Konoha Notes.

Chapter 110 The Journey Home and the Trade-offs

Chapter 110 The Journey Home and the Trade-offs

The search around the Fire Temple yielded little result; no useful clues or traces were found.

After a period of fruitless searching, Shuuji was the first to stop. He wasn't a ninja specializing in tracking, nor was Asuma; with no other options available, continuing to waste energy on this was pointless.

Let's stop here.

"Asuma-senpai, please set off immediately and return to the village to report on the matter of the Nine-Tails' chakra."

Faced with Shuuji's arrangement, Asuma's face showed resistance: "I have already relinquished my identity as a Konoha ninja and left the village. I will go and report—."

Shuji just stared at him, and Asuma shut his mouth.

"You and Master Jiriku were at the Fire Temple. Master Jiriku has no direct connection with the village, and he needs to handle the Fire Temple matter, so he can't spare the time."

"The task of reporting is now left to you."

"Asuma-senpai, if I remember correctly, you did not officially leave the Konoha ninja ranks."

"I only informed the third head of my departure from the village; according to the Ministry of State Affairs' records, I was on 'long-term leave.'"

"I already have a lot on my plate, and I was just forced to end my vacation."

"Show some of the responsibility of a senior, Mr. Asuma."

Xiu Si harbored deep resentment. From setting off from Daming Prefecture overnight to being intercepted and then rushing back to provide support, he hadn't slept a single minute, fought countless battles, or traveled a single step less.

It was even more arduous than when I was sent as an envoy to Sunagakure; back then, we could take turns.

Faced with his deep gaze and the blood-stained clothes he hadn't changed out of, Asma, who had also been up all night, working tirelessly and smoking all night, was speechless and couldn't utter a rebuttal.

In the end, he simply agreed.

"I see."

He turned around, his figure somewhat hurried, and quickly disappeared in the direction leading to Konoha.

Shuji watched him leave and then set off back to the City of Fire.

At this moment, the City of Fire has seemingly returned to order. Although news of last night's turmoil has spread, the timely appearance of the Daimyo, coupled with Kitako's frequent patrols with her guards, has effectively suppressed the spread of panic.

Although people's hearts were still somewhat unsettled, there was no major chaos. After holding an emergency meeting with his elders and loyal retainers to initially stabilize the core group, the daimyo met with Shuji again.

"Junior Ninja Shuji, has there been any further developments regarding the Fire Temple?" The Daimyo invited Shuji to sit down and inquired about the Fire Temple.

"The unrest has subsided, please rest assured," Shuji said. The matter of the Nine-Tails' chakra was too complicated, and since Sora's whereabouts were currently unknown, informing the Daimyo would not be of any use and might even cause unnecessary worry.

The daimyo didn't intend to investigate further; if Shuji said it was true, then it was true, and if he didn't, then it wasn't.

"This incident has made me see many things clearly."

"Regarding the Guardian Ninja, I think the Daimyo Prefecture doesn't need so many people. An excessive number would be counterproductive and could even cause trouble."

"Since the Fire Temple has suffered a misfortune, Master Jiriku should prioritize rebuilding the temple and comforting the monks. It is not appropriate to trouble him with the responsibility of guarding it. I will send someone to convey my regards later, so that he can focus on handling the temple affairs."

"But Asuma—" The daimyo feigned reluctance, "Previously, because of a slight rift between him and the Third Hokage, I temporarily kept him in the daimyo's residence, but now—"

Shuji said, "I have already asked Asuma to return to the village and report what happened here."

The daimyo immediately smiled and said, "That would be wonderful. Thank you for your hard work, Jonin Shuji. I will convey my gratitude to Asuma on his behalf in the future."

Then, he warmly invited, "Since there's nothing to do right now, and Ninja Shuji must be tired, why don't you join me for a simple meal and rest a bit?"

The banquet wasn't extravagant, but the food was quite good. During the meal, the dignitary didn't discuss any major topics, only exchanging a few pleasantries about social interactions.

After filling his stomach, the daimyo arranged a quiet room for him. Being outside the village, his sleep was always very light, but after resting for a while, Shuji's energy had recovered considerably.

As evening fell, the team dispatched by Konoha arrived on time. From the Jonin leading the team, Shuji learned that Asuma had been left in the village and had not returned to the Land of Fire with the team.

Before leaving, the daimyo handed a sealed letter to Shuji, which was considered a reply to the secret scroll that Shuji had brought last time.

It was already late at night when they arrived at the village, but they couldn't go straight home to sleep yet; they still had to go to the Hokage Building.

As he stepped into the office, a wave of weariness washed over him. Shuji felt he absolutely had to start the retirement process before he turned thirty.

This damned class, including its predecessor, has been going on for four years now, starting when I was eleven.

Being a ninja is a high-risk job, but the pay is also high. By the time you turn thirty, you'll have saved up enough money, and things should be mostly settled.

"Hokage-sama, Tsunade-sama."

The Third Hokage wasn't alone in the office; Tsunade was also sitting nearby, her brow furrowed as she reviewed documents.

"Shuji, it's good to see you back. You've worked hard again this time." The Third Hokage put down his pipe. "Asuma has already given us a preliminary report on the situation, but you'll need to explain the details in more detail."

Xiu Si nodded and gave a concise and clear account of the process of the mission, what he saw and heard, and the follow-up actions.

The Third Hokage listened quietly, not surprised that the Daimyo ultimately chose to retain only two Guardian Shinobi.

The ninjas of Konoha may not care much about the personal affairs of the daimyo, but they will never pose a real threat to his position or safety.

Regarding the Nine-Tails' chakra, Shuji only recounted the information he heard from Asuma and Jiraiya, without adding his own speculation.

The Third Hokage sighed, "Kazuma was a well-known ninja in the Land of Fire. Although he hadn't joined Konoha, he had always been very friendly to the village, which is why he was allowed to enter the village for exchanges. I never expected it to turn out like this."

At that moment, Tsunade forcefully put down her pen, stretched, and her bones made a slight cracking sound.

"Alright, old man, that's enough about the important stuff." She stood up. "You know what you need to know. We'll talk about the rest of the details tomorrow."

As she spoke, she walked straight to Xiu Si, grabbed him by the back of his collar, and dragged him out of the office without saying a word.

"Come on, kid! What are you still standing there for? Waiting for this old man to give you overtime pay?"

Sarutobi Hijiri opened his mouth as if to say something, but looking at the mountain of documents still mostly on the table, he ultimately just shook his head helplessly.

He silently picked up the pipe and refilled it with tobacco.

If the young man skips work, what can this old man do but keep working?

Shuji was already somewhat used to it, and even with the intense friction against his heels, his expression remained unchanged: "Lady Tsunade, could you reimburse me for the cost of these ninja shoes?"

"Huh?" Tsunade feigned surprise and released her grip. "I thought there was something in my hand."

"Come on, let's go have a drink."

"Your memory seems to be getting worse, or even worse."

She crossed her arms, leaned closer with a half-smile, and asked, "What is it?"

"You've been working too much overtime. Please take care of your health."

Finally, Tsunade took Shuji to an ordinary little shop. She, familiar with the place, ordered grilled chicken skewers and sake, while Shuji ordered stir-fried cabbage with meat, a side of stewed radish, and rice.

The food in the village wasn't actually any better than outside, but after being a ninja for a long time, especially when you became somewhat famous, you felt more and more that at least you could eat the food in the village without any worries.

When you're out in the world, you always have to be extra careful.

Taking a bite of the crispy chicken and sipping half a glass of clear sake, Tsunade let out a satisfied sigh. "Ah—I'm back to life. Every day is just a mountain of documents to read and applications to approve. I really miss the carefree days of the past." She swirled her glass and sighed.

Shuji ate his meal quietly; the warm, home-cooked taste was perfect for a time like this. Simple, comforting food is what makes people most relaxed.

It was even more comfortable than eating those things in Daming Prefecture.

Fatigue is decreasing.

"Where is Miss Shizune?" he asked casually.

"I had to work overtime tonight, so I sent her home first." Tsunade rested her chin on her hand, toying with her wine glass in the other. "It's a bit boring without someone to drink with."

"Please do not have any thoughts of leading the child astray, thank you."

"Stop nagging! Just eat your food!"

"According to relevant regulations, adult seducers are usually regarded as the main person in charge, Lady Tsunade."

"Shut up! Try grabbing me and see what happens."

After a few drinks, Tsunade's cheeks flushed slightly, and she became more talkative: "The old man always said you were very capable, and this time I finally got to see it for myself."

"People of Asma's age can be so stubborn that even the old man can't handle them. I never expected that he would obediently return to the village so quickly."

"I've put my headband back on now."

"The old man told him to go to the border outpost for a while, saying it would give him some peace and quiet, and we could talk about it when he came back after the mission was over."

He ate his stewed radish in silence, without saying a word.

Looking at the suddenly quiet boy in front of her, the golden-haired princess with a thousand hands suddenly spoke, her tone unusually gentle: "You've had a hard time on this mission."

Shuji looked up at her and asked, "Are you sick?"

Tsunade's fingers tightened, crushing the wine glass in her hand. Her face instantly darkened: "I think you're about to die."

She must have had a bit too much to drink, because she's actually concerned about this.

Hearing the commotion, the shop assistant cautiously said, "Um, Lady Tsunade—"

"He'll pay." Tsunade pointed at Shuuji, annoyed.

"Let's get down to business. After this mission is over, you can rest for a few days." Composing herself, Tsunade said, "Then, you arrange a time for me to see Uchiha Fugaku."

"As for the location, the old house in the western suburbs will do."