'Well, it seems that the leaders aren't stupid, meow. So tiring.' Takeshi stretched, muscles protesting slightly.
Overall, things were going more or less as expected. He hadn't seriously planned on keeping Nagato and Yahiko in the dark forever. After all, one wielded the Rinnegan and the other was the backbone of Akatsuki, they weren't idiots.
Just... a little naive.
If Takeshi hadn't stepped in, Yahiko likely would have gone straight to Hanzo. That letter Hanzo sent had truly resonated with him, filled with visions for peace and justifications for the 'efforts' he'd already made.
Hanzo had framed the entire Second Shinobi World War as part of his peace efforts in that letter. He'd even taken credit for the fragile tranquility of recent years.
To someone like Yahiko, what was that letter? A confession from a fellow idealist, proof that dreams could align.
Takeshi wasn't wired that way. Even without knowing the future, receiving a letter like that would have immediately set off alarm bells about the sender's motives, rather than inspiring belief or moving him.
He nibbled on some special cat food, restoring a bit of stamina, and sighed inwardly.
After another stretch, Takeshi headed out.
He hadn't left the house in three days, and people were probably wondering where he was. Time to check in on his team and offer some 'guidance'. He was their jonin leader, after all.
'But where are they?' He hadn't been keeping tabs, especially with Kakashi technically leading the team day-to-day. Finding them wouldn't be simple.
He could have used the Flying Thunder God to locate them instantly, but he wasn't in a rush. Instead, he hopped onto the roof of the Hokage Tower, settling down to wait for them to appear. He sensed the Sandaime below notice him, likely wanting to shoo him off, but then hesitate, probably remembering their last encounter.
'Fine. Let him stay.'
A moment later, the damned cat vanished anyway.
The Sandaime let out a soft sigh.
While Takeshi was somewhat competent. Still, having this cat lounging around the village indefinitely wasn't right either.
'A four-man squad, plus Kakashi... they should be more than capable of handling a B-rank mission.'
The Sandaime considered. This was a chance to send the black cat away for a while, and give Kakashi and Guy some valuable field experience.
As for the mission itself? The village had plenty piling up. With reliable shinobi stretched thin, requests were backlogged. Picking almost any shelved mission at random would yield something B-rank or higher.
Decision made, he tapped lightly on the ceiling.
On the roof, Takeshi's ears twitched at the sound. It came from the Sandaime's office below.
'What's up?' He clambered down the wall and peered through the window, seeing the Sandaime beckoning him inside.
"Meow!" Takeshi flickered into the office using the Flying Thunder God.
The Sandaime cleared his throat lightly, pulling a scroll out from a pile on his desk. He unfurled it. "Here's a mission," he said. "I'd like your team to undertake it."
"Meow?" Takeshi eyed the scroll, then the Hokage, suspiciously. 'Trying to get rid of me again, old man?'
But as he scanned the scroll, his suspicion turned to surprise.
It detailed a B-rank mission: protect a merchant caravan traveling to the Land of Snow. That was just the first part. Tucked beneath it was a second scroll outlining an A-rank mission: investigate Yukigakure.
'Yukigakure? That name rings a bell.' Takeshi searched his memory for a moment and finally placed the name. 'But the ruler of the Land of Snow should be busy tinkering with heaters right about now... Why does the Sandaime want me investigating?'
'Very strange.'
"Recent intelligence suggests that a man named Doto Kazahana has gathered rogue ninja and secretly established this Yukigakure," the Sandaime explained, taking a long drag from his pipe, the smoke partly obscuring his face. 'This cat is cunning,' he thought. 'Best not reveal all my reasoning.' "Go and investigate the situation. This would normally be an ANBU task, but we're short-handed at the moment..."
"Sandaime-sama," Takeshi began, tilting his head. "About Yukigakure, meow. What exactly is the objective?"
He processed the information, gears already turning. The Land of Snow was known for its experimental Chakra Armor. 'Wonder if they've started developing it yet?'
Besides that, the place was sparsely populated. If Yukigakure was dealt with, perhaps he could suggest Yahiko and the others relocate there, or even to the nearby Land of Frost. A remote, defensible base...
The direct question seemed to catch the Sandaime off guard.
He hesitated, then said vaguely, "Assess their potential. Try to win them over to Konoha's side if possible."
"Okay, meow." Takeshi gave a dismissive flick of his paw, indicating he understood. He scooped up both scrolls, stored them in his inventory, and vanished with another flicker of the Flying Thunder God to find Kakashi and the others.
'This mission is perfect,' he thought as he reappeared outside the village. 'A good excuse to leave Konoha and get out from under Danzo's watchful eye.'
--**--**
'Yukigakure...' The Sandaime took another puff from his pipe, his thoughts lingering on the northern land.
Whether this new village was strong or weak didn't directly impact Konoha much. But its location... If the Land of Snow could be brought into cooperation, it might serve as a valuable strategic foothold should war break out again with Iwagakure.
Of course, that depended entirely on having the personnel and capability to make it happen. Without Takeshi's unusual team available, the Sandaime wouldn't have even considered sending anyone to the Land of Snow.
The region was too isolated, too poorly understood even by Konoha's intelligence networks. Pursuing an alliance there seemed like a long shot, hardly worth the resources under normal circumstances.
--**--**
In a training field just outside Konoha, Kakashi was supervising Guy, Ebisu, and Genma as they meticulously planted rice seedlings in a paddy field. His visible eye was half-lidded as he mentally reviewed the hand seals for Chidori, contemplating efficiency.
Just then, a black cat materialized abruptly on Ebisu's shoulder.
Takeshi took in the muddy scene below, wrinkled his nose, and immediately launched himself off Ebisu's back, landing neatly on the dry bank beside the paddy.
The sudden push sent Ebisu stumbling, arms flailing as he fought for balance, nearly pitching him face-first into the muck. Thanks to his recent, rigorous training regimen, however, he managed to windmill his arms and stay upright.
Kakashi glanced up, registered Takeshi's arrival, and promptly returned his attention to his thoughts. 'Takeshi's here. This probably means trouble.'
"Alright, wrap it up, meow," Takeshi announced, landing lightly on the ground. "We've got a big mission. B-rank protection detail." He slapped the earth beside him, produced the Land of Snow escort scroll from thin air, and handed it to Kakashi.
Kakashi took the scroll and read it carefully, his expression unreadable. He remained silent for a long moment.
'Land of Snow?' he thought. 'It's supposed to be a perpetually snow-covered country, cut off from the rest of the world. Barely anyone knows what it's really like.' He knew one thing for sure: it was a very long way from Konoha. 'Strange that the Sandaime-sama would assign them a mission there.'
"Alright!" Guy suddenly roared, pumping a fist, splattering mud. "Let's finish this task with youthful vigor! Then we can immediately embark upon our new mission!"
He threw himself back into planting with renewed intensity, his hands a blur. He cleared his section in record time, and spurred on by his energy, the others quickly finished the rest of the field.
'What a force of nature,' Takeshi thought, watching Guy.
Kakashi caught Takeshi's eye. "Is this alright?" he asked quietly, gesturing subtly towards the scroll.
Takeshi gave a slight nod. 'What's the big deal? It's just Yukigakure.' Even if Kakashi wasn't here, even if it were just Genma leading Guy and Ebisu, Takeshi felt confident he could handle whatever Doto had scraped together and get everyone back safely. 'Though, if it was just them, the Sandaime probably wouldn't have tacked on that A-rank investigation.'
Takeshi considered for a second, then added, "However, once we arrive, I'll be operating separately, from the shadows. On the surface, it'll just be the four of you handling the escort."
"Hmm?" Kakashi's visible eye widened slightly. Something about this felt unusual, but he didn't press the issue. He just gave another small nod to show he understood.
Getting to the Land of Snow required a boat journey.
That afternoon, Takeshi led the team to the designated port, where they found the caravan leader who had posted the mission request. The merchant dealt primarily in grain and other staples. His ship looked like it was built for heavy cargo, sturdy and seaworthy. Capsizing seemed unlikely.
For Guy, Ebisu, and Genma, traveling so far north was a first. They were a bundle of nerves and excitement. Takeshi and Kakashi, observing them, remained impassive.
'The Land of Snow is roughly equidistant from Amegakure,' Takeshi mused silently, watching the crew load supplies. 'There'll be a significant travel time. If Danzo makes a move against Yahiko and the others while I'm gone, no one will suspect my involvement.'
'The key,' he reminded himself, 'is not to make any public appearances near Amegakure. If I show my face, even an idiot would connect the dots. Flying Thunder God makes alibis meaningless.'
'Still too soon to contact Konan and the others, though. Need to get a feel for the situation in the Land of Snow first. Before anything else kicks off, I need to make sure Kakashi and the team are safely established there.'
===============
Dear Readers and Fans,
For those eager to dive into next chapters earlier before others, I invite you to join us on Patreon. By becoming our Patron, you not only gain access to exclusive advanced chapters but also help us continue this endeavour and expand it further.
https://www.pat reon.com/8Ashes8
(no space)
You can read upto 7 Chapters in advance.