"How scary. Such a temper..."
Takeshi had walked quite a distance outside, yet the sound still startled him. He glanced at the shinobi standing guard on the night shift, but none of them so much as flinched. They were completely unfazed-clearly used to it. Every profession had its challenges.
The black cat sighed softly and padded back to his tent. It didn't matter why Tsunade was furious, as long as she wasn't directing her anger at him.
Judging by the timing, she had smashed the table only after he left. That meant she still had some restraint.
'But what kind of reward would I get for handing over Samehada? Maybe I could convince Tsunade to let me study her grandfather's cells. Then again, that might just earn me a near-death experience like Jiraiya... Yeah, better not.' If he even suggested it, his remains might end up scattered across Shikkotsu Forest.
The dawn would be beautiful tomorrow. He wasn't ready to die just yet.
---
Back at the tent, Takeshi noticed that Obito was still awake, standing by the entrance, waiting.
Not for him, surely.
Takeshi knew his place. No one waited for him unless they were looking to beat him up. But today was different. Obito actually was waiting for him.
"Thank you, Takeshi." Obito bowed deeply.
"Meow?", the black cat blinked, momentarily stunned.
"Uh... anyway, thanks. Thanks for teaching me that move." Obito scratched the back of his head awkwardly before slipping into the tent, leaving Takeshi standing there, dumbfounded. He only pondered the moment for a second before following him in.
For Obito, today had been remarkable.
His teacher had acknowledged him, and the ever-annoying black cat had finally stopped messing with him and turned his attention to Kakashi instead. If he weren't stationed at the border, he'd have treated himself to a good meal.
What a shame.
Meanwhile, things were far less peaceful elsewhere.
---
Konohagakure remained stable, but the same couldn't be said for Kirigakure and Kumogakure.
Ay had personally escorted Fuguki Suikazan back, originally planning to hand him over to the Kirigakure assassination squad. But something didn't sit right.
If they returned him and the Kirigakure shinobi realized Samehada was missing, how were they supposed to explain it?
They couldn't just tell Kirigakure ANBU that one of their legendary swords had been stolen by a rat. Not only would Kirigakure find it ridiculous, but even Ay himself felt the excuse was beyond stupid.
But the problem was-it was the truth...
This was awkward.
Undecided, Ay sent word to his old man for guidance before making a final decision. If negotiations failed, Fuguki might just have to be buried in the Land of Lightning.
---
Minato had spent the entire night at the border, expecting Ay to arrive, demanding answers. Instead, he was met with a different summons-from Tsunade.
Confused, he followed the messenger to her location, but the explanation only baffled him further.
"You want Takeshi to return to the village? Why? We need his strength here. Even the Third Hokage should understand that." Minato was stunned.
At such a crucial time, they still wanted to call Takeshi back. Even he felt that the Third Hokage must have lost his mind.
"It's probably about promotion," Tsunade muttered irritably. Her fist clenched, but upon noticing the brand-new desk before her, she reconsidered and instead slammed her palm flat against it.
Taking a deep breath, she lowered her voice, "Maybe those old ghosts are trying to stir up trouble."
Minato's eyes widened. For a moment, he was at a loss for words.
The "old ghosts" Tsunade mentioned could only mean the two village elders and the Darkness of the Shinobi World, Root's leader, Danzo. Minato had never been particularly fond of the first two, but he didn't outright despise them either. Danzo, though...
That was another story.
"So, what do we do?" Minato finally asked.
He had heard bits and pieces about Konoha's darker dealings from Jiraiya and had no illusions about Danzo's true nature.
"That's why I called you back," Tsunade replied. "From now on, you'll be stationed here. The Kirigakure forces have taken too many hits recently-they won't risk another fight until they reach some sort of agreement with the Kumogakure. As long as you stay alert, things should remain stable."
Minato considered her words before nodding. "Alright. I have no problem with that. You can count on me."
Tsunade returned his solemn expression as if she was about to make important decision.
Outside the tent, Takeshi listened in, overhearing the exchange with mild amusement. He briefly considered walking in and exposing Tsunade's little scheme, but before he could decide, the flap of the tent flew open.
But after a few seconds.
Tsunade came out, grabbed Takeshi, and turned back to Minato Namikaze, saying, "Time is of the essence. Takeshi and I will return to the village immediately. Be careful here."
"Yes, Tsunade-sama."
'Minato Namikaze... you've been played.' Takeshi sighed softly. He still remembered watching the anime in his previous life-there was that one episode where Tsunade transformed into a child just to trick her creditors...
Sure enough, beautiful women were the best liars.
"Let's go."
---
They left camp swiftly, Tsunade moving with a speed that rivaled a Jonin specializing in agility. After covering a considerable distance, she shot him a triumphant grin.
"Let's go. I'm taking you somewhere fun."
"Meow~ No gambling! You don't have any money, and I'm not lending you any." Takeshi's refusal was immediate and weakly exasperated.
A vein throbbed on Tsunade's forehead. 'How did this damn cat know when I was planning to visit a gambling den? It really wasn't a good thing for a cat to be this smart.'
She made up her mind, 'no more cats in the future.' Maybe she'd get a pig instead. Pigs didn't overthink things. Even if one somehow developed intelligence, it wouldn't be as cunning as a cat. As long as they were fed well, they wouldn't cause trouble. And if times got tough... well, they were practical animals.
'Yes. No more cats.' Tsunade thought irritably.
Tsunade huffed at the thought but didn't argue with Takeshi's accusation. Her return to the village with Takeshi was indeed partly to deter those old geezers in the village, but on the other hand, she also wanted to go out and have some fun.
Staying in the Camp was really boring.
It didn't take too long to return to Konohagakure from here. With the thought of saving chakra, Takeshi didn't use the Flying Thunder God with the kunai that Minato left with Kushina as a coordinate, but instead rode on Tsunade's shoulder to return to the village together.
It was comfortable to hitch a ride, and he could occasionally look at the scenery, which felt very pleasant...
---
By the time they reached Konohagakure in the afternoon, the sun hung high in the sky.
"Meow! What do you think?"
Tsunade stood at the village gate, taking in the familiar sight. "The village is still the same... but the people aren't."
A wistful sigh escaped her lips before she slowly stepped forward.
"Tsunade-sama?" The gate guards immediately recognized her.
"You're back! Please, come in. Are you here to see the Hokage?"
No messenger was necessary. While few in Konohagakure might recognize Takeshi, absolutely no one could mistake Tsunade. Even if someone attempted to transform into her, they could never replicate her presence.
"Yes, I'm back to take care of some things," Tsunade said, nodding lightly before leading Takeshi into the village.
Konohagakure was vast, second only to the Land of Fire's capital in scale. The first sight greeting them upon entering was the imposing Hokage Rock carved into the earthen wall, standing as a testament to the village's legacy.
Takeshi couldn't help but feel a wave of nostalgia. After being away for so long, he had nearly forgotten the village's atmosphere. But before he could dwell on sentimentality, Tsunade shattered the moment with a casual remark:
"Go see the Third Hokage yourself. I have something to do."
'Something to do? Is that really something to do? You're going Gambling, you degenerate!', Takeshi cursed inwardly.
If he had the power, he would have smacked her, but since he preferred to keep his nine lives intact, he had no choice but to head to the Hokage Building alone. As a cat.
According to Tsunade, the Third Hokage would give him some reward for this trip back to the village.
According to Tsunade, the Third Hokage had summoned him for some kind of reward. While the Two Elders and Danzo were likely scheming something, Tsunade's personal return meant the Third Hokage would at least give her some respect. It shouldn't be too much of an issue-
And if things did get complicated? Well, there was always Flying Thunder God.
Nothing a quick teleport couldn't fix.
The village itself remained peaceful, blissfully untouched by the outside world's chaos. From the rooftops, Takeshi spotted several familiar faces returning from missions-Hana Inuzuka and her ever-stupid dog, Haimaru.
Haimaru had grown. Now an adult, he looked far more formidable than before.
If Takeshi had time, he would have enjoyed teasing that foolish mutt. The dog had no memory-if they met again, it would surely puff up with confidence, only to be put in its place once more.
Elsewhere, he caught sight of Might Guy, Genma Shiranui, and Ebisu. They, too, seemed to be returning from outside the village-likely from another mission involving carrying water or assisting with farm work.
With so many genin enlisted in the war, the village was seeing an uptick in local missions.
Sighing to himself, the black cat picked up his pace, making his way toward the Hokage Building.
-------------------
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