[The Return to Konoha]
The journey back was a four-day hike through forests and dirt roads. For most, it was a boring slog. For me, it was a field test.
[Skill: Elastic Chakra (Bungee Gum)] [Properties: Elasticity and Adhesion.]
It was addictive. It was invisible. It was mean.
Naruto was running ahead, arms flailing behind him in his usual "ninja run."
Stick.
I attached a thread of gum to his left sandal and anchored it to a tree root.
Contract.
"Whoa—!"
THUD.
Naruto face-planted spectacularly into the dirt, sliding a good three meters on his chin.
"GAAH!" Naruto sprang up, spitting out mud. "I tripped again! That's the tenth time today! Is this ground cursed?! Is it a Genjutsu?!"
"lift your feet, Naruto," I advised sagely, walking past him. "Basic ninja movement."
Then, I looked at Sasuke. He was walking with his hands in his pockets, trying to look cool and brooding.
Stick.
I attached a strand to the back of his high collar and gave it a microscopic, ghostly tug.
Sasuke spun around instantly, kunai drawn, eyes scanning the empty trees. "Who's there?!"
"Stop twitching, Sasuke," I sighed, suppressing a grin. "You look paranoid. It's ruining the team dynamic."
"I felt something," Sasuke hissed, his Sharingan flickering on and off. "A presence. Someone pulled my shirt. An enemy... or a ghost."
"It's probably just your guilt," I said casually, looking at the clouds.
Sasuke froze. "What?"
"For not saving Haku," I shrugged. "Maybe he's haunting you. Asking why you were too weak to stop the needle."
Sasuke flinched. The color drained from his face.
[Critical Hit.] [Sasuke Uchiha took: 50 Emotional Damage.]
"Shut up," Sasuke muttered, holstering his kunai but walking a little closer to Kakashi.
******
[Konoha Gates - Noon]
More than a month had passed since we left. Seeing the massive wooden gates of Konoha loom ahead triggered a strange feeling. Not quite nostalgia. More like returning to the scene of the crime.
The Eternal Gatekeepers, Izumo and Kotetsu, were sitting in their booth. Kotetsu was snoozing with a snot bubble expanding and contracting. Izumo was hunched over, reading a book with intense concentration.
I narrowed my eyes.
[Skill: Observation Haki (Active)]
My senses zoomed in. The book cover was black with scandalous red text.
The Kunoichi's Forbidden Heat.
I grinned. My literary virus had infected the gatekeepers.
"Team 7, returning from mission," Kakashi announced, tapping the booth counter.
"GYAH!" Izumo jumped, nearly falling off his stool. He slammed the book shut and shoved it under the desk with practiced speed. His face was beet red.
"A-Ah! Kakashi-san! You're back!" Izumo stammered, adjusting his chunin vest. "Mission complete?"
"Yes," Kakashi nodded, eyeing the hidden book with a knowing look. "Though the rank needs to be adjusted."
We walked through the gates. The familiar sights of Konoha greeted us. The bustling streets, the smell of dango, the civilians living their lives in ignorant bliss while child soldiers walked among them.
"Home sweet surveillance state," I muttered.
"I'm gonna get Ramen!" Naruto shouted, throwing his arms up. "Ichiraku! Miso Pork! Large! With extra Narutos!"
"Report first, Ramen later," Kakashi grabbed Naruto's collar, dragging the flailing boy toward the administrative district. "The Hokage is waiting."
[The Hokage's Office]
The office was filled with smoke. Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk, the God of Shinobi looking more like a tired grandfather buried under paperwork.
He read the mission report Kakashi had written. His eyebrows climbed higher and higher with every line.
"A-Rank..." Hiruzen muttered, putting the scroll down. "The Demon Brothers. Zabuza Momochi. Haku of the Ice Release. And Gatou's entire mercenary army."
He looked up at us, his gaze sharp.
"And you survived? A rookie Genin team?"
"Barely," Kakashi lied smoothly. His voice was steady, the picture of a professional Jonin. "We had some... unexpected developments. Zabuza and the Hunter-nin turned on each other due to internal conflict. Gatou was executed by Zabuza in his final moments. The bodies fell from the bridge and were swept out to sea by the currents."
Hiruzen looked at Kakashi. He knew Kakashi was hiding details. "Swept out to sea" was code for 'Don't ask, don't tell.'
"I see," Hiruzen said slowly.
Then, he turned his gaze to me. He picked up the secondary scroll—the financial report.
"And you, Kenji," Hiruzen sighed, looking at the numbers. "You re-negotiated the mission fee... mid-combat?"
"I secured the village's assets, Hokage-sama," I bowed respectfully, putting on my best corporate face. "The client, Tazuna-san, admitted to falsifying the request. A C-Rank fee covers bandits, not S-Rank Missing-nin. I merely ensured Konoha was compensated for the increased risk exposure. It's standard risk management."
Hiruzen rubbed his temples. "You extorted a bridge builder while he was being hunted by assassins."
"I offered a payment plan," I corrected, looking hurt. "Flexible installments. Low APR. I even waived the interest entirely before we departed! He only has to pay the principal amount over the next five years. Honestly, Hokage-sama, it was an act of charity."
Hiruzen looked at the stack of Ryo on his desk. This was the initial payment I had collected from Gatou's vault (via Zabuza) and handed over as "mission pay." It was substantial. Enough to fund a chunin squad for a year.
Money talks. And Hiruzen needed money for the village budget. The Uchiha refund wasn't cheap.
"Fine," Hiruzen stamped the scroll with a heavy THUNK.
[Mission Status: Approved - A-Rank]
"Good work, Team 7," Hiruzen said, dismissing the ethical gray areas in favor of the bottom line. "You are dismissed. Take a few days off. You've earned it."
"Thank you, Lord Third!" Naruto cheered.
As we walked out of the tower, I checked my mental bank account.
[System Notification] [Mission Pay (A-Rank Share): 150,000 Ryo.] [Current Wealth: Comfortable.] [Hidden Wealth (Zabuza's Shadow Company): Growing.]
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