The bedroom in Konoha was supposed to be empty.
Then space folded in on itself, and two figures appeared without a sound. Fujimoto Tōma stood beside the bed, one arm still around Ino as the afterimage of Flying Thunder God faded from the air.
"Ino," she said, still half in his arms, brows knit with worry, "is it really okay to just… leave them there and come back first?"
Tōma answered calmly, like this was routine. "It's fine. I always do it that way. They're used to it."
"Oh. If you say so." She nodded, then suddenly stiffened. "Wait. If you're back, you should report in right away. Sensei was really worried after hearing Orochimaru's name."
"I know." He loosened his grip and stepped back. "You go home first. I'll head to the Hokage's office."
Ino hesitated. Part of her wanted to go with him. But the way he said it made one thing clear. This wasn't something she was meant to hear.
She didn't feel offended. She understood her limits. Some things, even if explained, would only weigh on her mind without helping anyone.
So she smiled, waved, and left.
Once she was gone, Tōma headed straight for the Hokage Tower.
—
"Tōma-sama!"
The first to notice him was Shizune. She all but jumped from her seat, relief written plainly across her face. As Tsunade's aide, she already knew how bad things could have been.
"Yo, Shizune. And Tsunade-sama." Tōma lifted a hand. "I'm back."
Tsunade looked up.
Then she stood so abruptly her chair scraped the floor and crossed the room in two strides.
"…Huh?"
Before he could react, her hands were already on him. Pressing. Probing. Checking chakra flow, muscles, bones.
"Uh. I get what you're doing," Tōma said dryly, "but doing it here feels a little inappropriate."
She ignored that. A moment later, she stopped, eyes narrowing in disbelief.
"There's nothing wrong with you. Not even a scratch."
"Why does everyone assume I'd come back broken?" he asked.
"Because it was Orochimaru." Tsunade exhaled and finally relaxed, returning to her seat. "He doesn't move without certainty."
Tōma nodded. He agreed. Thinking back to the ambush, if it had happened before his recent breakthrough, he would've died there. No question.
Tsunade folded her arms, then added grimly, "I've seen shinobi smile and joke after taking fatal wounds. They say goodbye, put their affairs in order… and die alone somewhere no one finds them."
Her voice sharpened. "That's stupidity. If you don't check, how do you know it can't be treated? One medic failing doesn't mean another won't succeed."
"True." Tōma nodded seriously. "If it were me, I'd drag myself across the whole village looking for a doctor before giving up."
"That's the correct mindset." She paused, then sighed. "Still… I owe you an apology. This mission exposed you to danger because of my misjudgment."
"No need," Tōma replied. "That's part of being a shinobi. Intel is never perfect. Sometimes it's outright wrong. That's not on you."
His eyes cooled slightly. "Besides, the trap wasn't aimed at you. It was aimed at me. You can dodge arrows. You can't always see the knife behind your back."
Tsunade grimaced. "After hearing what Orochimaru said, I started digging into Danzo's movements."
"And found nothing," Tōma said evenly. "He's gone quiet. Almost unnaturally so. Even when provoked, he doesn't react."
Tsunade leaned back, exhausted. "Yes."
Then, quietly, "Tōma… I'm sorry. Publicly, Konoha can't give you the justice you deserve."
Because there was no proof.
Everyone in the room knew who was responsible. But without evidence, acting would shake the village. And if rumors spread, the consequences would be worse.
"I never expected Danzo to fall from this alone," Tōma said. "Evidence can be gathered later."
That only made Tsunade feel worse. Someone like him. Talented. Principled. Strong. Exactly the kind of person she wished could one day take the Hokage's seat.
And Danzo had tried to kill him.
She slammed a fist into the desk, papers jumping. "And the Third Hokage too. I asked him for help. He just kept asking for proof. Does he trust that bastard that much?!"
"People get sentimental when they're old," Tōma said quietly.
He'd known this day would come. Even if proof surfaced, the Third might still try to shield Danzo.
And yet, back then, could Tōma really have let the old man die?
No. He couldn't.
The Third had helped him survive his weakest days. To abandon him over what he might do in the future felt wrong.
From a distant, objective view, that death might've been "fitting."
Tōma didn't care. Living badly still beat dying neatly.
He'd chosen to act. And he didn't regret it.
Tsunade could only sigh.
Then Tōma changed the subject.
"Tsunade-sama. Is there an empty house near your residence?"
"There is," she said, confused. "Why?"
"I want my mother to stop working for now and move there. I'm not always in the village."
Her pupils shrank. "You think Danzo would target your mother?"
"Maybe. Maybe not." He shrugged. "I'm still alive. If he wants leverage, that's the only road left."
"If we wait until it happens, it's too late."
Tsunade nodded slowly, then turned to Shizune. "Handle it."
"I'll take care of it immediately," Shizune said, already moving.
"One more thing." Tōma stopped her. "I still need to file my mission report. No one else can write this one for me."
Shizune sighed, grabbed paper and pen, and sat back down. Tsunade rubbed her temples. She was used to this.
Tōma began his report.
He described the cave. The four enemies. He mentioned Kisame and Itachi briefly. Konoha already had files on them.
He focused on the other two.
One wore no forehead protector. His body was threaded with black tendrils. Arms detached and attacked independently before being reeled back in.
The other wore a rogue headband from Yugakure. He wielded a massive triple-bladed scythe soaked in blood. His body refused to die. Organs destroyed. Head crushed. Still moving.
No names. Only details.
Shizune's pen slowed. Sweat beaded on her forehead. Just listening made her uneasy.
Tsunade chewed a nail, imagining facing them herself. The thought made her stomach sink.
This wasn't normal danger.
If Tōma hadn't been strong enough, anyone else would've died there.
"Where did they come from?" Tsunade asked. "And what kind of ability is that?"
Tōma hesitated. He knew more than he could say.
Before he could answer, a voice came from outside the window.
"I might know something about that."
A large figure slipped in effortlessly.
Jiraiya had arrived.