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Tsukimi Heshu's figure flickered into existence inside Minato's tent. The Fourth Hokage-to-be didn't even blink.
"You're back, Heshu."
Minato's smile was tired but genuine, laced with a trace of guilt. "You worked hard."
Heshu shook his head. "Don't say that, Minato-senpai. You're the one who really looks worn out."
He wasn't lying. Just a few days apart, and Minato's dark circles rivalled a panda who'd pulled three all-nighters in a row.
Minato offered a weary, miserable grin. "Everyone's been pushing themselves."
After the obligatory round of mutual consolation, Heshu got down to business.
"Senpai, based on my intel from Kirigakure, their current combat strength is low. Supplies are running thin. Anti-war sentiment is strong. They won't be capable of any major moves for at least a year."
Heshu hadn't spent his entire trip goofing off. He'd done some recon, scouted the village layout, and gauged the general mood.
A subtle, knowing smile played on Minato's lips. He just looked at Heshu without speaking.
"…Did something happen, Minato-senpai?"
Heshu blinked. Had some unforeseen variable cropped up?
"Hmm…" Minato dragged out the sound, hesitated, then decisively shook his head. "It's nothing! Go get some rest. We should be able to return to Konoha soon."
This kind of thing… was better left for Heshu's friends to break to him.
If Kirigakure lacked the strength for a big offensive, then a small garrison force stationed at the Land of Fire's border would be enough. For extra insurance, Minato decided leaving a Flying Thunder God marker wouldn't hurt.
When Heshu emerged from Minato's tent, every single shinobi's eyes snapped to him.
Supply carriers froze mid-step. Medics stared with unusual intensity. Shinobi packing their gear halted, gazes locked on him like laser sights.
"…"
What the hell was going on?
Had Shisui died? Had Juri bought it?
Worse… both?
"Heshu!"
A familiar voice cut through the silence from across the camp.
Juri stood outside a tent, waving him over. Shisui stood beside him, with Hizashi Hyuga watching the trio from behind them with gentle eyes.
"Seems everyone's fine."
Seeing all three intact, Heshu walked towards them.
"Pfft—ha!"
Juri couldn't hold back a laugh at Heshu's bewildered expression under the weight of the collective stare.
Bewildered Heshu: Is today the day Uchiha Juri dies?
"Heshu doesn't know yet, does he?"
Shisui spoke up, a small smile on his lips.
Heshu's expression remained blank.
"Your name is spreading across the entire shinobi world right now."
Shisui's lips twitched upward.
That can't be right.
Heshu thought. He'd just done a little undercover work in Kiri. Given the place a tiny shake. Maybe, sort of, slapped the Fourth Mizukage Yagura's face a little.
That shouldn't warrant instant fame.
"Everyone knows what you said to the Mizukage now."
Amusement flashed in Shisui's eyes.
"Said what?"
Heshu racked his brain. His entire exchange with the Mizukage yesterday hadn't exceeded five sentences!
"'If I can come and go from Kumogakure as I please, what's Kirigakure to me?'"
Juri boomed the line with theatrical gravitas.
Heshu was thunderstruck.
When the hell had he said that?
He had no memory of it!
Who the hell was playing this cringe game with him? Who was spreading these damn lies, making his future infiltration work ten times harder?!
The power of rumors… was truly terrifying.
"I never said that."
Heshu sighed, utterly defeated.
"Ah?" Juri looked a bit disappointed. "It was a pretty cool line, though."
"…"
"Oh! Right!" Juri suddenly perked up again, eyes gleaming. "Heshu! You know you have a nickname now, right?"
A deep sense of foreboding washed over Heshu. "Don't say it—"
"The Shinobi World's Greatest Infiltrator — Tsukimi Heshu!"
He was too late.
Thud.
Heshu fell backwards, rigid as a board.
"Heshu!"
"Heshu! What's wrong?"
"Is he too exhausted?"
"Medic! Medic!"
…
Lying in the wagon on the journey back to Konoha, Heshu stared blankly at the ceiling, a salted fish that had lost all its dreams.
He had been utterly defeated. Crushed by the terrifying, overwhelming power of baseless gossip.
The wagon swayed gently, carrying him and his shattered dignity all the way from the border to Konoha. For three whole days, he just… lay there.
Everyone who saw him looked on with deep respect and affection. They naturally assumed his prone state was due to the immense physical and mental toll of his undercover mission.
Heshu forced a weak smile. The nickname was soul-crushingly embarrassing, but life had to go on.
Their first task upon returning was a mass assembly on the training grounds to receive comforting words from the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Good, good, good!"
"You've all returned safely!"
Hiruzen was exceptionally emotional.
Old man, is your eyesight going? Can't you see the corpses wrapped in bamboo mats at the back?
Heshu's eye twitched.
After a speech designed to wring tears from stone, Hiruzen moved to the second stage: laying the fallen to rest.
The task wasn't huge.
Because there weren't many bodies.
Not because few had died. But because most bodies… were never recovered.
Names on the Memorial Stone multiplied. Heshu's eyes scanned them, landing on a familiar one.
Uchiha Obito.
The heavy atmosphere suddenly became impossible to maintain.
The third stage, of course, was recognition of merit.
Namikaze Minato was the rising star of the Third War, his name known across the continents. Naturally, he received Hiruzen's praise.
Heshu was surprised to find he was next.
Hiruzen looked at him with grandfatherly warmth, eyes brimming with pride.
Tsukimi Heshu was officially promoted from Genin to Jōnin.
The procedures for Jōnin promotion were notoriously complex, but he had been publicly acknowledged as one by the Hokage himself before the entire village. All those pesky rules and regulations? Instantly bypassed.
In the face of absolute authority, what were rules, really?
Of course, Heshu wasn't the only one promoted. Shisui and Juri also became Jōnin. Many of their peers received promotions too.
Even if… a lot of those peers were already dead.
Finally, after a day of exhausting formalities, Heshu made it home.
Pushing the door open, the rich aroma of food hit him.
Takenouchi had prepared a feast, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
The warm, dim light, the smell of home-cooked food, the affectionate nuzzles from the puppy and kitten… it all coalesced into a wave of pure, comforting warmth.
"Heshu, congratulations on your promotion to Jōnin!"
Takenouchi clapped.
"Thank you, Uncle!"
Heshu took his seat at the table, anticipation clear. "It's been so long since I had your cooking. I've missed it!"
Having sampled the "delicacies" of every major village, it was Takenouchi's homely flavors he craved most.
"Then eat up!"
Takenouchi watched him, eyes growing red-rimmed again. "Heshu… you've gotten taller."
"…"
If I didn't grow taller soon, the one crying would be me.
Takenouchi was unusually emotional tonight. He'd look at Heshu and his eyes would well up.
It was eerily reminiscent of…
…Heshu's mom in his past life.
…
With the war effectively over, the race for the Fourth Hokage intensified. Beneath Konoha's seemingly peaceful and beautiful surface, undercurrents churned.
Hokage's Office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi tapped his pipe, listening to Danzō Shimura's incessant drone.
"Hand over Kakashi and that Tsukimi Heshu brat to me. Root needs to replenish its ranks."
Danzō stated, pausing briefly before adding, "Oh, right. And the two Uchiha brats as well."
"…"
The Third Hokage gave Danzō a flat look.
Kakashi, Tsukimi Heshu, Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Juri. The four most outstanding geniuses of their generation.
And Danzō wanted to scoop up all four in one go.
His audacity was so staggering it left Hiruzen speechless. And the man seemed to have a particular obsession with Kakashi. How many times had he demanded the boy now? Hiruzen had lost count.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Hiruzen replied wearily, "I intend to keep Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Juri in the ANBU. As for Kakashi and Tsukimi Heshu… I have other plans for them."
Danzō's face darkened. He thumped his cane heavily on the floor. He hadn't expected Hiruzen to deny him every single one.
"Hiruzen, Root is also a division of Konoha! Sending those children to Root will help them understand what it truly means to be a shinobi!"
Danzō refused to yield an inch.
He would use every trick, exert every ounce of pressure, to get those four.
One hour later.
Both Danzō and Hiruzen were parched.
Hiruzen felt like his throat was on fire. He drained his teacup in one gulp.
Danzō, his voice now a proper smoker's rasp, was still trying to wear Hiruzen down.
"Basking in the sunlight alone cannot foster their complete growth!"
"Let them come to Root! Let them comprehend the darkness of this world and fortify their resolve to serve the village!"
Hiruzen's mind went blank. He spoke to the air. "Summon Kakashi, Tsukimi Heshu, Uchiha Shisui, and Uchiha Juri here immediately!"
As for the choice… he'd leave it to the kids themselves.
He was done verbally sparring with Danzō.
…
"What do you think the Hokage wants with us so suddenly?"
Juri walked beside Heshu, puzzled.
"No idea."
Shisui shook his head.
Kakashi maintained his customary cool-guy persona, walking ahead of the three of them in complete silence.
They soon reached the Hokage's Office.
"Hokage-sama."
Out of the corner of his eye, Heshu spotted a familiar figure.
Shimura Danzō.
Synonym for 'pain in the ass'.
Hiruzen began with his usual round of grandfatherly greetings before getting to the point.
"Now that the war has reached a temporary conclusion… as elite shinobi of Konoha's new generation, what are your plans for the future?"
Plans?
I plan to take your seat. How about you get up?
Heshu knew the Third's question was just a formality. Their actual assignments were never really up to them.
Besides, Danzō's gaze was practically burning holes into them, a predatory heat that screamed his desire to snatch all four immediately. It was impossible to ignore.
"I wish to join the ANBU."
Shisui was the first to speak, his expression calm and composed. He clearly had his own ideas about his future.
Hiruzen nodded, satisfied.
"I'll go wherever Heshu goes."
Juri stated bluntly. He had no particular feelings about the Hokage or any specific department. Being with Heshu was his only criterion.
Shisui shot Juri a casual, unreadable glance but said nothing.
Kakashi lifted his eyelids slightly. "Anywhere is fine."
The epitome of a laid-back youth.
Previously, Kakashi had already been in ANBU, but the war had forced Hiruzen to temporarily reassign him out. A move that had now given Danzō this opening.
Hiruzen gave Kakashi a mildly exasperated look before settling his gaze on Heshu.
Heshu considered. He had Juri attached to his hip now. So, abandoning his earlier thoughts, he said, "I will follow the Hokage's arrangements."
[Ding! Favorability of target Sarutobi Hiruzen has reached 88!]
For Hiruzen, this was the perfect answer.
Danzō's expression soured. He shifted his intense stare from the four youths back to Hiruzen.
"…"
Ah.
The headache was returning.
Hiruzen sighed in resignation. "Kakashi and Shisui will be assigned to ANBU. As for Heshu and Juri… you will follow Danzō."
A satisfied smile finally appeared on Danzō's face.
Hiruzen felt a weight lift from his shoulders. After all, he believed Heshu possessed both the firm will and the capability to handle himself.
"You may all leave for now. Heshu, stay."
Hiruzen slowly exhaled a plume of white smoke. The haze clouded his features, obscuring his expression.
Danzō shot Hiruzen a final, thoughtful look before masking his thoughts and turning away.
Alone in the Hokage's Office, Heshu waited quietly for Hiruzen to speak.
"Heshu, my boy…"
"I've heard all about your deeds on the battlefield."
Hiruzen thought of the mission reports that had piled up on his desk and sighed deeply.
"You volunteered for that near-suicidal infiltration mission. You played a significant role in pushing Kumogakure out of the war… I am aware of all your contributions."
Every single report that mentioned Heshu had been full of praise.
It spoke volumes about the boy's character.
A long journey tests a horse's strength; time reveals a person's heart. War, especially, had a way of laying bare one's true nature.
And under such extreme conditions, every evaluation of Heshu had been glowing.
It was clear. This child possessed a truly sincere and noble heart.
That was why he could entrust this task to him.
"Hokage-sama, every shinobi on the front lines is a respected senior in my eyes. Compared to those who sacrificed everything, my efforts are truly insignificant."
Heshu's face reflected genuine sorrow and admiration as he recalled the fallen.
[Ding! Favorability of target Sarutobi Hiruzen has reached 89!]
"Don't underestimate yourself. Your actions also contributed to the hard-won peace we have today!"
Hiruzen comforted him with grandfatherly affection.
Heshu smiled, somewhat bashfully.
"Heshu… I have a mission. One I cannot entrust to anyone but you."
Hiruzen's tone grew grave and meaningful.
Heshu felt a jolt.
What expert phrasing. What masterful manipulation.
"Hokage-sama, please speak. I will see it through!"
Spurred by the words, Heshu responded with fervent determination.
Seeing this, a satisfied smile flashed across Hiruzen's face before he quickly suppressed it, a faint trace of worry appearing on his aged features.
"In Konoha, besides the ANBU, there is Danzō's Root. To be frank… I have little insight into Root's activities. Danzō can be… overly radical at times. I fear that innocent shinobi under his guidance might be led to act in ways that could harm the village."
Okay.
Say no more.
Heshu understood completely.
He was being asked to go back to his old line of work.
"So, Hokage-sama… you want me to relay information…"
As soon as the words left his mouth, he saw Hiruzen's expression grow slightly awkward. He swiftly amended, "…Relay information, for the better protection of Konoha and its shinobi!"
Hiruzen let out a long, relieved breath. "Yes! Precisely!"
"Hokage-sama, entrusting me with such a vital mission concerning the village's safety… I will not disappoint you!"
Heshu pledged solemnly.
Hiruzen felt immensely comfortable.
So smart. Talking to a clever person was always a pleasure.
"Heshu… I'm counting on you."
Hiruzen sighed, a mix of relief and expectation.
"Contributing my strength to the village brings me nothing but joy!"
Heshu offered a smile of utmost sincerity.
[Ding! Favorability of target Sarutobi Hiruzen has reached 90!]
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