"This is simply too much!" Upon hearing the young ninja's report of Kitazawa's words, Kusagakure's leader, Morimoto Shin, immediately flew into a rage.
Although Kusagakure was far from Konoha, it was still a shinobi village and had its own dignity. For Kitazawa, an unknown ninja, to speak so arrogantly—surely he had been instigated by the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.
This was nothing less than a direct insult to Kusagakure.
"Leader, we absolutely cannot compromise like this!" the young ninja declared loudly.
"Naturally." Morimoto Shin's answer was without hesitation. Anyone could fear Konoha, but as the leader of Kusagakure, if he appeared weak, his position would not last long.
Shin tore open the letter and scanned its contents. But with just one glance, his expression hardened.
"How were they being guarded? You couldn't even keep track of two unarmed women?" Finishing the letter, he turned toward the middle-aged man nearby, his voice filled with sharp dissatisfaction.
"Konoha's objective… is it Karin and her mother?"
A masked shinobi in an ox mask spoke in a low voice. He was one of Kusagakure's high-ranking members—Ushi.
"How could Konoha know of their existence?" Another masked shinobi, this one wearing a horse mask, questioned in confusion. He, too, was a Kusagakure Jonin—Uma. In the original tale, he and Mui of Hōzuki Castle once unsealed the Box of Ultimate Bliss together.
"This is impossible!" The middle-aged man shook his head violently, insisting, "I've been watching them both without pause. They never once left their room!"
"Let's set this aside for now." Ushi fixed his gaze on Morimoto Shin. "Leader, Konoha's ninja stands at our gates. How do you plan to respond?"
"Karin and her mother cannot be handed over." Shin's tone grew firm.
Kusagakure was sorely lacking medical-nin. And Karin and her mother, whose mere bite could restore the gravely wounded, were far too valuable.
"Hide them." Shin's voice turned cold. "Without absolute proof, Konoha wouldn't dare start a war."
To him, Konoha seemed cautious—weak, even. After all, the Hyūga Affair was known across the shinobi world: Konoha had handed over Hyūga Hizashi to appease Kumogakure's wrath. Hizashi was not only a jōnin but the biological brother of Hyūga Clan Head, Hiashi.
"That's right." Ushi nodded in agreement. "And it was Konoha who acted rudely first."
Kusagakure had survived until now by treading the middle ground. The Five Great Nations constantly restrained one another. Should Konoha make a move, the other four would not sit idly by.
Moreover, Kusagakure held ties with each of the great villages. By paying the right price and with the right justification, there would always be a village eager to intervene—Kumogakure in particular. The Fourth Raikage was hot-blooded, never hesitating when his village's interests were at stake.
"Come. Let us meet this Konoha shinobi." Clenching his fists, Shin growled, "I want to see if he truly has such nerve."
Under his lead, a large entourage marched imposingly toward Kusagakure's gates.
"Kid, you're finished!" The middle-aged ninja, emboldened by his leader's arrival, sneered.
"Was it you who spoke so presumptuously?" Shin's eyes bore into Kitazawa, his voice icy.
"Who are you?" Kitazawa had a guess, but he had never seen Morimoto Shin in person.
"I am Morimoto Shin, leader of Kusagakure!" He snapped harshly. "If you don't admit your mistakes and apologize here and now, you won't leave this village alive!"
"So you're declaring that Kusagakure has no intention of handing over the Uzumaki?" Kitazawa's expression remained calm.
"The Uzumaki Clan has already been annihilated. How could Kusagakure possibly harbor them?" Shin flatly denied.
"Since that's your claim, then things become very simple." With hands clasped behind his back, Kitazawa smiled faintly.
Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique!
The air seared instantly, twisting under the waves of heat. In the next heartbeat, three colossal fire dragons roared to life, streaking toward Kusagakure's shinobi.
"You dare to attack?!" Shin's face darkened with shock and fury.
"...!" Shizune's eyes widened. She hadn't expected Kitazawa to act so decisively. Even with Lady Tsunade present, he didn't wait for her command.
But Ushi and Uma were swift to respond.
Water Release: Water Wall!
They wove signs in unison, raising twin walls of water that clashed against the fire dragons. Steam burst into the air, hissing violently.
"Take them down!" Shin barked. Kitazawa had already attacked at Kusagakure's gates—if he was not eliminated, the villagers would see it as weakness.
Ninja Tool: Needle Shot!
Shizune rolled up her sleeve, revealing the concealed mechanism strapped to her arm. With a flick, five senbon shot forth in a deadly line.
Earth Release: Earth Wall! Shin reacted quickly, raising an earthen wall to block.
But in the next instant, the wall shattered to rubble. A fair, slender arm broke through the dust, followed by the overwhelming presence of Tsunade herself.
"You—you are—" Morimoto Shin's breath caught. She looked… familiar.
A scream rang out.
With the Earth Wall broken, Shizune's poisoned senbon pierced straight through, felling three Kusagakure shinobi instantly.
As expected of a skilled medical-nin, detoxification and poison were their specialties.
"Kitazawa, well done." Tsunade's gaze softened slightly as she glanced at him, smiling faintly.
In truth, he had taken the blame for her actions. But with Tsunade's nature, she would never allow him to suffer for it. She raised her hand.
In a flash, six ANBU appeared at her side, forming a deadly standoff against Kusagakure's gathered shinobi.
Without the slightest hesitation, she used the Body Flicker to appear in front of Shin.
"What?" Shin hadn't expected her to be so fast; his heart panicked, and he subconsciously formed hand seals.
Earth Release: Earth Flow Spears!
Rocks surged up from underground, transforming into sharp, rod-like weapons that all shot toward Tsunade.
Chakra Enhanced Strength!
Tsunade clenched her fist, neither dodging nor evading, and smashed the stone weapons to pieces in one strike. With undiminished momentum, she drove her fist straight into Morimoto Shin.
Bang! Shin was sent flying, blood spraying heavily into the air.
"Quick, save Leader-sama!" Seeing this, the Kusagakure shinobi cried out in panic.
Tsunade did not press her advantage. Instead, she quickly retreated, distancing herself from the battlefield, and closed her eyes.
Although she hadn't directly seen the blood, the smell alone unsettled her, and her body trembled slightly.
"Die for me!" A Kusagakure ninja, enraged, charged forward with a blade, slashing toward Lady Tsunade.
Just then, a spinning shuriken flew in from the side and struck him directly. The shuriken was wrapped in Wind Release chakra, slicing cleanly through his clothes and drilling into his flesh.
But the moment blood spattered, a powerful gust of wind surged out of nowhere. The terrifying wind carried away the Kusagakure ninja's body and completely dispersed the scent of blood.
The Kusagakure shinobi let out a miserable scream before collapsing to the ground unconscious.
"Kitazawa?" Tsunade was startled for a moment and asked.
"It's me." Kitazawa's voice sounded from behind her.
Tsunade secretly exhaled in relief, her heart finally at ease.
Wind Release: Great Breakthrough! Kitazawa wasted no words and rejoined the battle.
Undoubtedly, he had now become the prime target on their side. After all, he was the one who had first spoken arrogantly and struck without hesitation.
With Tsunade already having gravely injured Shin and now standing behind him, Kitazawa was drawing the most aggro.
He inhaled deeply and unleashed a gale. The wind howled, infused with Wind Release chakra, and spread outward like a tidal wave.
The two Kusagakure shinobi at the front were blown away instantly. But then, an earthen wall rose up, blocking the raging wind.
Earth Release: Earth Wall!
It's worth noting—there was no dog head carved into it. That was Kakashi Hatake's anti-counterfeit mark.
Kitazawa darted forward, chakra swirling in his palm. A Rasengan formed and drilled straight through the earth wall, slamming into the caster.
The Kusagakure ninja's face twisted in shock before chakra erupted, blasting him backward.
"Damn it!" The nearby Kusagakure shinobi grew even more enraged at the sight.
A torrent of ninjutsu and ninja tools surged toward him like a raging tide.
Konoha-style Body Flicker!
Kitazawa transformed into a leaf and instantly retreated, reappearing in front of Lady Tsunade.
"Do you need me to step in?" Tsunade hesitated for two seconds before asking.
"No need." Kitazawa shook his head. "I'm not under much pressure for now. The battle will end once Kakashi and Itachi return."
As he spoke, he formed hand seals.
Nirvana Temple Technique!
White feathers began drifting down from the sky in great numbers. Even in the middle of battle, many shinobi instinctively looked up. In an instant, drowsiness washed over them, making their bodies sway.
"It's a Genjutsu!" Ushi immediately shouted a warning.
Several shinobi snapped back to awareness, hurriedly dispelling the illusion. But some were already too late.
Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique! Three massive fire dragons roared forth at extreme speed.
Rumble!
The fire dragons plunged into the enemy ranks, exploding on impact and scattering blazing flames everywhere. Screams rang out without pause.
"What terrifying Fire Release ninjutsu!" A familiar voice accompanied a familiar figure.
Kitazawa turned and saw Uchiha Itachi. Not far behind were Kakashi and the mother-daughter pair, Karin and Rina Uzumaki.
The two Uzumaki—one young, one grown—were utterly bewildered. Everything that had transpired today felt no less than a dream.
"Kitazawa-sensei, your mastery of Fire Release surpasses most of the Uchiha Clan." Uchiha Itachi's voice carried genuine admiration.
He could now understand why Sasuke's Fire Release had progressed so quickly. At first, he thought his younger brother possessed exceptional natural talent. But now he realized—it was due to having a formidable teacher.
Was it reasonable for a mere academy instructor and medical-nin to possess such overwhelming power?
"Since the objective has been achieved, it's time to end this battle," Tsunade said with her eyes closed. "Tell them all to stop fighting."
Their goal had been to secure Karin and Rina Uzumaki, not to destroy Kusagakure.
Tsunade was not a bloodthirsty woman. Venting some frustration was enough. Besides, they were deep within Kusagakure territory and lacked a numerical advantage. If the fight dragged on, their side would suffer needless casualties.
"I'll take care of it." Itachi vanished with a Body Flicker and appeared before the Kusagakure forces.
Genjutsu: Sharingan!
An invisible ripple spread outward. Over a dozen shinobi froze simultaneously, their wills ensnared, bringing the chaos to an abrupt halt.
"Anyone who doesn't want to die—stand down!"
Kitazawa formed a single hand seal, and three fire dragons surged into the sky. Bathed in firelight, his words carried undeniable weight.
"Everyone, stop!" Ushi and Uma stepped forward.
With Morimoto Shin gravely injured and unconscious, they had no choice but to take command.
"Kusagakure doesn't have any Uzumaki Clan members? Then who are they?" Tsunade coldly pointed at the mother and daughter, Karin and Rina Uzumaki.
Ushi, Uma, and the others fell silent. Now that Konoha had discovered the mother and daughter, Morimoto Shin's earlier claims were exposed as lies.
Konoha was one of the Five Great Nations. Kusagakure's deception was nothing short of a provocation toward them. And most importantly, Kusagakure had gained nothing from the battle.
Continuing the fight would only deepen their losses.
"This matter ends here." Tsunade snorted coldly, her tone cutting like steel. "If Kusagakure is not satisfied, then they are welcome to come to Konoha themselves!"
She turned on her heel, her tea-green haori flaring as she strode out. The stench of blood was suffocating. If she remained any longer, her hemophobia might be triggered, and that would be a disgrace she refused to show.
Only Kitazawa and Shizune knew this secret. To Kakashi, Itachi, and the others, Tsunade was still the same—radiating an overwhelming, domineering aura.
"Let's go," Kitazawa said, following behind her.
Kakashi, Itachi, and the Anbu fell back in formation, still on guard. But the Kusagakure shinobi were already broken, trembling too much to make a move.
"We should have just handed Karin and the others to Konoha sooner," Uma muttered bitterly, staring at his injured comrades. "To pay such a high price for two living blood bags… it was never worth it. And in the end, we couldn't even keep them. Kusagakure has lost both coin and face."
"It's useless," Ushi growled, finally steadying himself. "From the very beginning, Konoha never intended to negotiate."
"Are we really going to let this go?" Uma demanded, his voice low with resentment.
"When the leader wakes, we'll spread word of this to the other Four Great Villages," Ushi said grimly. "If they do nothing, then we can only swallow this disgrace."
"Kusagakure is simply too weak," Uma said through clenched teeth.
"Which is why using the Box of Ultimate Bliss is inevitable," Ushi declared. "In two days, we'll go to Hōzuki Castle and strike a deal with Mui."
The Box of Ultimate Bliss lay sealed within that prison, and Mui, its warden, had once demanded a price so steep that cooperation fell through. But now, humiliated and furious after Tsunade and Kitazawa's intervention, Ushi and Uma resolved to seek Mui's aid at any cost.
—
After clearing Kusagakure's borders, the Konoha shinobi halted.
"They didn't pursue," Itachi reported as he landed lightly before the group. He had remained behind to keep watch, ensuring no ambush followed.
"Hm." Tsunade gave a curt nod before her gaze shifted to the red-haired mother and daughter—Rina Uzumaki and her child, Karin.
"Please… don't hurt Karin." The young kunoichi placed herself in front of the girl, trembling, her voice quivering. "I'll do anything."
"We are Konoha shinobi."
Tsunade's eyes dropped to the rows of bite marks marring the woman's body. With the Uzumaki clan's formidable vitality, such wounds should have faded quickly. For so many to remain meant her chakra reserves had been drained far beyond her body's ability to heal.
If she hadn't just finished punishing Kusagakure's shinobi, Tsunade would have turned back to thrash them again.
"Ko… Konoha?" Rina's eyes widened. She remembered the alliance between Konoha and the Uzumaki clan. But after too long in Kusagakure's clutches, her trust was broken. Even now, she hesitated.
"I am Tsunade," the Sannin said firmly, extending a hand as soft green chakra gathered around her palm.
Rina's breath caught. Even in captivity, she had heard of Tsunade's name. As healing warmth flowed into her exhausted body, tears spilled down her cheeks uncontrollably.
"Your body is heavily depleted," Tsunade said gently. "Once we return to Konoha, I'll treat you myself. You'll recover in time. And I promise—no one will ever bully you two again."
"T-thank you, Lady Tsunade," Rina sobbed, overwhelmed. For her, hell had finally ended.
"What is your name?" Tsunade asked softly, her tone uncharacteristically tender.
"Rina Uzumaki," she whispered, then pulled Karin closer. "And this is my daughter, Karin."
"Lady Tsunade," Karin called out clearly, her voice steady despite her age.
"Do you have any ties left in Kusagakure?" Tsunade asked, though she already knew the answer. She had wanted to ask about Karin's father, but chose not to—because a shinobi reduced to a living blood bag had no freedom to choose.
"No," Rina said firmly, casting one last look toward Kusagakure's direction. "I only pray my daughter and I never have to return."
"You won't," Tsunade replied with quiet certainty. "Come. We're going back to Konoha."
The group set out, their pace slowed by their new companions. Two days later, on a Friday morning, they arrived at the village gates.
[Current Mission: Safely escort Karin and Rina Uzumaki to Konoha.]
[Mission Reward: Sealing Jutsu: Fire Seal Obtained.]
[Mission complete. Reward issued.]
Kitazawa glanced at the floating system text before his eyes. The timing was perfect. The moment he set foot in Konoha, the reward was granted.
His thoughts drifted to the academy. He had taken leave the previous Friday. Unlike his last mission, there was no need to deceive Danzō or arrange for a substitute. Iruka would have covered his lessons.
"You all come with me to see the Third Hokage," Tsunade ordered, then added, "Kitazawa, you too."
"Understood." Kitazawa nodded. He had played a decisive role in this mission—after all, it was he who had first discovered Rina and Karin.
With Hiruzen Sarutobi and Tsunade both present, he was certain his efforts would not go unrewarded. The only question was—what kind of reward would he receive?