Konoha cat breeder

Chapter 104: Mission Submission

"Lady Tsunade, who were that man and girl earlier?"

Back at the temporary lodgings in the Grass Village, Tonari had dispatched his shadow clone to escort the now disguised Reika and the fragile kitten quietly out of the village. With her former residence already on the outskirts, combined with the distraction caused by the Leaf ninjas' presence, slipping away was simple.

Tsunade shot him an unimpressed glance. "The man was their leader, and the girl who fought you was his daughter. It's a good thing you beat her. Grass Village has officially signed the alliance agreement with us."

"And the Takigakure ninjas?"

"They'll be Grass Village's problem now. Our role is to provide resources in exchange for their cooperation."

Small countries dealt with small-country matters. Just as Iwagakure had manipulated Takigakure to interfere with Leaf and Grass relations, Leaf would use Grass to counter Takigakure.

This was the delicate balancing act of smaller nations caught between superpowers.

Resources were scarce, survival often dictated by servitude to larger nations, and alliances were forged out of necessity, not loyalty. In the end, these nations—be it Grass, Waterfall, or even Rain—had to fend for themselves in an unyielding system.

"This is the way of the world," Tonari thought grimly. His understanding deepened as he reflected on the hardship faced by these small villages. "I think I'm beginning to understand why Yahiko and the others dreamed of a different future."

Tsunade, perceptive as ever, patted his shoulder, her tone tinged with empathy. "Don't let it weigh on you too much. Focus on protecting those close to you—that's all we can really hope for. And sometimes, even that feels like a luxury."

Tonari nodded silently.

---

The next morning, Tsunade called the team together.

"Let's head back to the Leaf."

The mission complete, they no longer needed to match the pace of the merchants, and their return journey was significantly faster. However, the mood among the group was subdued.

Both Uchiha Yoshinari and Nara Yoshino had tasted battle for the first time. Their hands had been stained with blood, and they'd experienced the grim reality of facing enemy shinobi. Though they'd grown through the experience, it was clear the weight of what they'd endured lingered.

For Tonari, the journey back was filled with quiet contemplation.

He glanced at his shadow clone, still active and undoubtedly keeping Reika safe. "Good. It's still intact," he thought. "That means things must be going smoothly on her end."

Still, the challenge of integrating Reika into his plans weighed heavily. While the Leaf was safe, her Uzumaki heritage and unique abilities might attract the wrong kind of attention—from figures like Danzo or even Orochimaru.

For now, an independent life outside the Leaf seemed like the best option.

---

By sundown, the gates of Konoha loomed in the distance.

"Tonari, you're coming with me to report to the Hokage. Yoshinari, Yoshino, you're dismissed," Tsunade instructed.

Both nodded, eager to reunite with their families after their first long mission.

As Tsunade and Tonari headed toward the Hokage's office, her sharp eyes caught the faraway look on his face.

"Still mulling over what you saw in Grass?" she asked.

"Yeah," Tonari admitted. "Seeing how people live in places like Grass… it's hard to reconcile. It makes me realize how much worse things can get. The wars, the suffering—none of it will stop unless there's some kind of larger threat that forces everyone to work together."

Tsunade's expression softened. "It's a harsh truth. This world is far from kind. That's why it's important to hold onto the people who matter and protect them as best as you can. Everything else is secondary."

Her words, though simple, carried weight.

---

Reaching the Hokage's office, they found the Third already waiting. The old man nonchalantly pushed aside a crystal ball as they entered.

"Ah, Tsunade, Tonari—you're back. I take it the mission was a success?" he asked, lighting his pipe with practiced ease.

Tsunade didn't miss the glance at the crystal ball and smirked knowingly. "Spying again, old man? Keep it up, and people might start calling you the Peeper Hokage."

Hiruzen coughed awkwardly, his wrinkled face tinged with embarrassment. "Ahem… Let's focus on the mission, shall we?"

Tsunade handed over the scroll containing the alliance agreement.

The Third unrolled it, scanning its contents briefly before nodding in approval. "Good work. I wasn't sure if Grass would sign without a struggle, but it seems things went smoothly."

"Smoothly?" Tsunade scoffed. "Only because of Takigakure's meddling. Their interference pushed Grass to see the benefits of aligning with us."

The Hokage nodded thoughtfully, then turned his attention to Tonari.

"I've heard reports of your performance from Tsunade. You handled yourself well," he said.

At that moment, a small blue-and-white slug emerged from Hiruzen's shoulder, glancing briefly at Tonari before retreating.

It was clear the Hokage had been keeping a close eye on the team—particularly Tonari. As the host of the Two-Tails, his progress was of great interest.

"Hmm…" Hiruzen mused to himself. "It seems it's time to start thinking seriously about his future."

His pipe glowed faintly as he inhaled deeply, his gaze lingering on the young boy before him.

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(Chapter End)

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