"… … Chen."
"What is it, Minato?"
"… … How much longer can we stay here?"
"The mission lasts fifteen days, so we can stay for another five."
"… Oh."
"What's wrong? Want to head back?"
"… No! I was just wondering if we could ask the Hokage to extend our mission time a little."
"Like…?"
"… Half a year."
"..."
At that moment, Tatsumi and Minato were casually discussing extending their mission. Thick cumulonimbus clouds floated across the clear sky, bringing a slight chill to the air. However, the warmth from the hot spring dispelled any lingering cold.
"The weather today is perfect for soaking in a hot spring," Tatsumi sighed, sliding deeper into the warm water.
"Yeah," Minato agreed, closing his eyes and continuing to enjoy the indulgent lifestyle at the Daimyo's mansion.
No wonder Jiraiya-sensei had always been reluctant to return to the village—Minato finally understood. This kind of life was just too hard to give up.
At the far end of the pool, Nawaki was dozing off, his body submerged up to his chest, hands resting on the pool's edge. He shifted in his sleep, causing water to splash everywhere.
"… Number one… technician… give me another spa… a full body one…" Nawaki muttered in his dream.
Suddenly, bubbles began to rise from beneath him. Half-asleep, Nawaki's eyes shot open.
He looked down and shouted in panic, "The water's boiling! Get out, quick!"
"..."
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
Helpless, Tatsumi had no choice but to use ninjutsu to clear the stench in the air.
"You still have the nerve to laugh?" he said, grabbing Nawaki's yellow hair. "Trying to gas Minato and me so you can inherit our stuff?"
"… I couldn't help it. I ate way too many radishes at lunch," Nawaki admitted, covering his nose. Even he couldn't stand the smell.
Thanks to Nawaki's frequent "bombings," they had to abandon their hot spring relaxation—no one could endure the noxious atmosphere.
By this point, it had been three days since Tatsumi and the others completed their mission. The four of them were comfortably settled in the Daimyo's mansion.
Of the Guardian Twelve, only one remained. Seven had been killed directly by Tatsumi, while four more died from the aftermath of clashing S-rank ninjutsu.
However, Tatsumi had not found Ryoma's body anywhere nearby. Most likely, the man saw how things were going and fled the scene.
As for the two brats, Karura and Pakura, they had slipped away during Tatsumi's battle with the Guardian Ninja.
Due to the earthquake caused by their clash, the Daimyo's mansion suffered considerable damage. Rumor had it that the Daimyo had broken his leg while helping his subordinates escape.
News quickly spread across the ninja world: the Third Raikage had allegedly assassinated the Fire Daimyo. With the Guardian Twelve wiped out, the Daimyo grew increasingly paranoid. In desperation, he sent a team to Konoha overnight to request reinforcements.
He specifically demanded that Sarutobi Hiruzen dispatch the war hero, Konoha's Lightning Flash, to protect him and investigate the disappearance of the Guardian Twelve.
After all, reputation mattered. The Daimyo claimed he didn't care how strong the guards were, as long as they were famous enough. Unfortunately, this "reasonable" request was unreasonably denied by the Third Hokage.
As tensions simmered across the ninja world, Team One shamelessly continued living a feudal, decadent life in the Daimyo's mansion—under the pretense of tracking Ryoma.
However, Orochimaru sent multiple urgent messages demanding their return. After stalling for a few days, the team finally packed up and left for Konoha.
---
Two Days Later – Konoha Village
In the early morning mist, the village was still quiet.
Due to the war, Konoha's commercial district had grown desolate, and the entire village had been under a cloud of tension for nearly two years.
But everything changed once news arrived from the frontlines:
The Land of Rain has surrendered.
The Demigod has asked for peace.
We won.
The news spread rapidly through Konoha. While it brought joy to the civilians, it wasn't enough to spark wild celebration. After all, it had always been the major powers battling for dominance—ordinary people just wanted peace and stability.
Still, with the return of troops, the village slowly regained some of its former liveliness. After all, war heroes were Konoha's biggest spenders.
Tsunade walked down a long street, exchanging greetings with merchants both familiar and new. She had long grown used to being one of Konoha's war heroes.
And honestly, it wasn't a bad feeling. Even the ever-gloomy Orochimaru had started smiling—he couldn't seem to stop.
After a long walk, Tsunade finally arrived at the village gate.
"Tsunade-sensei? What are you doing here?"
A slightly surprised voice came from the shadows. A red-haired girl stepped out—it was Kushina.
Ever since the troops started returning, she had been waiting here at the gate every morning.
"I'm here to find you for a mission," Tsunade replied with a smile.
"Mission? What kind of mission?" Little Fox Kushina looked stunned. She had been stuck in the village for ages—no one ever said she'd be assigned one.
"Didn't you always want to leave the village? I talked to the Third Old Man, and now I'm taking you."
"… Hurry up and say yes! Just say yes!" roared Kurama from inside her, banging on the bars of his cage. "I've been stuck in this dump for decades—I want out! Wuwuwu…"
Kurama wept dramatically, but Kushina ignored him completely.
She hesitated, then asked, "Tsunade-neechan, can I wait just a few more days?"
"Huh? Didn't you smash the Hokage's office a bunch of times, demanding to go to the battlefield? Why are you hesitating now?" Tsunade teased. "Oh… I get it. You're waiting for that little brat, huh?"
"No… no." Kushina's face turned bright red, like a tomato.
Tsunade burst out laughing. "Haha, I'm just messing with you. Orochimaru said they'd be back today, so I came to remind you. I just didn't expect the famous Red Hot-Blooded Habanero to get all shy."
Kushina turned even redder. "No way."
She spoke quickly, her voice catching with a strange inflection. Just as the words left her mouth, the sound of footsteps echoed from beyond the gate.
In the thin morning mist, four familiar figures slowly appeared.
————————————————————
Don't forget to review & vote if you're enjoying the story.
If you spot any errors or mistakes, feel free to tag or comment so they can be fixed.
Stay tuned for more!