Chapter 139 – Mission Failed
The night air of the Land of Fire was cool and damp, brushing against their faces as three shadowy figures leapt from branch to branch under the starlit canopy.
Gekkō Hayate's breath came out in faint, shallow wisps, each cough echoing softly in the silence of the forest. Yūgao Uzuki, her long violet hair tied neatly behind her, glanced back at him in concern before landing beside Kurenai Yūhi, whose crimson eyes glimmered faintly under the moonlight.
The mission had ended in failure.
They had gone to the Daimyō's residence carrying the Hokage's decree — to negotiate a transfer of funds to aid Konoha's reconstruction and defense. What awaited them there, however, was nothing but closed doors and hollow smiles.
Now, as they made their way home, the three shared the same exhaustion — not of the body, but of the heart.
Kurenai slowed her pace and finally spoke, her voice low and strained.
> "In the end, we didn't even get to see the Daimyō... The entire mission was meaningless."
Her words hung in the night air.
Yūgao, landing softly beside her, tried to smile.
> "There was nothing we could have done, Kurenai. The Daimyō refused to meet us. Were we supposed to break into the palace? The Guardian Twelve were watching us every moment. It would've been suicide."
Hayate coughed again, leaning against a trunk before nodding weakly.
> "Yūgao's right... cough... cough... We'll report everything truthfully when we return. Hokage-sama will understand. Cough…"
Yūgao rubbed his back gently, her expression steady but filled with worry. She had long since grown used to these coughing fits, but they still made her heart ache each time.
Kurenai stood ahead of them, staring up at the stars through the canopy. Her eyes, reflecting the night sky, seemed to seek something — or someone — among the countless glimmers above.
> Father… are you watching me?
She clenched her hands. Since the day her father had fallen defending the village during the Nine-Tails' attack, she had sworn to make him proud — to rise above, to reach Jōnin, to protect others just as he had.
And yet, now… all she had to show for her effort was failure.
> "If this mission had gone well, I might've been promoted," she whispered to herself, barely audible.
Yūgao's voice brought her back to reality.
> "Let's keep moving, Kurenai. We'll be back soon. We're not far from Konoha now."
Kurenai took a slow breath and nodded.
> "Right... let's go."
They continued through the forest, slower now, taking time to rest between leaps. What could've been a half-day's journey stretched to nearly a full day before the walls of Konoha finally came into view.
But something was wrong.
Gekkō Hayate narrowed his eyes at the two shinobi standing guard at the gate. Their uniforms were standard, their posture perfect — yet something about them felt… unfamiliar.
> "Strange…" Hayate murmured. "Where are Kotetsu and Izumo? They should've been on duty this week."
Yūgao shrugged lightly.
> "Who knows? Maybe they swapped shifts. Come on, let's report the mission first."
The guards inspected their IDs with unusually strict precision before allowing them through. Kurenai noticed the faint emblem of Root — Danzō's faction — etched into one of the guard's pouches, and her eyes narrowed slightly.
Once inside, the trio moved through the streets — and again, the unease grew.
Konoha was quieter than usual.
Shops that had always been open were shuttered. The familiar clang of the blacksmith's forge was gone. Even Ichiraku Ramen — usually buzzing with laughter — was closed.
> "Hey… does the village feel emptier to you?" Yūgao asked quietly.
> "Now that you mention it, yes," Hayate replied, glancing around. "Something's off. That weapons shop — it's never closed before, not once."
Kurenai's steps quickened.
> "Let's just get to the Hokage Building. We'll find out what's going on there."
The three leapt onto the rooftops, gliding silently over the darkened village until the Hokage Building came into sight. Normally, this place would be teeming with shinobi — squads taking missions, messengers running errands, Anbu moving through the shadows.
Tonight, it was almost silent.
They dropped to the ground and entered through the front door.
Inside, the mission hall was nearly empty. Only a single clerk sat behind the counter, his pen scratching against parchment.
Yūgao stepped forward first, impatience slipping into her tone.
> "Excuse me — what's going on? Where is everyone?"
The clerk blinked, pushing up his glasses.
> "You three… you're still here?"
Confusion flickered in Kurenai's eyes.
> "Still here? What do you mean?"
The clerk hesitated, then noticed the dirt and travel-worn state of their gear. Realization dawned on his face — they had just returned from a mission and had missed something major.
He swallowed and looked around nervously before lowering his voice.
> "You haven't heard yet, have you? While you were gone… something happened in the village."
The three exchanged quick, tense glances — hearts suddenly heavy.
And in that quiet, uneasy moment, the air of Konoha itself felt different — as though the village they had returned to was no longer the same one they had left.
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