brat Ryōta ever was!