The jōnin meeting room was already packed when Hiruzen entered, flanked by Homura and Koharu.
A flicker of surprise crossed the faces of Fugaku, Hiashi, and several others.
Danzo was absent.
Root had been disbanded, true, but Danzo was still a Hokage advisor and a jōnin. By all logic, he should have been here. Unless, of course, Hiruzen had simply chosen not to inform him.
The thought came to everyone at once: Danzo wasn't coming back. For most of the great clans, that was welcome news.
"Today's meeting has only one purpose," Hiruzen began as he settled into the head seat. "Arrangements for the Hidden Mist delegation arriving next Monday."
He turned his gaze toward Shikaku.
"I'll announce the delegation list first," Shikaku said, rising smoothly. "Suikazan Fuguki… Mei Terumī…"
Kitazawa only recognized two names.
Fuguki—the Seven Ninja Swordsman who once commanded Kisame Hoshigaki. According to the records, Kisame eventually killed him for treachery and claimed Samehada.
And Mei Terumī—the woman destined to become the Fifth Mizukage. A powerhouse who wielded not one but two kekkei genkai: Lava Release and Boil Release. Compared to Fuguki, her role in history loomed far larger.
For the Mist to send her at this stage showed real sincerity, even if she was still relatively unknown.
"Since the Mist is sending Fuguki himself," Hiruzen said gravely, "we must treat this with care. Any suggestions for who should lead our side?"
"Negotiations are usually handled by Shikaku," Homura offered after a pause. The Nara clan were Konoha's tacticians, relied upon for their intellect both in battle and in diplomacy.
Hiruzen's eyes narrowed in on Shikaku. "And what's your view?"
"I believe Lady Tsunade is far more suitable than myself," Shikaku answered, face unreadable.
Tsunade arched a brow. "Why go through all this roundabout nonsense?"
Hiruzen cleared his throat. "Then it's decided. Tsunade will be our chief representative for the Mist negotiations."
The room shifted. Everyone understood what was happening.
Hiruzen and Shikaku had staged the exchange deliberately. The negotiator might not wield any actual power, but they embodied the face of Konoha. By placing Tsunade in that role, Hiruzen was sending an unmistakable signal.
To the clans, it meant only one thing: the question of the next Hokage was no longer in doubt.
"Next, we'll discuss additional members for the team," Hiruzen continued. Tsunade's stature was unquestionable, but sending her alone would look careless. Besides, he knew her well—diplomacy wasn't her favorite pastime. A supporting cast would be necessary.
Kitazawa stifled a yawn. He'd slain Raiga himself; putting him face-to-face with the Mist delegation would only spark tension. He had no intention of being part of this, and honestly, the meeting was dull. Fortunately, it wrapped within half an hour.
As he stepped out, Tsunade lingered behind to meet with her team.
"Itachi?" Kitazawa paused, spotting the young Uchiha by the doorway.
"This is a map of Soragakure." Itachi held out a scroll.
"Thank you." Kitazawa unrolled it briefly. The Sky Village—situated near the Land of Birds.
"It's nothing," Itachi replied curtly. "If you need anything, find me."
To the unknowing, he might have seemed almost warm, generous even. But anyone familiar with Uchiha pride knew better. They showed courtesy only to a rare few. Tsunade was one of them—and Kitazawa was currently reaping the benefits of her shadow.
Without her name behind him, his own strength and rank wouldn't have earned Uchiha respect.
After parting with Itachi, Kitazawa returned to the Academy.
Tomorrow was Saturday.
Kitazawa planned to take Kabuto and the others to the Land of Birds—a small nation wedged between the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth. If they traveled swiftly, the round trip would take three days at most.
Not long ago, he had felt a twinge of unease at the thought of facing Shinno. But now, with Senju Chakra Mode in his arsenal, Kitazawa only hoped Shinno would put up a worthy fight.
To avoid wasting the journey, however, he dispatched a Shadow Clone overnight to scout Soragakure. Only after confirming Shinno's presence would he bring Kurenai and the others along. If Shinno wasn't there, they'd simply postpone until next week.
The Genius Class wrapped up another day of training. Kitazawa gathered everyone together, including Kakashi and Kosuke.
"The second monthly exam of this semester will be held next Thursday and Friday," he announced.
"The monthly exam's finally here again!" Naruto burst out, practically bouncing with excitement. He was the type to unleash any new ninjutsu the moment he learned it—and now that he had mastered Wind Release: Gale Palm, he couldn't wait to test it out.
Besides, he was still stewing over his losses to Neji and Sasuke during the last exam.
"What a drag," Shikamaru muttered, his hand to his forehead.
The contrast between him and Naruto couldn't have been sharper.
Meanwhile, Sasuke's hand unconsciously brushed the hilt of his sword. He was determined to defend his first-place ranking. Two consecutive victories would cement his strength beyond question. His confidence wasn't baseless either—his Leaf Style Swordsmanship had advanced considerably, and he could now barely manage Leaf Style: Willow.
Neji, however, looked unusually solemn. With a week left, he wondered if he could finally master Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms. He was just four palms short. Only by completing that technique would he feel secure in facing both Sasuke and Naruto.
"Sakura, want to compete?" Ino asked slyly, brimming with confidence after mastering the four ninjutsu Kitazawa had recently taught.
"Compete in what?" Sakura shot back, instantly seeing through her friend's provocation. Still, she wasn't about to back down. With her newly mastered Water Release: Water Formation Wall combined with Water Release: Water Wave, she had a solid chance in both defense and counterattack.
"Obviously, whoever places higher in the practical exam," Ino grinned. "Loser treats."
"Fine by me." Sakura agreed without hesitation.
"What burning passion!" Naruto spun around, gave a thumbs-up, and shouted, "Sasuke, let's compete too!"
"I'm not interested in weaklings I've already defeated," Sasuke replied coolly.
"As expected of Sasuke-kun!" Sakura gushed immediately, stars in her eyes. "So cool!"
"Then I'll compete with you, Naruto!" Lee beamed, teeth glinting.
"Deal!" Naruto pumped his fist. "We'll have a youthful Taijutsu showdown!"
"Count me in!" Kiba barked with a grin. "Lowest rank pays for Ichiraku!"
"No problem!" Lee accepted without hesitation.
"You walked right into that one," Tenten sighed. "You know you shouldn't gamble your rank."
She wasn't wrong. Lee's practical exams were brilliant, but his theoretical exams… not so much. The outcome was already obvious.
"It's fine!" Lee declared, utterly unconcerned. "Win or lose, it's all youth!"
Tenten had no words for that.
Meanwhile, Shino adjusted his glasses. He had no interest in competing; his focus remained on his kikaichu mutation experiments. The fire-resistant strain had already emerged, but the water-resistant variety lagged behind. In Shino's mind, the explanation was simple: Fire Release was far more destructive, forcing rapid evolution. Water Release, by comparison, was too gentle.
"Children are always so energetic," Kosuke chuckled.
Kakashi gave a lazy nod—then froze, wondering if Kosuke's words implied he lacked energy.
"Prepare well, everyone," Kitazawa reminded them. "After this exam, the next one will be the final. Treasure these two chances."
The academy followed a three-semester system. The third term was the shortest, barely three months.
"After the finals, does that mean we'll be second-years?" Naruto asked eagerly, hand raised.
"In name, this is still the Genius Class, so there are no grades," Kitazawa said with a smile. "But yes—you're one year closer to graduation."
"I'm not in a hurry," Naruto admitted, scratching his head. Despite his dream of becoming a true ninja, he was reluctant to leave behind the joy of academy life.
"Graduation is still a ways off," Kitazawa assured them. "Alright, that's enough for today. Head home."
"Goodbye, Kitazawa-sensei!" the Genius Class chorused before dispersing.
"See you next time," Kitazawa waved to Kosuke and Kakashi before heading home himself.
The next morning.
Still half-asleep, Kitazawa suddenly felt a flood of information pour into his mind. His Shadow Clone had dispelled itself, returning with news from Soragakure.
"Looks like my luck isn't bad," Kitazawa muttered as he sat up, stretching.
According to the memories, Shinno was indeed in Soragakure.
Glancing at the still-slumbering Kurenai, Kitazawa quietly got out of bed, dressed, and made his way to the Academy's training ground where his squad gathered.
"Kitazawa-sensei," Kabuto, Torune, and zumi greeted him immediately.
"At one o'clock this afternoon, we meet at the village gate. We're heading out on a mission," Kitazawa said, wasting no words.
"What kind of mission?" Kabuto asked, brows furrowing.
"In difficulty, it's about S-rank," Kitazawa replied frankly. "But since this isn't a mission issued by Konoha, there won't be any official rewards."
Kabuto's expression sharpened at the word S-rank. These were missions far beyond the scope of the B-rank missions they'd handled before. Still, none of them looked disappointed. Payment wasn't the issue—especially since Kitazawa had already split Raiga's 1.2 million ryō among them, despite them barely lifting a finger.
"Our destination is Soragakure," Kitazawa added with a faint smile. "I'll explain the details later. For now, see what you can find out on your own."
"Yes, sensei." Kabuto's eyes gleamed with interest. He had never heard of Soragakure before—making it the perfect challenge for his information-gathering skills.
"See you this afternoon." Kitazawa patted Kabuto's shoulder deliberately. Kabuto's talents were too valuable to waste. With proper guidance, Kitazawa knew the boy could one day serve as Konoha's shadow—doing the dirty work that someone like Danzo once had. Except, unlike Danzo, Kitazawa had no intention of letting that shadow rot.
Leaving the academy, he returned to Kurenai's home.
"You're back?" Kurenai was already awake, lounging on the sofa in a black silk nightgown.
"You're up early," Kitazawa teased, raising an eyebrow.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Her face turned red as she glared at him. She remembered all too well how she had… lost her composure last night. And somehow, Kitazawa felt even stronger now.
"Ahem." Kitazawa coughed lightly. "We're leaving on a mission this afternoon."
"What kind of mission?" she huffed. "Don't tell me it's just another B-rank."
"It's S-rank." Kitazawa smirked. "That should meet your standards."
"S-rank?" Kurenai's attitude immediately shifted, her brows knitting. "Won't that be too dangerous?"
"What, are you scared?" Kitazawa teased, pinching her cheek.
"Of course not!" She crossed her arms, scoffing. "I'm worried about Izumi and the others."
It was a fair concern. S-rank missions often involved clashes with jōnin-level opponents. Izumi and Taken were still only chūnin.
"Relax. Kabuto's already at jōnin level, you're at tokubetsu jōnin level, and with the three of us together, an S-rank mission isn't much of a problem," Kitazawa said casually.
In truth, he knew that in Soragakure, only Shinno himself had true jōnin-level strength.
"You're right. You even defeated Kurosuki Raiga." Kurenai finally eased, reassured. Ordinary jōnin didn't scare her as long as Kitazawa was leading.
"I'll make breakfast." Kitazawa didn't elaborate. There was no need to worry her with details. After all, Shinno's strength with his forbidden techniques rivaled even the might of the Eight Gates—though it was more a counterfeit version than the real thing, nothing compared to Gai or his father.
After breakfast, Kitazawa accompanied Yakumo next door to complete her treatment with Tsunade, then headed straight to the mission hall at the Hokage Building.
Since eliminating Shinno was his personal goal, he needed an official reason to leave the village. Using Tsunade's Hokage seal was an option, but far too conspicuous. To keep things simple, he picked up a routine mission to suppress bandits in the Land of Birds as cover.
At the village gates, Kurenai, Kabuto, Torune, and Izumi were already waiting.
After exchanging greetings, they registered with the gate guards.
"Let's move out." Kitazawa waved them forward.
The five quickly departed Konoha.
"Sensei," Kabuto said, pulling out a scroll, "this is the information I gathered on Soragakure."
"Soragakure?" Kurenai frowned. "Why haven't I ever heard of that village?"
"That's normal," Kitazawa answered while scanning the scroll. "Soragakure was destroyed back in the Second Ninja World War."
"No wonder." Kurenai nodded in understanding. She had been a child during that time, too young to know.
"Then why are we going there?" she pressed. "Didn't you say it was destroyed?"
Kabuto glanced at Kitazawa, clearly curious about the same thing.
"It was destroyed," Kitazawa explained. "But some survivors endured. They've been rebuilding in the shadows, biding their time for revenge against Konoha."
"Is this a secret mission from Hokage-sama?" Kurenai asked, intrigued.
"No," Kitazawa said flatly. "This is my mission. Shinno, the leader of Soragakure, possesses medical ninjutsu I want."
"Oh? So he's a skilled medic as well." Kurenai chuckled. "No wonder he caught your eye."
"Don't underestimate him just because he's a medic," Kitazawa warned, rolling up the scroll. "His combat strength is real."
Kurenai nodded seriously this time.
"Sensei, which route should we take to the Land of Birds?" Kabuto asked.
"You tell me," Kitazawa replied, testing him.
"Through the Land of Wind," Kabuto answered after some thought.
"Why not the Land of Rain?" Kitazawa pressed.
"Hidden Rain has been closed off since the Third War. No one knows what Hanzo is planning. Given their history with us, I'd say the Land of Wind is safer."
"Your student is sharp," Kurenai said approvingly.
"When you're a squad leader, you'll train sharp students too," Kitazawa smiled. "We'll take the Wind route."
Kabuto's reasoning wasn't entirely accurate, but the miscalculation wasn't his fault. No one in the Five Great Nations knew that Hanzo the Salamander, once a legend who had granted even the Sannin their title, was already dead.
Every generation had its gods. Hanzo was one of the old ones—overwhelming in his time, but eventually eclipsed by the monsters that came later.
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