The jōnin were urgently awakened. All of Konoha awakened with them.
The Hyūga clan was exceptionally quiet. Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu both brought Anbu into the Hyūga compound to handle the entire incident.
Shuji did not go see what was happening there. He was not allowed to. Now only those with village permission could enter the Hyūga compound.
After returning home to pack, just as Shuji prepared to summon his squad, Anbu called him back to the Hokage's office.
Sarutobi Hiruzen and Nara Shikaku were both present.
"Shuji, the village now needs to dispatch an envoy to Sunagakure to explain the current situation to the Kazekage." The Third said. "Shikaku recommended you to me."
Nara Shikaku nodded slightly to Shuji. Going to Sunagakure theoretically had no problems. In reality it might face the ally's difficulties.
After all, letting a mere three Cloud shinobi create such a huge incident, not only would the village's own shinobi question Anbu's situation, allies would also question Konoha's strength.
The jōnin commander believed that the envoy to Sunagakure must be someone with sufficient response capability.
After reviewing Shuji's record again, plus what happened at the meeting earlier, Shikaku judged that despite Shuji's young age, he was sufficient to undertake this mission.
"I understand. Will the departure party be only Team Five?"
"I will assign another squad." Sarutobi Hiruzen said gravely. "A special jōnin alone is insufficient to deal with Sunagakure."
"Special Jōnin Shuji, I now promote you to jōnin, responsible for this envoy mission."
"You are granted authority for situational judgment."
Shuji's merits had always been sufficient. His loyalty was sufficient. His strength was sufficient. His background check was clean.
Previously only giving special jōnin was not so much suppression as protection.
Konoha's special jōnin had a very high ceiling and very low floor. The lowest tier in actual combat were just elite chūnin, those outstanding in certain areas who received exceptional promotion.
Special jōnin neither suffered from authority suppression nor attracted too much attention. Even Namikaze Minato was not promoted to jōnin that quickly. If the situation were not urgent...
Pressing down all guilt once more, this was not Sarutobi Hiruzen's first time being forced into such a position, nor would it be the last. He had long prepared to bear everything.
"Yes!" Shuji accepted. Jōnin. It came so abruptly, yet was unavoidable.
Since the envoy mission was arranged, they could not depart hastily. Nor could they sleep. In this cursed world, a fourteen-year-old child had to work overtime through the night.
In the Hokage's office, they confirmed what the squad specifically needed to do, what problems they might encounter, and the so-called authority for situational judgment, what degree of action it allowed him.
When Anko and Itachi arrived at the Hokage Building, dawn had already broken.
"We're going to Sunagakure. Specific details on the road." Shuji instructed his two squad members.
Then he looked at another squad that arrived together. A three-person squad: Shiranui Genma, Namiashi Raidō, and Tatami Iwashi.
These three had considerable credentials. Shiranui Genma, Namiashi Raidō, and Tatami Iwashi had served as guards for the Fourth Hokage Namikaze Minato.
Guards meaning not that they could protect Minato, but that the Fourth had high regard for these three and kept them close for training.
Tatami Iwashi was youngest in the Hokage guard squad. He and Shuji and Anko were same period.
If Shuji remembered correctly, Shiranui Genma, Namiashi Raidō, and Tatami Iwashi together could use Flying Thunder God, though it was the Flying Thunder God Formation modified by Minato.
From the squad composition's characteristics, this was keeping one hand back against Suna. If something truly went wrong, they could still withdraw promptly.
"Shiranui Genma, special jōnin."
"Namiashi Raidō, special jōnin."
"Tatami Iwashi, chūnin." Finally was a slightly shy youth who nodded at Shuji and Anko. "Shuji, Anko, long time no see."
Both sides briefly introduced themselves. Focus was placed on Shuji's side. The "special" in his special jōnin title was removed, leaving only jōnin.
Shiranui Genma smiled. "Another genius like Kakashi."
"Then, Jōnin Shuji of Team Five will take the lead in this mission. Hokage-sama asked us to coordinate all your actions."
Basic pleasantries finished. Both squads immediately departed.
All of Konoha Village mobilized again in war form.
News spread like wind. The Cloud envoy harbored ill intent, infiltrated the Hyūga main house with improper motives. The Hyūga clan head, protective of his daughter, killed him on the spot. A conspiracy against Konoha was thwarted.
Hope for peace dashed. The entire village's sense of loss and resentment were imaginable. Gossip quietly followed.
But none of this concerned the shinobi who had departed.
In the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen gazed at squad after squad departing outside the window. A deep exhaustion surged up again.
The door opened. Shimura Danzō walked in, footsteps soundless.
"Root has begun operations." His voice was cold. "All grain merchants have again received warnings. The grain blockade on Lightning Country remains unchanged. Degarashi Port is fully sealed. Lightning Country's channels for obtaining grain are now limited to overseas islands."
After reporting his deployment, Danzō changed topic, tone certain. "Hiruzen, this incident does not seem like Kumogakure's doing."
Sarutobi Hiruzen did not turn around. He still gazed outside.
Anbu's dereliction in this incident was too severe. Therefore subsequent key investigation authority was transferred to Root.
Danzō continued his statement, orderly and clear. "At the inn scene, I personally examined it. No traces of departure. No traces of any form. Kumogakure does not possess such methods."
"All clues point to one thing. The same as when the Fourth died, someone controlling space-time ninjutsu is manipulating things behind the scenes."
"According to reports from the jōnin escorting the Cloud delegation, there was one brief disturbance during entry. When they rushed over, Akai claimed to have been attacked and already repelled enemies."
"Last night likewise. Anbu surveillance records show Akai's chakra had momentary abnormal fluctuation, then recovered."
"The Cloud delegation's activity range was strictly controlled. They could not possibly know the Hyūga compound's specific location, much less precisely avoid all outer warnings."
"Hyūga Hiashi admits he struck too hard in protecting his daughter, but reflecting afterward, also noticed Akai's movements were abnormally stiff. According to his account, under Byakugan vision, Akai's brain area seemed entangled by some foreign chakra."
"To prove his words, he voluntarily accepted Yamanaka Inoichi's Mind Reading Technique."
"Inoichi confirmed Hyūga Hiashi's judgment was correct. Before death, Akai was indeed under strong genjutsu control."
As for why not open Akai's head, as an envoy Cloud dispatched, he already had a curse seal in his brain. Encountering Konoha's examination would trigger self-destruction.
For subsequent negotiations, Konoha could not use brain domain search on him.
Danzō finally summarized, gaze sharp as a blade. "In summary, there is only one conclusion. The problem lies within the village."
"And like when the Fourth died, it can only be the Uchiha clan."
Chapters in advance there: patreon.com/Thaniel_a_goodchild