"Alright then, let's move out."
As expected, after hearing Kazuki's report, Kitsune didn't press the matter. He simply waved it off and indicated that the task was complete.
Kazuki didn't take it seriously either.
Everyone in the ANBU knew by now that trying to get Tsunade to return to the village was a lost cause.
But the mission persisted. After all, she was one of the Legendary Sannin, and this order had originally been issued by the Third Hokage. Even after the Fourth took office, the directive wasn't revoked.
So even though they knew it was futile, protocol demanded that if Tsunade was spotted, they had to at least ask her.
It was just like those mindless tasks ordered by clueless bosses in regular jobs—completely pointless, but still done because you need the paycheck.
"Bit of a shame, though. I missed the chance to make some easy money," Kazuki sighed, sending out another Shadow Clone that began practicing Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu on autopilot.
"You can make extra money, Red Deer?" Kakashi, who hadn't planned on speaking, suddenly perked up at Kazuki's comment.
He'd been looking for a good excuse to mooch a meal off Kazuki anyway. It wasn't about the money—Kakashi just wanted payback for how much Kazuki could eat.
Even Kitsune, who hadn't said a word, leaned in slightly. After all, who didn't want more money?
"Of course! Didn't you guys know? Lady Tsunade never wins when she gambles. Just follow her around and bet the opposite—easy riches." Kazuki sighed with exaggerated regret.
Such a plump, perfect walking piggy bank.
He started to think of all those... ahem, less family-friendly fan stories where Tsunade lost a bet and had to... repay in alternative ways.
Kazuki coughed into his fist. Definitely not something to speak aloud unless he wanted Tsunade hunting him across the continent.
"Seriously?" Kakashi looked pensive.
"How could you think like that? We're talking about Lady Tsunade! One of the Legendary Sannin! She's the pride of Konoha!" Kitsune's voice turned suddenly righteous and stern, making Kakashi flinch with guilt.
Kazuki's expression twitched.
"...Next time, don't forget to bring me along." Kitsune suddenly grinned, completely reversing tone. Kakashi nearly slipped off the rooftop.
Kazuki just laughed. This captain of theirs was as unserious as ever, which honestly made working under him pretty relaxed.
"Don't worry, Captain. I'd never leave you out of a money-making scheme," Kazuki said, patting his chest.
It wasn't like he had spare cash lying around. He hadn't even touched the funds his family had stashed—originally he'd planned to borrow some from the casino for a wager, but Tsunade's sudden escape nixed that plan.
The three of them picked up the pace toward their next objective: a border town flagged by the intel division.
According to reports, Hidden Cloud (Kumogakure) shinobi had been spotted near the border. There was a high chance they'd already infiltrated the area.
That's where Kazuki's squad came in.
Despite the war's end, the town still bore the scars of conflict—collapsed buildings, shattered walls, broken streets. People walked in mourning clothes, grief heavy in the air.
"Should we question some locals?" Kakashi suggested.
Kazuki nodded. The villagers knew the terrain better than any outsiders.
But the moment the three ninja showed themselves, the townspeople erupted into panic.
Within seconds, the once-busy street was empty.
"War..." Kazuki shook his head.
They were Konoha shinobi, here to help take down Cloud-nin. But to these civilians? They were just another threat—demons in human skin.
"War demands lives, supplies, food... Their fear is natural," Kitsune said coldly.
Kakashi remained silent. He had been on the battlefield. He knew how it really worked.
Ninja fought the battles, but wars were won through logistics—resources, rations, manpower. No money, no food, no victory.
Even with Konoha's stores, sustaining multiple fronts was a strain. Regular soldiers couldn't always be used for transport, so ninja teams only guarded critical or high-volume shipments. The rest? Left to civilian labor.
And while Konoha's shinobi at least maintained a veneer of restraint during wartime requisitioning... the other villages? Not so much. Hidden Cloud, in particular, had a reputation for pillaging.
"So what do ninja really mean to this world?"
Kazuki wanted to ask, but kept quiet.
He wasn't strong enough—yet.
For now, he had to cling to Konoha, this old and decaying tree, using it as shelter while he grew.
He'd be the mistletoe, sapping its life and replacing the old world with a new order.
Kazuki narrowed his eyes.
Too small. Too narrow.
His ambitions were much, much greater.
But for now... development came first.
"This town doesn't seem to have what they're looking for," Kazuki murmured. It didn't seem like the type of place worth infiltrating for intelligence or supplies.
Ninja villages didn't just send operatives in to cause a scene and leave. They wanted long-term disruption. Ongoing chaos. Resource access.
"Map," Kakashi said, spreading one out on a nearby rooftop.
"Intel puts their last sighting here," Kitsune said, circling a point on the border.
He didn't seem fazed at all by the villagers' fear or hostility.
"What do you think, Red Deer?" Kitsune turned to Kazuki.
Kazuki frowned. Kitsune was normally the type to crack a joke or two—but now, he was uncharacteristically focused.
So the earlier encounter had gotten to him.
Kazuki turned to the map.
If he were a Hidden Cloud shinobi...
A thought came to him.
Cloud had always coveted the Byakugan. Later, they would even attempt to kidnap Hinata, an act that led to the death of Hiashi Hyūga's twin, Hizashi.
Konoha's weakness had been on full display then.
That was years from now, but still—Cloud's pattern was always the same.
"I think they're likely hiding... here." Kazuki pointed to a spot on the map.